Manual toothbrush with dispenser reservoir

Abstract

The invention is a manual toothbrush (100) comprising a hollow body (200) inside which there is a reservoir (300), a bristle head (500) and a neck (400) connecting said head (500) to a handle, and wherein said neck (400) comprises a channel (410) suited to place the inside of said reservoir (300) in communication with one or more through holes (511) made in the support (510) of said head (500).

Description

[0001] MANUAL TOOTHBRUSH WITH DISPENSER RESERVOIR DESCRIPTION

[0002] The present patent concerns toothbrushes, and more specifically it concerns a new manual toothbrush with a dispenser reservoir for selectively dispensing a liquid solution containing active ingredients.

[0003] The history of the toothbrush has very ancient roots, in fact it dates back as far as the Tong Dynasty (China 619-907) and arrived in Europe thanks to travellers approximately in the 17th century. In the USA, the first patent for a toothbrush dates back to 1857 (US Patent No. 18,653) but mass adoption did not occur until 1885.

[0004] The real revolution came in 1938 when, thanks to DuPont, bristles of animal origin were replaced by bristles of synthetic origin (nylon); this was followed by the invention of the electric toothbrush in 1958.

[0005] From 1938 to the present day, toothbrushes have been the subject of innovations mainly concerning aspects like the shape of the handle or the orientation of the bristles.

[0006] With regard to the electric toothbrush, there are numerous scientific studies showing that the electric toothbrush is more effective than the manual one: after 3 months of use, plaque is reduced by 21% and gingivitis is reduced by 11%. Electric toothbrushes are also more convenient for users with reduced mobility (arthritis, handicap, carpal tunnel etc) but they also have disadvantages, mainly related to their cost and to the cost of replacement accessories such as brush heads.

[0007] Another important aspect to be taken in consideration is that a study carried out in 2017 and published in the journal “PLOS ONE” (https: / / pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov / 28222156 / ) showed that the electric toothbrush can be much more aggressive than the manual one, especially at the level of the neck, and abrade dentin causing, secondarily, gingival recessions and hypersensitivity phenomena.

[0008] To be fair, there are also studies like the one published in 2013 in the “Journal of Clinical Oral Investigation” or the one published in 2022 in the “International Journal of Dental Hygiene” (https: / / onlinelibrary.wiley.com / doi / abs / 10. I l l 1 / idh.12656), which show that the effectiveness of electric toothbrushes can be compared to that of manual ones.

[0009] As stated in 'Mycare.com'(https: / / myacare.com / blog / electric-toothbrush-vs- manual-toothbrush-which-one-should-you-use), 75% of the market is still held by manual toothbrushes, which is also due to the fact that some countries have not yet reached a level of economic and / or cognitive development sufficient to allow them to switch to electric models; however, it should not be forgotten that the latter still have major disadvantages compared to manual models.

[0010] In order to overcome all the drawbacks mentioned above, a new type of manual toothbrush with a dispenser reservoir has been designed and manufactured.

[0011] One object of the new toothbrush is to help the user achieve an optimal level of plaque removal.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush that has low costs for both the manufacturer and the end user.

[0013] An advantage of the new toothbrush lies in that it is environmentally friendly, as its production requires a smaller quantity of plastic material, and in that it is long-lasting, as part of its components can be replaced.

[0014] These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by the new toothbrush which comprises, in its main parts: a handle or hollow body intended to be held by the user, preferably made of a plastic material or another material of natural origin, such as bamboo; a bristle head for toothbrushes, constrained to said hollow body by means of an element hereinafter referred to as a neck, said head comprising a support and bristles, for example nylon bristles, mounted on said support; said support is perforated in order to allow a liquid to flow therethrough; according to the invention, said head can be integral with said neck or, more preferably, mounted on said neck in a removable manner, so that it can be periodically replaced; said neck, substantially tubular in shape and therefore hollow, suited to connect the inside of said hollow body with one or more holes made in said head support; said neck is preferably made of a plastic material or rubber or another material of natural origin, and it can be rigid or flexible; said neck is mounted on said hollow body in a preferably removable manner and can comprise a seat suited to house said head in a removable or non-removable manner; a reservoir containing a liquid and inserted in said hollow body; said reservoir comprises an opening with a dispensing valve that can be selectively activated, and wherein said valve communicates with the inside of said neck; said reservoir is preferably removable, washable and refillable, thereby fulfilling the principles of environmental compatibility. According to the invention, for this purpose said hollow body can comprise an opening, for example at the end opposite said head, through which said reservoir can be extracted and inserted into the hollow body. Said reservoir furthermore comprises at least one opening for introducing liquid therein and a button for activating said valve, wherein said button can be conveniently accessed from the outside of said hollow body, for example by being placed at said end of the hollow body. Said dispensing valve is, for example, of the type that can be activated through a “snapping action”, so that each activation causes a certain amount of liquid to be dispensed, thus also ensuring its correct dosage.

[0015] The new toothbrush can thus be normally used as a manual toothbrush, distributing toothpaste on the bristles and brushing the teeth. Before, during or after brushing, it will also be possible to operate the dispensing valve to cause the liquid to be dispensed.

[0016] According to the invention, said liquid can contain one or more of the following active ingredients or substances:

[0017] 1. A dental plaque disclosing agent.

[0018] According to the invention, in this case the reservoir contains a solution of water and said plaque disclosing active ingredient, for example a non-toxic food dye; there is a very rich bibliography of articles on the efficacy of plaque disclosing agents, but the “bitonal” ones are particularly important, as they are capable of highlighting in a different way the most recent plaque, meaning that deposited on the teeth surface less than 24 hours before, from the plaque that has been there for more than 24 hours. It is sufficient to mix 3-5 drops of said active ingredient in 10 ml of water to obtain said plaque disclosing solution. By applying this solution directly inside their mouth with the dispensing toothbrush, the patient can see where the plaque deposits on the teeth are, and remove them in a targeted manner. This will result in a substantial increase in brushing efficiency with a consequent beneficial effect on dental and periodontal health.

[0019] This active ingredient is particularly suitable for periodontal patients, orthodontic patients, caries-prone patients, patients with motor deficits and for learning or self-learning purposes, particularly for children.

[0020] The new toothbrush used with said plaque disclosing solution can achieve, if not even exceed, the brushing efficiency of an electric device while eliminating the drawbacks described above. In addition, it will be possible to perform daily and at home the plaque disclosing operations that currently are performed almost exclusively in dental practices, when the so-called “plaque disclosing tabs”, normally used by the hygienist for educational purposes, are administered.

[0021] The benefits in terms of effectiveness and oral hygiene education are thus constant and produce long-lasting results.

[0022] 2. A whitening agent.

[0023] In this case, a 5% hydrogen peroxide solution is used. A study carried out in 2007 (https: / / www.sciencedirect.com / science / article / abs / pii / S0300571206001989) shows that it is possible to achieve a whitening effect with a 5% solution with results comparable to those obtained with 10%, 20% and 30% solutions while eliminating the side effects generated by high concentration solutions, such as dentin hypersensitivity and gingival irritation. The procedure enhances the whitening effect by combining the chemical action of the 5% hydrogen peroxide solution with the mechanical brushing action. However, it is advisable not to use this active ingredient constantly and regularly, and to avoid more than one application per day.

[0024] 3. Mouthwash, with or without added sodium fluoride.

[0025] In this case, mouthwash is dispensed, which has proven to be an effective aid in reducing the bacterial load. As in the previous case, the winning factor is the combination of the chemical action and the mechanical action directly on the spot.

[0026] With the new toothbrush, it will be possible to introduce the mouthwash, maximizing the antibacterial action and removing plaque even from the interdental spaces thanks to the simultaneous brushing action, even using a normal toothpaste distributed on the bristles.

[0027] According to the invention, said mouthwash can also be used in combination with 0.05% sodium fluoride (230PPM), with beneficial effects on oral health and dentin sensitivity, as proposed by Ringelberg’s study (https: / / www.aapd.org / globalassets / media / publications / archives / ringelberg- 04-04.pdf).

[0028] A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the attached drawing by way of non-limiting example.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of the new toothbrush (100), while Figure 2 shows the same toothbrush (100) with the reservoir (300) removed from the hollow body (200) of the toothbrush (100). Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional detail of the head (500) and of the top of the neck (400) of the toothbrush (100).

[0030] The new toothbrush (100) comprises a handle, or hollow body (200), a bristle head (500) and a body or neck (400) connecting said head (500) to said hollow body (200).

[0031] Said hollow body (200) is essentially tubular in shape, with an internal cavity (210) housing a preferably removable reservoir (300).

[0032] Said neck (400), too, is provided with an internal through cavity or channel (410) connecting the inside of said cavity (210) of the hollow body (200) with through holes (511) made in the support (510) of said head (500), a plurality of bristles (520) being mounted on said support (510).

[0033] Said reservoir (300) comprises a dispensing valve (310) connected to a small dispensing pipe (320) suited to be placed in communication with said channel (410) of the neck (400) when the reservoir (300) is correctly inserted in the hollow body (200).

[0034] Said dispensing valve (310) can be selectively activated by means of a button or activating mechanism (330), for example placed on said reservoir at the opposite end with respect to said dispensing valve (310) and in any case in such a position as to be accessible from the outside of the hollow body (200) when the reservoir (300) is properly inserted.

[0035] In the solution shown in the figures, said hollow body (200) has an open end (220) communicating with said cavity (210), cylindrical in shape and arranged so that it is substantially coaxial to the main longitudinal axis (X) of the hollow body (200) itself. The reservoir (300), which has a cylindrical shape substantially corresponding to the shape of said cavity (210), can thus be inserted / extracted through a sliding movement in the axial direction.

[0036] The button (330) for activating the dispensing valve (310) therefore protrudes from said end of the hollow body (200) and can be easily operated by the user. According to the invention, said reservoir (300) is refillable. For this purpose, said reservoir has at least one opening part.

[0037] Said head (500) is preferably constrained to said neck (400) in a removable manner, so as to allow for its replacement.

[0038] Specifically, the top (420) of the neck (400) comprises a seat (430) housing the support (510) of said head (500). Said neck (400) is preferably constrained to said hollow body (200) in a removable manner.

[0039] Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are made.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Manual toothbrush (100) comprising a handle, a bristle head (500) and a neck (400) connecting said head (500) to said handle, said head (500) comprising a support (510) and bristles (520) mounted on said support (510), characterized in that: said handle is a hollow body (200), meaning that it comprises a cavity (210) where a reservoir (300) can be inserted; said neck (400) comprises a channel (410) suited to place said cavity (210) in communication with one or more through holes (511) made in said support (510) of the head (500); said reservoir (300) comprises a dispensing valve (310) suited to be selectively activated and in communication with said channel (410) of said neck (400); a liquid is contained in said reservoir (300); and wherein the activation of said dispensing valve (310) causes said liquid to flow out of said reservoir (300) and to be dispensed through said holes (511) of said head (500).

2. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said liquid is a solution containing a plaque disclosing agent.

3. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said liquid is a solution containing a whitening agent, and more preferably is a 5% hydrogen peroxide solution.

4. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said liquid is a mouthwash.

5. Manual toothbrush (100) according to the preceding claim,characterized in that said mouthwash comprises sodium fluoride, and more preferably comprises 0.05% of sodium fluoride (230PPM).

6. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said reservoir (300) comprises an activation button (330) for activating said dispensing valve (310), wherein said button (330) can be accessed from the outside of said hollow body (200).

7. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that each activation of said activation button (300) causes a certain amount of said liquid to be dispensed.

8. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said reservoir (300) is inserted in said cavity (210) of said hollow body (200) in a removable manner.

9. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said reservoir (300) comprises a part that can be opened for introducing said liquid.

10. Manual toothbrush (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that said head (500) and / or said neck (400) are mounted in a removable manner.

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