Background Art In general, numerous kinds of microorganisms collectively inhabit within an oral cavity while receiving necessary nutrients from organic materials deriving from food, saliva, secretion from gingival clefts, deciduous epithelia, etc. Those microorganisms constitute a characteristic oral cavity ecosystem in accordance with the microenvironment of each anatomical part within the oral cavity. Tooth brushing is performed to clean such oral cavity where a variety of microorganisms coexist. However, if the tooth brushing act is performed only on the teeth excluding the flat of the tongue, the microorganisms and fur inhabiting on the flat of the tongue cannot be removed. This poses a problem of not only deteriorating hygiene but also causing an offensive odor within the oral cavity. Ordinary toothbrushes may be used for cleaning the flat of the tongue. In that case, however, long hairs of the brushes become a bar to cleaning the flat of the tongue and require the user to open his/her mouthy in a large scale.

To solve this drawback, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 175,924 (registered on January 12,2000) has been suggested. This utility model discloses a

toothbrush fixedly integrating a tongue cleaner at the end of the handle thereof. Fig.

1 is a top plan view of such toothbrush. As shown in Fig. 1, the conventional toothbrush with a tongue cleaner mainly comprises a body 10 of the brush, brush hairs 20 positioned at one end of the body 10, and a tongue cleaner 30 annexed to the opposite end of the brush hairs 20. The tongue cleaner 30 comprises a pair of blades of a plastic material including a first blade 31 and a second blade 32. The blades are rounded so as not to hurt tongue while cleaning the tongue. Diverse types of tongue cleaners are also disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No.

20-206545.

However, the toothbrush carrying the conventional tongue cleaner as described above has a drawback of not being fixable to the toothbrush. Thus, much space is required when storing the toothbrush because of the lengthy tongue cleaner.

Another problem occurs when storing the toothbrush. Toothbrushes are generally stored in a cup with their head portions orienting upside. Therefore, the tongue cleaners contact the bottom of the cup, and this is disadvantageous from the hygienic point of view.

Disclosure of Invention It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush with a folding type cleaner that can provide a user convenience of occupying less space and guaranteeing hygiene when stored.

To achieve the above object, there is provided a toothbrush with a folding type cleaner, comprising: a hair base; a head with brush hairs implanted on the hair base; a handle extended by a predetermined length from the head; a toothbrush having hinge grooves formed at suitable positions on both side surfaces of the

handle; and a tongue cleaner including a blade section of a partially open frame shape and extended sections having hinge pins, which are extended in parallel from the partially open portion and engaged with the hinge grooves at suitable positions.

The tongue cleaner is rotatable around the hinge grooves while being supported by the hinge pins.

According to the construction as described above, it is preferable to form finger pins at suitable positions of the extended sections. It is also preferable to form a folding finger groove and an unfolding finger groove at suitable positions of the hand for binding the tongue cleaner in folded and unfolded states, respectively, with respect to the toothbrush by binding the finger pins.

Brief Description of the Drawings The above object, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a toothbrush with a conventional tongue cleaner; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner as separated, according to a best mode for carrying out the present invention; Fig. 3 is a front view of the toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 is a rear view of the toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner as folded from Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner according to another best mode for carrying out the present invention.

Best Modes for Carrying out the Invention Best modes for carrying out the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner as separated, according to a best mode for carrying out the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner in Fig. 2 as unfolded. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner in Fig. 2 as folded. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the toothbrush 100 with a folding type tongue cleaner according to a best mode for carrying the invention may mainly comprise a toothbrush handle 110, a toothbrush head 120, and a tongue clear 130 rotatatively bound by the handle 110.

As well known, the head 120 comprises a hair base 121, and toothbrush hairs 122 implanted on the hair base 121. The handle 110 has a predetermined length.

Hinge grooves 111 are formed at suitable positions of both side surfaces, e. g. , in the middle, of the handle 110 in the longitudinal direction.

Meanwhile, the tongue cleaner may mainly comprise a cleaner blade section 131, and a pair of extended sections 132 extended in parallel by a predetermined length from the blade section 131. The cleaner blade section 131 may be of a triangular shape having an open portion at the top thereof. The extended sections 132 are formed adjacent to both ends of the open portion. The cleaner blade section 131 is preferably formed to have a rectangular cross section so as to guarantee removal of the fur.

Meanwhile, hinge pins 133 are formed at suitable positions, e. g. , inside of the free end portions, of the extended sections 132 for receiving hinge grooves 111 so that the tongue cleaner 130 can rotate around the hinge grooves 111. With respect

to the positions of the extended sections 132 and the handle 110 of the hinge grooves 111 in the longitudinal direction, it is preferable that the cleaner blade 131 is positioned outside of the toothbrush hair 122 when the tongue cleaner 130 is folded.

Moreover, a folding finger groove 112 is preferably formed at a suitable position in the longitudinal direction of the front surface of the handle 110 so as to maintain the folded state of the tongue cleaner 130. A finger pin 134 is preferably formed inside of the extended sections 132 so as to be bound by forcible insertion into the folding finger groove 112. When storing the toothbrush according to the present invention having the above structure, the finger pin 134 is bound by the folding finger groove 112 if a slight force is laid on the folded tongue cleaner 130.

Therefore, the tongue cleaner 130 remains folded unless an unfolding force exceeding a predetermined degree is laid on the folded tongue cleaner 130.

The hinge grooves 111 and the hinge pins 133 preferably have a forcibly inserting structure so as to prevent easy release of their engagement. For instance, the hinge grooves 111 may have a structure of narrow entrance and wide inside. In conformity with the hinge grooves 111, the hinge pins 133 may have a structure of wider mid-portion than the binding end portion.

It is further preferable to maintain the tongue cleaner 130 in an unfolded state once unfolded by a user to clean teeth. For that purpose, an unfolding finger groove 113 of a similar structure to the aforementioned folding finger groove 112 may also be formed at a position contacting the finger pin 134 of the handle 110.

When the toothbrush having the above construction is used, if a slight force is laid on the tongue cleaner 130 in an unfolded state, the finger pin 134 is bound by the finger groove 113. Therefore, unless a force exceeding a predetermined degree is laid on the tongue cleaner 130, the tongue cleaner 130 remains unfolded.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the toothbrush with a folding type tongue cleaner according to another best mode for carrying out the present invention.

Same drawing reference numerals are used for the same elements as in Fig. 2, and detailed description will be omitted herein. Unlike the best mode in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 shows a folding finger hole 112'and a folding finger hole 113'of a half circular shape that are formed on both side surfaces of the toothbrush 100'and the handle 110'. Finger pins 134 of a half circular shape are formed on both insides of the extended sections 132 of the tongue cleaner 130'at counter-positions.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain best modes, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, the blade section 131 of the tongue cleaner 130 may be modified in a suitable shape. Or, the tongue cleaner 130 may be modified to have a structure of being folded and unfolded from a rear surface of the handle 110. Further, unlike the aforementioned best modes, the hinge grooves 111 may be formed at the extended sections 132, while the hinge pins 133 maybe formed at the handle 110.

Industrial Applicability As described above, the toothbrush with a folding tongue cleaner according to the present invention provides a user convenience of occupying less space and guaranteeing hygiene when stored.