Sanitary travel toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush includes a deployable neck configured to support a cleaning head, wherein the deployable neck is deployable from a body including a brush storage compartment and a cleaning agent compartment. The brush storage compartment and the cleaning agent compartment are separated from one another such that water or other liquids from the brush cannot contact the stored cleaning agent in the cleaning agent compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A personal care device comprising:
 a body;   a neck deployable from the body between a closed position and an open position;   a cleaning agent compartment in the body; and   a brush compartment in the body configured to receive the neck in the closed position, wherein the brush compartment and cleaning agent compartment are separated by a liquid-tight wall.   
     
     
         2 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a head coupled to the neck, wherein the brush compartment is further configured to receive the head in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a hinge between the neck and the body, wherein the hinge is configured to rotate the neck between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         4 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a complementary rail between the neck and the body, wherein the complementary rail is configured to slide the neck relative to the body between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         5 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent compartment includes a carrier slidably connected to the body and configured to store a cleaning agent. 
     
     
         6 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cleaning agent tablet in the cleaning agent compartment. 
     
     
         7 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of the cleaning agent compartment is elastically deformable relative to the body. 
     
     
         8 . The personal care device of  claim 7 , further comprising a fluid cleaning agent in the cleaning agent compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a dosing mechanism located in the cleaning agent compartment and configured to dispense a dose of a cleaning agent. 
     
     
         10 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element located in the cleaning agent compartment and configured to eject a tablet of a cleaning agent. 
     
     
         11 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sterilization component located the brush compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The personal care device of  claim 11 , wherein the sterilization component is an ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         13 . The personal care device of  claim 12 , wherein ultraviolet light source is configured to be activated when the neck is moved to the closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The personal care device of  claim 13 , wherein the ultraviolet light source remains activated after the neck is moved to the closed position for a sterilization duration. 
     
     
         15 . The personal care device of  claim 1 , further comprising a sterilization component located the cleaning agent compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The personal care device of  claim 15 , wherein the sterilization component is an ultraviolet light source. 
     
     
         17 . A personal care device comprising:
 a body;   a neck connected to the body by a hinge, wherein the neck is deployable from the body between a closed position and an open position;   a head including a plurality of bristles coupled to the neck;   a cleaning agent compartment in the body;   a brush compartment in the body configured to receive the neck in the closed position, wherein the brush compartment and cleaning agent compartment are separated by a liquid-tight wall; and   a sterilization component configured to sterilize at least a portion of the personal care device.   
     
     
         18 . The personal care device of  claim 17 , wherein the sterilization component is an ultraviolet light source located in the brush compartment. 
     
     
         19 . The personal care device of  claim 17 , wherein the sterilization component is electrically connected to a battery in the body. 
     
     
         20 . A personal care device comprising:
 a body;   a neck connected to the body by a hinge, wherein the neck is deployable from the body between a closed position and an open position;   a head including a plurality of bristles coupled to the neck;   a cleaning agent compartment in the body;   a brush compartment in the body configured to receive the neck in the closed position, wherein the brush compartment and cleaning agent compartment are separated by a liquid-tight wall;   a cleaning agent positioned in the cleaning agent compartment; and   a sterilization component positioned in the brush compartment and configured to sterilize the bristles.