A reusable toothbrush device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a reusable toothbrush device 99 comprising a body 3 and a plurality of bristles 1. The body comprises resiliently deformable material and comprises a through hole 2 fo

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reusable toothbrush device, in particular a device for providing a toothbrush that may be used when not in a typical domestic environment. Background In many societies across the world there is an increasing recognition of the importance of good dental hygiene, for health, aesthetic and even longevity reasons. At the same time there are often increasing pressures on time for many people, for example due to work, leisure or care commitments and / or choices. As a result many people who wish to spend time cleaning their teeth, and ideally flossing and / or using mouth wash, may find that they are unable to dedicate the required time and effort to such activities. Additionally or alternatively, when using electric toothbrushes, users may not have access to sufficient charge. Added to which many people have a lifestyle that involves travel and so may not be capable of being equipped with requisite time, opportunity or equipment at all times, or may forget to bring their toothbrush. This is detrimental, and many people will find that they would prefer a solution to dental care that is portable, safe and effective, even when not in their home or even domestic or indoor environment. Prior Art GB 9 913 983 (KENNEDY) discloses a chewable toothbrush comprises a soft hollow bristle covered sphere which has toothpaste contained within it, wherein the toothpaste is released through holes in the spheres outer surface upon the user chewing the sphere wherein the bristles may be of two different lengths with the shorter inner bristles being arranged in an octagonal pattern. US 3 853 412 (GRIFFIN) discloses a tooth cleaning ball device comprising a spherical and resilient body which is chewable and disposable, said body carrying bristles for use in conjunction with a self-contained and self-dispensed dentifrice within said body, said bristles being grouped in an equally spaced apart arrangement, said groups of bristles being imbedded within said resilient body, said bristles being radially spaced apart so as to effectively clean a person's teeth when said device is chewed upon within the oral cavity, wherein said body of said device is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings, said spaced apart openings being alternate with said groups of bristles radially carried by said body of said device, and said openings provide a means for automatically dispensing of the dentifrice from the interior of said body, said dentifrice being urged out of said openings by the chewing action placing pressure upon said body of said device when it is chewed. US 3 231 925 (CONDER) discloses a disposable toothbrush without a handle operable upon complete insertion into the mouth including in combination a generally spherical core, a plurality of individual bristles integral with said spherical core and extending outwardly therefrom on numerous axes each of which substantially intersect the center of said spherical cere, each of said bristles being spaced from adjacent bristles on the order of forty-five degrees and each being of a length substantially equal to the diameter of said spherical core, each of said bristles being generally conical in shape tapering to a point at their outward portions from their base at the intersection with said spherical core, said spherical core and bristles being molded from a resiliently yieldable plastic material whereby said bristles are strong enough to penetrate the embrasures between the teeth and yet soft enough not to cause tissue damage, and a dentifrice covering said spherical core and bristles. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a reusable toothbrush device comprising a body and a plurality of bristles, wherein the body comprises resiliently deformable material and comprises a through hole for passage of air from one face of the body to another face of the body, and the bristles extend in more than one direction from the body. In this way the device provides a means of cleaning teeth and gums, even when on the move, far from home, and even far from facilities, which is reliable, effective and not dangerous, even when used in an uncontrolled or absent-minded fashion, even if in an adventurous scenario far from home. In some embodiments of the device the through passage passes between opposite faces, for ease of manufacture, whereas in further embodiments the through passage may pass in a plurality of different directions and / or deviations. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of through holes for example across a plurality of chords within a spherical body or being separate. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of holes which intersect at an intersection internal to the body. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises an orthogonal intersection. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a monolithic part, for example formed as an injection moulded whole, rendering it easy to keep clean, by removing bacteria crevices. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises silicone. In some embodiments of the device the bristles are 6mm long, and may be up to 2-3mm wide, being more like elongated bars perhaps having rounded ends. In some embodiments the bristles may vary in diameter and length to maximise effectiveness at reaching all parts of the mouth and between teeth. In some other embodiments of the device the device comprises a bamboo body and may comprise polyamide bristles extending therefrom. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a spherical body, with the bristles extending in a plurality of directions, orientations and / or angles, so as to maximise effectiveness. In some embodiments of the device the body has a 10mm diameter. In some embodiments of the device the bristles extend through 360 degree orientation. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises Xylitol (RTM) impregnation. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises coconut oil, for example a coating or impregration or inserts. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises tea tree, for example a coating or impregnation or inserts. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises fluoride, for example a coating or impregnation or inserts. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a sectional view of the embodiment of the device shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there is shown an embodiment of a reusable toothbrush device 99 comprising a body 3 and a plurality of bristles 1, wherein the body comprises resiliently deformable material and comprises through holes 2 for passage of air from one face of the body to another face of the body, and the bristles extend in more than one direction from the body. In particular reference to the pictured embodiment the embodiment comprises a monolithic part, formed in a single resiliently deformable material, for example injection moulded. The material may be envisaged to be a silicone rubber, with a Shore hardness of 70A for example, such that a user finds the device enjoyable and easy to chew. The body is provided by a spherical ball at the centre of the embodiment, which body may be envisaged to have a diameter of around 10mm. The bristles comprise studs projecting from the spherical body, in a plurality of directions through the 360 degree surface of the body. The bristles comprise cylindrical members of around 5mm length, providing an overall diameter to the embodiment of 20mm. The bristles may have a diameter of 2mm, allowing sufficient bending during chewing. The bristles extend in a plurality of directions and are spaced apart to leave the body’s spherical outer surface exposed. In this way the bristles may thereby flex the outer surface of the body sufficiently to allow the bristles to be pointed in further directions as well as bending within their length, thereby ensuring the bristles are able to extend further within the mouth between teeth. The spherical body is formed of a solid silicone rubber and as shown in Figure 3 includes two bores through the sphere, namely across its diameter. It may be envisaged that further embodiments may be hollow or have a lower percentage of infilling.

Claims

1. A reusable toothbrush device comprising a body and a plurality of bristles, wherein the body comprises resiliently deformable material and comprises a through hole for passage of air from one face of the body to another face of the body, and the bristles extend in more than one direction from the body.

2. A reusable toothbrush device according to claim 1 wherein the through passage passes between opposite faces.

3. A reusable toothbrush device according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a plurality of through holes.

4. A reusable toothbrush device according to claim 3 wherein the plurality of holes intersect at an intersection internal to the body.

5. A reusable toothbrush device according to claim 4 comprising an orthogonal intersection.

6. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising a monolithic part.

7. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising silicone.

8. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising a bamboo body.

9. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising polyamide bristles.

10. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim wherein the bristles are 6mm long.

11. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising a spherical body.

12. A reusable toothbrush device according to claim 11 wherein the body has a 10mm diameter.

13. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim wherein the bristles extend through 360 degree orientation.5 14. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprisingXylitol (RTM) impregnation.

15. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising coconut oil1016. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising tea tree17. A reusable toothbrush device according to any preceding claim comprising 15 fluoride.A