Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Implements – Brush or broom
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2001-12-11
Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Implements
Brush or broom
C015S172000, C004S111100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327735
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to toothbrushes, in particular to toothbrushes having a flexibly linked region in their head.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toothbrushes having flexibility-modifying regions in their structure are known, for example WO 92/17092, EP 0613636, EP 0648448A, WO 97/24949 and WO 97/07707. Such flexibility-modifying regions generally comprise forming a composite region of the stiff plastics material of which the toothbrush is made together with a soft flexible elastomer material.
It is believed that optimum flexibility characteristics have not yet been achieved in such toothbrushes, and it is an object of this invention to provide a toothbrush in which the flexibility of the head is further improved, inter alia to enhance the ability of the toothbrush to clean surfaces of the teeth which face the back of the mouth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention a toothbrush comprises a handle and a head, the head having a base end facing the handle and a tip end remote from the base end, a neck region between the base end of the head and the handle, the head adjoining the neck region at the base end of the head, the head, neck and handle being disposed along a longitudinal toothbrush axis, the head having bristles extending from a bristle face of the head, characterised in that:
the head comprises a substantially rigid base region adjoining the toothbrush neck and extending from the base end of the head to a resilient flexible link situated between the base end and the tip end, and a tip region extending from the tip end of the head to the link region, both the base region and tip region being bristle bearing, the tip region being flexibly and resiliently linked at the link region to the base region, and;
between the base end of the head and the neck there is a resilient flexible link.
The handle of a toothbrush is that part of the toothbrush which is grasped by the user whilst brushing his/her teeth. In many toothbrushes the neck is a visually well-defined region between the part of the toothbrush which is grasped, and the head, but in other toothbrushes the head merges relatively imperceptibly into the handle. In general the term “neck” as used herein includes all such possibilities, and specifically that part of the toothbrush which is immediately adjacent to the base end of the head.
The above-described construction of toothbrush concentrates flexibility of the head at the tip end of the toothbrush, and also provides a flexible link between the base end of the head and the handle of the toothbrush.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The linking of the tip region and base region is preferably in a manner which enables the tip region to fold or pivot resiliently relative to the base region during toothbrushing. The link provided at the link region between the tip region and the base region allows the tip region to fold or pivot during use about a fold or pivot axis which is generally transverse to the longitudinal toothbrush axis such that bristles on the tip region can lean backwards, i.e. so that the free ends of bristles in the tip region swing toward the handle, assisting the bristles to clean surfaces of the teeth which face the back of the mouth. This fold or pivot axis may be in the plane of the bristle face. The flexible linking provided by this invention between the tip region and base region, and between the head and neck also helps to prevent excessive brushing pressure from being applied during toothbrushing.
The base region is substantially rigid, that is, during the operation of brushing the teeth the base region does not significantly flex beyond the usual limits of flexing of a plastics material toothbrush head. The base region may suitably comprise an integral block of plastics material provided with sockets in which are mounted the tufts of bristles.
The link region is preferably in the longitudinal half of the head furthest from the base of the head. Suitably the base region extends for at least 50%, suitably at least 60%, for example at least 75% of the distance between the base end of the head and the tip of the head.
The tip region may also be substantially rigid, so that the tip region does not itself significantly flex apart from its folding or pivoting relative to the base region. The tip region may suitably comprise an integral block of plastics material provided with sockets in which are mounted the tufts of bristles.
In its non-stressed condition, i.e. when not being used, the bristle face of the tip region and base region of the toothbrush of this invention may be substantially coplanar, i.e. with a substantially 180° angle between them. Alternatively the bristle face of the tip region may form an angle of less than 180° with the bristle face of the base region, e.g. 150°-179°, suitably 155°-170°. In this last-mentioned construction the ends of the bristles on the base region may lie in or about a plane, and the ends of the bristles on the tip region may also lie in or about a plane, and the two respective planes may be coplanar or at an angle, e.g. less than 180° to each other, for example an angle corresponding to the angle between the bristle surfaces of the base region and tip region.
The link between the tip region and the base region in one embodiment of this invention comprises an aperture, space or chasm in the plastics material of which the head is made, between the tip and base regions which is bridged by means of one or more thin links of flexible and resilient plastics material. Such links may comprise thin spines, thin strips, or a continuous thin membrane, made of a both flexible and resilient plastics material, which may be in the same plane as a substantially planar head, or may slope or may be curved out of planarity. The plastics material may be the same plastics material as the tip and base regions but being flexible by virtue of thinness, e.g. the tip, base and bridge(s) may be integrally moulded.
In another embodiment of this invention the link between the tip region and the base region may comprise a composite region having structural elements made of both plastics material and an elastomeric material. For example the composite region may comprise an aperture, space or chasm in the head material between the tip and base regions which is bridged by means of a combination of thin spines, strips or a continuous membrane of a both flexible and resilient plastics material, e.g. integral with the head, and also by an elastomeric material in the aperture, space or chasm. These spines, thin strips or membrane may be in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle face of the tip region or the base region, or may slope or may be curved or folded out of any parallel relationship with such planes.
Such a composite region may for example comprise a net, ladder, latticework, cellular or trellis structure of plastics material integral with the material of the head, with interstices containing the elastomeric material. Such a composite region may for example comprise one or more, for example two, strips of a plastics material integral with the material of the head, the strips being thinner than the thickness of the head, and extending between the tip region and base region to bridge an aperture, space or chasm between the tip region and the base region, the aperture, space or chasm also containing an elastomeric material, suitably bonded to the sides of the space and to the strips and suitably substantially filling the aperture, space or chasm, optionally also bulging above the surface of the surrounding plastics material of the head.
The plastics material parts in such a composite region may be thick enough to contribute materially to the flexibility and resilience of the link region, or alternatively they may be so thin as to contribute little to the flexibility and resilience of the link region, and may thus serve simply to retain the tip and head regions together before the elastomer is added.
In another embodiment of this invention the link region between the tip region and the base region
Kinzig Charles M.
SmithKline Beecham Consumer Healthcare GmbH
Stein-Fernandez Nora
Till Terrence R.
Venetianer Stephen
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