Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10182644-B2
Application number	US-201415539357-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Jan 22, 2019
Grant date	Jan 22, 2019

Abstract

An oral care implement that includes a handle ( 120 ) and a head ( 100 ) with a front surface. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements extend from the front surface. In one embodiment the plurality of tooth cleaning elements include a conical tuft ( 130 ) that is formed by a wall of bristles. The tooth cleaning elements may also include first and/or second sets of peripheral tooth cleaning elements located adjacent to opposing lateral edges of the head. The peripheral tooth cleaning elements may include elastomeric sleeve portions ( 144, 154 ) and bristle tuft portions ( 145, 155 ). The elastomeric sleeve portions may be formed as a part of an integrally formed elastomeric component ( 170 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle;
a head coupled to the handle, the head comprising a front surface, a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end of the head to a distal end of the head, and a head plate, the head plate comprising a lower surface, an upper surface that forms the front surface of the head, and a plurality of through holes extending from the lower surface to the upper surface;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head;
the plurality of tooth cleaning elements comprising a conical tuft comprising a bristle wall having an inner surface defining a cavity along a cavity axis, the cavity having a transverse cross-sectional area that increases with distance from the front surface of the head;
the plurality of tooth cleaning element further comprising:
a first set of peripheral tooth cleaning elements located adjacent to a first lateral edge of the head;
a second set of peripheral tooth cleaning elements located adjacent to a second lateral edge of the head; and
each peripheral tooth cleaning element of the first and second sets comprising an elastomeric sleeve portion and a bristle tuft portion extending through a sleeve cavity of the elastomeric sleeve portion along a sleeve axis, the bristle tuft portion protruding from a distal end of the elastomeric sleeve portion;

further comprising an integrally formed mass of elastomeric material, wherein the integrally formed mass of elastomeric material comprises the elastomeric sleeve portions of the first and second sets;
wherein each of the plurality of tooth cleaning elements comprise a cleaning portion protruding from the upper surface of the head plate and an anchor portion located adjacent the lower surface of the head plate; and
wherein the integrally formed mass of elastomeric material comprises at least one elastomeric base strip comprising a first end connected to one of the elastomeric sleeve portions of the first set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements and a second end connected to one of the elastomeric sleeve portions of the second set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein for each of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first and second sets, the sleeve cavity of the elastomeric sleeve portion has a transverse cross-section comprising a major axis and a minor axis, the major axis being longer than the minor axis.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein each of the first and second sets of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements comprise a central peripheral tooth cleaning element having a longitudinal length that is greater than a maximum diameter of the transverse cross-sectional area of the cavity of the conical tuft.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 3 wherein the conical tuft is located on the longitudinal axis between the central peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first and second sets.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 3 wherein each of the first and second sets of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements comprises a proximal peripheral tooth cleaning element and a distal peripheral tooth cleaning element; and wherein for each of the first and second sets, the central peripheral tooth cleaning element is located between the distal and proximal peripheral tooth cleaning elements.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of tooth cleaning elements further comprises first and second elastomeric tooth cleaning elements located between the first and second sets of peripheral tooth cleaning elements and on opposite sides of the conical tuft; and wherein the integrally formed mass of elastomeric material comprises the first and second elastomeric tooth cleaning elements.

7. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the lower surface of the head plate comprises at least one channel, the at least one elastomeric base strip located within the at least one channel of the lower surface of the head plate.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the integrally formed mass of elastomeric material further comprises elastomeric sleeve strips that extend between and connect the elastomeric sleeve portions of adjacent ones of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first and second sets; wherein the upper surface of the head plate comprises channels; and wherein the elastomeric sleeve strips are located within the channels of the upper surface of the head plate.

9. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the anchor portions of the plurality of tooth cleaning elements comprise a melt matte.

10. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle;
a head coupled to the handle, the head comprising a front surface and a head plate, the head plate comprising a lower surface, an upper surface that forms at least a portion of the front surface of the head, and a plurality of through holes extending from the lower surface to the upper surface;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the upper surface of the head plate, the plurality of tooth cleaning elements comprising a cleaning portion protruding from the upper surface of the head plate and an anchor portion located adjacent the lower surface of the head plate;
the plurality of tooth cleaning elements comprising a first set of peripheral tooth cleaning elements located adjacent to a first lateral edge of the head, each of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first set comprising an elastomeric sleeve portion protruding from the upper surface of the head plate, the cleaning portion protruding from the elastomeric sleeve portion.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 10 further comprising:
one or more first channels in the front surface of the head that extend between adjacent ones of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first set;
an integrally formed elastomeric component comprising:
the elastomeric sleeve portions of the first set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements; and
one or more first elastomeric sleeve strips that extend between and connect the elastomeric sleeve portions of adjacent ones of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the first set, the one or more first elastomeric sleeve strips located within the one or more first channels;

the plurality of tooth cleaning elements further comprising a second set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements located adjacent to a second lateral edge of the head;
one or more second channels in the front surface of the head that extend between adjacent ones of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the second set; and
the integrally formed elastomeric component further comprising one or more second elastomeric sleeve strips that extend between and connect the elastomeric sleeve portions of adjacent ones of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements of the second set, the one or more second elastomeric sleeve strips located within the one or more second channels.

12. The oral care implement according to claim 11 wherein the integrally formed mass of elastomeric material further comprises at least one elastomeric base strip comprising a first end connected to one of the elastomeric sleeve portions of the first set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements and a second end connected to one of the elastomeric sleeve portions of the second set of the peripheral tooth cleaning elements.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 12 wherein the plurality of tooth cleaning elements further comprises an elastomeric tooth cleaning element; and wherein the integrally formed mass o

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Jimenez Eduardo
• Waguespack Kenneth
• Moskovich Robert
• Kirchhofer Roger
• Bieri Kurt
• Storz Joachim
• Wechsler Andreas

Classifications

• A46B9/025 Primary

  the bristles or the tufts being arranged in an angled position relative to each other · CPC title

• A46B9/04 Primary

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title

• A46D3/045

  for fixing bristles by fusing or gluing to a body · CPC title

• A46B9/06

  Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber · CPC title