U.S. patent application number 10/278376 was filed with the patent office on 2004-04-29 for lip exfoliating toothbrush.
Invention is credited to Grote, Todd.
Application Number | 20040078910 10/278376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32106536 |
Filed Date | 2004-04-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040078910 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Grote, Todd |
April 29, 2004 |
Lip exfoliating toothbrush
Abstract
A toothbrush allows the lips to be exfoliated and cleaned while
brushing the teeth. The toothbrush has a device that serves to
exfoliate the lips while brushing the teeth and gums, eliminating
the need for the user to complete both activities separately. The
device for exfoliating the lips is connected to the handle of a
toothbrush such that when an individual is brushing the teeth and
gums, the device contacts the individual's lips. The lip
exfoliating device can be bristles, a fabric pad, sponge or other
means for exfoliating the skin and can be detachable.
Inventors: |
Grote, Todd; (Chicago,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JENNER & BLOCK, LLC
ONE IBM PLAZA
CHICAGO
IL
60611
US
|
Family ID: |
32106536 |
Appl. No.: |
10/278376 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/106 ; 15/114;
15/167.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 15/0055 20130101;
A46B 2200/1066 20130101; A46B 5/0008 20130101; A46B 15/0081
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/106 ;
015/114; 015/167.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 009/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toothbrush, comprising: a substrate; means attached to said
substrate for brushing teeth; and means connected to said substrate
for exfoliating lips.
2. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said exfoliating means is
detachable.
3. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a plurality of bristles spaced around at least a portion
of said substrate.
4. The toothbrush of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bristles are
spaced all 360.degree. around said substrate.
5. The toothbrush of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bristles are
nylon.
6. The toothbrush of claim 3 wherein said plurality of bristles are
plastic.
7. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a pad around at least a portion of said substrate.
8. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein said pad surrounds all
360.degree. of said substrate.
9. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein said pad is constructed of a
material selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester,
nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex, dacron, olefin,
acrylic, silk, and denim.
10. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein said pad is constructed of a
blend of at least two materials selected from the group consisting
of cotton, polyester, nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex,
dacron, olefin, acrylic, silk, and denim.
11. A toothbrush, comprising: a substrate; means attached to said
substrate for brushing teeth; and means for exfoliating lips, said
exfoliating means connected to said substrate such that said
exfoliating means contacts a user's lips during brushing of
teeth.
12. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said exfoliating means is
spaced up to 4 inches from said means for brushing teeth.
13. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said exfoliating means is
spaced up to 2 inches from said means for brushing teeth.
14. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said exfoliating means is
spaced 1/4 of an inch from said means for brushing teeth.
15. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said exfoliating means is
detachable.
16. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a plurality of bristles spaced around at least a portion
of said substrate.
17. The toothbrush of claim 16 wherein said plurality of bristles
are spaced all 360.degree. around said substrate.
18. The toothbrush of claim 16 wherein said plurality of bristles
are nylon.
19. The toothbrush of claim 16 wherein said plurality of bristles
are plastic.
20. The toothbrush of claim II wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a pad around at least a portion of said substrate.
21. The toothbrush of claim 20 wherein said pad surrounds all
360.degree. of said substrate.
22. The toothbrush of claim 20 wherein said pad is constructed of a
material selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester,
nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex, dacron, olefin,
acrylic, silk, and denim.
23. The toothbrush of claim 20 wherein said pad is constructed of a
blend of at least two materials selected from the group consisting
of cotton, polyester, nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex,
dacron, olefin, acrylic, silk, and denim.
24. A toothbrush, comprising: a substrate; means attached to said
substrate for brushing teeth; and means for exfoliating lips
wherein said exfoliating means extends outwardly from said
substrate such that said exfoliating means contacts a user's lips
during brushing of the teeth.
25. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means
extends outwardly from said substrate one tenth of an inch to one
inch.
26. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means
extends outwardly from said substrate one eighth of an inch to one
fourth of an inch.
27. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means
extends outwardly from said substrate one fourth of an inch.
28. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means is
detachable.
29. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a plurality of bristles spaced around at least a portion
of said substrate.
30. The toothbrush of claim 29 wherein said plurality of bristles
are spaced all 3600 around said substrate.
31. The toothbrush of claim 29 wherein said plurality of bristles
are nylon.
32. The toothbrush of claim 29 wherein said plurality of bristles
are plastic.
33. The toothbrush of claim 24 wherein said exfoliating means
comprises a pad around at least a portion of said substrate.
34. The toothbrush of claim 33 wherein said pad surrounds all
360.degree. of said substrate.
35. The toothbrush of claim 33 wherein said pad is constructed of a
material selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester,
nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex, dacron, olefin,
acrylic, silk, and denim.
36. The toothbrush of claim 33 wherein said pad is constructed of a
blend of at least two materials selected from the group consisting
of cotton, polyester, nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex,
dacron, olefin, acrylic, silk, and denim.
37. A toothbrush, comprising: a substrate; a tooth brushing device
attached to said substrate; and a lip exfoliating device wherein
said lip exfoliating device contacts a user's lips during brushing
of teeth.
38. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
is detachable.
39. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
comprises a plurality of bristles spaced around at least a portion
of said substrate.
40. The toothbrush of claim 39 wherein said plurality of bristles
are spaced all 360.degree. around said substrate.
41. The toothbrush of claim 39 wherein said plurality of bristles
are nylon.
42. The toothbrush of claim 39 wherein said plurality of bristles
are plastic.
43. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
comprises a pad around at least a portion of said substrate.
44. The toothbrush of claim 43 wherein said pad surrounds all
360.degree. of said substrate.
45. The toothbrush of claim 43 wherein said pad is constructed of a
material selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester,
nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex, dacron, olefin,
acrylic, silk, and denim.
46. The toothbrush of claim 43 wherein said pad is constructed of a
blend of at least two materials selected from the group consisting
of cotton, polyester, nylon, linen, rayon, acetate, lycra, spandex,
dacron, olefin, acrylic, silk, and denim.
47. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
extends outwardly from said substrate one tenth of an inch to one
inch.
48. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
extends outwardly from said substrate one eighth of an inch to one
fourth of an inch.
49. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
extends outwardly from said substrate one fourth of an inch.
50. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
is spaced up to 4 inches from said tooth brushing device.
51. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
is spaced up to 2 inches from said tooth brushing device.
52. The toothbrush of claim 37 wherein said lip exfoliating device
is spaced 1/4 of an inch from said tooth brushing device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to toothbrushes, and more
particularly, to a toothbrush that exfoliates and cleans the lips
while brushing the teeth.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Dry, dehydrated skin is a major problem for millions of
people. Dehydrated skin lacks water and dry skin lacks skin lipids,
although the skin usually suffers from both problems. Skin lipids
are bilayers of phospholipids in the outer layer of skin. Skin is
typically characterized as consisting of several layers. The
outermost layer is the stratum corneum, which is composed partially
of skin lipids.
[0005] Skin lipids act as a barrier to the penetration of most
substances into the lower layers of the skin. The skin lipids also
prevent water loss from the skin. The quantity and composition of
skin lipids vary from place to place on the body. The quantity and
composition of skin lipids can be affected by environmental factors
as well. The skin lipid barrier is easily diminished by exposure to
chemicals, soaps, or other environmental irritants such as wind,
cold, or sunlight. When lipids are missing or damaged, external
irritants can penetrate into the lower layers of skin and moisture
can escape to the skin surface where it will evaporate. Thus, the
quality of the skin lipid barrier may not always be adequate to
perform its protective and water-retentive functions properly.
[0006] The stratum corneum is also composed of dead skin cells.
Dead cells generally shed themselves from the skin. However, over
time, the shedding process slows down. This can also add to dryness
of the skin and require deep cleaning to remove the dead skin
cells.
[0007] Dry, dehydrated skin leaves the skin looking red, flaky, and
cracking. Dry skin may also allow harmful pathogens and irritants
access to the inner layers of the skin.
[0008] Exfoliation of the skin can help treat dry, dehydrated skin.
An exfoliating agent is used to remove dead skin cells. Exfoliation
exposes healthier living layers of skin to allow moisturizers and
other agents to more efficiently improve dry and dehydrated skin.
This provides a smoother and softer surface as well as allows
living skin cells to grow and remain healthy. Use of an exfoliating
agent can also remove foreign matter, such as makeup and debris,
from the skin.
[0009] A number of exfoliating agents are well known in the art.
Many exfoliating agents contain abrasive particles to remove dead
cells. An example of such an agent and one of the predominant
products on the market for exfoliation of the skin is the loofah
sponge. A loofah is a natural vegetable of a fibrous structure
which, when dried and processed, provides an effective abrasive
surface for skin treatment. Exfoliating creams, brushes, cloths,
and pads are also known. For examples, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,365,138
B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,498.
[0010] Even in its natural state, the skin on the lips often has an
ineffective skin lipid barrier. In addition, lips are unique in
that they are exposed to more harmful agents than other parts of
the body. Lips, unlike other areas of the body, are virtually
always exposed to environmental hazards such as wind, sun, and
cold. Further, many lip cosmetics such as traditional lipsticks can
also contribute to these harmful effects on the lips. As a result
of these factors, the skin lipid barrier is ineffective and loses
its ability to retain water. This makes the lips susceptible to
dehydration and frequent chapping, dryness, and cracking. In
addition, the skin of the lips contains dead skin cells that need
to be removed. Exfoliating the lips regularly helps to alleviate
this problem. Specifically, the use of a cotton pad or washcloth to
exfoliate the lips is known.
[0011] Combination toothbrushes, or toothbrushes that perform
multiple functions, are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No.
6,039,050 discloses a toothbrush that includes a device for
mounting dental floss on the handle of the toothbrush. The flossing
device allows a section of floss to be stretched across an opening
in the handle to enable a user to floss the teeth without touching
the floss and to provide a more convenient oral hygiene product.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,600 discloses a combination toothbrush
and toothpaste dispenser. However, neither of these references
disclose or teach a toothbrush for exfoliating the lips.
[0012] Thus, it would be desirable to have a toothbrush that
exfoliates and cleans the lips while brushing the teeth and gums,
eliminating the need for a person to separately exfoliate the lips
and brush the teeth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] This invention relates to a toothbrush with a device that
exfoliates the lips. The toothbrush has a device for brushing the
teeth and gums and a device for exfoliating the lips, both of which
are connected to a substrate. The device for exfoliating the lips
is connected to the substrate of the toothbrush such that when an
individual is brushing the teeth and gums, the device contacts the
individual's lips. The lip exfoliating device can be bristles, a
fabric pad, sponge or other means for exfoliating the skin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush with an
exfoliating pad in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a toothbrush with
exfoliating bristles in accordance with a second embodiment of the
present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a plan view of a toothbrush with exfoliating
bristles in accordance with the second embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] Referring first to FIG. 1, a toothbrush 5 includes a
substrate 10, a plurality of bristles 20 for brushing the teeth and
gums, and an exfoliating device 30 on substrate 10.
[0018] Bristles 20 are attached to substrate 10. In the typical
toothbrush, bristles 20 are attached so that bristles 20 are
perpendicular to substrate 10. Bristles 20 can be spaced in groups,
in even distributions, or other types of arrangements. Bristles 20
are usually made of nylon, plastic, or other similar polymer.
Substrate 10 is preferably one piece and constructed of plastic.
Substrate 10 can be flexible.
[0019] In the FIG. 1 embodiment, lip exfoliating device 30 of
toothbrush 5 is a pad. Exfoliating pad 30 can be permanently
attached to substrate 10 and has a length and a thickness that are
effective to exfoliate the lips. For example, exfoliating pad 30,
which extends outwardly from substrate 10, can have a length of a
fourth of an inch to three inches and a thickness of between a
tenth of an inch to one inch. Exfoliating pad 30 preferably has a
length of one inch and a thickness of an eighth of an inch.
[0020] Exfoliating pad 30 can be mounted on substrate 10 such that
exfoliating pad 30 is on a portion of substrate 10 (such as the
top), or even a part of a side of substrate 10. Preferably,
exfoliating pad 30 completely surrounds substrate 10, covering the
entire surface area of a portion of the length of substrate 10.
[0021] Exfoliating pad 30 can be mounted on substrate 10 such that
the space between bristles 20 and exfoliating pad 30 can be up to
four inches. Preferably, exfoliating pad 30 is mounted such that
the space between exfoliating pad 30 and bristles 20 is
approximately a fourth of an inch away from bristles 20 on
substrate 10.
[0022] Exfoliating pad 30 can be constructed of any type of fabric
or material with a textured surface. Some examples of types of
fabrics that are suitable for exfoliating pad 30 are cotton,
polyester, rayon, nylon, linen, acetate, lycra, spandex, dacron,
olefin, acyrlic, silk, or denim. Blends of the aforementioned
fabrics can also be used.
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 depict another embodiment of the invention in
which a plurality of bristles 40 form a lip exfoliating device.
Exfoliating bristles 40 can be embedded in substrate 10 in the same
way that bristles 20 are embedded in substrate 10. Preferably,
exfoliating bristles 40 are attached to substrate 10 such that
exfoliating bristles 40 extend outwardly at a perpendicular angle
from substrate 10, although exfoliating bristles 40 can be attached
at any desired angle. Exfoliating bristles 40 can be evenly
distributed, spaced in groups or placed in any other arrangement on
substrate 10 suitable for achieving their lip-exfoliating
purpose.
[0024] Exfoliating bristles 40 can be mounted on substrate 10 such
that the space between bristles 20 and exfoliating bristles 40 is
up to four inches. Preferably, exfoliating bristles 40 are affixed
to substrate 10 such that the space between exfoliating bristles 40
and bristles 20 is approximately a fourth of an inch.
[0025] Exfoliating bristles 40 can have any length or height that
is effective to exfoliate the lips. For example, exfoliating
bristles 40 can extend a fourth of an inch to three inches along
the length of substrate 10. Exfoliating bristles 40 can have any
height that would allow bristles 20 to contact the teeth and
exfoliating bristles 40 to contact the lips. For example,
exfoliating bristles 40 can have a height of between a tenth of an
inch to one inch. In the preferred embodiment, exfoliating bristles
40 extend approximately one inch along the length of substrate 10
and have a height of a fourth of an inch measured from the surface
of substrate 10.
[0026] Exfoliating bristles 40 can be mounted on substrate 10 such
that exfoliating bristles 40 are on a portion of substrate 10 (such
as the top), or even a part of a side of substrate 10. In the
preferred embodiment, exfoliating bristles 40 surround the entire
surface area of a portion of substrate 10.
[0027] Exfoliating bristles 40 can be constructed of the same type
of material that can be used for bristles 20, although a softer
material is preferred. Nylon, plastic, silk, or other similar
polymers are preferred materials for exfoliating bristles 40.
[0028] Any of the lip exfoliating devices described herein can
alternatively be temporarily attached to the toothbrush and can be
removed or replaced. Such lip exfoliating devices can be connected
to substrate 10 using any type of fastening device, such as velcro
fasteners, elastic bands, rivets, or other fasteners.
[0029] Thus, there has been described a toothbrush that efficiently
exfoliates the lips while brushing the teeth and gums. This
toothbrush combines two necessary hygiene processes, eliminating
the need to brush the teeth and gums and exfoliate the lips
separately.
[0030] Whereas the present invention has been described with
respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that
various changes and modifications will be suggested to one of
ordinary skill in the art, and it is intended that the invention
encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope
of the appended claims.
* * * * *