Toothbrush with rotating upper section

Abstract

A toothbrush having a longitudinal axis, comprising a lower section and an upper section. The upper section and the lower section are generally aligned along the longitudinal axis. The lower section comprises a lower handle section and a shaft extending therefrom. The upper section comprises an upper body and a longitudinal cavity. The longitudinal cavity wall conforms to an outer wall of the shaft and is shaped so as to hold the shaft securely enough to avoid separation between the upper and lower sections. The longitudinal cavity wall is shaped so as to mate with the outer wall loosely enough to allow a force of the head pressing against the teeth of a user to effectuate a lateral rotation of the upper section in relation to the lower section. The lateral rotation reduces an amount of manual rotation of the toothbrush performed by the user.

1 . A toothbrush having a longitudinal axis and designed to reduce an amount of manual rotation of the toothbrush performed by the user, comprising: 
 a lower section,    an upper section, the upper section including a head, a neck and an upper handle section,    the head having an array of bristles extending outwardly from said head,    the upper section and the lower section being generally aligned along the longitudinal axis,    said lower section comprising a lower handle section and a shaft extending longitudinally from the lower handle section,    said upper handle section having a longitudinal cavity defined therein and having a longitudinal cavity wall, said longitudinal cavity aligned with the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, the longitudinal cavity wall conforming generally to a shape of an outer wall of the shaft and shaped so as to hold the shaft securely when the upper and lower sections are connected,    the longitudinal cavity wall shaped so as to mate with the outer wall loosely enough to allow a force of the head pressing against a teeth and/or gums of a user during use of the toothbrush to effectuate a lateral rotation of the upper section in relation to the lower section.    
   
   
       2 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft has a flange and wherein said longitudinal cavity contains a recess, shaped to securely receive and hold said flange.  
   
   
       3 . The toothbrush of  claim 2 , wherein the flange is made of a compressible material.  
   
   
       4 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein clearance between the shaft and the longitudinal cavity wall contains a lubricant.  
   
   
       5 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein clearance between the shaft and the walls of the longitudinal cavity contains lubricant.  
   
   
       6 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall of the shaft and the longitudinal cavity wall are both substantially cylindrical.  
   
   
       7 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral rotation is sufficient to obviate a need for the user to turn the toothbrush manually.  
   
   
       8 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said upper section and said lower section are capable of a 360 degree rotation in relation to one another.  
   
   
       9 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft is made of semi-flexible material.  
   
   
       10 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said shaft has a shaft ridge projecting outwardly from the shaft, and wherein said longitudinal cavity has an at least one slot defined therein, each particular slot of the at least one slot positioned and shaped to receive the shaft ridge with sufficient clearance between the shaft ridge and an outer wall of the particular slot to allow lateral rotation of the upper section in relation to the lower section when the shaft ridge is located within the particular slot.  
   
   
       11 . The toothbrush of  claim 10 , wherein said slot has a slot wall including at least one slot end wall that impedes uncontrolled rotation of the shaft ridge past the slot end wall during use of the toothbrush.  
   
   
       12 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the shaft ridge is made of material flexible enough to allow the rotation of the shaft ridge past the slot end wall with further effort from the user.  
   
   
       13 . The toothbrush of  claim 10 , wherein said slot is aligned along the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush.  
   
   
       14 . The toothbrush of  claim 10 , wherein clearance between the shaft and the longitudinal cavity wall contains a lubricant.  
   
   
       15 . The toothbrush of  claim 10 , wherein the lateral rotation is sufficient to obviate a need for the user to turn the toothbrush manually.  
   
   
       16 . A toothbrush having a longitudinal axis and designed to reduce an amount of manual rotation of the toothbrush performed by the user, comprising: 
 a lower section,    an upper section, the upper section including a head and a neck,    the head having an array of bristles extending outwardly from said head,    the upper section and the lower section being generally aligned along the longitudinal axis,    said lower section comprising a lower handle section and a shaft extending from the lower handle section,    said upper section having a cavity defined therein and having a cavity wall,    said cavity wall shaped and positioned so as to mate with the outer wall of the shaft in a locking relation,    said locking relation being loose enough to allow a force of the head pressing against the teeth and/or gums of a user during use of the toothbrush to effectuate a lateral rotation of the upper section in relation to the lower section,    said locking relation capable of being disconnected when the toothbrush is not in use.    
   
   
       17 . The toothbrush of  claim 16 , wherein said shaft has a circumferential channel, engraved therein, 
 and wherein the cavity wall contains at least one locking nub,    the locking nub projecting from the cavity wall into the cavity,    said at least one locking nub positioned and shaped to mate with the circumferential channel so as to hold the upper and lower sections connected to each other when the toothbrush is in use.    
   
   
       18 . The toothbrush of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity wall has a circumferential channel engraved therein, 
 and wherein at least one locking nub is projecting outwardly from the shaft,    said at least one locking nub positioned and shaped to mate with the circumferential channel so as to hold the upper and lower sections connected to each other when the toothbrush is in use.    
   
   
       19 . The toothbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one locking nub comprises two locking nubs.  
   
   
       20 . The toothbrush of  claim 18 , wherein the at least two locking nubs comprise two locking nubs.  
   
   
       21 . The toothbrush of  claim 17 , wherein the toothbrush is operated electrically to move the bristles.  
   
   
       22 . The toothbrush of  claim 18 , wherein the toothbrush is operated electrically to move the bristles.  
   
   
       23 . The toothbrush of  claim 21 , wherein the upper section and the lower section close an electrical circuit when connected.  
   
   
       24 . The toothbrush of  claim 22 , wherein the upper section and the lower section close an electrical circuit when connected.  
   
   
       25 . The toothbrush of  claim 16 , wherein said shaft has an aperture on a head portion of said shaft, and wherein the cavity wall contains at least one locking nub, 
 the locking nub projecting from the cavity wall into the cavity,    said at least one locking nub positioned and shaped to penetrate the head portion through the aperture so as to hold the upper and lower sections connected to each other when the toothbrush is in use.