This application claims priority from Chinese Patent Application No. 202121301886.5 filed on Jun. 10, 2021. The entire contents of this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a toothbrush in which a toothbrush head can be detached from a toothbrush handle and especially to a device for attaching and detaching a toothbrush head and a toothbrush kit.
According to dentists' recommendations, people should brush their teeth at least twice a day and replace their toothbrushes at least every three months. Thus, the consumption of toothbrushes worldwide is extremely high. When replacing a toothbrush, people usually replace the old one with a new one and dispose of the old toothbrush as waste. However, only the bristles on the head of the old toothbrush are not suitable for further use in brushing the teeth while the handle can be continuously used. Discarding the old toothbrush as a whole would result in a large waste of resources and a significant increase in the amount of waste to be treated. As a result, toothbrushes in which the toothbrush head can be detached from the toothbrush handle have been developed. In this way, the toothbrush head can be timely replaced while the toothbrush handle can be reused.
In order to attach the toothbrush head to the toothbrush handle and detach the toothbrush head from the toothbrush handle, devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head have been proposed. However, the existing devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head still have the problems such as large size, inconvenient storage and carrying, much material consumption, high cost and unfriendliness to the environment.
Therefore, there is a need to improve the existing devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head which overcomes at least one of the above-mentioned defects of the existing devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for attaching and detaching a toothbrush head comprising a body and bristles mounted to the body, the body being attachable to a head attaching portion of a toothbrush handle, the device comprising: a first housing;
a second housing pivotally mounted to the first housing on a side of the first housing;
a third housing pivotally mounted to the first housing on other side opposite to the side of the first housing; and
a lining component disposed in the first housing;
wherein a head attaching cavity is formed in a side of the lining component facing the second housing, a step for supporting an edge portion of the body is formed on an inner wall of the head attaching cavity, a pressing portion is formed on a surface of the second housing facing the lining component at a location corresponding to the head attaching cavity, the pressing portion can apply a force onto the head attaching portion to attach the body onto the head attaching portion; and
a head detaching cavity is formed in a side of the lining component facing the third housing, a step for supporting the head attaching portion of the handle is formed on the inner wall of the head detaching cavity, a protruding pushing post is formed on a surface of the third housing facing the lining component at a location corresponding to the head detaching cavity, the pushing post can apply a force onto the body to disengage the body from the head attaching portion.
In one embodiment, the second housing and the third housing are mounted at opposite ends of the first housing.
In one embodiment, the lining component is further formed with a first recess opening to the head attaching cavity and for accommodating a portion of the handle.
In one embodiment, the lining component is further formed with a second recess opening to the head detaching cavity and for accommodating a portion of the handle.
In one embodiment, the pressing portion is formed in a hollow lattice shape.
In one embodiment, the head has protruding plugs thereon corresponding to the holes on the head attaching portion, the pressing portion applies a force onto the head attaching portion toward the head when the holes on the head attaching portion align with the protruding plugs on the head so that the protruding plugs pass through the holes, thereby attaching the head to the handle.
In one embodiment, the pushing posts are formed in the shape of a cross.
In one embodiment, the protruding plugs on the head pass through the holes on the head attaching portion to attach the head to the handle, the pushing posts pass through the holes and apply a force onto the protruding plugs to cause the protruding plugs to disengage from the holes, thereby detaching the head from the handle.
In one embodiment, the device for attaching and detaching a toothbrush head further comprises at least one cleaning brush.
In one embodiment, a concavity used as a cleaning brush accommodating cavity is formed in at least one outer side wall of the first housing.
In one embodiment, a projection extends from the bottom wall of the concavity, the projection can pass through a hole in the cleaning brush to hold the cleaning brush in place in the concavity.
In one embodiment, the lining component is formed separately from the first housing and is mounted in the first housing.
According to other aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toothbrush kit comprising:
a device for attaching and detaching a toothbrush head as stated above; and one or both accommodated in the head mounting cavity and the head detaching cavity and selected from a toothbrush head, a toothbrush handle and a toothbrush.
Compared with the existing devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head, the device for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head according to the present invention is significantly smaller in size, easier to store and carry, significantly less consumption in materials, less costly and more friendly to the environment while achieving the same function.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in connection with examples. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these exemplary embodiments are not meant to form any limit to the present invention.
The toothbrush head 5 includes a body 11 and bristles 13 mounted on a first side 11a of the body 11. The head 5 further includes protruding plugs 15 formed on a second side 11b of the body 11 opposite to the first side 11a. The number and distribution of the protruding plugs 15 on the head 5 correspond to the number and distribution of the holes 7 on the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3 so that each protruding plug 15 on the head 5 can be inserted into the corresponding hole 7 in the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3. In the preferred embodiment, the protruding plugs 15 comprises three large protruding plugs respectively corresponding to the three large holes and four small protruding plugs respectively corresponding to the four small holes. As a result, the head 5 can be reliably attached to the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3.
The head 5 can be reliably attached to the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3 by forming a tight fit between the protruding plug 15 and the hole 7. However, in order to facilitate easier attachment of the head 5 to and detachment from the handle 3, at least some of the protruding plugs 15 on the head 5 comprise a root portion 15a extending from the body 11 and an end portion 15b integral with the root portion 15a but having an increased size, and an excised portion 15c extending from the end portion 15b to the body 11 is formed in the protruding plug 15. Correspondingly, the hole 7 includes a first portion 7a corresponding to the root portion 15a of the protruding insert 15 and a second portion 7b corresponding to the end portion 15b of the protruding insert 15 and having a larger size than the first portion 7a. The radial size of the root portion 15a of the protruding plug 15 is selected to be substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the radial size of the first portion 7a of the hole 7, and the radial size of the end portion 15b of the protruding plug 15 is selected to be substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the radial size of the second portion 7b of the hole 7. The body 11 and the protruding plug 15 and/or the handle 3 are typically injection molded from a plastic material. It should be understood that the toothbrush handle 3 may be made from other materials, for example metal materials such as copper or stainless steel. When the protruding insert 15 is inserted into the corresponding hole 7 in the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3, the end portion 15b of the protruding insert 15 is in contact with the side wall of the hole 7 and squeezed, and the excised portion 15c allows two portions of the end portion 15b to come closer to each other and have a smaller radial size to pass through the first portion of the hole 7. Once the end 15b of the protruding plug 15 passes through the first portion of the hole 7, the end 15b of the protruding plug 15 enters the second portion 7b of the hole 7 and returns to its original size so that the head 5 and the handle 3 can be reliably locked together. Although in the preferred embodiment the excised portion 15c is shown as a transverse cutout through the side wall of the protruding plug 15, the excised portion 15c may also be formed in a cross shape, a petal shape, a hollow shape, or any other suitable shape capable of reducing the radial size of the end portion 15b of the protruding plug 15 when subjected to compression.
In order to easily align the protruding plugs 15 on the head 5 with the corresponding holes 7 in the head attaching portion 3b when the head 5 is attached to the handle 3, a flange 3c is formed around the periphery of the head attaching portion 3b of the handle 3 to define a concave space 3d for accommodating the body 11. The size of the concave space 3d substantially corresponds to the size of the body 11. In this way, the protruding plugs 15 on the head 5 align with the corresponding holes 7 in the head attaching portion 3b when the body 11 is positioned in the concave space 3d. Furthermore, the size of the concave space 3d corresponding substantially to the size of the body 11 makes a gap between the head attaching portion 3b and the body 11 as small as possible to prevent or minimize dirt or moisture trapped between the head attaching portion 3b and the body 11.
The device 20 for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head further includes a lining component 27 mounted to the first housing 21. A head attaching cavity 29 is formed in one side of the lining component 27 (for example, the top side of the lining component 27 facing the second housing 23) to accommodate the head 5 to be attached. Steps 29a are formed on the inner wall of the head attaching cavity 29. In the preferred embodiment, the steps 29a are formed at the longitudinal ends of the head attaching cavity 29, but it should be understood that the steps 29a may be formed at the longitudinal sides of the head attaching cavity 29. When the head 5 is placed in the head attaching cavity 29, the edge portion of the body 11 of the head 5 is supported on the steps 29a, thereby holding the head 5 in place in the head attaching cavity 29. Preferably, the lining component 27 may also be formed with a first recess 31 opening to the head attaching cavity 29 and for accommodating a portion of the handle 3.
In other side opposite to the side formed with the head attaching cavity 29 (for example, the bottom side of the lining component 27 facing the third housing 25), the lining component 27 is also formed with a head detaching cavity 33 to accommodate the head attached to the handle and a portion of the handle. Steps 33a are formed on the inner wall of the head detaching cavity 33. In the preferred embodiment, the steps 33a are formed at the longitudinal ends of the head detaching cavity 33, but it should be understood that the steps 31a may be formed at both longitudinal sides of the head detaching cavity 33. When the head 5 attached to the handle is placed in the head detaching cavity 33, the handle 3 is supported on the steps 31a but the body 11 of the head 5 is located in the inside of the steps 31a, thereby holding the head 5 attached to the handle in place in the head detaching cavity 33. Preferably, the lining component 27 may also be formed with a second recess 35 opening to the head detaching cavity 33 and for accommodating a portion of the handle 3.
Preferably, the lining component 27 is an integral part, made separately from the first housing 21 and subsequently assembled in the first housing 21. In this case, the first housing 21 may be formed as a top and bottom pass-through housing and the lining component 27 is fixed in the first housing 21 by a snap fit, interference fit, screws or other suitable means. Of course, the lining component 27 may also include a first portion with the head attaching cavity 29 and a second portion with the head detaching cavity 33. The first and second portions of the lining component 27 may also be respectively fixed in the upper and lower portions of the first housing 21 by a snap fit, interference fit, screws, or other suitable means, with the head attaching cavity 29 and the head detaching cavity 33 facing outwardly respectively. In addition, the lining component 27 may be formed integrally with the first housing 21.
The device 20 for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head further includes a cleaning brush 37 which may be used to clean the toothbrush, in particular, to remove dirt that may be trapped between the head 5 and the handle 3. Although a cleaning brush accommodating cavity 39 for accommodating the cleaning brush 37 may be in the lining component 27, the cleaning brush accommodating cavity 39 is preferably formed in the outer side wall of the first housing 21. As shown in
A protruding pressing portion 47 is formed on a surface of the second housing 23 facing the first housing 21 or the lining component 27 at a location corresponding to the head attaching cavity 29. In the preferred embodiment, the pressing portion 47 is formed in a hollow lattice shape, but it may be in other shapes as long as pressure can be applied to the handle by the pressing portion. Protruding pushing posts 49 are formed on a surface of the third housing 25 facing the first housing 21 or the lining component 27 at a location corresponding to the head detaching cavity 33. The position of the pushing posts 49 corresponds to the position of at least some of the holes 7 in the handle 3. The pushing posts 49 may pass freely through the holes 7. For example, three pushing posts 49 are included in the preferred embodiment and correspond to three large holes of the holes 7 in the toothbrush handle 3 respectively. Of course, it is possible to provide respective small pushing posts at the positions corresponding to the small holes. The pushing posts 49 are preferably formed in the shape of a cross so that a concentrated pushing force can be evenly applied to the protruding plug on the toothbrush head. In addition, locking means are formed on the first housing 21, the second housing 23 and the third housing 25, for example a protrusion 51 formed on the second housing 23 and the third housing 25 and a notch 53 formed in the first housing 21 to receive the protrusion 61, so as to reliably lock the second housing 23 and the third housing 25 with the first housing 21 together when the device 20 for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head is not in use. The components of the device 20 for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head may be substantially injection molded from a plastic material.
In the device for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head according to the present invention, the head attaching cavity and the head detaching cavity are provided in the opposite sides of the same housing. Compared with the existing devices for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head, the device for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head according to the present invention is significantly smaller in size, easier to store and carry, significantly less consumption in materials, less costly and more friendly to the environment while achieving the same function.
The device 20 for attaching and detaching the toothbrush head according to the present invention together with the toothbrush head 5 and/or the toothbrush can be sold as a toothbrush kit. For example, one or both of the head attaching cavity 29 and the head detaching cavity 33 are each loaded with a toothbrush head 5; or one of them is loaded with a toothbrush head 5 and the other with a toothbrush 1. Of course, one or both of the head attaching cavity 29 and the head detaching cavity 33 each may be loaded with a toothbrush 1. It is even feasible that one of the head attaching cavity 29 and the head detaching cavity 33 is loaded with a toothbrush handle.
Although the present invention has been described in detail in connection with preferred embodiments, it should be understood that such detailed description is intended only to illustrate the present invention and does not constitute any limit to the present invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention is defined by the technical solutions in the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202121301886.5 | Jun 2021 | CN | national |