Decorated products

Abstract

Decorated products, such as toothbrushes, of substantially the same type and having substantially the same features (preferably functional features) except for a decorative element. The decorative element on each product is selected from a plurality of different decorative elements such that the products may be visually or aesthetically differentiated from one another by the differences in the decorative element associated therewith, while otherwise having the same functional characteristics. An exemplary embodiment is sleeved adult toothbrushes, the sleeves each having one of a variety of designs, the set of available designs including designs of different categories to appeal to different consumer bases (e.g., different ages, genders, styles, etc.) or to signal a time period for use of the product (e.g., a variety of designs for each of the four seasons to signal changing the toothbrush each season).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first toothbrush having a first design on a handle of the first toothbrush;   a second toothbrush having a second design on a handle of the second toothbrush;   a third toothbrush having a third design on a handle of the third toothbrush;   a fourth toothbrush having a fourth design on a handle of the fourth toothbrush; and   a single package that is configured to be sold and that contains the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush,   the first design being of a tree, the second design being of a sun, the third design being of a leaf, and the fourth design being of a snowflake.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single package contains no toothbrushes other than the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first design is representative of a spring season, the second design is representative of a summer season, the third design is representative of a fall season, and the fourth design is representative of a winter season. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a fifth toothbrush having a fifth design on a handle of the fifth toothbrush;   a sixth toothbrush having a sixth design on a handle of the sixth toothbrush;   a seventh toothbrush having a seventh design on a handle of the seventh toothbrush; and   an eighth toothbrush having a eighth design on a handle of the eighth toothbrush,   the single package containing the fifth toothbrush, the sixth toothbrush, the seventh toothbrush, and the eighth toothbrush,   the fifth design being representative of the spring season and being different than the first design, the sixth design being representative of the summer season and being different than the second design, the seventh design being representative of the fall season and being different than the third design, and the eighth design being representative of the winter season and being different than the fourth design.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the single package contains no toothbrushes other than the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, the fourth toothbrush, the fifth toothbrush, the sixth toothbrush, the seventh toothbrush, and the eighth toothbrush. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the single package only contains a number of toothbrushes that is a multiple of four. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth toothbrushes each have an identical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first design is a graphic positioned on the first toothbrush;   the second design is a graphic positioned on the second toothbrush;   the third design is a graphic positioned on the third toothbrush;   the fourth design is a graphic positioned on the fourth toothbrush; and   the first toothbrush includes no other graphic than the first design, the second toothbrush includes no other graphic than the second design, the third toothbrush includes no other graphic than the third design, and the fourth toothbrush includes no other graphic than the fourth design.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush differ only in the respective first design, second design, third design, and fourth design positioned thereon. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first design is integrally formed on the handle of the first toothbrush;   the second design is integrally formed on the handle of the second toothbrush;   the third design is integrally formed on the handle of the third toothbrush; and   the fourth design is integrally formed on the handle of the fourth toothbrush.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first grip material is positioned over the first design and has the shape of the first design;   a second grip material is positioned over the second design and has the shape of the second design;   a third grip material is positioned over the third design and has the shape of the third design; and   a fourth grip material is positioned over the fourth design and has the shape of the fourth design.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first design is positioned on a first sleeve positioned around the handle of the first toothbrush;   the second design is positioned on a second sleeve positioned around the handle of the second toothbrush;   the third design is positioned on a third sleeve positioned around the handle of the third toothbrush; and   the fourth design is positioned on a fourth sleeve positioned around the handle of the fourth toothbrush.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first sleeve is a shrinkable tubular film;   the second sleeve is a shrinkable tubular film;   the third sleeve is a shrinkable tubular film; and   the fourth sleeve is a shrinkable tubular film.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first toothbrush having a first graphic on a handle of the first toothbrush;   a second toothbrush having a second graphic on a handle of the second toothbrush;   a third toothbrush having a third graphic on a handle of the third toothbrush;   a fourth toothbrush having a fourth graphic on a handle of the fourth toothbrush; and   a single package that is configured to be sold and that contains the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush,   the first graphic, the second graphic, the third graphic, and the fourth graphic each being different, and   the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush differing only in the respective first graphic, second graphic, third graphic, and fourth graphic positioned thereon.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first graphic is positioned on a first sleeve positioned around the handle of the first toothbrush;   the second graphic is positioned on a second sleeve positioned around the handle of the second toothbrush;   the third graphic is positioned on a third sleeve positioned around the handle of the third toothbrush; and   the fourth graphic is positioned on a fourth sleeve positioned around the handle of the fourth toothbrush.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the single package contains no toothbrushes other than the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, and the fourth toothbrush. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first graphic is representative of a spring season, the second graphic is representative of a summer season, the third graphic is representative of a fall season, and the fourth graphic is representative of a winter season. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a fifth toothbrush having a fifth graphic on a handle of the fifth toothbrush;   a sixth toothbrush having a sixth graphic on a handle of the sixth toothbrush;   a seventh toothbrush having a seventh graphic on a handle of the seventh toothbrush; and   an eighth toothbrush having a eighth graphic on a handle of the eighth toothbrush,   the single package containing the fifth toothbrush, the sixth toothbrush, the seventh toothbrush, and the eighth toothbrush,   the fifth graphic being representative of the spring season and being different than the first graphic, the sixth graphic being representative of the summer season and being different than the second graphic, the seventh graphic being representative of the fall season and being different than the third graphic, and the eighth graphic being representative of the winter season and being different than the fourth graphic.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the single package contains no toothbrushes other than the first toothbrush, the second toothbrush, the third toothbrush, the fourth toothbrush, the fifth toothbrush, the sixth toothbrush, the seventh toothbrush, and the eighth toothbrush. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the single package only contains a number of toothbrushes that is a multiple of four.