Toothbrush

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930958-B2
Application number	US-201315106384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A toothbrush having an applicator for dispensing an oral care material to a user's oral cavity. In one aspect, the toothbrush comprises a body comprising a handle portion, a head portion and a longitudinal axis; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head portion; a store of an oral care material in the body; a depression formed in the handle portion of the body, the depression comprising a floor; and an applicator forming at least a portion of the floor of the depression, the applicator fluidly coupled to the store of the oral care material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toothbrush comprising:
a body comprising a handle portion, a head portion and a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head portion;
a store of an oral care material in the body;
a depression formed in the handle portion of the body, the depression comprising a floor; and
an applicator forming a fixed portion of the floor of the depression, the applicator fluidly coupled to the store of the oral care material.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the floor of the depression is concave along a direction of the longitudinal axis.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein an exposed surface of the applicator forms the fixed portion of the floor of the depression.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the applicator comprises a pad comprising a capillary material.

5. The toothbrush according to claim 4 further comprising one or more wicking members fluidly coupling the store of the oral care material to the applicator.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the body comprises a reservoir containing the store of the oral care material.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the floor of the depression comprises a contour that corresponds to a collection of facial surfaces of a user's teeth.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the depression is located in a proximal section of the handle portion, the head portion coupled to a distal end of the handle portion.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1 further comprising a cover coupled to the handle portion so as to be alterable between: (1) a storage state in which the depression is enclosed by the cover; and (2) a use state in which the floor of the depression is exposed.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 9 wherein an outer surface of the handle portion is substantially flush with an outer surface of the cover when the cover is in the storage state.

11. The toothbrush according to claim 9 wherein the cover comprises an inner surface that is in surface contact with the floor of the depression when the cover is in the storage state.

12. The toothbrush according to claim 1 further comprising a cover coupled to the handle portion so as to be alterable between: (1) a storage state in which the applicator is enclosed by the cover; and (2) a use state in which the applicator is exposed.

13. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the applicator is non-movable relative to the body.

14. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein an exposed surface of the applicator is concave in a direction of the longitudinal axis.

15. A toothbrush comprising:
a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head portion;
a store of an oral care material in the body;
an applicator coupled to the body, the applicator fluidly coupled to the store of the oral care material;
a bite guard protruding from the body adjacent the applicator; and
wherein the applicator comprises a first applicator portion and a second applicator portion, the bite guard located between the first and second applicator portions.

16. The toothbrush according to claim 15 wherein the applicator comprises a pad comprising a capillary material, and further comprising one or more wicking members fluidly coupling the store of the oral care material to the applicator.

17. The toothbrush according to claim 15 wherein the bite guard terminates in a free edge.

18. The toothbrush according to claim 15 further comprising a cover coupled to the handle portion so as to be alterable between: (1) a storage state in which the applicator is enclosed by the cover; and (2) a use state in which the applicator is exposed.

19. A toothbrush comprising:
a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the head portion;
a store of an oral care material in the body;
a depression formed in the body, the depression extending from a first outer surface of the body to a second outer surface of the body, the second outer surface of the body being opposite to the first outer surface of the body;
an applicator disposed in the depression, the applicator fluidly coupled to the store of the oral care material; and
wherein the applicator comprises a concave exposed surface.

20. The toothbrush according to claim 19 wherein the applicator comprises a pad comprising a capillary material.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Moskovich Robert
• Duncan Kelly Gail
• Kolb Matthew Lee

Classifications

• A46B11/001 Primary

  with integral reservoirs (A46B11/0003, A46B11/0006 take precedence) · CPC title

• A46B5/021

  Grips or handles specially adapted to conform to the hand · CPC title

• A46B9/045 Primary

  specially adapted for cleaning a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously · CPC title

• A61C5/90

  Oral protectors for use during treatment, e.g. lip or mouth protectors (A61C5/82 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title