Oral care system

Abstract

An oral care system including an elongated member having tooth cleaning elements and a store of oral care material. In one aspect, the invention can be a toothbrush comprising a handle; a through-slot extending through the handle; an elongated member rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about a rotational axis, the elongated member comprising: a toothbrush head located on a first side of the rotational axis; and a dispenser comprising a store of oral care material located on a second side of the rotational axis; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the toothbrush head; the elongated member rotatable about the rotational axis between: (1) a first state in which the toothbrush head protrudes from the handle while the dispenser is nested within the through-slot; and (2) a second state in which the dispenser protrudes from the housing while the toothbrush head is nested within the through-slot.

1 . An oral care system comprising:
 a housing comprising a first side surface and a second side surface opposite the first side surface;   a through-slot extending through the housing from the first side surface to the second side surface and having an open top end;   an elongated member rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about a rotational axis, the elongated member comprising a first portion located on a first side of the rotational axis and a second portion located on a second side of the rotational axis;   a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the first portion of the elongated member;   a dispensing orifice in the second portion of the elongated, member through which an oral care material stored in the elongated member can be dispensed; and   the elongated member rotatable about the rotational axis between: (1) a first state in which the first portion of the elongated member protrudes from the housing while the second portion of the elongated member is nested within the through-slot; and (2) a second state in which the second portion of the elongated member protrudes from the housing, while the first portion of the elongated member is nested within the through-slot.   
     
     
         2 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein in the first state the first portion of the elongated member protrudes from the housing via the open top end of the through-slot, and wherein in the second state the second portion of the elongated member protrudes from the housing via the open top end of the through-slot 
     
     
         3 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the dispensing orifice is located at a terminal end of the second portion of the elongated member. 
     
     
         4 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of tooth cleaning elements are located adjacent a terminal end of the first portion of the elongated member. 
     
     
         5 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the elongated member further comprises a cap detachably coupled to the second portion to enclose the dispensing orifice. 
     
     
         6 . The oral care system according to claim I wherein in the first state the housing forms a handle of a toothbrush device and the first portion of the elongated member forms a neck and a head of the toothbrush device. 
     
     
         7 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein in the second state the housing forms a handle for applying the oral care material. 
     
     
         8 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  further comprising a locking element for maintaining the elongated member in the first state or the second state, wherein the locking element is alterable between a locked state in which the locking element engages the elongated member to prevent relative rotation between the elongated member and the housing and an unlocked state in which the locking element disengages the elongated member to allow relative rotation between the elongated member and the housing. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The oral care system according to  claim 8  further comprising wherein the locking element is biased into the locked state. 
     
     
         11 . The oral care system according to  claim 8  wherein the first portion of the elongated member comprises a first recess and the second portion of the elongated member comprises a second recess, and wherein when the elongated member is in the first state and the locking element is in the locked state, the locking element protrudes into the second recess, and wherein when the elongated member is in the second state and the locking element is in the locked state, the locking element protrudes into the first recess. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The oral care system according to  claim 8  further comprising an actuator, the actuator operably coupled to the locking element to alter the locking element between the locked state and the unlocked state. 
     
     
         14 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the first portion of the elongated member comprises a transverse cross-sectional profile configured to matingly engage an inner surface of the housing to maintain the elongated member in the second state, and wherein the second portion of the elongated member comprises a transverse cross-sectional profile configured to matingly engage the inner surface of the housing to maintain the elongated member in the first state. 
     
     
         15 . The oral care system according to  claim 14  wherein the transverse cross-sectional profile of the first portion and the transverse cross-sectional profile of the second portion are located the same distance from the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         16 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second portions of the elongated member are integrally connected so that rotation of one of the first or second portions about the rotational axis results in corresponding rotation of the other one of the first or second portions about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         17 . The oral care system according to  claim 1  wherein the first portion has a first length and the second portion has a second length. and wherein the first and second lengths are substantially equal. 
     
     
         18 . A toothbrush comprising:
 a handle;   a through-slot extending through the handle;   an elongated member rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about a rotational axis, the elongated member comprising:
 a toothbrush head located on a first side of the rotational axis; and 
 a dispenser comprising a store of oral care material located on a second side of the rotational axis; 
   a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the toothbrush head;   the elongated member rotatable about the rotational axis between: (1) a first state in which the toothbrush head protrudes from the handle while the dispenser is nested within the through-slot; and (2) a second state in which the dispenser protrudes from the housing while the toothbrush head is nested within the through-slot.   
     
     
         19 . The toothbrush according to  claim 18  wherein the through slot comprises an open top end, wherein in the first state the toothbrush head of the elongated member protrudes from the handle via the open top end of the through-slot, and wherein in the second state the dispenser of the elongated member protrudes from the handle via the open top end of the through-slot. 
     
     
         20 . The toothbrush according to  claim 18  wherein the toothbrush head and the dispenser are integrally connected so that rotation of one of the toothbrush head or the dispenser about the rotational axis results in corresponding rotation of the other one of the toothbrush head or the dispenser about the rotational axis. 
     
     
         21 . An oral care system comprising:
 a housing;   a member rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about a rotational axis;   a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the member,   a dispensing orifice in the member through which an oral care material stored in the member can be dispensed; and   the member rotatable about the rotational axis.   
     
     
         22 . The oral care system according to  claim 21  further comprising;
 a through-slot extending through the housing; and 
 the plurality of tooth cleaning elements located on a first side of the rotational axis while the dispensing orifice is located on a second side of the rotational axis opposite the first side: and 
 the member rotatable about the rotational axis between: (1) a first state in which the plurality of tooth cleaning elements are located outside of the through-slot; and (2) a second state in which the dispensing orifice is located outside of the through-slot. 
 
     
     
         23 . (canceled)