U.S. patent application number 10/341304 was filed with the patent office on 2004-07-15 for toothbrush cleansing system.
Invention is credited to Pigeon, Timothy Alan.
Application Number | 20040134800 10/341304 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32711493 |
Filed Date | 2004-07-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040134800 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pigeon, Timothy Alan |
July 15, 2004 |
Toothbrush cleansing system
Abstract
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a toothbrush
handle with a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein
at least one end portion of the handle is compressible. The
apparatus further comprises a receptacle having an open end portion
and a closed end portion. The open end portion of the receptacle is
mechanically connected to a cap that is adaptable to receive the
compressible end portion of the handle. The interconnection between
the cap and the toothbrush handle forms a sealed engagement there
between.
Inventors: |
Pigeon, Timothy Alan; (Villa
Rica, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TROUTMAN SANDERS LLP
BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA, SUITE 5200
600 PEACHTREE STREET , NE
ATLANTA
GA
30308-2216
US
|
Family ID: |
32711493 |
Appl. No.: |
10/341304 |
Filed: |
January 13, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/209.1 ;
422/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47K 1/09 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/209.1 ;
422/301 |
International
Class: |
B65D 081/24 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A toothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handle with a first
end portion and a second end portion, wherein at least one end
portion of said toothbrush handle is compressible; a receptacle
having an open end portion and a closed end portion, said
receptacle adaptable to receive the compressible end portion of
said toothbrush handle; and a cap mechanically connected to the
open end portion of said receptacle, said cap adaptable to receive
the compressible end portion of said toothbrush handle, wherein the
interconnection between said cap and said toothbrush handle forms a
sealed engagement there between.
2. A toothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handle with a first
end portion and a second end portion; and a receptacle having an
open end portion and a closed end portion, said open end portion of
said receptacle being compressible and adaptable to receive an end
portion of said toothbrush handle, wherein the interconnection
between said open end portion of said receptacle and said handle
forms a sealed engagement there between.
3. A toothbrush holder comprising: a toothbrush handle having a
first end portion, a second end portion and a collar portion
located between said first end portion and said second end portion,
wherein said collar portion is compressible; and a receptacle
having an open end portion and a closed end portion, wherein said
open end portion is adaptable to receive said collar portion of
said toothbrush handle and the interconnection between said open
end portion of said receptacle and said collar portion of said
toothbrush handle forms a sealed engagement there between.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates, generally, to the field of
toothbrush holders and, more specifically, to apparatuses and
methods for toothbrush cleansing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is known in the art of toothbrush holders to provide a
system to cleanse the toothbrush bristles when the brush is not in
use. Oftentimes the cleansing consists of using a container filled
with antiseptic that can receive a bristle portion, or an entire
neck portion of the toothbrush. The bristles of the toothbrush can
then be sanitized by soaking them in the antiseptic container which
is balanced to maintain an upright position, either by utilizing a
mounting bracket or by other stabilizing methods. A handle portion
of the toothbrush may be used as leverage to insert or remove the
neck and bristle portions of the toothbrush from the antiseptic
container.
[0003] An example of a toothbrush cleansing system can be found in
U.S. Pat. No. 1,070,858 to Tryne. Tryne discloses a toothbrush
holder that includes a wall mount and a sterilizer. The system
includes a receptacle for housing a disinfectant that is held in a
fixed position by the wall mount. A cap having an elastic disc in
its center encircles the toothbrush holder while permitting the
toothbrush to be passed into the receptacle. The elasticity of the
disc keeps the toothbrush in place.
[0004] While the invention disclosed by Tryne is useful for its
intended purposes, it is oftentimes desirable to be able to cleanse
the bristle portion of a toothbrush in an antiseptic or other
aqueous solution in a travel environment, such as in an airplane,
bus, hotel room or mount to stabilize the system may not be
feasible or practical to implement. Therefore, there is a need in
the art for a system that is able to utilize an antiseptic
container for toothbrush cleansing while also being adaptable to
the unique conditions of travel environments, wherein the mounting
of the system in a fixed location may not be practical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Briefly described, the present invention comprises a system,
including apparatuses and methods, for cleansing the bristles of a
toothbrush in an aqueous antiseptic solution while the system is in
a travel environment.
[0006] More particularly, in a first form, the apparatus of the
present invention comprises a toothbrush handle with a first end
portion and a second end portion, wherein at least one end portion
of the toothbrush handle is compressible. The apparatus further
comprises a receptacle having an open end and a closed end. The
receptacle is adaptable to receive the compressible end portion of
the toothbrush handle. The apparatus further comprises a cap
mechanically connected to the open end of the receptacle. The cap
is adaptable to receive the compressible end portion of the handle,
wherein the interconnection between the cap and the toothbrush
handle forms a sealed engagement there between.
[0007] Other advantages of the present invention will become
apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification
when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] The invention will be more readily understood from a reading
of the following specifications and by reference to the
accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of
the invention is shown and wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder
system according to embodiments of the present invention wherein
the cap portion is integrated onto a rigid receptacle.
[0010] FIG. 1B displays an alternate representation of a toothbrush
holder system wherein the cap portion is integrated onto a rigid
receptacle.
[0011] FIG. 2A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder
system according to embodiments of the present invention wherein
the cap portion is integrated onto a flexible receptacle.
[0012] FIG. 2B displays alternate representation of a toothbrush
holder system wherein the cap portion is integrated onto a flexible
receptacle.
[0013] FIG. 3A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder
system according to embodiments of the present invention wherein
the cap portion is integrated onto the toothbrush handle
portion.
[0014] FIG. 3B displays an alternate representation of a toothbrush
holder system according to embodiments of the present invention
wherein the cap portion is integrated onto the toothbrush handle
portion.
[0015] The construction designed to carry out the invention will
hereinafter be described, together with other features thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0016] Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals
represent similar elements or steps throughout the several views,
the toothbrush cleansing system of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention enables the utilization of common antiseptic
solutions for toothbrush cleansing in travel environments where the
mounting of the system in a fixed location or predictable
conditions for utilizing the system may not be practical. The
toothbrush cleansing system comprises, according to the preferred
embodiment, a toothbrush comprising a handle portion and a neck
portion attached to one end of the handle portion, wherein the neck
portion has a forward side and an aft side. A bristle portion is
affixed to the forward side of the neck portion on the end of the
neck portion opposite the end attached to the handle portion.
[0017] FIG. 1A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder
system according to embodiments of the present invention. The
system 100 consists of a toothbrush handle 102 with a first end
portion 104 and a second end portion 106. At least one end portion
of the toothbrush handle 102 is compressible so that the diameter
of the handle 102 along the compressible portion is less than the
diameter of along non-compressible portion when the compressible
portion of the handle 102 is compressed by gripping or other
methods. The toothbrush handle 102 is constructed out of a
compressible material such as plastic, rubber or any variety of
flexible composite materials. The toothbrush further comprises a
neck portion 108 having a forward side and an aft side that is
constructed out of a rigid material such as metal, hard plastic or
the like. The neck portion is attached to one end of the handle
102. A bristle portion 110 having bristles suitable for brushing
teeth is attached to the forward side of the neck portion 108 on
the end of the neck portion 108 opposite of the end attached to the
handle 102.
[0018] The toothbrush holder system further comprises a receptacle
112 that may be glass, plastic, hard rubber, a composite or other
rigid material having an open end portion 114 and a closed end
portion 116. The receptacle 112 is adaptable to contain an aqueous
solution 118 which is preferably an antiseptic used for cleaning
the bristles of a toothbrush. The open end of portion 114 the
receptacle 112 has a diameter that is adaptable to receive the
compressed diameter of the compressible end portion of the
toothbrush handle 102. When the compressible portion of the
toothbrush handle 102 and the open end portion 114 of the
receptacle 112 are mechanically connected, a cap 120 that is
mechanically connected to the open end portion 114 of the
receptacle 106 is adaptable to receive the compressible end portion
of handle 102. The interconnection between the cap 120 and the
toothbrush handle 102 is such that a sealed engagement is created
there between. The sealed engagement between the compressed
toothbrush handle 102 and the cap 120 is sufficient to prevent the
aqueous solution 118 from escaping from the receptacle 112 and in
contact with the bristle portion 110 of the toothbrush when the
system is in an environment where dynamic conditions may not be
predictable, such as a travel environment.
[0019] FIG. 1B displays an alternate representation of the
toothbrush holder system of FIG. 1A, wherein the cap 120 is
adaptable to receive handles 102 of various commercially available
toothbrush design configurations.
[0020] Most of the components in FIG. 2A do not differ from those
in FIG. 1A. Only the differences therefore will be discussed. FIG.
2A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder system
according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2A shows
the toothbrush handle 102 of FIG. 1A with first and second
compressible end portions, 104 and 106 respectively, and a flexible
receptacle 200. The flexible receptacle 200 may consist of plastic,
rubber, a composite or other flexible material and generally has an
open end portion 202 and a closed end portion 204. The open end
portion 202 of the receptacle 200 is mechanically connected to a
cap 120 which is adaptable to receive an end portion of the
compressible toothbrush handle 102. The interconnection between the
cap 120 connected to the flexible open end portion 202 of the
receptacle 200 and the toothbrush handle 102 forms a sealed
engagement there between. The sealed engagement between the
compressed handle 102 and the cap 120 is sufficient to prevent the
aqueous solution 118 from escaping from the receptacle 200 and in
contact with the bristle portion 110 of the toothbrush.
[0021] FIG. 2B displays that the system of FIG. 2A is also
adaptable to a variety of commercial toothbrush design
configurations.
[0022] As in FIG. 2A, most of the components of FIG. 3A do not
differ from those in FIG. 1A. Again, only the differences will be
discussed. FIG. 3A displays a representation of a toothbrush holder
system according to embodiments of the present invention. This
embodiment comprises a toothbrush having a rigid handle 300 with a
first end portion 302, a second end portion 304 and a collar
portion 306 located between the first end portion 302 and the
second end portion 304. The collar portion 306 of the rigid handle
300 forms an outer circumference around the handle 300 and is
tapered toward the inner circumference of the handle 300 in order
to receive the receptacle 308 described below. The tapered surface
of the collar portion 306 is compressible and consists of plastic,
rubber, a flexible composite or other material, whereas the rigid
handle 300 consists of non-flexible materials such as those
previously described herein.
[0023] The rigid receptacle 308 has an open end portion 310 and a
closed end portion 312, wherein the open end portion 310 is
adaptable to receive the end portion 304 of the toothbrush handle
300 that is connected to the neck portion 108 in order for the
bristle portion 110 to be able to be in contact with the aqueous
solution 118. The rigid receptacle 308 is adaptable to receive the
collar portion 306 of handle 300. The interconnection between the
open end portion 310 of receptacle 308 and the collar portion 306
of handle 300 forms a sealed engagement there between. The sealed
engagement between the collar portion 306 and the rigid receptacle
308 is sufficient to prevent the aqueous solution 118 from escaping
from the receptacle 308 and the aqueous solution 118 in contact
with the bristle portion 110 of the toothbrush.
[0024] FIG. 3B shows that the system of FIG. 3A is also adaptable
to a variety of toothbrush design configurations.
[0025] The present invention has been described in relation to
particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be
illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternate embodiments will
become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present
invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.
Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is described by the
appended claims and supported by the foregoing description.
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