Abstract:
A toothbrush with a handle having a base, a body, and a head. The body having a first section and a second section forming an oblique angle. A projector of a beam of light located within the handle. The toothbrush having at least one bristle attached to the head. The toothbrush having a grip attached to the base. A method of using a toothbrush including the step of gripping the toothbrush. The method further including the step of engaging the projector of a beam of light. The method still further including the step of utilizing the toothbrush while the projector of a light beam is activated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an illuminated toothbrush and a method for using an illuminated toothbrush.  
           [0002]    In the design and use of a toothbrush, there is a need for illumination. Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a projector of a beam of light within a toothbrush handle to provide for lighting the handle.  
           [0003]    In the design of toothbrush handles for illumination, there is a need for maximizing the amount of light that is directed towards the user. Therefore, a further objective of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush handle that maximizes the amount of light transmitted, reflected, and refracted within its handle towards the user.  
           [0004]    Also in the design of toothbrush handles, there is a need for indicating an increment of time in which a user is brushing their teeth. Therefore, a still further objective of the present invention is to provide a timing circuit so that a user can identify an amount of time passed while brushing their teeth.  
           [0005]    A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a novel device to encourage a user to brush their teeth.  
           [0006]    A still further objective of the present invention is to provide a device with is easy to use and economical to manufacture.  
           [0007]    The means and method of accomplishing these and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The foregoing objects may be achieved by a toothbrush with a handle having a base, a body, and a head. The body having a first section and a second section forming an oblique angle. A projector of a beam of light located within the handle. The toothbrush having at least one bristle attached to the head. The toothbrush having a grip attached to the base.  
           [0009]    The foregoing objects may also be achieved by a toothbrush having a handle having a base, a body, and a head. The body having a chamber therein. A projector of a beam of light within the chamber. The toothbrush having at least one bristle attached to the head. The toothbrush having a grip attached to the base.  
           [0010]    The foregoing objects may still further be achieved by a method of using a toothbrush. The method uses a toothbrush having a handle and an illumination circuit. The toothbrush handle having a base, a body, and a head. The toothbrush illumination circuit having a projector of a beam of light connected to a switch. The method including the step of gripping the toothbrush. The method further including the step of engaging the switch for completing the illumination circuit. The method still further including the step of activating a projector of a light beam within the toothbrush. The method still further including the step of utilizing the toothbrush while the projector of a light beam is activated. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush showing the lines of transmission, reflection, and refraction of a light beam emitted by a projector of a light beam.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 showing the brush side of the toothbrush.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 showing the non-brush side of the toothbrush.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a side view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 showing the chamber preferentially placed near the non-brush side.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a top view of the toothbrush with the grip removed exposing the toothbrush base and illumination circuit held within.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is an exploded top view of the toothbrush grip, base, and lower section of toothbrush handle showing the placement of the illumination circuit within the toothbrush handle.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the grip of FIG. 6.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the base in FIG. 6 showing the indentations for containing the positive terminal conductors.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the illumination circuit without the power supply.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the illumination circuit.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the illumination circuit.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 12 is a schematic drawing of the illumination circuit. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    Referring to the drawings, numeral  10  generally refers to the illuminated toothbrush of the present invention which comprises a handle  12 , an illumination circuit  14 , a brush  16 , and a grip  18 .  
         [0024]    The handle  12  has a base  20 , a body  21 , and a head  26 . The body has a first section  22  and a second section  24 . The handle  12  is formed of hard, clear plastic. Alternatively, the handle  12  may be a colored plastic. Alternatively, the handle  12  may be a translucent plastic. Alternatively, the handle  12  may be fashioned out of a plastic incorporating metallic flake  90 .  
         [0025]    The toothbrush handle  12  is formed through an injection molding process. Plastic in a liquid form is injected into a mold having two sections. Liquid plastic is injected into the mold where it is then allowed to solidify. When the mold is opened it creates a handle having a brush side  28  and a non-brush side  30 . At the intersection of these two sides  28 ,  30 , is a ridge  32 . The ridge  32  is a surface characteristic resulting from the injection molding process. The ridge  32  does not extend inside the handle  12  but exists on the surface. The injection molding process in constructing of the toothbrush handle  12  is conventional and does not form a part of the present invention.  
         [0026]    As seen in FIGS. 5, 6, and  8 , the handle  12  has a handle base  20 . The base  20  is generally cylindrical in shape and has a circumferential groove or cavity  44  therein. The circumferential groove has a centerline. The base  20  has an outside surface  34 , an inside surface  36 , a first end  38 , and a second end  40 . On the outside surface  34  of the base  20  are three annular rings  42 . The annular rings  42  provide a ledge upon which the grip  18  holds.  
         [0027]    The inside surface  36  defines a cavity  44 . The inside surface  36  has first indentation  46  and a second indentation  48 . The cavity  44  serves as a housing for the illumination circuit  14 . The first and second indentation  46 ,  48  serve as a guide for positioning the illumination circuit  14  within the base  20 .  
         [0028]    A chamber  50  extends within the section  22 . The chamber  50  has a first end  52  and a second end  54 . The chamber  50  is generally cylindrical in shape. The first end  52  is rounded and provides a transition between the chamber  50  filled full of air and the first section  22  which is of plastic. The air is inherently present as a result of assembly at a time after the handle was formed. Alternatively, the chamber may be filled full of a material in a process separate from the forming of the handle.  
         [0029]    The second end  54  of the chamber  50  is open to the first end  38  of the base  20 . The first section chamber  50  is in off-center alignment with the base  20 . As seen in FIG. 8, the first section chamber  50  is in off-center alignment with the base  20  to allow the projector of a light beam or illuminating member  60  to emit a light beam  104  that travels through the first section  22  and to strike the interface  114  between the second section  24  and atmosphere. At this interface, a light beam  106  is reflected towards the handle head  26  and a light beam  108  is refracted towards atmosphere.  
         [0030]    The first section chamber  50  is also positioned in off-center alignment with the base  20  because in the first section  22  is ergometrically designed to accommodate a user&#39;s grip. In the ergometric design, the brush side  28  of the first section  22  is contoured and the non brush side  30  of the first section  22  is flat. In addition, the brush side  28  of the first section  22  arrives at a point of the second section  24  at a greater angle than the non brush side  30 . In other words, the illumination circuit  14  extends within the first section  22  substantially parallel to the center line of the base member  20  but the first section  22  brush side  28  angles toward the inner point where the first section  22  meets the second section  24  and the non brush side  30  portion of the first section  22  also angles toward the point where the first section  22  meets the second section  24 . Thus, for the first section chamber  50  to extend the furthest into the first section  22  of the handle  12 , the first section chamber  50  must be positioned closer to the non-brush side  30  of the first section  22 .  
         [0031]    The illumination circuit  14  has an illuminating member or projector of a light beam  60 , a resistor  62 , a timing circuit  64 , and a power source  66 . These parts are joined by conductor. The conductors serve structural functions. The illuminating member conductor  68  provides a support structure extending the illuminating member  60  a distance away from the timing circuit  64 . The negative terminal conductor  70  is a spring which presses against the power source  66 . The positive terminal conductor  72  extends away from the timing circuit  64  to embrace three batteries. The positive terminal conductor  72  is also sized to stabilize the illumination circuit  14  within the base  20  as the positive terminal conductor  72  is sized to fit within the first indentation  46  and the second indentation  48  of the base  20 .  
         [0032]    The illumination member  60  in this embodiment is a light emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, the illuminating member  60  could be an incandescent lightbulb. Alternatively, the illumination member  60  may be any other device known in the art that may provide illumination.  
         [0033]    The power source  66  is a micro cell battery model number G3-ACNB. Three batteries are placed in serial within the base  20 . The timing circuit functions to illuminate the illuminating member  60  for approximately 60 seconds. The illuminating member  60  also serves to control the illuminating member  60  to blink intermittently for the time period in which it is engaged. Alternately, the illumination member  60  may stay on continuously.  
         [0034]    The brush  16  has bristles  80 . The bristle  80  has a first end  82  and a second end  84 . The bristle second end  84  is embedded in the head  26  of the handle  20 . The bristle  80  are made of clear plastic material. The bristle  80  when struck by light traveling from the illuminating member  60  through the first section  22  and the second section  24  illuminate. A portion of the light striking the bristle  80  may reflect through the bristle  80  and extend out of the bristle  80 . The brush  16  is made of a series of individual bristle  80 .  
         [0035]    The grip  18  is made of a flexible material. The grip  18  also serves to function as a switch. The grip  18  has an extending piece or switch  74  of flexible material as seen in FIG. 7. The piece  74  moves the positive terminal metal conductor  72  to contact the power source  66 . Alternatively, the piece  74  moves the power source  66  to contact the positive terminal metal conductor  72 . In doing so the piece  74  moves illumination circuit  14  from an unilluminated position to a ruminated position. The grip  18  stays in place on the base  20  by engaging the annular rings  42  on the outside surface  34  of the base  20 . An adhesive  88  is positioned between the first section  22  and the grip  18  to hold the grip  18  in close connection with the first section  22 .  
         [0036]    The grip  18  is made of a flexible material. Alternatively, the grip  18  may be of a hard material but have a flexible portion that may be used to engage the positive terminal conductor  72  and press against the power source  66 .  
         [0037]    In operation the illuminated toothbrush  10  is used by a user to indicate the duration of an amount of time. The user grips the toothbrush handle  12  in their hand with the bristle  80  surface with the bristles  80  against their teeth and engages the illumination circuit switch  74 . The illuminating member  60  begins to blink intermittently in an on/off fashion. The illuminating member  60  continues to blink for a period of approximately 60 seconds. The handle is designed to direct light to the user in multiple way so that the user may be accurately appraised of brushing time.  
         [0038]    A light beam  100  travels from the illuminating device  14  through a first section chamber  50 . The light beam  100  strikes an interface  112  between the first section chamber and the first section and a light beam  102  is partially reflected off of the interface and a light beam  104  is refracted enters the first chamber. The light beam  104  travels through the first section  22  to strike upon an interface  114  between the second section  24  and atmosphere. A light beam  106  is reflected from interface  144  toward head  26  and a light beam  108  is refracted towards atmosphere. The light beam  106  then strikes an interface  116  between the head  26  and bristle  80  where it is partially reflected and refracted.  
         [0039]    Alternatively, the toothbrush handle may have a metallic piece or flake embedded in the hardened plastic. The angle of reflection upon the flake is equal to the angle of incidence upon the flake. These metallic pieces  90  may be glitter. In operation, light will strike these metallic pieces  90  at an angle of incidence and the reflected light beam  110  directed at an angle of reflection as seen in FIG. 1.  
         [0040]    In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention in the following claims.