Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1
ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE HEAD FOR A TOOTHBRUSH
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[1] The present invention generally relates to hygienic implements but more
particularly to an
attachable and detachable head for a toothbrush.
2. Description of Related Art
121 It is recommended that a person's toothbrush be replaced every three
months, which creates a
lot of plastic toothbrushes in our landfills. There are some "eco-brushes"
having a handle made out of
bamboo and with bristle made out of a biodegradable material but these are
small scale operations and
don't make much of an impact. Electric toothbrushes have removable heads so
that a user can replace
the bristle without the need to buy a new electric base. There is still a need
for a practical easy to
operate head changing system for non-electric toothbrushes.
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BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[3] The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the
invention in order to
provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an
extensive overview of the
invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the
invention or to delineate the scope
of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the
invention in a simplified form
as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
[4] In one aspect of the invention, a toothbrush head replacement system is
provided comprising a
toothbrush handle having a tip portion, the tip portion having at least one
opening; a head section
having a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the top portion comprises
bristles and the bottom
portion comprises a male connection member operable to be attachable and
detachable to the at least
one opening such that the head section may be releasably joined and secured to
the tip portion of the
toothbrush handle.
[5] In one embodiment, the toothbrush handle is non-electric. In one
embodiment, the male
connection member is a bulb member having a stem member and bulbous member. In
one
embodiment, the bulbous member includes a split sphere forming a "V" shape
configured to clasp
together when the bulbous member passes through the at least one opening. In
one embodiment, the at
least one opening includes a first beveled seat portion. In one embodiment,
the split sphere is
configured to separate into the "V" shape after passing through the at least
one opening and sit in the
first beveled seat portion. In one embodiment, the at least one opening
includes a second beveled seat
portion. In one embodiment, the bulb member further comprises a base member,
wherein the base
member is configured to sit in the second beveled seat portion when the head
section is joined and
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secured to the tip portion of the toothbrush handle. In one embodiment, the
male connection member is
a pair of bulb members. In another embodiment, the male connection member is
operable to be locked
to the at least one opening via a 90 degree rotation. In another embodiment,
the male connection
member is a stub member having an upper section with a pair of tip members
extending laterally
therefrom. In another embodiment, the at least one opening includes a pair of
ramps forming a portion
of the at least one opening, wherein the pair of ramps enables progressive
tightening of the pair of tip
members as the head section is rotated in the at least one opening.
161 The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and
important features of the
present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that
follows may be better
understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully
appreciated. Additional
features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject
of the claims of the
invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the
conception and the disclosed
specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for
modifying or designing other
structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It
should be realized by those
skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the
spirit and scope of the invention
as set forth in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[7] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent when the
following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which:
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[8] FIGS. IA-B are top and bottom views of the head section of a toothbrush
respectively,
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[9] FIGS. 1C-D are side views of the head section prior to installation on
the handle and installed
on the handle respectively, according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[10] FIGS. 2A-B are perspective views of the head section prior to
installation on the handle and
installed on the handle respectively, according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
1111 FIGS. 3A-C are top, bottom, and bottom detailed views of the head section
respectively,
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[12] FIGS. 4A-C are perspective views of the head section prior to
installation on the handle and
installed on the handle respectively, according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
1131 The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the
art to make and use the
invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of
carrying out his invention.
Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled
in the art, since the
general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to
specifically provide an
attachable and detachable head for a toothbrush.
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[14] Referring now to FIGS. 1A-D and FIGS. 2A-B, one embodiment of an
attachable and
detachable head for a toothbrush is illustrated. In this embodiment, a
toothbrush handle 10 includes a
tip portion 11 configured to receive a head section 12. In one embodiment, the
head section is
comprised of a base member 28 and bristles 30. In one embodiment, the bottom
portion of the head
section (best seen in FIG. 1B), includes at least one bulb member 14
configured to be releasably
attached to at least one opening 22 positioned on the tip portion 11 of the
toothbrush handle 10. In
some embodiments, a pair of bulb members is provided. However, it should be
understood that any
number of bulb members may be provided. In one embodiment, the at least one
bulb member
comprises a stem member 16 and a bulbous member 18. In one embodiment, the
bulbous member 18
comprises a split sphere 20 forming a "V" shape 23 enabling the bulbous member
to reduce in size
when pushed through opening 22. More specifically, the split sphere 20
comprised of two hemispheres
are configured to clasp together so as to reduce the size of the split sphere
20 as it is pushed an opening
22 of the at least one opening positioned on the tip portion 11 of the handle
10.
1151 When the bulb member, and corresponding split sphere is pushed through
opening 22, the split
sphere is configured to separate forming the "V" shape 23, wherein the "V"
shape is configured and
sized to perfectly fit in a beveled seat portions 24 in the opening 22.
[161 In one embodiment, the bulb member 14 further comprises a base portion
26, wherein the base
portion is wider than the stem member 16. In one embodiment, the base portion
is wedged shaped such
that the base portion is configured to fit in a second beveled portion of the
opening (not shown). Both
bevel portions on both sides of the tip portion ensure that the head section
12 is stable and secure when
attached to the handle 10.
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1171 Referring now to FIGS. 3A-C and FIGS. 4A-C, an alternate embodiment of an
attachable and
detachable head for a toothbrush is illustrated. This embodiment is a similar
male/female attachment
mechanism as the other embodiment previously discussed, however the engagement
securement
method is different. In this embodiment, the base member 28 of head section 12
comprises a stub
member 32. The stub member having an upper section with a pair of tip members
34 extending
laterally therefrom. In one embodiment, the stub member 32 is configured and
sized to pass through a
complementarily shaped opening 22' positioned on the tip portion of the
toothbrush handle. In one
embodiment, opening 22' allows the stub member 32 go through when the head 12
is perpendicularly
oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle 10. Once the stub
member 32 is engaged with
opening 22', the head section 12 may be twisted 90 degrees such that the pair
of tip members 34 lock
onto position on the tip portion of the toothbrush handle. To ensure adequate
tightening between the
base member 28 and the tip portion 11, a pair of ramps 36 forming part of the
opening 22' allows for a
progressive tightening as the head is twisted (counterclockwise as per FIG.
4B).
[18] Although one stub member 32 is illustrated and described, it should be
understood that any
number of stub members may be provided. Further, the embodiments described
herein representing
only two of many possibilities for an attachable and detachable head for a
toothbrush. Additionally, the
invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to
structural features, it is to be
understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not
necessarily limited to the specific
features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary
preferred forms of
implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood
that the phraseology and
terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of
description and should not
be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments
of the invention have
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been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to
those skilled in the art.
Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made
without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention.
1191 It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the
labels such as left, right,
front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up,
down, or other similar
terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique,
proximal, distal, parallel,
perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience
purposes only and are not
intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they
are used to reflect relative
locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an
object.
1201 In addition, reference to "first," "second," "third," and etc. members
throughout the disclosure
(and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical
limitation but instead are used to
distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
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