Oral hygiene device

Abstract

An oral hygiene device, intended for discreet use by an individual, including a head portion dimensioned and configured for disposition within a user's mouth and an elongated handle structured to facilitate movement of the head into a compound rotary and reciprocal cleaning action while therein. A plurality of cleansing members secured to the outer surface of the head extend outwardly therefrom in different directions. A transferable hygienic composition may be disposed on the plurality of cleansing members and/or head and is releasable therefrom upon moistening by the user's saliva. The hygienic composition may instead be released by a chewable and/or dissolvable structure disposed on the proximate end. The head may include a curvilinear outer surface configuration cooperatively structured with a predetermined array of the plurality of cleansing members to facilitate concurrent confronting engagement with the teeth and interior of the user's mouth for cleaning and release of the hygienic composition.

Claims

1. An oral hygiene device comprising: a head, said head being dimensioned to fit within the mouth of a user, a plurality of cleansing members extending from said head in a predetermined array, said head including an end portion and a base portion, said end portion including an outer surface configuration extending outwardly from said base, said predetermined array comprising said plurality of cleansing members arranged in a plurality of rows; at least some of said plurality of rows extending continuously along a length of said base and across said outer surface configuration of said end portion, said predetermined array further defined by said plurality of cleansing members of each of said plurality of rows extending outwardly from said end portion in different directions, said predetermined array further comprising said plurality of cleansing members of different ones of said plurality of rows extending outwardly from said elongated base in different directions, said array being structured to facilitate concurrent engagement of at least some of said cleansing members with at least one upper tooth and at least one lower tooth in the mouth of the user; an elongated handle connected to said head and having a sufficient length to facilitate selective compound and reciprocal movement of said head and said cleansing members while in the mouth of the user; a cleaning element dimensioned and disposed to fit within the mouth of the user, said cleaning element mounted on a proximal end of said elongated handle a predetermined distance from said head, said cleaning element formed of a solid material, dissolvable when moistened, said predetermined distance being sufficient to define a concurrent insertion of said head and said cleaning element in the mouth of the user, and a transferable hygienic composition at least partially included in said cleaning element and structured to dissolve into the mouth of the user.

2. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of cleansing members include said transferable, hygienic composition disposed thereon.

3. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 2 wherein said transferable, hygienic composition comprises a breath freshener.

4. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 2 wherein said transferable, hygienic composition is disposed on at least some of said plurality of cleansing members prior to use.

5. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said handle comprises a cylindrical configuration extending continuously along the length thereof.

6. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 5 wherein said handle comprises a circular cross sectional configuration extending continuously along said length thereof.

7. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said plurality of cleansing members of each of said plurality of rows being formed from a flexible material and being initially disposed in spaced, non-engaging relation to one another.

8. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated handle comprises a circular cross-sectional configuration extending along the length thereof.

9. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said cleaning element is formed from an initially soft material.

10. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said cleaning element is formed from an initially hard material.

11. An oral hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said cleaning element is formed from an initially semi-rigid material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection, with the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an oral hygiene device of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a right side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.

(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4.

(7) FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5.

(8) FIG. 7 is a left side view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6.

(9) FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7.

(10) FIG. 9 is a side view in partial cutaway of yet another preferred embodiment of present invention.

(11) FIG. 10 is a front view in partial cutaway of the embodiment of FIG. 9.

(12) FIG. 11 is an opposite side view in partial cutaway from that represented in FIG. 9.

(13) FIG. 12 is a front perspective view in partial cutaway of yet another preferred embodiment of present invention.

(14) Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(15) As represented in the accompanying Figures, the present invention is directed to an oral hygiene device generally indicated as 10. As such, the structural and operative features of the device 10 facilitate the accomplishment of oral hygiene, at least in terms of breath freshening and/or cleansing in a non-obvious, unobtrusive manner, thereby facilitating the use of the device 10 in a public location and in the presence of others.

(16) Accordingly, the device 10 comprises a head generally indicated as 12 and a handle generally indicated as 14. As also represented, the handle 14 has an elongated configuration of sufficient length to facilitate positioning of the head 12 in the mouth of an individual and the selective, predetermined manipulation of the head and plurality of cleansing members 16. More specifically and as described in greater detail hereinafter, the head 12 and the plurality of cleansing members 16 may be selectively and concurrently moved in a compound or combined reciprocal and rotary cleansing motion by exerting a combined reciprocal and twirling motion on the handle, once the head is in the user's mouth. As also represented, the handle 10 includes a substantially cylindrical configuration extending continuously along its length. Such a cylindrical configuration is more specifically defined by a circular or other curved exterior surface configuration 14′ as clearly represented in FIG. 6. Therefore, the handle 14 is specifically dimensioned and configured to be visually distinguishable from the appearance of a toothbrush or other conventional hygiene product and facilitate the “twirling” motion thereof by the user. As indicated, during use the head 12 is placed within the user's mouth and moved or otherwise manipulated to accomplish the hygienic procedure, as set forth above. However, at least a portion of the length of the handle 14 will protrude from the user's mouth and may be engaged by the hand of the user. Therefore, the appearance of the oral hygiene device 10 and in particular, the handle 14, will resemble that of a handle or “stick” used to support a conventional, edible confectionary product, such as a lollipop. As a result, an individual can accomplish the hygienic procedure in public and in the presence of others in a non-obtrusive manner.

(17) Other structural and operative features of the oral hygiene device 10 include the plurality of cleansing members 16 connected to and extending outwardly from the surface of the head 12. In at least one preferred embodiment, the plurality of cleansing members 16 are made of a flexible, soft, possibly resilient material having sufficient inherent bias to normally assume the orientation appearing throughout the Figures. The plurality of cleansing members 16 are connected to the head 12 and/or integrally formed in association with the outer surface thereof in a “predetermined array”. Such predetermined array is more specifically defined by a plurality of cleansing member 16 disposed in spaced, segregated, non-engaging relation to one another prior to entering the user's mouth and confronting interior portions thereof to perform a cleansing or other hygienic procedure. The predetermined array of the plurality of cleansing members 16 may be more specifically defined by a plurality of groupings 18 of the plurality of cleansing members 16. Each grouping 18 defines a row of the plurality of cleansing members 16 extending outwardly from the head 12 in a direction which differs from the plurality of cleansing members 16 defining others of the plurality of rows 18. Accordingly, while a majority of the cleansing members 16 extend outwardly from the head 12 in different directions, many of the plurality of cleansing members 16 defining a common row 18 extend outwardly from the surface of the end 20 of the head 12 in a different direction and outwardly from the surface of the base 22 in substantially common directions, as represented in FIGS. 1-8

(18) As a result, the predetermined array of the plurality of cleansing members 16 as generally defined above, facilitates the efficient and effective performance of the hygienic procedure once the head 12 is placed in the mouth of a user. The hygienic procedure may include brushing, scrubbing or other confronting engagement with interior portions of the mouth including the teeth, tongue, gums, etc. Further the lateral spacing between the rows 18 and the spacing between the cleansing members 16 of the same row 18 facilitates concurrent engagement with upper and lower teeth and the positioning of the cleansing members 16 between the teeth. In addition, the predetermined array in which the plurality of cleansing members 16 is collectively disposed may be further defined by their placement continuously along the outer surface of substantially the entirety of the head 12 or at least a majority thereof. More specifically, the head 12 is configured and overall structured to include an end portion 20, and a base portion 22 integrally or contiguously disposed relative to one another, as at 24.

(19) Moreover, the end portion 20 includes a substantially hemispherical outer surface configuration. In cooperation therewith, the base portion 22 includes a substantially elongated curved or curvilinear outer surface configuration as the base portion 22 extends between and/or intermediate of the handle 14 and the end portion 20. As a result, the aforementioned predetermined array of cleansing members 16 may be further defined by each of the plurality of cleansing member 16 collectively disposed in their respective rows 18, wherein each row is of sufficient length to extend along substantially the entire hemispherical or curvilinear surface of the end portion 20 and base portion 22 respectively. Therefore it is emphasized that the aforementioned predetermined array of the plurality of cleansing members 16, as well as the specifically defined outer curved configuration of the end portion 20 and the base portion 22, are not mere design choices but are structured to facilitate performance of the hygienic procedure including the ability to accomplish a combined or compound motion and/or cleaning action when such is desired.

(20) Additional features associated with one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention are the inclusion of one or more hygienic compositions disposed on or embedded or impregnated within at least some of a plurality of cleansing members 16 and/or the outer surface of the end portion 20 and/or base 22. Moreover, the one or more included hygienic compositions are formulated to be releasable into the mouth of the user when moistened, such as when engaging the saliva of the user. As a result, the plurality of cleansing members and/or the outer surface of the head 12 can include the hygienic composition in the form of a breath freshener, cleansing agent (toothpaste), and be in the form of a gel, paste, solution, powder or other appropriate form.

(21) In one or more preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 12, the hygienic composition may instead or also take the form of a cleansing element 40, a rigid or semi-rigid structure disposed on the proximate end of the handle 14. The cleansing element 40 can range in consistency from rigid, hard or solid to one that is soft, semi-rigid, pliable and/or gum-like. The cleansing element 40 is transferable, meaning it is chewable and/or formulated to dissolve when moistened, such as when engaging the saliva of the user. In any case, the cleansing element 40 releases a hygienic composition, such as xylitol and/or a breath freshener. The cleansing element 40 may include an apertured construction, such as a disc or cylinder with a hole through the middle, which fits over the proximate end of the handle 14 as shown in FIG. 12. The proximate end is that end of the invention disposed so as to allow concurrent insertion with the head 12 into the mouth of the user. The cleansing element 40 in the depicted embodiment of FIG. 12 is frictionally mounted so as to be fixed but still removable, but the cleansing element 40 may instead be mounted by any other suitably adhesive or fixing alternative.

(22) With primary reference to FIGS. 9-11, yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the handle 14 having the cylindrically formed outer surface 14′ extending along at least a majority thereof. However at least a portion of the handle 14, such as the distal end or tip is dimensioned, configured and structured to form a “toothpick” like implement generally indicated as 26. The pick structure 26 may be integrally, fixedly or removably secured to the corresponding end 14″ of the handle 14. As such, when the pick structure 26 is removably attached to the end 14″ it can be removed and replaced before or after use thereby further facilitating the appearance of the handle 14 as the handle or stick associated with an edible product.

(23) In more specific terms, the pick structure 26 includes a substantially convergent configuration extending from the junction with the end 14″ to the outer most extremity thereof as at 26′. As a result, the transverse or circumferential dimension of the pick structure 26 at or adjacent the extremity 26′ will be sufficient to facilitate the use of the pick structure 26 in a manner similar to a conventional toothpick. However, the extremity 26′ will be at least partially rounded to avoid an excessively sharp point thereat in order to avoid harm or damage to the interior of the mouth of the user.

(24) Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

(25) Now that the invention has been described,