This application claims priority and is entitled to the filing date of Great Britain patent application Ser. No. 0813766.3 filed Jul. 28, 2008, and entitled “A Tooth Care Implement.” The contents of the aforementioned application are incorporated by reference herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tooth care implement and in particular to a combination tooth care implement that contains more than one tooth care attachment, such as, but not limited thereto a toothbrush head and a dental floss head.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous dental care implements are known in the art, the most common being a toothbrush. Toothbrushes are provided in many different designs and configurations. The other common daily dental care implement includes dental floss which is usually available wound on a reel. Disposable dental floss brackets are also available which comprises a Y-shaped bracket having a length of dental floss taught between the free ends of the bracket. In recent years, many other dental care implements have been designed and made available on the market. Using and keeping various tooth care implements separately is awkward and inconvenient for many users. Combination toothbrushes are known that include a tooth brush head and a handle having an internal compartment for storing a reel of dental floss. However, not all users prefer the reeled version of dental floss. Therefore, there is still a need in the art for an improved combination tooth care implement.
It is acknowledged that the term ‘comprise’ may, under varying jurisdictions be provided with either an exclusive or inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted explicitly, the term comprise shall have an inclusive meaning that it may be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components. Accordingly, the term ‘comprise’ is to be attributed with as broad an interpretation as possible within any given jurisdiction and this rationale should also be used when the terms ‘comprised’ and/or ‘comprising’ are used.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a combination tooth care implement that alleviates the drawbacks of the prior art.
Accordingly, the invention provides a tooth care implement comprising
In a preferred modification the arm is pivotally coupled with the handle unit at a location intermediate the first and second ends of the arm, such that the arm can pivot easily between the first and second positions.
Preferably, the arm is releasably coupled with the handle unit.
In one arrangement, the arm is coupled with the handle unit via interengageable fastening means provided on the arm and on the handle unit, such as for example, but not limited thereto, a pin or a screw arrangement or a resiliently deformable snap fit and release coupling.
In one embodiment, the handle unit defines a cavity for accommodating the portion of the arm positioned adjacent the handle unit together with the tooth care attachment attached thereto, such that said portion of the arm is recessed with regard to outer surfaces of the handle unit thereby concealing the unemployed tooth care attachment when the other tooth care attachment is in a ready to use position. Since the tooth care attachment concealed in such a manner does not interfere with the function of the other tooth attachment at the other end of the arm, such an arrangement dispenses with the need to remove the unemployed tooth care attachment when the other attachment is in use. Thus, the two tooth care attachments can remain attached to the arm at all times during regular use and the user does not have to detach and re-attach the attachment for each use save for replacing worn attachments as necessary.
In one embodiment, the shaft portion of the handle unit comprises a pair of prongs each prong having a free end, the cavity being defined as the space between a pair of opposing inner faces of the pair of prongs. The arm is preferably pivotally mounted between free ends of the prongs, such that in the first and second positions one portion of the arm containing the unemployed tooth care attachment is accommodated in the space between the prongs and the other portion of the arm with the other tooth care attachment extends away from the free ends of the prongs in the ready to use position.
In one modification, the fastening means between the arm and the prongs comprises an axle about which the arm can pivot. Conveniently the axle is inserted through suitably sized and shaped bores formed through each prong and the arm. An example of a suitable axle, but not limited thereto, is any one of a screw, pin or rod.
In a further modification, the fastening means comprises a pair of pins provided on a pair of opposing outer faces of the arm, the pins being engageable with corresponding through bores formed in the prongs. Optionally the pins could be integrally formed with the arm, thus forming projecting members on opposing outer faces of the arm. Preferably, a slot is formed between the interior of the through bore and outer surface of a prong transversely in relation to the bore, thereby defining a pair of resiliently deformable flaps, such that the pin or projecting members of the arm can access the through bore laterally through the slot. A suitable cap is preferably provided for placing over a free end of each pin for securing the pin in engagement with the corresponding prong.
In a still further modification, the fastening means comprises a pair of projecting members provided on a pair of opposing outer faces of the arm. Optionally the projecting members are integrally formed with the arm. Preferably a U-shaped channel is formed at the free end of each prong, wherein the projecting members pass through the opening of the U-shaped channel to seat into the base of the U-shaped channel. A tapered member is preferably formed on each of the opposing inner faces of each prong extending from the free end of each prong towards the grippable base portion such that the distance between the opposing inner faces of the prongs diminishes from the free end of each prong to the grippable base portion. Conveniently in this arrangement, the arm and tapered member are complimentary shaped such that the projecting members are unable to seat correctly within the U-shaped channel unless the arm and prongs are in correct alignment. In this arrangement, when the arm and prongs are in correct alignment the tapered member resiliently engages with a portion of the arm thereby locking the arm in position with respect to the handle unit.
In yet another modification, the fastening means comprises a key member provided at each of the opposing outer faces of the arm. Each key member is preferably engageable with a corresponding slot formed in a rotating receiver rotatably mounted in a seat defined at the free end of each prong. Another slot is formed extending between the seat of the receiver and outer surface of the prong such that when the slot of the receiver is aligned with the slot in the prong, the key can be engaged with the slot of the receiver by passing it through the second slot. Ideally, the keys are located on the arm in such orientation that when the keys engage with the aligned slots in the prongs and in the receiver, the arm is positioned with respect to the handle unit in a third position, intermediate the first and second positions of the arm. On rotation of the arm from this intermediate position towards the first or the second position, the slots of the receiver misalign with the slots of the prongs and thereby secure the arm in the engagement with the prongs in any position of the arm with respect to the prongs, other than the intermediate position of the arm.
In a most preferred embodiment, the handle unit comprises a lock means configured for releasably locking the arm in the first or the second position with respect to the handle unit.
In one arrangement, the locking means comprises a catch arrangement configured for releasably fastening the portion of the arm positioned adjacent the handle unit.
In one variation, the catch arrangement comprises a snap fit and release mechanism comprising a resiliently deformable member formed on each of the inner opposing faces of the prongs such that when the arm enters the cavity the two resiliently deformable members deform and resiliently engage the arm thereby locking the arm with respect to the handle unit.
In another variation the catch arrangement is formed at the point of attachment of the arm to the handle unit. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many other releasable lock arrangements are possible within the scope of the present invention for releasably locking the arm in the first or second positions with respect to the handle unit. Ideally, each of the first and second ends of the arm comprises a means for releasably engaging with a tooth care attachment thereby enabling a user to replace the tooth care attachment when desired.
In a preferred embodiment, the handle unit defines an internal chamber adapted for storage of one or more tooth care attachments.
More preferably, a holder means is provided in the internal chamber, the holder means being configured for holding the one or more of tooth care attachments.
Preferably, the holder means comprises a rack shaft extending along the internal chamber, the rack shaft comprising a plurality of positions for holding tooth care attachments.
In one modification, the grippable base portion of the handle unit comprises a tubular wall and the internal chamber is defined by the tubular wall.
In a further arrangement, the grippable base portion and the shaft portion of the handle unit are releasably engageable to form the handle unit. The engagement and release of the grippable base portion and the shaft can be achieved in many ways apparent to those skilled in the art, such as for example a thread or a resiliently deformable snap fit and release coupling.
In another arrangement, the shaft portion comprises a rack shaft attached thereto, such that when the shaft portion and the grippable base portion are engaged, the rack shaft enters the internal chamber through an open end of the grippable base portion and the open end is blocked by the body of the shaft portion.
In a further arrangement the grippable base portion comprises an open end remote from the shaft portion. In this arrangement the rack shaft comprises a removable insert that enters the internal chamber through the open end of the grippable base portion thereby closing the grippable base portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the tooth care attachment at the first end of the arm comprises a tooth brush head and the tooth care attachment at the second end of the arm comprises a disposable dental floss head. The dental floss head is preferably a single use head which comprises a bracket member having a length of dental floss taught thereon. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that the invention is not limited to the combination of the tooth brush head and the dental floss head. Indeed, a combination of any tooth care attachments, of different or the same type is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
The above described arrangement provides a combination tooth care implement that has more than one tooth care attachment, preferably, but not limited thereto, of a different type, and which provides the user with the convenience of having the two attachments readily available at all times without the need to detach and re-attach the different attachments.
The invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, embodiments of a tooth care implement according to the invention.
a is an exploded perspective view of a handle unit and removable insert of the tooth care implement of
Referring initially to
An arm 7 is pivotally releasably engaged with the free ends 5a of the prongs 5. The arm 7 has first and second ends 7a, 7b and is engaged with the prongs 5 at a point intermediate the ends 7a, 7b. A tooth care attachment is mounted at each end 7a, 7b.
In the presently described embodiment, the tooth care attachment mounted at the first end 7a comprises a toothbrush head 8, and the tooth care attachment mounted at the second end 7b of the arm 7 comprises a dental floss head 9. The dental floss head 9 is a single-use head and comprises a bracket member 9a having a length of dental floss 9b taught thereacross (see
The arm 7 is engaged with the prongs 5 such that the arm 7 can be rotated between first and second positions with respect to the handle unit 2. As shown in
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In a further embodiment of the invention as shown in
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Referring specifically to
Although not shown from the drawings, the brush head 8 and the dental floss head 9 are releasably engaged with the arm 7 via a fastening means. This enables a user to replace the tooth care attachment as desired.
It will be understood that the preferred embodiment or embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed by way of example and that other modifications and alterations may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0813766.3 | Jul 2008 | GB | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP2009/059616 | 7/24/2009 | WO | 00 | 3/16/2011 |