Toothbrush
The improved toothbrush has a brush head which may be engaged on to and disengaged from its elongated handle. This is achieve by means of a brush head that has a partially or fully elastic casing disposed on top of the bristle pad. The handle head of the elongated handle is inserted into the casing through its access which is preferably an opening on a second end wall located at the second end of the brush head. The brush head may also include a locking means. Two of the many possible embodiments of the locking means using extended pins and corresponding holes are described herein. The modular brush head and modular handle allows handles with different designs to be fitted with brush head that has different bristle arrays to fit individual brushing needs. The invention is gum friendly and may function as a gum massager and environmental friendly since worn out brush heads are disengaged and thrown away. Such an engageable and disengageable brush head may be incorporated in an electrical toothbrush.
The toothbrush described herein relates to changeable or disposable brush heads and locking means for securing such brush heads to the toothbrush handle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONTeeth brushing has been improved on either in the formulation of toothpaste or the brush that is used. Some of these improvements are also expanded in scope to benefit the gum as well.
The present invention is a toothbrush contributing to improvements in teeth brushing which is an indispensable hygiene care. Its main feature is that it is a toothbrush with a detachable brush head. This allows the user to choose from a variety of pad design with different bristles configuration to suit the user's brushing needs. Besides the variety of brush head to choose from, the handle comes in different shapes that are ergonomically designed. This allows the user to mix and match the brush head with the handle not only to suit his or her brushing needs but also to have a toothbrush that is comfortable to use.
Since the brush head is interchangeable, only the brush head needs to be disposed off while the handle may be retained. This cuts down a high percentage of waste material contributed from thrown away toothbrush and makes this toothbrush environmental friendly.
The toothbrush is also simultaneously meant to be gum friendly since the bulk of its modular brush head is made of soft elastomeric material. It not only absorb the impact of the brush head knocking on to the gum but the back and the side of the brush head which is made of this soft yet elastic material can be used a gum massager, thus extending the function of this invention.
Therefore, it is the general objective of the invention to provide effective teeth brushing using a toothbrush which is user-friendly and environmental friendly. This is achieved by providing a means to change the brush head or the handle of the invention.
It is furthermore the objective of the invention to provide a means for changing the brush head or the handle of a toothbrush.
Specifically such a brush head is not only securely held to its handle but it also securely locked in place through a locking means, which said locking means is preferably applied without need of tools.
It is also intended that said locking means allows the brush head to be removed easily from the handle at user's will but not when the toothbrush is in used.
It is also the intention of the invention to gum-friendly as part of its user-friendly feature, with the brush head acting as a gum massager as well.
The invention also allows permanent drawings to be imprinted, formed or molded onto the brush head as desired.
The locking means to lock the brush head to its handle can also be incorporated in electrical toothbrush after suitable modifications.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention is a toothbrush that is made up of a brush head engaged on to an elongated handle. The modularity of the brush head and elongated handle allows the user to mix and match brush head from different bristle configurations and elongated handle from different handle design to suit individual brushing needs. The brush head has a casing disposed on reverse side of bristles. The casing is partially or fully elastic so that the handle head can be inserted entirely into the brush head. The brush head may further include locking means using extended pins and corresponding holes which may have more than one embodiments. Since the casing is partially or fully elastic the toothbrush can be used as a gum massager. Worn out toothbrush can be disengaged for disposal which makes this invention environmental friendly. The brush head may be incorporated into an electrical toothbrush.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The entire invention (000) in one of its embodiment is as exemplified in
The first end (111) of the handle head (110) is preferably wider than the adjacent portion (103′) of the neck (103) that is joined to it. As the first end (111) of the handle head (110) extends toward the second end (113) of the handle head (110), the middle section (112) has the same width as the second end (113) of the handle head (110). The second end (113) of the handle head (110) that is joined to the middle section (112) is streamlined so that the handle head (110) can be easily inserted into brush head (200) to be exemplified later. When viewed from the side the entire brush head (100) is preferably flat as shown in
The handle may have still another second embodiment as shown in
Meanwhile the general construction of the brush head (200) as shown in
In a first embodiment of the brush head (200) as shown in
In the fourth embodiment of the brush head (200) as shown in
As exemplified earlier, a major part of the handle head (110) is equivalent or wider than the neck (103) except for the second end (104) of the handle head (110). The handle head (110) is thicker or equivalent in height to the passage way (206). This necessitates that different parts of or the entire casing (203) be made with soft material that are elastic. For instance, the fourth embodiment of the brush head (200) as shown in
The bristle pad (201) may be entirely rigid or must at least be semi-rigid so that bristles (202) may be mounted on it. Therefore in principle, the invention is a brush head (200) that can be engaged on to the handle head (110) of an elongated handle (100) by means of inserting the handle head (110) into a casing (203) of the brush head (200) which is partly or entirely elastic. The invention must also allow the brush head (200) to be disengaged from the elongated handle (100). This can be achieved by the cavity (203a) having the exact shape conforming to the handle head (100) or by the cavity (203a) slightly under sized. Slightly undersized cavity (203a) is composed of elastic parts that are slight undersized, not the rigid parts, so that these elastic parts will be slightly stretched when the handle head (110) is completely inserted into the cavity (203a). In this way the casing (203) of the brush head (200) will grip on to the handle head (110).
In all the embodiments of the brush head (200), preferably the interior surfaces (203b) of the casing (203) may or may not thinner in height to the shape of the handle head (110). In other words, cavity (203a) formed by the interior surface (203b) of the casing (203) would be in the shape of the handle head (110). In the presence of water as a lubricating medium, the handle head (110) can be easily inserted into the brush head (200). The elastic material of the brush head (200) will then squeeze out the water and air in between the surfaces (114) of the handle head (110) and the interior surfaces (203b) of the casing (203). When there is no air, the two surfaces would be held together by a suction force, just as in two similar wet plastic cups that are stacked together is difficult to separate. This feature further enhance the engaging of the brush head (200) on to the handle head (110). While for the thicker handle head (110), it will cause gripping tension of the elastic base (204) to enhance better holding onto the interior surfaces (203b) of the casing (203).
Additional locking means may also be included in the invention to further ensure that brush head (200) is secured on to the handle head (110) without use of any tools and would not come out accidentally during brushing. Furthermore, the locking means must allow the brush head to be removed at user's will without use of any tools. All the locking means described as follow can be applied in all the embodiments of a partly or entirely elastic brush head (200) that were described above.
The first embodiment of the locking means (300) as shown in
The engaging and disengaging to the brush head (200) is as follow. The brush head (200) is engaged on the elongated handle (100) by inserting the streamlined handle head (110) into the access (210a) or opening (209a) on the brush head (200). As the handle head (110) is inserted into the brush head (200), the handle (100) is rocked from side to side to help the handle head (110) slips completely into place. The handle head (110) will locked in position by easy alignment of extended pin (301) and corresponding hole (302) in the bristle pad (201). The extended pin (301) will snapped into the hole (302) when the corresponding area on the casing (203) is pressed by user. The brush head (200) is disengaged from the elongated handle (100) by reversing the engaging procedure.
In the second embodiment of locking means (400) as shown in
The invention (000) is also meant to be a gum massager since part of the casing (203) is made of soft material. It is preferably that the base portion (204), the first end wall (209) and the second end wall (207a) and the opposing side walls (205a, 205b) of the casing (203) be made of soft material for the invention (000) to function as a gum massager as well. Furthermore as a gum massager the exterior surface (203c) of the casing (203) may be textured, i.e. that is having uneven patterns. Permanent drawings may also be printed on the exterior surface (203c) of the casing (203) to make the toothbrush looks more attractive.
The partially or fully elastic brush head (200) can also be incorporated in an electrical toothbrush with suitable modification to the handle of the electrical toothbrush so that brush head (200) may engaged on to and disengaged from the electrical toothbrush as described above.
It is clear by now that the invention (000) is an embodiment of elongated handle (100) which may have various embodiments, and brush head (200) with various embodiments of its casing (203) or locking means (300, 400). Therefore the above descriptions of the invention are by no means exhaustive and the invention may be reproduced or modified by any person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is claimed as follows.
Claims
1. A toothbrush comprising:
- an elongated handle with handle grip on first end joined to handle head on second end via neck of said elongated handle; and
- a brush head having a bristle pad with array of bristles projecting from bottom side of said bristle pad and an elastic casing with its access disposed on top side of said bristle pad, characterized by said elongated handle being engaged with said brush head by means of inserting the handle head into the casing through its access, said access is at least one through hole, and said elongated handle can be disengaged from the brush head after engagement of the brush head with the elongated handle by the handle head taken out of said through hole of the access, said brush head secured to said handle head by a locking means, said locking means is a toolless locking means formed by at least one pair of fitting extended pin and through hole, where said extended pin is located on said handle head and said through hole on said brush head, and location of said extended pin and said through hole must be in such a manner that said extended pin will securely fit in said through hole after said handle head has been fully inserted into said brush head.
2. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing is formed by a base portion, opposing side walls and a bristle pad, where said base portion is joined to said bristle pad by means of said opposing side walls.
3. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 2, wherein said casing having an opening to a cavity of said casing is located at first end of said brush head, where said cavity is defined by interior surfaces of said base portion, said opposing side walls and top side of said bristle pad.
4. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brush head has its second end enclosed by a second end wall which is joined to both of said bristle pad and said base portion to form part of said casing.
5. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 4, wherein a first end wall opposing second end wall, having said opening is joined to said base portion and said bristle pad to form part of said casing, where first embodiment of said base portion and said second end wall are made of elastic material.
6. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 5, wherein said opening having the shape corresponds to cross-section of said neck of said handle when said handle head is fully inserted into said casing.
7. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 2, wherein said opposing side walls and first end wall are made of said elastic material.
8. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cavity is also defined by interior surfaces of both first end wall and second end wall where the second embodiment shape of said cavity conforms to shape of said handle head or said cavity having its thickness slightly thinner than the thickness of said handle head, so that said brush head encloses said handle head entirely except the part where said neck leads out of said brush head.
9. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said toothbrush having adhesion and suction force that holds said brush head and said handle head together when there is no air in between surfaces of said handle head and surfaces of said cavity.
10. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said toothbrush having thicker handle head than the height of said cavity will cause gripping tension of the elastic base to enhance better holding onto the interior surfaces of the casing.
11. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said brush head can be formed with its exterior surfaces of said base portion, said opposing side walls and second end wall have textured surfaces in order that they act as a gum massager.
12. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 7, wherein said elastic material enables permanent drawings to be imprinted, formed or molded on said casing.
13. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 12, wherein said elastic material is an elastomeric material such as (Thermo Plastic Elastomer) TPE resin and said bristle pad is made of rigid material such as polypropylene or any other cohesive materials that is suitable for planting or tufting arrays of bristles and said elastic material and said rigid material are easily cohered to form said brush head.
14. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said neck of said handle can be in the shapes of laterally at an angle to one side so that said brush head is at an angle to said handle grip when the toothbrush is viewed with end-on of said bristles in view; at an angle to one side so that said brush head is at a larger angle to said handle grip when the toothbrush is viewed with side-on of said bristles in view; or any other different angles to cater for different modular handles for different brushing needs.
15. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle head of said toothbrush is flat, streamlined, symmetrical about its centre and thicker or equivalent in height to the cavity of said casing.
16. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said extended pin and hole of the pair of locking means can be in any suitable shapes to secure said brush head to said elongated handle.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 10, 2004
Publication Date: Oct 26, 2006
Inventor: Lai Koi (Kuala Lumpur)
Application Number: 10/560,035
International Classification: A46B 7/04 (20060101);