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(11) | EP 3 679 830 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | TEETH BRUSHING INSTRUMENT |
| (57) Teeth brushing instrument with a handle (1), a head (2) at the end of the handle
(1) and bristles (3) at the head (2) for brushing a user's teeth. The instrument also
comprises a container (4), fixed to the handle (1), containing a product (5) for oral
hygiene, as well as a conduction (6) in the head (2) that communicates the bristles
(3) with the container (4), and impulsion means to drive the product (5) from the
container (4) to the bristles (3) through the conduction (6). The instrument may include
a releasable fixation to attach a new full container (4) to the handle (1) when it
is necessary to replace it, or handle (1) and container (4) may be jointly integrated
as a disposable set. |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention belongs to the sector of personal hygiene and care products, specifically to that of tooth brushes. More specifically, the invention discloses a teeth brushing instrument that includes an incorporated container for toothpaste.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The space limitations in luggage used for travel or excursions are well known. Toiletry kits, which are normally small cases or pouches with limited space, also present this problem. For this reason, when the elements to be put inside are selected, the user always searches for smaller elements, such as combs that are smaller or that fold; or perfume and/or shampoo in travel or sample sizes.
[0003] With respect to the technical field of the present invention, toothbrushes that incorporate an articulation to form a folding structure and occupy less space are known. However, said folding toothbrushes still present the drawback that toothpaste, which in many cases is very large, must be included separately.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention solves the technical problem exposed above, by means of a teeth brushing instrument that comprises a handle that allows the user to hold it, a head at one end of the handle, with bristles for brushing the user's teeth.
[0005] The instrument of the invention incorporates a container, fixed to the handle, containing a product for oral hygiene, as well as a conduction in the head that communicates the bristles with the container, and impulsion means to drive the product from the container to the bristles through the conduction.
[0006] The container may be replaced with a new one, with the instrument having a releasable fixing to couple a new full container when it needs to be replaced; or, according to another exemplary embodiment, the handle and container may be integrated monolithically, as a disposable set.
[0007] The teeth brushing instrument according to the invention is particularly appropriate for use during travel, since, with a highly compact configuration, it makes it possible to carry a toothbrush and an oral hygiene product, normally toothpaste, together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In order to complement the description being made and with the object of helping to better understand the features of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:
Figure 1.- Shows a lateral cross-sectional view of a teeth brushing instrument of the invention, according to a first embodiment, in which the impulsion means comprise a piston mechanism.
Figures 2A and 2B.- Show two views of the teeth brushing instrument of the invention, according to a second embodiment, wherein the impulsion means comprise a nut-screw mechanism and the container can be separated from the handle. In particular, figure 2A shows an exploded view of the handle and the container separately, while figure 2B shows the container connected to the handle.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0009] This section provides a detailed description, with the help of aforementioned figures 1-2B, of a preferred embodiment of a teeth brushing instrument according to the present invention.
[0010] The instrument of the invention comprises a handle (1) that allows the user to hold it, a head (2) at the end of the handle (1) with bristles (3) for brushing. The instrument also comprises a container (4) with a product (5) intended for oral hygiene, such as toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. The container (4) is affixed to the handle (1). The head (2) comprises a conduction (6) that communicates the bristles (3) with the container (4), and the instrument also includes an impulsion means to drive the product (5) from the container (4) to the bristles (3) through the conduction (6). In the preferred embodiment, as shown in the embodiments illustrated by the figures, the impulsion means are integrated into the container (4).
[0011] In particular, according to the embodiment shown in figure 1, the impulsion means comprise a piston mechanism (7), which includes a rod (8), with a proximal end, housed in the container such that it can be displaced longitudinally, and in which a plunger (9) is located, with a distal end (10) that protrudes from the container (4) and which is configured to be pushed by the user so that the plunger (9), advancing longitudinally, pushes the product (5) towards the head (2), in particular towards the bristles (3), through the conduction (6).
[0012] Likewise, according to the alternative embodiment shown in figures 2A and 2B, wherein the container (4) preferably has a non-circular cross section, the impulsion means comprise a nut-screw mechanism (11), with a drive element (12), which incorporates: a threaded rod (13) housed inside the container (4) and oriented longitudinally; and a control (14), solidly affixed to the rod (13), located on the distal end outside of the container (4), and which can be rotated by the user to cause the rod (13) to rotate. The nut-screw mechanism (11) also comprises a nut (15) mounted on the rod (13), and a pusher (16) solidly affixed to the nut (15), and which occupies the transverse cross-section of the container (4). When the user turns the control (14) from the outside of the container (4), the rod (13) turns solidly with the control (14) and therefore drives the nut (15), which advances along the rod (13), pulling the pusher (16), which displaces the product (5) from the container (4) to the head (2) through the conduction (6).
[0013] For either of the two embodiments described above, the container (4) may be affixed to the handle (1) in an inseparable manner, for example, with the handle monolithically integrated together with the container, as shown in figure 1. In this case, the instrument as a whole is disposable: when the product (5) is depleted, the user must purchase a new instrument with a full container (4). The monolithic embodiment in the previous description is also compatible with impulsion means different from a piston mechanism (7); in particular, it is also compatible with nut-screw (11) impulsion means.
[0014] As an alternative to the previous example of monolithic configuration, the container (4) may be affixed to the handle (1) in a separable manner, as shown in figures 2A and 2B, such that when the product (5) is depleted, the user only needs to connect another container (4) to the handle (1). For example, the instrument may include in the handle (1) a releasable fixation (17), such as, for example, protrusions to retain the container (4). Other examples and arrangements of releasable fixation (17) are possible: for example, releasable fixations (17) located in the container (4), or located on both the handle (1) and on the container (4) to function together. The separable embodiment in the previous description is also compatible with impulsion means different from a nut-screw mechanism (11); in particular, it is also compatible with piston mechanism (7) impulsion means.
[0015] For any of the embodiments, in general, a container (4) with a larger or smaller quantity of product (5) may be included, depending on whether the product is expected to last for one night, a weekend, a week, etc. Nevertheless, in the configuration with piston mechanism (7) impulsion means, the rod (8) increases the length of the instrument, especially when the container (4) is full. Consequently, the container (4) will preferably be smaller, so that the distal end (10) protrudes as little as possible, and preferably not at all, with respect to the handle (1), especially when the container (4) is full.
1. A teeth brushing instrument that comprises:
- a handle (1) to allow a user to hold it;
- a head (2), at one end of the handle (1); and
- bristles (3), comprised in the head (2), for brushing;
characterized in that it further comprises:- a container (4), affixed to the handle (1), and which contains a product (5) for oral hygiene;
- a conduction (6), in the head (2), to communicates the bristles (3) and the container (4); and
- impulsion means to drive the product (5) from the container (4) to the bristles (3) through the conduction (6).
2. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 1, characterized in that the impulsion means are comprised in the container (4).
3. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 2, characterized in that the impulsion means comprise a piston mechanism (7), which includes a rod (8), with:
- a proximal end, housed in the container (4) such that it can move longitudinally, and
- a plunger (9), located on the proximal end of the rod (8) to drive the product (5); and
- a distal end (10), protruding from the container (4), and which is configured to be pushed by the user to cause the plunger (9) to advance longitudinally, and thus drive the product (5).
4. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 2, characterized in that the impulsion means comprise a nut-screw mechanism (11), which in turn includes:
- a drive element (12), which incorporates:
- a threaded rod (13) housed inside the container (4) and oriented longitudinally; and
- a control (14), that is solidly affixed to the rod (13), located on the distal end outside of the container (4), and which can be rotated by the user to cause the rod (13) to rotate;
- a nut (15) mounted on the rod (13), and
- a pusher (16) that is solidly affixed to the nut (15), and which occupies the transverse cross-section of the container (4), to push the product (5) when the nut (15) is displaced along the length of the rod (13) by the rotating action of the rod (13).
5. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 4, characterized in that the container (4) has a non-circular cross-section.
6. The teeth brushing instrument, according to any one of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the container (4) is affixed to the handle (1) in an inseparable manner.
7. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 6, characterized in that the handle (1) is monolithically integrated together with the container (4).
8. The teeth brushing instrument, according to any one of the claims 1-5, characterized in that the container (4) is affixed to the handle (1) in an inseparable manner.
9. The teeth brushing instrument, according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises, on the handle (1), a releasable fixation (17) to affix the
handle (1) to the container (4).
10. The teeth brushing instrument, according to any one of the claims 1-9, characterized in that the conduction (6) incorporates a set of pores (18) to allow the product (5) to exit
at different points of the head (2).