US 6,554,522 B1Granted

Toothbrush and packaging

OwnerJason Connelly, Cynthia Deborah Paulkinventors

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Abstract

A toothbrush. In a first embodiment, a plunger is located within a chamber in the head of the toothbrush. Pushing the plunger farther into the head forces toothpaste that will have been placed within the chamber through apertures in the first side of the head of the toothbrush onto bristles that are attached to such first side. Preferably, a removable wrapper covers the head of the toothbrush. In a second embodiment, a pliable pouch is sealingly attached to a second side of the head; and the apertures run from the first side of the head to the second side of the head. Preferably, a rupturable material cover is attached either to the first side or the second side of the head. A second end of the handle of the toothbrush is curved and adapted for attachment of dental floss under tension. Packaging contains the other elements of the toothbrush in a first end and mouthwash, gum, a breath mint, or a quantity of water in a second end.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A toothbrush, which comprises:

a head having a first side containing at least one aperture, a free first end, a second end, a chamber having an open end located at the first end of said head and having a closed end and being in communication with the at least one apertures;
bristles attached to the first side of said head;
a plunger having a first end and a second end slidably mounted within the chamber with the first end extending beyond the chamber and the head and with the second end inside the chamber;
and
a handle having a first end attached to the second end of said head, said handle also having a body portion extends from the second end of the head in the direction opposite to said plunger so as to be operatively held by a user and a second end attached to the body portion;
and
at least one folding flap attached to said plunger, wherein said head contains at least one channel communicating with the chamber and wherein said at least one flap and channel are constructed and angled so that said at least one flap protrude into said at least one channel as the second end of said plunger is moved from deep within the chamber to a position near the open end of the chamber to preclude said plunger from being removed and so that said at least one flap are merely pressed against said plunger when said plunger is pushed deeper into the chamber to dispense toothpaste.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.