An oral hygiene product

Abstract

An oral hygiene product 100 includes: a body 110 defining at least two storage cavities 112, 114; an oral hygiene composition provided in each of the cavities; a dispensing outlet 120, 122 associated

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to oral hygiene and specifically to an oral hygiene product which may be disposable. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The Applicant is aware of small or miniature tubes of toothpaste which are suitable for a few uses (compared to full-size tubes conventionally available in shops). Such small tubes may be given away as promotions or as hospitality packages. However, the Applicant has found this wasteful or inefficient because often only one or two uses are needed, resulting in much of the small tube contents being discarded. When prolonged use is required, the full-size tube usually would have been preferable. The Applicant wishes to address this issue. The Applicant also wishes to provide an oral hygiene product which is versatile, may be disposable, and may comprise plural oral care compositions. SUMMARY OF INVENTION Accordingly, the invention provides an oral hygiene product which includes: a body defining at least two storage cavities; an oral hygiene composition provided in each of the storage cavities; a dispensing outlet associated with each one of the storage cavities, each dispensing outlet being sealed; and a zone of weakness associated with each one of the dispensing outlets, each zone of weakness being configured to permit unsealing of the associated dispensing outlet to permit dispensing of the oral hygiene composition through the unsealed dispensing outlet. The oral hygiene product may be disposable. The oral hygiene product may resemble sachets or use sachet technology. The body may comprise (1) a single planar sheet or laminate folded over or (2) two planar sheets or laminates joined (e.g., bonded, welded) together. The body may be of a polymeric material. The body may be impervious to the oral hygiene compositions contained therein. The body may be soft, pliable, or deformable. The body may permit contents of the storage cavities to be squeezed or driven out with finger pressure. By way of manufacturing example, the body may be formed from a multi-layer laminate film, comprising an outer layer of printable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for durability, a middle layer of aluminium foil providing an excellent barrier to moisture and oxygen, and an inner sealing layer of polyethylene (PE) which is inert to the oral care compositions and allows for heat sealing The dispensing outlet may be a channel or narrowed region extending between its associated storage cavity and an edge of the body. The dispensing outlet may be sealed at the edge of the body (referred to as a seal). The zone of weakness may include one or more of a perforation or perforated line, a line in the body of reduced thickness (and thus increased weakness), a notch or indentation in an edge of the body. The zone of weakness may permit the body to be broken, torn, or otherwise render the body frangible. The zone of weakness may be configured to focus or localise a force or stress on the body, thus directing the body to break in a defined place (that is, the zone of weakness). The zone of weakness may be brittle and may permit a portion of the body to be snapped off to expose the dispensing outlet. Further, the outlet may effectively be created by the fracture or rupture of the zone of weakness, rather than being a pre-existing structure that is merely unsealed. Examples of the oral hygiene composition include dentifrice or toothpaste, mouth wash, teeth whitening agents, etc. The storage cavities may be the same size and shape or may be different sizes and / or shapes. The storage cavities may store the same oral hygiene composition or different oral hygiene compositions. There are various use cases and combinations (by way of non-limiting examples): two cavities, one being smaller and storing toothpaste, the other being larger and storing mouthwash (enabling a user to brush their teeth and then use the mouthwash afterwards); two cavities of equal size, both storing toothpaste (enabling morning and evening teeth brushing); or several cavities, e.g., 14, of equal size, all storing toothpaste (enabling twice-a-day teeth brushing for an extended period like a week). The oral hygiene product may include different flavours of toothpaste in different cavities, e.g., a stronger one for the morning and a milder one for evening, or a selection of flavours like different fruity flavours which may appeal to children, etc. The oral hygiene product may include cavities with additional oral care items, e.g., a toothpick or a length of dental floss. The oral hygiene product may have an overall rectangular shape, oval shape, elongate shape, or more exotic shape. The oral hygiene product may be shaped to resemble or mimic the oral hygiene composition which it contains or will be used for, e.g., a tube of toothpaste, a bottle of mouthwash, or a toothbrush. A volume or capacity of the cavities may be configured to store enough oral hygiene product convenient for a single use. For example, if the storage cavity contains toothpaste, it may be sized at 0.1-5 mL (or grams), e.g., 0.25-2 mL, e.g., about 1 mL. If the storage cavity contains mouthwash, it may be sized at 5-50 mL, e.g., about 20 mL. The body may be separable to divide it into two or more parts, with each part defining or enclosing one of the cavities. For example, a body with two cavities may include a secondary zone of weakness, e.g., a perforation, between the cavities to divide the body into two parts. Bodies which define several cavities may also include several secondary zones of weakness configured to divide the body into several parts, each with its own cavity. The body may be of a polymer, like a plastic, or a composite, like a plasticised foil. The body may be soluble or dissolvable. The body may be of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The body may thus even be consumable by a human and / or dissolvable in a user’s mouth. The body defining the cavity containing mouthwash could be placed directly into the mouth, where the body dissolves upon contact with saliva, releasing the mouthwash without creating any packaging waste. The oral hygiene product may be implemented in a wide variety of materials, manufacturing methods, commercial formats, and functional configurations. Materials: The body may be formed from flexible films, rigid plastics, semi-rigid plastics, laminated composites, recyclable polymers, biodegradable polymers, compostable materials, or water-soluble materials such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). In some embodiments, different portions of the body may be formed from different materials, for example, a rigid frangible tip combined with a flexible squeezable cavity wall. Manufacturing Methods: The product may be manufactured using vertical or horizontal form-fill-seal (FFS) processes, thermoforming, injection moulding, blow moulding, compression moulding, or hybrid manufacturing techniques. Zones of weakness may be formed by mechanical scoring, laser scoring, perforation wheels, frangible webs, controlled-thickness regions, or moulded break-lines. Opening and Dispensing Mechanisms: In certain embodiments, a user may first snap, tear, twist, or break a frangible portion of the body to create or expose a dispensing outlet, and thereafter press or squeeze the cavity to dispense the contents. This sequential “snap-and-press” or “open-then-dispense” functionality may apply to one or more cavities and is not limited to any specific geometry. Commercial and Use-Case Variants: The oral hygiene product may be configured for travel, hospitality, aviation, healthcare, emergency kits, retail multipacks, child-oriented products, promotional giveaways, subscription packs, or institutional use. Cavity volumes, shapes, and compositions may be adapted accordingly. Cavity Configurations: The product may include two, three, or more cavities of equal or different volumes. Cavities may be arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically, sequentially, stacked, or distributed across a strip, roll, sheet, or multi-unit array. Different oral care compositions, flavours, strengths, or functional agents may be provided in respective cavities. Environmental Considerations: In some embodiments, the entire product or portions thereof may be recyclable, biodegradable, compostable, or dissolvable in water or saliva, thereby reducing or eliminating post-use packaging waste. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings: FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of an oral hygiene product, in accordance with the invention; FIGS 2-3 show a schematic view of a second embodiment of an oral hygiene product, in accordance with the invention; FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a third embodiment of an oral hygiene product, in accordance with the invention; and FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of an oral hygiene product, in accordance with the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT The following description of an example embodiment of the invention is provided as an enabling teaching of the invention. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognise that changes can be made to the example embodiment described, while still attaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be attained by selecting some of the features of the example embodiment without utilising other features. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognise that modifications and adaptations to the example embodiment are possible and can even be desirable in certain circumstances and are a part of the present invention. Thus, the following description of the example embodiment is provided as illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not a limitation thereof. FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of an oral hygiene product 100, in accordance with the invention. The product 100 has a body 110. The body 110 may be of one or two sheets of planar or laminated material, such as a sheet of plastic or plasticised foil. The body 110 may be manufactured in accordance with conventional packaging technologies, e.g., those used to make condiment or supplement sachets. For example, the flexible embodiments (e.g., product 100 may be produced using a horizontal or vertical form-fill-seal (FFS) machine. In this process, webs of laminate film are shaped and sealed to form the cavities, which are then filled with the respective compositions. A final seal is applied, and the zones of weakness, such as perforations or score lines, may be created by a dedicated mechanical or laser scoring station on the FFS line. The body 110 defines two distinct and separate cavities 112,114. In this example, the body 110 is irregularly shaped and the cavities 112, 114 are of unequal size. A first cavity 112 is smaller and a second cavity 114 is larger (with about 10x the capacity). Each cavity 112, 114 has a separate oral hygiene composition contained therein. Each cavity 112, 114 has a dispensing outlet 120, 122 associated therewith. The dispensing outlets 120, 122 may be in the form of channels or ducts, or may simply be extremities (e.g., comers) of the cavity 112, 114. Each dispensing outlet 120, 122 is sealed. Usually, such a seal is provided by an edge of the body 110 itself. A zone of weakness 124, 126 is associated with each one of the dispensing outlets 120, 122. The zones of weakness 124, 126 are configured to permit unsealing of the associated dispensing outlets 120, 122 to permit dispensing of the oral hygiene composition. In this example, the zones of weakness 124, 126 are perforated lines which do not actually puncture the body 110 (which would cause leaking) but create an area which may easily be torn or ripped by hand. Tearing the body 110 along one or both of the zones of weakness 124, 126 will open the associated dispensing outlets 120, 122, permitting dispensing of the compositions therein. ln this embodiment, the product 100 is configured to contain two different compositions. Specifically, the smaller first cavity 112 contains toothpaste sufficient for a single use for brushing teeth once. The quantity of toothpaste may be in the order of 2 mL. The larger second cavity 114 contains mouthwash sufficient for a single rinse, e.g., 20 mL. In use, a user can tear the first perforated line 124, squeeze the toothpaste from the first cavity 112 onto their toothbrush, and brush their teeth. Then, once finished with this, the user can tear the second perforated line 126, squirt the mouthwash from the second cavity 114 into their mouth, and rinse. Then, the user can simply discard the body 110, as the contents have been fully used. This complete use reduces waste of the compositions. The body 110 may be of a recyclable or biodegradable material. FIGS 2-3 show a second embodiment of an oral hygiene product 200, in accordance with the invention. The same or similar numerals in different FIGS denote the same or similar parts. The product 200 has a rectangular body 210 which defines two equally sized cavities 212. Each cavity 212 contains toothpaste. The product 200 may be marketed as providing a day’s worth of toothpaste, e.g., for brushing once in the morning and once in the evening. Each cavity 212 has a dispensing outlet 220 which is simply a corner extremity of the cavity 212 at a corner of the body 210. A perforated line of weakness 224 is provided at each dispensing outlet 220 and a notch 226 is defined in an edge of the body 210 at one end of the perforated line of weakness 224. The notch 226 serves to focus or localise a tearing force to begin the tearing along the perforated line 224. FIG. 3 illustrates the usage of the product 200. The user (1) tears the corner of the body 210 along the line of weakness 224. This opens or unseals the dispensing outlet 220. The user then (2) squeezes the contents of the cavity 212 out of the dispensing outlet 220 and (3) dispenses it onto bristles of their toothbrush. FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of an oral hygiene product 300, in accordance with the invention. The product 300 has a larger body 310 defining fourteen (14) cavities 312. This is aimed at a week’s worth of toothpaste (7 days x twice per day). The cavities 312 are generally rectangular with a dispensing outlet 320 in the form of a blind duct projecting outwardly therefrom. A perforated line of weakness 324 is provided transversely through the dispensing outlet 320 with notches 326 to localise tearing towards the perforated line 324. In this embodiment, the body 310 also defines secondary zones of weakness 328 between the cavities 312 (also in the form of perforated lines). Tearing the body 312 along these secondary perforated lines 328 can divide the larger body 310 into smaller parts with each part containing a single cavity 312. By way of development, such a body 310 can be provided in a long string or roll with many, e.g., hundreds or more, of cavities 312 defined therein. The user can tear the body 310 where they please, to detach parts having a smaller number of cavities 312 (e.g., 1,2, 14, 60, etc.). The long roll or string can be provided for home use (e.g., for a user who travels frequently) or in a shop so that the user can detach and buy a specific quantity that they need. FIG. 5 illustrates a further example of an oral hygiene product 400, in accordance with the invention, similar to the product 100 of FIG. 1 but more refined or developed. The product 400 has a triangular body of rigid plastic material (e.g., polystyrene (PS), polypropylene (PP), or copolyesters). The body 410 has two separate cavities 412, 414 shaped to fit elegantly within the triangular shape of the body 410. In this embodiment, the body 410 is rigid, but brittle or frangible in places, defining respective zones of weakness 424, 426 where it may be broken or snapped to expose respective dispensing outlets 420, 422 in the cavities 412, 414. The user first “snaps” this zone 424, 426 by applying leverage, which fractures the material and creates an initial opening. The user then “presses” a flexible wall of the cavity 412, 414 to dispense the contents through this opening. The dispensing outlets 420, 422 may be no more than areas where a boundary of wall of the cavities 412, 414 has been broken off. Content (e.g., mouthwash and toothpaste, respectively) of the cavities 412, 414 may then simply be pressed or squeezed out for use. 5 The Applicant believes that the invention as exemplified provides an advantageous product 100, 200, 300, 400 that can provide a range of the same or different oral hygiene compositions suitable for a single use or plural single uses. The product 100, 200, 300, 400 is contemplated to reduce composition wastage as each cavity 112, 114, 10 212, 312, 412, 414 contains an amount suitable only for a single use. The product 100, 200, 300, 400 enhances convenience - it may be used by travellers. The product 100, 200, 300. 400 enables use of different compositions (e.g., a stronger and a weaker toothpaste, a medicated and non-medicated toothpaste, different flavours of toothpaste, or non-toothpaste options) in a single package. 15

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An oral hygiene product which includes:a body defining at least two storage cavities;an oral hygiene composition provided in each of the storage cavities;a dispensing outlet associated with each one of the storage cavities, each dispensing outlet being sealed; anda zone of weakness associated with each one of the dispensing outlets, each zone of weakness being configured to permit unsealing of the associated dispensing outlet to permit dispensing of the oral hygiene composition through the unsealed dispensing outlet.

2. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the body is formed from one or more sheets of a flexible polymeric material to form a sachet.

3. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the body is formed from a rigid material.

4. The oral hygiene product according to claim 2, wherein the zone of weakness comprises a line of perforation configured to be tom.

5. The oral hygiene product according to claim 3, wherein the zone of weakness is a frangible portion of the rigid body configured to be snapped to unseal the dispensing outlet.

6. The oral hygiene product according to claim 4, wherein a notch is defined in an edge of the body adjacent the line of perforation to facilitate tearing.

7. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein a first of the at least two storage cavities has a different volume than a second of the at least two storage cavities.

8. The oral hygiene product according to claim 7, wherein the first storage cavity contains toothpaste and the second storage cavity is larger and contains mouthwash.

9. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the at least two storage cavities are of equal size, and wherein each storage cavity contains toothpaste.

10. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the body defines a plurality of more than two storage cavities arranged in a sheet or strip.

11. The oral hygiene product according to claim 10, wherein the body further comprises secondary zones of weakness located between adjacent storage cavities to permit separation of a portion of the body containing one or more of the storage cavities.

12. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the body has an overall shape that mimics a container for one of the oral hygiene compositions contained therein.

13. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein each dispensing outlet is a narrowed channel extending from its associated storage cavity to an edge of the body.

14. The oral hygiene product according to claim 1, wherein the body is formed from a water-soluble material.

15. A method of sequentially dispensing two oral hygiene compositions, the method comprising:providing an oral hygiene product comprising a body defining at least a first storage cavity and a second storage cavity, wherein the first storage cavity contains a first oral hygiene composition and has a first sealed dispensing outlet associated with a first zone of weakness, and wherein the second storage cavity contains a second oral hygiene composition and has a second sealed dispensing outlet associated with a second zone of weakness;actuating the first zone of weakness to unseal the first dispensing outlet;dispensing the first oral hygiene composition from the first storage cavity;subsequently actuating the second zone of weakness to unseal the second dispensing outlet; anddispensing the second oral hygiene composition from the second storage cavity.

16. A sheet of oral hygiene products, the sheet comprising:a plurality of oral hygiene products according to claim 1 arranged adjacent to one another in a strip; andat least one secondary zone of weakness disposed between adjacent oral hygiene products, the secondary zone of weakness being configured to permit detachment of one or more of the plurality of oral hygiene products from the strip.A

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