US2576550A - Dentifrice-containing device and dentifrice applicator therefor - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1951 J. F. WATERS DENTRIFIcE-CONTAINING DEVICE AND DENTRIFICE APPLICATOR THEREFOR Filed Jan. l0, 1948 Patented Nov. 27, 1951 OFFICE@ DENTFRICE-CONTAINING DEVICE AND DENTIFRICE APPLICATOR THEREFOR James F. Waters, New York, N. Y.

Application January 10, 1948, Serial No. 1,654

This invention relates to aids for dental hygiene and more -particularly to rdentifrice-containing devices and applicators of denti'frices.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a container for carrying a tooth brush and a readily available vvdentifrice which may be taken from the container bythe brush in such quantity as is desired for dental use.

`Another object of the invention is to provide a dentifrice dispensing device suitable for carryingv on the person and comprising a closed container for a tooth brush and dentifrice. .Another object of the invention is to provide a dentifrice-containing device capable of being replenished withdentifrice in the nature of refills or applicators, each of which constitutes a dentifrice in either paste, uid or powder form spread over a sheet of flexible material or the interior surface vof a sheath, or a cake of dentifrice -so shaped as to be contained within the containing device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a package of dentifrice comprising a single unit, or a stack of several units, each unit containing a liquid. or paste dentifrice so arranged as to' be placeable in a containing. device from whence the dentifrice may be removed in desired amounts until the contained dentifrice is consumed, whereupon the used package may be removed and replaced by a fresh package. y l

Other objects and uses of the'invention will appear from a detailed-description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described 4and claimed.

In the drawingsl y l Fig. 1 shows the interior of a dentifrice-containing device in a longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig'. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the containing device of Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner of applying dentifrice to a. brush;

Fig. 4 illustrates a package of dentifrice consisting of a single applicator unit;

Fig.5 illustrates a package of dentifrice consisting of a number of applicator units;

Fig. l6 .illustrates a package of dentifrice-consisting of a sheath lined With dentifrice. T

Fig. 7 illustrates a package of dentifrice consisting of a stack of individual applicators; and

Fig'. 8 shows a longitudinal section of a dentifrice-containing device with a solid cake of dentifrice.

The present invention provides a container for r enclosing aftoth brush and a personal supply of dentifrice. Dentifricein such form as to satisfy the particular desire of a user is provided in package or other form f-orw refilling the .containerwhen an'originalisupplybecomes depleted. The dentifrice may be any of the conventional cal casing I0 having an opening II at one end' which is lcloseable with a removable cap I2 thatl snugly engages a collar I3 at the open end of the casing. The casing and cap lmay be made of metalor of other suitable material'and so constructed as to be air-tight.

The upper portion and interior of the collar I3 provide a bearing surface fora ring I4 which can be yremoved from the casing when it is `desired to replenish the dentifrice in the casing. A knurled rim I5 on the vring III extends beyond the collar I3 for facilitating gripping the 'ring for disengaging it from the casing.

The ring I4 has fastened to ita perforatedsleeve I6 which normally extends inwardly of the casing. The perforated sleeve is preferably made in such a manner as to permit flexing .if the sleeve when pressure is applied laterally thereto.l 'I'he sleeve maybe an open-woven wire gauze, or a screen mesh of neutral materials suchl as synthetic organic plastics or glass fibers,` or a perforated sheet of synthetic organic plastics, rubber or metal. The dentifrice is `located between the perforated sleeve I6 and the wall of the casing III. y v

The meshes or openingsin the sleeve should be of -such size and in such number as to permit the passage therethrough of the particular dentifrice employed, or to provide forthe passage therethrough of the ends of the bristles of a brush. Wire mesh screens ranging in gauge from 22 to 50 are satisfactory for the various forms of dentifrice described herein. f

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 there is illustrated a dentifrice applicator intermediate the wall of the casing III and the screen IB. An applicator is a device by which dentifrice in any form may be presented to and. made accessible to the exteriory of the perforated screen.

The pad may be made of any textil-ey or other.

suitable materials and the backingmay be dispen-sed with when the ca-rrier I'I has such properties as toserve the function of the backing- For inserting an applicator into the casing I0 the' ring I4 andA perforated scr-een I6 are withdrawn from the casing and the applicator is Wrapped or casing.. The space.. between. the/ screen and: the

condenser lpaper 23 for separating the dentifrice from the reverse surface of the backing material.

These various layers of materialsA are in `*such* width as to cover the screen of a particular dispensing device and of such length as -to -pro-' vide a plurality of applicators Vfor individual use, say to provide for six or a dozen individual applicator units. Scored lines or markings 24 are provided for determining the circumferential measurement required for each applicator to envelop a perforated sleeve. An applicator is detached from the roll as needed. IThe intervening sheet of paper 23 is removed and. cast aside before an applicator is applied to the screen.

In Fig. 6, there is illustrated a sheath or stocking 25 of knitted or woven textile material lined with dentifrice 25 and of such size as to fit over the tubular screen i6 with the dentifrice between the sheath and the screen. The screen is introduced into the sheath and then the a.- sembled sheath and screen is inserted into the casing of the containing device. i

Another manner-for providing individual applicators is illustrated in Fig. 7 in which a pluv rality of individual applicators are stacked, each applicator consisting of a backing 26, a pad 2l, and dentifrice 28, and each applicator being separated by a sheet of non-porous paper 29. The stack 'of applicators or individual applicatorsV in any of a variety of forms may be packaged in an hermetically sealed container for insuring continuedfreshness of the dentifrice.v

TheA interior of the perforated sleeve or screen I6 provides a receptacle for a tooth brush 38 and the receptacle is sealed by a stopper 3| affixed' to the vhandle of the brush. The stopper 3| firmlyV engages the opening in ring I4, and together with the ring, closes'off the opening at the end of the casing I8. The brush and the dentifrice are thereby contained in a sealed enclosure when they are not being used. d

The manner of collecting dentifrice on the brush is illustrated in Fig. 3. When a paste 0r other flowable dentifrice is employed 'some of the dentifrice will come through the'perforationsV in the sleeve I6 when the exible applicatoris wrapped about the sleeve. As the dentifrice is consumed in use, more dentifrice can bel collected on a brush upon flexing the sleeve by the brush as shown in Fig. V3. The lateral pressure provided between the Wall of the casing l() and the brush 30 directs and diffuses the dentifrice 32 through the perforations in the sleeve so that the dentifrice can be collected on the bristles of the brush in the quantity desired.

.In Fig. 8 there is shown a dispensing device 33 in which the dentifrice 34 consists of a tubular cake of relatively dry dentifrice comprising dental powder in molded form. The cake is slipped over the perforated sleeve 35. When'this type of dentifrice is used the screen maybe quite coarse so as to permit accessV to the cake by the brush bristles, or if desired, the perforated sleeve may be omitted entirely. If desired, the space between the perforated sleeve or screen 35 and the wall of the casing 36 may be filled with loose powder `(not shown). In such-event the screenA stema te of ancestry fiile nega to, serveer je 4 time permit the powder to pass through the meshes when disturbed by the bristles of a brush. The dispensing device of the present invention maybe made in a variety .of sizesfor. home use and for travelling with applicators available in the respective sizes required.

'What is claimed is:

1. In a device for dispensing dentifrice wherein an elongatedv casing 'having an open end contains a perforated `sleeve which forms a central chamber Within itself and an annular chamber Vbetween the perforated sleeve and the casing, said sleeve being removably supported in said casing by a ring carried by said sleeve and engaging the casing adjacent its open end, the combination with said perforated sleeve of a carrier for dentifrice wrapped around the .sleeve with thev dentifrice carried thereby lying in contacting relationship with the eXterior'of the sleeve.

2. The device set forth in claim 1 .in which the perforated sleeve is flexible andcapable of :flexing under pressure exerted thereagainst from within its central chamber Vto cause the dentifricecarried thereby to diffuse inwardly through the perforations in the screen.l

3. The device set forth in claim 1 in which a closure is provided for. said central chambensaid closure being formed to engage with Ysaid ring and be supported thereby.

4. A tubular device 'for supporting a dentifrice preparation, comprising a sleeve formed by a relatively thin Wall for supporting a layer of dentifrice preparation on the exterior surface of the sleeve, said sleeve having a plurality of openings through its wall which are distributed 'over substantially the full area of the wall, 'and a dentifrice preparation forming a layer overlying the exterior surface of said wall and fromfwhich the preparation is supplied to said openings Vfor making rthe same available from within rsaid sleeve, said sleeve being open at one end and havingv an open bore withV a cross-sectional V'area' sufficiently large to enable manipulation of a toothbrush against the interior surface of said sleeve to gather from saidV openings a supply Aof the dental preparation. H I

5. The article defined in claimV 4 in which the sleeve is a flexible gauze-like material, adapted to permit the passage of the dentifrice preparation therethrough.

. JAMESNF.V WATERS.

RErEnnNcEs CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name '.Date y 645,143 VTaylor Mar. 13, 1900 810,436 Ritz Jan. 23, 1906 1,377,567 Eins, May 1o, 1921 1,411,681 "Burlew Apr.V 4, 1922 1,421,911 Cohen Julyv 4,1922 1,517,615 Chynoweth Dec. 2 1924 1,836,833 Ames Dec. 15, 1931 2,136,204 Amdur NOV. 8, 1938 2,148,736 Engel, JI'. Feb. 28, 19139 2,176,308 Larkin OCt. 17, 1939 2,177,45'5 Hakert Oct. 24, 1939 2,413,682 Brown Jan. 7', 1947 'v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date

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