Personal care device

Abstract

A personal care device includes a handle and a floss device attachment detachably coupled to the handle. The handle may have a gripping portion gripped by a user and a connecting portion for coupling to a floss device accessory. The floss device accessory may include a floss holder and a floss replacement. The floss holder may include a rod portion that is removably coupleable to the connecting portion of the handle. The floss holder may also include a replacement attachment portion. The floss replacement may include a body portion that may be removably coupled to a replacement attachment portion of the floss holder. The floss replacement may also include a floss body portion for cleaning an interproximal tooth region of a user. The personal care device may also include a brush replacement that may be coupled to the handle when the floss device accessory is not coupled to the handle.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 536,147, filed September 1, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Background Technology

[0003] Many personal care products are made of plastic and are intended for short-term use, after which they are discarded and replaced. Much of this plastics is non-recyclable, difficult to recycle, or not accepted by standard local recycling streams. In many industries, the current trend is to no longer use plastics as materials in product manufacturing, or to reduce the amount of plastic used in product manufacturing to address environmental concerns. Therefore, there is a ongoing need to find alternative technologies to reduce the amount of plastic used in the manufacture of personal care products.

[0004] Furthermore, it is well known that personal hygiene activities are very difficult for people who suffer from a loss of dexterity due to congenital defects, arthritis, age, and other underlying health problems. For example, users with reduced dexterity may find it difficult to hold and manipulate a toothbrush because a firm grip on the handle and rapid back-and-forth movement are required to thoroughly clean teeth. These users may also find it difficult to clean their teeth with dental floss because sufficient downward pressure is needed to force the floss into the interdental areas. Therefore, there is a need for personal care appliances that provide improved operation for users with reduced dexterity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention relates to a personal care device comprising a handle and one or more processing units configured to be detachably coupled to the handle. The one or more processing units may include a brush replacement for brushing a user's teeth and gums and a flosser attachment for cleaning interdental areas of the user's teeth with dental floss. The flosser attachment may include a floss retainer configured to be detachably coupled to the handle and a floss replacement configured to be coupled to the floss retainer. The floss retainer and handle may be reusable, and the floss replacement may be a disposable component.

[0006] In one aspect, the present invention can be a personal care device comprising: a handle including a gripping portion and a connecting portion; a floss retainer including a rod portion and a replacement attachment portion, the rod portion being configured to be detachably coupled to the connecting portion of the handle; and a floss replacement comprising a body portion and a floss portion, the body portion being configured to be detachably coupled to the replacement attachment portion of the floss retainer, the floss portion being configured to clean the user's interdental tooth area.

[0007] In another aspect, the present application can be an oral care kit comprising: a handle; a brush attachment configured to be detachably coupled to the handle, the brush attachment comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements for cleaning a user's teeth and gums; and a flosser attachment comprising a floss holder configured to be detachably coupled to the handle and a floss refill configured to be detachably coupled to the floss holder, the floss refill comprising a string body portion for cleaning a user's teeth with floss.

[0008] In yet another aspect, the present application can be a personal care device comprising: a handle comprising a grip portion and a connection portion, the grip portion comprising: a bottom end, a top end, and a length measured from the bottom end to the top end; a ring-shaped structure comprising a front surface, a back surface, a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a transverse through-hole extending from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, the transverse through-hole extending along greater than 50% of the length of the grip portion; the back surface of the ring-shaped structure comprising a first arcuate portion proximate the bottom end of the grip portion, a second arcuate portion proximate the top end of the grip portion, and a flat portion located between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion; at least one treatment device configured to be detachably coupled to the connection portion of the handle; and wherein, when the treatment device is coupled to the connection portion of the handle, the handle is configured to be self-supporting in a horizontal orientation with the flat portion of the back surface of the grip portion in contact with a horizontal support surface while maintaining the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion of the grip portion of the handle and the treatment device spaced apart from the horizontal support surface.

[0009] In yet another aspect, the present application can be an oral care kit comprising: a handle; a brush attachment configured to be detachably coupled to the handle, the brush attachment comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements for cleaning a user's teeth and gums; and an oral care attachment comprising: a holder configured to be detachably coupled to the handle; and a refill configured to be detachably coupled to the holder, the refill comprising a treatment portion for treating a user's oral cavity.

[0010] In another aspect, the present application can be a personal care device comprising: a handle comprising a grip portion and a connection portion; a holder comprising a stem portion and an attachment portion, the stem portion configured to be detachably coupled to the connection portion of the handle; and a refill comprising a body portion and a treatment portion, the body portion configured to be detachably coupled to the attachment portion of the holder, the treatment portion configured to treat a portion of a user's oral cavity.

[0011] Further areas of applicability of the present application 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 application, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention will be fully understood through the detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0013] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an oral care kit according to an embodiment of the present invention, the kit including a handle, a brush attachment, and a dental floss attachment;

[0014] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the handle;

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Side view of the handle;

[0016] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 An exploded view of the handle;

[0017] Figure 5 It is along Figure 2 A cross-sectional view taken from the VV line;

[0018] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the brush attachment;

[0019] Figure 7A and Figure 7B This is a perspective view showing the detachable connection between the brush attachment and the handle;

[0020] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the dental flosser accessories, showing the floss retainer and its floss replacement parts;

[0021] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A perspective view of a dental floss retainer;

[0022] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 Front view of a dental floss retainer;

[0023] Figure 11 yes Figure 8 Side view of a dental floss retainer;

[0024] Figure 12A yes Figure 8 Bottom perspective view of the dental floss replacement;

[0025] Figure 12B yes Figure 8 Top perspective view of the dental floss replacement;

[0026] Figure 13 yes Figure 8 A bottom view of the dental floss replacement part;

[0027] Figure 14A and Figure 14B This is a perspective view showing the detachable connection between the dental floss retainer and the handle;

[0028] Figure 15A and Figure 15B This is a perspective view showing the detachable connection between the dental floss replacement and the dental floss retainer;

[0029] Figure 16 It is along Figure 15B A sectional view taken by line XVI-XVI; and

[0030] Figure 17 This is a cross-sectional view of a personal care device, which includes a handle and a dental floss attachment connected thereto, wherein the personal care device is placed on top of a horizontal support surface. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is by no means intended to limit the invention, its application, or its uses.

[0032] The description of illustrative embodiments of the invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are considered an integral part of the entire written description. Any references to directions or orientations in the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are merely for convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “top,” and “bottom,” and their derivatives (e.g., “horizontally,” “downward,” “upward,” etc.) should be interpreted as referring to the orientation as described or shown in the drawings discussed. These relative terms are for ease of description and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, do not require the device to be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, similar terms such as “attach,” “fasten,” “connect,” “join,” “interconnect,” etc., refer to a relationship in which structures are directly or indirectly fixed or attached to each other via an intermediate structure, and to movable or rigid attachments or relationships. Furthermore, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to exemplary embodiments. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments, which only illustrate some possible, non-limiting combinations of features, and these features may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0033] First refer to Figure 1According to one embodiment of the present invention, a personal care device 1000 is shown. The personal care device 1000 may generally include a handle 100, a processing device such as a dental floss attachment 200, and a processing device such as a brush attachment 500. The personal care device 1000 may also be referred to herein as an oral care kit, such that the oral care kit includes the handle 100, the dental floss attachment 200, and the brush attachment 500. In some embodiments, the personal care device (or oral care kit) 1000 may include only the handle 100 and the dental floss attachment 200, without the brush attachment 500. The handle 100, the dental floss attachment 200, and the brush attachment 500 may be sold together as a kit or separately, such that the handle 100 may be sold with the dental floss attachment 200 or the brush attachment 500, but not simultaneously with both. When sold separately, flosser attachment 200 and / or brush attachment 500 may be sold as add-ons for use with handle 100, which serves as a universal handle to which flosser attachment 200 and brush attachment 500 are configured to attach, as described herein.

[0034] The flosser accessory 200 may include a floss retainer 300 and a floss replacement 400. The floss retainer 300 may be detachably attached to the handle 100, and the floss replacement 400 may be detachably attached to the floss retainer 300. The floss replacement 400 may be a single-use component, while the handle 100 and the floss retainer 300 may be reusable components. Thus, after each (or few) use, the floss replacement 400 can be removed from the floss retainer 300 and replaced with a new floss replacement 400 for the next flossing session. Therefore, the only component of the flosser accessory 200 that is discarded after each or few uses is the relatively small amount of plastic floss replacement 400.

[0035] The brush attachment 500 can also be detachably attached to the handle 100. The brush attachment 500 may include bristles 550 for cleaning the user's teeth and gums. Therefore, the handle 100 can be used first with the flosser attachment 200 to clean the interdental areas of the user's teeth. The flosser attachment 200 can then be detached from the handle 100, and the brush attachment 500 can be attached to the handle 100, allowing the user to clean his or her teeth and gums. Of course, the brush attachment 500 can be used first, followed by the flosser attachment 200, depending on the user's needs and / or the guidance of a dental health professional. Thus, the same handle 100 can be used with both the flosser attachment 200 and the brush attachment 500, providing the user with a simple tool for cleaning interdental areas and the external surfaces of teeth and gums.

[0036] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3A handle 100 will be described according to an embodiment of the invention. The handle 100 generally includes a gripping portion 110 and a connecting portion 150. The gripping portion 110 extends along a longitudinal axis AA from a bottom end 111 to a top end 112. The gripping portion 110 may be elongated along the longitudinal axis AA. The gripping portion 110 may have a length L1 measured from the bottom end 111 to the top end 112.

[0037] The connecting portion 150 may include a handle bar 151 projecting from the top end 112 of the grip portion 110. The handle bar 151 may include various features, such as an alignment protrusion 152, a downward-facing shoulder 153, etc., to facilitate attachment to one of the floss retainer 200 or the brush replacement 500, depending on which is used at a given time. In an alternative embodiment, the connecting portion 150 may include a cavity or recess formed in the top end 112 of the grip portion 110, configured to receive a portion of the brush replacement 500 or the floss retainer 200 to allow attachment of the brush replacement 500 or the floss retainer 200 to the handle 100. The exact construction of the connecting portion 150 is not intended to limit the invention described herein, except as specified in the claims. Generally, the connecting portion 150 of the handle 100 may have any construction designed to facilitate detachable attachment to the floss retainer 200 and / or the brush replacement 500. In some embodiments, the floss retainer 200 and brush replacement 500 may be configured to be attached to the handle 100 by translating the floss retainer 200 or brush replacement 500 toward the connecting portion 150 until a locking engagement is achieved. In such an embodiment, the floss retainer 200 or brush replacement 500 may be detached from the handle 100 by pulling the floss retainer 200 / brush replacement 500 and the handle 100 in the opposite direction with a pull force sufficient to overcome the locking engagement.

[0038] The gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 may include an annular structure 113 defining a through-hole 120. The annular structure 113 may have an annular shape, forming a closed shape defining the opening (i.e., the through-hole 120). As used herein, the annular shape is not limited to a circular shape, but may include a closed geometry surrounding the opening and has any shape, including elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, etc. The annular structure 113 may include a front surface 114, a rear surface 115, a first lateral side 116, and a second lateral side 117. The annular structure 113 also includes an inner surface 118 that surrounds and forms the boundary of the through-hole 120. The front surface 114 may be the user-facing surface when the personal care appliance 1000 is used to clean the user's teeth and gums. That is, when the brush replacement 500 is attached to the handle 100, for example, the dental cleaning element 550 may be located on the same side as the front surface 114 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100.

[0039] The through-hole 120 may be a transverse through-hole extending from a first side 116 to a second side 117 in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis AA. The through-hole 120 may have a generally elliptical shape; however, the invention is not limited thereto, and other shapes, such as circles, squares, triangles, etc., may be used in other embodiments. The through-hole 120 may have a length L2 that is at least 50% of the length L1 of the grip portion 110 of the handle 100. More specifically, the length L2 may be at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 85% of the length L1 of the grip portion 110 of the handle 100. In one particular embodiment, the length L2 of the through-hole 120 may be at least 85% of the length L2 of the grip portion 110 of the handle 100. The through-hole 120 may be large enough that four fingers of a user's hand (excluding the thumb) can pass through the through-hole 120 for a comfortable grip. Specifically, users can insert their fingers through the through-hole 120 and grip the front portion (including the front surface 114) or the rear portion (including the rear surface 115) of the grip portion 110 of the handle 100. Of course, depending on the size of the user's hand, the entire hand can fit through the through-hole 120. Alternative handles can be used, allowing the user to grip their hand around the outside of the handle 100 without inserting any fingers into the through-hole 120. Therefore, the shape and structure of the grip portion 110 of the handle 100 provide users with grip options to suit their comfort and dexterity.

[0040] The rear surface 115 of the annular structure 113 may be arc-shaped or curved. Specifically, the rear surface 115 of the annular structure 113 may include a first arc-shaped portion 121 adjacent to the bottom end 111 of the gripping portion 110, a second arc-shaped portion 122 adjacent to the top end 112 of the gripping portion 110, and a flat portion 123 located between the first and second arc-shaped portions 121 and 122. The first and second arc-shaped portions 121 and 122 may be convex, while the flat portion may be planar. Therefore, the rear surface 115 may convex along the first arc-shaped portion 121 in the direction of the longitudinal axis AA from the bottom end 111 to the first end of the flat portion 123, and the rear surface 115 may convex along the second arc-shaped portion 121 in the direction of the longitudinal axis AA from the top end 111 to the second end of the flat portion 123. The flat portion 123 may be planar or flat in the direction of the longitudinal axis AA. The flat portion 123 may be centrally positioned along the rear segment of the annular structure 113. The flat portion 123 may be parallel to the longitudinal axis AA. The flat portion 123 allows the handle 100 to self-maintain a horizontal orientation when positioned on a horizontal support surface, as shown below. Figure 17 As stated above.

[0041] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The handle 100 may include an outer component 130 and an inner component 140. The outer component 130 may include an outer annular portion 131 of the gripping portion 110 and a connecting portion 150. That is, the outer annular component 130 may be an integral component including the outer annular portion 131 of the gripping portion 110 and the connecting portion 150. The outer annular component 130 may be formed of a rigid plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or similar rigid plastic materials. In other embodiments, the outer annular component 130 may be formed of other rigid materials, such as metal or wood. The inner component 140 may include an inner annular portion 141 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. The inner component 140 may be formed of an elastic material, such as silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, rubber, etc.

[0042] The outer annular portion 131 of the outer component 130 may include front and rear surfaces 114, 115 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. The front and rear surfaces 114, 115 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 may together form at least a portion of the exposed outer surface of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. The outer annular portion 131 of the outer component 130 may further include an inner surface 132 surrounding an opening or open space 133. The inner component 140 may be positioned within the opening or open space 133 and may be coupled to the inner surface 132 of the outer annular portion 131 of the outer component 130. Thus, the inner surface of the inner component 140 may form the inner surface 118 of the annular structure 113. The inner component 140 may be bonded to the outer component 130 during injection molding of the handle 100. Alternatively, adhesives, ultrasonic welding, etc., may be used to attach the inner component 140 to the outer component 130. The internal component 140 can form a soft, resilient internal gripping surface for the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100, to further benefit people with limited dexterity and help them better grip the personal care device 1000 during use (which may occur in wet environments).

[0043] refer to Figure 6The following describes a brush replacement 500. The brush replacement (also referred to herein as a brush accessory) 500 generally includes a rod portion 510 and a head portion 520. In an exemplary embodiment, the rod portion 510 is an elongated tubular structure extending from a proximal end 511 to a distal end 512. The rod portion 510 includes a connection feature 501 for attaching the brush replacement 500 to a connection portion 150 of a handle 100. In an exemplary embodiment, the connection feature 501 includes a cavity 502 in the proximal end 511 of the rod portion 510 of the brush replacement 500, the cavity being configured to receive a handle rod 151 for attaching the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. The cavity 502 may have a shape designed to receive the handle rod 151, including alignment protrusions 152, etc. The cavity 502 may also include a structure designed to engage a downward-facing shoulder of the handle rod 151 to form a locking engagement, thereby securing the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. As described above, in other embodiments, the handle 100 may include a cavity for receiving a rod of the brush replacement 500 to facilitate coupling the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. Other alternatives to the detachable coupling between the brush replacement 500 and the handle 100 may include structures having threaded, snap-fit, interference-fit, or similar features. In some embodiments, one of the brush replacement 500 and the handle 100 includes a male connection feature, while the other includes a female connection feature configured to mate or engage with the male connection feature to facilitate detachable coupling of the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. Either the brush replacement 500 or the handle 100 may include either a male or a female connection feature.

[0044] The head portion 520 of the brush replacement 500 includes a structural head 521 integrally formed with the aforementioned rod portion 510 and the dental cleaning element 550. The structural head 521 and rod portion 510 may be integrally formed from a hard plastic material. The structural head 521 may include a front surface 522 and a rear surface 523 opposite to the front surface 522. The dental cleaning element 550 may be coupled to the structural head 521 and may extend from the front surface 522 of the structural head 521. The dental cleaning element 550 may be arranged in any configuration and may extend vertically from the front surface 522 of the structural head 521 or at any desired angle. Therefore, the specific configuration and arrangement of the dental cleaning element 550 do not limit the invention in all embodiments. Although not shown in exemplary embodiments, a soft tissue or tongue cleaner may be present on the rear surface 523 of the structural head 521. The soft tissue or tongue cleaner may be formed from an elastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer and may include small patches or protrusions for engaging and cleaning other soft tissue surfaces of the tongue and the user's oral cavity.

[0045] The dental cleaning element 550 can be attached to the structural head 521 using known techniques, including stapling, in-mold flocking, anchorless flocking, PTt, etc. As used herein, the term "dental cleaning element" can be used in a general sense to refer to any structure that can be used to clean, polish, or wipe teeth and / or oral soft tissues (e.g., tongue, cheek, gums, etc.) through relative surface contact. Common examples of "dental cleaning elements" include, but are not limited to, bristle tufts, filamentous bristles, fiber bristles, nylon bristles, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomer protrusions, flexible polymer protrusions, combinations thereof, and / or structures comprising these materials or combinations. Therefore, any combination of these dental cleaning elements can be used as the dental cleaning element 550 described herein. Furthermore, when bristles are used in one or more of the dental cleaning elements 550, these bristles can be tapered, rounded at the ends, spiral, etc. In exemplary embodiments, all dental cleaning elements 550 are bristles, although this is not required, and any other material, such as those described above, can be used.

[0046] refer to Figure 7A and Figure 7B The accompanying drawings illustrate the attachment of the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. Figure 7A In this configuration, the brush replacement 500 is positioned above the distal end of the handle rod 151, with the proximal end 511 of the rod portion 510 of the brush replacement 500 adjacent to and facing the handle rod 150. Next, the brush replacement 500 is lowered toward the handle 100 (or the handle 100 is raised toward the brush replacement 500) until the handle rod 151 of the connecting portion 150 enters the cavity 502 of the brush replacement 500. Finally, a slight connecting force is applied to the brush replacement 500 and / or the handle 100 to force the brush replacement 500 and the handle rod 151 to engage with each other, thereby forming a detachable connection between them. When attached as described above, the handle rod 151 is nested within the cavity 502 of the brush replacement 500. Also as described above, in other embodiments, the brush replacement 500 may have a rod nested within the cavity of the handle 100, or other techniques may be used to detachably attach the brush replacement 500 to the handle 100. In an exemplary embodiment, reversing the above steps will detach the brush replacement 500 from the handle 100. That is, the user can grasp the brush replacement 500 and the handle 100 and apply a pulling force to one or both of them to pull them apart, thereby disengaging the connection feature 501 of the brush replacement 500 from the connection feature 150 of the handle 100. In this way, the brush replacement 500 can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the handle 100.

[0047] See Figure 8The image shows a flosser attachment 200 in a disassembled or removable configuration. As described above, the flosser attachment 200 includes a floss handle 300 and a floss replacement 400. The floss handle 300 is configured to repeatedly attach to and detach from a handle 100 and is configured for reuse. The floss replacement 400 is configured to attach to and detach from the floss handle 300 and is configured for single-use (or two or three times, but typically no more than these). This configuration reduces plastic waste because only the floss replacement 400 is replaced after each or several uses, and the floss handle 300, which includes connection features to facilitate attachment to the handle 100, can be reused. The floss replacement 400 comprises a small amount of plastic, especially compared to the floss handle 300 and handle 100, which are reusable parts. The floss replacement 400 is configured to snap-fit ​​onto the floss handle 300 and then detach from the floss handle 300 after use and be discarded. Although a snap-fit ​​connection is used in the exemplary embodiment, in other embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may be otherwise attached to the floss handle 300. The floss replacement 400 may be usable more than once; however, after one or two uses, the floss or bundle of floss may lose its rigidity and tension, and may therefore reduce its effectiveness in cleaning adjacent tooth areas.

[0048] refer to Figure 9- Figure 11 A dental floss retainer 300 will be described according to embodiments of the present invention. The dental floss retainer 300 may be formed of a rigid plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or other rigid plastic materials having similar properties and / or characteristics. In other embodiments, the dental floss retainer 300 may be formed of other materials, such as wood, metal, etc. The dental floss retainer 300 generally includes a bar portion 310 extending from a proximal end 311 to a distal end 312 and a replacement attachment portion 320 connected to the distal end 312 of the bar portion 310. The dental floss retainer 300 may be an integral structure, including the bar portion 310 and the replacement attachment portion 320 as a single unit structure.

[0049] The stem portion 310 of the floss retainer 300 may have a similar structure to the stem portion 510 of the brush replacement 500, although it does not need to have the same shape. Specifically, the stem portion 310 of the floss retainer 300 may include a connection feature 301 configured to facilitate connection between the floss retainer 300 and the handle stem 151. In an exemplary embodiment, the connection feature 301 includes a cavity 302 in the proximal end 311 of the stem portion 310, the cavity having a shape corresponding to the shape of the handle stem 151, such that when the floss retainer 300 is attached to the handle 100, the handle stem 151 can be nested within the cavity 302 of the floss retainer 300. Of course, alternative structures may be used, such as using the connection feature 301 of the floss retainer 300 as a stem or protrusion nested within the cavity of the handle 100, instead of the handle stem 151. In other embodiments, other connection features, such as threads, may be used, provided that the floss retainer 300 is configured to be detachably attached to the handle 100. The aforementioned modifications to the brush replacement part 500 and handle 100 also apply to the dental floss retainer 300 and handle 100.

[0050] A replacement attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300 is coupled to and extends from the distal end 312 of the rod portion 310 of the floss retainer 300. The replacement attachment portion 320 may include a U-shaped member 321 to which the floss replacement 400 is configured to attach. The U-shaped member 321 of the replacement attachment portion 320 may include a first attachment arm 322 and a second attachment arm 323, which extend from the rod portion 310 of the floss retainer 300 in a spaced-apart manner. The first and second attachment arms 322, 323 may be integrally connected at the base portion 324 of the replacement attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300. Optionally, each of the first and second attachment arms 322, 323 may extend independently and differently from the distal end 312 of the rod portion 310 of the floss retainer 300. In an exemplary embodiment, the U-shaped member 321 has flat top and bottom surfaces; however, in other embodiments, the top and bottom surfaces may be circular or similar. The term "U-shaped" is not intended to be limited to shapes that look the same as the letter U, but may include V-shapes, W-shapes, and other shapes similar to the letter U, even if they have different curvatures, angles, etc.

[0051] Although the replacement attachment portion 320 is shown as a U-shaped member 321 in the exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited to all embodiments. That is, in other embodiments, the replacement attachment portion 320 may take on other shapes and may indeed have any desired shape or structure, as long as it is formed at a location for attaching the floss replacement 400 to the floss handle 300, as described herein. For example, the replacement attachment portion 320 may simply be a bar-shaped, circular, semi-circular, square, or other shaped feature that extends from the distal end 312 of the bar portion 310 of the floss retainer 300 and is intended to mate or engage with features on the floss replacement 400 to facilitate attachment of the floss replacement 400 to the floss retainer 300. In other embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may have a male feature that engages with a female feature of the floss retainer 300 that forms the replacement attachment portion 320. In the exemplary embodiment, the U-shaped member 321 is similar to the overall shape of the floss replacement 400, which allows for a secure, detachable connection between the floss replacement 400 and the floss retainer 300. However, the replacement attachment portion 320 need not have a shape similar to the overall shape of the floss replacement 400 in all embodiments.

[0052] The floss retainer 300 has a front surface 303 and a rear surface 304, which together form at least a portion of the outer surface of the floss retainer. Furthermore, the floss retainer 300 includes a bottom end portion 305 formed by the proximal end portion 311 of the bar portion 310 and a top end portion 306 formed by the distal end portion of the floss attachment portion 320. In an exemplary embodiment, the front surface 303 of the floss retainer 300 is continuously recessed from the bottom end portion 305 to the top end portion 306. Furthermore, the rear surface 304 of the floss retainer 300 is continuously convex from the bottom end portion 305 to the top end portion 306. Therefore, the recessed shape of the front surface 303 extends continuously along the bar portion 310 and the replacement attachment portion 320. Similarly, the convex shape of the rear surface 304 extends continuously along the bar portion 310 and the replacement attachment portion 320. This produces a pleasing aesthetic and also ensures that the floss (which forms part of the floss replacement 400 as described above) is positioned optimally to allow the user to comfortably grip the handle 100 when inserting the floss into the interdental area.

[0053] refer to Figure 12A , Figure 12B and Figure 13The dental floss replacement 400 will be described below. As described above, the dental floss replacement 400 is designed and configured to be detachably attached to the replacement attachment portion 320 of the dental floss retainer 300. Specifically, the dental floss replacement 400 includes a body portion 410 and a floss portion 450. The body portion is configured to be detachably attached to the replacement attachment portion 320 of the dental floss retainer 300, and the floss portion is configured to clean the user's interdental areas. The floss portion 450 is fixedly attached to the body portion 410 by the manufacturer, such that the dental floss replacement 400 is sold together with the floss portion 450 already attached to the body portion 410. The body portion 410 of the dental floss replacement 400 may be configured to snap-fit ​​onto the replacement attachment portion 320 of the dental floss retainer 300, although other techniques may be used in other embodiments as described herein. The floss portion 450 can be dental floss filaments and can be formed from nylon (waxed or unwaxed) or other materials commonly used for dental floss, such as filaments, polytetrafluoroethylene (e.g., Teflon), etc. The dental floss replacement 400 can be a single-use component; however, depending on the integrity of the floss portion 450 after each use, it can be used more than once.

[0054] The body portion 410 of the dental floss replacement 400 may be U-shaped. As mentioned above, the term U-shaped is not limited to a shape exactly similar to the letter U, but may include V-shapes, W-shapes, and other shapes including two arms spaced apart from each other like the letter U. The body portion 410 of the dental floss replacement 400 includes a first arm portion 411 and a second arm portion 412 spaced apart from the first arm portion 411. The body portion 410 is a single, integral part such that the first and second arm portions 411, 412 are both attached to the base portion or curved portion 413 of the body portion 410. The first arm portion 411 has an inner surface 414, and the second arm portion 412 has an inner surface 415. The inner surfaces 414, 415 of the first and second arm portions 411, 412 face each other and are spaced apart from each other by a gap 416.

[0055] The filament portion 450 can be attached to the first arm portion 411 and the second arm portion 412, and can extend into the gap 416 between the inner surfaces 414, 415 of the first and second arm portions 411, 412. The filament portion 450 can be attached to the first and second arm portions 411, 412 using various techniques, including injection molding the filament portion 450 around the body portion 410, ultrasonically welding the ends of the filament portion 450 to the first and second arm portions 411, 412, forming knots in the first and second ends of the filament portion 450 using adhesives or other bonding materials, etc. The filament portion 450 should extend taut through the gap 416 such that the filament portion 450 is stretched or taut as it extends between the inner surfaces 414, 415 of the first and second arm portions 411, 412. This will allow the filament portion 450 to be used as dental floss. That is, if the filament portion 450 is loose, it will be difficult for the user to insert the filament portion 450 into the interdental tooth area. Sometimes, the floss portion 450 may loosen after a single use, which may make it difficult for the floss replacement 400 to be used more than once. Thus, the floss replacement 400 can be designated as a single-use component. As described herein, in some embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may be used more than once, possibly up to two or three times.

[0056] The main body portion 410 of the dental floss replacement 400 may include a first surface 420 and a second surface 421 opposite to the first surface 420. The first surface 420 may be a bottom surface, and the second surface 421 may be a top surface. In other embodiments, the first surface 420 may be a top surface, and the second surface 421 may be a bottom surface. The importance of this distinction will be discussed below when describing the connection between the dental floss replacement 400 and the dental floss handle 300. The first and second surfaces 420, 421 may each have a generally U-shaped form of the main body portion 410.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, the first surface 420 of the body portion 410 includes a cavity 422. The cavity 422 is defined by a base plate 423 and a sidewall 424. The base plate 423 may be U-shaped. The sidewall 424 may extend along the periphery of the base plate 423 such that the sidewall 424 may substantially surround the base plate 423. The sidewall 424 may include an inner sidewall portion 426 forming the inner surfaces 414, 415 of the first and second arm portions 411, 412, and an outer sidewall portion 427 facing away from the gap 416 between the first and second arm portions 411, 412. The sidewall 424 may include a notch 425 along a curved portion 413 of the body portion 410 for receiving the rod portion 310 of the floss holder 300 when the floss replacement 400 is attached to the floss holder 300. The notch 425 may be formed in the outer portion 427 of the sidewall 424 along the curved portion 413 of the body portion 410.

[0058] The sidewall 424 may include an inner surface 428 facing the cavity 422. Furthermore, the sidewall 424 may include a lip 429 projecting from the inner surface 428 into the cavity 422. The lip 429 may be positioned adjacent to the distal end of the sidewall 424. The lip 429 may facilitate locking the floss replacement 400 to the floss handle 500 via a snap-fit ​​arrangement. Specifically, the lip 429 may ensure that the attachment between the floss replacement 400 and the floss handle 500 is sufficiently strong so that the floss replacement 400 remains attached to the floss handle 500 during use, while also ensuring that the floss replacement 400 can be removed from the floss handle 500 after use for replacement with a new floss replacement 400. The body portion 410 may be thin, thereby providing flexibility to the body portion 410. In particular, the sidewalls 424 of the body portion 410 can be flexible, which can improve the ability of the body portion 410 of the floss replacement 400 to snap onto the floss retainer 300.

[0059] The floss replacement 400 may include a tab 430 projecting from a second surface 421 of the body portion 410. The tab 430 may extend from the second surface 421 of the body portion 410 at a non-perpendicular angle to provide a gripping feature for the user during removal of the floss replacement 400 from the floss retainer 300. Specifically, the user can pull the tab 430 upwards to remove the floss replacement 400 from the floss retainer 300 after use. The tab 430 may be centrally positioned along the body portion 410 of the floss replacement 400 and may be aligned with a notch 425. When the floss replacement 400 is attached to the floss retainer 300, the tab 430 may be aligned with the bar portion 310 of the floss retainer 300.

[0060] Reference Figure 14A and Figure 14B The connection between the dental floss retainer 300 and the handle 100 will be described. The dental floss retainer 300 is connected to the handle 100 in a very similar manner, even with reference to the reference. Figure 7A and Figure 7B The way the brush replacement 200 is attached to the handle 100 as described above is not exactly the same. The floss retainer 300 is positioned with its bottom end 305 facing and adjacent to the handle bar 151. The floss retainer 300 is then moved downward toward the handle 100 until the handle bar 151 enters the cavity 302 in the bottom end 305 of the floss retainer. Force is applied so that the connection feature 301 of the floss retainer 300 engages the connection feature 150 of the handle 100. Pulling the floss retainer 300 and the handle 100 in opposite directions can detach the floss retainer 300 from the handle 100.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, the connection feature 150 of the handle 100 is a male feature, and the connection feature 301 of the dental floss handle 300 is a female feature. In other embodiments, the connection feature 150 of the handle 100 may be a female feature (e.g., a cavity, etc.), and the connection feature 301 of the dental floss handle 300 may be a male feature (e.g., a protrusion, etc.). Optional connection features and techniques have been described herein. However, the dental floss handle 300 should be detachably coupled to the handle 100 so that the dental floss handle 300 can be removed from the handle 100 when not in use for cleaning or other purposes.

[0062] exist Figure 14A and Figure 14B In one embodiment, the floss holder 300 is attached to the handle 100 before the floss replacement 400 is attached to the floss holder 300. In other embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may be attached to the floss holder 300 before the floss holder 300 is attached to the handle 100.

[0063] Now go to Figure 15A , Figure 15B and Figure 16 The connection between the floss replacement 400 and the floss handle 300 will be described according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described herein, the floss replacement 400 can be snap-fitted to the replacement attachment portion 320 of the floss handle 300. The floss replacement 400 can be positioned such that a cavity 422 in a first surface 420 faces a top surface 330 of the replacement attachment portion 320. The floss replacement 400 can then be moved downward toward the top surface 330 of the replacement attachment portion 320 until the replacement attachment portion 320 begins to enter the cavity 422 of the floss replacement 400. During this process, the outer edge of the replacement attachment portion 320 can abut against a lip 429 of the floss replacement 400. Therefore, pressure may be required to bend the inner and outer sidewall portions 426, 427 away from each other to provide sufficient space between them for the replacement attachment portion 320 to fully enter the cavity 422 of the floss replacement 400. When the replacement attachment portion 320 is fully positioned within the cavity 422 of the floss replacement 400, the inner and outer sidewall portions 426, 427 can be biased back to their original positions, thereby securing the replacement attachment portion 320 within the cavity 422 and completing the connection between the floss replacement 400 and the floss retainer 300. When the floss replacement 400 is connected to the floss retainer 300, a portion of the rod portion 310 of the floss retainer 300 is nested within the recess 425 of the floss replacement 400.

[0064] like Figure 16As best shown, the lip 429 can extend into the cavity to cover at least a portion of the floss attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300. This prevents the floss attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300 from being easily removed from the cavity 422 of the floss replacement 400 without the user applying some intentional force. Specifically, as described above, the user can apply force or pressure to the tab 430 to remove the floss replacement 400 from the floss retainer 300. Figure 16 The first and second replacement arms 411, 412 of the dental floss replacement 400 are also shown, which are located on top of the first and second attachment arms 322, 323 of the dental floss retainer 300, respectively.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, a cavity 422 of the floss replacement 400 is formed in a first surface 420 of the floss replacement 400, which is the bottom surface of the floss replacement 400. Therefore, during use, when the floss portion 450 is forced into the user's interdental tooth area, a force is applied to the floss replacement 400 in the direction required to remove it from the floss retainer 300. That is, the direction of the force applied to the floss portion 450 during insertion into the user's interdental tooth area is the same as the direction of the force required to remove the floss replacement 400 from the floss retainer 300. The labial portion 429 and other engagement surfaces between the floss replacement 400 and the floss retainer 300 still ensure that the floss replacement 400 does not detach from the floss retainer 300 during normal use. In an alternative embodiment, cavity 422 may be formed in the second surface 421 of floss replacement 400 such that the direction of the force applied to floss portion 450 during insertion of floss portion 450 into the user's interdental tooth region is the same as the direction of the force required to attach floss replacement 400 to floss retainer 300.

[0066] Furthermore, while the exemplary embodiments illustrate one manner in which the floss replacement 400 can be coupled to the floss retainer 300, other possibilities exist. For example, the inner surfaces of the first and second attachment arms 322, 323 of the floss attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300 may be slots configured to receive the first and second arm portions of the floss replacement 400 to slidably engage the floss replacement 400 to the floss retainer 300. In other embodiments, the floss attachment portion 320 of the floss retainer 300 may have a cavity for receiving the floss replacement 400. In other embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may have a separate connector part extending from the U-shaped body portion 410, which is attached to a feature or part or component of the floss attachment portion 320, which may not need to be U-shaped in all embodiments. Therefore, variations in the structure and components of the device according to the invention described herein are possible.

[0067] See Figure 17 The personal care device 1000 is shown resting on a horizontal support surface 600. Figure 17 In this configuration, the flosser attachment 200, including a floss retainer 300 and a floss replacement 400, is attached to the handle 100. However, the personal care device 1000 may also rest on a horizontal support surface, with the brush replacement 500 attached thereto, or neither the brush replacement 500 nor the flosser attachment 200 may be attached thereto. As described above, the handle 100 may rest on top of the horizontal support surface 600, with the flat portion 123 of the handle 100 contacting the horizontal support surface 600. When positioned in this way, the handle 100 can be self-supporting in this horizontal position. Furthermore, when positioned in this way, the first and second arcuate portions 121, 122 of the handle 100 may not contact the horizontal support surface 600. Additionally, no part of the flosser attachment 200 (or the brush replacement 500, if the brush replacement 500 is attached to the handle 100) may contact the horizontal support surface 600. This may be important for some users to prevent the parts of the device intended to be placed in the user's mouth from coming into contact with the surface on which the device is placed when the device is not in use for hygiene purposes.

[0068] In some embodiments, the floss replacement 400 may have different shapes or sizes, allowing users to purchase one that best suits their oral cavity and comfort. Furthermore, different users prefer different types of floss, and therefore different floss replacements may be available with different types of floss for customization.

[0069] Furthermore, although the invention has been described herein with reference to dental floss replacement 400, in other embodiments, other types of replacements may be used in addition to or as an alternative to dental floss replacements. For example, personal care appliance (or oral care kit) 1000 may include a replacement configured to engage and connect to retainer 300, and the replacement may include a treatment portion for treating the user's oral cavity, not limited to dental floss. That is, the treatment portion may include thread or dental floss, or it may include a tongue cleaner, interproximal cleaner or brush, mirror, or other types of devices commonly used during oral care or treatment. Although a mirror cannot directly treat the user's oral cavity, it can be used to treat the user's oral cavity and can therefore be considered a treatment portion for treating the user's oral cavity. Furthermore, in other embodiments, other treatment devices besides those mentioned herein may be used and formed as part of the replacement.

[0070] Therefore, users can choose from a set of replacements including dental floss replacements, tongue cleaner replacements, interproximal cleaner replacements, mirror replacements, etc., and can detachably attach the selected replacement to the retainer at a given time during an oral care treatment. Such embodiments still include a retainer directly attached to the handle, but the replacements configured to attach to the retainer can be modified for different treatments. The oral care kit 1000 may include one type or multiple types of replacements. Different types of replacements may also be sold separately. Furthermore, not all replacements need to be disposable. For example, mirror replacements can be stored and reused, while dental floss replacements can be used once or twice. Interproximal replacements can be used once or more, depending on the structural rigidity of the part and its ability to be rinsed clean. Tongue cleaner replacements can be reused, especially if they include a resilient material. Tongue cleaner replacements can also be disposable, for example, if the tongue cleaner replacement is a tongue scraper. However, generally, tongue cleaner replacements can be washed with water and reused.

[0071] Throughout this document, the term "range" is used as a shorthand to describe each value within that range. Any value within the range may be chosen as the endpoint of the range. Furthermore, all references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the event of any conflict between the definitions in this disclosure and those in the cited references, this disclosure shall prevail.

[0072] While the invention has been described with reference to specific examples including the currently preferred mode of implementing the invention, those skilled in the art will understand that many variations and substitutions of the above-described system and techniques exist. It should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized, and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should be broadly interpreted as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A personal care device, comprising: The handle includes both the gripping and connecting parts; A dental floss retainer including a rod portion and a replacement attachment portion, the rod portion being configured to be detachably attached to a connection portion of the handle; and A dental floss replacement comprising a main body portion and a floss portion, the main body portion including a replacement attachment portion configured to be detachably attached to a dental floss retainer, and the floss portion being configured to clean the user's interdental tooth area.

2. The personal care device according to claim 1, wherein, The gripping portion of the handle includes a bottom end and a top end, wherein the connecting portion of the handle includes a handle bar protruding from the top end of the gripping portion, and wherein the bar portion of the floss retainer includes a cavity configured to receive the handle bar for detachably attaching the floss retainer to the handle.

3. The personal care device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The grip portion of the handle includes an annular structure having an inner surface surrounding a through hole and an outer surface having a front outer surface portion and a rear outer surface portion, wherein the rear outer surface portion has a first protrusion positioned adjacent to the bottom end of the grip portion of the handle, a second protrusion positioned adjacent to the top end of the grip portion of the handle, and a flat portion extending between the first protrusion portion and the second protrusion portion, and wherein, when the floss retainer and the floss replacement are attached to the handle, the handle is configured to rest in a self-supporting horizontal orientation, the flat portion contacting the horizontal support surface while maintaining the floss retainer and the floss replacement spaced apart from the horizontal support surface.

4. The personal care device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The handle includes an outer part made of hard plastic and an inner part made of elastic material. The outer part includes an outer annular portion having an inner surface, and the inner part includes an inner annular portion coupled to the inner surface of the outer annular portion. The gripping portion of the handle includes through holes configured to receive the fingers of a user's hand.

5. The personal care device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further include: in, The floss retainer's stem portion includes a first end adjacent to the handle when the floss retainer is detachably attached to the handle and a second end opposite to the first end; The replacement attachment portion of the dental floss retainer includes a U-shaped member extending from the second end of the rod portion of the dental floss retainer; and The dental floss replacement is configured as a U-shaped component that snaps into the replacement attachment portion of the dental floss retainer.

6. The personal care device according to claim 5, wherein, The main body of the dental floss replacement is U-shaped and includes a first arm portion and a second arm portion, the first arm portion and the second arm portion having inner surfaces facing each other, and wherein the floss body portion of the dental floss replacement is connected to the first arm portion and the second arm portion and extends between the inner surfaces of the first arm portion and the second arm portion.

7. The personal care device according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein, The main body portion of the floss replacement includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface including a cavity, and wherein, when the floss replacement is detachably attached to the replacement attachment portion of the floss retainer, at least a portion of the U-shaped member of the replacement attachment portion of the floss retainer is nested within the cavity of the main body portion of the floss replacement.

8. The personal care appliance according to claim 7, wherein, The main body of the floss replacement includes a tab protruding from the second surface to facilitate removal of the floss replacement from the floss holder after use.

9. The personal care appliance according to claim 8, wherein, When the floss replacement is attached to the floss retainer, the tab aligns with the rod portion of the floss retainer.

10. The personal care appliance according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, The main body portion of the floss replacement includes a base plate and sidewalls that together define the cavity, and further includes a recess in the sidewalls for receiving the rod portion of the floss retainer when the floss replacement is attached to the floss retainer. The sidewalls include an inner surface with a lip that extends into the cavity to achieve a snap-fit ​​engagement between the floss replacement and the replacement attachment portion of the floss retainer, and to prevent the replacement attachment portion from being removed from the cavity of the main body portion of the floss replacement without the application of a removal force by the user.

11. The personal care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a brush replacement, the brush replacement comprising a rod portion configured to be detachably coupled to a connecting portion of the handle and a head portion coupled to the rod portion, the head portion comprising a plurality of dental cleaning elements configured to clean the user's teeth and gums.

12. The personal care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The dental floss replacement is a single-use component, and the dental floss retainer is reusable and can be used with different dental floss replacements.

13. The personal care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, The dental floss retainer includes a bottom end, a top end, a front surface, and a rear surface, wherein the front surface is continuously recessed from the bottom end to the top end, and wherein the rear surface is continuously convex from the bottom end to the top end.

14. The personal care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, The replacement attachment portion of the dental floss retainer includes a first attachment arm and a second attachment arm extending spaced apart from the bar portion of the dental floss retainer, wherein the body portion of the dental floss replacement includes a first replacement arm and a second replacement arm spaced apart from each other, the floss portion extending between the first replacement arm and the second replacement arm, wherein the first replacement arm and the second replacement arm of the dental floss replacement are configured to be located on top of the first attachment arm and the second attachment arm of the replacement attachment portion of the dental floss retainer when the dental floss replacement is attached to the replacement attachment portion of the dental floss retainer.

15. An oral care kit comprising: handle; A brush attachment configured to be detachably attached to a handle, the brush attachment comprising multiple teeth cleaning elements for cleaning the user's teeth and gums; and Dental flosser accessories include: A dental floss retainer configured to be detachably attached to the handle; and A floss replacement configured to be detachably attached to a floss retainer, the floss replacement including a floss body portion for cleaning a user's teeth with floss.

16. The oral care kit of claim 15, wherein, The floss replacement includes a U-shaped body portion having a cavity, and wherein the floss retainer includes a U-shaped attachment member configured to nest within the cavity of the U-shaped body portion of the floss replacement when the floss replacement is attached to the floss retainer.

17. The oral care kit of claim 16, wherein, The dental floss replacement consists of the U-shaped body portion and the floss portion, and wherein the dental floss replacement is a disposable component configured to be detachably connected to the dental floss retainer via a snap-fit ​​connection.

18. The oral care kit according to any one of claims 16 to 17, wherein, The U-shaped body portion of the floss replacement includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface including a cavity, and the U-shaped body portion of the floss replacement further includes a tab protruding from the second surface to facilitate removal of the floss replacement from the floss holder after use.

19. The oral care kit according to any one of claims 15 to 18, further include: in, The handle includes a first connection feature; The brush attachment includes a second connection feature configured to engage a first connection feature of the handle to detachably connect the brush attachment to the handle; and The dental floss retainer includes a third connection feature configured to engage a first connection feature of the handle to detachably attach the dental floss retainer to the handle.

20. The oral care kit according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein, The dental floss retainer includes: The lever portion includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is positioned adjacent to the handle when the floss retainer is attached to the handle; and A first attachment arm and a second attachment arm extend from the second end of the rod portion, wherein the floss replacement is configured to be detachably attached to the first attachment arm and the second attachment arm of the floss retainer.

21. A personal care device, comprising: A handle including a gripping portion and a connecting portion, the gripping portion including: The length measured from the bottom end to the top end; The ring structure includes a front surface, a rear surface, a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a transverse through-hole extending from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, the transverse through-hole extending along more than 50% of the length of the gripping portion; The rear surface of the annular structure includes a first arcuate portion adjacent to the bottom end of the gripping portion, a second arcuate portion adjacent to the top end of the gripping portion, and a flat portion located between the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate portion; At least one processing device configured to be detachably coupled to the connecting portion of the handle; and When the processing device is connected to the connecting portion of the handle, the handle is configured to be self-supporting in a horizontal orientation, with the flat portion of the rear surface of the gripping portion in contact with the horizontal support surface, while maintaining the first and second arcuate portions of the gripping portions of the processing device and the handle spaced apart from the horizontal support surface.

22. The personal care device according to claim 21, wherein, The at least one processing device includes a flosser attachment, the flosser attachment including floss strands configured for cleaning adjacent areas of a user's teeth.

23. The personal care device according to claim 22, wherein, The dental floss accessory includes: A dental floss retainer, configured to be detachably attached to a handle; and A dental floss replacement configured to be detachably attached to a dental floss retainer, the dental floss replacement comprising dental floss filaments.

24. An oral care kit, comprising: handle; A brush attachment configured to be detachably attached to a handle, the brush attachment comprising multiple teeth cleaning elements for cleaning the user's teeth and gums; and Oral care accessories, including: A retainer configured to be detachably attached to the handle; and A replacement component configured to be detachably attached to the retainer, the replacement component including a treatment section for treating the user's oral cavity.

25. The oral care kit of claim 24, wherein, The replacement device includes one of a tongue cleaner, an interproximal cleaner, a mirror, or dental floss.

26. A personal care device, comprising: The handle includes both the gripping and connecting parts; A retainer comprising a rod portion and an attachment portion, the rod portion being configured to be detachably coupled to a connection portion of the handle; and The replacement includes a main body and a processing part, the main body being configured to be detachably attached to an attachment portion of the retainer, and the processing part being configured to process a portion of the user's oral cavity.

27. The personal care device according to claim 26, wherein, The replacement device includes one of a tongue cleaner, an interproximal cleaner, a mirror, or dental floss.

Images