Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-30
2001-10-30
Chin, Randall E. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
C015S028000, C015SDIG005
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a toothbrush comprising a grip member and a brush member connected to the grip member, which brush member has a longitudinal axis and at its end remote from the grip member carries a bristle holder which is reciprocatingly drivable through a center position, which bristle holder is mounted on the brush member so as to be movable with respect to a holder axis which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis and which bristle holder has a holder surface which extends substantially transversely to the holder axis and from which, in the area of the holder surface, bristles project transversely to the holder surface, which bristles together form a bristle field, and which in addition comprises an interdental bristle holder, which is reciprocatingly drivable through a center position and is disposed adjacent the bristle holder in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the brush member, which interdental bristle holder is mounted on the brush member so as to be movable and has a further holder surface and from which in the area of the further holder surface interdental bristles project transversely to the further holder surface, which interdental bristles together form an interdental bristle field.
The invention further relates to a brush member for a toothbrush which brush member is adapted to be coupled detachably to a grip member of the toothbrush and which brush member has a longitudinal axis and at its end remote from the grip member carries a bristle holder which is reciprocatingly drivable through a center position, which bristle holder is mounted on the brush member so as to be movable with respect to a holder axis which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis and which bristle holder has a holder surface which extends substantially transversely to the holder axis and from which, in the area of the holder surface, bristles project transversely to the holder surface, which bristles together form a bristle field, and which in addition comprises an interdental bristle holder, which is reciprocatingly drivable through a center position and is disposed adjacent the bristle holder in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the brush member, which interdental bristle holder is mounted on the brush member so as to be movable and has a further holder surface and from which in the area of the further holder surface interdental bristles project transversely to the further holder surface, which interdental bristles together form an interdental bristle field.
Such a toothbrush of the type defined in the first paragraph and such a brush member of the type defined in the second paragraph are known, for example from the patent document WO 97/24079. The bristles of the bristle field of this known toothbrush and this known brush member have bristle lengths within a given nominal range, all the bristles on the bristle holder having a smaller length than the interdental bristles, i.e. being smaller than the interdental bristles. As a result of this configuration the situation is obtained that with the known toothbrush and the known brush member the bristles of the bristle holder serve mainly for cleaning the teeth at the location of their easily accessible lateral surfaces and, if desired, their masticatory surfaces and the interdental bristles mainly serve for cleaning the teeth at the location of the interdental spaces. In practice, it has been found that, although a satisfactory cleaning performance can be obtained with the known toothbrush, the attainable cleaning performance is still open to improvement. It is to be noted that in the patent document WO 97/24079 A1the patent document DE 43 09 035 A1is mentioned, which is incorporated herewith by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to improve a toothbrush of the type defined in the first paragraph and a brush member of the type defined in the second paragraph in a simple manner and by simple means in order to obtain an improved toothbrush and an improved brush member.
According to the invention, in order to achieve this object a toothbrush of the type defined in the first paragraph is provided in which the bristle field comprises a first field portion and a second field portion, the first field portion is disposed at the side of the bristle holder nearest the interdental bristle field and the second field portion is disposed at the side of the bristle holder remote from the interdental bristle field, the bristles of the first field portion are shorter than the interdental bristles, the bristles of the second field portion are longer than the bristles of the first field portion and the bristles of the second field portion thus at the same time form interdental bristles. In accordance with the invention an improved toothbrush is obtained in a very simple manner and by simple means, which hardly require any additional expense. In a toothbrush in accordance with the invention, some of the bristles on the bristle holder are also available for the purpose of cleaning teeth in the interdental spaces. In addition to a distinctly improved removal of plaque in the interdental spaces by means of the bristles in the second field area of the bristle field, these bristles already present in the second field in conjunction with the interdental bristles provide a satisfactory positioning of the whole bristle configuration of the brush member with respect to a tooth to be cleaned, which is advantageous for a proper cleaning of the teeth at the location of their lateral surfaces.
In a toothbrush in accordance with the invention it has proved to be advantageous in preferred embodiments of the invention to provide such a toothbrush wherein all the bristles of the first field portion have the same length and wherein the bristles of the second field portion are bounded at their free ends by two bounding planes which are inclined with respect to one another in a wedge-like fashion.
According to the invention, in order to achieve the object mentioned hereinbefore, a brush member of the type defined in the second paragraph is characterized in that the bristle field comprises a first field portion and a second field portion, the first field portion is disposed at the side of the bristle holder nearest the interdental bristle field and the second field portion is disposed at the side of the bristle holder remote from the interdental bristle field, the bristles of the first field portion are shorter than the interdental bristles, the bristles of the second field portion are longer than the bristles of the first field portion and the bristles of the second field portion thus at the same time form interdental bristles. This provides a brush member in accordance with the invention by means of which the advantages expounded hereinbefore for a toothbrush in accordance with the invention can be obtained.
The above-mentioned as well as further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the embodiment described hereinafter by way of example and will be elucidated on the basis of this embodiment.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3177509 (1965-04-01), Cyzer
patent: 4309035A1 (1994-09-01), None
patent: 97/01357 (1997-01-01), None
patent: 97/24079 (1997-07-01), None
Edvardsen Stein
Gruber Paul
Bartlett Ernestine C.
Chin Randall E.
U.S. Philips Corporation
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