EP2912966A1 - Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements - Google Patents
Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2912966A1 EP2912966A1 EP15162039.0A EP15162039A EP2912966A1 EP 2912966 A1 EP2912966 A1 EP 2912966A1 EP 15162039 A EP15162039 A EP 15162039A EP 2912966 A1 EP2912966 A1 EP 2912966A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- head
- cleaning element
- cleaning
- oral care
- cleaning elements
- 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.)
- Granted
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Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
- A46B9/06—Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
- A46B15/0002—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
- A46B15/0016—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with enhancing means
- A46B15/0032—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with enhancing means with protrusion for polishing teeth
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
- A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
- A46B9/025—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups the bristles or the tufts being arranged in an angled position relative to each other
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
- A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
- A46B9/04—Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
- A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
- A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to ansate oral care implements, and specifically to toothbrushes, either manual or powered, that have a handle and a head having cleaning elements for oral cleaning.
- a toothbrush is used to clean teeth by removing plaque and debris from the surfaces.
- Conventional toothbrushes are provided with a flat bristle trim that limit their ability to conform to the curvature of the teeth, to penetrate into the interproximal areas between the teeth, to sweep away the plaque and debris, and to clean along the gum line. Additionally, such toothbrushes have a limited ability to retain dentifrice for cleaning the teeth.
- the dentifrice typically slips through the tufts of bristles and away from the contact between the bristles and the teeth. As a result, the dentifrice often is spread around the mouth, rather than being concentrated on the contact of the bristles with the teeth. Therefore, the efficiency of the cleaning process is reduced.
- An example of an early attempt to improve the cleaning elements of a toothbrush is disclosed in an existing oral care implement having two or three circular brush sections which are arranged within holders that may be screwed into mating receptacles in the tooth brush handle so that they can be removed and replaced as needed.
- Each brush section contains stiff cleaning elements and is spaced from the other along the longitudinal axis of the handle at a distance less than the thickness of a tooth so that the brush operates on both the lingual (inside) and facial (outside) surfaces of the teeth.
- a toothbrush with a head containing a flexible, rubber-like prophylaxis polishing cup or "prophy cup” similar to that used by dental personnel to professionally clean teeth.
- This prophy cup is loaded with toothpaste by the user and applied to the teeth.
- the "soft rubber-like prophy cup device follows the contours of teeth more effectively than bristles.”
- a ring of cleaning elements (“bristle tufts") are placed about the periphery of the toothbrush head which co-act with the prophy cups to clean the user's teeth and gums.
- elastomeric prophy cups and bristle tufts have become more common as a way of improving cleaning efficiency and maintaining the dentifrice in place during brushing.
- One example of the combined use and strategic arrangement of elastomeric prophy cups and bristle tufts is a toothbrush having a head portion comprising a plurality of inner loops formed by elastomeric walls. The central inner loop is surrounded by an outer loops formed of bristles. A central cleaning element, formed as a bristle tuft, is located within the elastomeric inner loops.
- a toothbrush having a head portion comprising a plurality of soft elastomer prophy cups surrounded by bristle rings.
- a toothbrush is disclosed wherein the centralized prophy cups are formed by groups of densely packed cleaning elements that are surrounded by bristle rings.
- the bristle rings in this embodiment are also disclosed as having one or more tufts at an inclination.
- the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and an axis extending from the first surface; and a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the first surface of the head and arranged in a ring about the axis, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to radially diverge from the axis; a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head, the cleaning element wall circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements; and the cleaning elements extending beyond a top surface of the cleaning element wall.
- the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; and a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extend from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis.
- the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the second surface; a hollow cleaning element cone extending from the first surface of the head, the hollow cleaning element cone circumferentially surrounding an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein the hollow cleaning element cone extends from the first surface of the head so as to radially diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone.
- the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a hollow cleaning element cone extending from the first surface of the head and arranged so as to circumferentially surround an axis extending from the first surface of the base, wherein the hollow cleaning element cone extends upward from the first surface of the head so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone.
- the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends upward from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements so as to form a substantially closed loop.
- the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the base, wherein each of the cleaning elements extend upward from the first surface of the base at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis.
- the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to circumferentially surround an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends upward from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements.
- the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cleaning elements extending from the first surface of the head and arranged equidistant from an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein the cleaning elements extend from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to radially diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements.
- the invention is discussed in terms of a manual toothbrush incorporating the novel arrangement of cleaning elements.
- the invention could be in the form of other oral care implements including a soft-tissue cleansing implement, a powered toothbrush, or other ansate implement designed for oral care.
- the invention can take the form of disc-like plates that incorporate the novel arrangement of cleaning elements for operable cooperation with a manual or powered oral care implement, such as a toothbrush or soft-tissue cleansing implement.
- the toothbrush 100 generally comprises a handle 110 and a head 120.
- the handle 110 provides the user with a mechanism by which he/she can readily grip and manipulate the toothbrush 100.
- the handle 110 is generically illustrated and may be formed of many different shapes, sizes, materials and a variety of manufacturing methods that are well-known to those skilled in the art. If desired, the handle 110 may include a suitable textured grip (not shown) made of elastomeric material or can be a multipart construction. Stated simply, the details of the handle 110 are not limiting of the present invention and, thus, require no further discussion for purposes of the present invention.
- the toothbrush 100 extends from a proximal end 112 to a distal end 113 along a longitudinal axis A-A (illustrated in FIG. 2 and as point A in FIG. 4 ).
- the longitudinal axis A-A of the toothbrush 100 is considered to be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the head 120.
- the head 120 is operably connected to a distal end of the handle 110.
- the head 110 and handle 120 of the toothbrush are preferably formed as a single unitary structure using a molding, milling, machining or other suitable process.
- the handle 110 and head 120 may be formed as separate components which are operably connected at a later stage of the manufacturing process by any suitable technique known in the art, including without limitation thermal welding, a tight-fit assembly, a coupling sleeve, adhesion, or fasteners. Whether the head 120 and handle 110 are of a unitary or multi-piece construction (including connection techniques) is not limiting of the present invention.
- the head 120 generally comprises a front surface 121, a rear surface 122 and a peripheral surface 123.
- the front surface 121 and the rear surface 122 of the head 120 can take on a wide variety of shapes and contours, none of which are limiting of the present invention.
- the front and rear surfaces 121, 122 can be planar, contoured or combinations thereof.
- the rear surface 122 may also comprise additional structures for oral cleaning, such as a soft tissue cleanser, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,143,462, issued December 5, 2006 to the assignee of the present application, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
- the head 120 is normally widened relative to the neck 111 of the handle 110, it could in some constructions simply be a continuous extension or narrowing of the handle 110.
- the front surface 121 comprises a collection of cleaning elements 130 extending therefrom for cleaning contact with an oral surface. While the collection of cleaning elements 130 is particularly suited for brushing teeth, the collection of cleaning elements 130 can be also be used to clean oral soft tissue, such as a tongue, gums, or cheeks instead of or in addition to teeth. As used herein, the term "cleaning element" is used in a generic sense to refer to any structure that can be used to clean or massage an oral surface through relative surface contact.
- cleaning elements include, without limitation, filament bristles, fiber bristles, nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomeric protrusions, flexible polymer protrusions, co-extruded filaments, flag bristles, crimped bristles, anti-bacterial bristles and combinations thereof and/or structures containing such materials or combinations.
- the collection of cleaning elements 130 comprises a first set 131 of cleaning elements, a second set 132 of cleaning elements and a third set 138 of cleaning elements.
- the third set 138 of cleaning elements generally comprise a prophylaxis polishing cup 133 (a prophy cup) and a conical arrangement 134 of elongated cleaning elements.
- the conical arrangement 134 is located within and surrounded by the prophy cup 133.
- the head 120 comprises a distal region 124, a middle region 125 and a proximal region 126.
- the first set of cleaning elements 131a-j extend from the distal region 124 of the head 120.
- the second set of cleaning elements 132a-j extend from the proximal region 126 of the head 120.
- the third set of cleaning elements which consists of the prophy cup 133a-b, a plurality of angled cleaning elements 134a-f, and a central cleaning element 135, extend from the middle region 125 of the head.
- the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets are tufts or arcuate walls of densely packed fibrous bristles.
- one or more (or various subsets) of the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets can take on other forms, such as elastomeric walls or fingers.
- the bristle tufts can be connected to the head 120 in any manner known in the art.
- anchor free tufting AFT
- AFT anchor free tufting
- a plate or membrane is secured to the brush head such as by ultrasonic welding.
- the bristles extend through the plate or membrane.
- the free ends of the bristles on one side of the plate or membrane perform the cleaning function.
- the ends of the bristles on the other side of the plate or membrane are melted together by heat to be anchored in place.
- Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used in the broad practice of this invention.
- the bristles could be mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending through suitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristles is mounted within or below the tuft block.
- the particular arrangement and number of the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets within the distal and proximal regions 124, 126 can vary greatly as desired, and should not be consider as a limitation of the present invention unless specifically recited in the claims.
- the first and second sets of the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j may be omitted all together or substantially altered. Nonetheless, a particularly useful and effective arrangement of the first and second sets of the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j has been developed (discussed below in relation to FIGS.5-6 ) and is to be considered as part of the invention in certain embodiments.
- the middle region 125 of the head comprises an arrangement of cleaning elements that is specifically designed to improve the efficacy of cleaning oral surfaces, retain dentifrice on the head 120 of the toothbrush during brushing and/or massaging, and distribute the dentifrice among the collection of cleaning elements on the head 120.
- the middle region 125 comprises a prophy cup 133 (which is formed by arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b, angled elongated cleaning elements 134a-f and central elongated cleaning element 135.
- the cleaning element walls 133a-b are elastomeric walls while the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f, 135 are tufts of densely packed fibrous bristles.
- the prophy cup 133 can be formed by densely packed walls of fibrous bristles and/or the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f can be elastomeric fingers.
- Suitable elastomeric materials include any biocompatible resilient material suitable for uses in an oral hygiene apparatus.
- the elastomeric material preferably has a hardness property in the range of A5 to A40 Shore hardness, and most preferably A25 Shore hardness.
- One preferred elastomeric material is styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) manufactured by GLS Corporation. Nevertheless, SEBS material from other manufacturers or other materials within and outside the noted hardness range could be used.
- the cleaning elements 134a-f extend from the front surface 121 of the head in an angled (i.e., inclined) manner (relative to a general plane formed by the top surface 121 ).
- the cleaning elements 134a-f are arranged in a spaced-apart manner that forms a ring that circumferentially surrounds an axis B-B.
- the axis B-B extends from the front surface 121 of the head 120 in a direction away from the rear surface 122 of the head 120.
- the axis B-B extends from the front surface 121 of the head 120 in a substantially normal orientation.
- the axis B-B may be at an angle other than normal to the front surface 121.
- Each of the cleaning elements 134a-f is inclined so as to radially diverge from the axis B-B at an angle ⁇ as it extends away from the front surface 121 of the head 120.
- the angle ⁇ is in a range of 1 to 15 degrees, more preferably 3 to 5 degrees, and most preferably 4 degrees.
- cleaning elements 134a-f radially diverge from the axis B-B at the same angle ⁇ in the illustrated embodiment, it is possible for the angles of radial divergence to vary among the cleaning elements 134a-f. Furthermore, while six cleaning elements 134a-f are illustrated as forming the hollow cone, any number of cleaning elements can be used in other embodiments.
- the cleaning elements 134a-f collectively form a hollow cone structure (which in the illustrated embodiment is a truncated cone).
- the term "cone” is not limited to a circular cross-section and is intended to include truncated cones.
- the hollow cone structure formed by cleaning elements 134a -f forms a funnel-like internal cavity 136 for receiving a dentifrice.
- the cleaning elements 134a-f are equidistantly circumferentially spaced from one another so that a space exists between adjacent cleaning elements 134a-f. While in the illustrated embodiments, the hollow cone is formed by spaced apart cleaning elements, in alternative embodiments the hollow cone can be formed by an angled wall (or angled wall segments) formed by an elastomer or densely packed bristles.
- the hollow cone formed by the cleaning elements 134a-f is concentrically arranged about the axis B-B and is congruent with the conical axis.
- the elongated central cleaning element 135 extends from the front surface 121 of the head 120 along the axis B-B within the funnel-like cavity 136.
- the central cleaning element 135 is preferably a tuft of densely packed fibrous bristles but can also be an elastomer finger or other material or structure. Of course, the central cleaning element 135 may even be omitted in certain embodiments of the invention.
- the hollow cone formed by the cleaning elements 134a-f is circumferentially surrounded by a cleaning element wall (formed by arcuate sections of cleaning element walls 133a-b ).
- the cleaning element walls 133a-b form the prophy cup as a substantially closed loop that concentrically surrounds the hollow cone formed by the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f. While the prophy cup is formed by two arcuate sections of cleaning element walls 133a-b in the illustrated embodiment, the prophy cup (and the substantially closed-loop) can be formed by a single wall section or by more than two wall sections in other embodiments.
- an annular channel 137 exists between the hollow cone (formed by the cleaning elements 134a-f ) and the cleaning element wall (formed by arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b ).
- the arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b are circumferentially spaced from one another so that gaps 139 exist along the longitudinal axis A-A of the head 120.
- each of the cleaning elements 134a-f extends at an incline from the first surface 121 of the head 120 and terminate in cleaning ends 144a-f respectively.
- the prophy cup (which consists of arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b ) extends normally from the first surface 121 of the head 120 and terminates in top surfaces 143a-b. In other embodiments, the prophy cup (which consists of arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b ) may extend from the first surface 121 of the head 120 at an inclined orientation, either inclined toward or away from the axis B-B.
- the cleaning elements 134a-f (and thus the hollow cone) has a height H 1 while the prophy cup (and, thus, the arcuate cleaning element walls 133a-b ) has a height H 2 (measured relative to the front surface 121 of the head 120 ).
- the height H 1 is preferably greater than the height H 2 .
- the height H 1 is preferably in the range of 7 to 13 millimeters, most preferably 10 millimeters, while the height H 2 is preferably in the range of 5 to 11 millimeters, most preferably 6.5 millimeters.
- cleaning element walls 133a-b circumferentially surround only a base portion of the cleaning elements 134a-f while a top portion of the cleaning elements 134a-f extends beyond the top surfaces 143a-b of the cleaning element walls 133a-b.
- the cleaning elements 134a-f are preferably located within a range of 3 to 6 millimeters from the axis B-B, and most preferably 4 millimeters (measured from the base of the cleaning elements 134a-f ).
- the walls 133a-b of the prophy cup are preferably located within a range of 6 to 12 millimeters from the axis B-B, and most preferably about 8 millimeters.
- the width of the prophy cup 133 extends the substantial entirety of the width of the head 120.
- a dentifrice is initially applied to the head 120 of the toothbrush 100 which fills the cavity 136 formed by the hollow cleaning element cone (which is formed by the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f ).
- the funnel shape of the cavity 136 helps capture, hold and direct the dentifrice into the toothbrush during dentifrice application and subsequent brushing.
- the central elongated cleaning element 135 may further assist with dentifrice maintenance and dispersion.
- the dentifrice fills the cavity 136, it can flow through the spaces between adjacent elongated cleaning elements 134a-f and into the annular channel 137 formed between the hollow cleaning element cone (which is formed by the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f ) and the prophy cup (consisting of arcuate walls 133a-b ).
- the inclined orientation of the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f results in the annular channel 137 having a substantially closed roof (at least in certain sections), thereby further helping to keep the dentifrice within the toothbrush 100.
- the dentifrice then flows through the gaps 139 formed between the arcuate sections 133a-b.
- the gaps 139 are located only along the longitudinal axis A-A of the head, the dentifrice escaping from the prohpy cup via the gaps 139 is forced into the first and second sets 131a-j, 132a-j where it is further distributed during the brushing and/or massaging of oral surfaces.
- the prophy cup can provide additional support and rigidity to the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f during brushing. More specifically, when the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f are not under the standard forces imparted during brushing (i.e., in a non-use state), the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f are either slightly spaced from the arcuate walls 133a-b or abutted against the top inner edges of the arcuate walls 133a-b in a non-forced state.
- the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f when the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f are subjected to standard forces imparted during brushing, the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f flex outwardly from the axis B-B and come into contact with the arcuate walls 133a-b, which provide additional support for the elongated cleaning elements 134a-f so tha more effective cleaning can be achieved.
- the plurality of cleaning elements 134a-f are also taller than any of the cleaning elements of the first and second sets that are immediately adjacent the prophy cup (not illustrated).
- the arcuate walls 133a-b are constructed of an elastomeric material, additional benefits are achieved. Specifically, the arcuate shaped elastomeric elements 133a-b help spread toothpaste onto the tubules of the teeth. This helps reduce the sensitivity of the tooth because the tubules are thereby reduced in size. This is also a benefit with whitening because the toothpaste is spread onto the tubules. Moreover, elastomeric walls are better than bristles at this wiping toothpaste into the tubules of the teeth.
- cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets 131, 132 within the distal and proximal regions 124,126 of the head 120 will be described according to one embodiment of the present invention. All of the cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j extend from the front surface 121 of the head in a substantially normal orientation.
- the first set 131 comprises a first grouping consisting of cleaning element walls 131c-e and elongated cleaning elements 131a-b, 131f-g.
- This first grouping of cleaning elements 131a-131g is disposed in a par-elliptical arrangement along the distal periphery of the head 120.
- the elongated cleaning elements 131a-b, 131f-g are preferably cylindrical bristle tufts whose free ends taper to a point.
- the cleaning element walls 131c-e are preferably walls of densely packed bristles. The height of the cleaning element walls 131c-e increase toward the distal end of the head 120, thereby forming a tapered edge at the distal edge of the cleaning element field.
- the second set 132 comprises a first grouping consisting of cleaning element walls 132c-e and elongated cleaning elements 132a-b, 132f-g.
- This first grouping of cleaning elements 132a-132g is disposed in a par-elliptical arrangement along the distal periphery of the head 120.
- the elongated cleaning elements 132a-b, 132f-g are preferably cylindrical bristle tufts whose free ends taper to a point.
- the cleaning element walls 132c-e are preferably walls of densely packed bristles. The height of the cleaning element walls 132c-e increase toward the distal end of the head 120, thereby forming a tapered edge at the distal edge of the cleaning element field.
- the first set 131 also comprises a second grouping, consisting of arcuate cleaning element walls 131h, 131j and central cleaning element 131i.
- the arcuate cleaning element walls 131h, 131j are arranged so as to form a loop about a center point from which the central cleaning element 131i extends.
- the arcuate cleaning element walls 131h, 131j are preferably elastomeric walls but can be densely packed bristles.
- This second grouping of cleaning element 131h-j is located within the par-elliptical shape formed by the first grouping of cleaning elements 131a-g.
- the central cleaning element 131i extends a height that is greater than the height of the arcuate cleaning element walls 131h, 131j.
- the height of the central cleaning element 131j is less than the height of the central cleaning element 135 of the third set 138.
- the height of the arcuate cleaning element walls 131h, 131j is grater than the height of the arcuate wall elements 133a-b of the third set 38.
- the second set 132 also comprises a second grouping, consisting of arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j and central cleaning element 132i.
- the arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j are arranged so as to form a loop about a center point from which the central cleaning element 132i extends.
- the arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j are preferably elastomeric walls but can be densely packed bristles.
- This second grouping of cleaning element 132h-j is located within the par-elliptical shape formed by the first grouping of cleaning elements 132a-g.
- the central cleaning element 132i extends a height that is greater than the height of the arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j.
- the height of the central cleaning element 132j is less than the height of the central cleaning element 135 of the third set 138. However, the height of the arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j is grater than the height of the arcuate wall elements 133a-b of the third set 38.
- Both of the loops formed by the arcuate cleaning element walls 132h, 132j and 131h, 131j respectively are located so that their center points are located along the longitudinal axis A-A of the head 120.
- FIGS. 9A-9B a manual toothbrush 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.
- the toothbrush 200 is identical to the toothbrush 100 described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 except that the central cleaning element 135 is omitted.
- the central cleaning element 135 is omitted.
- a further detailed description of the toothbrush 200 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements of toothbrush 200 are numbered the same as the toothbrush 100 except that they are in the "200 series.”
- the above discussion with respect to toothbrush 100 is thus applicable to the toothbrush 200.
- a manual toothbrush 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.
- the toothbrush 300 is identical to the toothbrush 100 described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 except that the hollow cone structure 334 is formed by eight elongated cleaning elements rather than six.
- the corresponding elements of toothbrush 300 are numbered the same as the toothbrush 100 except that they are in the "300 series.” The above discussion with respect to toothbrush 100 is thus applicable to the toothbrush 300.
- a manual toothbrush 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.
- the toothbrush 400 is identical to the toothbrush 100 described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 except that the hollow cone structure 434 is formed by ten elongated cleaning elements rather than six.
- the corresponding elements of toothbrush 400 are numbered the same as the toothbrush 100 except that they are in the "400 series.” The above discussion with respect to toothbrush 100 is thus applicable to the toothbrush 400.
- a manual toothbrush 500 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.
- the toothbrush 500 is identical to the toothbrush 100 described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 except that the central cleaning elements 135 is omitted and the elongated cleaning elements 534a-f that form the hollow cone structure 534 converge upon the axis B-B, thereby forming a full cone rather than a truncated cone.
- a further detailed description of the toothbrush 500 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements of toothbrush 500 are numbered the same as the toothbrush 100 except that they are in the "500 series.” The above discussion with respect to toothbrush 100 is thus applicable to the toothbrush 400.
- the cleaning element disc 600 is essentially a plate-like disc that incorporates the third set 138 of cleaning elements described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 .
- the apparatus 600 generally comprises a circular base plate 601 and the third set 138 of cleaning elements described above with respect to FIGS. 1-8 .
- a further detailed description of the third set 138 of cleaning elements is omitted.
- the cleaning element disc 600 can utilize any of the variations of the cleaning element arrangement disclosed above with respect to FIGS. 9A-12C .
- the cleaning element disc 600 is particularly suited for use with powered toothbrushes wherein the cleaning element disc 600 will lock into place on the powered toothbrush and be operably coupled to a rotary element.
- the cleaning element disc 600 can also be used in manual toothbrushes wherein the cleaning element disc 600 can snap lock/unlock into and out of the head of the toothbrush for replacement. Such techniques are known in the art.
- a plurality of the third sets 138 of cleaning elements can be arranged on the head 120 of the toothbrush 100.
- the third sets 138 of cleaning elements are preferably aligned along the longitudinal axis A-A of the head 120.
- any of the embodiments of the third sets can be used.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims priority to United States Patent Application Serial No.
12/547,627 filed August 26, 2009 - The present invention relates generally to ansate oral care implements, and specifically to toothbrushes, either manual or powered, that have a handle and a head having cleaning elements for oral cleaning.
- A toothbrush is used to clean teeth by removing plaque and debris from the surfaces. Conventional toothbrushes are provided with a flat bristle trim that limit their ability to conform to the curvature of the teeth, to penetrate into the interproximal areas between the teeth, to sweep away the plaque and debris, and to clean along the gum line. Additionally, such toothbrushes have a limited ability to retain dentifrice for cleaning the teeth. During the brushing process, the dentifrice typically slips through the tufts of bristles and away from the contact between the bristles and the teeth. As a result, the dentifrice often is spread around the mouth, rather than being concentrated on the contact of the bristles with the teeth. Therefore, the efficiency of the cleaning process is reduced.
- While substantial efforts have been made to modify the cleaning elements of toothbrushes to improve the aforementioned deficiencies, the industry continues to pursue arrangements of cleaning elements that will improve upon the preceding technology.
- An example of an early attempt to improve the cleaning elements of a toothbrush is disclosed in an existing oral care implement having two or three circular brush sections which are arranged within holders that may be screwed into mating receptacles in the tooth brush handle so that they can be removed and replaced as needed. Each brush section contains stiff cleaning elements and is spaced from the other along the longitudinal axis of the handle at a distance less than the thickness of a tooth so that the brush operates on both the lingual (inside) and facial (outside) surfaces of the teeth.
- Another example is a toothbrush with a head containing a flexible, rubber-like prophylaxis polishing cup or "prophy cup" similar to that used by dental personnel to professionally clean teeth. This prophy cup is loaded with toothpaste by the user and applied to the teeth. According to this patent, the "soft rubber-like prophy cup device follows the contours of teeth more effectively than bristles." A ring of cleaning elements ("bristle tufts") are placed about the periphery of the toothbrush head which co-act with the prophy cups to clean the user's teeth and gums.
- More recently, the strategic arrangement and combination of cleaning elements in the form of elastomeric prophy cups and bristle tufts has become more common as a way of improving cleaning efficiency and maintaining the dentifrice in place during brushing. One example of the combined use and strategic arrangement of elastomeric prophy cups and bristle tufts is a toothbrush having a head portion comprising a plurality of inner loops formed by elastomeric walls. The central inner loop is surrounded by an outer loops formed of bristles. A central cleaning element, formed as a bristle tuft, is located within the elastomeric inner loops.
- Another example of the combined use and strategic arrangement of elastomeric prophy cups and bristle tufts can be found in a toothbrush having a head portion comprising a plurality of soft elastomer prophy cups surrounded by bristle rings. In another embodiment, a toothbrush is disclosed wherein the centralized prophy cups are formed by groups of densely packed cleaning elements that are surrounded by bristle rings. The bristle rings in this embodiment are also disclosed as having one or more tufts at an inclination.
- In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and an axis extending from the first surface; and a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the first surface of the head and arranged in a ring about the axis, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to radially diverge from the axis; a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head, the cleaning element wall circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements; and the cleaning elements extending beyond a top surface of the cleaning element wall.
- In another aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; and a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extend from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis.
- In yet another embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface and a second surface opposite the second surface; a hollow cleaning element cone extending from the first surface of the head, the hollow cleaning element cone circumferentially surrounding an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein the hollow cleaning element cone extends from the first surface of the head so as to radially diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone.
- In still another aspect, the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a hollow cleaning element cone extending from the first surface of the head and arranged so as to circumferentially surround an axis extending from the first surface of the base, wherein the hollow cleaning element cone extends upward from the first surface of the head so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone.
- In a further aspect, the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends upward from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements so as to form a substantially closed loop.
- In a yet further aspect, the invention can be an apparatus for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement comprising: a base having a first surface: a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to form a ring about an axis extending from the first surface of the base, wherein each of the cleaning elements extend upward from the first surface of the base at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis.
- In a still further aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; a plurality of cleaning elements arranged on the first surface so as to circumferentially surround an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein each of the cleaning elements extends upward from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending upward from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements.
- In an even further aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a first surface; a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cleaning elements extending from the first surface of the head and arranged equidistant from an axis extending from the first surface of the head, wherein the cleaning elements extend from the first surface of the head at an inclined orientation so as to radially diverge from the axis; and a cleaning element wall extending from the first surface of the head and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of cleaning elements.
- This invention is capable of use in a broad array of oral care implements and hygiene products. The drawings illustrate one use of the invention and are not to be construed as the only embodiment of the invention.
-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ansate oral care implement, in the form of a manual toothbrush, according to one embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 2 is a front view of the toothbrush ofFigure 1 . -
Figure 3 is a right-side view the toothbrush ofFigure 1 , the left-side view of which is a mirror image. -
Figure 4 is a top view of the toothbrush ofFigure 1 . -
Figure 5 is a close-up perspective view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 1 . -
Figure 6 is a front view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 5 . -
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 5 along view VII-VII ofFigure 6 . -
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 5 along view VIII-VIII ofFigure 6 . -
Figure 9A is a perspective view of an ansate oral care implement, in the form of a manual toothbrush, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 9B is a close-up front view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 9A .. -
Figure 10A is a perspective view of an ansate oral care implement, in the form of a manual toothbrush, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 10B is a close-up front view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 10A . -
Figure 11A is a perspective view of an ansate oral care implement, in the form of a manual toothbrush, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 11B is a close-up front view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 11A . -
Figure 12A is a perspective view of an ansate oral care implement, in the form of a manual toothbrush, according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. -
Figure 12B is a close-up perspective view of the head of the toothbrush ofFigure 12A . -
Figure 12C is a front view of the toothbrush ofFigure 12A . -
Figure 13 is a perspective view of a cleaning element disc according to an embodiment of the present invention. - In the following description, the invention is discussed in terms of a manual toothbrush incorporating the novel arrangement of cleaning elements. However, in other forms, the invention could be in the form of other oral care implements including a soft-tissue cleansing implement, a powered toothbrush, or other ansate implement designed for oral care. Additionally, the invention can take the form of disc-like plates that incorporate the novel arrangement of cleaning elements for operable cooperation with a manual or powered oral care implement, such as a toothbrush or soft-tissue cleansing implement.
- Referring first to
Figures 1-4 concurrently, atoothbrush 100 is illustrated according to one embodiment of the present invention. Thetoothbrush 100 generally comprises ahandle 110 and ahead 120. Thehandle 110 provides the user with a mechanism by which he/she can readily grip and manipulate thetoothbrush 100. Thehandle 110 is generically illustrated and may be formed of many different shapes, sizes, materials and a variety of manufacturing methods that are well-known to those skilled in the art. If desired, thehandle 110 may include a suitable textured grip (not shown) made of elastomeric material or can be a multipart construction. Stated simply, the details of thehandle 110 are not limiting of the present invention and, thus, require no further discussion for purposes of the present invention. - The
toothbrush 100 extends from aproximal end 112 to adistal end 113 along a longitudinal axis A-A (illustrated inFIG. 2 and as point A inFIG. 4 ). For purposes of simplicity, the longitudinal axis A-A of thetoothbrush 100 is considered to be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of thehead 120. However, it is of course possible for the longitudinal axis of thehead 120 and thetoothbrush 100 to not be coaxial with each other. Thehead 120 is operably connected to a distal end of thehandle 110. Thehead 110 and handle 120 of the toothbrush are preferably formed as a single unitary structure using a molding, milling, machining or other suitable process. However, in other embodiments, thehandle 110 andhead 120 may be formed as separate components which are operably connected at a later stage of the manufacturing process by any suitable technique known in the art, including without limitation thermal welding, a tight-fit assembly, a coupling sleeve, adhesion, or fasteners. Whether thehead 120 and handle 110 are of a unitary or multi-piece construction (including connection techniques) is not limiting of the present invention. - It should be noted at this time that relative terms such as distal, middle, proximal, upper, lower, top, bottom, left, right etc. are merely used to delineate relative positions of the components of the
toothbrush 100 with respect to one anther and are not intended to be in any further way limiting of the present invention. - The
head 120 generally comprises afront surface 121, arear surface 122 and aperipheral surface 123. Thefront surface 121 and therear surface 122 of thehead 120 can take on a wide variety of shapes and contours, none of which are limiting of the present invention. For example, the front andrear surfaces rear surface 122 may also comprise additional structures for oral cleaning, such as a soft tissue cleanser, such as the one disclosed inU.S. Patent 7,143,462, issued December 5, 2006 to the assignee of the present application, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Furthermore, while thehead 120 is normally widened relative to theneck 111 of thehandle 110, it could in some constructions simply be a continuous extension or narrowing of thehandle 110. - The
front surface 121 comprises a collection of cleaningelements 130 extending therefrom for cleaning contact with an oral surface. While the collection of cleaningelements 130 is particularly suited for brushing teeth, the collection of cleaningelements 130 can be also be used to clean oral soft tissue, such as a tongue, gums, or cheeks instead of or in addition to teeth. As used herein, the term "cleaning element" is used in a generic sense to refer to any structure that can be used to clean or massage an oral surface through relative surface contact. Common examples of "cleaning elements" include, without limitation, filament bristles, fiber bristles, nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomeric protrusions, flexible polymer protrusions, co-extruded filaments, flag bristles, crimped bristles, anti-bacterial bristles and combinations thereof and/or structures containing such materials or combinations. - Generally, the collection of cleaning
elements 130 comprises afirst set 131 of cleaning elements, asecond set 132 of cleaning elements and athird set 138 of cleaning elements. Thethird set 138 of cleaning elements generally comprise a prophylaxis polishing cup 133 (a prophy cup) and aconical arrangement 134 of elongated cleaning elements. Theconical arrangement 134 is located within and surrounded by theprophy cup 133. - Referring now to
FIGS. 5 and6 concurrently, the details of the novel arrangement and orientation of the cleaning elements on thehead 120 of thetoothbrush 100 will now be discussed according to one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the concepts and arrangements of particular subsets of the collection of cleaning elements will be described below in relation to certain shapes, axes, and hypothetical regions or zones. It is to be understood, however, that such concepts and arrangements can be described in a wide variety of terms and manners. - Conceptually, the
head 120 comprises adistal region 124, amiddle region 125 and aproximal region 126. The first set of cleaningelements 131a-j extend from thedistal region 124 of thehead 120. The second set of cleaningelements 132a-j extend from theproximal region 126 of thehead 120. The third set of cleaning elements, which consists of theprophy cup 133a-b, a plurality ofangled cleaning elements 134a-f, and acentral cleaning element 135, extend from themiddle region 125 of the head. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets are tufts or arcuate walls of densely packed fibrous bristles. However, one or more (or various subsets) of thecleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets can take on other forms, such as elastomeric walls or fingers. - When bristle tufts are used as the desired cleaning elements, the bristle tufts can be connected to the
head 120 in any manner known in the art. For example, anchor free tufting (AFT) could be used to mount the cleaning elements. In AFT, a plate or membrane is secured to the brush head such as by ultrasonic welding. The bristles extend through the plate or membrane. The free ends of the bristles on one side of the plate or membrane perform the cleaning function. The ends of the bristles on the other side of the plate or membrane are melted together by heat to be anchored in place. Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used in the broad practice of this invention. Alternatively, the bristles could be mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending through suitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristles is mounted within or below the tuft block. - The particular arrangement and number of the
cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first and second sets within the distal andproximal regions cleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j may be omitted all together or substantially altered. Nonetheless, a particularly useful and effective arrangement of the first and second sets of thecleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j has been developed (discussed below in relation toFIGS.5-6 ) and is to be considered as part of the invention in certain embodiments. - The
middle region 125 of the head comprises an arrangement of cleaning elements that is specifically designed to improve the efficacy of cleaning oral surfaces, retain dentifrice on thehead 120 of the toothbrush during brushing and/or massaging, and distribute the dentifrice among the collection of cleaning elements on thehead 120. As mentioned above, themiddle region 125 comprises a prophy cup 133 (which is formed by arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b, angledelongated cleaning elements 134a-f and centralelongated cleaning element 135. Preferably, the cleaningelement walls 133a-b are elastomeric walls while theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f, 135 are tufts of densely packed fibrous bristles. In other embodiments, however, theprophy cup 133 can be formed by densely packed walls of fibrous bristles and/or theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f can be elastomeric fingers. - Suitable elastomeric materials include any biocompatible resilient material suitable for uses in an oral hygiene apparatus. To provide optimum comfort as well as cleaning benefits, the elastomeric material preferably has a hardness property in the range of A5 to A40 Shore hardness, and most preferably A25 Shore hardness. One preferred elastomeric material is styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) manufactured by GLS Corporation. Nevertheless, SEBS material from other manufacturers or other materials within and outside the noted hardness range could be used.
- Referring now to
FIGS 6-8 concurrently, the details and structural cooperation of theprophy cup 133, thecleaning elements 134a-f, and thecentral cleaning element 135 will be described. Thecleaning elements 134a-f extend from thefront surface 121 of the head in an angled (i.e., inclined) manner (relative to a general plane formed by the top surface 121). Thecleaning elements 134a-f are arranged in a spaced-apart manner that forms a ring that circumferentially surrounds an axis B-B. The axis B-B extends from thefront surface 121 of thehead 120 in a direction away from therear surface 122 of thehead 120. In the preferred embodiment, the axis B-B extends from thefront surface 121 of thehead 120 in a substantially normal orientation. Of course, in other embodiments, the axis B-B may be at an angle other than normal to thefront surface 121. Each of thecleaning elements 134a-f is inclined so as to radially diverge from the axis B-B at an angle Θ as it extends away from thefront surface 121 of thehead 120. Preferably, for eachcleaning element 134a-f, the angle Θ is in a range of 1 to 15 degrees, more preferably 3 to 5 degrees, and most preferably 4 degrees. While all of thecleaning elements 134a-f radially diverge from the axis B-B at the same angle Θ in the illustrated embodiment, it is possible for the angles of radial divergence to vary among the cleaningelements 134a-f. Furthermore, while sixcleaning elements 134a-f are illustrated as forming the hollow cone, any number of cleaning elements can be used in other embodiments. - Conceptually, the
cleaning elements 134a-f collectively form a hollow cone structure (which in the illustrated embodiment is a truncated cone). As used herein, the term "cone" is not limited to a circular cross-section and is intended to include truncated cones. The hollow cone structure formed by cleaningelements 134a-f forms a funnel-likeinternal cavity 136 for receiving a dentifrice. Thecleaning elements 134a-f are equidistantly circumferentially spaced from one another so that a space exists betweenadjacent cleaning elements 134a-f. While in the illustrated embodiments, the hollow cone is formed by spaced apart cleaning elements, in alternative embodiments the hollow cone can be formed by an angled wall (or angled wall segments) formed by an elastomer or densely packed bristles. - The hollow cone formed by the
cleaning elements 134a-f is concentrically arranged about the axis B-B and is congruent with the conical axis. The elongatedcentral cleaning element 135 extends from thefront surface 121 of thehead 120 along the axis B-B within the funnel-like cavity 136. Thecentral cleaning element 135 is preferably a tuft of densely packed fibrous bristles but can also be an elastomer finger or other material or structure. Of course, thecentral cleaning element 135 may even be omitted in certain embodiments of the invention. - The hollow cone formed by the
cleaning elements 134a-f is circumferentially surrounded by a cleaning element wall (formed by arcuate sections of cleaningelement walls 133a-b). Collectively, the cleaningelement walls 133a-b form the prophy cup as a substantially closed loop that concentrically surrounds the hollow cone formed by theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f. While the prophy cup is formed by two arcuate sections of cleaningelement walls 133a-b in the illustrated embodiment, the prophy cup (and the substantially closed-loop) can be formed by a single wall section or by more than two wall sections in other embodiments. - As a result of being circumferentially surrounded by the prophy cup (which is formed by the arcuate
cleaning element walls 133a-b), anannular channel 137 exists between the hollow cone (formed by thecleaning elements 134a-f) and the cleaning element wall (formed by arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b). The arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b are circumferentially spaced from one another so thatgaps 139 exist along the longitudinal axis A-A of thehead 120. - Referring solely now to
FIG. 7 , each of thecleaning elements 134a-f extends at an incline from thefirst surface 121 of thehead 120 and terminate in cleaning ends 144a-f respectively. The prophy cup (which consists of arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b) extends normally from thefirst surface 121 of thehead 120 and terminates intop surfaces 143a-b. In other embodiments, the prophy cup (which consists of arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b) may extend from thefirst surface 121 of thehead 120 at an inclined orientation, either inclined toward or away from the axis B-B. - The
cleaning elements 134a-f (and thus the hollow cone) has a height H1 while the prophy cup (and, thus, the arcuatecleaning element walls 133a-b) has a height H2 (measured relative to thefront surface 121 of the head 120). The height H1 is preferably greater than the height H2 . In one embodiment, the height H1 is preferably in the range of 7 to 13 millimeters, most preferably 10 millimeters, while the height H2 is preferably in the range of 5 to 11 millimeters, most preferably 6.5 millimeters. Thought of another way, cleaningelement walls 133a-b circumferentially surround only a base portion of thecleaning elements 134a-f while a top portion of thecleaning elements 134a-f extends beyond thetop surfaces 143a-b of the cleaningelement walls 133a-b. - In a preferred construction, the
cleaning elements 134a-f are preferably located within a range of 3 to 6 millimeters from the axis B-B, and most preferably 4 millimeters (measured from the base of thecleaning elements 134a-f). Thewalls 133a-b of the prophy cup are preferably located within a range of 6 to 12 millimeters from the axis B-B, and most preferably about 8 millimeters. As a result of the inclined/diverging orientation of thecleaning elements 134a-f and their close proximity to thewalls 133a-b of the prophy cup, the inner top top edge of thewalls 133a-b of the prophy cup abut against one or more of thecleaning elements 134a-f. In one preferred embodiment, the width of theprophy cup 133 extends the substantial entirety of the width of thehead 120. - Referring now to
FIGS. 5-8 concurrently, the mechanism of action of the novel cleaning element arrangement of thetoothbrush 100 will be described. The following discussion is set forth as an explanation of the improved operation of the present invention. The following discussion is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, unless specifically recited in the claims. - A dentifrice is initially applied to the
head 120 of thetoothbrush 100 which fills thecavity 136 formed by the hollow cleaning element cone (which is formed by theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f). The funnel shape of thecavity 136 helps capture, hold and direct the dentifrice into the toothbrush during dentifrice application and subsequent brushing. The centralelongated cleaning element 135 may further assist with dentifrice maintenance and dispersion. Once the dentifrice fills thecavity 136, it can flow through the spaces between adjacentelongated cleaning elements 134a-f and into theannular channel 137 formed between the hollow cleaning element cone (which is formed by theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f) and the prophy cup (consisting ofarcuate walls 133a-b). The inclined orientation of theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f results in theannular channel 137 having a substantially closed roof (at least in certain sections), thereby further helping to keep the dentifrice within thetoothbrush 100. The dentifrice then flows through thegaps 139 formed between thearcuate sections 133a-b. Because thegaps 139 are located only along the longitudinal axis A-A of the head, the dentifrice escaping from the prohpy cup via thegaps 139 is forced into the first andsecond sets 131a-j, 132a-j where it is further distributed during the brushing and/or massaging of oral surfaces. - Finally, by surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone (which is formed by the
elongated cleaning elements 134a-f) with a shorter prophy cup (formed byarcuate walls 133a-b), the prophy cup can provide additional support and rigidity to theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f during brushing. More specifically, when theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f are not under the standard forces imparted during brushing (i.e., in a non-use state), theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f are either slightly spaced from thearcuate walls 133a-b or abutted against the top inner edges of thearcuate walls 133a-b in a non-forced state. However, when theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f are subjected to standard forces imparted during brushing, theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f flex outwardly from the axis B-B and come into contact with thearcuate walls 133a-b, which provide additional support for theelongated cleaning elements 134a-f so tha more effective cleaning can be achieved. In some embodiments, the plurality of cleaningelements 134a-f are also taller than any of the cleaning elements of the first and second sets that are immediately adjacent the prophy cup (not illustrated). - Additionally, when the
arcuate walls 133a-b are constructed of an elastomeric material, additional benefits are achieved. Specifically, the arcuate shapedelastomeric elements 133a-b help spread toothpaste onto the tubules of the teeth. This helps reduce the sensitivity of the tooth because the tubules are thereby reduced in size. This is also a benefit with whitening because the toothpaste is spread onto the tubules. Moreover, elastomeric walls are better than bristles at this wiping toothpaste into the tubules of the teeth. - Referring back to
FIGS. 5-6 and8 concurrently, a preferred arrangement of thecleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j of the first andsecond sets head 120 will be described according to one embodiment of the present invention. All of thecleaning elements 131a-j, 132a-j extend from thefront surface 121 of the head in a substantially normal orientation. - The
first set 131 comprises a first grouping consisting of cleaningelement walls 131c-e andelongated cleaning elements 131a-b, 131f-g. This first grouping of cleaningelements 131a-131g is disposed in a par-elliptical arrangement along the distal periphery of thehead 120. Theelongated cleaning elements 131a-b, 131f-g are preferably cylindrical bristle tufts whose free ends taper to a point. The cleaningelement walls 131c-e are preferably walls of densely packed bristles. The height of the cleaningelement walls 131c-e increase toward the distal end of thehead 120, thereby forming a tapered edge at the distal edge of the cleaning element field. - Similarly, the
second set 132 comprises a first grouping consisting of cleaningelement walls 132c-e andelongated cleaning elements 132a-b, 132f-g. This first grouping of cleaningelements 132a-132g is disposed in a par-elliptical arrangement along the distal periphery of thehead 120. Theelongated cleaning elements 132a-b, 132f-g are preferably cylindrical bristle tufts whose free ends taper to a point. The cleaningelement walls 132c-e are preferably walls of densely packed bristles. The height of the cleaningelement walls 132c-e increase toward the distal end of thehead 120, thereby forming a tapered edge at the distal edge of the cleaning element field. - The
first set 131 also comprises a second grouping, consisting of arcuatecleaning element walls cleaning element walls cleaning element walls element 131h-j is located within the par-elliptical shape formed by the first grouping of cleaningelements 131a-g. The central cleaning element 131i extends a height that is greater than the height of the arcuatecleaning element walls central cleaning element 131j is less than the height of thecentral cleaning element 135 of thethird set 138. However, the height of the arcuatecleaning element walls arcuate wall elements 133a-b of the third set 38. - Similarly, the
second set 132 also comprises a second grouping, consisting of arcuatecleaning element walls central cleaning element 132i. The arcuatecleaning element walls central cleaning element 132i extends. The arcuatecleaning element walls element 132h-j is located within the par-elliptical shape formed by the first grouping of cleaningelements 132a-g. Thecentral cleaning element 132i extends a height that is greater than the height of the arcuatecleaning element walls central cleaning element 132j is less than the height of thecentral cleaning element 135 of thethird set 138. However, the height of the arcuatecleaning element walls arcuate wall elements 133a-b of the third set 38. - Both of the loops formed by the arcuate
cleaning element walls head 120. - Referring now to
FIGS. 9A-9B concurrently, amanual toothbrush 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Thetoothbrush 200 is identical to thetoothbrush 100 described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 except that thecentral cleaning element 135 is omitted. In order to avoid redundancy, a further detailed description of thetoothbrush 200 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements oftoothbrush 200 are numbered the same as thetoothbrush 100 except that they are in the "200 series." The above discussion with respect totoothbrush 100 is thus applicable to thetoothbrush 200. - Referring now to
FIGS 10A-10B concurrently, amanual toothbrush 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Thetoothbrush 300 is identical to thetoothbrush 100 described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 except that thehollow cone structure 334 is formed by eight elongated cleaning elements rather than six. In order to avoid redundancy, a further detailed description of thetoothbrush 300 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements oftoothbrush 300 are numbered the same as thetoothbrush 100 except that they are in the "300 series." The above discussion with respect totoothbrush 100 is thus applicable to thetoothbrush 300. - Referring now to
FIGS 11A-11B concurrently, amanual toothbrush 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Thetoothbrush 400 is identical to thetoothbrush 100 described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 except that thehollow cone structure 434 is formed by ten elongated cleaning elements rather than six. In order to avoid redundancy, a further detailed description of thetoothbrush 400 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements oftoothbrush 400 are numbered the same as thetoothbrush 100 except that they are in the "400 series." The above discussion with respect totoothbrush 100 is thus applicable to thetoothbrush 400. - Referring now to
FIGS 12A-12C concurrently, amanual toothbrush 500 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Thetoothbrush 500 is identical to thetoothbrush 100 described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 except that thecentral cleaning elements 135 is omitted and theelongated cleaning elements 534a-f that form thehollow cone structure 534 converge upon the axis B-B, thereby forming a full cone rather than a truncated cone. In order to avoid redundancy, a further detailed description of thetoothbrush 500 and its functioning is omitted with the understanding that the corresponding elements oftoothbrush 500 are numbered the same as thetoothbrush 100 except that they are in the "500 series." The above discussion with respect totoothbrush 100 is thus applicable to thetoothbrush 400. - Referring now to
FIG. 13 , a cleaning element disc 600 for incorporation into an ansate oral care implement is illustrated according to one embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning element disc 600 is essentially a plate-like disc that incorporates thethird set 138 of cleaning elements described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 . The apparatus 600 generally comprises a circular base plate 601 and thethird set 138 of cleaning elements described above with respect toFIGS. 1-8 . In order to avoid redundancy, a further detailed description of thethird set 138 of cleaning elements is omitted. However, it is to be understood that the cleaning element disc 600 can utilize any of the variations of the cleaning element arrangement disclosed above with respect toFIGS. 9A-12C . - The cleaning element disc 600 is particularly suited for use with powered toothbrushes wherein the cleaning element disc 600 will lock into place on the powered toothbrush and be operably coupled to a rotary element. The cleaning element disc 600, however, can also be used in manual toothbrushes wherein the cleaning element disc 600 can snap lock/unlock into and out of the head of the toothbrush for replacement. Such techniques are known in the art.
- Finally, it should be noted that in certain embodiments of the invention, a plurality of the
third sets 138 of cleaning elements can be arranged on thehead 120 of thetoothbrush 100. In such an embodiment, thethird sets 138 of cleaning elements are preferably aligned along the longitudinal axis A-A of thehead 120. Moreover, in such an embodiment, any of the embodiments of the third sets can be used. - While a number of embodiments of the current invention have been described and illustrated in detail, various alternatives and modifications will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As various changes could be made in the above methods, compositions and structures without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in this application, including all mechanisms and/or modes of interaction described above, shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting in any way the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (14)
- An oral care implement (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) comprising:a handle (110);a head (120) connected to the handle (110), the head (120) comprising a first surface (121) and a second surface (122) opposite the second surface (121);a hollow cleaning element cone (134) extending from the first surface (121) of the head (120), the hollow cleaning element cone (134) circumferentially surrounding an axis (B-B) extending from the first surface (121) of the head (120), wherein the hollow cleaning element cone (134) extends from the first surface (121) of the head (120) so as to radially diverge from the axis (B-B); anda cleaning element wall (133, 233, 333, 433, 533) extending from the first surface (121) of the head (120) and circumferentially surrounding the hollow cleaning element cone.
- The oral care implement of claim 1 further comprising:the hollow cleaning element cone (134) terminating in a cleaning end and the cleaning element wall (133) terminating in a top surfacethe cleaning end of the hollow cleaning element cone (134) being at a first height above the first surface (121) of the head (120);the top surface of the cleaning element wall (133) being at a second height above the first surface (121) of the head (120); andwherein the first height is greater than the second height
- The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the hollow cleaning element cone (134) diverges from the axis at an angle in a range of 1 to 15 degrees, preferably 3 to 5 degrees, and most preferably about 4 degrees.
- The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the hollow cleaning element cone (134) is formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart cleaning elements (134a-f), wherein each of the cleaning elements of the hollow cleaning element cone extend from the first surface of the head so as to radially diverge from the axis (B-B); and wherein the plurality of circumferentially spaced apart cleaning elements are bristle tufts.
- The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the cleaning element wall (133) is constructed of an elastomer; and wherein the hollow cleaning element cone (134) is formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart bristle tufts.
- The oral care implement of claim 1 further comprising:wherein the cleaning element wall (133) forms a loop comprising one or more gaps located along a longitudinal axis of the head, wherein the cleaning element wall is free of gaps that are not located along the longitudinal axis of the head;wherein the head comprises a distal region (124), a middle region (125) and a proximal region (126); and wherein the axis is located within the middle region of the head;a first set of cleaning elements (131) extending from the first surface of the head in the distal region (124) and a second set of cleaning elements (132) extending from the first surface of the head in the proximal region (126); andwherein the loop extends a substantial entirety of a width of the head and is located entirely within the middle region.
- The oral implement of any preceding claim wherein the axis (B-B) extends from the first surface (121) in a substantially normal orientation.
- The oral care implement of any preceding claim wherein the cleaning elements (134) are equidistantly circumferentially spaced from one another.
- The oral care implement of any preceding claim wherein the cleaning element wall (133) forms a substantially closed loop that concentrically surrounds the cleaning elements (134.)
- The oral care implement of any preceding claim wherein the cleaning element wall (133) extends normally from the first surface (121), or alternatively wherein the cleaning element wall (133) is inclined either towards or away from the axis (B-B).
- The oral care implement of any preceding claim wherein the cleaning elements (134) are located within a range of 3 to 6 mm from the axis (B-B), most preferably about 4mm.
- The oral care implement pf any preceding claim wherein the plurality of cleaning elements (634) and the cleaning element wall (633) are incorporated on a plate-like cleaning element disk (600) which is incorporated into the oral care implement.
- The oral care implement of claim 12 wherein the oral care implement is a powered toothbrush and wherein the cleaning element disk (600) is operably coupled to a rotary element.
- The oral care implement of any preceding claim further comprising a central elongated cleaning element (135) extending from the first surface (121) of the head (120) along the axis (B-B).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US12/547,627 US20110047736A1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2009-08-26 | Oral Care Implement Having Diverging Cleaning Elements |
EP12193452.5A EP2574254B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP10749573.1A EP2470045B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
Related Parent Applications (3)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP12193452.5A Division-Into EP2574254B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP12193452.5A Division EP2574254B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP10749573.1A Division EP2470045B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2912966A1 true EP2912966A1 (en) | 2015-09-02 |
EP2912966B1 EP2912966B1 (en) | 2017-06-14 |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP10749573.1A Active EP2470045B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP12193452.5A Not-in-force EP2574254B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP15162039.0A Not-in-force EP2912966B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP15162045.7A Withdrawn EP2912967A1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP10749573.1A Active EP2470045B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
EP12193452.5A Not-in-force EP2574254B1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP15162045.7A Withdrawn EP2912967A1 (en) | 2009-08-26 | 2010-08-26 | Oral care implement having diverging cleaning elements |
Country Status (15)
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US (2) | US20110047736A1 (en) |
EP (4) | EP2470045B1 (en) |
KR (1) | KR101372187B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN102740730B (en) |
AU (1) | AU2010289773B2 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112012004176A2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2769422C (en) |
CO (1) | CO6420395A2 (en) |
ES (1) | ES2434041T3 (en) |
HK (1) | HK1172525A1 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2012001482A (en) |
MY (1) | MY155972A (en) |
RU (1) | RU2525184C2 (en) |
TW (2) | TWI433656B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2011028607A2 (en) |
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- 2010-08-26 CN CN201080037969.6A patent/CN102740730B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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EP2912967A1 (en) | 2015-09-02 |
US20170202348A1 (en) | 2017-07-20 |
KR20120046320A (en) | 2012-05-09 |
MY155972A (en) | 2015-12-31 |
TWI433656B (en) | 2014-04-11 |
TW201116229A (en) | 2011-05-16 |
CA2769422C (en) | 2014-10-28 |
EP2574254A3 (en) | 2013-06-19 |
EP2574254B1 (en) | 2016-04-27 |
HK1172525A1 (en) | 2013-04-26 |
RU2525184C2 (en) | 2014-08-10 |
CN102740730B (en) | 2015-04-15 |
BR112012004176A2 (en) | 2016-03-29 |
MX2012001482A (en) | 2012-02-22 |
EP2470045B1 (en) | 2013-09-18 |
RU2012111317A (en) | 2013-10-10 |
AU2010289773A1 (en) | 2012-02-23 |
EP2912966B1 (en) | 2017-06-14 |
ES2434041T3 (en) | 2013-12-13 |
CA2769422A1 (en) | 2011-03-10 |
EP2470045A2 (en) | 2012-07-04 |
KR101372187B1 (en) | 2014-03-07 |
US20110047736A1 (en) | 2011-03-03 |
WO2011028607A3 (en) | 2011-04-28 |
TW201417745A (en) | 2014-05-16 |
EP2574254A2 (en) | 2013-04-03 |
CN102740730A (en) | 2012-10-17 |
WO2011028607A2 (en) | 2011-03-10 |
AU2010289773B2 (en) | 2014-03-06 |
CO6420395A2 (en) | 2012-04-16 |
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