IP Library Granted Patent US 11,510,485
Granted Patent B2
US 11,510,485 · App. 17/713,392 · Granted Nov 29, 2022

Oral care system

Inventors: Paul Michael Fowler (Rockford, IL); Ronald Christopher Cagle (Crystal Lake, IL); Theresa L. Sebastian (Cary, IL); Daniel R. Ulreich (Cary, IL); Jodi Marie Balbinot (Cary, IL); Kristin Marie Sexton (Lake in the Hills, IL)
Assignee: Sage Products, LLC
A46B15/0061A46B5/02A46B9/005A46B9/04A46B11/0003A46B15/0053A46B15/0081A46B17/06A61C17/08A46B2200/1066A47K1/09A61L2/18A61L2/26A61L2202/121
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,510,485
App. No.
17/713,392
Granted
Nov 29, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to oral care systems and devices. An oral care system includes a container defining an interior portion. The container includes a repository provided within the interior portion and configured to hold a fluid, and a barrier configured to maintain the fluid separate from the interior portion. The barrier is configured to be breached to expose the interior portion to the fluid. The system further includes a tube configured to slide in the interior portion of the container. The tube includes a distal end configured to breach the barrier when the tube is moved in a direction of the fluid in the repository.

Claims (23)

1. A method of using an oral care system, comprising:

obtaining an oral care system, the oral care system comprising:

a container defining an interior portion and comprising:

a repository provided within the interior portion and configured to hold a fluid;

a barrier configured to maintain the fluid separate from the interior portion, wherein the barrier is configured to be breached to expose the interior portion to the fluid; and

a tube configured to slide into the interior portion of the container, the tube comprising a distal end configured to breach the barrier; and

a toothbrush held by the tube; and

moving the tube in a first direction toward the repository; and

breaching the barrier by the distal end of the tube to expose the interior portion of the container to the fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising continuing to move the tube in the first direction to expose a distal end of the toothbrush to the fluid in the repository.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising moving the tube in a direction opposite the first direction to remove the distal end of the toothbrush from the fluid.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising removing the toothbrush from the tube to perform an oral treatment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the tube is configured such that when the toothbrush is removed from the tube, excess solution is removed from the toothbrush.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein movement of the tube is caused by movement of the toothbrush.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling a suction device to a suction port on the toothbrush.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising coving a suction hole in a handle of the toothbrush to generate suction in the toothbrush.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the repository is a solution cup configured to hold the fluid therein, and wherein the barrier is positioned over a top of the solution cup, and

wherein breaching the barrier comprises moving the distal end of the tube through the barrier over the top of the solution cup.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the tube comprises a cutting edge formed by the distal end of the tube being cut at an angle relative to a central axis of the tube, for breaching the barrier.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises a spittoon straw comprising a funnel portion and the tube connected to a base of the funnel portion.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising collecting brushing waste in the funnel portion and retaining the brushing waste in a second portion of the container, separate from the repository.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the container in any orientation, and wherein the tube comprises at least one aperture formed in a side wall of the tube, the at least one aperture configured to allow the fluids to pass from the tube into the interior portion to maintain the fluids within the interior portion of the container independent of the orientation of the container.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sealing the interior portion from an exterior of the container when the toothbrush is inserted into the interior portion, wherein the toothbrush comprises a handle and a plurality of projections formed on the handle and at least one of the projections is configured to seal the interior portion from an exterior of the container.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: FOWLER, PAUL MICHAEL; CAGLE, RONALD CHRISTOPHER; SEBASTIAN, THERESA L.; ULREICH, DANIEL R.; BALBINOT, JODI MARIE; SEXTON, KRISTIN MARIE
To: SAGE PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 060495/0749 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17008245 · Aug 31, 2020
Continuation 15813051 · Nov 14, 2017
Provisional Application 62421911 · Nov 14, 2016
Provisional Application 62457708 · Feb 10, 2017
Provisional Application 62519049 · Jun 13, 2017
Related Publication 20220225757A1 · Jul 21, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 1,083,394