Compressible safety toothbrush with spring-supported telescoping brush head

Abstract

A toothbrush with a collapsible telescoping spring-supported toothbrush head can prevent the toothbrush head from being jammed forcefully into the back of a child's throat, thereby reducing serious injuries. The toothbrush head of the toothbrush is harmlessly pushed towards the handle/body against a spring inside the handle/body, rather than being forcefully pressed against the back of the throat, the toothbrush then returning to full length after removing the pushing force. The toothbrush head can move towards the handle some distance, depending on the pushing force. Even when the toothbrush head is pushed against the back of a child's throat, the toothbrush head moves towards the handle/body, compressing the spring, rather than making a hole in the back of the child's throat. The handle/body includes a weep hole to allow fluids to escape the handle/body. The toothbrush can also have a suction cup attached to the base of the handle/body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressible safety toothbrush for preventing a head of the toothbrush from injuring soft tissue at the back of a child's throat, the safety toothbrush comprising:
 a movable toothbrush head, a shaft integral with the toothbrush head, and a movement platform in connected relationship with the shaft;   a handle/body having a head end and a base end,
 the handle/body having a first opening at the head end configured to allow passage of the shaft as the movement platform moves through the handle/body towards the base end, and 
 the handle/body having a second opening with a first attachment feature; 
   a base having a second attachment feature configured to be attached to the first attachment feature of the handle/body; and   a spring contained within the handle/body, the spring having a spring head end and a spring base end, the spring head end configured to press against the movement platform of the movable toothbrush, and the spring base end configured to rest against the base, such that:   when the moveable toothbrush head is pressed against an inner surface of a throat, the movement platform of the moveable toothbrush is moveably pressed against the spring, causing the spring to compress within the handle/body, thereby allowing the toothbrush head to move towards the handle/body, and allowing the shaft integral with the toothbrush head to move further into the handle/body.   
     
     
         2 . The compressible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein when the moveable toothbrush head is subsequently moved away from the inner surface of the mouth, the spring expands, thereby pushing the movement platform towards the first opening at the head end of the handle/body, allowing the toothbrush head to move away from the handle/body, and allowing the shaft integral with the toothbrush head to move outward along the handle/body, the spring regaining its original state within the handle/body. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the handle/body includes a weep hole towards the second opening, the weep hole configured to allow fluids to escape the handle/body. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first attachment feature of the second opening of the handle/body includes internal female threads; and   the second attachment feature of the base includes external male threads.   
     
     
         5 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 3 , wherein the base includes circumferential ridges to enhance screwing and unscrewing the base from the handle/body. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second attachment feature of the base includes a resiliently supported button; and   the first attachment feature of the second opening of the handle/body includes a hole for engaging with the resiliently supported button of the base.   
     
     
         7 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a suction cup attached to the base.   
     
     
         8 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the head end of the handle/body includes:
 a motion stop configured to prevent the movement platform from being pushed out the first opening at the head end of the handle/body.   
     
     
         9 . The collapsible safety toothbrush of  claim 8 , wherein the spring is in a partially compressed state when the movement platform is located along the handle/body so as to be in contact with the motion stop at the head end of the handle/body.