WO1996011644A1

WO1996011644A1 - Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene

Info

Publication number: WO1996011644A1
Application number: PCT/IT1995/000168
Authority: WO
Inventors: Girolamo Buonavoglia
Original assignee: Girolamo Buonavoglia
Priority date: 1994-10-17
Filing date: 1995-10-16
Publication date: 1996-04-25
Also published as: AU3709095A

Abstract

Mini-beauty case (10) for oral hygiene, being flat, pocket-sized, in a single piece (11) of plastic material, comprising two equal opposing covers (12, 13) on one side and on the other of a tool carrier (14) into whose body are inserted various tools, toothpicks (40) with two tips, one straight and the other at 180° from the first, toothpicks with two points respectively at 90°, with expansion on the back for orientation, pads (70) with threads of dental floss of two diameters, pincers (80), pairs of spatulas (40, 50'), all of a flat structure and removable from the tool carrier (14) by tearing off.

Description

MINI-BEAUTY CASE FOR ORAL HYGIENE

The invention concerns appliances for oral health and hygiene, and in particular for cleaning the teeth. Commonly known objects are the small sticks, called toothpicks, made with a sharpened end and used to remove fragments of food which become loged between the teeth dur ing a meal .

Toothpicks are generally difficult to grasp and practi¬ cally speaking can only be used on the front of teeth as obviously the fingers holding them cannot actually penetrate inside the mouth; this means that it is in fact impossible to use them on the inner side of the teeth . Presently known threads of dental floss are only made in one size and are of little use if there are spaces between the teeth .

For the ordinary user therefore no means are available similar or comparable to the pincers and spatulas used by dentists which being of a sophisticated structure tend to be expensive. s partaking of food is a necessity everythere and at all times and as remains of food are almost inevitably left among the teeth, and as few restaurants put toothpicks on the table, most people have to put up with the con¬ siderable annoyance of retaining such food particles in the mouth with effects that may well be negative from the aspect of general , hygiene, of affording protection against tooth decay and of health itself. If fish is being eaten a commonly related trouble, and even danger, occurs if bones become wedged between the teeth, stuck into the gums or elsewhere in the oral ca¬ vity.

It is often impossible to remove these bones without the aid of pincers or of a similar tool. The present invention removes or reduces such drawbacks as will be explained below.

Subject of the invention is a small beauty case containing what is needed for orgal hygiene. The case comprises a tool-carrying section and two outer covering sections, substan ially equal and opposite one another having raised surrounding edges, one on each side of the centrl section whose dimensions are substantially the same as the inner dimensions of the covering sections.

The central section, made in a single piece, comprises a set of tools for oral hygiene, of a substantially flat structure, inserted in the body of said section.

One or other of the tools can therefore be taken out and used as required detaching them from the central section by simply pressing with the fingers on their perimeters already prepared for easy removal. Advantageously the central section is a single piece of plastic material with the tools and outer covers and is fixed to the covers by longitudinal hinges respectively placed on both longitudinal sides of said section and on the longitudinal edges of the corresponding covers. In relation to said covers , placed facing each other, the hinges are fixed to their edges on the same right or left hand sides.

The tools comprise pads with threads of dental floss, pincers, toothpicks with a point at one end and a hook shaped part at the other end for use in front of and be¬ hind the teeth, and pairs of differently sized spatulas. Structure of the pad with threads of dental floss is substantially flat and rectangular, with a head and a base connected by a pair of parallel dental threads of different diameters. Structure of the pincers is substantially flat and with two jaws of a substantially circular cross section that terminate in two small heads having two opposing and al igned points .

This structure makes the jaws elastically flexible so that by pressing one against the other to bring the tips in the desired position, they can be used in the cavity of the mouth to remove bodies stuck between the teeth and that cannot be taken out by other means. The toothpicks have a flat handle at the base, at one end of which, after an inclined section, is a rounded stick with a sharp point and, at the other end a flat hook-shaped head with a thin flat point turned towards the same side of the stick.

In this way the tip of the stick can be used on the outer side of .e teeth and the hook-shaped end on the inner side of ne teeth.

Another type of toothpick comprises a body with two sharp ends one of which is bent at about 90° to said body. - k -

At approximately the centre of said body, placed opposite the end bent at 90°, is an expansion, the centre line of whose geometrical plane is common to that passing through the body and through said end bent at 90°. By means of said expansion the fingers can more easily direct the end bent at 90° during its action on the teeth inside the oral cavity.

The pair of spatulas are placed one at each end of a cen¬ tral rounded grip, the shape of the spatulas being essen- tially that of a triangular lance head whose base is joined to the rounded grip and whose tip is very fine. Advantageously the two spatulas are of different sizes better to suit user preferences and needs. To injection-mould the tool-carrying section both with the covers and with the tools themselves in a single piece, said tools are connected in various ways to the channels that feed in the material.

In one type connection is made by prepared tear-off lines round the perimeters of each tool. In another type connection is made by tiny cross pieces placed between the tools themselves and the tool-carrying section.

In another type the tools are directly connected to the branches of the central feed channel of the material by means of small bridges.

These cross pieces and bridges are easily broken off to allow the tools to be pulled out when needed.

The invention offers evident advantages.

For the first time any person can benefit in any place of a beauty case for oral hygiene complete with the tools re¬ quired to clean remains of food from the teeth after each meal . 11644 -

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The flat grips on the toothpicks enable them to be held firmly and effectively, and the teeth to be cleaned both at the front and back by association of a straight tip with the hooked end set at 180°. The expansion on the back aids the fingers in directing the second point when working inside the oral cavity. The off-line grip that, in one type, connects the two points bent at 90°, ensures a firm hold and cleansing efficiency. With the pincers even strongly wedged in fragments of food can be removed.

The different diameters of the double thread of dental floss makes it easier to use and more effective. The differently sized spatulas make possible any further action on the teeth and oral cavity as a whole.

All the tools are made of non-toxic plastic material to ensure safety and are so shaped as to be capable of get¬ ting rid of any food residues left among the teeth. The two types of beauty case, both flat and pocket-sized, the larger one containing more tools and the smaller one fewer, means that either one can be used in any place when the owner is away from home.

The structure in a single piece of plastic materials makes for extremely low manufacturing costs and therefore for universal application.

Chara teristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by d iagrammat ically drawn figures. Fig. I The invented beauty case showing a tool-carrying section with toothpicks, a pair of spatulas, a pad with threads of dental floss, pincers- Fig.2 Perspective view of the beauty case in Fig. I, closed. Fig.3 Detail of the tool-carrying section, front view cut through longitudinally. Fig.4- Front and side views of the toothpick. Fig.5 The pair of spatulas, front and side views and in section.

Fig.6 The pad of dental floss threads, front and side views and cross section. Fig.7 The pincers, front and side views and cross section. Fig.8 Detail bf one type of structure of the tool-carrying piece of the beauty case.

Fig.9 Detail of another type of structure of Fig.8. Fig.10 A smaller simplified version of the beauty case hereinafter called 'mini-trousse ' showing the tool carrier, toothpick with expansion, toothpick with grip, .a pair of spatulas.

Fig.11 The second type of toothpick with expansion at the back, front and side views. The beauty case 10 for cleaning the teeth, the case I I composed of two covers 12 and 13 substantially the same, connected by a tool-carrier 14.

The covers 12 and 13 comprise a base 15 and raised peri¬ meter 16. Amplitude of the tool-carrier 14 is practically the same as that of the covers marked off by edges 16, 17 and connected to these latter by longitudinal hinging 18, 19 on the insides of said edges 16 and 17.

Looking at the covers from inside, said hinges are placed on their right hand side so that when the covers close as in Fig.2, the tool-carrier 14 remains inside the chamber formed by said covers, connected along the longitudinal edges of one cover and the other respectively.

On opening the cover 12 around the hinge 18, therefore, access is gained to the front face 20 of the tool carrier 14 while on opening the cover 13 around the hinge 19, access is gained to the rear face 21 of the tool carrier. Closure of the two covers is made stable by the button 30 on the tongue 31 of the cover 12 that fits into the cylindrical space 32 in the tongue 33 of cover 13.

The tool carrier 14 seen in Fig. 3 comprises a set of tools for cleaning the teeth.

Tool 40 is a toothpick comprising a flat zone 44 to be used as a handgrip cc αected by the section inclined at 45° 42 with the tapered stick 43 that ends in the pointed tip 44.

At the end of the handgrip 44 is a flat head 45 with a thin hooked tip 46. With the tip 44 fragments of food can be easily removed if stuck between the teeth while eating, this being done from the front .

The tip 4.6 of the hook-shaped head 45 enables cleaning to be done at the back of the teeth using as a handgrip either the flat zone 44 or the rounded zone 43. Tool 50 is a double spatula comprising the central hand¬ grip 51 and. at one end, the spatula 52 with base 53 and tip 54. At the other end is a smaller spatula 55 with base 56 and tip 57. This tool permits action throughout the whole oral cavity to clean up- and promote oral hygiene generally.

Tool 60 is substantially the same as tool 50 with slight differences in size and shape to suit different purposes. The rectangular tool 70 comprises a head 71 connected to the base 72 by a pair of dental floss threads 73 and 74 respectively of different diameters.

Tool 80 is a pair of pincers with two jaws 81,82 that end with heads 84,85 with opposing tips 86,87. Said jaws leave from the flat head 88 assuming a substan¬ tially circular cross section gradually decreasing. By pressing on the opposing jaws they will yield elastically until the tips 86 and 87 come in contact. A smooth and safe pincing effect can thus be exercised on the teeth to clean between them and catch onto hard frag¬ ments of food, fishbones and the like.

All these tools, 40,50,60,70,80 come in a single piece with the head 14, in turn in a single piece with the covers 12 and 13 producing a single structure I I of plastic material.

This produces an outfit easy and inexpensive to manufacture as well as being rational to use.

Each tool can in fact be detached from the tool-carrier by finger pressure that separates it along its perimeter on a prepared line as indicated by 90.

Fig. 8 illustrates the way in which the tools are made in a single piece with the carrier section 22 by means of a central injection point 29 for the plastic material. The different tools 40,50,60,70,80 are connected to the carrier 22 by cross pieces 24 through which the material passes .

When a tool is required the cross pieces are easily torn off. Fig.9 shows another tool layout on the carrier 23. Tools 40,50,60,70,80 are connected to branches 25,26 of the central feed 29 of plastic by connections 27 28 easily torn off when required.

Fig.10 shows a smaller edition of the beauty case. For this the same reference numbers have been used as for Figures 1 and 2 to depict all parts that correspond to those in these figures, even if the sizes are different.

The tool carrier 14 in Fig.10 comprises a set of tools for cleaning the teeth. Tools 40 and 50 are those in the beauty case already des¬ cribed .

The toothpick 60 comprises a round bar 61 with pointed end 62. The other end 63 is at 90° from the first and shows the second pointed end 64.

On the back of the bar in a position diametrically opposite the second pointed end, is an oblong expansion 65 which, when held by the fingers, facilitates orientation of second pointed end inside the mouth.

All these tools 40,50,60 are in one piece with the carrier 14, in turn in one piece with the covers 12, 13 forming a single structure I I of plastic material as in the beauty case of larger size in Figs. - and 2.

Claims

1. Mini-beauty case( 10, 10' ) for oral hygiene characterized in that it comprises a tool carrier ( 14) and two covers ( 12, 13) substantially the same and one opposite the other, with raised edges ⁽ 16 , 17 ) . round the perimeters on the one side and the other of said tool carrier, amplitude being substantially equal to the in¬ ternal amplitude of said covers, said carrier comprising in turn, in a single piece, a set of tools for oral hygiene of a substantially flat structure inserted into the body of said carrier it being thus possible to use one tool or the other as required by pulling them off the carrier by simply pressing on the connecting position with the fingers

2. Min-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 1 characterized in that the tool carrier 14 is in a single piece with the covers.

3. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim I characterized in that the tool carrier ( 14) is in a single piece with the covers ( 12, 13) fixed to them by longitudi¬ nal hinging (18, 19) respectively on each of the two longi¬ tudinal sides of the tool carrier and on the longitudinal edges (16, 17) corresponding to them on the covers.

4. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 1 characterized in that the tools comprise pads (70) with threads of dental floss, pincers (80), two types of tooth¬ picks (40,60) with double tips, straight and hook-shaped, for use respectively outside and inside the teeth, pairs of spatulas (50,50') of different sizes.

5. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 4 characterized in that the pad (70) with threads of dental floss (73 74) is of a substantially flat rectangular struc¬ ture comprising a head (71) and base (72 connected by a - I I-

pair of dental floss threads (73,74) placed parallel and of different diameters.

6. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 4 characterized in that the pincers are of a substantially flat structure having two jaws (81,82) of a substantially circular cross section terminating in two heads (84,85) on which are two opposing, aligned, operating points (86, 87), this structure enabling the jaws to yield elastically when pressed together as far as is recessary for acting inside the oral cavity against bodies wedged among the teeth and which cannot be reached sufficiently well by other means .

7. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 4 characterized in that one type (40) of toothpick comprises a flat based grip (44) from which depart, at one end by means of an inclined section (42), a rounded stick (43) with a point (44) and, at the other end, a flat hook-shaped head (45) with a fine flat tip (46) facing the same way as the stick, it being thus possible to use the tip of the stick on the outer side of the teeth and the hook-shaped head on the inner side of the teeth.

8. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 4 characterized in that a second type of toothpick (60) com¬ prises a body with two pointed ends (62,63), one of which ends (63) is turned at substantially 90° in relation to said body, there being substantially in the centre of said body in a position diametrically opposite to the bent end at 90°, an expansion (65) whose centre-line geometrical plane is in common with that passing through said body and through said end at 90°, said expansion facilitating direc¬ tion, by the fingers, of the end at 90° during its action on the teeth inside the oral cavity.

9. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 8 characterized in that the second type (60) of toothpick exhibits a body (61) in the form of a round bar.

10. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 8 characterized in that the expansion (65) on the second type (60) of toothpick is oblong and substantially parallel

to its body (61).

11. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 8

characterized in that the expansion (65) on the second

type (60) of toothpick is thin.

12. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 8 characterized in that the expansion (65) on the second type (60) of toothpick exhibits a substantially constant triangular cross section, the base of the triangle lying on the body of the toothpick.

13. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 8 characterized in that the larger cross section of the end (63) at 90° of the second type (60) of toothpick is sub- stantially triangular the apex facing towards the opposite side of the expansion (65).

14. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 4 characterized in that the spatulas (50,50' ) depart from the two ends of a central rounded handgrip, the two spatulas being shaped substantially in the form of triangular lances whose base connects to the rounded bar at the thin end, the two spatulas being preferably of different sizes to suit specific needs and preferences.

15. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 1 characterized in that it is made from a single injection moulded piece of plastic material. 1644 PC---7IT95/00168

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16. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim I characterized in that the various tools (40,50,60,70,80) are connected to the tool carrier( 1 )by perimetral lines prepared for easy detachment.

17. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 1 characterized in that the various tools (40,50,60,70,80) are connected to the tool carrier ( 14), for passage of plastic material, by a series of cross pieces (24) that are easy to tear off.

18. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claim 1, characterized in that the various tools (40,50,60,70,80) are connected directly to the branches (25) of central feed (29) of plastic material for injection moulding by means of a bridge (27,28) easy to tear off.

19. Mini-beauty case for oral hygiene as in claims 1,7,9 characterized in that a smaller version comprises two toothpicks of the first type (40) and of the second type (60) and a pair of spatulas (50).