US2677842A - Toothbrush with dispensable cleansing pad - Google Patents

Description

May l1, 1954 w. sHERwlN TOOTHBRUSH WITH DISPENSABLE CLEANSING PAD Filed NOV. 7, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Patented May 1l, 1954 UNITED STATE PTENT OFFICE 'roo'rnansn WITHnrsPENsABLE cLnANsING PAD Lawrence W. Sherwin, Syracuse, N. Y. Application November 7, 1950, Serial No. 194,483

(Cl. -2l0) 4 Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in tooth brushes and the like, and more particularly to that type of tooth brush employing a tooth cleansing member or pad intended to be disposed oi after each tooth cleansing operation.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to employ a disposable cleansing member. However, such brushes have not received any appreciable acceptance due to the relatively high cost of the disposable pad or brush element,` the complicated structure for mounting it on the handle portion or" the brush, and the lack. of any substantial sanitation advantage.

This invention has as an object a tooth brush of the type referred to embodying a structural arrangement by which the disposable cleansing pad is quickly and conveniently mounted on the handle portion of the brush and ejected therefrom use without touching the pad.

The invention further contemplates a cleansing l pad which is economical to manufacture but which is particularly efficient in cleansing the teeth. These pads are of such a nature that they may be sterilized and individually wrapped with a protective covering which is removed after the pad been mounted in the handle, whereby the pad presented for use is in a sterile condition.

The invention consists in the novel features and in combinations and constructions hereinaiter set forth and claimed.

in describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of side oi the brush.

Figure 2 is a View, similar to Figure 1, with the pad slide moved outwardly from the pad retaining slot for the ejection of the pad from the handle and the ejected pad shown on its side.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33, Figure l.

Figure i is an enlarged View of the left hand portion of Figure 2.

igure 5 is a view taken on line 5 5, Figure l.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cleansing pad its protective wrapping.

The brush consists of an elongated handle poriii, in one end of which, as in the head portion ji, there is formed a slot l2 extending inwardly from the outer end of the handle. This slot may be of T-iormation, or provided at its opposite sides with ribs l 3 to frictionally hold the pad during the cleansing operation. A slide member M is mounted in the slot l2 for reciprothe bristle or pad cation' therein. The handle IQ is formed with a lengthwise extending passage in which there is slidably mounted a rod or stem I 5, one end of which is connected to the slide ld, and the opposlte end to an actuating member l l. As shown in Figure 3, one end of the stem l5 is bent outwardly, as at i8, and secured to the actuator il, the confronting surface of the handle being formed with an elongated slot I9 in which the bent portion i8 is permitted to slide lengthwise of the handle.

The cleansing member Z is in the nature of a rectangular pad formed of felted material. This pad is proportioned so that the transverse Width of the pad is substantially the same as the width or" the bottom of the T slot it, whereupon the .ribs i3 irictionally engage opposite sides of the pad, as shown in Figure 5, and in this manner the pad is firmly retained in the slot. The pad is adapted in lengthwise dimension tov be positioned upon the slide iii, and the ends of the slide are bent upwardly toward the open side of the T slot for engagement with the ends of the pad 2i?. Rearward movement of the actuator Il and the ide it eiiects movement of the pad into' the T siot. To aid in thismovern'ent, the outer ends of the ribs i3 are chamfered as at 22, Figure e. After the teeth have been brushed and cleaned, forward movement of the actuator il toward the head portion ii effects ejectrnent of the pad 29 from the T siot and as the handle is turned over, the pad drops from the slide i4. With this arrangement, the used pad is ejected from the handle without the necessity of touching it.

I have found that a pad made from a fibrous mixture containing from 30 to 40% wool ber; 5G to 60% cotton ber, and 5 to 15% rayon ber, is particularly eicient for the tooth cleansing operation. The pads 2! are preferably sterilized at ie time of manufacture and while sterile are wrapped with protective sheet material, such as cellophane, and the wrapped pad is provided with a tear tape 25, see Figure 6. rThe Wrapped pad is placed in the slide l and moved into the T slot l2. Thereupon, the protective Wrapper is removed from that portion of the pad extending from the handle by manipulation of the tear tape 25, as will be well understood. In this manner, the pad is presented for use in sterile condition and after use, the pad is ejected from the handle portion as described, When not in use, the handle portion may be kept in an antiseptic solution for any extended time Without damage due to the fact that there is no brush or cleansing pad present to be adversely affected by the solution.

What I claim is:

1. A tooth brush comprising a handle formed with an open-ended slot T shaped in cross section and extending axially inward from one end of the handle, a slide member movable into and out of said slot, said slide member having portions adapted to detaohably engage opposite ends of a cleansing pad and being operable to move the pad into and out of said slot upon reoiprocation of the slide member, the sides of said slot `riotionally engaging said pad to retain the same in the slot, and an actuating member having a portion slidably mounted on the exterior of the handle to efect reciprocation of said slide member.

2. A tooth brush comprising a handle formed with an open-ended slot T shaped in cross section and extending inwardly from one end of the handle, a dispensable cleansing pad having a base portion adapted to frictionally engage the sides of said slot, said handle being formed with an axial passage extending from the inner end of said slot toward the opposite end of the handle, a slide member mounted for reciprooation in said slot and having a portion extending toward the open side of the slot and adapted to engage the cleansing pad, said slide member being operable to move said pad into and out of the slot upon reciprocation of the slide member, a stem slidably mounted in said passage and being connected at one end to said slide member, and an actuator arranged exteriorly of the handle and connected to the opposite end of said stem to effect reciprocation of said stem and slide member.

3. A tooth brush comprising a handle portion formed with an open-ended slot "r shaped in cross section and extending axially inward from one end of the handle, a slide member mounted for movement into and out of said slot, said slide member having portions extending toward the open side of said slot and adapted to engage opposite ends of a cleansing pad and being operable to move the pad into and out of said slot upon reciprooation of the slide member, and an actuating member having a portion arranged exteriorly of the handle and movable lengthwise 4 thereof for eecting reciprocation of the slide member.

4. A tooth brush comprising a handle portion formed with an open-ended slot extending axially inward from one end of the handle, a slide member mounted for movement into and out of said slot, said slide member having portions adapted to detachably engage opposite ends of a cleansing pad and being operable to move the pad into and out of said slot upon reciprocation of the slide member, an actuating member having a portion arranged exteriorly of the handle and movable lengthwise thereof for electing reciprocation of the slide member, said slot having a pair of ribs spaced outwardly from the bottom wall of the slot and extending inwardly thereover, the ends of said ribs adjacent the open end of the slot diverging outwardly forming a divergent throat for guiding the cleansing pad into the slot between said ribs upon inward movement of the slide member.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 403,350 Horsey May 14, 1889 770,588 Koch Sept. 20, 1904 1,407,214 Osborn Feb. 21, 1922 1,421,911 Cohen July 4, 1922 1,558,225 Boeker Oct. 20, 1925 1,635,924 Buckley July l2, 1927 1,705,542 Ryser Mar. 19, 1929 1,711,621 Temple May 7, 1929 1,729,167 Knapp Sept. 24, 1929 1,879,552 Silva et al. Sept. 27, 1932 2,092,438 Wilt Sept. 7, 1937 2,326,632 Friedman Aug. 10, 1943 2,435,394 Hawley Feb. 3, 1943 2,517,029 Ridner Aug. 1, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,932 Great Britain Sept. 15, 1910

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