Patent Publication Number: US-2007110503-A1

Title: Dispensing brush with replaceable cartridge/handle part

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/731,737, filed Oct. 31, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      In the art of dispensing brushes and the like, several developments have been made including those disclosed in my U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 10/947,006, filed Sep. 21, 2004 (Publication No. US2005-0111905 A1) and Ser. No. 11/071,855, filed Mar. 3, 2005 (Publication No. US2005-0147461 A1). The above identified published patent applications are incorporated herein by reference. The toothpaste dispensing brushes disclosed and claimed in the above-identified applications offer several advantages in the art of dispensing brushes. However, one desirable improvement in brushes of my prior inventions is the provision of a replacement reservoir which is advantageously provided in the brush handle part.  
      A replaceable paste or other fluid dispensing cartridge and handle part is desirable for several reasons, one being to reduce the cost of replacing the entire improved dispensing brush of my invention when the reservoir is empty. Another reason for having a replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part is to provide the advantage to change the composition of the paste in the reservoir for the convenience or desires of the user and the ability to carry a replacement paste dispensing reservoir without the space requirements or cost of carrying a complete brush in the event that the dispensing brush being carried should have all paste discharged. Moreover, with the provision of a high quality brush head part, the head part may be reused several times after consumption of all of the material in the original combination paste reservoir cartridge and handle part. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an improved dispensing brush with a replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a paste dispensing toothbrush is provided with a replaceable handle part which also serves as a toothpaste storage reservoir for dispensing paste through a piston or plunger mechanism and onto the bristles of the brush head part in accordance with my improved brush head structure. The replaceable cartridge and handle part includes a pressure differential actuated piston for urging fluid-like material, such as toothpaste, toward a chamber formed in the brush head in accordance with the construction of the dispensing brushes disclosed and claimed in the above-identified patent applications. The replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part in accordance with the present invention includes a rupturable seal for maintaining the material in the reservoir fresh and uncontaminated and the seal is broken only when the replacement cartridge and handle part is connected to the brush head part.  
      Further in accordance with the invention, a dispensing brush head part is provided with an improved adapter part which is operable to provide for engagement with a replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part and wherein the adapter part is operable to engage and rupture a seal formed in the combination reservoir cartridge and handle part.  
      The present invention further provides a dispensing brush reservoir cartridge and handle part having a unique configuration which is adapted to be connected to a brush head part for minimizing the chance of contamination of material in the reservoir of the handle part wherein the reservoir is closed by a rupturable membrane which is recessed in a cylindrical tubular housing member of the cartridge and handle part and the membrane may be integrally formed with the housing member. The invention still further provides a dispensing brush which includes a mirror advantageously disposed on a cover member of the handle part and which encloses a floss dispenser.  
      Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a cutaway perspective view of a dispensing brush with a replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal central section view of the dispensing brush and replaceable cartridge and handle part in accordance with the invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation of the tubular housing member of the reservoir cartridge and handle part shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a section view taken generally along the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the tubular housing member shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; and  
       FIG. 6  is a detail section view on a larger scale of the area within the circle identified by the numeral  6  in  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawing with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat generalized form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.  
      Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a dispensing brush  200  includes a generally cylindrical cartridge and handle part  202  characterized by a cylindrical tubular housing member  203  having a cylindrical borewall  204  for receiving a piston  206  slidably therein. Piston  206  has a central port  207 ,  FIG. 2 , formed therein and opposed borewall engaging lip seal portions  206   a  and  206   b ,  FIG. 2 , which are somewhat frustoconical shaped and are integral with a hub part  206   d . Piston  206  is adapted to receive a disc-shaped cap or cover  208  having a central pin part insertable in port  207  for closing same. A floss dispenser  213  is, preferably, disposed on the handle part  202  also, as shown, in  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  
      Replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part  202  defines a reservoir chamber  212  closed at one end by the piston  206  and at an opposite end by a transverse ringlike integral wall part  214 . A disc shaped thin walled rupturable membrane seal part is integral with and disposed radially inward of wall part  214  and includes a somewhat cross-shaped frangible portion  217 , see  FIGS. 5 and 6 , which is of a further reduced thickness as compared with membrane  216  and wall part  214 , both as shown in  FIG. 6 . Accordingly, the cross shaped frangible portion  217  allows the membrane part  216  to be ruptured into four leaves  216   a ,  FIG. 5 , for example, which remain integral with or connected to the transverse wall part  214  but allow the reservoir  212  to be exposed to additional structure of the brush as described hereinbelow for dispensing flowable or fluid-like material, such as toothpaste, from the reservoir  212 .  
      Referring further to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4 , the housing member  203  of cartridge and handle part  202  includes an upper cylindrical tubular end portion  203   a  provided with a cylindrical borewall  219  adapted to be a snug fit over a generally cylindrical downwardly projecting brush head adapter part  220  of a brush head assembly  221 ,  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Accordingly, a replacement cartridge and handle part  202  may be formed to be a snug fit of the upper end  203   a  with the adapter  220 . Other means for releasably connecting the cartridge and handle part  202  to the adapter part  220  may be provided, including various forms of a twist and lock type connection, cooperating coarse or fine threads, a so-called bayonet type connection and/or a so-called J-slot type connection between the cartridge and handle part  202  and the adapter  220  of head assembly  221 .  
      Referring further to  FIG. 2 , in particular, adapter  220  includes a transverse bottom wall  223  from which projects, in one direction, a generally cylindrical boss  225  and, in the opposite direction, a cylindrical tubular projection  215  extending upwardly, viewing  FIG. 2 . Downwardly projecting cylindrical boss  225  also forms a seat for a check valve closure member  227  to allow material from reservoir  212  to enter an interior chamber  229  of a flexible cylindrical plunger  230  while preventing flow of such material in the opposite direction. Accordingly, when the replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part  202  is connected to the adapter  220 , the projection  225  forcibly engages the membrane  216  and ruptures the membrane at the cross shaped thin walled frangible portion  217  whereby the four leaves  216   a ,  FIG. 5 , are formed and are deflected but remain integral with the transverse wall part  214  to avoid blocking the flow of material upward from reservoir chamber  212  past closure member  227  and to chamber  229 . Of course, when replaceable cartridge and handle part  202  is removed from the adapter  220 , the closure member  227  will engage its seat in the position shown in  FIG. 2  to prevent backflow of material from chamber  229  to the exterior of the brush head assembly  221  until a new replaceable cartridge and handle part is connected to the adapter.  
      In most other respects, the brush head assembly  221  is constructed generally in accordance with the paste dispensing brush disclosed and claimed in my copending patent application Ser. No. 11/071,855, also published as Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0147461 A1. However, briefly, viewing  FIG. 2 , dispensing brush  200  includes a plunger actuator  240  including a resilient elastomeric cover part  241  formed therewith. Plunger actuator  240  is slidable downwardly in adapter  220  to cause displacement of resilient plunger  230 . Downward movement of the plunger actuator  240  also causes downward movement of a dispensing brush feed tube  242 ,  FIG. 2 , to uncover a dispensing port  243  for dispensing material, such as toothpaste, onto a set of brush bristles  244  in a manner consistent with the description in the above-identified patent application publication. Bristles  244  are formed on a distal head part  246  also in a manner consistent with the description in the above-identified patent application publication.  FIG. 2  further illustrates a removable, protective cover  247  disposed on head assembly  221 .  
      Referring further to  FIG. 2 , primarily, the aforementioned floss dispenser  213  includes a generally cylindrical body part  250  suitably secured to an end portion  202   c  of handle part  202  and provided with a transverse wall  252  supporting a spool or bobbin  254  for a quantity of floss, not shown. A cap or cover  256  is secured to body part  250  at an integral living hinge  258 , preferably. Cap  256  is advantageously adapted to support a plain or magnifying mirror  260  suitably secured to an inner surface  262  of cap  256 . In the position shown in  FIG. 2 , cap  256  is shown closed over the end of body part  250 . However, cap  256  may be swung to an open position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , to allow access to a quantity of floss which may extend through a port  257  in transverse wall  252 . Cap  256 , in its open position shown, permits viewing of the mirror  260 .  
      The operation of the dispensing brush  200  is believed to be within the purview of those skilled in the art based on the foregoing description and by reference to the above-identified patent application publications. Fluid-like cleaning and/or polishing material, such as toothpaste, is continually urged by piston  206  to flow from reservoir  212  into chamber  229  upon unseating of the check valve closure member  227 . Upon actuation of the plunger actuator  240  feed tube  242  is moved downwardly viewing  FIG. 2 , together with the actuator  240 , and the deformation of the plunger  230  will reduce the volume of chamber  229  to cause material to flow upward through the tube  242 , out of port  243  and onto the bristles  244 . When the plunger actuator  240  is released, the elastic memory of the plunger  230  causes the plunger to assume the position shown in  FIG. 2  increasing the volume of chamber  229  and allowing material to flow from reservoir  212  past the check valve closure member  227  into the chamber  229 . Piston  206  senses a pressure differential created by the flow of material out of reservoir chamber  212  and advances toward the projection or boss  225  in a way known and as described in the above-referenced patent application publications. Moreover, the hinged cap  256  and internally mounted mirror  260  are advantageous for allowing viewing one&#39;s teeth during and after a cleaning operation, as desired. Although the cap  256  is illustrated and described as part of a floss dispenser, the cap  256  and mirror  260  could be provided on or as part of an end part of the handle part housing  203  without the inclusion of a floss dispenser, as shown and described.  
      The replaceable reservoir cartridge and handle part  202  thus adds versatility and convenience to the inventive dispensing brush  200 . The replaceable cartridge and handle part  202  may be constructed of the same materials as described in the above-mentioned published patent applications. The brush  200  and replaceable cartridge and handle part  202  are adapted for use as a toothbrush although adaptation to other uses as a cleaning and/or polishing brush assembly is contemplated by the invention. A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.