Abstract:
An assembly and method for brushing a person&#39;s teeth is provided whereby the assembly has a unitary main body having an interior cavity accessible from one side of said assembly, a plurality of tooth brushing bristles, a tab support, and a movement tab, 
     wherein said main body is constructed and arranged to be congruent with the general u-shaped profile of human teeth.

Description:
INDEX TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional of, and claims benefit to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/603,804 filed Feb. 27, 2012 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The action of brushing a person&#39;s teeth is one in which most persons do not realize the level of complexity. There is a significant amount of precision and dexterity required in positioning the toothbrush over various portions of the dental profile in order to clean each of the individual teeth. Person&#39;s having dexterity issues relating any of physical or mental impairments that lead rise to dexterity issues have difficulty with the activity of brushing their teeth. The present invention addresses this by providing an assembly whereby the typical precision and accuracy required to effectively brush a person&#39;s teeth is greatly reduced. The assembly provides a curved apparatus with a curvature substantially congruent to the shape of the tooth profile, i.e., somewhat U shaped in order to contact the teeth in a manner that does not require significant physical dexterity. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, the present invention is an assembly for brushing a person&#39;s teeth, said assembly comprising: 
         [0004]    a unitary main body having an interior cavity accessible from one side of said assembly; 
         [0005]    said cavity having a plurality of tooth brushing bristles disposed therein; 
         [0006]    said assembly having a tab support integral with said main body; 
         [0007]    said tab support constructed and arranged to hold a movement tab; 
         [0008]    wherein said main body is constructed and arranged to be congruent with the general u-shaped profile of human teeth. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, the plurality of bristles includes bristles disposed in a single direction. In another embodiment, bristles includes bristles disposed in more than one direction including bristles disposed in a horizontal direction and bristles disposed in a vertical direction. 
         [0010]    The bristles, in one embodiment, are formed of different physical characteristics relative to placement of the assembly in the mouth of user. That is to say the different physical characteristics are formed based on bristle position relative to contact with specific types of teeth. 
         [0011]    Also contemplated in the present invention is a method for cleaning teeth said method comprising the steps of: 
         [0012]    providing a user with an assembly according to claim  1 ; 
         [0013]    placing at least one dental cleaning material in said cavity; 
         [0014]    positioning said assembly in the mouth in a position congruous with the dental profile of said user; 
         [0015]    grasping the movement tab; 
         [0016]    moving the grasped movement tab, the moving providing motion to the assembly positioned in the mouth; 
         [0017]    removing the assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of the brush assembly of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the brush assembly of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0020]    As generally understood, a person will receive assembly  10  constructed and arranged for fitting the profile of their teeth. The generally understood profile or the arrangement of teeth in a person&#39;s mouth is substantially a “U” shape. The assembly  10  of the present invention has a first end  30  and a second end  32  formed into substantially a U shape with a main body curve portion  34  constructed therein. 
         [0021]    Assembly  10  has an outer boundary wall  12  and an inner boundary wall  24 . Inner boundary wall  24  defines central cavity  20 . Central cavity  20  has therein a plurality of bristles or bristle like projections constructed and arranged for cleaning teeth. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, outer boundary wall  12  and an inner boundary wall  24  are formed of a unitary construction. In another embodiment, each of outer boundary wall  12  and an inner boundary wall  24  are formed separately and have different physical characteristics including, but not limited to hardness, flexibility, pliability, combinations thereof, and the like. 
         [0023]    Cavity  20  has vertical bristles  22  and horizontal bristles  14  disposed therein. Formed integral with assembly  10  is tab support  36  constructed with ring orifice  38  thereon. Ring orifice  38  supports ring  16  that holds movement tab  18  onto assembly  10 . A user optionally can fill inner cavity  20  with toothpaste or other appropriate cleaning material in order to assist with the cleaning process. In use, when toothpaste or cleaning material is used, the cleaning material (not shown) is placed into cavity  20  as desired. Assembly  10  is positioned on the profile of a user&#39;s teeth and a user utilizes tab  18  in order to move assembly  10  inside the mouth while each of horizontal bristles  14  and vertical bristles  22  are contacting the teeth. When the brushing operation is finished, at a user&#39;s discretion, the user will removal assembly  10  and can proceed to rinse their mouth. 
         [0024]    Assembly  10  of the present invention represents a significant improved device for persons having various dexterity issues with the operational aspects of brushing their teeth. There is a significant amount of dexterity and precision required in the tooth brushing activity with a conventional toothbrush. By providing an assembly such as that of the present invention the issues relating to dexterity are significantly reduced. 
         [0025]    As generally understood assembly  10  being intended to be used as a dental cleaning device is constructed and arranged of materials appropriate for the desired environment of use. For example, outer boundary wall  12  and inner boundary wall  24  are constructed of suitable material with appropriate rigidity and durability to function as a dental cleaning device. Materials include, but are not limited to rubber, plastics, polymers, composites, combinations thereof, and the like. Additionally, it is contemplated that although outer boundary wall  12  and inner boundary wall  24  are integral one with another; they may be constructed and arranged with differences in physical characteristics, as discussed above. 
         [0026]    Furthermore, although horizontal bristles  14  and vertical bristles  22  are demonstrated, the present invention is not intended to be limited to these two particular bristle arrangements. Other angular bristle arrangements inside cavity  20  are contemplated. Additionally, horizontal bristles  14  and vertical bristles  22  are intended to be constructed and arranged utilizing the same bristle material or different bristle materials as desired. Furthermore, bristles within the arrangement can have varying hardness, shape, thickness and other characteristics. As one non-limiting example, vertical bristles  22  that are closer to each of first end  30  and second end  32  could have a different physical characteristic than those bristles closer to main body curve  34 . Main body curve  34  is constructed to provide bristles in this area of assembly  10  in order to clean upper and lower incisors. Whereas along each of the two branches of assembly  10 , as you approach each first end  30  and second end  32  bristles, are constructed and arranged to clean cuspids, bicuspids and molars. 
         [0027]    Because different regions of assembly  10  are intended to clean different types of teeth at varying positions in the oral cavity, bristles can be constructed and arranged both by their physical position and compositional characteristics based on the intended position in the oral cavity and characteristics of particularized teeth relative to the tooth position when using assembly  10 . 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, assembly  10  of the present invention is constructed and arranged to clean either upper teeth or lower teeth. It is further contemplated that an assembly be provided whereby a pair of assemblies according to the present invention are interconnected and will simultaneously clean upper and lower teeth. 
         [0029]    While the invention has been described in its preferred form or embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.