US3400996A - Toothbrush with integral dentifrice dispenser - Google Patents

Description

SCPL 10, 1968 A. M. vANDERGRlr-T 3,400,996

TOOTHBRUSH WITH INTEGRAL DENTIFRICE DISPENSER Filed Nov. 1'5, 1966 United States Patent -O 3,400,996 TOOTHBRUSH WITH INTEGRAL DENTIFRICE DISPENSER Alice M. Vandergrift, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of onethird interest each to Edward W. Macrum, Beaver Falls, Pa., and Kenneth W. Coates, Jr., Madison, Ind.l

Filed Nov. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 594,610 Claims. (Cl. 401-184) This invention relates to toothbrushes of the type which are provided with means for lstoring dentifrice and dispensing the stored dentrice onto the toothbrush when the need therefor arises.

In the past there have been numerous proposals for accomplishing the foregoing, but all of those of which I am aware possess undesirable characteristics of one kind or another; among which are prohibitive cost of manufacture, ineifectiveness in operation, lack `of durability, unattractiveness in appearance, etc.

It is among the objects of the present invention to pro- Vide an improved toothbrush with integral dentifrice dispenser which overcomes all the disadvantages and objections described, and which provides quick and easy operation without wastefulness of the dentifrice.

Another object is the provision of a device which possesses the desirable features referred to, and which is operable with dentrice in the form of a cartridge which may be quickly and easily replaced when necessary.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become more fully understood from the following description and annexed drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view of a device embodying the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating more clearly the components of the mid-portion of the device; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating in greater detail the dispensing nozzle through which the dentifrice is supplied to the toothbrush.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 generally designated the handle of the device, the same comprising a base member 3 which forms the forward end of the handle, the same having a relatively short cylindrical portion of substantial diameter, and a necked-down portion 4 which terminates in a forward flattened member 5 with right-angularly extending toothbrush tufts or bristles 6.

The base member 3 is provided vat its rearward end with an annular abutment 8 which connects at its inner edge with a rearwardly extending frusto-conical boss or nipple 10.

The frustro-conical boss or nipple 10, foreshortened cylindrical member 3, and necked-down portion 4 are provided with a common cent-ral bore, as shown at 12.

Rearwardly of the base member 3 is a cylindrical sleeve 14 of the same outside diameter, the forward end of said cylindrical sleeve forming an annular abutment 15 which is of lesser width than the aforementioned annular abutment 10- The rearward end of the cylindrical sleeve 14 is provided, adjacent its outer surface, with a narrow annular abutment 16 and a more inwardly disposed stepped recess 18, the inner face of which is wider than the narrow annular abutment 16 and terminates at the inner wall of the cylindrical sleeve.

Rearwardly of the cylindrical sleeve 14 is acup 20 having a thickened and centrally aperturedbottom wall 21, the side-wall 32 of the cup being annular, of lesser outside and inside diameter than the cylindrical sleeve 14 and terminating at its forward end in 'an annular abutment 24.

3,400,996 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 JCC The inner wall of thecup 20 connects with the inner surface of the thickened and centrally aperturedbottom wall 21 through a stepped recess 25.

Disposed in thecup 20 is aferrule 26 having an an.- nular abutment 28 which is adapted for alignment with the annular abutment 24 at the forward end of thecup 20, and with it contact the inner face of the stepped recess 18 of the cylindrical sleeve 14.

Theferrule 26 is provided with a frustro-conical extension ornipple 30 which projects from the inner edge of theannular abutment 24.

The rearward end of theferrule 26 forms yanannular abutment 32 of substantially the same width as the for- Ward portion of the stepped recess 25 on the interior of thecup 20. I

Ashort tube 34 is disposed in the central aperture in the thickenedbottom wall 21 of thecup 20 projecting both forwardly and rearwardly therefrom; and the wall of the rearward end of said tube is bevelled, as shown at 36 to form a sharp piercing instrumentality.

A flexible plastic intake check valve 40` is positioned to cover the forward end of thetube 34 and is held in such position by having a portion. of its periphery clamped between the rearward end of theferrule 26 and the forward portion of the stepped recess 25 on the interior of thecup 20.

Atubular housing 42 of the same outside diameter is positioned rearwardly of the cylindrical sleeve 14 with its forward end in contact with the narrow annular 1abut ment 16 of the latter; and the diameter of the inner wall of the forward end of this tubular housing is such as to enable it to snugly lit over the periphery -of thecup 20.

An annular bead-and-recess snaptit arrangement or other suitable fastening means may be employed to hold thetubular housing 42 in the aforementioned position,

The interior of thetubular housing 42 holds puncturable cartridge 44 containing the dentifrice which may be iu paste, liquid or powder form; and 'the rear end of thetubular housing 42 is closed except for an air hole 46 for preventing air lock.

As will be observed the movement of thetubular housing 42 into operative position, with an interiorly disposed dentifrice cartridge 44 of proper shape and size will result in the puncturing of the forward end of the cartridge by thebevelled end wall 36 ofthetube 34.

A flexible plastic tube 48 is disposed over and extends between the rearwardly extending frusto-conical nipple 10 on the base member 3 and the ,forwardly extendingfrustoconical nipple 30 on theferrule 26.

Intermediate its ends the wall of the cylindrical sleeve 14 is provided with an aperture 50 which receives a pushbottom 52 having a projectingouter end 53 and an enlarged inner end 54 which is adapted to contact and compress the flexible plastic tube 48.

Referring to the forward end of the device of the invention, the common central bore or conduit 12 is of progres sively decreasing diameter and at its forward end communicates with a right-angularly extending passage 56. This passage 56 communicates with an enlarged circular recess 57 on the face of the forward llattened member 5 which carries the toothbrush tufts or bristles; preferably adjacent the center of said face and wherefrom the said tufts or bristles have been removed.

Within this enlarged circular recess 57 there is disposed an insert 58 of exible plastic material capable of forcing a discharge nozzle and serving as a check valve, the said insert being provided with a suitable.` centrally disposed dispensing orifice such as cross-wise slots 60.

From the foregoing construction and arrangement, it will be perceived that the push button 52 and flexible plastic tube 48 serve as a very effective pump to draw the dentrice past the flexible plastic intake check valve 40 and 400,996 i; I 'j 3 forceV it through vthe dispensing orifice 60 in the exible plastic insert 58 in the recess 57 and onto the adjacent tufts or bristles 6.

It will also be noted that if desired all of the parts of the device may conveniently be formed of inexpensive plastic material.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodimentsof the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toothbrush with means for supplying dentifrice thereto comprising, in combination, a base member having a necked-down portion and a attened bristle-carrying areaextending ifrom one end thereof; a sleeve connected at one end to the opposite end of said base member; a ferrule connected to the opposite end of said sleeve; a dentifrice container communicating with said ferrule; an intake check valve carried by said ferrule; said base member and its necked-down portion and attened bristle-carrying area having a common bore; the bore of said sleeve being substantially larger than said aforementioned common bore;

a flexible tube disposed in said sleeve and communicating with said aforementioned bore and with the interior of said ferrule; said ferrule being mounted in a cup having a rearwardly disposed centrally apertured bottom, a short tube disposed in the central aperture in the bottom of said cup and projecting forwardly and rearwardly with respect thereto; said intake check valve being operable to close the forward end of said short tube; the rearward end of said shortjtube being sharpened for a cartridge-piercing means; means extending through the wall o-f said sleeve for en- 'abling the manual compression of-at least-a portion of said flexible tube; the attened bristle-carrying area of said base member having a recess on its outer face and a passage providing communication between s aid recess and said cornmon bore; and a discharge Acheck valve in said recess; whereby the manual compression of the dentifrice container will draw dentifricethrough said intake check valve and pump the same through s aid common bore and onto the bristle carrying area of said base member.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the dentifrice in said dentifrice container isin cartridge form.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein both said intake check valve and said discharge check val-ve are composed of flexible material.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein nipples for receiving the ends of said exible tube are carried by the rearward end of said base member and the forward end of said ferrule.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ferrule is mounted in a cup having arearwardly disposed centrallyapertured bottom; the rearward end of the wall of said ferrule having a recess, the forward end of said cup being seated in said recess; the forward end of said dentifrice container being removably tted over the adjacent end of said cup.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,607,513 8/1952 Lawson 401- -l58 2,772,430 12/1956 Moritt 401-151 2,785,425 3/1957 Lenk 401-146 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TOOTHBRUSH WITH MEANS FOR SUPPLYING DENTIFRICE THERETO COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASE MEMBER HAVING A NECKED-DOWN PORTION AND A FLATTENED BRISTLE-CARRYING AREA EXTENDING FROM ONE END THEREOF; A SLEEVE CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID BASE MEMBER; A FERRULE CONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID SLEEVE; A DENTIFRICE CONTAINER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FERRULE; AN INTAKE CHECK VALVE CARRIED BY SAID FERRULE; SAID BASE MEMBER AND ITS NECKED-DOWN PORTION AND FLATTENED BRISTLE-CARRYING AREA HAVING A COMMON BORE; THE BORE OF SAID SLEEVE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER THAN SAID AFOREMENTIONED COMMON BORE; A FLEXIBLE TUBE DISPOSED IN SAID SLEEVE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID AFOREMENTIONED BORE AND WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID FERRULE; SAID FERRULE BEING MOUNTED IN A CUP HAVING A REARWARDLY DISPOSED CENTRALLY APERTURED BOTTOM, A SHORT TUBE DISPOSED IN THE CENTRAL APERTURE IN THE BOTTOM OF SAID CUP AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY WITH RESPECT THERETO; SAID INTAKE CHECK VALVE BEING OPERABLE TO CLOSE THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHORT TUBE; THE REARWARD END OF SAID SHORT TUBE BEING SHARPENED FOR A CARTRIDGE-PIERCING MEANS; MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID SLEEVE FOR ENABLING THE MANUAL COMPRESSION OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID FLEXIBLE TUBE; THE FLATTENED BRISTLE-CARRYING AREA OF SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING A RECESS ON ITS OUTER FACE AND A PASSAGE PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID RECESS AND SAID COMMON BORE; AND A DISCHARGE CHECK VALVE IN SAID RECESS; WHEREBY THE MANUAL COMPRESSION OF THE DENTIFRICE CONTAINER WILL DRAW DENTIFRICE THROUGH SAID INTAKE CHECK VALVE AND PUMP THE SAME THROUGH SAID COMMON BORE AND ONTO THE BRISTLE CARRYING AREA OF SAID BASE MEMBER.

Images