Oral treatment device

Abstract

An oral treatment device for dispensing an oral treatment composition onto the teeth of a user. The oral treatment device may include a storage and delivery component and an applicator component. The storage and delivery component may include a body having a reservoir, a frangible capsule containing the oral treatment composition located in the reservoir, and a delivery member. The applicator component may include a cushion portion formed of a liquid absorbent material. The applicator component may change between the following states: an attached state, in which the delivery member is fluidly coupled to the cushion portion; and a detached state, in which the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component and can be placed in contact with the teeth of the user. The frangible capsule can be in a sealed state until broken by the user, and when broken, the oral treatment composition can flow into the cushion portion of the applicator component.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Toothpaste and mouthwash are common oral hygiene products used daily, but they usually stay in the user's mouth for only a short time and are rinsed off after brushing or rinsing. Formulators have tried to develop toothpaste and mouthwashes in which the active ingredients will stay in the mouth for a longer time. However, if the user shortens the time of brushing or rinsing, this effect may be easily affected. In addition, brushing and rinsing are usually only done in a home environment because people are reluctant to use toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes and mouthwash as part of their daily activities. There is a need for devices and methods for conveniently cleaning or otherwise treating teeth in a convenient and independent manner so that the active ingredients stay in the mouth for a longer time. Summary of the invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an oral treatment device for dispensing an oral treatment composition onto the teeth of a user. The oral treatment device may include a storage and delivery component and an applicator component. The storage and delivery component may include a body having a reservoir, a frangible capsule containing the oral treatment composition located in the reservoir, and a delivery member. The applicator component may include a cushion portion formed of a liquid absorbent material. The applicator component may change between the following states: an attached state, in which the delivery member is fluidly connected to the cushion portion; and a detached state, in which the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component and can be placed in contact with the teeth of the user. The frangible capsule may be in a sealed state until broken by the user, and when broken, the oral treatment composition can flow into the cushion portion of the applicator component.

[0003] In one aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment device comprising: a storage and delivery component, comprising: a body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; at least one delivery member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the delivery member; an applicator component including a cushion portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the applicator component being changeable between: (1) an attached state, wherein the second end of the delivery member is fluidly connected to the cushion portion; and (2) a detached state, wherein the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component for application to the user's teeth; and wherein application of force to the reservoir ruptures the frangible barrier, thereby enabling the oral treatment composition to flow through the at least one delivery member to the cushion portion of the applicator component.

[0004] In another aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment device comprising: a storage and delivery component, comprising: a main body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; a capillary member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the capillary member; and an applicator component including a cushion portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the applicator component being changeable between: (1) an attached state, wherein the second end of the capillary member is in contact with the cushion portion; and (2) a detached state, wherein the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component for application to the user's teeth; and wherein the frangible barrier is changeable from a sealed state to an unsealed state, and wherein in the unsealed state, the oral treatment composition flows from the reservoir to the cushion portion of the applicator component through the capillary member due to capillary action.

[0005] In yet another aspect, the present invention may be an oral treatment device comprising: a storage and delivery component comprising: a main body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; a capillary member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly connected to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the capillary member; and an applicator component comprising a pad portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the second end of the capillary member being in contact with the pad portion of the applicator component; and wherein when the frangible barrier is broken, the oral treatment composition flows from the reservoir to the pad portion of the applicator component through the capillary member due to capillary action.

[0006] In another aspect, the present invention may be a method for treating teeth, comprising: rupturing a barrier within a reservoir of a storage and delivery component of an oral treatment device to allow an oral treatment composition to flow from the reservoir to a liquid-absorbing material of an applicator component via capillary action through capillaries of the storage and delivery component, the applicator component being connected to the storage and delivery component; separating the applicator component from the storage and delivery component; and placing the liquid-absorbing material of the applicator in contact with one or more teeth to dispense the oral treatment composition onto the one or more teeth.

[0007] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an oral treatment device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, the oral treatment device comprising a storage and delivery component and an applicator component in an attached state;

[0010] Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view taken along line II-II;

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of an oral treatment device of , wherein a force or pressure is applied to a reservoir of a storage and delivery component to release an oral treatment composition from a breakable capsule located in the reservoir;

[0012] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of ;

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of an oral treatment device of claim 1 wherein an oral treatment composition has traveled from a reservoir to an applicator member;

[0014] Figure 6 It is along Figure 5 A cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of ;

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of an oral treatment device of , showing an applicator component separated from a storage and delivery component;

[0016] Fig. 8A and 8B An applicator member is shown placed in contact with the teeth of a user;

[0017] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an oral treatment device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, the oral treatment device comprising a storage and delivery component and an applicator component in an attached state; and

[0018] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 A perspective view of an oral treatment device of showing an applicator component separated from a storage and delivery component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0020] The description of exemplary embodiments according to the principles of the present invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered as part of the entire written description. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is intended only for convenience of description and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. Relative terms such as "lower", "upper", "horizontal", "vertical", "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "top" and "bottom" and their derivatives (e.g., "horizontally", "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) should be understood as referring to the orientation shown in the drawings described later or in the discussion. These relative terms are only for convenience of description and do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a specific orientation unless explicitly indicated. Terms such as "attachment", "attachment", "connection", "connection", "interconnection" and similar terms refer to a relationship in which structures are fixed or attached to each other or directly or indirectly through an intermediate structure, and a movable or rigid attachment or relationship between the two, unless otherwise explicitly described as not being the case. In addition, reference is made to exemplary embodiments to illustrate the features and beneficial effects of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should obviously not be limited to such exemplary embodiments that illustrate some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other feature combinations; the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0021] First reference Figure 1 and 2 , shows an oral treatment device 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The oral treatment device 1000 generally includes a storage and delivery component 100 and an applicator component 200 that are detachably connected together. Therefore, the applicator component 200 can be first connected to the storage and delivery component 100 and then used to treat teeth. During use in treating teeth, the applicator component 200 can be separated from the storage and delivery component 100 so that it can be placed in the user's oral cavity and contact the surface of the user's teeth (or any other area in the oral cavity) for treatment. Before the applicator component 200 is separated from the storage and delivery component 100, the oral treatment composition (or active agent) is allowed to flow from the storage and delivery component 100 to the applicator component 200, and the oral treatment composition is stored in the storage and delivery component before being put into use, and can be distributed to the user's teeth in the applicator component.

[0022] The storage and delivery component 100 generally includes: a body 110 including a reservoir 111, a breakable capsule 130 containing an oral treatment composition 131, and at least one delivery member 150. Each of these parts of the storage and delivery component 100 will be described in turn below. However, it should be generally understood that the storage and delivery component 100 contains or otherwise stores the oral treatment composition until the oral treatment composition is ready for use. Therefore, the oral treatment composition remains stored in the storage and delivery component 100 until the user decides to use the oral treatment device 1000, at which time the oral treatment composition is allowed or forced to flow to the applicator component 200, as described herein.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, the body 110 includes a first portion 112 and a second portion 113. In some embodiments, the first portion 112 is a plate-like member that can be formed of a rigid material such as hard plastic. The second portion 113 can be formed of an elastic material and can define a reservoir 111 of the body 110. The elastic material of the second portion 113 can be an elastic material, a thermoplastic elastomer, a rubber, or any other material that can be bent or compressed and / or stretched during normal use. In other embodiments, the second portion 113 can be formed of a thinner plastic material that can be bent or squeezed by the user. In any case, the second portion 113 of the body 110 should be extrudable, compressible, etc. to compress the reservoir 111 for dispensing the oral treatment composition 131, as described herein.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the second portion 113 completely forms the reservoir 111, so that the second portion 113 itself defines the cavity forming the reservoir 111. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the more resilient material of the second portion 113 defines the entire reservoir 111. However, the present invention is not limited to this in all embodiments, and in some alternative embodiments, the second portion 113 and the first portion 112 may jointly define the reservoir 111. For example, the first portion 112 may define the floor of the reservoir 111, while the second portion 113 forms the sidewalls and top boundary of the reservoir 111 (i.e., the second portion 113 may be a dome-shaped portion coupled to the first portion 112). Thus, variations of what is depicted in the drawings are possible within the scope of the invention described herein.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the body 110 has a particular shape, but is not intended to be so limited in any way. Specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, the body 110 has a circular section and an outwardly tapered section extending from the circular section. The circular section includes the reservoir 111, and the delivery member 150 is positioned along the outwardly tapered section. However, in other embodiments, the body 110 can be square, triangular, circular, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, the body 110 includes an end surface 114, which is the end of the outwardly tapered section. In an exemplary embodiment, the end surface 114 is a flat edge of the body 110, and when the applicator component 200 is attached to the storage and delivery component 100, the applicator component 200 is positioned adjacent to this end surface 114, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 and 2 shown.

[0026] The breakable capsule 130 is positioned within the reservoir 111 of the body 110, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 Specifically, in the exemplary embodiment, the frangible capsule 130 is completely enclosed within the reservoir 111, such that no portion of the frangible capsule 130 is exposed. The frangible capsule 130 completely retains the oral treatment composition 131 therein when in a sealed state, such as Figure 2 As further described below, the frangible capsule 130 can be changed to an unsealed state, which allows the oral treatment composition 131 to flow out of the frangible capsule 130 and into the reservoir 111.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the frangible capsule 130 may be made of any material such that the frangible capsule 130 remains sealed until a force or pressure is applied thereto that causes the frangible capsule 130 to rupture. Specifically, applying a sufficient amount of force or pressure to the frangible capsule 130 will cause the frangible seal 132 of the frangible capsule 130 to rupture so that the oral treatment composition 131 can flow therefrom. In an exemplary embodiment, the frangible seal 132 is located at the end of the frangible capsule 130, but it may be located at any other location along the frangible capsule 130 as long as sufficient pressure applied to the frangible capsule causes the frangible seal 132 to rupture. Thus, the frangible seal 132 may be located at opposite ends of the frangible capsule 130 or at any location between the ends of the frangible capsule 130. The frangible seal 132 may be a pre-thinned area of ​​the frangible capsule 130, i.e., an area where the frangible capsule 130 is bonded (e.g., by adhesive, welding, or a similar process) to form a closed structure, or a portion of the frangible capsule 130 that is formed of a material that is weaker than the material of the rest of the frangible capsule 130 so that pressure can cause the frangible seal 132 to rupture, as described herein. In various embodiments, the frangible capsule 130 may be formed of plastic, synthetic plastic, glass, rubber, elastomer, etc., or combinations thereof.

[0028] As mentioned above, the breakable capsule 130 contains an oral treatment composition 131, which may also be referred to herein as an active agent (or the oral treatment composition 131 may include an active agent). In an exemplary embodiment, the oral treatment composition 131 is a less viscous liquid to permit it to flow to the applicator component 200 via capillary action, as described below. The oral treatment composition 131 can be any composition required to treat various conditions affecting the teeth and oral cavity and / or a composition that improves the appearance of the user's teeth. For example, the oral treatment composition 131 can be a tooth whitening composition (e.g., a tooth whitening composition containing peroxide), a tooth enamel strengthening composition, an anti-sensitivity composition, a gum soothing or healing composition, a breath freshening composition, and the like. Other contemplated oral treatment compositions 131 include, for example, but are not limited to: antimicrobial agents; oxidants or whitening agents; enamel strengtheners or repairers; tooth erosion inhibitors; tooth sensitivity ingredients; gum health actives; nutritional ingredients; tartar control or anti-staining ingredients; enzymes; sensory ingredients; flavors or flavor ingredients; breath freshening ingredients; halitosis reduction agents; anti-attachment agents or sealants; diagnostic solutions; occlusive agents, dry mouth relief ingredients; catalysts that enhance the activity of any of these agents; colorants or cosmetic ingredients; and combinations thereof. Any agent that may provide a benefit to the user's teeth and / or other oral surfaces may form the oral treatment composition.

[0029] The breakable capsule 130 can be in a sealed state ( Figure 2 ) and unsealed state ( Figure 4 ) and will be referred to below Figure 3 and 4 The manner in which this is accomplished is described in greater detail below. However, it should be understood that in the sealed state, the oral treatment composition 131 is completely within the frangible capsule 130, and in the unsealed state, the oral treatment capsule 131 flows out of the frangible capsule 130 and into the reservoir 111, from the reservoir 111 into the delivery member 150, and through the delivery member 150 into the applicator component 200. Figure 3 and 4 This flow of the oral treatment composition 131 is described in more detail. In the sealed state, the frangible capsule 130 is a sealed capsule so that the oral treatment composition 131 stored therein cannot leak. Only when the frangible capsule 130 or its sealing portion is broken, the oral treatment material 131 can flow to the applicator member 200.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the size and / or volume of the frangible capsule 130 is smaller than the size and / or volume of the reservoir 111. Therefore, when the frangible capsule 130 is positioned in the reservoir 111 of the body 110, there is still an air gap 115 in the reservoir 111. Specifically, when the frangible capsule 130 is in the Figure 2In the depicted sealed state, the air gap 115 is a portion of the reservoir 111 that is free of the frangible capsule 130 and the oral treatment composition 131. In other words, in the exemplary embodiment, when the frangible capsule 130 is in the sealed state, it does not occupy the entire volume of the reservoir 111. In other embodiments, the frangible capsule 130 may occupy the entire volume of the reservoir 111, but this will require adjusting the positioning of the delivery member 150. Moreover, in some embodiments, it is possible to omit the frangible capsule 130 and store the oral treatment composition 131 directly in the reservoir 111. In such embodiments, the reservoir 111 itself will have a frangible or breakable seal to prevent and permit the oral treatment composition 131 to flow to the applicator member 200.

[0031] Finally, the storage and delivery component 100 includes a delivery member 150, which is the portion of the storage and delivery component 100 that delivers the oral treatment composition to the applicator component 200. In some embodiments, the delivery member 150 can be a capillary member so that it can deliver the oral treatment composition from the reservoir 111 to the applicator component 200 via capillary action. In an exemplary embodiment, there are two delivery members 150. However, in other embodiments, there may be only one delivery member 150, while in other embodiments, there may be more than two delivery members 150. The more delivery members there are, the faster the oral treatment composition 131 may move from the reservoir 111 to the applicator component 200 once the frangible capsule 130 is ruptured or otherwise broken open.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the delivery member 150 includes a first tube 151 and a second tube 152 (as mentioned, there are two delivery members 150, so one of the delivery members 150 includes the first tube 151 and the other of the delivery members 150 includes the second tube 152). In some embodiments, the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 can be considered a first delivery member and a second delivery member. In embodiments in which the delivery member 150 is intended to transport the oral treatment composition 131 from the reservoir 111 to the applicator component 200 by capillary action, the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 can have a cross-section that is configured to force the oral treatment composition 131 to flow therethrough by capillary action when the frangible capsule 130 changes from a sealed state to an unsealed state. A fluid such as the oral treatment composition 131 can flow via capillary action by a combination of surface tension (caused by cohesive forces within the fluid) used to drive the fluid and adhesion between the fluid and the inner walls of the first tube 151 and the second tube 152. Therefore, if the cross-section of the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 (and more specifically the channels of the tubes) is small enough and the cohesion of the oral treatment composition 150 is sufficient, the oral treatment composition 150 will be able to passively flow from the reservoir 111 to the applicator part 200 without user assistance and without gravity.

[0033] In an alternative embodiment, the delivery member 150 may be formed of a porous material to enable capillary flow of the oral treatment composition 150. Such porous materials may be foam materials, cellulose materials or paper-based materials, ceramic materials, etc. In other embodiments, capillary flow is not required, and the user may squeeze the reservoir 111 until a sufficient amount of the oral treatment composition 131 has moved from the reservoir 111 to the applicator part 200. However, in some embodiments, capillary flow may be desired because it enables the user to pay attention to other needs while waiting for the oral treatment composition 131 to passively flow from the reservoir 111 to the applicator part 200.

[0034] With reference to an exemplary embodiment, the first tube 151 will be described in more detail. It should be understood that the second tube 152 has the same configuration, and thus the description of the first tube 151 is equally applicable to the second tube 152, although there is no disclosure specifically directed to the second tube 152. In addition, in some embodiments, there may be only one delivery member 150 or one tube 151, such that the second tube 152 may be omitted.

[0035] The first tube 151 includes a first end 153 and a second end 154. There are openings in the first end 153 and the second end 154 and in a passage 155 extending between the first end 153 and the second end 154. A first portion 156 of the first tube 151 including the first end 153 protrudes into the reservoir 111 and is located within the reservoir, and more specifically, within the air gap 115 of the reservoir 111. Therefore, once the first end 153 of the first tube 151 is dispersed with the breakable capsule 130, it is open to the oral treatment composition 111 and is fluidly coupled to the oral treatment composition. A second portion 157 of the first tube 151 including the second end 154 protrudes from the end surface 114 of the body 110 of the storage and delivery component 100. In addition, the second portion 157 of the first tube 151 is fluidly coupled to the applicator component 200. The details of the fluid coupling between the first tube 151 and the applicator component 200 will be described in more detail below.

[0036] The third portion 158 of the first tube 151, located between the first portion 156 and the second portion 157, is positioned along the body 110 of the storage and delivery component 100. The third portion 158 of the first tube 151 does not include either the first end 153 or the second end 154 of the first tube 151. In an exemplary embodiment, the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 is sandwiched between the first portion 112 and the second portion 113 of the body 110. In other embodiments, the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 may be embedded only within the first portion 112 of the body 110 or only within the second portion 113 of the body 110. Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment, no portion of the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 is exposed. By embedding the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 within the body 110, the first tube 151 is effectively coupled to the body 110. This ensures that the first tube 151 remains in position with the first end 153 located in the reservoir 111 and the second end 154 fluidly coupled to the applicator component 200 .

[0037] Of course, in some alternative embodiments, portions of the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 may be exposed and may not be embedded in the body 110. For example, the second portion 113 of the body 110 may cover a portion of the third portion 158 of the first tube 151, but not all of it. Alternatively, the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 may be coupled to the body 110 in other ways, such as using adhesives, melt connections, staples, fasteners, etc. In such embodiments, the third portion 158 of the first tube 151 may be completely exposed along its length. In some embodiments, the fact that only the first portion 156 of the first tube 151 is located within the reservoir 111 may be sufficient to couple the first tube 151 (i.e., the delivery member 150) to the body 110. Regardless of how it is achieved, the delivery member 150 (i.e., the first tube 151 and / or the second tube 152) should be coupled to the body 110 to form the storage and delivery component 100 of the oral treatment device 1000.

[0038] Still refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the applicator member 200 includes a pad portion 210 and a bite piece 250. The pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 is preferably formed of a liquid-absorbing material, which may include a porous material, a foam material including soft foam and / or hard foam, a fibrous material, a ceramic, a sponge-like material, cotton, activated carbon, etc. In some embodiments, regardless of the specific material used, the pad portion 210 should be flexible so that it can be bent to fit the surface of the user's teeth, which surfaces are curved. In an exemplary embodiment, the major surface of the pad portion 210 is flat or planar, and therefore such bending thereof is desirable to ensure that it can fit the user's teeth during use. In other embodiments, the pad portion 210, or at least the surface thereof that is intended to contact the user's teeth, can be curved in an unbiased state so that the bending or curvature of the pad portion 210 does not need to fit the tooth surface.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 includes a front surface 211 and a rear surface 212 opposite the front surface 211. The pad portion 210 can be formed entirely of a capillary material so that it can absorb a liquid, such as the oral treatment composition 131 described herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 is placed adjacent to the end surface 114 of the body 110 of the storage and delivery member 100 without being physically coupled to the body 110. More specifically, in an exemplary embodiment, the rear surface 212 of the pad portion 210 abuts against the end surface 114 of the body 110. Although the applicator member 200 is not physically coupled to the body 110, the applicator member 200 is physically coupled to the delivery member 150, thereby coupling the applicator member 200 to the storage and delivery member 100. Of course, in other embodiments, the applicator component 200 may be physically detachably coupled to the body 110 instead of or in addition to being coupled to the delivery member 150, with reference to FIG. Fig. 9 and 10 An example of the connection is described.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the second portion 157 of the first tube 151 of the delivery member 150 protruding from the end surface 114 of the body 110 of the storage and delivery member 100 is embedded in the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200, located between the front surface 211 and the rear surface 212 of the cushion portion 210. Therefore, the second end 154 of the first tube 151 is located between the front surface 211 and the rear surface 212 of the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200. The present invention is not so limited in all embodiments. Specifically, in other embodiments, the second end 154 of the first tube 151 only needs to be fluidically coupled to the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200 so that the oral treatment composition 131 can flow through the first tube 151 to the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200. Thus, in some embodiments, the second end 154 of the first tube 151 may be pressed against the rear surface 212 (or any other exterior surface) of the cushion portion 210 of the applicator component 200 rather than being embedded within the cushion portion 210 .

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, embedding the second portion 157 of the first tube 151 in the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200 detachably couples the applicator member 200 to the storage and delivery member 100. Therefore, in embodiments in which the second portion 157 of the first tube 151 is not embedded within the cushion portion 210 of the applicator member 200, other structures may be included to achieve a detachable coupling between the applicator member 200 and the storage and delivery member 100. Fig. 9 and 10 One such embodiment is described. Figure 1 and 2 The applicator component 200 is shown in an attached state, which has been described above, wherein the second end 154 of the first tube 151 of the delivery member 150 is fluidly coupled to the pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200. The applicator component 200 can be changed from the attached state to a detached state, wherein the applicator component 200 is detached and separated from the storage and delivery component 100, which will be referred to in detail. Figure 7 Give a description.

[0042] The bite piece 250 of the applicator member 200 protrudes from the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200. In an exemplary embodiment, the bite piece 250 is formed integrally with the pad portion 210 from a liquid absorbing material. However, the present invention is not limited thereto in all embodiments, and the bite piece 250 may be a rigid material such as plastic, metal, etc., embedded in the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 and protruding from the front surface.

[0043] The bite piece 250 is a flat member extending from the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 so that it can be sandwiched between the occlusal surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. In an exemplary embodiment, the bite piece 250 is a single structure protruding from the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210. In other embodiments, the bite piece 250 may include a plurality of structures protruding from the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 in a spaced-apart manner. In an exemplary embodiment, when the applicator member 200 is used to dispense the oral treatment composition 131 onto the teeth, the bite piece 250 is bitten to hold the applicator member 200 in place. Of course, the present invention is not limited to this in all embodiments. In some alternative embodiments, the bite piece 250 may be omitted. In such embodiments, the applicator member 200 may be held in place by being placed between the inner lips of the user and the superficial surface of the teeth. In other embodiments, the applicator member 200 may include a liquid activated adhesive coating on the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210. In such embodiments, when the oral treatment composition 131 is absorbed by the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200, it activates the liquid-activated adhesive coating to make it sticky. Thus, when the applicator member 200 is placed in the oral cavity, the adhesive coating will adhere to the user's teeth during use. The user can also wet the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 to activate the liquid-activated adhesive coating.

[0044] In other embodiments, the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 may be coated with certain waterproof compositions on one or more of its outer surfaces. However, in such embodiments, it may be preferred to leave the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210, which is configured to contact the superficial surface of the teeth during use, uncoated so as to allow the active agent of the oral treatment composition 131 to be released from the front surface 211. This may be desirable in certain situations depending on the material of the oral treatment composition 131. For example, if the oral treatment composition 131 is fluoride for caries prevention intended for application only to tooth enamel, it may be desirable to coat each surface of the pad portion 210 except the front surface 211 with a waterproof composition so that the oral treatment composition 131 is dispensed only from the front surface 211. Similarly, if the oral treatment composition 131 is a whitening agent for teeth whitening, such an agent may irritate or cause gum pain in some people. Therefore, coating the outer surface of the cushion portion 210 other than the front surface 211 with a waterproof material or composition can effectively prevent the whitening agent from contacting the inner surface of the gums and / or lips, which can prevent such irritation or pain.

[0045] The pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200 can have any of a variety of different sizes. For example, in one embodiment, the pad portion 210 can be configured to contact the surface surface of the upper teeth or the lower teeth, but not the surface surface of the upper teeth and the lower teeth at the same time. In other embodiments, the pad portion 210 can be configured to contact the surface surface of the upper teeth and the lower teeth at the same time. Therefore, the size of the pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200 can be adjusted accordingly according to the desired end use.

[0046] Having described the structure of the oral treatment device 1000, reference will now be made to Figure 3-8B Describe its function and purpose. Figure 3 and 4 , an oral treatment device 1000 is shown with a force F applied to the exterior of the body 110 defining the reservoir 111. As shown, when sufficient force F is applied to the body 110, the frangible seal 132 of the frangible capsule 130 will break or rupture, thereby allowing the oral treatment composition 131 to flow out of the confines of the frangible capsule 130 and into what was previously the air gap 115 of the reservoir 111. When the frangible capsule 130 breaks, the oral treatment composition 131 will immediately flow to fill the previously empty space of the reservoir 111.

[0047] In some embodiments, once the frangible capsule 130 is broken or ruptured, the user can release the force F and the oral treatment composition 131 will continue to flow on its flow path toward the applicator member 200. Specifically, in some embodiments, even if the force F is not continued to be applied, once the frangible capsule 130 is ruptured, the oral treatment composition 131 will flow into and through the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 (i.e., the delivery member 150) until it is absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200. In such embodiments, the flow of the oral treatment composition 131 from the reservoir 111 to the applicator member 200 is achieved by capillary action, which, as described above, is a passive flow that can be achieved by a combination of the surface tension of the oral treatment composition 131 and the adhesion between the oral treatment composition 131 and the inner wall of the first tube 151 and / or the second tube 152 (i.e., the delivery member 150). In other embodiments, the user may continue to apply force F (or a lesser or greater force) to the body 110 or reservoir 111 to force the oral treatment composition 131 to flow through the delivery member 150 to the applicator component 200 .

[0048] like Figure 3 and 4 As shown, the frangible capsule 130 has been broken or ruptured, and the oral treatment composition 131 has flowed through the first tube 151 (ie, the delivery member 150 ) and into the liquid absorbing material of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 .

[0049] Although described herein as a frangible capsule 130, the present invention is not limited thereto in all embodiments. In some embodiments, there may be a frangible barrier that, when intact, separates the oral treatment composition 131 in the reservoir 111 from the first end 153 of the delivery member 150. When the frangible barrier is broken, the oral treatment composition 131 in the reservoir 111 can flow freely to the first end 153 of the delivery member 150. Therefore, rather than having a separate capsule in the reservoir 111 containing the oral treatment composition 131, the oral treatment composition 131 can simply be located in the reservoir 111, and the frangible barrier prevents the oral treatment composition 131 from being fluidically coupled to the delivery member 150. In other words, the reservoir 111 can be divided into a first portion and a second portion by a frangible barrier. In such embodiments, the first portion of the reservoir 111 contains the oral treatment composition 131, and as long as the frangible barrier is intact and not broken (i.e., sealed), the second portion of the reservoir 111 (i.e., the air gap 115) does not contain any oral treatment composition 131. When the frangible barrier is breached, oral treatment composition 131 flows into the second portion of the reservoir (ie, air gap 115 ) and then into delivery member 150 .

[0050] refer to Figure 5and 6 , the oral treatment composition 131 has been exhausted from the reservoir 111 of the main body 110 of the storage and delivery component 100. Therefore, the entire contents of the frangible capsule 130, i.e., all the oral treatment composition 131 previously contained therein, have moved to and been absorbed by the liquid-absorbing material of the pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200. This can be achieved by passive capillary action, user squeezing action, or a combination of the two in various embodiments. In any case, once the oral treatment composition 131 has been absorbed by the pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200, the applicator component 200 is ready for treating the user's teeth or other oral surfaces. Of course, it should be understood that in some embodiments, a portion of the oral treatment composition 131 may remain in the reservoir 111 and / or the delivery member 150, but a sufficient amount of the oral treatment composition 131 will be absorbed by the pad portion 210 of the applicator component 200.

[0051] In some embodiments, once the oral treatment composition 131 has been absorbed (completely or mostly) by the liquid-absorbing material of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200, the applicator member 200 can be placed in the user's oral cavity as described herein. Specifically, in some embodiments, it is not necessary to separate the applicator member 200 from the storage and delivery member 100 to place the applicator member 200 in the oral cavity. Therefore, while the applicator member 200 remains attached to the storage and delivery member 100, the applicator member can be placed in the user's oral cavity. However, this may be a cumbersome task and, for example, may prevent the user from making the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 fully fit the surface surface of the tooth. That is, as described above, in exemplary embodiments, the applicator member 200 is separable from the storage and delivery member 100, and therefore it can be separated in this way so as to apply or distribute the oral treatment composition 131 to the user's teeth or other oral surfaces. In some embodiments, the applicator member 200 may not be separated from the storage and delivery member.

[0052] refer to Figure 7, the applicator component 200 is shown in a detached state, wherein the applicator component 200 is separated from the storage and delivery component 100. To achieve the detached state, the applicator component 200 and the storage and delivery component 100 are simply pulled in relative directions (or one of the applicator and the storage and delivery components 100, 200 is pulled relative to the other) until the delivery member 150 (i.e., the first tube 151 and the second tube 152) are removed from the interior of the applicator component 200. As previously described, in some embodiments, positioning the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 within the applicator component 200 may be the only factor that couples the applicator component 200 to the storage and delivery component 100. Therefore, once the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 are removed and separated from the applicator component 200, the applicator component 200 is no longer attached to the storage and delivery component 100 in any way.

[0053] With the applicator member 200 separated from the storage and delivery member 100, portions of the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 protruding from the end surface 114 of the body 110 become visible, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 It is these portions of the first tube 151 and the second tube 152 (see, for example, the portion labeled 157 ) that facilitate the coupling between the applicator component 200 and the storage and delivery component 100 when the two components are attached.

[0054] Once the applicator member 200 is separated from the storage and delivery member 100, the applicator member 200 is ready to be placed inside the user's oral cavity to provide treatment thereto. No longer hindered by the structure of the storage and delivery member 100, the applicator member 200 can now be bent, curved, etc. to conform to any surface in the oral cavity that is desired to be treated (such as, but not limited to, the superficial surface of the teeth). In some embodiments, the applicator member 200 can be positioned entirely within the oral cavity.

[0055] refer to Fig. 8A and 8B , depicting placement of the applicator member 200 into the oral cavity of a user. Fig. 8A In the intended positioning of the applicator member 200, the user's mouth is open. The front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 faces the user's oral cavity. In this embodiment, the bite piece 250 protrudes from the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 and is ready to be received in the space between the upper and lower teeth.

[0056] exist Figure 8B, the applicator member 200 has been placed in the proper position within the oral cavity. The bite piece 250 is positioned between the biting surfaces of the upper and lower teeth so that the user can bite the bite piece 250 to hold the applicator member 200 in place. Of course, as mentioned above in other embodiments, the bite piece 250 can be omitted, and other techniques for holding the applicator member 200 in place can be used. For example, the applicator member 200 can have an adhesive surface that holds it in place, or the applicator member 200 can be cleverly located in the space between the inner surface of the lips and the teeth, or the applicator member 200 can include features on its opposing side surfaces that grasp or otherwise interact with the posterior teeth to hold the applicator member in place. Basically, there are many ways to ensure that the applicator member 200 remains in place once it is placed inside the oral cavity.

[0057] like Figure 8B As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the applicator member 200 is positioned so that the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 contacts the surface surface of the user's teeth. Since the pad portion 210 is formed of a liquid-absorbing material, the pressure applied thereto due to the pad portion 210 being squeezed between the lips and the teeth causes the oral treatment composition 131 retained therein to be distributed onto the surface surface of the teeth. Even without the application of such pressure, the mere contact between the front surface 211 of the pad portion 210 of the applicator member 200 and the surface surface of the teeth will impart benefits to the teeth, the benefits depending on the specific type of composition applied. Although in an exemplary embodiment, the pad portion 210 contacts only the surface surface of the teeth, in other embodiments, the pad portion can be bent and / or flexed to wrap around the teeth to cover the surface, occlusal and / or distal surfaces of the teeth (or any one or both of these surfaces).

[0058] Reference now Fig. 9 and 10 , an alternative embodiment of an oral treatment device 2000 will be described according to an embodiment of the present invention. The oral treatment device 2000 includes a storage and delivery component 300 and an applicator component 400 that are detachably coupled together. Specifically, in Fig. 9 In the embodiment, the storage and delivery component 300 and the applicator component 400 are attached, and in Fig.10 , the applicator component 400 has been separated from the storage and delivery component 300.

[0059] The storage and delivery component 300 is the same as the storage and delivery component 100 described above, except for the differences described herein. Specifically, the storage and delivery component 300 includes a body 310 that is the same as the body 110 of the storage and delivery component 100, except that the body 310 of the storage and delivery component 300 includes a connecting element 390 for physically connecting the body 310 to the applicator component 400. In an exemplary embodiment, the connecting element 390 includes a first protrusion 391 and a second protrusion 392 that protrude from opposite ends of the end surface 314 of the body 310. The first protrusion 391 and the second protrusion 392 are configured to engage, mate, or otherwise interact with the connecting element of the applicator component 400 to facilitate coupling therebetween.

[0060] In this regard, in this embodiment, the applicator member 400 includes a cushion portion 410 and a connecting portion 460. The cushion portion 410 includes a front surface 411 and a rear surface 412, and there is a bite piece 450 protruding from the front surface 411. The connecting portion 460 includes a plate member 461 coupled to the rear surface 412 of the cushion portion 410 and a connecting element 462 protruding from the plate member 461. In some embodiments, the connecting portion 460 may be formed of a rigid material, such as hard plastic, metal, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto in all embodiments.

[0061] In the exemplary embodiment, there are a plurality of apertures 419 formed through the plate member 461. These are present to enable the first and second tubes 351, 352 (delivery member 350) to extend through the plate member 461 to contact the pad portion 410 of the applicator component 400 so that the oral treatment composition can flow to the pad portion 410 as described above.

[0062] In this embodiment, the connecting element 462 includes a first tab 463 extending from a first side of the plate member 461 and a second tab 464 extending from a second side of the plate member 461. In the exemplary embodiment, the first tab 463 includes a first aperture 465, and the second tab 464 includes a second aperture 466. When the applicator component 400 is coupled to the storage and delivery component 100, the protrusions 391, 392 of the body 310 of the storage and delivery component 300 are located within the apertures 465, 466 of the first tab 463 and the second tab 464, respectively, as shown in FIG. Fig. 9As shown. This interaction physically couples the applicator component 400 to the storage and delivery component 300. Thus, when the applicator component 400 is attached to the storage and delivery component 300, the tubes 351, 352 extend through the apertures 419 to fluidly couple to the cushion portion 410, and the first and second protrusions 391, 392 cooperate with the first and second tabs 463, 464 to create a physical connection between the applicator component 400 and the body 310 of the storage and delivery component 300. To separate the applicator component 400 from the storage and delivery component 300, the first and second tabs 463, 464 can be bent outwardly, and then the applicator component 400 is pulled away from the storage and delivery component 300 (in some embodiments, pulling the applicator component 400 away from the storage and delivery component 300 can automatically separate the protrusions 391, 392 from the tabs 463, 464).

[0063] Of course, various structures and / or techniques for coupling the applicator component 400 to the body 310 of the storage and delivery component 300 may be used in alternative embodiments. There may be straps, fasteners, various protrusions and mating grooves, etc. on either or both of the applicator component 400 and the storage and delivery component 300 to achieve the coupling therebetween. Therefore, unless so specified in the claims, the present invention is not subject to Fig. 9 and 10 Specific structural constraints are used for this purpose.

[0064] The range used throughout the text is used as a shorthand way of expressing each value within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the endpoint of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. If a definition in the present disclosure conflicts with a definition in the cited reference, the present disclosure shall prevail.

[0065] Although the present invention has been described with respect to specific examples (including currently preferred modes for carrying out the present invention), it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that there are numerous variations and permutations of the systems and techniques described above. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the present invention should be broadly interpreted as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An oral treatment device, comprising: Storage and delivery of components including: a body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; at least one delivery member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the delivery member; An applicator component including a pad portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the pad portion including a front surface and a rear surface, the applicator component being changeable between: (1) an attached state, wherein the second end of the delivery member is fluidly coupled to the pad portion; and (2) a detached state, wherein the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component for application to a user's teeth, wherein when the applicator component is in the attached state, the second end of the delivery member is located within the liquid absorbent material of the pad portion between the front surface and the rear surface of the pad portion; and Wherein application of a force to the reservoir ruptures the frangible barrier, thereby enabling the oral treatment composition to flow through the at least one delivery member to the pad portion of the applicator member.

2. An oral treatment device according to claim 1, wherein the frangible barrier comprises a capsule located in the reservoir, the oral treatment composition is located in the capsule, and wherein applying the force to the reservoir changes the frangible capsule from a sealed state to an unsealed state to enable the oral treatment composition to flow through the at least one delivery member to the liner portion of the applicator component.

3. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body includes an end surface, a portion of the at least one delivery member including the second end protrudes from the end surface, and wherein in the attached state, the applicator component is adjacent to or abuts against the end surface of the body, and the portion of the at least one delivery member protruding from the end surface of the body is at least partially disposed within the pad portion of the applicator component.

4. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one delivery member is a tube having a cross-section configured to force the oral treatment composition to flow through the at least one delivery member by capillary action when the frangible barrier is ruptured.

5. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the reservoir comprises an air space that is free of the oral treatment composition when the frangible barrier is intact, and wherein the first end of the delivery member is located within the air space of the reservoir.

6. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid absorbing material is a foam.

7. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pad portion of the applicator member includes a front surface configured to contact a superficial surface of a user's teeth and a bite piece extending from the front surface.

8. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the applicator component includes a front surface configured to contact the user's teeth and a rear surface opposite to the front surface, the rear surface facing the storage and delivery component when the applicator component is in the attached state, and the applicator component further includes a liquid-activated adhesive coating on the front surface of the applicator component for adhering the applicator component to the user's teeth during use.

9. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the applicator component includes the pad portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion includes a connecting element, and the connecting element is configured to interact with the connecting element of the main body of the storage and delivery component to mechanically connect the applicator component to the main body of the storage and delivery component when in the attached state.

10. An oral treatment device according to claim 9, wherein the pad portion of the applicator component includes a front surface and a rear surface, the connecting portion includes a plate member connected to the rear surface of the pad portion, the connecting element of the applicator component includes a first tab extending from a first side edge of the plate and a second tab extending from a second side edge of the plate, the connecting element of the main body of the storage and delivery component includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, and wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion include orifices, which receive the first protrusion and the second protrusion of the main body of the storage and delivery component to mechanically connect the applicator component to the main body of the storage and delivery component.

11. An oral treatment device according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion of the applicator component includes at least one hole, and wherein a portion of the delivery member including the second end extends through the at least one hole of the connecting portion of the applicator component and extends into the pad portion of the applicator component.

12. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the applicator component is physically coupled to the at least one delivery member of the storage and delivery component and is not physically coupled to the body of the storage and delivery component.

13. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the applicator component is in the attached state, a portion of the delivery member including the second end of the delivery member is embedded in the liquid absorbing material of the backing portion of the applicator component.

14. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the body of the storage and delivery component includes a compressible portion that defines the reservoir, wherein the force applied to the compressible portion causes the compressible portion to be compressed, and the force subsequently causes the frangible barrier to rupture so that the oral treatment composition can flow out of the reservoir and into the at least one delivery member.

15. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a first portion of the at least one delivery member is encapsulated within the body of the storage and delivery component, and a second portion of the at least one delivery member protrudes from an edge of the body of the storage and delivery component.

16. The oral treatment device of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the at least one delivery member is encapsulated within the applicator component such that no portion of the delivery member is exposed when the applicator component is in the attached state.

17. The oral treatment device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the applicator member is bendable such that it can be bent to conform to the superficial surfaces of the user's teeth.

18. An oral treatment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pad portion of the applicator portion includes a front surface configured to contact the user's teeth during treatment, and wherein all outer surfaces of the pad portion except the front surface are coated with a waterproof coating so that the oral treatment composition is dispensed only from the front surface of the pad portion.

19. An oral treatment device, comprising: Storage and delivery of components including: a body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; a capillary member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the capillary member; and An applicator component including a pad portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the pad portion including a front surface and a rear surface, the applicator component being changeable between: (1) an attached state, wherein the second end of the capillary member is in contact with the pad portion; and (2) a detached state, wherein the applicator component is detached from the storage and delivery component for application to a user's teeth, wherein when the applicator component is in the attached state, the second end of the capillary member is located within the liquid absorbent material of the pad portion between the front surface and the rear surface of the pad portion; and wherein the frangible barrier is changeable from a sealed state to an unsealed state, and wherein in the unsealed state the oral treatment composition flows from the reservoir to the pad portion of the applicator member through the capillary member due to capillary action.

20. The oral treatment device of claim 19, wherein the capillary member comprises a tube having a cross-section configured to force the oral treatment composition to flow naturally and passively through the tube due to capillary action.

21. An oral treatment device, comprising: Storage and delivery of components including: a body including a reservoir; an oral treatment composition in the reservoir; a capillary member extending from a first end to a second end, the first end being fluidly coupled to the reservoir; and a frangible barrier separating the oral treatment composition from the first end of the capillary member; and an applicator member comprising a pad portion formed of a liquid absorbent material, the pad comprising a front surface and a rear surface, the second end of the capillary member being located within the liquid absorbent material of the pad portion of the applicator member between the front surface and the rear surface of the pad portion; and wherein when the frangible barrier is ruptured, the oral treatment composition flows from the reservoir to the pad portion of the applicator member through the capillary member due to capillary action.

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