U.S. patent application number 11/103366 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-20 for toothbrush package.
Invention is credited to Chen, Albert, Kernp, James Herbert, Kiee, Martin, Pierce, Robert, Rouse, John.
Application Number | 20050229345 11/103366 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32094108 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050229345 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rouse, John ; et
al. |
October 20, 2005 |
Toothbrush package
Abstract
Attractiveness of consumer products is enhanced by use of
scintillating fluorescent light collecting fibers contained in
those products. The fibers collect ambient light of various
wavelengths, some not visible, along their length which is
collected within the fiber and emitted as visible light at the ends
of the fibers. The emitted light can be used to enhance the
consumer appeal of the product or promote its use. Specific
consumer products disclosed include toothbrushes and liquid soap
dispensers.
Inventors: |
Rouse, John; (Hillsborough,
NJ) ; Kiee, Martin; (Highland Park, NJ) ;
Pierce, Robert; (US) ; Kernp, James Herbert;
(Somerset, NJ) ; Chen, Albert; (East Brunswick,
NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY
909 RIVER ROAD
PISCATAWAY
NJ
08855
US
|
Family ID: |
32094108 |
Appl. No.: |
11/103366 |
Filed: |
April 11, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11103366 |
Apr 11, 2005 |
|
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|
PCT/US03/31821 |
Oct 9, 2003 |
|
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60417868 |
Oct 11, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/105 ;
15/143.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 23/00 20130101;
G02B 6/0008 20130101; A45D 33/32 20130101; A46B 15/0036 20130101;
B65D 2203/12 20130101; A46B 5/00 20130101; G02B 6/0003 20130101;
A46B 2200/1066 20130101; A46B 15/0087 20130101; A46B 15/0002
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/105 ;
015/143.1 |
International
Class: |
A46B 005/02 |
Claims
1. A lighted consumer product comprising a body, portions thereof
being sufficiently translucent or transparent to permit entry of
ambient light, at least one light collecting element arranged in at
least some of those portions of the body, at least one end of the
at least one element being directed toward an exterior surface of
the body where light collected in the element through the
sufficiently transparent or translucent portions is emitted from
the at least one end of the element and can be seen by a person
observing or using the consumer product.
2. The lighted consumer product of claim 1 comprising a toothbrush
having cleaning elements in a head thereof.
3. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 wherein the at least one
end of the at least one light collecting element is located
adjacent the cleaning elements in the head of the toothbrush.
4. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 further comprising a
plurality of light collecting elements have ends located out of or
near a working surface of the cleaning elements.
5. The lighted consumer product of claim 1 wherein the emitted
light is collected from ambient light.
6. The lighted consumer product of claim 1 wherein the light is
emitted without using a power source in the lighted consumer
product.
7. The lighted consumer product of claim 1 wherein the emitted
light is multi-colored.
8. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 wherein the emitted
light is collected from ambient light.
9. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 wherein the light is
emitted without using a power source in the lighted consumer
product.
10. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 wherein the emitted
light is multi-colored.
11. The lighted consumer product of claim 2 wherein at least some
of the cleaning elements are movable by a power source included in
the lighted consumer product.
12. The lighted consumer product of claim 1 wherein the at least
one light collecting element is a light collecting fiber.
13. A package for a consumer product comprising an enclosure for
that product, at least some portion of the enclosure being
sufficiently transparent or translucent to allow entry of ambient
light into the interior of the package, a consumer product within
the package containing a plurality of light collecting elements,
ends of the elements being located within the product in positions
where they can be seen by one observing the package.
14. The package of claim 13 wherein the product comprises a
toothbrush having cleaning elements in a head thereof.
15. The package of claim 14 wherein at least one end of at least
some of the light collecting elements are located adjacent cleaning
elements in the head of the toothbrush.
16. The package of claim 14 wherein at least some of the light
collecting elements have ends located out of or near a working
surface of the cleaning elements.
17. The package of claim 13 wherein the ends of the elements emit
light that is collected from ambient light.
18. The package of claim 13 wherein the ends of the elements emit
light that is generated without using a power source in the
consumer product.
19. The package of claim 14 wherein at least some of the cleaning
elements are movable by a power source included in the consumer
product.
20. The package of claim 13 wherein the elements are fibers.
21. The package of claim 20, wherein the fibers are treated to emit
colored light.
22. The lighted consumer product of claim 12, wherein the light
collecting fiber is treated to emit colored light.
23. A lighted consumer product comprising a body, portions thereof
being sufficiently translucent or transparent to permit entry of
ambient light, and at least one light collecting element arranged
in at least some of those portions of the body, wherein ambient
light collected in the element through the sufficiently transparent
or translucent portions at a first location is emitted from a
second location.
24. The lighted consumer product of claim 23, comprising a
toothbrush having cleaning elements in a head thereof.
25. The lighted consumer product of claim 24, wherein the second
location is adjacent the cleaning elements in the head of the
toothbrush.
26. The lighted consumer product of claim 25, further comprising a
plurality of light collecting elements have ends located out of or
near a working surface of the cleaning elements.
27. The lighted consumer product of claim 23, wherein the light is
emitted without using a power source.
28. The lighted consumer product of claim 23, wherein the emitted
light is multi-colored.
29. The lighted consumer product of claim 23, wherein the at least
one light collecting element is a light collecting fiber.
Description
[0001] This is a continuation of International Application
PCT/US2003/031821, filed Oct. 9, 2003, which claims the benefit of
U.S. application Ser. No. 60/417,868, filed Oct. 11, 2002, both of
which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Consumer research shows that toothbrush purchases are often
based on impulse decisions. Thus, the appearance of a toothbrush
and/or its packaging can play a role in formulating that purchase
decision. For marketing purposes, it is also helpful for the
toothbrush or its packaging to have an eye-catching appearance on
the shelf. Also, use of a toothbrush, particularly by juveniles,
can be enhanced if that brush has an attractive, novel appearance.
Others have taken various approaches to create a visually
attractive toothbrush and/or its packaging.
[0003] One such approach is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,173
issued Dec. 24, 1986. This patent discloses a battery operated bulb
in a toothbrush handle. Light from the bulb is transmitted to the
head of the toothbrush through a plurality of plastic filaments
(column 4, line 64 to column 5, line 24). Another patent disclosing
light from a power source, e.g. LED or laser, conveyed to a
toothbrush head through fibers is U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,090.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,462 discloses a process for making
scintillating optical fibers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,084 provides
additional detail of the scintillation enhancement flours and
wave-shifting dyes uniformly dissolved into the core material of
the fiber and the cladding which serves to protect the core and
enables the fiber to function as an "optical pipe". The cladding
has an index of refraction which is lower than that of the core so
that the light rays are retained within the fiber's core and
transported along its length to appear as visible light at the
fiber ends. With scintillating fibers, the light emitted at the
ends is gathered from ambient light entering the side of the fibers
so that an LED and battery is not needed to generate the light
emitted from the fiber ends. Another patent related to
scintillating fibers is U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,052 issued Jun. 20,
2000.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,855 discloses an illuminated toothbrush
wherein a powered light source in the toothbrush handle directs
light toward cleaning elements or bristles in the toothbrush head.
The bristles are illuminated by the light traveling from the source
in the handle through the toothbrush handle and to the head. There
it impinges on a roughened surface of the bristles embedded in the
head. That light then glows from the ends of the bristles. Another
lighted toothbrush is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,194 in which
a battery operated light shines directly on the user's teeth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This invention utilizes scintillating fluorescent light
collecting fibers to illuminate various consumer products and
packaging for such products. The light emanating from the ends of
such fibers is used to attract attention of the consumers to the
products contained in the packaging. To the consumer, the visible
ends of the fibers appear to glow as if powered, e.g., by a battery
operated bulb. However, these fibers do not use any powered light
sources to produce this effect. The ambient light around the fibers
is gathered through the sides of the fibers and is transmitted
through the fibers like an optical pipe and emanates from the fiber
end as a relatively bright light.
[0007] One illustrated embodiment of this invention is a toothbrush
with a transparent or translucent handle. Embedded within the
handle are an array of scintillating fluorescent light collecting
fibers which terminate near the base of the cleaning elements or
bristles in the toothbrush head. If the fibers terminate at the
base of the bristles, the light from the fibers can be distributed
through all of the bristles so that the bristles adopt a glow. If a
pinpoint of light is preferred, the scintillating fluorescent light
collecting fibers can be placed within the bristles so that they
extend to or near the working surface of the bristles. This
provides a bright light display within the bristles that draws the
attention of potential consumers observing the toothbrush in the
store.
[0008] The light within the bristles also provides an appealing and
novel appearance that would attract one to use the toothbrush,
especially juveniles. Since regular use is the most important
element of oral hygiene, the novelty of a lighted brush provides an
important inducement and reminder for juveniles to use the
toothbrush. Because the scintillating/collecting fibers are
continuously collecting ambient light and displaying it through the
fiber ends the novelty look of the bristles is always presented to
the user or potential customer as long as there is some ambient
light around the toothbrush.
[0009] A package for the toothbrush preferably has a transparent or
translucent portion generally corresponding to the area of the
toothbrush containing the scintillating fluorescent light
collecting fibers. This allows ambient light around the package to
enter the fibers and causes them to emit light at the ends of the
fiber. That light shines out of the transparent/translucent portion
of the package to attract potential customers who might be shopping
for a toothbrush.
[0010] In other embodiments of the invention, the ends of the
scintillating fluorescent light collecting fibers can be placed at
various points along the length of the toothbrush (other than in
the head) to create novel points of light on the toothbrush body.
That lighting pattern can also be used to attract potential
consumers or users.
[0011] In other embodiments, the scintillating fluorescent light
collecting fibers can be embedded in the packaging of any number of
consumer products, for example, a liquid soap dispenser or shampoo
bottle. If that packaging material is translucent or transparent in
the area of the fibers, ambient light will reach the fibers causing
the ends of the fibers to emit light. That light can be used as an
adjunct to graphics on the packaging, thereby attracting consumers
and encouraging use after purchase.
[0012] In all of these embodiments, different color lighting can be
created by colored fibers, for example, using green, amber and red
fibers.
[0013] More information regarding these fibers is available from
the Website of one manufacturer of such fibers, Poly-Optical
Products, Inc. of Irvine, Calif. (www.poly-optical.com).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art toothbrush 2 using a battery
powered light 4 in which that light is transmitted to the embedded
bristles via fibers 6, but not the fibers of this invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a scintillating
fluorescent light collecting fiber of this invention.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a toothbrush containing
embedded fibers to illuminate the toothbrush bristles.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a toothbrush package containing
a fiber illuminated toothbrush.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view in elevation showing
scintillating fluorescent light collecting fibers embedded within
the toothbrush bristles.
[0019] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a powered toothbrush with the
light collecting fibers in the handle.
[0020] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a liquid soap dispenser
bottle with the scintillating fluorescent light collecting fibers
illuminating ornamental features on the bottle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a typical scintillating
fluorescent light collecting fiber 10 ("scintillating fiber"). This
scintillating fiber 10 collects light from many wavelengths,
visible or not visible to the naked eye, along its length 12 and
emits light at each end 14 of the fiber in the visible range. Thus,
the light is always "on" with this fiber and no powered light
source is needed, for example, an LED and battery as has been used
in the prior art such as the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,813,855 (See FIG. 1).
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates scintillating fibers 10 embedded in
toothbrush 16. They extend from the handle 18 to head 20 of the
toothbrush. At least some portion of the toothbrush 16 should be
transparent or translucent to allow ambient light to reach the
outer surface 12 of fibers 10. As illustrated in this Figure, one
end 14 of fiber 10 terminates immediately adjacent the cleaning
elements or bristles 22 mounted in head 20 of toothbrush 16. The
cleaning elements 22 may be mounted or affixed to the head 20 of
toothbrush 16 in a manner that light emitted from one end 14 of
fiber 10 is transmitted through the cleaning elements 22 so that
the light is readily seen by a potential consumer of the toothbrush
16 when passing the area where toothbrushes are sold. In a similar
vein, the lighted bristles 22 can form an attractive light pattern
to encourage use of the toothbrush and thereby improve oral hygiene
of potential users, particularly juveniles. As previously
discussed, fibers 10 can be treated with various chemicals to emit
various light colors from their ends 14. This provides an
additional attraction for consumers and users.
[0023] Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used as the
cleaning elements 22 in the embodiment of FIG. 3 of this
invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment for displaying the
light gathered in scintillating fiber 10. In this embodiment, the
scintillating fiber 10 is bent within head 20 so that the end 14 of
fiber 10 extends above the face 21 of the head 20 to a terminus at
or about the working end 23 of cleaning elements 22. Thus, the
ambient light gathered in fibers 10 is emitted as visible light
from the ends 14 of scintillating fiber 10 at a point where the
light is directly viewed by potential consumers or users. This
embodiment provides a brighter, more direct light within the
cleaning elements 22. In this embodiment, the cleaning elements
themselves need not be transparent or translucent because they are
not themselves transmitting light.
[0025] A package 24 containing toothbrush 16 is illustrated in FIG.
4. At least that portion 26 of the package 24 overlying fibers 10
in the toothbrush 16 should be transparent or translucent to allow
ambient light to reach scintillating fibers 10 and allow viewing of
the light emitted from ends 14 of the fibers 10. To facilitate
discussion, FIG. 4 is shown without cleaning elements 22 in place.
Such elements would typically be arranged relative to fiber ends 14
on head 22 in a manner similar to that shown in FIGS. 3 or 5.
[0026] The term "cleaning elements" is intended to be used in a
generic sense which could include conventional fiber bristles or
massage elements or other forms of cleaning elements such as
elastomeric fingers or walls arranged in a circular cross-sectional
shape or any type of desired shape including straight portions or
sinusoidal portions. Where bristles are used, the bristles could be
mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending through suitable
openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristles is
mounted within or below the tuft block.
[0027] It is to be understood that the specific illustration of the
cleaning elements is merely for exemplary purposes. The invention
can be practiced with various combinations of the same or different
cleaning element configurations (such as stapled or in-molded
technology bristles, etc.) and/or with the same bristle or cleaning
element materials (such as nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber
bristles, etc.) Similarly, while FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate the
cleaning elements to be generally perpendicular to the face of head
20, some or all of the cleaning elements 22 may be angled at
various angles. It is thereby possible to select the combination of
cleaning element configurations, materials and orientations to
achieve specific intended results to deliver additional oral health
benefits, like enhanced cleaning, tooth polishing, tooth whitening
and/or massaging of the gums.
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a toothbrush 16A which includes a power
driven movable disc or section 28 having elements in the head 20 of
toothbrush 16. The movable section 28 could be oscillated
rotationally such as by using the type of drive mechanism shown in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916, or could move in and out using the type of
drive mechanism shown in U.S. Pat. No. Re 35,941; all of the
details of both patents are incorporated herein by reference
thereto. Alternatively, the other types of drives referred to above
could move section 28 in other manners and directions. Although
FIG. 6 shows movable section 28 to be at the one end of the head
20, the movable section(s) 28 could be located at any desired
location on the head 20.
[0029] The non-powered cleaning elements 22 in the FIG. 6
embodiment can be lighted as described above. Alternatively or
additionally, scintillating fibers 10 can be embedded in
transparent or translucent portions of the handle 18A of powered
toothbrush 16A to emit light from the ends 14 of scintillating
fibers 10. A switch 30 can be used to regulate the powered features
of the toothbrush 16A.
[0030] The scintillating fibers 10 of this invention have wide
application in a variety of consumer products. One such product, a
liquid soap dispenser 32, is shown in FIG. 7. As illustrated, the
scintillating fibers 10 are embedded in translucent or transparent
portions of the dispenser 32. At least one end 14 of fiber 10 is
directed toward the surface of the dispenser. Visible light emitted
from the end 14 of fiber 10 can be used to enhance decorative
patterns contained in the side of container 32.
* * * * *