Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Insulated handle – Bar-type handle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2001-01-16
Mah, Chuck Y. (Department: 3626)
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Insulated handle
Bar-type handle
C016S444000, C016S446000, C016S422000, C030S322000, C030S324000, C015S143100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173477
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a grip member, a toothbrush using the grip member and Western tableware using the grip member more particularly the present invention relates to these implements which prove highly efficient when they are used by aged and physically handicapped persons.
BACKGROUND ART
The toothbrushes available on the market generally have a construction such that a gripping part is flat and is provided at one terminal side of a flat handle shaped like a bar with a brush base supporting planted bristles. When a man in normal health elects to brush his teeth, he is enabled to clean his teeth even to the farthest edges thereof by taking loose hold of the handle and moving the bristles up and down while keeping them in light contact therewith. With aged persons and physically handicapped persons, however, there are times when the handle cannot be gripped with sufficient force and the toothbrush will be freely manipulated only with difficulty because these persons have weak gripping power and are unable to bend their fingers or hands sufficiently. Even for persons in normal health, it is extremely difficult to brush their teeth cleanly within the recesses because the efforts call for a fairly delicate manipulation. Under the circumstances, toothbrushes adapted to facilitate the action of brushing teeth by allowing adjustment of the angle formed between a handle and a brush base have been disclosed as in JUM-A-02-50,225 and JUM-A-04-54,239.
The toothbrush disclosed in JUM-A-02-50,225, for example, provides a brush base
103
supporting planted bristles
102
on one terminal side of a handle
101
and forms part of the handle
101
with a shape-memory resin
104
and, therefore, permits the bristles
102
to be turned in an arbitrarily selected direction by heating the shape-memory resin
104
of the handle
101
to a prescribed temperature thereby imparting flexibility to the shape-memory resin
104
, setting the brush base
103
at an arbitrary angle relative to the axial line of the handle
101
, and then fixing the shape-memory resin
104
by cooling as illustrated in
FIG. 10
(
a
) and FIG.
10
(
b
).
Then, the toothbrush disclosed in JUM-A-04-54,239 is enabled to acquire the same function and effect as the toothbrush mentioned above by providing a handle
111
on one terminal side thereof with a brush base
113
supporting planted bristles
112
and forming the handle
111
with a shape-memory resin as illustrated in FIG.
11
(
a
)-FIG. (
d
).
In the case of such items of Western tableware as a spoon, a fork, and a knife which are used during a meal as in the case of a toothbrush, aged persons and physically handicapped persons at times experience difficulty in using the Western tableware at will because they have weak gripping power and are unable to bend their fingers or hands sufficiently.
The Western tableware disclosed in JP-B-05-82,202, for example, forms a handle
121
of a spoon
120
with a shape-memory resin having a transition zone temperature above normal room temperature and, therefore, enables the handle
121
to assume easily a shape convenient for use as occasion demands by imparting this shape to the handle
121
while holding this handle
121
at a temperature higher than the transition zone temperature and thereafter transferring the handle
121
to a place held at normal room temperature thereby setting the handle
121
in the newly assumed shape as illustrated in FIG.
12
(
a
) and FIG.
12
(
b
). Such conventional toothbrushes as disclosed in JUM-A-02-50,225 and JUM-A-04-54,239 are capable of coping with changes in their conditions of use due to delicate variations in the arrangement of teeth among different users by arbitrarily altering relative difference in levels, angle, and twist between the handles
101
and
111
on the one part and the bristles
103
and
113
on the other hand by dint of the disposition of the shape-memory resin to change shape easily to any arbitrary pattern and, at the same time, retain the newly assumed shape intact. The conventional Western tableware which is disclosed in JP-A-05-82,202 can be used even by a physically handicapped person having no free control of hand by enabling this user by wrapping the handle
121
around the hand or nipping it between adjacent fingers in conformity with the contour of the hand by virtue of the disposition of the shape-memory resin to memorize an imparted shape.
The handles
101
,
111
, and
121
mentioned above, however, cannot cope with delicate changes in the conditions of grip due to the degrees to which the users' fingers and hands are allowed to bend. The condition of grip as well as the size of hand and the magnitude of gripping force allows for infinite variety. Even when the handles
101
,
111
, and
121
are fabricated from the viewpoint mentioned above, all attempts at enabling the handles
101
,
111
, and
121
manufactured in specific sizes and shapes to be accepted indiscriminately by the general public inevitably have their limits. When the handles
101
,
111
, and
121
fail to offer sufficient grip owing to a change in the condition of grip, thereof, the grip must be complemented as by binding them to the users' hands with a cord or a rubber band.
In the light of this true state of prior art, the present invention has for an object thereof the provision of a grip member which enables a user to cope readily with a delicate change in the condition of his grip and enjoy convenience of control and a toothbrush and Western tableware using the grip member.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
For the purpose of solving the problems enumerated above, the grip member according to this invention is characterized by comprising a linear grip proper made of a shape-memory resin, a connecting member disposed at one terminal part of the grip proper and adapted to be detachably connected to an attachment member, and an engaging part formed integrally at the other terminal side of the grip proper and adapted to impart to the grip proper the shape of a loop by twining itself around the grip proper and ultimately engaging therewith. Owing to this construction, the grip member can be made to form a grip fitting a given gripping condition and not easily deforming under an external force by heating the grip proper and the vicinity thereof to a temperature surpassing the glass transition point of the shape-memory resin until they assume a rubbery state, deforming the engaging part in such a manner as to twine and pinch itself around an arbitrarily selected portion of the grip proper until it is engaged with the grip proper, meanwhile properly changing the shape of the loop of the grip proper and adjusting the size of the diameter thereof in conformity with the size and the gripping force of the user's hand, and thereafter cooling the grip proper to a temperature below the glass transition point of the shape-memory resin. This grip member, therefore, enables any of an indefinite plurality of users who have hands of varying size and shape and varying gripping force to secure a grip with a high degree of infallibility and enjoy the optimum gripping condition without resorting to the aid of a cord or a rubber band by suitably changing the size of the loop of the grip proper in conformity with the variation in the gripping condition.
The grip member mentioned above is characterized by being provided with an annular part which is integrally formed slightly toward one terminal of the grip proper and is adapted for allowing the engaging part to be wound thereon. When the engaging part is made to twine and pinch itself around this annular part until it is brought into engagement therewith, the rigidity of the grip proper in the gripping direction can be exalted because this engagement helps the grip proper to keep the shape thereof intact.
The grip member mentioned above is characterized by using a polyurethane type resin for the shape-memory resin thereof. Thus, the glass transition point of the shape-memory resin can be arbitrarily set by varying the kinds of raw m
Akimoto Kouhei
Haguri Teruko
Hayashi Shun-ichi
Kikutani Takeshi
Kondo Satoru
Mah Chuck Y.
Sunstar Inc.
LandOfFree
Grip member, toothbrush using the grip member and western... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Grip member, toothbrush using the grip member and western..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Grip member, toothbrush using the grip member and western... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2490176