ORAL CARE IMPLEMENT COMPRISING MIRROR AND LIGHT DISTRIBUTIVE ELEMENT, AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME

• US 20150342337A1
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Bloch, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 10,674,810 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0036 with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb A46B15/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0077 Brushes fitted with a mirror
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0081 Brushes with a scraper, e.g. tongue scraper
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/247 with means for viewing areas outside the direct line of sight, e.g. dentists' mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49568 Orthodontic device making

Abstract

An oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, that comprises a mirror and a light pipe adjacent the mirror. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion; a mirror coupled to the body; a light source coupled to the body, and a light pipe coupled to the body and surrounding at least a portion of the mirror, the light pipe operably coupled to the light source to distribute light emitted by the light source through the light pipe.

Claims

1. An oral care implement comprising:

a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion;

a mirror coupled to the body;

a light source coupled to the body adjacent the mirror; and

a light transmissive elastomeric material coupled to the body and overlying the light source.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material acts as a light pipe to distribute the light emitted by the light source along the light transmissive elastomeric material for emission from the light transmissive elastomeric material.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material comprises a ring of the light transmissive elastomeric material that circumferentially surrounds the mirror.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material overlies a perimeter portion of the mirror.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material secures the mirror to the body.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light source is embedded in the light transmissive elastomeric material.

7. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material comprises a plurality of protuberances for cleansing soft tissue.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the light transmissive elastomeric material comprises a convex outer surface.

9. The oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board, the mirror positioned atop the printed circuit board and the light transmissive elastomeric material sealing a rear surface of the printed circuit board, and wherein the light source is operably coupled to the printed circuit board.

10. The oral care implement according to claim 9 further comprising a seal layer beneath the printed circuit board that seals a front surface of the printed circuit board.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from a front surface of a head portion of the oral care implement, and wherein a reflective surface of the mirror forms a rear surface of the head Portion opposite the front surface of the head portion.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 13 further comprising a rear basin formed in the head portion of the body, the mirror nested within the rear basin.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 14 further comprising a front basin formed in the head portion, and wherein the plurality of tooth cleaning elements are secured to a head plate via anchor free tufting to form a head plate assembly, the head plate assembly nesting within the front basin and secured to the head portion of the body.

16. The oral care implement according to claim 15 wherein the front basin and the rear basin collectively form a through-hole in the head portion of the body.

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. An oral care implement comprising:

a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion;

a mirror coupled to the body;

a light source coupled to the body; and

a light pipe coupled to the body and surrounding at least a portion of the mirror, the light pipe operably coupled to the light source to distribute light emitted by the light source through the light pipe.

19. The oral care implement according to claim 18 wherein the light pipe forms a ring that circumferentially surrounds the mirror.

20. The oral care implement according to claim 18 wherein the light source is embedded in the light pipe.

21. The oral care implement according to claim 18 further comprising a plurality of protuberances for cleansing soft tissue integrally formed with the light pipe.

24. The oral care implement according to claim 18 further comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from a front surface of a head of the oral care implement, and wherein a reflective surface of the mirror forms a rear surface of the head of the oral care implement opposite the front surface of the head.

25. The oral care implement according to claim 18 further comprising:

a rear basin formed in the head portion of the body, the mirror nested within the rear basin; and

a front basin formed in the head portion of the body, and wherein the plurality of tooth cleaning elements are secured to a head plate via anchor free tufting to form a head plate assembly, the head plate assembly nesting within the front basin and secured to the head portion.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

26. A method of forming an oral care implement comprising:

a) forming a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion;

b) coupling a light source to the body;

c) coupling a mirror to the body adjacent the light source; and

d) coupling a light pipe to the body adjacent the mirror in operable coupling with the light source.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein step d) comprises injection molding a light transmissive elastomeric material to the body that overlies the light source, the light transmissive elastomeric material forming the light pipe.

29. The method according to claim 26 wherein step a) comprises forming the body so that the head portion comprises a front basin, the method further comprising:

inserting a plurality of tooth cleaning elements through holes in a head plate;

melting end portions of the plurality of tooth cleaning elements to form a melt matte that secures the plurality of tooth cleaning elements to the head plate to form a head plate assembly;

nesting the head plate and melt matte of the head plate assembly in the front basin; and

securing the head plate to the head portion of the body.

27. (canceled)