Oral care system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11510485-B2
Application number	US-202217713392-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2022
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to oral care systems and devices. An oral care system includes a container defining an interior portion. The container includes a repository provided within the interior portion and configured to hold a fluid, and a barrier configured to maintain the fluid separate from the interior portion. The barrier is configured to be breached to expose the interior portion to the fluid. The system further includes a tube configured to slide in the interior portion of the container. The tube includes a distal end configured to breach the barrier when the tube is moved in a direction of the fluid in the repository.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using an oral care system, comprising:
obtaining an oral care system, the oral care system comprising:
a container defining an interior portion and comprising:
a repository provided within the interior portion and configured to hold a fluid;
a barrier configured to maintain the fluid separate from the interior portion, wherein the barrier is configured to be breached to expose the interior portion to the fluid; and
a tube configured to slide into the interior portion of the container, the tube comprising a distal end configured to breach the barrier; and

a toothbrush held by the tube; and

moving the tube in a first direction toward the repository; and
breaching the barrier by the distal end of the tube to expose the interior portion of the container to the fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuing to move the tube in the first direction to expose a distal end of the toothbrush to the fluid in the repository.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising moving the tube in a direction opposite the first direction to remove the distal end of the toothbrush from the fluid.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising removing the toothbrush from the tube to perform an oral treatment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the tube is configured such that when the toothbrush is removed from the tube, excess solution is removed from the toothbrush.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein movement of the tube is caused by movement of the toothbrush.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling a suction device to a suction port on the toothbrush.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising coving a suction hole in a handle of the toothbrush to generate suction in the toothbrush.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repository is a solution cup configured to hold the fluid therein, and wherein the barrier is positioned over a top of the solution cup, and
wherein breaching the barrier comprises moving the distal end of the tube through the barrier over the top of the solution cup.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the tube comprises a cutting edge formed by the distal end of the tube being cut at an angle relative to a central axis of the tube, for breaching the barrier.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a spittoon straw comprising a funnel portion and the tube connected to a base of the funnel portion.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising collecting brushing waste in the funnel portion and retaining the brushing waste in a second portion of the container, separate from the repository.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the container in any orientation, and wherein the tube comprises at least one aperture formed in a side wall of the tube, the at least one aperture configured to allow the fluids to pass from the tube into the interior portion to maintain the fluids within the interior portion of the container independent of the orientation of the container.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sealing the interior portion from an exterior of the container when the toothbrush is inserted into the interior portion, wherein the toothbrush comprises a handle and a plurality of projections formed on the handle and at least one of the projections is configured to seal the interior portion from an exterior of the container.

Assignees

• Sage Products Llc

Inventors

• Fowler Paul Michael
• Cagle Ronald Christopher
• Sebastian Theresa L
• Ulreich Daniel R
• Balbinot Jodi Marie
• SEXTON Kristin Marie

Classifications

• A46B15/0081

  Brushes with a scraper, e.g. tongue scraper · CPC title

• A61L2202/121

  Sealings, e.g. doors, covers, valves, sluices · CPC title

• A46B17/06

  Devices for cleaning brushes after use · CPC title

• A46B5/02

  specially shaped for holding by the hand · CPC title

• A47K1/09

  Holders for drinking glasses, tooth brushes, hair brushes, or the like · CPC title