Toothbrush for massaging and protecting gums

• US 6,599,048 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Youti Kuo
• Original Assignee: Youti Kuo
• Inventors: Kuo, Youti
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/981,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20030077107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 401/184, 401/282, 401/286, 401/187, 401/188.R, 401/188.A, 401/269, 151/10, 151/06, 151/671
• US Class Current: 401/269
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0075 Brushes with an additional massage device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/04 Protective covers for the bristles
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 17/08 Other accessories, e.g. scrapers, rubber buffers for preventing damage to furniture
• 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: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle

Abstract

A toothbrush that utilizes a replaceable brush head having rubber gum guard on its top surface and a triangular shaped rubber pad on its bottom surface. The rubber gum guard is shorter than the height of the bristles and is positioned on the peripheral edge of a brush head for functioning as a sensor for providing feedback to prevent brushing at excessive pressures and improper angles as well as for massaging the gumlines without the risk of gum damages. The triangular shaped rubber pad is for conforming to and massaging gumlines at the back of teeth. The replaceable brush head having the rubber gum guard and massaging pad features is economically used in conjunction with a permanent handle that dispenses dentifrice material to the top of bristles. The handle has a resilient contractible connector for secure mounting of the replaceable brush head.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising a brush head having:

a. a bristle platform having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface;

b. a plurality of outer and inner bristles attached to the top surface of said platform, said outer and inner bristles defining at their free ends a brush surface; and

c. a resilient guard wall having a base attached to the peripheral edge of said bristle platform, and an unattached top which terminates below said brush surface, and said resilient guard wall having a plurality of wall segments separated by slot openings and being positioned with a gap opposing to the outer perimeter surface of said outer bristles, and each wall segment having a drainage hole which is extending from the top surface of the bristle platform and the length of each wall segment being longer than the distance between the centers of two adjacent tuft holes of the outer bristles opposing to the wall segment.

2. A dentifrice dispensing toothbrush comprising:

a. a replaceable brush head having;

i. a bristle platform having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a peripheral edge that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface;

ii. a plurality of bristles attached to the top surface of said bristle platform;

iii. a spout opening which extends through the bristle platform;

iv. a spout wall which extends from the top surface of the bristle platform and is in communication with the spout opening in the bristle platform; and

v. a neck having a base with an inlet opening which is in communication with the spout opening in the bristle platform.

b. a handle having;

i. a reservoir for storing dentifrice material;

ii. pumping means for pumping dentifrice material from the reservoir to the brush head; and

iii. a contractible connector for mounting said brush head, said contractible connector being comprised of an annular tubular wall having a rubber segment across the thickness of the annular tubular wall, and an internal channel which is in communication with the reservoir and the spout opening.

3. The dentifrice dispensing toothbrush of claim 2 includes a gum massage pad attached to the bottom surface of said bristle platform and said gum massage pad has triangular shaped edges forming three apexes for massaging gum lines between teeth.

4. The dentifrice dispensing toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said pumping means includes pump chamber having an inlet, an outlet and an elastic rubber button for supplying a pumping force.

5. The dentifrice dispensing toothbrush of claim 4 wherein the rubber segment of the annual tubular wall of the contractible connector and the compressible rubber button are joined together to form a unitary rubber structure.

6. A dentifrice dispensing toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said replaceable brush head has outer and inner bristles defining at their free ends a brush surface and a resilient guard wall having a base attached to the peripheral edge of said bristle platform, and an unattached top which terminates below said brush surface, and said resilient guard wall having a plurality of wall segments separated by slot openings and being positioned with a gap opposing to the outer perimeter of said outer bristles, and the length of each wall segment being longer than the distance between the centers of two adjacent tuft holes of the outer bristles opposing to the wall segment.

7. A dentifrice dispensing toothbrush comprising:

a. a brush head having;

i. a bristle platform having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface, said peripheral edge being symmetric with respect to the central plane of the bristle platform;

ii. a spout opening positioned inline with the central plane of the bristle platform and said spout opening extends through the bristle platform;

iii. a spout wall which extends from the top surface of the bristle platform and is in communication with the spout opening in the bristle platform; and

iv. a plurality of bristles which are attached to said bristle platform, said bristles include a set of central bristles positioned inline with the central plane of the bristle platform and a set of offset bristles positioned symmetrically apart with respect to the central plane and located between the spout opening and said set of central bristles;

b. a cover for protecting the brush head;

c. a plug being slidably attached to the cover for sealing said spout opening, and said plug comprising;

i. a rod having a top end and a bottom end;

ii. a sealing ring comprised of an annular groove positioned in the bottom end of the rod in a manner such that the annular groove is mateable with the spout wall for sealing the spout opening;

d. a handle having;

i. a reservoir for storing dentifrice material;

ii. a pumping means for pumping dentifrice material from the reservoir to the spout opening;

iii. a connector for mounting said brush head, said connector having an internal channel which is in communication with the reservoir and the spout opening of the brush head.

8. A dentifrice dispensing toothbrush comprising:

a. a brush head having;

i. a bristle platform having a top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge that extends from the top surface to the bottom surface, said peripheral edge being symmetric with respect to the central plane of the bristle platform;

ii. a spout opening positioned inline with the central plane of the bristle platform and said spout opening extends through the bristle platform;

iii. a spout wall which extends from the top surface of the bristle platform and is in communication with the spout opening in the bristle platform; and

iv. a plurality of bristles which are attached to said bristle platform, said bristles include a set of central bristles positioned inline with the central plane of the bristle platform and a set of offset bristles positioned symmetrically apart with respect to the central plane and located between the spout opening and said set of central bristles;

b. a cover for protecting the brush head;

c. a plug being slidably attached to the cover for sealing said spout opening, and said plug comprising;

i. a rod having a top end and a bottom end;

ii. a sealing ring comprised of an annular groove positioned in the bottom end of the rod in a manner such that the annular groove is mateable with the spout wall for sealing the spout opening.

d. a handle having;

i. a reservoir for storing dentifrice material;

ii. a pumping means for pumping dentifrice material from the reservoir to the spout opening;

iii. a connector for mounting said brush head, said connector having an internal channel which is in communication with the reservoir and the spout opening of the brush head.