Children's combination toothbrush and oral hygiene product dispenser

Abstract

A toothbrush and oral hygiene dispenser being adapted for use by a child. The dispenser provides an easily actuatable activator that, when operated, discharges a predetermined amount of an oral hygiene product from an orifice. The toothbrush may be adapted to automatically lift the toothbrush head off of a support surface. The toothbrush base and a handle on the dispenser may have similar aesthetics so as to provide improved communication to the child.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 118,958, filed Apr. 29, 2005.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a toothbrush and an oral hygiene product dispenser which are adapted for children. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE [0003] The teaching and motivation of toddlers and young children is a subject of much attention in patent and general literature. In particular, numerous writings, devices, techniques, aides, and kits have been proposed to assist children, parents (or other caregivers), or both, with learning and performing oral hygiene tasks. A common challenge for a caregiver is to teach the child to perform a complete oral hygiene task, particularly where the task requires several steps. At the outset, a caregiver will often provide at least some assistance and instruction on how to complete the task. The ultimate goal, however, is for the child to be able to execute the oral hygien...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] An oral hygiene product dispenser having a housing, base, orifice and activator. The housing may store an oral hygiene product. The base may provide vertical supporting for the housing. The oral hygiene product is dispensed through the orifice. The activator may selectively advance the oral hygiene product from the housing to ultimately through the orifice. The orifice may be integral with the base. The orifice may be integral with the housing. The activator may have normal and actuated positions. The actuation force required to move the activator between the normal and actuated positions may be less than about 50 Newtons, more preferably less than about 25 Newtons and most preferably less than about 15 Newtons. The activator may apply a manual force to discharge the oral hygiene product. The activator may initiate an electrically operated dispensing mechanism that applies a force to discharge the oral hygiene product.

[0006] An oral hygiene product dispenser having a housing, base, orifice and activator. The housing may store an oral hygiene product. The base may provide vertical supporting for the housing. The oral hygiene product may be dispensed through the orifice. The activator may selectively advance the oral hygiene product from the housing to ultimately through the orifice. The activator may include a lever having a distal end and a proximal end. The activator may also include a handle which is attached to the proximal end of the lever. The dispenser may also include a disposable pouch for the containment of the oral hygiene product. The dispenser may also include a moveable lid to provide access to

Problems solved by technology

A common challenge for a caregiver is to teach the child to perform a complete oral hygiene task, particularly where the task requires several steps.

Conventional oral hygiene products and methods are overly difficult for a child to use or perform.

Unfortunately, many children are unable to properly or efficiently perform this task, since they are at a stage of physiological development where muscle control and general coordination are limited.

Images