U.S. patent application number 09/882676 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-12 for disposable toothbrush.
Invention is credited to Saar, Gola L..
Application Number | 20020184724 09/882676 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25381103 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020184724 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saar, Gola L. |
December 12, 2002 |
Disposable toothbrush
Abstract
A disposable toothbrush having a head member that removably but
securely connects to a handle member. The base portion of the head
member is made out of paper material, such as cardboard, and has a
plurality of bristles extending outwardly from its bottom side. The
handle member has a handle portion and an attachment portion. A
pocket on the head member is sized and configured to securely
receive the attachment portion in its interior passage so as to
securely attach head member to handle member. The disposable
toothbrush can utilize interior ridges and a locking mechanism to
even more securely attach the head member to the handle member.
Inventors: |
Saar, Gola L.; (Fresno,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Richard A. Ryan
RYAN & ENGNATH
Suite 104
8469 N. Millbrook
Fresno
CA
93720
US
|
Family ID: |
25381103 |
Appl. No.: |
09/882676 |
Filed: |
June 8, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/167.1 ;
15/176.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 7/04 20130101; A46B
2200/1066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/167.1 ;
15/176.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 007/04; A46B
009/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member
having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing
sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at
said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a
handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle
portion; head member having a base portion comprising a top side
and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second
end; a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from said bottom
side of said base portion of said head member, said plurality of
bristles forming a brush portion; and a pocket disposed on said top
side of said base portion, said pocket having an open end at said
first end of said base portion and an interior passage extending
substantially to said second end of said base portion, said
interior passage of said pocket sized to securely receive said
attachment portion of said handle member.
2. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said pocket has a
closed end at said second end of said base portion.
3. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said attachment
width is greater than said handle width.
4. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said base member
is made out of a paper material.
5. The disposable toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said paper
material is cardboard.
6. The disposable toothbrush of claim 5, wherein said cardboard is
treated to make it water resistant.
7. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said interior
passage of said pocket has opposing pocket sides, said opposing
pocket sides having one or more pocket ridges thereon.
8. The disposable toothbrush of claim 7, wherein said opposing
sides of said attachment portion has one or more handle ridges,
said handle ridges sized and configured to engage said pocket
ridges on said pocket sides so as to secure said head member to
said handle member.
9. The disposable toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said head member
and said handle member further comprise locking means for locking
said head member to said handle member.
10. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member
having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing
sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at
said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a
handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle
portion, said opposing sides of said attachment portion having one
or more handle ridges thereon; a head member having a base portion
comprising a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end
and an opposing second end, said base portion made out of a paper
material; a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from said
bottom side of said base portion of said head member, said
plurality of bristles forming a brush portion; and a pocket
disposed on said top side of said base portion, said pocket having
an open end at said first end of said base portion and an interior
passage extending substantially to said second end of said base
portion, said interior passage sized to receive said attachment
portion of said handle member, said interior passage of said pocket
having opposing pocket sides, each of said opposing pocket sides
having one or more pocket ridges thereon, said pocket ridges sized
and configured to engage said handle ridges so as to secure said
head member to said handle member.
11. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said pocket has
a closed end at said second end of said base portion.
12. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said attachment
width is greater than said handle width.
13. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said paper
material is cardboard.
14. The disposable toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said head member
and said handle member further comprise locking means for locking
said head member to said handle member.
15. A disposable toothbrush, comprising: an elongated handle member
having a front end, an opposing back end and a pair of opposing
sides, said opposing sides disposed apart an attachment width at
said front end to form an attachment portion and disposed apart a
handle width rearward of said attachment portion to form a handle
portion; a head member having a base portion comprising a top side
and an opposing bottom side and a first end and an opposing second
end, said base portion made out of paper; a plurality of bristles
extending outwardly from said bottom side of said base portion of
said head member, said plurality of bristles forming a brush
portion; and a pocket disposed on said top side of said base
portion, said pocket having an open end at said first end of said
base portion, a closed end at said second end of said base portion
and an interior passage extending from said open end to said closed
end, said interior passage of said pocket sized to securely receive
said attachment portion of said handle member.
16. The disposable toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said interior
passage of said pocket has opposing pocket sides, said opposing
pocket sides having one or more pocket ridges thereon.
17. The disposable toothbrush of claim 16, wherein said opposing
sides of said attachment portion has one or more handle ridges,
said handle ridges sized and configured to engage said pocket
ridges on said pocket sides so as to secure said head member to
said handle member.
18. The disposable toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said paper
material is cardboard.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The field of the present invention relates generally to
dental care products, particularly those which are designed to be
disposable. More specifically, the present invention relates to
disposable toothbrushes having disposable brush portions that
attach to specially configured handles.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] The importance of good dental hygiene is well known. Regular
use of a toothbrush to brush the teeth and gums is the best and
most commonly available means for the average person to prevent
tooth decay and various gum diseases. In fact, other than regular
visits to the dentist, cleaning one's teeth with a toothbrush is
the most practical and effective way to prevent tooth decay and gum
disease. It is well known that to be most effective, the teeth
should be brushed daily between meals so as to prevent build-up of
tooth-decaying substances on and between the teeth. Generally, most
people utilize one of the many specially developed and commonly
available toothpastes on the toothbrush to improve brushing
effectiveness. As part of the brushing process, most people rinse,
to one degree or another, the toothpaste and food particles from
the toothbrush upon completion of cleaning the teeth and gums.
Typically, the toothbrush is shaken to remove some of the rinse and
is then placed in a holder or cup to air dry.
[0005] A common problem for most people is the lack of availability
of a toothbrush when it is desired to brush one's teeth. Although
it is relatively simple to brush the teeth early in the morning and
at night when one is at the home and the washroom is available, it
is much more difficult to brush one's teeth after meals that take
place away from the home (as is typical for lunch). This problem is
exasperated when a person is traveling. As such, most people go
extended periods of time during the day when they do not brush
their teeth. Besides the increased likelihood of tooth decay and
gum diseases, the inability to have a toothbrush handy leads to
people being self conscience about possible food particles
remaining on their teeth and a desire to freshen the breath. Both
of these problems can be resolved by carrying a toothbrush with a
person so that it can be used when desired. Unfortunately, this is
not a very suitable alternative for most people due to the problems
with trying to carry around a toothbrush (such as keeping it clean
and surrounding surfaces dry).
[0006] In order for the person to effectively clean his or her
teeth, the toothbrush must contain a bristle portion that are
designed to clean the teeth, reach into the areas between teeth and
provide a massaging action for the gums. Toothbrush bristle design
has evolved over the years to utilize materials and bristle
placement that have been found to be more effective at removing
food and other contaminants from the teeth. However, it is well
known that repeated use of a toothbrush results in a wearing down
of the individual bristles or a reshaping of the bristle pattern
(i.e., flaying the bristles). This process is normal and inevitable
for all toothbrushes. As a result, in order to maintain the
effectiveness of the tooth brushing process, it is highly
recommended by the dental profession that people replace their
toothbrushes on a regular basis so as to maintain the desired
effectiveness of the toothbrush bristles.
[0007] Another problem with toothbrushes, which is alleviated to
some extent by the replacement of the toothbrush on a regular
basis, is that they tend to be breeding grounds for numerous
pathogenic organisms that are known to be able to thrive in the
bristles of a toothbrush. Food particles, saliva, bacteria,
toothpaste and other materials are known to accumulate on the
toothbrush. In addition, various mouth viruses and other diseases
can also accumulate in the toothbrush bristles. The fact that most
tooth brushing and toothbrush storage takes place in the bathroom,
which is known for disease transmission and is generally a warm and
moist environment, only makes the build-up of pathogenic organisms
more likely. The mere rinsing of the toothbrush under running
water, which is what is done by most people, does not remove these
materials from the bristles to an extent sufficient to render the
toothbrush free of the pathogenic organisms. As a result, the
toothbrush can be responsible for the transmission of diseases if
the toothbrush is used by another person or comes into contact with
another person's toothbrush. Even if not, the contaminated
toothbrush can make it very difficult for a person to fight an
existing mouth disease due to the likelihood of retransmission of
the disease back to the person through the toothbrush. Even though
this result can be avoided by the daily replacement of the
toothbrush or by extraordinary sterilization processes, the cost of
doing so makes either of these alternatives economically infeasible
for most persons.
[0008] Prior art disposable toothbrushes have not been well
received by the general public. Typically, this is because the
prior art toothbrushes are difficult to use, expensive to replace
and/or bulky in design. It can be appreciated, therefore, that what
is needed is a disposable toothbrush that is suitable for
effectively cleaning a person's teeth and which is of a type that
allows the person to easily dispose of the toothbrush. To have a
realistic chance of being accepted by most people, the disposable
toothbrush must be economical to buy and use, therefore requiring
the toothbrush to be made out of materials that are inexpensive to
produce. The preferred disposable toothbrush should be easy to use
and be of a design which is suitable for both adults and
children.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The disposable toothbrush of the present invention solves
the problems and provides the benefits identified above. That is to
say, the present invention is directed towards an improved
disposable toothbrush that is inexpensive to make, easy to use and
effective at reducing or preventing the spread of diseases of the
teeth, gums and mouth and improving the immunity system. In the
preferred embodiment of the present invention, the disposable
toothbrush has head member that removably connects to an elongated
handle member to form a toothbrush for brushing teeth and gums. The
handle member has a an attachment portion at the front end, a
handle portion at the opposing back end and a pair of opposing
sides. The opposing sides of the attachment portion are disposed
apart an attachment width amount and the opposing sides of the
handle portion, rearward of the attachment portion, are disposed
apart a handle width amount. The head member has a base portion
having a top side and an opposing bottom side and a first end and
an opposing second end. A plurality of bristles, grouped together
in tufts, extend outwardly from the bottom side of the base portion
to form the brush portion. To attach the head member to the handle
member, a pocket is disposed on the top side of the base portion.
The pocket has an open end at the first end of the base portion, a
closed end at the second end of the base portion and an interior
passage extending substantially to the second end of the base
portion. To maintain the head member to handle member connection
during brushing, the interior passage of the pocket is sized to
securely receive the attachment portion of the handle member.
[0010] The handle portion of the toothbrush is sized and configured
to be ergonomically comfortable in the user's hand. Typically, this
will result in the attachment portion of the handle member having a
greater width than the handle portion. To facilitate the disposable
nature of the present invention, the base member can be made out of
a paper material, such as cardboard that is treated to make it
water resistant. In addition, the opposing pocket sides of the
pocket can have one or more pocket ridges that are designed to
interact with the one or more handle ridges on the attachment
portion of the handle member. The pocket and handle ridges should
be sized and configured to engage each other so as to secure the
head member to the handle member. If a more secure connection is
desired, the head member and the handle member can include a
locking mechanism for locking the head member to the handle
member.
[0011] The improved disposable toothbrush of the present invention
will reduce the spread of infectious diseases, including but not
limited to diseases of the mouth, teeth and gums, by eliminating a
prevalent but not so well known source of germs and bacteria. The
present invention will allow people to brush their teeth more
often, as recommended by dentists and dental organizations, without
requiring the carrying of standard toothbrushes. As is well know,
if a person is to carry a standard toothbrush with them, they must
also carry a device or container for preventing the toothbrush from
picking up contaminants and adding those contaminants to the
already fertile breeding ground of the typical toothbrush.
[0012] Accordingly, the primary objective of the present invention
is to provide a disposable toothbrush having the features generally
described above and more specifically described below in the
detailed description. It is also an important objective of the
present invention to provide a disposable toothbrush that includes
a head member made out of a paper material, such as cardboard,
having a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the head
member. It is also an important objective of the present invention
to provide a disposable toothbrush that securely but removably
attaches a head member having a brush portion to a handle member.
The above and other objectives of the present invention will be
explained in greater detail by reference to the attached figures
and the description of the preferred embodiment which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] In the drawings which illustrate the best modes presently
contemplated for carrying out the present invention:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view of a disposable toothbrush in
accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a top view of the handle member of the disposable
toothbrush of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the head member of the
disposable toothbrush of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a top view of the head member shown in FIG. 3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a side view of the head member shown in FIG.
3;
[0019] FIG. 6 is cross-sectional side view of an alternative
embodiment of the present invention showing the pocket ridges and
handle ridges; and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention showing a locking mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] With reference to the figures where like elements have been
given like numerical designations to facilitate the reader's
understanding of the present invention, and particularly with
reference to the embodiments of the present invention illustrated
in FIGS. 1 through 5, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention, designated generally as 10, are set forth below.
Disposable toothbrush 10, shown as a single unit in FIG. 1,
generally has a handle member 12 and a head member 14. The
disposable toothbrush 10 of the present invention helps prevent the
spread of germs by facilitating the disposal of the portion of the
toothbrush 10 that is most susceptible to contamination and the
transmission of diseases, which is the head member 14. Although the
primary embodiment of the present invention 10 envisions the
disposal of the head member 14 only, it should be understood that
the entire toothbrush 10, including the handle member 12, can be
made to be disposable.
[0022] Handle member 12 has a front end 16, an opposing back end 18
and opposing sides 20, as best shown in FIG. 2. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention 10, handle member 12 is made
out of a plastic that is both rigid and flexible, as is known in
the art, to facilitate brushing of one's teeth with toothbrush 10.
As is well known, the typical toothbrush handle is stiff enough to
apply pressure to the teeth and gums, yet flexible enough that is
has some give so as to avoid injury (particularly to the gum area).
At the front end 16 of handle member 12, the opposing sides 20 are
disposed apart a distance referred to herein as the attachment
width, shown as 22 on FIG. 2, to form an attachment portion 24.
Rearward of the attachment portion 24, the opposing sides 20 are
disposed apart a distance referred to herein as the handle width,
shown as 26 on FIG. 2, to form a handle portion 28. As set forth
below, the attachment portion 24 interacts with the head member 14
to form a one-piece toothbrush 10. Handle portion 28 should be
sized and configured to be ergonomically comfortable in the user's
hand. As is known in the art, various shapes and configurations for
handle portion 28 can be utilized. As explained in more detail
below, the combined effect of having an ergonomic handle portion 28
and the need to securely attach head member 14 to handle member 12
will result in the preferred embodiment of the present invention 10
having an attachment width 22 that is greater than the handle width
26.
[0023] As best shown in FIGS. 3 through 5, head member 14 has a
base portion 30 having a first end 32 and an opposing second end 34
and a top side 36 and an opposing bottom side 38. Base portion 30
can be of any preferred shape, although it will typically be
rectangular, square or oval in shape. In the preferred embodiment,
because the head member 14 is designed to be thrown away after use,
base portion 30 is made out of a paper material, such as cardboard,
that is biodegradable. The paper material should be strong enough
to support the plurality of bristles 40 that extend downwardly from
the bottom surface 38 of base portion 30 to form brush portion 42
when the toothbrush 10 is in use. However, because the toothbrush
10 of the present invention is preferably designed to be a single
use item, the base portion 30 does not have to be configured to
withstand the rigors of multiple uses and prolonged exposure to
water or the humid environment of the typical bathroom. If desired,
the cardboard for base portion 30 can be treated or coated with a
variety of known materials to reduce the penetration of water or
other fluids into base portion 30 so as to further strengthen head
member 14. The bristles 40 can be of the size, configuration and
type commonly utilized for toothbrushes. As is commonly done, the
bristles 40 can be grouped together into a plurality of tufts.
Various configurations of bristle patterns for the brush portion 42
are also well known in the art.
[0024] To connect the head member 14 to handle member 12, the
present invention utilizes a pocket 44 disposed on the top side 36
of base portion 30, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 5. In the preferred
embodiment, the pocket 44 has an open end 46 at the first end 32 of
base portion 30, a closed end 48 at the second end 34 of base
portion 30 and an interior passage 50 between the open end 46 and
closed end 48, extending substantially from the first end 32 to the
second end 34 of base portion 30. The interior passage 50 of pocket
44 should be designed and configured to securely receive the
attachment portion 24 of handle member 12 therein. In this
embodiment, the attachment width 22 should be approximately equal
to the width of interior passage 50 so that the pocket 44 is
securely attached to attachment portion 24. The attachment portion
24 should be able to slide inside interior passage 50 so that head
member 14 is frictionally held onto handle member 12.
[0025] To more securely attach head member 14 to handle member 12,
the present invention can include one or more pocket ridges 52 on
the insides 54 of pocket 44 forming interior passage 50, as shown
in FIG. 6. To provide an even more secure connection between head
member 14 and handle member 12, the sides 20 of attachment portion
24 can comprise one or more handle ridges 56 that are sized and
configured to engage the pocket ridges 52 inside interior passage
50. The ridges 52 and 56 can interact to form a tight bond between
head member 14 and handle member 12. The use of these ridges 52 and
56 still relies on a frictional interaction to hold head member 14
on handle member 12. If an even more secure connection is desired,
such as for disposable toothbrushes 10 sized and intended for
children or for use with person's who have diminished mental
capacity, then a locking mechanism can be used to lock head member
14 onto handle member 12 during the brushing process. Any such
locking mechanism should be designed to release head member 14 from
handle member 12 once brushing is complete and disposal of head
member 14 is desired. One such locking mechanism, shown in FIG. 7,
can comprise a snap lock 58 on handle member 12 that interacts with
a lip 60 on head member 14. These types of locking mechanisms are
common. They function by sliding head member 14 onto attachment
portion 24 until lip 60 is forced under the snap lock 58 or by
pulling the snap lock 58 back to allow lip 60 to pass under snap
lock 58. The snap lock 58 closes over lip 60 locking head member 14
onto attachment portion 24. When brushing is complete, the head
member 14 is removed from handle member 12 by utilizing the thumb
or finger to pull snap lock 58 open so that lip 60 can pass back
under snap lock 58 and the head member 14 removed.
[0026] An example configuration for the disposable toothbrush 10 of
the present invention is set forth below. The example is meant to
be exemplary only and not to limit the invention in any way. As an
example, the handle portion 28 can be 6-1/2" long and 1/2 wide and
the attachment portion 24 can be 3/4 long and 3/4" wide. The
overall length of handle member 12 with these dimensions would be
7-1/4". The head member 14 could be 1" long by 1" wide having four
rows of eleven tufts each protruding from the bottom side 38
approximately 1-1/4". The pocket 44 would be 3/4" wide by 3/4"
long. When head member 14 is secured onto handle member 12, the
overall length of toothbrush 10 would be 7-1/2inches. A child size
version of the toothbrush 10 could have a handle portion 28 that is
3/8" wide by 5-1/2" long having an attachment portion 24 that is
1/2" long by 1/2" wide. The head member 14 would be 3/4" wide by
3/4" long and would have a pocket 44 that is 1/2" wide by 1/2"
long. The smaller head member 14 could utilize three rows of seven
tufts each protruding from the bottom side 38 approximately 1".
[0027] In use, the toothbrush 10 of the present invention will be
typically provided in two parts, one being the handle member 12 and
the other being one or more head members 14. Generally, a plurality
of head members 14 will be provided in a bag or sack. To ensure the
head members 14 remain clean until needed, they can be individually
wrapped inside the bag or sack. When brushing is desired, the
person would remove one of the head members 14 from the bag or sack
and remove the wrapping material. Typically, the head member 14
would be gripped on its sides and slide onto the attachment portion
24 of handle member 12. In the preferred embodiment, the head
member 14 would frictionally secure itself to the attachment
portion 24. If a locking mechanism is utilized, it would be
operated to allow the head member 14 to be placed on the handle
member 12. Once the brushing is complete, the user would pull head
member 14 off of the attachment portion, disengaging the locking
mechanism if necessary, and dispose of the head member 14 in the
trash. If desired, the individual wrapping for head members 14 can
be of the type that is resealable (i.e., such as many sandwich
bags) so the used head member 14 can be placed back in the wrapping
for disposal. Also, if desired, the attachment portion of the
handle member 12 can dipped or wiped with alcohol to sterilize it.
As set forth in more detail above, the use of disposable toothbrush
10 eliminates the build-up of contaminants on the brush portion 42
and substantially reduces the likelihood of spread of diseases.
[0028] If a completely disposable toothbrush 10 is desired, the
handle member 12 can also be made out of a paper material, such as
the same cardboard used for head member 14. Naturally, any such
handle member 12 would have to be made sufficiently stiff so that
it can be used to brush the teeth without collapsing or breaking.
In this manner, the user would simply throw away the entire
toothbrush 10 when finished brushing his or her teeth.
[0029] While there is shown and described herein certain specific
alternative forms of the invention, it will be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited, but
is susceptible to various modifications and rearrangements in
design and materials without departing from the spirit and scope of
the invention. In particular, it should be noted that the present
invention is subject to modification with regard to the dimensional
relationships set forth herein and modifications in assembly,
materials, size, shape, and use. The present invention resides in
the novel features of form, construction, mode of operation and
combination of elements presently described and understood by the
claims.
* * * * *