Toothpaste dispensing toothbrush

• US 7,128,492 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Thames Jr
• Original Assignee: William Thames Jr
• Inventors: Thames, William Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US11/254,259
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 401183-186, 401/270, 401/278, 401/289, 401/282
• US Class Current: 401/289
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/002 pressurised at moment of use manually or by powered means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0062 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04

Abstract

A toothpaste dispensing toothbrush includes a toothpaste reservoir in the handle of the toothbrush. A filling port is defined through the aft end of the handle and screw threads are defined on the handle adjacent to the filling port. The screw threads threadably connect to screw threads on the outlet element of a toothpaste tube so the toothpaste tube can be threadably connected to the toothbrush for a filling or a refilling operation.

Claims

1. A toothpaste dispensing toothbrush consisting of:

A) a one piece body which includes

(1) a first end which is a head end when the body is in use,

(2) a second end which is an aft end when the body is in use,

(3) a longitudinal axis which extends between the first end and the second end,

(4) a bristle-supporting head on the first end,

(5) bristles mounted on the bristle-supporting head,

(6) a toothpaste dispensing port defined in the bristles,

(7) a toothpaste reservoir defined in the body, and

(9) a toothpaste conduit connecting the toothpaste reservoir to the toothpaste dispensing port defined in the bristles;

B) a toothpaste inlet port defined through the second end of the body and which is in communication with the toothpaste reservoir defined in the body;

C) screw thread defined on the second end of the body adjacent to the toothpaste inlet port;

D) a control mechanism on the body which is operably connected to the toothpaste reservoir to force toothpaste from the toothpaste reservoir onto the bristles via the toothpaste conduit and the toothpaste dispensing port when operated;

E) a toothpaste tube containing toothpaste and having a toothpaste dispensing port thereon out of which toothpaste flows when the toothpaste tube is squeezed, the toothpaste tube further including a screw thread defined on the dispensing port, with the screw thread defined on the second end of the body adjacent to the toothpaste inlet port being sized to threadably connect to the screw thread defined on the dispensing port of the toothpaste tube to operably connect the toothpaste tube to the body to dispense toothpaste from the toothpaste tube into the reservoir of the body when the toothpaste tube is squeezed after such operable connection between the toothpaste tube and the body; and

F) a closure cap which includes

(1) a body,

(2) a post on the body of the closure cap, and

(3) a screw thread on the post, the screw thread on the post being sized and configured to threadably mate with the screw thread defined on the second end of the body adjacent to the toothpaste inlet port to close the toothpaste inlet port when the closure cap is threadably connected to the body wherein said cap cannot exert a force on said toothpaste in said toothpaste reservoir after said cap has been attached to said body.

2. The toothpaste dispensing toothbrush of claim 1, where the control mechanism is located between the toothpaste reservoir and the toothpaste conduit.