CA2261355A1 - Improved toothbrush handle - Google Patents

Improved toothbrush handle Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2261355A1
CA2261355A1 CA 2261355 CA2261355A CA2261355A1 CA 2261355 A1 CA2261355 A1 CA 2261355A1 CA 2261355 CA2261355 CA 2261355 CA 2261355 A CA2261355 A CA 2261355A CA 2261355 A1 CA2261355 A1 CA 2261355A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
handle
toothbrush
finger tip
depressions
opposite faces
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2261355
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Genevieve Christianne Proulx
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA 2261355 priority Critical patent/CA2261355A1/en
Publication of CA2261355A1 publication Critical patent/CA2261355A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46BRUSHWARE
    • A46BBRUSHES
    • A46B5/00Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
    • A46B5/02Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware specially shaped for holding by the hand
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46BRUSHWARE
    • A46BBRUSHES
    • A46B9/00Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
    • A46B9/02Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
    • A46B9/04Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
    • A46B9/045Arranged like in or for toothbrushes specially adapted for cleaning a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46BRUSHWARE
    • A46BBRUSHES
    • A46B2200/00Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
    • A46B2200/10For human or animal care
    • A46B2200/1066Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures

Abstract

A toothbrush handle with defined finger tip engagable areas on each of respective opposite faces of the handle.

Description

Title IMPROVED TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE
Field of Invention This invention relates generally to dental hygiene and more particularly to a toothbrush handle that contributes to improved dental hygiene and a toothbrush incorporating such handle.
The term "dental hygiene", as contemplated herein, concerns healthy teeth and healthy peridontium the latter of which pertains to gums, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and cementum.
In order to maintain healthy teeth and peridontium one needs to be diligent with their home care and practice good dental hygiene habits. Extending tooth life is necessary because of increased life expectancy.
Background of Invention People with their natural teeth normally brush regularly to maintain healthy teeth and gums. There are two principle aspects to consider one being the pressure applied to the teeth and the other the motion imparted to the brush during brushing. Both of these aspects are influenced by the toothbrush handle design.
One problem, common to many, is that too much pressure is applied to the teeth and gums during brushing. Too much pressure can cause, or contribute to, all kinds of dental problems such as recession, abrasion, loss of periodontal ligaments and/or loss of cementum and bone. Once the roots are exposed, the teeth can become sensitive and the exposed roots are vulnerable to root decay. Gum recession also occurs.
Tooth brushes presently on the market are available with soft or ultra soft bristles, but this does little to alleviate the foregoing problems because the handle designs are conducive to applying heavy pressure during brushing. Specifically, the handles are long and because of their length, they are gripped in such a manner that gives high average to apply force to the bristle, i.e.
head end of the brush.
Commonly the long handles are grasped by wrapping all of the fingers on one hand around the handle, i.e. a strong grip. With this grip heavy pressure can be applied without it being realized by the user how much pressure is actually being applied.
The long handle extends beyond the finger grasped portion in a direction toward the wrist region. The end of the handle engages near the rear extremity of the hand and this engagement serves as a fulcrum for applying heavy pressure to the bristle end of the brush. As mentioned before this heavy brushing pressure can be detrimental causing irreversible damage to the gums and/or teeth. Turning to the other aspect it is difficult with existing toothbrush handle designs to impart a proper brushing motion during use. The motion employed normally is one or more of gum to tooth, modified bass and Steilman.
One purpose of brushing is to remove particulate material from between the teeth. The existing up and down brush motion employed, particularly along with high pressure applied during brushing, can be very damaging.
The up and down motion particularly can cause gum recession and/or unknown to the brush user, force particulate material under the gum. The up and down motion normally each go from gum to tooth and tooth to gum, the latter of which is undesirable.
Summary of Invention A principle object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush handle that normally will be gripped in such a manner as to reduce the pressure one otherwise would apply to their teeth during brushing.
A further principle object of the present invention is provide a toothbrush handle that can be readily gripped between the thumb and finger tips.
A further principle object is to provide a thumb and finger tip grip toothbrush handle that is relatively short in length thereby preventing the handle free end from engaging the hand at a substantial distance from the fingers. Preferably the handle length corresponds approximately to the transverse width of the users fingers .
A further principle object of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush handle with defined finger tip engagable areas on each of opposite faces of the handle.
These defined areas preferably comprise a series of two or more depressions disposed side by side lengthwise of the handle.
A further principle object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical toothbrush having a handle with defined finger tip engagable areas.
In keeping with the foregoing, there is provided by the present invention a toothbrush handle having undulating surfaces on respective opposite faces thereof defining finger tip engaging areas on each of said respective opposite faces.
There is also provided in accordance with the present invention a toothbrush comprising a handle, a stem and a head having bristles projecting therefrom and wherein said handle has undulating surfaces on respective opposite faces thereof defining finger tip engaging areas on each of said respective opposite faces.
List of Drawincts The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is an oblique, top, view of a toothbrush having a handle of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an oblique, bottom, view of the toothbrush of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a bottom view of the toothbrush;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the toothbrush;
Figure 6 is a right hand end elevational view of the toothbrush in Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a left hand elevational view of the toothbrush in Figure 4; and Figure 8 is an oblique view of the toothbrush shown in the foregoing figures illustrating a finger grip arrangement employed when using the brush.
Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a toothbrush 10 comprising a handle 20, a stem 30, a head 40 and bristles 50. The bristles 50 project laterally from the head and both are of conventional construction.
The neck 30 is slender and conventionally, for the average toothbrush, is approximately 4 to 5 cm in length.
The handle 20, in accordance with the present invention, has a first series of side by side depressions designated 21A, 21B and 21C in one face thereof and a second series of depressions 22A, 22B and 22C in the opposite face. These depressions define finger and thumb tip engaging areas. Preferable there are three finger tip engaging depressions on each of the opposite faces, but there could be two on each face or four as may be desired.
The toothbrush handle 20 is larger in cross-section outline than the stem 30 and the depressions are sufficiently large so as to provide for comfortable finger engagement while at the same time clearly defining the areas to be engaged by the respective finger tips.
The depressions 21 and 22 provide effectively undulating surfaces on opposite faces of the handle and these surfaces render a conventional finger wrap around grip uncomfortable. Because of this, the user quickly adapts to the preferred finger and thumb tip grip which is illustrated in Figure 8.
Referring to Figure 8, there is illustrated in broken line a person's hand 70 in which the tip of the thumb 71 is in engagement with the recess 21A and the tips of the fingers 72 and 73 in engagement with respective recesses 22A and 22B. This three point grip gives sufficient stability as to enable brushing one's teeth with sufficient force as to render an effective cleaning. Some may wish to have additional stability by using their third finger tip and still others may wish to use their third and fourth finger tips. The length of the handle 20 is shorter than today's most used toothbrushes. In fact, the length preferably corresponds to the width of the users four side by side fingers.
This prevents the user from getting any leverage for applying additional pressure to the tooth during brushing.

_ 7 _ Referring to Figure 4, it will be noted the depression 21A is directly opposite the depression 22A
which is also the case with depression 21B and 22B, as well as 21C and 22C. This arrangement provides the same finger tip feel with the brush disposed in the position as shown in Figure 8 or when the toothbrush is rotated 180° about its longitudinal axis. The finger tip depressions 21 on one face of the handle maybe offset from the corresponding depressions 22 on the opposite side, but this is considered undesirable as it would give a different feel and hence a different brushing action when the grip position is switched from that shown in Figure 8 to a position (not shown) where the toothbrush is rotated 180° about its longitudinal axis.
With the finger tip feel, finger tip control, and change from one position to another as above, one can readily carxy out a cleaning motion of moving the brush in a direction from gum to tooth for both sides of the mouth, for the upper and low sets of teeth, as well for the mouth inside and outside of the teeth.
The depressions 21 and 22, defining the finger tip engagement positions, as mentioned in the foregoing, are provided by undulating surfaces on respective opposite faces of the toothbrush handle. The undulations on one face are preferably on the bristle side of the toothbrush.
The depressions 21 and 22 have projections defined by a plurality of parallel ribs 27 on the finger tip engagable areas. These ribs not only help define the finger tip engaging areas, but also helps the user manipulate the toothbrush during use. The ribs preferably extend longitudinally in a direction lengthwise of the handle. Other various shapes of projections could be used in place of the ribs if desired so as to increase the finger tip grip on the handle.

Claims (18)

1. A toothbrush handle having undulating surfaces on respective opposite faces thereof defining finger tip engaging areas on each of said respective opposite faces.
2. A toothbrush handle as defined in Claim 1, wherein the undulations defining said finger tip engaging areas on one of said faces of the handle are of the same shape as these on the other of said respective opposite faces.
3. A toothbrush handle as defined in Claim 2, wherein said finger tip engaging areas on said one face of the handle are at the same position, longitudinally of the handle, as the corresponding areas on the other of said respective opposite faces.
4. A toothbrush handle as defined in Claim 1, wherein said undulating surfaces provide a side by side series of depressions on each of respective opposite faces of said handle and wherein each of said depressions define a finger tip engaging area.
5. A toothbrush handle as defined in Claim 4, wherein said depressions on one of said faces are at the same position longitudinally of the handle as the respective corresponding depressions on the other face of the handle.
6. A toothbrush comprising a handle, a stem and a head having bristles projecting therefrom and wherein said handle has undulating surfaces on respective opposite faces thereof defining finger tip engaging areas on each of said respective opposite faces.
7. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 6, wherein the longitudinal length of said handle is approximately equal to that of said stem.
8. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 6, wherein said undulating surface each provide a series of side by side depressions and wherein each depression defines a finger tip engaging area.
9. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 8, wherein said depressions correspond to the side by side position of the fingers on a person's hand.
10. A toothbrush handle as defined in Claim 9, wherein the longitudinal length of said handle corresponds approximately to four finger widths.
11. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 8, wherein there are at least two of each of said depressions on each of said respective opposite faces of said handle.
12. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 6, wherein the cross-sectional outline of said handle is substantially greater than that of said stem.
13. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 8, wherein said bristles are located on one side of said handle which corresponds to one of said faces having said defined finger tip engaging areas.
14. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 6, wherein said toothbrush is a mechanical toothbrush.
15. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 12, wherein said handle cross-sectional outline is rectangular.
16. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 6, including projections on the finger tip engagable areas of the toothbrush handle.
17. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 16, wherein said projections comprise a plurality of spaced apart parallel ribs.
18. A toothbrush as defined in Claim 17, wherein said ribs extend in a direction parallel to the length of said handle.
CA 2261355 1999-02-10 1999-02-10 Improved toothbrush handle Abandoned CA2261355A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2261355 CA2261355A1 (en) 1999-02-10 1999-02-10 Improved toothbrush handle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA 2261355 CA2261355A1 (en) 1999-02-10 1999-02-10 Improved toothbrush handle

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2261355A1 true CA2261355A1 (en) 2000-08-10

Family

ID=29555104

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2261355 Abandoned CA2261355A1 (en) 1999-02-10 1999-02-10 Improved toothbrush handle

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2261355A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150289639A1 (en) * 2014-04-10 2015-10-15 Dr. Fresh, Llc Toothbrush with curved neck
US20210145159A1 (en) * 2018-04-16 2021-05-20 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral Care Implement
WO2021115838A1 (en) * 2019-12-09 2021-06-17 Yvonne Fischer Comb handle and comb
US20210186200A1 (en) * 2014-11-10 2021-06-24 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral Care Implement

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150289639A1 (en) * 2014-04-10 2015-10-15 Dr. Fresh, Llc Toothbrush with curved neck
US9918543B2 (en) * 2014-04-10 2018-03-20 Dr. Fresh, Llc Toothbrush with curved neck
US20210186200A1 (en) * 2014-11-10 2021-06-24 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral Care Implement
US11819114B2 (en) * 2014-11-10 2023-11-21 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement
US20210145159A1 (en) * 2018-04-16 2021-05-20 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral Care Implement
US11896117B2 (en) * 2018-04-16 2024-02-13 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement
WO2021115838A1 (en) * 2019-12-09 2021-06-17 Yvonne Fischer Comb handle and comb

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