Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Implements – Brush or broom
Patent
1997-08-15
1999-04-27
Till, Terrence R.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Implements
Brush or broom
152072, A46B 904
Patent
active
058966145
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to novel devices, namely toothbrushes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toothbrushes generally comprise a head and a handle disposed along a longitudinal axis, the head having a substantially planar face from which project a plurality of bristles. The bristles of known toothbrushes are generally filaments of generally circular cross section, ideally with rounded ends, grouped together in tufts of generally circular cross section.
Toothbrushes are known which include cleaning filaments other than bristles, either as a complete alternative to bristles, or in addition to bristles. For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,862 discloses a toothbrush having resilient gum massage elements along the outer edges of the bristle pattern. U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,374 discloses a toothbrush having a brush head composed of nylon mesh or loops. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,260 discloses a toothbrush having a head from which extend small rubber cones. GB 2214420A discloses a toothbrush having a head from which project small rubber pyramids. GB 214701 discloses a toothbrush having cleaning elements comprised of strips of crepe rubber, in one theoretically discussed embodiment of which the strips may have bristles sandwiched between the sheets of crepe rubber.
This invention provides a toothbrush having tooth cleaning filaments, of a different cross section to known bristles and tufts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention a toothbrush comprises a head and a handle disposed along a longitudinal toothbrush axis, the head having a face (the "bristle face") from which project, in a length direction substantially perpendicular to the bristle face, one or more strips of a flexible and resilient material having a width direction, perpendicular to the length direction, which is greater than the thickness, perpendicular to the width direction, of the strips, provided that if the width direction of the said strips is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the said strips are combined with bristles, and are arranged in rows or groups of rows of the said strips alternating with rows or groups of rows of the said bristles, and/or are combined with strips which have their width dimension aligned at an angle to the longitudinal axis.
The bristle face may be substantially planar.
The length of the strips may be substantially the same as that of conventional toothbrush bristles and tufts. If the toothbrush includes combinations of bristles and strips, the length of the bristles and strips may be the same, or alternately the strips may be longer or shorter than the bristles, so as to present an undulating profile of longer bristles and shorter strips, or vice versa. Such an undulating profile can assist in cleaning the surfaces of the teeth, particularly the interdental surfaces. Additionally or alternatively the length of the strips may vary across their width, so that the ends of the strips may not be coplanar with the bristle face. For example the profile of the ends of widthways adjacent strips may present a concave "V" or "U" shaped profile or other concave profile. Alternatively the ends of adjacent strips may present a convex profile. In these ways the ends of the strips may be more closely accommodated to the surfaces of the teeth they are to clean, and/or to fit into the interdental spaces. The strips may be substantially parallel sided, or alternately they may taper along their length, being either wider or narrower at their end remote from the bristle face than at their base at the bristle face. The thickness of the strips can be typically 0.2 or less, e.g. 0.1 or less than the width of the strips. For example the width of the strips may be substantially the same as the cross sectional width of conventional tufts of bristles e.g. 0.5-2.0 mm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, the width direction of the strips may be aligned substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, i.e. across the width of the face of the toothbrush head. In t
REFERENCES:
patent: 2599191 (1952-06-01), Meunier
SmithKline Beecham p.l.c.
Stein-Fernandez Nora
Till Terrence R.
Williams Janice E.
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