US4455704A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toothbrush and tongue cleaner
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1982-07-30
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Granted: 1984-06-26
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Expires: 2002-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A conventional tooth brush is combined with a tongue cleaner as a single instrument, adapted to provide cooperative improved personal user hygiene. A tooth brush has a handle integrally extending coextensively from the conventional tooth brush bristle segment, the opposed handle terminating in an integral arcuate tongue scraper member, centrally secured on the arcuate structure curve at the opposed handle terminus. The arcuate scraper member can also be formed to be removable from the tooth brush handle. The terminal arcuate scraper structure is provided to the tooth brush user to scrape the user's top tongue surface, removing food particles and the like which can decay and provide offensive odors and tooth decay agents. The tooth brush user can wash the user's teeth with conventional tooth cleaner material in the conventional manner, then reverse the tooth brush in their hand and scrape the top surface of the user's tongue, further removing food particles and the like. The tooth brush and scraper combination is then washed for re-use, if required. The invention provides cooperative single instrumentation for the oral cleaning process.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert L. Williams
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:14
CPC Classifications
A; A46; A46B; A46B15/00; A46B15/0055; A46B15/0081; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/24; A61B17/244; A46B2200/00; A46B2200/10; A46B2200/1066
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
A toothbrush and tongue cleaner combination comprising: a linear tooth brush handle having a first brush handle terminus and a second brush handle terminus, said handle adapted and sized for human hand manipulation, a conventional tooth brush bristle segment having multiple cleaning brush bristles disposed in said first brush handle terminus, said bristle segment integrally secured to said first brush handle terminus, an integral crescent shaped arcuate tongue scraper member centrally disposed and secured at the arcuate structure mid-curve to the opposed second brush handle terminus at an included angle of not more than 60° to said second handle terminus, the tongue scraper interior arc of the crescent shaped scraper having a dull scraping edge sized and adapted to clean the top surface of a human tongue, said dull scraping edge being coplanar along the entire length of the crescent shaped interior arc, said scraper member gradually tapering along its length from the end of the second brush handle terminus to said dull knife edge, said brush bristle segment adapted to brushing teeth and said scraper member adapted only to scraping the user's tongue top surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
A toothbrush and tongue cleaner combination comprising: a linear tooth brush handle having a first brush handle terminus and a second brush handle terminus, said handle adapted and sized for human hand manipulation, a conventional tooth brush bristle segment having multiple cleaning brush bristles disposed in said first brush handle terminus, said bristle segment integrally secured to said first brush handle terminus, an integral crescent shaped arcuate tongue scraper member centrally disposed and secured at the arcuate structure mid-curve to the opposed second brush handle terminus at an included angle of not more than 60° to said second handle terminus, the tongue scraper interior arc of the crescent shaped scraper having a dull scraping edge sized and adapted to clean the top surface of a human tongue, said dull scraping edge being coplanar along the entire length of the crescent shaped interior arc, said scraper member gradually tapering along its length from the end of the second brush handle terminus to said dull knife edge, said brush bristle segment adapted to brushing teeth and said scraper member adapted only to scraping the user's tongue top surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
In the tooth brush and tongue cleaner combination of claim 1, the further modification wherein, said integral arcuate crescent shaped tongue scraper, secured at the arcuate mid-curve to the opposed second brush handle terminus, is disposed upwardly adjacent to the cleaning brush bristles of said first brush segment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
In the tooth brush and tongue cleaner combination of claim 1, the further modification wherein, said integral arcuate crescent shaped tongue scraper, secured at the arcuate mid-curve to the opposed second brush handle terminus, is disposed downwardly opposed to the cleaning brush bristles of said first brush segment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
162 words
A tongue cleaner adapted for use with a conventional tooth brush having a bristle segment on a first terminus of a brush handle and an opposed second brush handle terminus, comprising: a crescent shaped arcuate tongue scraper member having an interior arc on the crescent shape, with a dull knife scraping edge at said interior arc sized and adapted to clean the top surface of a human tongue, said tongue scraper member having a fastener segment adaptively sized and shaped to secure the scraper member at said member mid-arc to the second bristle handle terminus of the conventional toothbrush said tongue scraper member being disposed and secured at an included angle of not more than 60° to said second brush handle terminus, said dull scraping edge being coplanar along the entire length of the crescent shaped interior arc, and said scraper member gradually tapering along its length from the end of the second brush handle terminus to said dull knife scraping edge.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
162 words
A tongue cleaner adapted for use with a conventional tooth brush having a bristle segment on a first terminus of a brush handle and an opposed second brush handle terminus, comprising: a crescent shaped arcuate tongue scraper member having an interior arc on the crescent shape, with a dull knife scraping edge at said interior arc sized and adapted to clean the top surface of a human tongue, said tongue scraper member having a fastener segment adaptively sized and shaped to secure the scraper member at said member mid-arc to the second bristle handle terminus of the conventional toothbrush said tongue scraper member being disposed and secured at an included angle of not more than 60° to said second brush handle terminus, said dull scraping edge being coplanar along the entire length of the crescent shaped interior arc, and said scraper member gradually tapering along its length from the end of the second brush handle terminus to said dull knife scraping edge.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-06-26 | 1987-12-26 | 1988-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-26 | 1991-12-26 | 1992-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-26 | 1995-12-26 | 1996-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |