Dentistry – Apparatus – Hand manipulatable implement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-27
2001-12-04
Manahan, Todd E. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Hand manipulatable implement
C132S321000, C015S167100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325626
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to interdental brushes. An interdental brush is used in dentistry and at home to clean in the interdental spaces, i.e. the spaces between adjacent teeth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Typically, an interdental brush has a handle by which it is held by its user and a brush portion projecting from one end of the handle. It is common for the handle to be made of moulded hard plastics material, and the brush portion to have a spine of twisted wires which hold bristles projecting radially from the spine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,404 describes an interdental brush having a handle made of a mixture of thermoplastic elastomer and a general purpose polypropylene. A brush element having a twisted wire stem which is moulded in the handle. The handle has a bottle nose end, with a neck receiving the wire stem. This neck portion has a flexing and resilient capability to allow the user to control the angle at which the brush projects at will.
Because an interdental brush typically has a short life, it should be made cheaply. The present inventor has further perceived that the use of a hard plastics material for the handle has a disadvantage that, if it is accidentally pushed hard against the gums of the user, it is liable to cause pain and even tissue damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided an interdental brush having an elongate handle and a brush portion projecting from a front end of the handle in the elongation direction of the handle, wherein said handle has a main body which maintains the shape of the handle and is made of a first material and at least part of the end surface of the handle at the front end is provided by a body of an elastomeric material softer than said first material. Preferably this body of elastomeric material provides the whole tip surface at the front end of the handle. The body of elastomeric material may be a surface layer, or may be a body of material providing the whole thickness of the handle at the front end.
The main body part of the handle is typically of moulded plastics material and is sufficiently rigid to maintain the shape and structure of the handle and to anchor the brush portion, while the body of elastomeric material, which is secured on the main body part, is softer. Suitable elastomeric materials are natural rubber and synthetic elastomeric materials such as polyalkenes, e.g. EPDM. This material may be foamed.
The body of elastomeric material acts as a cushion, so that when the user accidentally pushes the handle hard against the gum, there is less risk of pain and tissue damage.
In one form of the invention the handle has a dome-shaped front end from which the spine of the brush portion projects, at least the surface of this dome-shaped end being provided by the body of elastomeric material.
The body of elastomeric material may extend rearwardly from the front end of the handle as a surface layer of the handle. This can have several functions. It can help to secure the body of elastomeric material on the handle, it can assist the user in gripping the brush during use and it can provide the brush with an attractive appearance, particularly if the elastomeric material has a different colour from the material of the remainder of the handle. It may also assist in the holding of a removable cap to the handle, by increasing the frictional interaction with the internal surface of the cap.
In one preferred embodiment, the front end of the handle has a bottle-nose shape. The bottle-nose shape may comprise an elongate neck portion of the handle having a core of material harder than the elastomeric material, the body of elastomeric material providing a surface layer on the core at least at the front end of the bottle-nose shape, and the brush portion may have brushing material for contact with the teeth during use and a spine holding the brushing material, the spine extending within the core. Preferably the core containing the spine is bendable substantially non-resiliently by the user so that the brush portion adopts and maintains a selectable orientation with respect to the handle.
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Larson & Taylor PLC
Manahan Todd #E.
Westone Products Limited
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