Patent ID: 8088133

Claim:
A device configured for tongue cleaning comprising; a tongue cleaning surface comprising a surface of an elastomeric member which is supported for tongue cleaning by running the surface across and in contact with the tongue in a tongue cleaning direction, a reservoir for a tongue cleaning fluid, means to dispense said fluid either (a) onto the tongue cleaning surface, or (b) directly onto the user's tongue, a cover part, wherein the tongue cleaning surface and cover part are relatively moveable between a first position in which the tongue cleaning surface is exposed for use and a second position in which the tongue cleaning surface is covered by the cover part wherein the tongue cleaning surface comprises a member defining a concavity having a bottom surface and bounded by an upper rim and having a depth direction perpendicular to the tongue cleaning direction, and supported within the concavity at least one ridge adapted to contact the surface of the user's tongue, the at least one ridge having a ridge length direction transverse to the tongue cleaning direction, a ridge thickness in the tongue cleaning direction, and a ridge height perpendicular to the tongue cleaning direction, wherein the at least one ridge has a profile in the ridge length direction which rises away from the bottom surface in a convex curved shape with its highest point adjacent the transverse mid point of the concavity and with a curved concave dip on either lateral side of the highest point, and wherein the height to which the curved convex shape of the profile of the ridge rises above the bottom surface of the concavity is less than the depth of the concavity between the upper rim and the bottom surface in the vicinity of the ridge, the device being constructed in two parts being a first part comprising the tongue cleaning surface, and a second part comprising the cover part, and the first and second parts are relatively moveable so that in the second position the cover part covers the tongue cleaning surface, the tongue cleaning surface and the cover part both comprise surfaces which in the second position are in a facing relationship with each other and in close proximity, the first and second parts being pivotally movable relative to each other so that in the second position the cover part covers the tongue cleaning surface by means of a pivotal connector that allows such pivoting movement, the second part incorporating a reservoir of the tongue cleaning fluid, with a pump means to pump the fluid from the reservoir to a dispensing orifice from which the fluid may be dispensed, and a conduit to convey fluid from said reservoir in said second part to said tongue cleaning surface passing through said pivotal connector.