METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TOOTHBRUSH AND FLOSSING

Abstract

An apparatus including a cover, a tooth brush device, and a flossing device. The cover may be configured to be attached or detached from the tooth brush device such that when attached, the cover covers the flossing device and prevents the flossing device from being used for flossing, and when detached, the cover allows the flossing device to be used for flossing. The flossing device may include first and/or second detachable flossing sections, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device. The cover may have a substantially cylindrical shape, with an inner chamber in which the flossing device resides when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device. The cover may be attached to the toothbrush device, such that the cover and a portion of the apparatus which is not part of the cover, prevent air from entering the inner chamber.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning toothbrushes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various patents which disclose a combination of a tooth brush and a flossing device, such as for example Kupperman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,891, and Chen, U.S. design Pat. No. D283,761. However, the devices disclosed in these patents are not adequate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In at least one embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a cover, a tooth brush device, and a flossing device. The cover may be configured to be attached or detached from the tooth brush device such that when attached, the cover covers the flossing device and prevents the flossing device from being used for flossing, and when detached, the cover allows the flossing device to be used for flossing.

The tooth brush device may have a proximal end and a distal end. The flossing device may have a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the tooth brush device may be fixed to the proximal end of the flossing device. The flossing device may include a first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

The first detachable flossing section may include a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post. The flossing device may include a second detachable flossing section, spaced apart from the first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

The first detachable flossing section may include a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post; and the second detachable flossing section may include a second flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a third post and the second end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a fourth post.

The cover may have a substantially cylindrical shape, with an inner chamber in which the flossing device resides when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device. The cover may be substantially aligned with an elongated body portion of the toothbrush device, when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device, so that the cover can be used as a handle, when attached to the toothbrush device to brush an individual's teeth.

In at least one embodiment, the cover may be attached to the toothbrush device, the cover and a portion of the apparatus which is not part of the cover, provide an airtight seal, preventing air from entering an inner chamber defined by the cover and the portion, wherein the flossing device resides in the inner chamber.

In at least one embodiment, a method is provided which may include the steps of using a tooth brush device of an apparatus to brush an individual's teeth; and using a flossing device of the apparatus to floss the individual's teeth. The apparatus may be configured as previously described.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of a first portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of a cover or second portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of an apparatus 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of a first portion 2 of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a top, front, and right side perspective view of a cover or second portion 40 of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 1.

The apparatus 1 includes first portion 2 shown in FIG. 2 and second portion or cover 40 shown in FIG. 3

Referring to FIG. 2, the first portion 2 includes members 6, 8, 10, 12, cap 14, member 16, circular member or balls 18 and 24, member 30, and circular member or ball 32.

The first portion 2 also includes posts 20, 22, 26, 27, 34, and 36. The posts 20 and 22 are attached to opposing sides of ball 18, so that posts 20 and 22 can be detached from ball 18. The posts 26 and 27 are attached to opposing sides of ball 24, so that posts 26 and 27 can be detached from ball 24. The first portion 2 also includes a piece of floss or string 21 having a first end fixed to an end of post 20 and a second end fixed to an end of post 22. The first portion 2 also includes a piece of floss or string 28 having a first end fixed to an end of post 26 and a second end fixed to an end of post 27. The first portion 2 also includes a piece of floss or string 35 having a first end fixed to an end of post 34 and a second end fixed to an end of post 36.

The first portion 2 also includes a plurality of bristles 4, including bristle 4a, each bristle having elongated, and having a first end fixed to member 6 and protruding out from surface 6a, to an opposing free second end.

The members 6, 8, 10, and 12 may be made of hard, rigid plastic. The bristles 4, members 6, 8, 10, and 12, which may be considered a toothbrush device 3, may be or may be replaced by any known toothbrush, manual or electric.

The cap 14 may be made of hard, rigid plastic, and may be fixed to the member 12 so that the cap 14 cannot be changed in orientation with respect to the member 12. The member 16 may be fixed substantially centrally to an inside surface 14a of the cap 14.

The ball 18 may be a hard plastic ball, or may be a rubber ball, and may be fixed to the member 16. The ball 24 may be a hard plastic ball or a rubber ball, and may be fixed to the ball 18. The member 30 may be elongated hard plastic rod, and may be fixed at one end to the ball 24 and at an opposing end to the ball 32. The ball 32 may be a hard plastic ball or a rubber ball.

The posts or rods 20 and 22 may be attached in the upright position shown to the ball 18, such that the posts or rods 20 and 22 are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the member or rod 30. Similarly, the posts or rods 26 and 27 may be attached in the upright position shown to the ball 24, such that the posts or rods 26 and 27 are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the member or rod 30. Similarly, the posts or rods 34 and 36 may be attached in the upright position shown to the ball 32, such that the posts or rods 34 and 36 are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the member or rod 30.

The combination of the cap 14, member 16, balls 18, 24, 32, posts 20, 22, 26, and 27, strings or floss 21, 28, and 35, and rod 30, may be considered a floss device 5.

In operation, the apparatus 1 may be used for brushing teeth, by a user holding the handle 40, while the handle is connected to floss device 5 as in FIG. 1, and a user brushing his or her teeth using bristles 4.

The user may use the floss device 5, while it is connected to the tooth brush device 3, after separating the cover 40 from the rest of the apparatus 1 as in FIG. 2. The user may use any of floss strings 21, 28, and 35 to floss a space between two of his or her teeth.

The tooth brush device 3 may have a length of L1, shown in FIG. 1, which may be about three inches. The floss device 5 may have a length of L2, shown in FIG. 1, which may be about four inches. The cover 40 may have a length of L3, shown in FIG. 3, which may be slightly less than four inches. The cover 40 may have an opening at end 40a and a closed end 40b to prevent germs from getting on the floss device 5, such as on floss strings 21, 28, and 35.

The posts 20 and 22 may be able to be attached to or detached from the ball 18 such as by Velcro (trademarked) or by any other means so that the posts 20 and 22, and string 21 can be replaced with new posts and new floss string as needed. Posts 20 and 22 may snap off or on ball 18.

Similarly, the posts 26 and 27 may be able to be attached to or detached from the ball 24 such as by Velcro (trademarked) or by any other means so that the posts 26 and 27, and string 28 can be replaced with new posts and new floss string as needed. Posts 26 and 27 may snap off or on ball 24.

Similarly, the posts 34 and 36 may be able to be attached to or detached from the ball 32 such as by Velcro (trademarked) or by any other means so that the posts 34 and 36, and string 35 can be replaced with new posts and new floss string as needed. Posts 34 and 36 may snap off or on ball 32.

Additional posts and floss string combinations, similar to 20, 22, and 21, can be attached to a package for apparatus 1, and provided with apparatus 1.

The members 16 is fixed to cap 14 which is fixed to member 12. The cover 40 can be snapped into cap 14 or screwed into cap 14, attached to cap 14 in any other way, to typically allow the cap to be attached and detached.

The cover 40 functions as a convenient handle for an individual using the tooth brush device (including bristles 4 and members 6, 8, 10) to brush the individual's teeth, when the cover 40 is attached as shown in FIG. 1. In addition, the cover 40 functions as an airtight seal to prevent air, debris, or germs from entering an inner chamber defined by the cover 40 and the cap 14, in which the flossing device (which includes components 16, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 18, 24, 30, 34, 35, 36, and 32) resides in the configuration or state of FIG. 1. The cover 40 may be, for example, transparent or opaque, such that the flossing device components may not be able to be seen in FIG. 1.

Each of the combination of posts 20, 22, and string 21, the combination of posts 2628, and string 27, and the combination of posts 34, 36, and string 35 may be called a flossing section. The flossing sections are arranged so that they can satisfy adults or children's needs.

Although the invention has been described by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within this patent all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of the present invention's contribution to the art.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a cover;a tooth brush device;a flossing device;wherein the cover is configured to be attached or detached from the tooth brush device such that when attached, the cover covers the flossing device and prevents the flossing device from being used for flossing, and when detached, the cover allows the flossing device to be used for flossing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tooth brush device has a proximal end and a distal end;wherein the flossing device has a proximal end and a distal end; andwherein the proximal end of the tooth brush device is fixed to the proximal end of the flossing device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flossing device includes a first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first detachable flossing section includes a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the flossing device includes a second detachable flossing section, spaced apart from the first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first detachable flossing section includes a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post; andthe second detachable flossing section includes a second flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a third post and the second end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a fourth post.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover has a substantially cylindrical shape, with an inner chamber in which the flossing device resides when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cover is substantially aligned with an elongated body portion of the toothbrush device, when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device, so that the cover can be used as a handle, when attached to the toothbrush device to brush an individual's teeth.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device, the cover and a portion of the apparatus which is not part of the cover, provide an airtight seal, preventing air from entering an inner chamber defined by the cover and the portion, wherein the flossing device resides in the inner chamber.

10. A method comprising the steps of: using a tooth brush device of an apparatus to brush an individual's teeth;using a flossing device of the apparatus to floss the individual's teeth;wherein the apparatus includes a cover;wherein the cover is configured to be attached or detached from the tooth brush device such that when attached, the cover covers the flossing device and prevents the flossing device from being used for flossing, and when detached, the cover allows the flossing device to be used for flossing.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the tooth brush device has a proximal end and a distal end;wherein the flossing device has a proximal end and a distal end; andwherein the proximal end of the tooth brush device is fixed to the proximal end of the flossing device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the flossing device includes a first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first detachable flossing section includes a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the flossing device includes a second detachable flossing section, spaced apart from the first detachable flossing section, which can be detached from or attached to the rest of the flossing device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first detachable flossing section includes a first flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a first post and the second end of the first flossing string is attached to an end of a second post; andthe second detachable flossing section includes a second flossing string having a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a third post and the second end of the second flossing string is attached to an end of a fourth post.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the cover has a substantially cylindrical shape, with an inner chamber in which the flossing device resides when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the cover is substantially aligned with an elongated body portion of the toothbrush device, when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device, so that the cover can be used as a handle, when attached to the toothbrush device to brush an individual's teeth.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein when the cover is attached to the toothbrush device, the cover and a portion of the apparatus which is not part of the cover, provide an airtight seal, preventing air from entering an inner chamber defined by the cover and the portion, wherein the flossing device resides in the inner chamber.