Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A TOOTH CARE IMPLEMENT
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.
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
a handle unit comprising a grippable base portion and shaft portion extending
therefrom, the shaft portion having a free end remote from the grippable base
portion;
and
an arm having first and second ends, and a tooth care attachment mounted at
each end; the arm being pivotally coupled with the handle unit adjacent the
free end of
the shaft portion such that the arm can be moved between first and second
positions
with respect to the shaft portion of the handle unit, such that
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in the first position a portion of the arm containing the first tooth care
attachment
extends away from the shaft portion of the handle unit such that the first
tooth care
attachment can be used, and the remaining portion containing the second tooth
care
attachment is positioned adjacent the shaft portion of the handle unit; and
in the second position a portion of the arm containing the second tooth care
attachment extends away from the shaft portion of the handle unit such that
the
second tooth care attachment can be used, and the remaining portion containing
the
first tooth care attachment is positioned adjacent the shaft portion of the
handle unit.
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.
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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
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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.
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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
5 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.
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Figure 1 is a front elevation of a combination tooth care implement according
to the
invention, comprising a tooth brush attachment and a dental floss head
attachment;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tooth care implement of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the tooth care implement of Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a handle unit of the tooth care implement of
the
invention;
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively rear and side elevations of a shaft portion
of the handle
unit of Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modification of the shaft portion of Figures
5 and 6;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a section of a shaft portion of Figures 5 to
7 showing a
rack shaft holding a plurality of tooth care attachments;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a grippable base portion of a handle unit of
Figure 4;
Figures 10 and 11 are perspective views of modifications of the rack shaft of
Figure 8;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a modification of the grippable base
portion of Figure 9;
Figures 13 to 15 are perspective views of variations of fastening means for
coupling a
rotating arm of the tooth care implement of the invention to the handle unit
thereof;
Figure 16 is a rear elevation of a further embodiment of a combination tooth
care
implement according to the invention;
Figure 16a is an exploded perspective view of a handle unit and removable
insert of the
tooth care implement of Figure 16;
Figure 17 is a side elevation of the tooth care implement of Figure 16 wherein
the arm
portion is out of alignment with the shaft portion;
Figure 18 is a side elevation of the tooth care implement of Figure 16 wherein
the arm
portion is in alignment with the shaft portion;
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Figure 19 is a perspective view of a handle unit of the tooth care implement
of Figure 16;
Figure 20 is a perspective view of the arm and handle unit of the tooth care
implement of
Figure 16;
Figure 21 is a perspective view of the arm and handle unit of the tooth care
implement of
Figure 16 when out of alignment; and
Figure 22 is a perspective view of the arm and handle unit of the tooth care
implement of
Figure 16 when in alignment.
Referring to initially to Figures 1 to 3, a tooth care implement of the
invention is indicated
generally by reference numeral 1. The tooth care implement 1 comprises a
handle unit 2
(see also Figure 4) which comprises a grippable base portion 3 and a shaft
portion 4
extending from the grippable base portion 3. The grippable base portion 3 and
the shaft
portion 4 are releasably engageable. The shaft portion 4 comprises a pair of
prongs 5,
each prong 5 having a free end 5a. A cavity 6 is defined between inner
opposing faces
5b of the prongs 5.
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 Figure 8).
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 Figures 1
to 3 in a
first position a portion of the arm 7 containing the tooth brush head 8
extends away from
the free ends 5a of the prongs 5 and from the handle unit 2. At the same time,
the
portion of the arm 7 on the other side of the rotation axis of the arm 7 and
containing the
dental floss head 9 is accommodated in the cavity 6 between the prongs 5. In
this
position, the tooth brush head 8 is in a ready to use mode, and the dental
floss head 9 is
concealed within the cavity 6. Likewise, in a second position (not shown) a
portion of the
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arm 7 containing the dental floss head 9 extends away from the free ends 5a of
the
prongs 5 and from the handle unit 2 whilst the tooth brush head 8 and the
relevant portion
of the arm 7 are concealed within the cavity 6. The cavity 6 is sized and
shaped for
concealing the unemployed arm portion together with the tooth care attachment
attached
thereto in a manner that the concealed attachment does not interfere with the
function of
the other tooth attachment at the other end of the arm 7. This arrangement
eliminates
the need to remove the unemployed tooth care attachment in order to use the
other tooth
care attachment so that the two tooth care attachments remain attached to the
arm 7 at all
times during regular use.
As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the handle unit 2 comprises a snap fit and release
lock 10 for
releasably locking the arm 7 in the first or the second position with respect
to the handle
unit 2. The snap fit and release lock 10 comprises a resiliently deformable
lip 11 formed
on each the inner opposing inner faces 5b of the prongs 5 for engaging the arm
7. When
the arm 7 enters the cavity 6, the lips 11 resiliently deform under the
external force applied
to the arm 7 so that the arm 7 is caught between the lips 11. The resilient
force of the lips
11 acting on the arm 7 is sufficient to retain the arm 7 in place during the
use of the other
tooth care attachment. In order to move the arm 7 into the second position,
continued
application of an external force to the arm 7 deforms the lips 11 and releases
the arm 7.
As shown in Figures 9 and 12, the grippable base portion 3 of the handle unit
2 comprises
a tubular wall which defines an internal chamber 12 and an open end 12a. As
shown in
Figures 8, 10 and 11, the shaft portion 4 comprises a rack shaft 14 extending
from a base
portion 4a of the shaft portion 4. When the shaft portion 4 and the grippable
base portion
3 are engaged, the rack shaft 14 enters the internal chamber 12 and the open
end 12a of
the internal chamber is blocked by the base portion 4a of the shaft portion 4.
The rack
shaft 14 comprises a plurality of positions in the form of recesses 14a for
holding a
plurality of dental floss heads 9. Figure 8 shows a modification of the rack
14 which has
the recesses 14a formed along one side of the shaft 14 and the dental floss
heads 9 are
held in the recesses such that the bracket 9 and the floss 9a surround the
rack shaft 14.
Figure 10 shows another modification of the rack 14 which has the recesses 14a
are
formed in a staggered manner along two opposing sides of the shaft 14 and the
dental
floss heads 9 are held in the recesses 14a in the same manner as in Figure 8.
In the
modification of the rack shaft 14 shown in Figure 11, the rack shaft is
attached to the base
portion 4a at a location offset from the centre of the base portion 4a. The
recesses 14a
are formed along one side of the shaft 14 and the dental floss heads 9 are
held in the
recesses 14a such that the dental floss heads 9 extend laterally from the
shaft 14 in
alignment with the base portion 4a.
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In a further embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 16 and 16a, the
grippable
base portion 3 comprises a tubular wall defining an inner chamber 120 with an
open end
120b remote from the shaft portion 4. A removable insert 100 comprising a rack
shaft 140
is housed in the inner chamber 120. The base 100b of the removable insert 100
closes
the open end 120b of the inner chamber 120. It is understood that the rack
shaft 140
comprises a plurality of positions in the form of recesses for holding a
plurality of dental
floss heads. It is also understood that the various modifications made to the
rack shaft 14
apply equally to rack shaft 140.
As shown in Figures 8 and 9 the engagement and release of the grippable base
portion 3
and the shaft portion 4 is achieved via mating threads on the grippable base
portion 3 and
the shaft portion 4. In the modification shown in Figures 11 and 12, the
grippable base
portion 4 comprises resiliently deformable mugs 15 for releasably engaging
with
corresponding recesses 16 formed in the base portion 4a of the shaft portion
4. Although
not shown, it is understood that means for engagement and release of the
removable
insert 100 from the grippable base portion 3 could also be achieved using but
not limited
to either of these methods.
Figures 13 to 22 show modification of fastening means for rotatably coupling
the arm 7
with the prongs 5.
In the modification of Figure 13, a screw 17 is inserted through suitably
sized and shaped
bores 18 formed through each prong 5 and the arm 7.
Figure 14 shows a pair of pins 19 provided at a pair of opposing outer faces
of the arm 7.
The pins 19 are engageable with corresponding through bores 20 formed in the
prongs 5.
A slot 21 is formed between the interior of the through bore 20 and outer
surface of a
prong 5 transversely in relation to the bore 20, such that the pin 19 of the
arm 7 can
access the through bore 20 laterally through the slot 21. A suitable cap (not
shown) is
provided for placing over a free end of each pin 19 for securing the pin 19 in
engagement
with the corresponding prong 5.
In the modification of Figure 15, the fastening means comprises a key member
22
provided at each of the opposing outer faces of the arm 7. Each key member 22
engages with a corresponding slot 23 formed in a rotating receiver 24
rotatably mounted
at the free end 5a of each prong 5 in a seat 25 defined by the material of the
prong 5.
Another slot 26 is formed extending between the seat 25 and outer surface of
the prong 5.
When the slot 23 of the receiver 24 is aligned with the slot 26 in the prong
5, the key 22
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can pass through the slot 26 into the slot 25 of the receiver 24. The keys 22
are mounted
on the arm 7 in a transverse orientation with respect to the arm such that
when the keys
22 engage with the aligned slots 23 and 26, the arm 7 is positioned with
respect to the
handle unit 2 in a third position as shown in Figure 15, intermediate the
first and second
5 positions of the arm 7. On rotation of the arm 7 from this intermediate
position towards
the first or the second position, the slots 23 of the receiver 24 misalign
with the slots 26 of
the prongs 5 and thereby secure the arm 7 in the engagement with the prongs 5
in any
position of the arm 7 with respect to the prongs 5, other than the
intermediate position of
the arm 7.
In a further modification shown in Figures 16 to 22 the fastening means for
coupling the
arm 7 with the prongs 5 comprises a pair of projecting members 30 provided on
each of
the opposing outer faces of the arm 7 intermediate the first and second ends
7a and 7b.
Each of projecting members 30 seat into a U-shaped channel 31 provided on the
free end
5a of each prong 5. A tapered member 32 is formed on each of the opposing
inner faces
5b of prongs 5 extending towards the grippable base portion 3 of the handle
unit 2 such
that the distance between the opposing inner faces 5b of prongs 5 diminishes
from the
free end 5a of each prong towards the grippable base portion 3 of the handle
unit 2. The
tapered member 32 extends around U-shaped channel 31 such that the tapered
member
also forms a U-shaped channel. The width of arm 7 increases from each end 7a
and 7b
to a maximum width at the portion 7c of the arm intermediate each end 7a and
7b where
the projecting members 30 are positioned. The width of the intermediate
portion 7c
prevents the arm 7 from fully entering the U-shaped channel 31 unless in the
correct
alignment.
Referring specifically to Figures 20, 21 and 22 there is shown arm 7 being
brought into
engagement with handle portion 2. Projecting members 30 are engaged in U-
shaped
channel 31. When arm 7 is incorrectly aligned, the intermediate portion 7c
abuts tapered
lip 32a as the distance between the opposing inner faces 5b of prongs 5
diminishes. This
prevents projecting members 30 from moving further into the U-shaped channel
31 as
shown in Figure 21. Referring now to Figure 22, there is shown arm 7 correctly
aligned
whereby the intermediate portion 7c inserts between the arms 32a of tapered
member 32
surrounding the U-shaped channel 31 thus allowing projecting members 30 to
fully seat at
the base of the U-shaped channel 31 (as shown in Figure 18). The resilient
force of the
tapered member acting on the arm 7 provides a pressure fit that is sufficient
to retain the
arm 7 in place during the use of the other tooth care attachment.
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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.
