US 9,022,680 B1 · Refillable toothbrush and toothpaste cartridge

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a refillable toothbrush with a refillable toothpaste chamber also adapted to contain a toothpaste cartridge. Thus the toothpaste chamber can be filled directly by toothpaste from different types of toothpaste tubes, or the consumer can use a toothpaste cartridge. An essential distinctive feature of the present invention is realization of two functions by means of the protective cap: its direct function—protecting the bristles in stowed position, and an additional function, namely—feeding toothpaste to the bristle section. The toothbrush is made of a small number of simple parts, is easy to manufacture, has the opportunity to be simply assembled-disassembled, and is easily cleaned. To facilitate cleaning of the toothbrush head conduit from the remnants of toothpaste before the next recharge of the toothbrush, it can be complete with a special removable rod having an ability to be let-in the conduit. A distinctive feature of the removable rod is that it fulfills additional useful functions: prevents paste hardening in conduit at long non-use of a brush; can serve as a toothpick; can serve as means for piercing membrane of a cartridge. The toothbrush can also be complete with a special clip for fixing it in the user's pocket. A special design of the clip provides it with an additional function that allows for the user to dose out more precisely supplied toothpaste to the bristles. A new kind of cartridge is also disclosed herein.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A refillable toothbrush comprising:

a toothbrush head having a first part adjacent to its first free end, and a second part adjacent to its second end;
a holder having a first part adjacent to its first end, coupled to the second end of said toothbrush head, and a second part adjacent to its second distal end;
a removable protective cap having a cavity for placing and protecting said toothbrush head;
said toothbrush head having a bristle section, a conduit, disposed within said toothbrush head, and at least one toothpaste dispensing aperture disposed on said bristle section and being in communication with said conduit;
said holder having a toothpaste chamber disposed within its body;
said toothpaste chamber being in communication with said conduit, and into the toothpaste chamber is placed a plunger, wherein
the second distal end of said holder is provided with a closing plug having at least one reach-through hole through which said toothpaste chamber is communicated with the atmosphere;
the removable protective cap and the holder's second part, adjacent to its second distal end, are configured to form a kinematic pair having a sliding fit with respect to each other for the purpose of providing a sliding seal between the protective cap and second part of said holder;
a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a permanent joint, while if said closing plug is made removable, or a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a detachable joint, while if said closing plug is made non-removable or removable.

6 more elements

A refillable toothbrush comprising:

a toothbrush head having a first part adjacent to its first free end, and a second part adjacent to its second end;
a holder having a first part adjacent to its first end, coupled to the second end of said toothbrush head, and a second part adjacent to its second distal end;
a removable protective cap having a cavity for placing and protecting said toothbrush head;
said toothbrush head having a bristle section, a conduit, disposed within said toothbrush head, and at least one toothpaste dispensing aperture disposed on said bristle section and being in communication with said conduit;
said holder having a toothpaste chamber disposed within its body;
said toothpaste chamber being in communication with said conduit, wherein
the second distal end of said holder is provided with a closing plug having at least one reach-through hole through which said toothpaste chamber is communicated with the atmosphere;
the removable protective cap is provided with at least one reach-through hole through which the cavity of the protective cap is communicated with the atmosphere and said reach-through hole or holes have a feature to be closed by a user;
the following pairs:
said removable protective cap and the holder's second part adjacent to its second distal end, and/or
said removable protective cap and the holder's first part, adjacent to the holder's first end, and/or
said removable protective cap and the second part of the toothbrush head, adjacent to its second end, are configured accordingly to form a kinematic pair having a sliding fit with respect to each other for the purpose of providing a sliding seal between said protective cap and accordingly said second part of said holder, said first part of said holder, said second part of the toothbrush head;
a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a permanent joint, while if said closing plug is made removable, or a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a detachable joint, while if said closing plug is made non-removable or removable, and
said toothpaste chamber is adapted to contain a toothpaste cartridge capable under an external pressure to supply the toothpaste through its outlet, and the toothpaste head is adapted to be removably and hermetically connected to said cartridge so that the conduit of said toothbrush head would be in communication with said outlet of said cartridge.

11 more elements

A refillable toothbrush comprising:

a toothbrush head having a first part adjacent to its first free end, and a second part adjacent to its second end;
a holder having a first part adjacent to its first end, coupled to the second end of said toothbrush head, and a second part adjacent to its second distal end;
a removable protective cap having a cavity for placing and protecting said toothbrush head;
said toothbrush head having a bristle section, a conduit, disposed within said toothbrush head, and at least one toothpaste dispensing aperture disposed on said bristle section and being in communication with said conduit;
said holder having a toothpaste chamber disposed within its body;
said toothpaste chamber being in communication with said conduit, wherein
the second distal end of said holder is provided with a closing plug having at least one reach-through hole through which said toothpaste chamber is communicated with the atmosphere;
the removable protective cap is provided with at least one reach-through hole through which the cavity of the protective cap is communicated with the atmosphere and said reach-through hole or holes have a feature to be closed by a user;
the following pairs:
said removable protective cap and the holder's second part adjacent to its second distal end, and/or
said removable protective cap and the holder's first part, adjacent to the holder's first end, and/or
said removable protective cap and the second part of the toothbrush head, adjacent to its second end, are configured accordingly to form a kinematic pair having a sliding fit with respect to each other for the purpose of providing a sliding seal between said protective cap and accordingly said second part of said holder, said first part of said holder, said second part of the toothbrush head;
a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a permanent joint, while if said closing plug is made removable, or a coupling of said holder and said toothbrush head is made as a detachable joint, while if said closing plug is made non-removable or removable, and
a passage of said at least one reach-through hole of said closing plug is sized so as to permit air, but not toothpaste, to flow easily therethrough, or the second distal end of the holder or the closing plug is additionally equipped with a removable back cover, or said closing plug is additionally equipped with a removable bottom end-cap.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Refillable toothbrush and toothpaste cartridge

Life of this patent

Refillable toothbrush and toothpaste cartridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19