Providing toothpaste beads positioned on dispensing medium

Abstract

Systems and methods to dispense toothpaste include toothpaste beads positioned onto a dispensing medium. The toothpaste beads may be individually stored and accessed for use on a toothbrush.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a dispensing medium configured to be separated into a plurality of portions; and   a plurality of toothpaste beads positioned on the dispensing medium, wherein at least one toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads is positioned on each of the plurality of portions, and wherein at least a portion of the one toothpaste bead is configured to be removed from the dispensing medium onto a toothbrush.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads differs from a second toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads by a characteristic that includes at least one of a shape, an image, an additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cover layer positioned on a side of a toothpaste bead opposite the dispensing medium. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the cover layer is translucent. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of toothpaste beads are arranged in at least one of a raw and a grid. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing medium is scored along adjacent portions. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portions of the dispensing medium include at least one of different markings, different colors, different images, and different designs. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a dispenser configured to separate the portions of the dispensing medium. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the dispenser is configured to advance the dispensing medium. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the dispensing medium is configured to be spooled. 
     
     
         11 . A method of dispensing toothpaste, the method including:
 automatically positioning a plurality of toothpaste beads onto a dispensing medium, wherein the dispensing medium is separable into portions each having a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads positioned thereon, wherein at least a portion of the toothpaste bead is configured to be removed from the dispensing medium onto a toothbrush; and   packaging the dispensing medium for sale.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising positioning a cover layer over a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads, wherein the cover layer and the dispensing medium form a cavity that includes the toothpaste bead. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising configured the cover layer to be peeled away from the toothpaste bead. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , configuring a first toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads to differ from a second toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads by a characteristic that includes at least one of a shape, an image, an additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising spooling the dispensing medium. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising arranging a plurality of toothpaste beads into at least one of a row and a grid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising scoring the dispensing medium. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising executing program code configured to selectively modify a characteristic of a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads, wherein the characteristic is selected from a group consisting of: a shape, an image, at additive, a thickness, a size, a design, a color, and a flavor. 
     
     
         19 . A method of dispensing toothpaste, the method including:
 advancing a plurality of toothpaste beads towards a separating mechanism, wherein the toothpaste beads are configured to be positioned onto a toothbrush;   aligning a toothpaste bead of the plurality of toothpaste beads with the separating mechanism; and   separating the toothpaste bead using the separating mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of toothpaste beads comprise a strip.