Case for powered toothbrush and system

• US 9,961,985 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Shigeno, Takashi, Andachi, Kazuya, Ito, Tamaki
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US14/090,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 320108
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/18 Receptacles for hair brushes or tooth brushes as travelling equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/224 Electrical recharging arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/02 Protective casings, e.g. boxes for instruments; Bags A61C5/44 takes precedence

Abstract

A case for a powered toothbrush comprises a housing having an interior for receiving a powered toothbrush, and a cover, wherein the cover substantially obfuscates the interior but is sufficiently light-transmissive to communicate the presence of an indicator from within the interior. Also provided is a powered toothbrush and case system.

Claims

1. A powered toothbrush and case system comprising:

a case having a cover and a housing, the housing comprising a storage chamber;

a power charger located at a bottom of the storage chamber; and

a powered toothbrush having a handle and an indicator on the handle, the powered toothbrush positioned in the storage chamber to be operably coupled to the power charger;

wherein the cover forms a first portion of a front surface of the case and is sufficiently light-transmissive to communicate the presence of the indicator from within the interior, the indicator of the powered toothbrush aligned with and facing the first portion of the front surface of the case; and

wherein the storage chamber is defined by a front chamber wall, a rear chamber wall, a first side chamber wall, and a second side chamber wall, wherein the front chamber wall has a top edge which is at a height below the indicator and the rear chamber wall, first side chamber wall, and second side chamber wall each have a top edge that is at a height above the indicator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the top edges of each of the front, rear, first side, and second side chamber walls join adjacent ones of the front, rear, first side, and second side chamber walls tangentially.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator of the powered toothbrush is visible when the toothbrush is located within the storage chamber.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the powered toothbrush further comprises a distal end, the cover of the case completely surrounding the distal end of the powered toothbrush.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the handle of the powered toothbrush further comprises a longitudinal axis, a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis intersecting the cover of the case and forming a cover cross section that completely surrounds the handle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing forms a second portion of a front surface of the case.