Dentifrice Dispenser and Oral Care System Comprising the Same

Disclosed is a dentifrice dispenser, comprising: a container defining a chamber storing a dentifrice and having an orifice through which the dentifrice is dispensable from the chamber; and a permanent magnet connected to the container for retaining an oral care implement with the container. Also disclosed is an oral care system, comprising: a dentifrice dispenser according to any preceding claim; and an oral care implement; wherein the oral care implement comprises a second magnet or a metal portion that is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a dentifrice dispenser and to an oral care system comprising the dentifrice dispenser and an oral care implement.

It is known to provide dentifrice, such as toothpaste, in a tube having an opening through which the dentifrice is dispensable. However, in order to dispense the dentifrice from the tube onto the head of an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, a user has to squeeze the tube while at the same time aligning the head of the oral care implement with the opening of the tube. Carrying out these two processes simultaneously can be difficult or impossible for some users, such as children, individuals with disabilities, and others who are challenged by low strength, coordination or motor control in the fingers, hands or arms.

There is a need for a dentifrice dispenser that helps a user dispense dentifrice onto the head of an oral care implement. There is a need for an oral care system that helps a user dispense dentifrice onto the head of an oral care implement of the oral care system.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An embodiment of the present invention provides a dentifrice dispenser, comprising: a container defining a chamber storing a dentifrice and having an orifice through which the dentifrice is dispensable from the chamber; and a permanent magnet connected to the container for retaining an oral care implement with the container.

Optionally, the permanent magnet is mounted on, or is partially or fully embedded in, the container. Optionally, the permanent magnet is mounted on the container. Optionally, the permanent magnet is partially embedded in the container. Optionally, the permanent magnet is fully embedded in the container. Preferably, the permanent magnet is non-detachably connected to the container.

Optionally, the permanent magnet is partially or fully embedded between components of the container. Alternatively, the permanent magnet may be partially or fully embedded in material of one component of the container.

Optionally, the container comprises a vessel defining the chamber, and a cap device connected to the vessel and defining the orifice, wherein the permanent magnet is mounted on, or is partially or fully embedded in, the cap device.

Optionally, the cap device comprises a base defining the orifice and a closure movable relative to the base between a closed position, at which the closure isolates the orifice from an exterior of the dispenser, and an open position, at which the orifice is in fluid communication with the exterior of the dispenser.

Optionally, the cap device comprises an arm, and wherein the permanent magnet is mounted on, or is partially or fully embedded in, the arm. Further optionally, the arm extends from the base. Still further optionally, the base is unitary with the arm.

Optionally, the container comprises an arm, and the permanent magnet is mounted on, or is partially or fully embedded in, the arm.

Optionally, the arm is elongate in a direction extending away from the vessel.

Optionally, the arm is elongate in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container.

Optionally, the permanent magnet is at a distal end of the arm.

Optionally, the cap device is formed from a plastic. Further optionally, the plastic is a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

Optionally, the permanent magnet comprises ferromagnetic material. Further optionally, the ferromagnetic material comprises one or more of iron, nickel, cobalt, lodestone, a compound of rare earth elements, an alloy of rare earth elements, an alloy of iron, an alloy of nickel, and an alloy of cobalt.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides an oral care system, comprising: any of the dentifrice dispensers described above; and an oral care implement; wherein the oral care implement comprises a second magnet or a metal portion that is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet.

Optionally, the oral care implement comprises a handle and a head. Further optionally, the second magnet or the metal portion is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet to bring the oral care implement into contact with the dentifrice dispenser with the head aligned or alignable with the orifice. Optionally, the second magnet or the metal portion is comprised in the head.

Optionally, the oral care implement is a toothbrush.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a dentifrice dispenser1according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The dentifrice dispenser1comprises a container10and a permanent magnet20that is non-detachably connected to the container10. Each of the container10and the permanent magnet20will be described in turn.

The container10comprises a flexible vessel11, which vessel11comprises a sealed first end12and an elongate annular wall13extending from the sealed end12and defining a chamber14therein. Within the chamber14there is stored a dentifrice (not shown). At an opposite longitudinal second end15of the wall13from the first end12, the vessel11has an opening (not shown) through which the dentifrice is dispensable from the chamber14. The container10also comprises a cap device16connected to the vessel11at the longitudinal second end15of the wall13. The cap device16is of greater rigidity or hardness than the vessel11and defines an orifice17(seeFIG. 2) in fluid communication with the opening of the vessel11, through which orifice17the dentifrice is dispensable from the chamber14and from the container10as a whole. The cap device16comprises a base18, which defines the orifice17, and a closure19, which is connected to the base18by a hinge and is movable relative to the base18by bending the hinge. The closure19is rotatable relative to the base18between a closed position (seeFIG. 1), at which the closure19isolates the orifice17from an exterior of the dispenser1, and an open position (seeFIGS. 2 and 3), at which the orifice17is in fluid communication with the exterior of the dispenser1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cap device16is a unitary component. That is, the base18is unitary with the closure19. In other words, the base18is integrally formed with the closure19. In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge is a living hinge. In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the base18and the closure19are separate components connected together by a non-living hinge.

The cap device16, and each of the base18and the closure19of the cap device16, has a circular cross section. The container10has a longitudinal axis C-C that extends through the sealed end12of the vessel, perpendicularly to the respective circular cross sections of the cap device16, base18and closure19(when at the closed position), and through the respective centre points of the respective circular cross sections of the cap device16, base18and closure19(when at the closed position).

The container10, and more specifically the cap device16, comprises an arm21extending from the base18in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis C-C of the container10and away from the vessel11. The arm21is elongate in the direction in which the arm21extends away from the base18and from the vessel11. The arm21has a proximal end23connected directly to the base18and a longitudinally opposed second distal end22distal from the base18. The base18is unitary with the arm21. That is, the base18is integrally formed with the arm21. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the arm21is unitary with (i.e. integrally formed with) the cap device16.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cap device16and the arm21are formed from plastic, specifically a thermoplastic polymer. In the illustrated embodiment, the thermoplastic polymer is polypropylene, but in other embodiments the thermoplastic polymer may be polyethylene terephthalate or another thermoplastic polymer.

The permanent magnet20is for connecting an oral care implement to the container10, thereby to attach the oral care implement to the dentifrice dispenser1. In the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet20is partially embedded in material of the arm21at the distal end22of the arm21, so that a portion of the permanent magnet20is exposed at the distal end22of the arm21. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3, the permanent magnet20is considered partially embedded in material of each of the container10, the cap device16and the arm21. In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet20is adhered to the distal end22of the arm21so as to be mounted to the arm21, or is fully embedded in the material of the arm21so that no portion of the permanent magnet20is exposed. Preferably, the connection of the permanent magnet20to the container10is such that the permanent magnet20is retained in position relative to the orifice17.

In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the permanent magnet20may be connected to the container10in some other way. For example, in some embodiments, the arm21is omitted and the permanent magnet20is mounted on, or partially or fully embedded in, material of a different portion or component of the container10, such as the cap device16, the base18or the vessel11. In some embodiments, the permanent magnet20is partially or fully embedded between components of the container10, such as components that together define the cap device16, the base18or the vessel11. In some such embodiments that include an arm21, the permanent magnet20is partially or fully embedded between components that together define the arm21.

The permanent magnet20comprises ferromagnetic material. In the illustrated embodiment, the ferromagnetic material comprises iron. In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the ferromagnetic material comprises one or more of iron, nickel, cobalt, lodestone, a compound of rare earth elements, an alloy of rare earth elements, an alloy of iron, an alloy of nickel, and an alloy of cobalt. The permanent magnet20is distinguished from other types of magnet, such as an electromagnet.

The dentifrice dispenser1of the illustrated embodiment is usable with an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, comprising a magnet or a metal portion that is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet20.FIGS. 2 and 3show an oral care system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the oral care system comprising the dentifrice dispenser ofFIG. 1and such an oral care implement in the form of a toothbrush30.

The toothbrush30comprises a head32, a handle36, and a neck34connecting the head32to the handle36. The head32includes cleaning elements33in the form of bristles. The neck34is of smaller cross sectional area that the head32and the handle36. In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the head32may be connected directly to the handle36without a narrowed neck therebetween. A magnet38is comprised in the head32of the toothbrush30. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnet38is fully embedded in the head32, but in other embodiments the magnet38may be partially embedded in the head32so that a portion of the magnet38is exposed, or may be mounted onto the head32. In this embodiment the magnet38is a permanent magnet.

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, when the closure19of the cap device16is in the open position relative to the base18of the cap device16, the orifice17of the base18is in fluid communication with the exterior of the dispenser1. The magnet38of the toothbrush30is introducible to the dispenser1with the head32of the toothbrush30approximately aligned with the orifice17. The permanent magnet20magnetically attracts the magnet38of the toothbrush30until the toothbrush30is brought into contact with the dispenser1with the head32aligned or alignable with the orifice17. The magnets20,38then cooperate to retain the head32of the toothbrush30at a fixed distance from the container10. With the head32at this fixed distance from the container10, the user need make only small adjustments to the position of the toothbrush30relative to the dispenser1(such as rotation of the toothbrush30or container10about its respective longitudinal axis relative to the other of the toothbrush30and the container10) in order to align the head32with the orifice17with the cleaning elements33fully or substantially facing the orifice17.

With the head32aligned with the orifice17with the cleaning elements33fully or substantially facing the orifice17, and with the permanent magnet20attracting the magnet38to retain the toothbrush30in contact with the dispenser1, the user can then focus on appropriately squeezing the vessel11in order to reduce the volume of the chamber14, thereby to dispense some of the dentifrice from the chamber14through the opening of the vessel11and the orifice17onto the head32of the toothbrush30. Accordingly, the dispenser1helps a user dispense dentifrice onto the head of an oral care implement by assisting with positioning of the head32relative to the dispenser1. Once a desired volume of the dentifrice has been dispensed, the toothbrush30can be pulled away easily from the dispenser1, against the attractive force of the permanent magnet20, for use in an oral care session. The closure19is then movable relative to the base18to the closed position.

In variations to the illustrated embodiment, the cap device16is omitted, and the container10may comprise just the vessel11and a one-piece, preferably rigid, closure for opening and closing the opening of the vessel11. In such variations, the opening of the vessel11is the orifice17of the container10. Moreover, in such variations, the permanent magnet20may be mounted on, or partially or fully embedded in, the vessel11.

Furthermore, in variations to the illustrated and/or described embodiments, the toothbrush30may comprise a metal portion instead of the magnet38, which metal portion is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet20.

Furthermore, in variations to the illustrated and/or described embodiments, the magnet38or metal portion of the toothbrush30may be comprised in one of the neck34and the handle36of the toothbrush30, rather than in the head32. In some such variations, the arm21of the container10may be suitably configured so as to ensure that the head32of the toothbrush30is aligned or alignable with the orifice17, when the permanent magnet20has attracted the magnet38or metal component of the toothbrush30to bring the toothbrush30into contact with dispenser1.

FIGS. 4 and 5show a dentifrice dispenser2according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Like reference numerals used inFIGS. 1 to 3andFIGS. 4 and 5indicate like components.

The dentifrice dispenser2comprises a container10and a permanent magnet20connected to the container10. The container10of this embodiment is the same as the container10shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, except that the permanent magnet20is fully embedded in the material of the arm21. Accordingly, no portion of the permanent magnet20is exposed.

The dispenser2may be varied as per the above-described possible variations to the dispenser1of the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 3.

Similarly to the dentifrice dispenser1ofFIGS. 1 to 3, the dentifrice dispenser2ofFIGS. 4 and 5is usable with an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, e.g. the toothbrush30discussed above, comprising a magnet or a metal portion that is magnetically attractable to the permanent magnet20. An oral care system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises the dentifrice dispenser2ofFIGS. 4 and 5and such an oral care implement. The permanent magnet20has sufficient strength to attract the magnet38or metal portion of the oral care implement, even though the permanent magnet20is distanced from the oral care implement by some of the material of the arm21.

The oral care system comprising the dentifrice dispenser2and an oral care implement may be usable in the same manner as the above-described oral care systems comprising the dentifrice dispenser1and an oral care implement, or the described variations thereof. In the interests of conciseness, detailed description of oral care systems comprising the dentifrice dispenser2and an oral care implement will not be provided.

Moreover, the oral care system comprising the dentifrice dispenser2and an oral care implement may be varied as per the above-described possible variations to the oral care system comprising the dentifrice dispenser1and an oral care implement.

In variations to each of the illustrated embodiments, the container10may take a different form to that illustrated, so long as the container10defines a chamber storing a dentifrice and having an orifice through which the dentifrice is dispensable from the chamber.