Patent Application
20100205760
Toothbrushes in general are, and have been, a well-known art. Most brushes are broken down into two main categories: 1) the conventional manual brush; and 2) electric brushes. It is also well-known that dentists are concerned with the manner people brush their tooth, in such motion that causes abrasion and irreversible damage.
In the present case, the toothbrush created allows cleaning motion of not only up and down, but also circular movement. More importantly, this movement will be created, not by electrical force, but simply by the manual/applied force of the hand of the user.
When toothpaste is applied to the cleaning elements the user inserts the head into the mouth and brushes the teeth in a known manner. While, the head of a conventional toothbrush usually has a flat or slightly altered surface to which cleaning elements are attached and is comprised of static brushes, and provides only up and down movement. However, this device has brushes which rotate in oppositional directions, creating circular movement, providing a more comprehensive cleaning for toothbrush.
The toothbrush of the present inventor facilitates more motion of cleaning elements in the toothbrush head thereby promoting healthy stimulation of gums and cleaning in the hard to reach surfaces and crevices. It provides complete cleaning along the vertical surface of teeth and massages the gums simultaneously. Here, the user's hand provides the up and down movement while the internal structure of the toothbrush creates the movement creates the circular rotation of the bristles thereby captivating more angles of the tooth surface.
The typical classical brush is comprised of static, non-moveable bristles that are locked in place and move only in conjunction with the force and direction provided by the user's hand. This type of toothbrush, though light and easily portable is, however, limited in functionality, and flexibility of movement.
Electric brushes on the other hand, are more intricate, move in different directions, but require electricity in order to create the rotation, oscillation or movement of the bristles. They are heavier, less easy to transport and require constant charging in order to appropriately operate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,464,430 issued to Filsouf Ehsan in Jan. 3, 2006 discloses an electric toothbrush in which the brushing head moves in an elliptical motion such that, on the brushing stroke, the bristles are proximate the teeth, and in the recovery portion of the cycle the bristles are pulled away from the teeth. By contrast, the present invention creates a rotating motion, but without the need for an electrically powered toothbrush.
Celso Caroli discloses an electrically driven continuous toothbrush in U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,479, issued on Jun. 30, 1981. A reversible, rotating brush head is controlled by a manual switch controlled by the user's fingers. Once again, here, there is no need for a switch, the rotation of the brushes comes about by the applied force of the users hand. No electricity is needed.
Robert Moskovich discloses a toothbrush in U.S. Pat. No. 7,430,780 issued in Feb. 8, 2005, which includes a head having multiple cleaning elements. One group of the cleaning elements is flexibly mounted on the head and another group may be fixedly mounted on the head. Here, although there may be some flexibility, it is not based on interlocked cogs propelled by the applied force of the hand and the spring propelled cog-shaped stem. The three forces combined lead to the rotational movement of the three brushes.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Although toothbrushes have been around since the time of the Egyptians, their design, shape, structure and motion has remained practically the same. In the early 1980's the ingenious idea of creating electrically powered toothbrushes sprouted. This was when the conventional toothbrush evolved and included vibrations, oscillations and different rotational motions. The problem with the electrical toothbrush is its dependence on electricity, its heaviness and limited portability, along with the need for multiple parts, such as the charging base.
The unique design of the present invention is that it is hand operated, non electric, lightweight and easily portable. The bristles are operated by a rotation device in collaboration with the applied force of the hand allowing bristles to rotate in oppositional directions. The design is unique in that it not only are the bristles mounted on interlocked cogs suspended inside the hollow head of the toothbrush, but that each bristles turns in opposite directions caused merely by manual force.
In accordance with this invention the toothbrush includes two segments, a head and a handle. The handle being partially hollow and partially solid, and having a long cylindrical stem that spans from the end to the tip. The tip being grooved and protruding out into the head segment. The head also being partially hollow and partially solid, the hollow portion interlocking with the handle by the interlocking of the protruding triangles with the triangular grooves on the handle. The two segments sliding perfectly into each other in the hollow portions.
The head carries cleaning elements, such as bristles and being comprised of rotator cogs, one with a grooved pillar which when pushed against the stem activates movement.
An object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush with rotating concave bristles that are manually propelled instead of electrically powered.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a toothbrush containing interlocked rotating cogs with bristles secured by in-molded technology, circularly arranged, that are suspended inside the hollow head of the toothbrush.
A further object of this invention is for the first rotating cog to be set in motion by the applied force of the user's hand pushing the long cylindrical stem to rub against the pillar of the first rotator cog. In turn, the first rotator cog, being interlocked with the second rotating cog turns it in an oppositional direction, the same effect occurring on the third, thereby causing the secured bristles to turn in the same direction of the cog it is attached to.
A further object of this invention is that when the handle is pushed by the user's hand it causes the spring to contract and create resistance against the handle.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention is broadly drawn to an oral care toothbrush, preferably comprising: a handle segment and a head segment as described herein.
In a preferred practice of the invention the oral care toothbrush is characterized by its small size and light weight so that it is readily adaptable for travel use. The toothbrush is preferably small in size and lightweight. The toothbrush is a revolutionary and needed design as an alternative to the conventional form, design and utility of a toothbrush. It serves to gently remove the plaque, with merely the force of the hand.
The present invention related in general to a toothbrush generally to toothbrushes, and, more particularly, to manually propelled rotating brushes.
The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different figures identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. The arrows displayed in the Figures are solely for the purpose of showing the direction of movement and are not intended to be part of the patented product.
The toothbrush shown in
Arranged in the interior of the handle part 6, are the long cylindrical stem 11 with the spring 14, welded to the middle of the stem 11.
The small spring 14 is welded onto the long stem 11 and is also housed in the hollow portion of the head 8. The stem of 11, is preferably made of a stiff rigid material, or metal.
The oval head 8, comprised of three interlocked rotator cogs equal in diameter, the first having a grooved pillar 9, 10 which is also interlocked with the long stem 11, as shown mores specifically in 16.
The head segment 8 is equipped with the three rotator cogs 910, with the first rotator cog having a cog shaped base and a grooved pillar as more fully shown in 10.
The hollow portion of the head 8, and handle 6, are kept in place by the two triangular shaped edges on the hollow portion of the head locking with the two triangular wedges in the hollow portion of the handle 15, 17.
When the handle 6 is pushed by the applied force of the user's hand, the hollow portion of the head slides into the hollow portion of the handle 15, 17, which causes the toothbrush to be in a contracted position 5, long stem 11 to push against the pillar on the first rotator cog 9, 10 and causes the rotation of the cogs 9, 10, 17 and the ultimate rotation of the bristles as more fully shown in 2,3,4,5.
The toothbrush in
When the toothbrush is in contracted position 5, the small spring 14 causes hits the hollow portion of the head 8, and causes resistance force upon the handle 6 thereby pushing the handle 6 back against the users hand.
The following is a brief description of the drawings:
The arrows displayed in the Figures are solely for the purpose of showing the direction of movement and are not intended to be part of the patented product.
