Toilet – Toilet kit – Including toothbrush
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-05-08
Philogene, Pedro (Department: 3732)
Toilet
Toilet kit
Including toothbrush
C132S311000, C401S124000, C401S126000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227209
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a combination article of a tooth brush and a tooth paste. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved oral care article combining a tooth brush and a tooth paste, which enhances portability and usability.
Though various types of portable tooth brush sets are on the market, users demand further convenience for such oral care articles. To meet the need, a combination article of a tooth brush and a tooth paste has to be easy to use and convenient to handle. Also, it would be better if a conventional tooth paste tube can be utilized for such a combination article.
There is, therefore, a strong need for an oral care article combining a tooth brush and a tooth paste which can be used easily and conveniently for oral cleansing outdoors as well as indoors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is contrived to overcome the conventional disadvantages. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an article for oral care which realizes an ideal combination between a tooth brush and a tooth paste.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an article for oral care which substantially improves usability and portability.
To achieve the above-described objects and others, an article for oral care according to the present invention comprises a housing and a tooth brush section. The housing has a first opening, a second opening, a front end, a rear end, and a cavity communicating with the first opening and the second opening. The first opening is formed through the front end, and a conventional tooth paste tube with a neck may be inserted through the second opening into the cavity. The neck of the tooth paste tube is removably fixed through the first opening while securely holding the tooth paste tube within the housing. The tooth paste tube can be squeezed through the second opening to allow a desired amount of the tooth paste to flow out of the neck.
The tooth brush section has a base, a connecting rod, and a brush. The base comprises a tube end and a brush end. The tube end has a threaded female bore so that the threaded female bore can be tightly fitted over the neck of the tooth paste tube to securely attach the tooth brush section to the housing. The connecting rod is fixedly attached to the base at the brush end and the brush is fixedly attached to the connecting rod.
In a preferred version, the article further comprises an elongate cap for covering the tooth brush section, wherein the elongate cap has a cap opening and an opening rim. At least one boss may be formed on and along an inner periphery of the opening rim so that the opening rim can be detachably fitted onto the front end of the housing adjacent to the first opening.
The elongate cap comprises a clip having a clip base and a clip arm, wherein the clip base is fixedly attached to a predetermined portion of an outer periphery of the elongate cap. The clip arm is elastically elongated toward the housing. Alternately, the clip may be formed on the housing.
The housing further comprises a front extension and a rear extension opposed to the front extension. Here, the front and rear extensions are respectively protruded in a decremental step from the front and rear ends so that the respective outer peripheries of the extensions can detachably carry thereon the opening rim of the elongate cap.
The second opening has a length and a width, wherein the width is about one third the outer circumference of the housing and the length is about two thirds the distance between the front end and the rear end of the housing.
In another version, the front end of the housing has a pair of protrusions elastically approaching toward each other, forming a hiatus between the pair of protrusions, while channeling the first opening and the second opening.
Preferably, the housing may have a rear opening so that a conventional tooth paste tube with a neck can be inserted through the rear opening into the cavity.
According to still another version, the housing comprises a front end, a rear end, a neck with a neck opening, and a second opening. The neck is threaded on and along an outer periphery thereof and formed extending from the front end. The housing further comprises a flexible side cover to tightly seal the second opening so that a selected amount of tooth paste stored within the housing can be squeezed to flow out of the neck opening by pushing the flexible side cover.
The advantages of the article for oral care are numerous. First, the article enables a conventional tooth paste tube to partially serve as a handle of the tooth brush, thereby realizing compactablility. Second, the threaded neck of the conventional tooth paste tube may be utilized for detachable but safe connection between the tooth brush section and the housing, thereby improving usability. Third, the simplified overall construction of the article for oral car according to the present invention may be further added by a clip, thereby enhancing portability.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, the fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 793259 (1905-06-01), Wilson
patent: 1374330 (1921-04-01), Stevenson
patent: 2199877 (1940-05-01), Cervera
patent: 2845645 (1958-08-01), Wishnefsky et al.
patent: 2868215 (1959-01-01), Mechem
patent: 4275750 (1981-06-01), Clark
Kim Dae S.
Kim Gil Hee Ko
Park John K.
Park & Sutton LLP
Philogene Pedro
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