away-from-home dental oral hygiene kit
A portable dental brushing kit with a two-part toothbrush and airtight toothpaste compartment in a waterproof case addresses the impracticality and hygiene issues of existing travel kits, ensuring convenient and hygienic dental care outside the home.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023000963
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-02-02
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-20
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-02-02
AI Technical Summary
There is a lack of a compact and hygienic oral hygiene kit that allows individuals to easily brush their teeth outside the home, due to the impracticality and bulkiness of existing travel toothbrushes and the difficulty in maintaining cleanliness of the toothbrush and toothpaste combination.
A portable, pocket-sized dental brushing kit comprising a two-part toothbrush and a concave, airtight toothpaste compartment housed in a waterproof, easy-to-clean plastic case, allowing easy access and hygiene maintenance, with the toothbrush parts and toothpaste compartment designed to optimize space and prevent drying.
Enables convenient and hygienic dental care outside the home by providing a compact, durable, and easy-to-use kit that maintains toothpaste freshness and brush cleanliness, promoting regular brushing habits.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Dental oral hygiene kit outside the home
[0001] The present invention relates to an oral hygiene kit for dental brushing outside the home.
[0002] State of the prior art.
[0003] Oral health professionals recommend brushing your teeth, i.e., brushing with toothpaste, twice a day after meals.
[0004] Today, it is difficult for a large part of the population to brush their teeth after lunch, since they are away from home. This is due to the lack of a kit small enough to fit in a pocket of clothing, a kit that must contain all the elements necessary for brushing teeth. Good oral health is affected given the nature of the food eaten during the lunch break outside the home and also the time interval until returning home, often in the early evening.
[0005] In the patents filed (ex FR3035308), we observe travel toothbrushes, toothbrushes made up of several elements, removable or not, with integrated tubes or doses of toothpaste. In addition, these toothbrushes are often transported in bulky and impractical containers on a daily basis. In commerce, these articles are relatively rare.
[0006] Oral hygiene requires the cleanliness of the equipment used. But the problem is that currently, it is impossible to reconcile maintaining the cleanliness of the toothbrush and a single, small object combining the brush and the toothpaste. However, this would make carrying the equipment on oneself much easier.
[0007] Brief description of the drawings.
[0008] An embodiment of the invention will be described with the aid of the drawings in which:
[0009] [Fig. 1] top view of the rectangular parallelepiped housing with rounded edges, closed housing
[0010] [Fig.2] side view of the rectangular parallelepiped case with rounded edges, closed case,
[0011] [Fig.3] oblique view of the rectangular parallelepiped case with rounded edges, closed case,
[0012] [Fig.4] view of the open hood housing with the two parts of the toothbrush and the toothpaste compartment open with its concave shape,
[0013] [Fig.5] oblique view of the open case with the two parts of the toothbrush, and the toothpaste compartment open,
[0014] [Fig.6] view of the toothbrush with its two screwed parts,
[0015] [Fig.7] view of the handle part of the screw-on toothbrush,
[0016] [Fig-8] view of the handle part of the toothbrush oriented to make visible the beveled end,
[0017] [Fig.9] Side section of the closed housing and toothpaste compartment, both covers being parallel,
[0018] [Fig. 10] perspective view of the closed case and the two parts of the toothbrush in their respective locations,
[0019] [Fig. 11] sectional view of the closed case with dotted lines showing the two-part toothbrush and the concave toothpaste compartment,
[0020] [Fig. 12] view of a finger pressing from top to bottom on the beveled end of the toothbrush handle allowing it to be held in the hand.
[0021] [Fig. 13] Enlarged view of part of the open kit highlighting the different heights of the walls.
[0022] Invention. This invention seeks to overcome the difficulties reported in the prior art.
[0023] First of all, this invention, due to its small size, allows adults and children to easily carry in a clothing pocket a case smaller than a modern mobile phone case. Thus, brushing teeth becomes possible at any time and almost anywhere. It is sufficient to have a small container or a water tap nearby, which is generally the case. The need to have to add a little water is therefore not an obstacle to the use of the kit.
[0024] Then, this invention allows the brushing device to be protected in a sealed and airtight compartment thanks to a housing, a priori made of hard plastic. This ensures satisfactory cleanliness conditions.
[0025] The toothbrush is composed of two elements of the same length which can be screwed and unscrewed at will (figures 6, 7 and 8). The bristles of the brush are of different sizes, those located in the middle are shorter. This creates a hollow which makes it easier to grip the toothpaste. When the part of the brush with bristles is worn, it can be replaced while keeping the handle part, which is also an economic advantage.
[0026] The toothpaste, an essential element of the kit, can be placed and stored for a limited time in a compartment closed by a cover. This eliminates both the waste of toothpaste and the risk of it drying out. This concave-shaped compartment (figures 4, 5 and 9) can be washed easily, which would not be the case if the bottom were at right angles.
[0027] The toothpaste compartment is intended to be refilled whenever necessary, using a tube of toothpaste, presumably the one at home.
[0028] The ease of transport and hygienic use are an incentive for daily use outside the home.
[0029] Finally, due to its low technical complexity, this dental brushing kit can be manufactured at a lower cost, making it accessible to the greatest number of people.
[0030] According to particular embodiments:
[0031] The housing, also called main body, first element of the invention, is designed to contain both a toothbrush that can be dismantled into two parts of the same length and a toothpaste compartment intended to house toothpaste without the need for a tube of toothpaste. Said housing is a rectangular parallelepiped extending along a longitudinal axis XX', the edges of which are rounded (figures 1, 2 and 3), the maximum dimensions of which are a length of 9 cm, a width of 4.5 cm and a height of 1.7 cm. Said housing is provided with a cover intended to be closed and opened with the hand up to an angle of at least 150 degrees by pivoting said cover around a longitudinal axis slightly offset from one of the two longitudinal walls of the housing.
[0032] The entire case is made of hard, durable plastic, which gives it several advantages: solid, non-deformable, waterproof and clean because it is easily washable with water or absorbent paper. Sometimes it can be cleaned with alcohol.
[0033] The cover of said housing is always integral with it, even in the open position (figures 4 and 5). It consists of a single panel which opens by pivoting around a longitudinal axis located near a longitudinal edge of said housing. The longitudinal axis of rotation of said cover cannot be on the rounded edge, which is why it is slightly offset (by 1 to 2 mm) relative to one of the two longitudinal walls of said housing.
[0034] The hood can be opened to an angle of more than 150 degrees, which has the practical advantage of easy access to the elements inside the housing.
[0035] The case will have the following maximum dimensions: length 9 cm, width 4.5 cm and depth 1.7 cm. The thickness of the plastic material of the case is approximately 1.5 mm.
[0036] It is noted that, in all the patents existing in the field of intervention, none combines the characteristics of the case presented here, which can be summarized as follows: unique, flat, hard, resistant, waterproof and therefore clean, easily opened to allow easy access to the elements necessary for brushing teeth. The kit is compact, an essential quality to be able to be used by most people in daily life outside the home.
[0037] The toothpaste compartment (figures 4 and 5), the second element of the invention, is integrated into the main body, has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with rounded edges, has a concave, i.e. rounded, bottom. Said toothpaste compartment has a cover that closes and opens with the hand up to an angle of more than 150 degrees by pivoting said cover of the toothpaste compartment around an axis slightly offset by 1 to 2 mm relative to the longitudinal wall of said housing, which wall is parallel and opposite to that located 1 or 2 mm from the longitudinal axis of opening / closing of said housing. Said toothpaste compartment has an elongated shape and is positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of opening / closing of said housing, in the corner of said housing, at the intersection of the two axes, on the one hand the lateral axis of the housing and on the other hand, the longitudinal axis of opening / closing of said cover of the housing.
[0038] In other words, if we look at the open case with its longitudinal opening / closing axis placed on the left, the toothpaste compartment is positioned in the bottom right corner of said case.
[0039] Said toothpaste compartment represents in surface area approximately 25% of what can be called the base of said case and in volume a little less than 25% of the volume of said case. Said compartment is made of the same hard material as said case, a priori plastic.
[0040] The toothpaste compartment also has the particularity of having a concave shape, that is to say hollow and rounded. There is no right angle, no edge, which would have the disadvantage of leaving a residue of toothpaste which, in the long run, would harden, would be unpleasant and contrary to hygiene.
[0041] In the other patents relating to the field of intervention, there is no toothpaste compartment integrated into a housing. In addition, the toothpaste compartment presented here must be watertight, which makes it possible, in the closed hood position, to prevent small splashes of toothpaste from altering or dirtying the main cavity of the housing, the one which contains the two parts of the toothbrush.
[0042] After several toothbrushings, the toothpaste compartment can be easily cleaned with absorbent paper or water, then dried. It can then be refilled using the toothpaste tube at home.
[0043] An important point is the drying out of the toothpaste in its compartment. This must be very limited over the days so that the invention achieves its objectives of practical, hygienic and inconvenient use. The toothpaste must maintain a flexibility very close to its original state in a tube. For this, two points must be respected:
[0044] First, the toothpaste compartment must be airtight in the closed position. In particular, a small hole allowing air to pass through must be avoided at the closure.
[0045] Second point: the toothpaste reservoir must have an adequate capacity, i.e. sufficient so that a user does not have to refill the reservoir too often, but also small enough so that the volume of stagnant air which increases over the days of brushing does not accelerate the drying of the toothpaste.
[0046] The toothbrush ([Fig.6]) can be dismantled into two parts of the same length and the positions of the two parts of said toothbrush inside said housing, third element of the invention;
[0047] To obtain a very compact kit, which is one of the objectives of the invention, all the elements, inside the housing, must be arranged so as to constitute a fairly compact assembly (figures 10 and 11).
[0048] Said toothbrush, which can be dismantled into two parts, is made up of a part consisting of the bristles and a section of handle and a second part consisting of the rest of the handle with a beveled end. These two parts must be arranged in said housing according to the following methods: said part consisting of the bristles and a section of handle placed on the side, parallel to the longitudinal axis of said housing, the bristles being in the longitudinal extension of said toothpaste compartment and the section of handle pressed against it,
[0049] Said handle portion parallel to the longitudinal axis of opening / closing of said housing and only 2 to 4 mm away from it, the beveled end being oriented towards the bottom of the housing.
[0050] In other words, if we look at said open housing with the longitudinal axis of opening / closing of said housing cover located on the left: the part of the toothbrush consisting of the bristles and a section of handle placed on the side, juxtaposed with the handle, the bristles being at the top right, that is to say in the longitudinal extension of the toothpaste compartment. The part of the toothbrush consisting of the rest of the handle is located on the left in the housing with the beveled end at the bottom.
[0051] The fact that the head of the brush is placed on the side, the bristles being juxtaposed to the said toothpaste compartment gives two advantages:
[0052] Firstly, a gain of at least 4 mm in useful height of said housing. Indeed, if the part of the toothbrush consisting of the bristles and a section of handle had been placed against the bottom of the housing, i.e. with the bristles facing upwards, this would have made a deeper, and therefore higher, housing necessary, given the necessary length of the bristles of a toothbrush. These 4 mm difference are not negligible because over the entire surface area of said housing, they save a significant amount of volume. The second advantage is a rational use of the space occupied by the bristles of the brush and the toothpaste compartment, these two elements being able to fit in the same side of said housing (figures 4 and 5).
[0053] The end of the handle part of the toothbrush is beveled by about 1.5 cm ([Fig.8]). This allows this object to be easily held by simply pressing from top to bottom at this precise point ([Fig. 12]).
[0054] The height of the walls of the toothpaste compartment, fourth element of the invention.
[0055] The walls of the rectangular parallelepiped delimiting the toothpaste compartment are 1 to 2 mm shorter than the walls of the housing. As a result, the top of the walls of the toothpaste compartment is 1 to 2 mm lower than the top of said walls of said housing (figures 4, 5, 9, 11 and 13). Thus, said toothpaste compartment cover does not touch the housing cover at any time. In the closed positions, these two covers are parallel. In the open position, said toothpaste compartment cover can open up to more than 150 degrees. This results in sufficient freedom of movement for the user when hanging toothpaste with the bristles of said toothbrush.
[0056] Other variants can be made:
[0057] Instead of making a two-part toothbrush that screws together, an alternative would consist of a toothbrush made of a single hollow, telescopic handle, i.e. the end of the brush handle can be extended towards the brush head so as to take up little space in the case. This would reduce the width of the case.
[0058] The bristles attached to the brush head may be of the same length.
[0059] The two parts of the toothbrush, separated by one or two appendages at the bottom of the case, are perfectly maintained during transport. Nothing inside moves.
[0060] To allow ventilation of the area where the toothbrush is housed, 2 small holes can be drilled in the housing.
[0061] Use (gestures by gestures):
[0062] Opening the housing cover.
[0063] Grip the handle part of the brush by pressing down on the beveled end ([Fig. 12]).
[0064] Gripping the other part of the brush thanks to the space freed up by the handle part.
[0065] Screwing the two parts of the brush.
[0066] Moistening the brush bristles.
[0067] Opening the toothpaste compartment cover.
[0068] Taking toothpaste with the bristles of the brush.
[0069] Closing the toothpaste compartment.
[0070] Brushing teeth.
[0071] Rinse the brush after use.
[0072] Drying the housing if necessary.
[0073] Unscrewing the brush.
[0074] Placing the two parts of the toothbrush in the housing, in their respective locations.
[0075] Closing the case.
[0076] Summary of the invention.
[0077] The proposed invention follows an observation that brushing teeth outside the home after lunch is generally not practiced, which is detrimental to dental hygiene. This lack of interest can be explained by a general offer of utensils (toothbrushes, toothpastes, kits, etc.) that is partially unsuited to the constraints and aspirations of the people concerned.
[0078] To fill these gaps, the invention combines qualities and characteristics that are partly absent in the prior art and on the market, namely: a unique pocket-sized object, easy to use, clean and strong enough to last a long time.
[0079] Several technically simple provisions must be respected, each of which is the subject of a claim. It is their joint implementation which allows the achievement of the desired objective.
Claims
Claims
1. 1.Device for containing both a detachable toothbrush in two parts of the same length and a toothpaste compartment intended to house toothpaste without the need for a tube of toothpaste. Said device is characterized by a housing (1), also called main body (1), which is a rectangular parallelepiped whose edges are slightly rounded (2) and whose maximum dimensions are a length of 9 cm, a width of 4.5 cm and a height of 1.7 cm. Said housing is provided with a cover (3) intended to be closed and opened by rotating it with the hand to an angle of at least 150 degrees. A first longitudinal axis (XX') is slightly offset by 1 to 2 mm relative to one of the two longitudinal walls of said housing. Said cover pivots around the axis (XX').
2. 2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the toothpaste compartment (5) obeys the following points: a. It is integrated into the main body. b. It has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with rounded edges. c. It has a concave, i.e. rounded, bottom (6). d. It has a cover (7) closing and opening by rotating it with the hand up to an angle of at least 150 degrees. A second longitudinal axis (YY') is slightly offset by 1 to 2 mm from the longitudinal wall of said housing, said wall of the toothpaste compartment being in parallel and opposite to that located 1 or 2 mm from the first axis (XX'). Said cover (7) of the toothpaste compartment pivots about the second axis (YY'). e. It has an elongated shape and is positioned in a corner of the housing which is specified with a third axis (ZZ') along one of the two side walls of the housing. This positioning of said toothpaste compartment is at the intersection of the second longitudinal axis (YY') of the housing and the third lateral axis (ZZ') of the housing.
3. 3. Device according to claim 1 characterized by a toothbrush which can be dismantled into two parts of the same length, on the one hand, the part (9) consisting of the bristles and a section of handle, and on the other hand, the part consisting of the rest of the handle (10) with a beveled end (11), these two parts having to be positioned inside said housing according to the following methods: a. Said part consisting of the bristles and a section of handle (9) placed on the side, parallel to the first longitudinal axis (XX') of said housing, the bristles being in the longitudinal extension of said toothpaste compartment and the section of handle pressed against it. b. Said handle part (10) parallel to the first longitudinal axis (XX') of opening / closing of said housing and only 2 to 4 mm away from it, the beveled end (11) being oriented towards the bottom of said housing.
4. 4. Device according to claims 1 and 2 characterized: a. By the walls of the rectangular parallelepiped delimiting the toothpaste compartment, shorter by 1 to 2 mm than the walls of the housing. As a result, the top of the walls of the toothpaste compartment (12) is lower by 1 to 2 mm than the top (13) of the walls of said housing.