Fountain toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush includes a handle connected to a head and bristles projecting from the top of the head. A channel runs longitudinally through the handle between a first opening and a second opening such that the first opening is in communication with the second opening through the channel. The first opening is arranged at a proximate end of said channel and said second opening is arranged at a distal end of the channel, the proximate end being closer to the head than the distal end. The channel and the first and second openings are arranged so that a substantially downward running stream of water directed into one of the first opening and the second opening is redirected through the channel and out of the other of the first opening and the second opening to form a fountain when the toothbrush is held substantially horizontally. A direction of a flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening and the second opening having an upward component so that a user, i.e., holder of the toothbrush can easily reach the fountain for oral rinsing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toothbrush having a channel for redirecting at least a portion of a faucet stream.

Brushing teeth is an essential part of any oral hygiene routine. It is recommended that brushing be performed after every meal. However, if a person is not at home, a cup may not be readily available for rinsing after brushing.

Even if a cup is available, cups collect dirt and require frequent cleaning and may not be desirable for use. The use of paper cups solves this problem but is not environmentally friendly as it creates waste. Water directly from a faucet may be used for rinsing. However, it is difficult to get the water from the faucet to a user's mouth without a cup. It is difficult to get enough water using cupped hands. Furthermore, the use of cupped hands may create splashes and spillage. It is also awkward to reach the stream exiting the faucet directly. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple and sanitary means for oral rinsing after brushing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush which facilitates oral rinsing without the problems associated with the prior art.

The object is met by a toothbrush having a handle connected to a head and bristles projecting from the top of the head. The handle has a first end proximate the head and a second end arranged distally from the head. A channel runs longitudinally through the handle between a first opening and a second opening such that the first opening is in communication with the second opening through the channel. The first opening is arranged at a proximate end of said channel and said second opening is arranged at a distal end of the channel, the proximate end being closer to the head than the distal end.

The channel and the first and second openings are arranged so that a substantially downward running stream of water directed into one of the first opening and the second opening is redirected through the channel and out of the other of the first opening and the second opening to form a fountain when the toothbrush is held substantially horizontally. A direction of a flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening and the second opening having an upward component so that a user, i.e., holder of the toothbrush, can easily reach the fountain for oral rinsing.

According to one embodiment, the direction of the flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening and the second opening is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle at the other of the first opening and the second opening. Alternatively, the direction of flow of the fountain at the other of the first opening and the second opening may have a component directed toward the second end of the handle distal from the head.

Both the first and second openings are arranged on one side, i.e., on the top or on the bottom of the handle.

The channel may be incorporated in an electric toothbrush. The toothbrush may further comprise a pump arranged in the handle for pumping fluid in the channel toward the second opening. An electric motor is connected to the pump for driving the pump. The electric motor may further be connected to movable bristles for driving movement of the bristles.

The second opening may be smaller than the first opening to facilitate collection of water at the first opening and to provide sufficient velocity of the fluid flowing out of the second opening. A ratio of an area of the first opening to an area of the second opening is in the range of 1 to 16.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the toothbrush of FIGS. 1 and 2 held under a faucet;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toothbrush according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a toothbrush according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6a and 6b are sectional views of handles showing features of the channel according to two embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the toothbrush according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a toothbrush 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The toothbrush includes a handle 104 and a head 102. The handle 104 includes a top 104a and a bottom 104b. Likewise, the head 102 includes a top 102a and a bottom 102b. Bristles 112 are arranged on the top 102a of the head 102.

The handle 104 has a first end 114 proximate the head 102 and a second end 116 arranged distally from the head 102. A channel 106 extends longitudinally through the handle 104 between a first opening 108 and a second opening 110. Both the first and second openings are arranged on the top side 104a of the handle 104.

As shown in FIG. 3 the first opening 108 is placed facing upstream in a water stream 118 flowing from a faucet. At least a portion of the water stream 118 enters the channel 106 through opening 108 and is redirected through the channel 106 to form a fountain 120 flowing out of the opening 110 in the top 104a of the handle 104. As shown in FIG. 3, the fountain 120 is directed upwards and toward the second end 116 of the handle 104. The channel 106 and second opening 110 may alternatively be arranged so that the fountain flows out of the second opening in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the top 104a of the handle 104. The toothbrush may alternatively or additionally be designed so that the water stream 118 directed into the second opening creates a fountain directed upward from the first opening.

The handle 104 of the toothbrush 100 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is preferably translucent, at least in the area of the channel 106, so that a user can detect the presence of any dirt, mold, or other obstruction in channel 106, and thus relieves any sanitary concerns that an otherwise reluctant user might have. Furthermore, the handle 104 may be made of a material that does not promote the growth of molds such as, for example, nylon. Mold requires some food to grow. Therefore, nylon or any other material having a slick or non-sticking surface does not promote mold growth because food washes off of it.

The size of the first and second openings 108, 110 and the cross-section of the channel 106 must be small enough so that the overall size of the handle is small enough to fit in a toothbrush holder, and must be large enough to supply a sufficient amount of water for oral rinsing. Furthermore, the first opening 108 may be larger than the second opening 110 to facilitate collection of water from the faucet stream 118 and increase the velocity of the water exiting the second opening 110. The ratio of the diameters of the first opening to that of the second opening is in the range of 1 to 4. Accordingly, the area of the first opening 108 may be up to 16 times as large as that of the second opening 110. In a specific embodiment, the openings 108, 110 are circular, the diameter of the second opening 110 is approximately 3.35 mm, and the diameter of the first opening is approximately 10.0 mm. Since the diameter of the first opening is approximately three times the diameter of the second opening, the area of the first opening is approximately nine times the area of the first opening. Although the openings 108 and 110 are depicted as being circular, the openings may also be oblong or oval to better fit within the width of the handle 104.

During brushing, it is possible that toothpaste and/or toothpaste suds may enter the channel 106 through the openings 108, 110. However the toothpaste and toothpaste suds are prevented from accumulating in the channel 106 because the user rinses the channel 106 each time the user orally rinses. Nonetheless, it may be desirable to prevent the entrance of toothpaste and/or toothpaste suds into the channel so that the fountain 120 includes only clean water. FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment in which the openings 108 and 110 are arranged at a bottom 104b of the handle 104 to prevent toothpaste and/or toothpaste suds from entering the channel during brushing. Another way to prevent toothpaste suds from entering the channel is to relocate the first opening closer to the distal end 116 (e.g., a position approximately in the middle of the longitudinal length of the handle 104). According to a further embodiment, the distance between the bristles 112 and the first opening is at least 5 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the distance of the first opening 108 from the bristles 112 is at least ⅓ of the distance from the bristles 112 to the second end 116 of the handle 104. In yet another embodiment, both the first and second openings 108, 110 are arranged on the half of the handle that is distal from the head as shown in FIG. 5.

The channel 106 may be gradually tapered along its length from the diameter of the first opening 108 to the diameter of the second opening 110 as shown in FIG. 6a. Alternatively, the end of channel 106 may taper to the diameter of the second opening so that the entire length of the longitudinal extension of the channel 106 through the handle 104 has constant cross-section as shown in FIG. 6b. Although the openings are assumed to be circular in this embodiment, the openings 108, 110 and the cross section of the channel 106 may comprise any shape.

FIG. 7 discloses a further embodiment in which a channel 206 is connected between openings on a bottom side 104b of a handle 104. Furthermore, a pump 200 is added to the channel 106. The pump may for example include a pump as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,429, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The pump may alternatively comprise any known or hereafter developed pump. This embodiment is useful when the stream 118 flowing from the faucet or other source has low pressure. A battery power supply 202 may be incorporated into the toothbrush. Alternatively, the toothbrush 100′ may have a connection for an external power source (not shown). An electric motor 201 drives the pump 200. The electric motor may optionally also drive movement of the bristles 112. A switch 208 is operatively connected to the motor 201 so that a user can selectively turn the pump 200 on and off. The channel 106 may also be incorporated into an electric toothbrush without the pump. FIG. 8 shows another embodiment in which the channel 106 and openings 108, 110 as shown in FIG. 1 are incorporated in an electric toothbrush 100″. In this embodiment, the battery 202 and motor 201 are used for moving the bristles 112 and are not connected to a pump for moving the flow of the water through the channel 106. Although the openings 108 and 110 are shown on the top side, the openings may alternatively be arranged on the bottom side as in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A toothbrush, comprising a handle portion connected to a head portion, each of said handle portion and said head portion having a top and a bottom, and bristles projecting from the top of said head portion, said handle portion having a first end proximate said head portion and a second end arranged distally from said head portion, said handle defining a channel running longitudinally therethrough between a first opening and a second opening such that said first opening is in communication with said second opening through said channel, said first opening being arranged at a proximate end of said channel and said second opening being arranged at a distal end of said channel, said proximate end being closer to said head portion than said distal end.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said channel and said first and second openings are arranged so that a substantially downward running stream of water directed into one of said first opening and said second opening is redirected through said channel and out of the other of said first opening and said second opening to form a fountain when said toothbrush is held substantially horizontally, a direction of a flow of said fountain at said other of said first opening and said second opening having an upward component.

3. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the direction of the flow of said fountain at the other of said first opening and said second opening is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said handle at the other of said first opening and said second opening.

4. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the other of said first opening and said second opening comprises said second opening and the direction of the flow of said fountain at said second opening has a component directed toward said second end of said handle.

5. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein both of said first and second openings are arranged on said top of said handle.

6. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein both of said first and second openings are arranged on said bottom of said handle.

7. The toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a pump arranged in said handle for pumping fluid in said channel toward said second opening.

8. The toothbrush of claim 7, further comprising an electric motor drivably connected to said pump.

9. The toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the bristles are moveable relative to said head portion and said electric motor is also drivably connected to said bristles.

10. The tooth brush of claim 7, wherein said second opening is smaller than said first opening.

11. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said one of said first opening and said second opening is smaller than the other of said first opening and said second opening.

12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein a ratio of an area of said one of said first opening and said second opening to the other of said first opening and said second opening is in the range of 1 to 16.

13. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein an area of said one of said first opening and said second opening is approximately nine times greater than an area of the other of said first opening and said second opening.

14. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein both the first and second openings are arranged on a longitudinal half of the handle that is distal from said head portion.

15. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said toothbrush further comprises an electric motor having connections for receiving an electric power supply, and movable bristles actuatable by said electric motor.