Toothbrush assembly

• US 20040069317A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Jimenez, Eduardo, Kemp, James, Sprosta, Al, Traficant, Brett, Dai, Tau, Pak, Nancy Won Mee
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 132/311
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/00 Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
• 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 15/0061 with a container for accessories, e.g. pills, polish, condoms, cells A46B11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0089 Brushes with figurines such as animals on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0097 Self supporting, e.g. brushes that stand upright or in other particular ways
• 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: A46B 5/00 Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers

Abstract

A child'"'"'s toothbrush includes a handle in the form of a child-safe, ventilated toy, such as a rocket or a vehicle, and contains a removable child-safe vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product therein, and wherein a toothbrush head may be detachable from the handle.

Claims

1. A toothbrush assembly, comprising:

a head connected to a neck, said head having a plurality of bristles extending outwardly therefrom;

a handle connected to said neck, said handle having a compartment provided therein; and

a vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product being provided in the compartment and being sized according to the requirements of Section 4.6.1 of ASTM F963-96a<sup>ε

2</sup>.

2. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product fails to choke children under the age of three years.

3. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product is larger than a cylinder having an inner diameter of 1.25 inches, a first height of 1.00 inches, and a second height of 2.25 inches.

4. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the compartment has a cover which may be opened and reclosed whereby said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product may be removed and replaced in the compartment.

5. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is in the shape of a rocket ship.

6. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is in the shape of a vehicle.

7. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is in the shape of a display case.

8. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein when said neck removably connects to said handle.

9. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said neck retains said figurine within the compartment.

10. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein a lower portion of said neck includes a stiffener arm and a retainer button integrally connected to a spring arm, the retainer button, spring arm, and stiffener arm removably connecting to the opening of said handle.

11. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the retainer button extends through a retainer slot provided in said handle, and remains in the retainer slot due to a spring force provided by the spring arm.

12. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the cover is transparent to make said figurine visible within the compartment of said handle.

13. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 12, wherein the cover permanently connects to a body portion of said handle.

14. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the cover removably connects to a body portion of said handle via at least one snap-in latch.

15. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the cover connects to a body portion of said handle with at least one hinge and at least one snap-in latch.

16. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the cover comprises two pieces, each cover piece connecting to the body portion of said handle via at least one hinge and at least one snap-in latch.

17. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle comprises two sections connected together with an indicia band.

18. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 17, the indicia band has threads that mate with threads provided on each section of said handle.

19. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a top end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off top integrally connected to said neck, the screw off top providing access to the opening of said handle.

20. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein a bottom end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off base, the screw off base providing access to the opening of said handle.

21. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein a bottom end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off base, the screw off base providing access to another opening of said handle.

22. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said handle is transparent to make said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product visible within the compartment of said handle.

23. A toothbrush assembly, comprising:

a head connected to a neck, said head having a plurality of bristles extending outwardly therefrom;

a handle connected to said neck, said handle having a ventilated compartment provided therein; and

a vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product being provided in the compartment.

24. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein at least one opening is provided in the handle to ventilate the compartment.

25. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein at least one breathable membrane is provided in the handle to ventilate the compartment.

26. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein at least one opening and at least one breathable membrane are provided in the handle to ventilate the compartment.

27. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein the compartment has a cover which may be opened and reclosed whereby said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product may be removed and replaced in the compartment.

28. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one opening is provided in the cover to ventilate the compartment.

29. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one breathable membrane is provided in the cover to ventilate the compartment.

30. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one opening and at least one breathable membrane are provided in the cover to ventilate the compartment.

31. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle is in the shape of a rocket ship.

32. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle is in the shape of a vehicle.

33. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle is in the shape of a display case.

34. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein when said neck removably connects to said handle.

35. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 34, wherein said neck retains said figurine within the compartment.

36. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 34, wherein a lower portion of said neck includes a stiffener arm and a retainer button integrally connected to a spring arm, the retainer button, spring arm, and stiffener arm removably connecting to the opening of said handle.

37. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 36, wherein the retainer button extends through a retainer slot provided in said handle, and remains in the retainer slot due to a spring force provided by the spring arm.

38. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein the cover is transparent to make said figurine visible within the compartment of said handle.

39. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 38, wherein the cover permanently connects to a body portion of said handle.

40. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein the cover removably connects to a body portion of said handle via at least one snap-in latch.

41. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein the cover connects to a body portion of said handle with at least one hinge and at least one snap-in latch.

42. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 41, wherein the cover comprises two pieces, each cover piece connecting to the body portion of said handle via at least one hinge and at least one snap-in latch.

43. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle comprises two sections connected together with an indicia band.

44. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 43, the indicia band has threads that mate with threads provided on each section of said handle.

45. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein a top end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off top integrally connected to said neck, the screw off top providing access to the opening of said handle.

46. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein a bottom end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off base, the screw off base providing access to the opening of said handle.

47. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 45, wherein a bottom end of said handle threadably connects to a screw off base, the screw off base providing access to another opening of said handle.

48. A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein said handle is transparent to make said vehicle, figurine, other toy or sundry product visible within the compartment of said handle.