Oral care implement
First Claim
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1. An oral care implement, comprising:
- a body comprising a head, a handle, and a neck located between the head and the handle, the head having a front surface and an opposite rear surface, tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head;
a collecting member coupled to the rear surface of the head, tissue cleaning projections disposed on and extending from an exposed outer surface of the collecting member;
a reservoir located within the handle or the neck of the body; and
a fluid pathway extending from the collecting member to the reservoir so that an oral fluid can pass through the collecting member and into the reservoir for storage;
wherein the collecting member comprises a non-exposed inner layer and an exposed outer layer that covers the inner layer; and
wherein the outer layer is non-porous and dissolvable so that the oral fluid flows to the inner layer only after the outer layer dissolves away.
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Abstract
An oral care implement includes a collection system for oral fluids. Some embodiments of the implement may include a body comprising a head, a handle, and a neck located between the head and the handle, the head having a front surface and an opposite rear surface. Tooth cleaning elements may extend from the front surface of the head. A collecting member may be coupled to the body and a reservoir may be located within the handle or the neck of the body. A fluid pathway may extend from the collecting member to the reservoir so that an oral fluid can pass through the collecting member and into the reservoir for storage.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An oral care implement, comprising:
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a body comprising a head, a handle, and a neck located between the head and the handle, the head having a front surface and an opposite rear surface, tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head; a collecting member coupled to the rear surface of the head, tissue cleaning projections disposed on and extending from an exposed outer surface of the collecting member; a reservoir located within the handle or the neck of the body; and a fluid pathway extending from the collecting member to the reservoir so that an oral fluid can pass through the collecting member and into the reservoir for storage; wherein the collecting member comprises a non-exposed inner layer and an exposed outer layer that covers the inner layer; and wherein the outer layer is non-porous and dissolvable so that the oral fluid flows to the inner layer only after the outer layer dissolves away. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An oral care implement, comprising:
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a body comprising a head, a handle, and a neck located between the head and the handle, the head having a front surface and an opposite rear surface, tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head; a collecting member coupled to the rear surface of the head, tissue cleaning projections disposed on and extending from an exposed outer surface of the collecting member; a reservoir located within the handle or the neck of the body; and a fluid pathway extending from the collecting member to the reservoir so that an oral fluid can pass through the collecting member and into the reservoir for storage; wherein the collecting member comprises a non-exposed inner layer and an exposed outer layer that covers the inner layer; and wherein the outer layer is dissolvable and further comprising indicia located between the inner and outer layers that becomes exposed upon the outer layer at least partially dissolving. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An oral care implement, comprising:
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a body comprising a head, a handle, and a neck located between the head and the handle, the head having a front surface and an opposite rear surface, tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head; a collection member coupled to the body 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, the fluid pathway includes a fibrous material, ceramic, porous plastic, or combination thereof, for providing capillary recovery of the oral fluid from a user'"'"'s oral cavity; at least one indicia that provides an indication when a predetermined amount of the oral fluid is stored in the reservoir; and wherein the collection member includes a layer positioned above the indicia that covers the indicia below, the layer comprising a material that gradually wears or dissolves away during use to expose the indicia below the layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification