Abstract:
A sanitary retractable compact toothbrush, comprising an external rigid casing; a toothbrush retractably mounted inside the external rigid casing and comprising a plurality of bristles arranged perpendicularly to the long axis of the toothbrush; a fluid dispenser mounted within or upon the external rigid casing and comprising a dispensing mechanism for dispensing fluid contained within the fluid dispenser onto a top surface of the plurality of bristles while the toothbrush is retracted within the external rigid casing; and a slide for manually extending the toothbrush from a retracted position to an extended position, relative to the external casing.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/796,839 titled “RETRACTABLE TOOTHBRUSH WITH SPRAY/APPLICATOR BOTTLE. THE CASE FOR THE TOOTHBRUSH HAS SELF CLOSING DOOR. SPRAY BOTTLE AND TOOTHBRUSH CAN BE EASILY REMOVED AND REPLACED.”, filed on Nov. 23, 2012, the entire specification of which is incorporated hereby by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to the field of oral hygiene, and more particularly to the field of retractable toothbrush-like devices for dental use. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the State of the Art 
         [0005]    There exist in the art a variety of toothbrush designs incorporating an integral or removably-affixed dispenser for a dental paste or similar cleansing agent, which may be dispensed onto the bristles of such a tooth brush. Some existing designs incorporate a compact design wherein a tooth brush may be stored within a compact container-type shell, which may also contain a dispenser for a dental antibacterial paste. Furthermore, some designs exist which allow for a toothbrush to be appropriately prepared with a dental paste prior to being removed or ejected from a container, such that a brush may be ready to use immediately. 
         [0006]    Existing designs focus on the application of a dental paste to the bristles of a tooth brush, often for purposes of compact or portable, “travel” tooth brush devices, with certain limitations as to the mechanism of dispensing. There exist designs which incorporate a dispenser which applies dental paste from within a tooth brush, resulting in deposition of such a paste from the lowermost portion of a brush&#39;s bristles, yet it will be appreciated that it is desirable to apply paste to the topmost surface for use in dental cleansing. Designs exist now which will apply paste to the topmost portion of a brush&#39;s bristles, however such designs rely on a manual method of operation, i.e. a brush must be dipped, scraped, or otherwise maneuvered across a dispensing surface for paste to be applied. In this manner, a brush is not yet ready for use until action is taken by a user, detracting from the intended goal of convenience or efficiency for portable or travel use. 
         [0007]    What is needed, is a compact tooth brush which can be kept clean and ready for quick use, and which allows easy application of a liquid prior to use while maintaining clean conditions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]    Accordingly, the inventor has conceived and reduced to practice, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a compact tooth brush device incorporating an integrally-formed dispensing device for a dental solution which may be an antibacterial or breath freshening dental hygienic solution or a liquid mouthwash. 
         [0009]    According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a sanitary retractable compact toothbrush is disclosed, comprising: an external rigid casing; a toothbrush retractably mounted inside the external rigid casing and comprising a plurality of bristles arranged perpendicularly to the long axis of the toothbrush; a fluid dispenser mounted within or upon the external rigid casing and comprising a dispensing mechanism for dispensing fluid contained within the fluid dispenser onto a top surface of the plurality of bristles while the toothbrush is retracted within the external rigid casing; and a slide for manually extending the toothbrush from a retracted position to an extended position, relative to the external casing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
         [0010]    The accompanying drawings illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention according to the embodiments. One skilled in the art will recognize that the particular embodiments illustrated in the drawings are merely exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an exemplary configuration of a compact tooth brush, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a further illustration showing multiple views of a compact tooth brush according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    The inventor has conceived, and reduced to practice, a sanitary compact retractable toothbrush comprising an integrally-formed dispensing device for a dental fluid, which may be an antibacterial or breath freshening dental hygienic solution or a liquid mouthwash. 
         [0014]    One or more different inventions may be described in the present application. Further, for one or more of the inventions described herein, numerous alternative embodiments may be described; it should be understood that these are presented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments are not intended to be limiting in any sense. One or more of the inventions may be widely applicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from the disclosure. In general, embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice one or more of the inventions, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural, logical, software, electrical and other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the particular inventions. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that one or more of the inventions may be practiced with various modifications and alterations. Particular features of one or more of the inventions may be described with reference to one or more particular embodiments or figures that form a part of the present disclosure, and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments of one or more of the inventions. It should be understood, however, that such features are not limited to usage in the one or more particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they are described. The present disclosure is neither a literal description of all embodiments of one or more of the inventions nor a listing of features of one or more of the inventions that must be present in all embodiments. 
         [0015]    Headings of sections provided in this patent application and the title of this patent application are for convenience only, and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way. 
       Detailed Description of Exemplary Embodiments  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an exemplary compact tooth brush device  100 , according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As illustrated, device  100  may comprise an external casing or housing  101  which may contain a tooth brush  102  and an integrally-formed or removably-affixed dispenser  103  for housing a dental solution which may be an antibacterial or breath freshening dental hygienic solution or a liquid mouthwash, or other desirable liquid material. Device  100  may further comprise a hinged or otherwise pivotably-affixed door  104  the design of which should enable a brush  102  to be fully enclosed within housing  101  when not in use, and a control mechanism  105  which may be movably affixed such that a user may operate the extending or retracting of a brush  102 , such as with a thumb. Control mechanism  105  may also directly affect movement of door  104 , or door  104  may be opened or closed as needed by movement of brush  102 . 
         [0017]    In this manner, a brush  102  may be contained within, and enclosed by, housing  101  for protection and storage, and to maintain an appropriate level of hygiene (such as keeping dust or foreign contaminants out). By acting upon an operating mechanism  105 , a user may easily extend or retract brush  102  when desired, such as for use. By utilizing a pivotable door  104  as illustrated, foreign contamination is further prevented by sealing an opening of housing  101  when not in use, such as for carrying during travel in a pocket or storage container which may contain undesired foreign particles. A dispenser  103  may be either integrally-formed as a portion of housing  101 , or may be removably-affixed by any of a number of methods, such as might facilitate removal and refilling or replenishing of contents (such as a dental paste). If integrally-formed, a removable lid may be utilized to provide access to an interior chamber of dispenser  105 , or contents may be stored in a separate, insertable container which may then be wholly inserted into dispenser  105  (which in such an instance serves only as a physical storage unit for contents). Dispenser  105  may contain a liquid oral hygiene product, such as a dental solution, which may be an antibacterial or breath freshening dental hygienic solution or a liquid mouthwash, or other desired dental liquid. Examples of such fluids may include, but are not limited to, xylitol, antibacterial breath freshener, mouthwash, and the like. Such liquids may be dispensed onto bristles  106  of brush  102 . Exemplary means of storing and dispensing contents, such as a dental solution or liquid or other oral hygiene product, are described below in greater detail, referring now to  FIG. 2 . 
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of several views of an exemplary compact tooth brush device  100 , illustrating in greater detail certain aspects of device  100 . Referring now to  FIG. 2A , a side profile view of device  100  is illustrated, detailing an exemplary method of operation. As illustrated, a brush  102  may be extended or retracted  203  from a housing  101  via operation of a mechanism  105  by a user, such as sliding mechanism  105  with a thumb. A dispenser  103  may contain contents  201  such as a dental solution, which may be applied  202  to bristles  106  of a brush  102  when retracted and enclosed within housing  101 . It should be appreciated that due to the nature of the device of the invention, a variety of contents  201  and methods of application  202  are possible—such as, for example, a positively-pressurized and self-contained tube of a dental solution such as those described above, or a viscous dental paste (or both), which may be passively applied to bristles  106  when a brush  102  is retracted into housing  101 . In this manner, no action is required of a user for application of contents  201  to bristles  106 , and application occurs passively each time brush  102  is retracted into housing  101 . Another exemplary means of application is described below, referring now to  FIG. 2B . In a preferred embodiment, fluid is stored in a pressurized form in container  201 , and is dispensed onto an upper surface of bristles  106  of toothbrush  102  by use of a conventional spray nozzle directed downward  202  and operated by manually depressing  211  button  210 , although other methods of dispensing pressurized fluid from container  201  may be used according to the invention. 
         [0019]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2B , an alternate means of application of contents  201  to bristles  106  may comprise a button  210  or similar operable mechanism, which when depressed  211  may trigger application of contents  201  to bristles  106 . Such a button  210  may be manually operated by a user, such as an externally-facing button  210  as shown, or may be an internal button  220  located within and optionally integrally-affixed to housing  101  and operated by a brush  102  upon retraction  221  into housing  101 , such as by physical contact between brush  102  and button  210 , depressing button  220  as further illustrated (referring now to  FIG. 2C ). In this manner, the device of the invention may be readily adapted for use with a variety of contents, and may be adapted for a variety of means of operation (such as via a passive application described above, or active application utilizing a button  210  or other mechanism), and regardless of means of application may present a brush  102  with contents  201  applied upon extension for use, facilitating convenient and rapid use when desired while maintaining a compact and portable device for ease of carry. It should be appreciated that the nature of contents  201  may vary, such as a self-contained container of an oral cleansing agent, a pressurized capsule containing an agent, or an agent applied directly within a dispenser with no additional container or capsule required, and further that means of application (several examples of which have been illustrated and described) of contents  201  upon bristles  106  of a brush may similarly vary, according to the invention. It should be further appreciated, that additional or alternate components to a device  100  may be implemented to enhance function, such as a pivotable or otherwise movably-affixed door  104  or cover to provide a degree of protection against foreign particles entering a housing  101 , according to the invention. 
         [0020]    The skilled person will be aware of a range of possible modifications of the various embodiments described above. Accordingly, the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.