Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Implements – Brush or broom
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-11
2001-02-06
Chin, Randall E. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Implements
Brush or broom
C015S172000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182321
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to toothbrushes.
2. Description of Prior Art
The shape of toothbrushes varies and in particular the shape of a shank and especially a head makes a difference to adjacent which part of the jaw the toothbrush is adapted to clean teeth the better. In order that one toothbrush may adopt and maintain various desirable shapes it has already been proposed to make the shank and the head flexible, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,381. To this end the shank and/or head is formed with reinforced plastics material where reinforcing wires enable the parts to be bent and held in a number of desirable shapes. To change the shape, the user must grip the toothbrush handle and the head and move these parts relatively to bend the toothbrush into each desired shape. Manually gripping or touching the head is not always hygienic and in any event dirties or wets one gripping hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least reduce this problem.
According to the invention there is provided a toothbrush having an elongate handle with a longitudinal axis, a rigid curved axle extending forward generally along the longitudinal axis from one end of the handle, and a hollow integrally formed shank and toothbrush head formed of flexible plastics material that rotatable fits over the axle along its length such that relative rotation of the toothbrush head or shank with respect to the axle causes the toothbrush head to take up different desired curved shapes.
The axle is preferably formed of metal.
The shank and toothbrush head may be removably fitted to the axle.
The shank is preferably integrally provided with peripheral finger-grippable formations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1494448 (1924-05-01), Sookne
patent: 1796001 (1931-03-01), Church
patent: 1928328 (1933-09-01), Carpenter
patent: 1963360 (1934-06-01), Gibbin
patent: 4712266 (1987-12-01), Yamaki
patent: 4829621 (1989-05-01), Phenegar
patent: 5150495 (1992-09-01), Discko, Jr.
patent: 5694658 (1997-12-01), Huang
patent: 0083787 (1983-07-01), None
Addway Engineering Ltd.
Chin Randall E.
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
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