Oral care implement having a liquid collection system

• US 8,628,483 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Gatzemeyer, John, Patel, Madhusudan, Gittins, Elizabeth, Trivedi, Harsh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stout, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US13/526,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20120255134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 600/569, 600573-582, 600/584
• US Class Current: 600/573
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/001 with integral reservoirs A46B11/0003, A46B11/0006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0093 Arrangements for catching drips or overflow
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0048 Drip collector, e.g. collecting the liquids dripping from the brush during a brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• 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 17/24 for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose for medical inspection of cavities or tubes in the body A61B1/00; Tongue scrapers

Abstract

An oral care implement includes a collection system for oral fluids. Some embodiments of the implement may include an oral care region having a wearable oral member having a thickness that is reduced during use, a reservoir for retaining an oral fluid, a receiver coupled to the oral member for receiving an oral fluid, and a fluid pathway in communication with the receiver to provide the oral fluid to the reservoir.

Claims

1. An oral care implement, comprising:

an oral care region having an oral member with a thickness which is reduced during oral use;

a receiver coupled to the oral member for receiving an oral fluid;

fluid pathway in communication with the receiver;

a reservoir in communication with the fluid pathway for retaining an oral fluid;

a plurality of tissue cleaning projections extending from the oral member for engaging oral tissue; and

tooth cleaning elements are disposed opposing, the tissue cleaning projections;

wherein the oral member comprises a plurality of layers, at least one layer includes the plurality of tissue cleaning projections extending therefrom for engaging oral tissue, and a layer of the oral member includes a testing indicator that identifies when the oral care implement is ready for oral id testing.

2. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises a non-woven pad or membrane.

3. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a replaceable cartridge.

4. The oral care implement of claim 1, further comprising a first section containing the oral care region and the fluid pathway, and a second section containing the reservoir, wherein the second section is releasably attached to the first section.

5. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the fluid pathway includes a fibrous material, ceramic, porous plastic, or combination thereof, for providing capillary recovery of an oral fluid.

6. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein the oral member comprises a first layer, a second, soluble layer that erodes away to expose said first layer, and indicia that indicates when the reservoir should be provided for testing.

7. An oral care implement, comprising:

a collection member for collecting an oral fluid;

a reservoir for storing the oral fluid;

a fluid pathway fluidly connecting the collection member with the reservoir to provide the oral fluid to the reservoir;

at least one indicia that provides an indication when a predetermined amount of oral fluid is stored in the reservoir;

a plurality of tissue cleaning projections extending from the oral member for engaging oral tissue; and

tooth cleaning elements are disposed opposing the tissue cleaning projections;

wherein the collection member includes a layer positioned above the indicia that covers the indicia below.

8. The oral care implement of claim 7, wherein the reservoir comprises a replaceable cartridge.

9. The oral care implement of claim of 7, further comprising a receiver coupled to the collection member for receiving the oral fluid.

10. The oral care implement of claim 9, further comprising a first section containing the oral care region and the fluid pathway, and a second section containing the reservoir, wherein the second section is releasably attached to the first section.

11. The oral care implement of claim 7, wherein the fluid pathway includes a fibrous material, ceramic, porous plastic, or combination thereof, for providing capillary recovery of an oral fluid.

12. The oral care implement of claim 7, wherein the layer is comprised of a material that gradually wears or dissolves away during use to expose the indicia below the layer.

13. The oral care implement of claim 7, wherein the layer is made of a water-soluble polymer.

14. The oral care implement of claim 7, wherein the indicia is selected from the group consisting of colors, alphanumeric characters, graphic symbols, and combinations thereof.

15. The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein the implement is a electric toothbrush.

16. The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein the oral care implement comprises a neck and the reservoir is positioned in the neck.