Patent Description:
A conventional toothbrush consists of a brush head and a handle connecting to the brush head in one unit. In using such a conventional toothbrush, toothpaste is dispensed externally from a toothpaste tube to the top of the brush head by using two hands, with one hand holding the toothbrush and the other hand squeezing on the toothpaste tube. The toothpaste dispensing action requires two hands. Moreover, the toothpaste sitting on top of the bristles is prone to fall off during brushing. Toothpaste falling off onto sink is a frequent problem for young children learning to apply toothpaste on top of the bristles. Even for adults, it is a significant challenge to keep toothpaste on the brush head as the brushing actions tend to shake off the toothpaste, which is not fully anchored on the bristles.

In prior art, there have been many toothpaste-dispensing toothbrushes which dispense toothpaste internally from a toothpaste reservoir in a handle to the brush head through an aperture in the brush head. Most of these toothpaste-dispensing toothbrushes use threaded cartridges to advance the toothpaste and require two hands to dispense the toothpaste except a kind of pump toothbrush that uses a push button and a cartridge containing a piston to move the toothpaste forward. In all these toothpaste-dispensing toothbrushes, the toothpaste cartridges are of special design that are of higher manufacturing costs. Therefore, it is desirable to have a toothpaste-dispensing toothbrush that dispenses toothpaste internally to the brush head with one hand from a conventional type of toothpaste tube, which consists of a threaded top outlet with a rigid shoulder supporting collapsible side wall having a sealed bottom end.

Furthermore, a conventional sonic electrical toothbrush has a motor supported in the handle without reducing vibration in the handle. And a conventional oscillation electrical toothbrush is limited to using one rotary bristle element. Such a single rotary brush head limits the brushing efficiency as it takes much more time to clean all the teeth in the mouth in comparison with a long brush head.

<CIT>describes a toothbrush with means for attaching a toothpaste tube. The toothbrush has an upper cover for enclosing a brush head and a lower cover for receiving a conventional toothpaste tube. The lower cover is formed of a thin pliable material so that, by squeezing the lower cover, sufficient pressure is applied to the toothpaste tube to extrude toothpaste in the customary manner. Due to straight tubular configuration of the lower cover and the clearance between the cover and the toothpaste tube, the toothpaste cannot be sufficiently squeezed out by pressing on the lower cover. Also, the openings on the brush head are not self-closing to prevent the drying of the toothpaste.

Instead of pressing on the handle wall for dispensing toothpaste, <CIT>describes a toothbrush attached with a toothpaste tube which is supported by a gripping member. The toothpaste is dispensed to the brush head through an aperture by pressing on the toothpaste tube against the gripping member, which is a non-removable support member extending from the head of the toothbrush. The toothbrush includes a switch to push forward for preventing toothpaste from flowing out of said toothpaste aperture. Since the toothpaste tube is exposed for squeezing, therefore, its deformable wall is not comfortable to use as the handle of the toothbrush. Besides, the aperture in the bristle head is not self-closing, therefore, drying of the toothpaste may occur at the aperture preventing the toothpaste flow to the bristle head.

<CIT>describes a pump toothbrush with integrated dispensing platform and disposable bristle head. The pump toothbrush comprises a pump head, a refillable cartridge containing dentifrice, an integrated dispensing platform and a disposable bristle head. The pump head includes an inlet connector for attaching the cartridge, a pumping chamber attached with an elastic compressible button, and a dispensing platform. The dispensing platform contains a flow channel and a self-sealing slit-spout to prevent drying of the dentifrice material at the spout. The refillable cartridge of the pump toothbrush, however, is not reliable for filling by users as air entrapment may occur during the filling process. The presence of air bubbles in the toothpaste cartridge may impact the pumping efficiency and result in pumping failure. Also, a pre-filled toothpaste cartridge using a movable piston is of higher cost than a conventional toothpaste tube which has a sealed bottom end.

<CIT>provides an electrical pump toothbrush using a toothpaste cartridge for dispensing dentifrice material. The disclosed configuration is limited to the use of toothpaste cartridge which uses movable piston for compacting the dentifrice material when under a vacuum force. It is not applicable to the use of conventional toothpaste tube. Furthermore, its oscillation mechanism is limited to a single bristle element.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a pump toothbrush as recited in claim <NUM> and an electrical pump toothbrush as recited in claim <NUM>. Embodiments of the invention are recited in the dependent claims. The pump toothbrush is attached with a conventional toothpaste tube having a sealed end to dispense toothpaste internally to the top of the bristle head. It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a vacuum means to draw toothpaste out of the toothpaste tube into the flow channel of the pump toothbrush. It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a rotatable handle mechanism to enable simultaneous attachment of the toothpaste tube and the handle to the pumping mechanism of the pump toothbrush.

It is additional objective of the present disclosure to provide an electrical pump toothbrush using a rotatable encap connector to fasten a toothpaste tube for dispensing dentifrice material and to swing out the toothpaste tube for replacement. It is further objective of the present disclosure to provide a dual-rotary electrical pump toothbrush for dispensing dentifrice material to the top of two oscillating bristle heads for high cleaning efficiency.

A pump toothbrush using a conventional toothpaste tube for dispensing dentifrice material to the top of brushhead is described. The pump toothbrush incorporates a brushhead, a pump head, an elastic resilient pump actuator, a self-closing spout and a toothpaste tube. The toothpaste tube is supported by a pair of width-limiting fingers as width retainers to prevent total collapse of tube walls resulting in blocking of flow channel in the toothpaste tube. The fingers are installed in the handle of the pump toothbrush to keep the flow channel open for the dentifrice material to exit the tube opening under vacuum force created by repeated pumping actions. The manual pump toothbrush uses a detachable handle having an oval-shaped recess to accommodate the oval-shaped shoulder of the toothpaste tube. The pump head includes a dispensing platform having a flow channel connected to the pump actuator and the toothpaste tube. The distal end of the dispensing platform is attached with a slit spout and mounted with the detachable brushhead. Pressing on the pump actuator forces dentifrice material flow from the pump head to the top of the brushhead, and releasing the pump actuator can cause rebound of the elastic pump actuator and create a vacuum force to draw the toothpaste from the toothpaste tube into the pump head. Repeated pumpings can empty the toothpaste tube without its flow channel blocked.

The toothpaste tube support configuration is applicable to an electrical pump toothbrush which has a non-detachable handle. A sonic electrical pump toothbrush has a pump head with a vibratory dispensing platform and an endcap connector attached with a toothpaste cartridge.

The toothpaste cartridge may be generally a toothpaste tube or a cylindrical tube with a movable piston as described in US Patent <CIT>. The endcap connector can be rotated to swing out the toothpaste cartridge from the handle for easy replacement. Preferably the toothpaste cartridge is a toothpaste tube. The handle includes a dentifrice compartment containing the toothpaste tube, and an electrical compartment containing a power source, a motor, and electrical components. The bottom end of the pump head has a concave hemispheric surface forming an interface with the convex hemispheric surface of the dome-shaped endcap connector in rotational intimate contact. A rubber O-ring is positioned at the orifice of the endcap connector for ensuring sealing of the dentifrice material not leaking out of the interface.

Preferably the endcap connector is hinge-supported with grooves on its outer surface and pins on the inner surface of the concave hemispheric surface at the bottom end of the dispensing platform. The grooves are designed for fastening the encap and aligning the toothpaste tube at the home position for dispensing the dentifrice material, and for dislodging the endcap connector when rotated to a wide angle from the home position. At the home position the toothpaste tube is supported by the width-limiting fingers. The detachment of the endcap enables cleaning of the endcap connector if necessary.

Also provided in the present disclosure is a dual-rotary electrical pump toothbrush using a toothpaste tube. The dual-rotary model is advantageous in achieving high brushing efficiency and focusing vibration energy only on the brush head without imparting vibration on the handle. The pumping mechanism and the support structure for the toothpaste tube are similar to that of the sonic model. The brushhead has two rotary bristle elements. Each rotary bristle element has a through hole for mounting on a slit shaft spout attached to the dispensing platform. The two rotary bristle elements are engaged by gear teeth with one driven by the oscillating shaft connected to a motor, which is mounted with a biased wheel for vibration. When the pump actuator is depressed, the dentifrice material is dispensed from the pump head to exit from the two shaft spouts to the top of the two rotary bristle elements.

The dual-rotary brushhead is replaceable. Its attachment on the dispensing platform is accomplished by using a pair of extended arms with each arm having an outward latch at its end. The dispensing platform has recesses to accommodate the insertion of the latch arms. When engaged, the latch on each arm is locked with the opening on each side of the dispensing platform. The detachment of the brushhead is facilitated by using a detachment tool to press on the latches exposed at the side openings of the dispenser platform. With the latches depressed the brushhead can be pulled out from the dispensing platform easily. Furthermore, the dual-rotary brushhead is designed for assembly. Both bristle elements are pre-implanted with bristles and they are front mounted on a support bracket then locked in place by a gear cover. The gear cover is inserted into the slots at the central portion of the support bracket. The support bracket has guide features to allow free rotation of the bristle elements without touching the shaft spouts.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following embodiments and accompanying drawings.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. However, the embodiments are not limited herein. The description of the operation of components is not used for limiting the execution sequence. Conventionally, the drawings are shown only for illustration, in which the components are not represented in their actual size. For better understanding, the sizes of various components can be enlarged or reduced. Same or similar components described hereinafter are denoted by the same or similar reference symbol.

A conventional toothpaste tube is formed (manufactured) by using a section of a cylindrical tube of constant diameter with the top end bonded with an injection molded shoulder having a threaded neck with outlet opening enclosed by a cap. And the opposite or the bottom end is clamped or flattened to seal the tube after filling the tube with dentifrice material. The manufacturing and filling of a toothpaste tube is well known in the art. In a conventional toothbrush tube the upper and a central portion of the toothbrush toward the top end maintains straight profile but the lower portion toward the bottom end has flared profile. The width of the flattened bottom end is half of the circumference length of the top end. Also, in a conventional toothpaste tube the top end is of circular shape. For the applications of the present invention, the top end is of oval shape for function and for fitting into a compact size of the handle of a pump toothbrush. In an oval shape, there are the major width and the minor width as will be described below.

Referring to <FIG>, toothpaste tube <NUM> of the present invention includes shoulder <NUM>, threaded neck <NUM> with outlet opening <NUM>, and collapsible side wall <NUM> with flattened and sealed bottom end <NUM>. Flatten bottom end <NUM> is wider than the maximum width of shoulder <NUM>. Shoulder <NUM> and threaded neck <NUM> is an injection molded plastic part. Preferably the shoulder is of oval-shape for placing inside the handle of a pump toothbrush as will be described in a later section. Oval-shaped shoulder <NUM> has two parallel edges forming minor or short width <NUM> and two rounded edges forming major or long width <NUM>. Sidewall <NUM> is made of non-elastic material such as aluminum foil with thickness and stiffness suitable for collapsing of the sidewall when dentifrice material <NUM> inside the toothpaste tube is drawn out of the tube when a vacuum force is applied at the outlet of the toothpaste tube. Preferably, the thickness of the tube sidewall is about <NUM> for aluminum foil material. Aluminum foil is chosen for collapsibility without spring back to its original shape. A tube sidewall of non-elastic material does not spring back after a vacuum force is released from the tube opening. A toothpaste tube of plastic wall material is not suitable for pump toothbrush applications because a plastic sidewall may rebound after a vacuum force is released from the tube opening.

<FIG> shows a front section view of the sidewalls <NUM> of toothpaste tube <NUM> which is full of dentifrice material <NUM> (in full shape). Under vacuum force <NUM> applied at the outlet opening <NUM> of toothpaste tube <NUM>, the outflow of the dentifrice material results in the collapsing of sidewall as shown in <FIG>, which is under the atmospheric pressure of the environment. Repeated vacuum force (by pumping or dispensing actions by pressing and releasing the resilient button) can further withdraw the dentifrice material from the toothpaste tube with tube sidewall <NUM> sufficiently collapsed in transverse direction <NUM> and blocking the flow channel <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. When mounted in a pump toothbrush, the vacuum force can be created by releasing a pump actuator from a depressed position (for dispensing the dentifrice material) as will be described in a later section.

To prevent total collapsing of the sidewalls and blocking of the flow channel, the central part of the toothpaste tube can be restricted from widening or flattening so as to form a narrow flow channel. <FIG> shows the use of width support bracket <NUM> as width retainer to limit the widening of the original width of tube sidewall <NUM>. Support bracket <NUM> has two fingers with each finger <NUM> having tip <NUM> as a protruding rib that slightly pinches into the respective lateral sidewall <NUM> of the toothpaste tube. The indentations <NUM> on the sidewalls caused by the pinching can facilitate the folding of the toothpaste sidewalls in concave shapes in the normal direction under vacuum force as shown in <FIG>. Further withdrawing the dentifrice material by repeated vacuum force can sufficiently empty the toothpaste tube without blocking the flow channel <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

The collapsibility under vacuum force and prevention of total collapse and blocking of the flow channel can be demonstrated by sucking a toothpaste tube by mouth at the opening to withdraw the dentifrice material and holding the toothpaste tube simultaneously by fingers on the lateral sidewalls. The latter action prevents flattening of the central portion of the toothpaste to allow the flow channel open for the exiting flow of the dentifrice material. Such a width-limiting support bracket can be built in the handle of a pump toothbrush containing a toothpaste tube.

A manual pump toothbrush of this invention includes a pump head, a detachable bristle head, a toothpaste tube and a handle. <FIG> shows an assembled pump toothbrush <NUM> with toothpaste tube <NUM> and bristle head <NUM>. The width of the toothpaste tube is restricted by the width-limiting fingers <NUM> (referring to <FIG>), which are shown in <FIG> shows an explosive view of the pump tootbrush100 with toothpaste tube <NUM> shown in <FIG>. In <FIG> pump head <NUM> comprises side wall <NUM>, pumping chamber <NUM> having opening <NUM> attached with pump actuator <NUM>, inlet connector <NUM>, and dispensing platform <NUM> which has flow channel <NUM> attached with spout <NUM>. Both inlet connector <NUM> and dispensing platform <NUM> are supported by pump head sidewall <NUM>. Inlet connector <NUM> is formed by sidewall <NUM> and valve seat <NUM> with inner threads <NUM> for mounting toothpaste tube <NUM>.

The installing and removing of toothpaste tube <NUM> having an oval-shaped shoulder can be facilitated by using rotatable handle <NUM> shown in <FIG>. As the width of the flattened bottom end <NUM> of toothpaste tube <NUM> being wider than the long width <NUM> of shoulder <NUM> (shown in <FIG>), handle <NUM> of the present invention is tailor designed to accommodate the flared shape of the toothpaste tube with spatial efficiency. As shown in <FIG>, handle <NUM> includes support frame <NUM> and lid <NUM> attached to the support frame for enclosing the toothpaste tube <NUM> with bottom end <NUM> of the handle exposed to the atmosphere of the environment. Support frame <NUM> includes hollow neck <NUM> having circular wall, an oval-shaped shoulder <NUM> having a recess of oval shape for inserting threaded neck <NUM> and oval-shaped shoulder <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) of toothpaste tube <NUM>. Generally the mating of two same non-circular shapes enables the use of the handle as a driver to rotate the toothpaste tube to screw on the pump head.

Lid <NUM> is designed for mating with sidewall of handle frame <NUM> to form a cavity for receiving a full toothpaste tube. Furthermore, the handle has flared bottom end <NUM> to fit flared portion <NUM> of the toothpaste tube. <FIG> shows assembled handle <NUM> of <FIG> enclosing toothpaste tube <NUM>. When toothpaste tube <NUM> is fully inserted inside handle <NUM>, the top end of threads <NUM> of the toothpaste tube is flush with the top end of handle neck <NUM>. Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, after engaging the annular wall of neck <NUM> of the handle with the annular gap in inlet connector <NUM> of the pump head, handle <NUM> can be rotated to screw on the toothpaste tube on valve seat <NUM> of pump head <NUM>.

The present invention uses a slit spout to dispense dentifrice material to a disposable brushhead. A detailed description of the structure and function of a slit spout is given in <CIT>. The slit spout is forced to open by exiting dentifrice material under the pumping pressure when the pump actuator, which is in a form of elastic compressible button, is depressed. The slit spout closes by itself due to the resiliency of the spout material after the elastic button is released. The slit spout is self-closing that prevents backflow of air into the flow channel when a vacuum force is created in the flow channel as a result of the actuator being released from a depressed position.

Referring to <FIG>, the pump toothbrush of <FIG> having toothpaste tube <NUM> attached to valve seat <NUM> and bristle head <NUM> attached to dispensing platform <NUM>. The width of the toothpaste tube is restricted by width-limiting fingers (not shown). When actuator <NUM> is depressed as shown in <FIG>, a pumping force is applied to the dentifrice material <NUM> inside pump chamber <NUM> causing the dentifrice material to exit from dispensing platform <NUM>. As the actuator, which is a rubber button, is released from the depressed position, a vacuum force is created inside the pumping chamber causing check valve <NUM> to open and dentifrice material <NUM> in the toothpaste tube to flow into the pump chamber <NUM>. The outflow of the dentifrice material creates a vacuum force inside the toothpaste tube that results in the depression of the sidewall <NUM> of the toothpaste tube in the normal direction <NUM>, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toothpaste tube. The vacuum force is suction force that pulls the dentifrice material forward in a packed state satisfying the continuity of material condition as the actuator springs back to its original un-depressed position.

Repeated pumping or dispensing actions can withdraw the dentifrice material from the toothpaste tube near empty with the sidewall sufficiently depressed without blocking the flow channel as shown in <FIG>.

The use of a toothpaste tube is applicable to electrical pump toothbrushes. In the afore-mentioned manual pump toothbrush, the detachable handle includes only a toothpaste tube. In a sonic electrical pump toothbrush of the present invention, the handle includes a dentifrice compartment containing the toothpaste cartridge, and an electrical compartment containing a power source and a motor, which imparts vibration of the brushhead attached to the dispensing platform. Here sonic electrical pump toothbrush refers to an electrical pump toothbrush that the brushhead and the dispensing platform vibrate together. The toothpaste tube is fastened to a rotatable encap connector and can be swing out for replacement.

Specifically, <FIG> shows sonic electrical pump toothbrush <NUM> comprises handle <NUM>, vibratory dispensing platform <NUM> having a pair of slit valves <NUM> and brushhead <NUM> having a pair of through hole4 <NUM> mounting on slit valves <NUM>. Handle <NUM> further includes dentifrice compartment <NUM> containing toothpaste tube <NUM> attached to encap connector <NUM> and electrical compartment <NUM> containing battery <NUM>, electrical circuitry <NUM> and other electrical components. Motor <NUM> is pressed in between sidewalls <NUM> and supported by the motor seat <NUM> at the bottom of the motor to ensure that the rotation of the biased wheel <NUM> can effectively impart the vibration of the dispensing platform <NUM> and brushhead <NUM>. In manufacturing the dispensing platform is bonded to the handle by a rubber layer <NUM> around the periphery of the junction. Furthermore, the partition wall <NUM> between the electrical compartment <NUM> and the toothpaste tube compartment <NUM> is inserted with a rubber molding part <NUM> to prevent water getting into the electrical compartment from the toothpaste compartment. These rubber layers can isolate or reduce the vibration on the handle to achieve more comfortable brushing. The function of endcap connector <NUM> will be described in a later section.

<FIG> shows that brushhead <NUM> is detachable for replacement. The fastening mechanism of the detachable brushhead will be described in a later section. Optionally, sonic electrical pump toothbrush <NUM> may use a motor assembly <NUM> having an output shaft <NUM>, such as a magnetic levitation sonic motor, to impart vibration of the dispensing platform <NUM> and brushhead <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Motor assembly <NUM> contains one or more bumpers (not shown) connected to output shaft <NUM>. The output shaft is mounted to vibratory pump head <NUM>, which is bounded to the handle <NUM> by rubber molding <NUM> around the periphery of the junction. The mechanism of the motor assembly comprising bumpers and an output shaft is well known in the art, as described in <CIT>.

In an electrical pump toothbrush of the present invention, a toothpaste tube can be mounted on an endcap connector, as shown in <FIG>, and rotated away from the handle for easy replacement. As shown in <FIG>, which is a side cross-section view of the sonic electrical pump toothbrush <NUM> of <FIG>, toothpaste tube <NUM> is threaded to dome-shaped endcap connector <NUM>, which has orifice <NUM>. Endcap connector <NUM> is attached to the bottom end <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) of valve seat <NUM>. The bottom end has concave hemispheric surface <NUM> forming an interface with convex hemispheric surface <NUM> of the dome-shaped endcap connector <NUM> in rotational intimate contact. Rubber O-ring <NUM> is positioned at the orifice <NUM> of the endcap connector <NUM> for ensuring sealing of the dentifrice material not to leak out of the interface. When the toothpaste tube <NUM> is positioned at its home position as shown in <FIG>. At the home position endcap orifice <NUM> is open and aligned with flow channel <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, endcap connector <NUM> is hinge-supported with grooves <NUM> (also shown as dotted parallel lines on <FIG>) on its outer surface and pins <NUM> (also shown as dotted circle on <FIG>) on the inner surface of the concave hemispheric surface <NUM> at the bottom end of the dispensing platform. The endcap connector can be rotated to swing out toothpaste tube from handle <NUM> for easy replacement as shown in <FIG>. Further shown in <FIG>, the length and angle of grooves <NUM> are designed for fastening the endcap connector and aligning the toothpaste tube at the home position for dispensing the dentifrice material. The home position is also when the toothpaste tube is totally positioned inside the handle. When the endcap connector is rotated to a predetermined wide angle, preferably nearly <NUM> degree from the home position, the endcap connector with the toothpaste tube connected can be dislodged from the bottom end of the dispensing platform as shown in <FIG>. A detached endcap is for ease of cleaning after long use if necessary. Similarly to the pump toothbrush described in <FIG>, the toothpaste tube is supported by width-limiting fingers <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

Nevertheless, a vibrating dispensing platform or a vibrating brush neck for a conventional sonic electrical toothbrush may shock teeth when touched during brushing. A user needs to keep the dispensing platform or the neck away from touching teeth during brushing. To overcome the drawback, an electrical pump toothbrush may use a rotary bristle element to avoid vibration on a dispensing platform.

However, to increase cleaning efficiency, a dual-rotary electrical pump toothbrush is provided in the present invention. <FIG> describes electrical pump toothbrush <NUM> having dual-rotary brushhead assembly <NUM>, which includes two rotary bristle elements <NUM>, <NUM>, and support bracket <NUM>. Dual-rotary brushhead <NUM> is detachable as shown in <FIG>. Its dispensing platform <NUM> is attached with two shaft spouts <NUM>, <NUM> mounted with rotary bristle elements <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. Each shaft spout serves as a shaft for the rotary bristle element mounted, and as a slit valve for dispensing the dentifrice material.

The handle <NUM> includes dentifrice compartment <NUM> containing toothpaste tube <NUM> fastened to endcap <NUM> and electrical compartment <NUM> containing power source <NUM>, motor <NUM> and an oscillation mechanism <NUM> to impart oscillation of the rotary bristle elements. The dispensing action is accomplished by pressing on the actuator <NUM>, which is in the form of rubber button attached to a pump chamber <NUM>. The functions of rubber button <NUM>, pump chamber <NUM>, check valve <NUM>, endcap <NUM> attaching with toothpaste tube are similar to that described in <FIG> for the sonic electrical pump toothbrush. The dual-rotary electrical pump toothbrushes <NUM> uses an oscillation mechanism that comprises motor <NUM>, shaft <NUM> and cam <NUM> for imparting oscillation motion of the rotary bristle element <NUM> without causing vibration of its dispensing platform <NUM>. The practice of using a motor, a shaft and a cam for causing oscillation of a rotary brushhead is well known in the art such as described in <CIT>.

Specifically, first rotary bristle element <NUM> and second rotary bristle element <NUM> are engaged by gear teeth with first bristle element <NUM> oscillated by shaft <NUM>, which is mounted on cam <NUM> driven by biased wheel <NUM> of motor <NUM>. Further shown in <FIG>, first rotary bristle element <NUM> and second rotary bristle element <NUM> are engaged by gear teeth <NUM>, <NUM> , which are molded in base <NUM>, <NUM> of bristle elements <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. The second rotary bristle element is driven by first rotary bristle element in the opposite direction. Furthermore, the positions of both rotary bristle elements are retained by outer guides <NUM>, <NUM> on support bracket <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The outer guides <NUM>, <NUM> engage with circular slots <NUM>, <NUM> on base walls of bristle elements to enable free rotation around shaft spouts <NUM>, <NUM> with sufficient clearance to avoid friction with the shaft spouts. For assembly the gears are covered by gear cover <NUM>, which has two arms <NUM>, <NUM> inserted into the edge slots <NUM>, <NUM> in the central portion of the brush bracket as shown in <FIG>. The assembly of the brushhead will be further described in a later section.

An embodiment of an electrical pump toothbrush of present invention is the fastening mechanism of replaceable brushhead <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, brushhead bracket <NUM> has a pair of extended arms <NUM>, <NUM> with outward latches <NUM>, <NUM> at their ends, respectively. <FIG> show the dual-latch mechanism that the engagement of the latch arms <NUM>, <NUM> with dispensing platform <NUM>, which has recesses <NUM>, <NUM> to accommodate the insertion of the latch arms. When engaged, the latches on both arms are locked with openings <NUM>, <NUM> on both sides of the dispensing platform. The alignment and the insertion of brushhead <NUM> on dispensing platform <NUM> are further shown in <FIG>, in which latch arms <NUM>, <NUM> are aimed to insert into recesses <NUM>, <NUM> for fastening. In manufacturing the latch arms of the support bracket and the side openings of the dispensing platform can be made by injection molding techniques. To facilitate the detachment of the brushhead, a detachment tool may be used to press on the latches exposed at side openings <NUM>, <NUM> of the dispensing platform. With the latches depressed the brushhead can be pulled out from the dispensing platform easily. It is noted here that the fastening mechanism as described above is applicable to the sonic models as shown in <FIG>.

Furthermore, another embodiment of the present invention is a design for assembly of the brushhead. <FIG> shows an explosive view of the parts of dual-rotary brushhead <NUM>. Both bristle elements <NUM>, <NUM> are pre-implanted with bristles. Preferably second bristle element <NUM> has a segment of four gear teeth <NUM> on its base <NUM>. First bristle element <NUM> has a segment of three gear teeth <NUM> and a notch <NUM> under its base <NUM> for accommodating the angled tip <NUM> (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) of the oscillating shaft <NUM>. The size of the gear teeth is determined not to have the outer teeth touch the side walls of the support bracket under the oscillation range, which requires not equal numbers of gear teeth on the two bristle elements. Optionally the gear teeth of the two bristle elements can be two on three, or one on two depending on the gear size chosen. Both bristle elements have outer recesses <NUM>, <NUM> for engaging with guide ribs on the support bracket, respectively. The assembly steps are illustrated in <FIG>. The bristle elements are aligned for front loading on the support bracket. The support bracket has protruding rings <NUM>, <NUM> for locating the through holes <NUM>, <NUM> of the bristle elements. After the bristle elements are seated on top of the locating rings, gear cover <NUM> is inserted into the slots at the central portion of the support bracket to lock the bristle elements in place as shown in <FIG>.

The invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments and applications thereof. However, it is understood that variations, modifications and applications can be effected within the scope of the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A pump toothbrush comprising;
i. a pump head (<NUM>), said pump head including:
a. a pumping chamber (<NUM>) having an opening (<NUM>) attached with an elastic pump actuator (<NUM>),
b. a dispensing platform (<NUM>) extending from said pumping chamber (<NUM>), said dispensing platform (<NUM>) having a flow channel (<NUM>) with an outlet opening attached with a slit spout (<NUM>),
c. a check valve (<NUM>) mounted on a valve seat (<NUM>) in flow communication with said actuator (<NUM>),
ii. a toothpaste tube (<NUM>) containing a dentifrice material, said toothpaste tube (<NUM>) having an outlet opening (<NUM>),
iii. a bristle head (<NUM>) having a base attached with bristles, said base having an opening for inserting with said slit spout to receive the dentifrice material dispensed from said pump head (<NUM>),
characterised in that said pump toothbrush comprises a handle (<NUM>) attached to said pump head (<NUM>), said handle (<NUM>) having sidewalls (<NUM>) and width retainers (<NUM>, <NUM>), and in that said toothpaste tube (<NUM>) has a hollow neck (<NUM>) with external threads, a shoulder (<NUM>), collapsible sidewall (<NUM>) with a sealed bottom end (<NUM>), and said toothpaste tube being enclosed by said sidewalls (<NUM>) and supported by said width retainers (<NUM>, <NUM>) to prevent total collapse of the toothpaste tube sidewall (<NUM>).