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Toothbrush with adjustable hand grip

Toothbrush with adjustable hand grip description/claims

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/113,932 filed on Apr. 25, 2005 and which has been allowed; which is also a continuation of International Application PCT/US03/33890, filed Oct. 24, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Application 60/421,514, filed Oct. 25, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

It has been found that there is a preference by users of toothbrushes to have a number of different gripping styles which could be used by the consumers when brushing their teeth. Given these different styles it is difficult to design one handle shape which will accommodate this multitude of gripping styles. It would be desirable if it were possible to provide a toothbrush handle having the capability of being adjustable in its diameter and to a lesser extent in its overall length. Such a handle with an adjustable grip would lend itself to help people with different types of disabilities, such as arthritis, to properly brush their teeth.

An object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush with an adjustable handle grip.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a toothbrush wherein the diameter of the grip could be easily adjusted by a consumer.

In accordance with this invention the toothbrush includes a handle having a head attached at one end of the handle. The head carries cleaning elements, such as bristles. The handle is hollow and includes an outer sleeve made of an elastomeric material. The sleeve includes a first end disposed toward the head and a second end located remote from the head with a central portion between the ends. The central portion is expandable so as to increase its diameter in accordance with the desires of a consumer.

In one practice of the invention, the expansion results from the application of force within the hollow handle outwardly against the central portion so that the central portion expands from a first diameter to a larger second diameter. During the expansion the first end of the sleeve remains anchored at a constant distance from the head in both the first diameter and second diameter conditions of the central portion. In one embodiment of this invention the sleeve is made from a soft thick compressible material which expands when the longitudinal force is applied against the second or outer end of the sleeve to cause the length of the handle to contract while the sleeve bulges outwardly.

In a further embodiment of this invention the sleeve is in the form of a thin elastic skin which is expanded when a knob at the second end of the sleeve is rotated to cause force applicating members which are part of an expansion wheel to move outwardly and press against the inner surface of the sleeve. The force applicating members may be curved spokes which are pivoted to the shaft and pivoted against the sleeve. The spokes are in a generally tight circle before the sleeve is expanded. The spokes are then rotated into a radial direction on their shaft to cause the sleeve to expand.

In a still further embodiment of this invention the sleeve is in the form of a thin elastic skin over the expansion chamber. The skin is stretched outwardly under the pressure of air within the chamber in the central portion of a handle. The air is forced into the chamber by a squeeze pump on the handle.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view partially broken away and in section of a toothbrush, in accordance with one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the toothbrush in an expanded condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view partially broken away and in section of a further toothbrush in accordance with a second embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 4 along the line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the toothbrush handle in its expanded condition;

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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