Head for an oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10194739-B2
Application number	US-201514795457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2015
Priority date	Jul 11, 2014
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A head for an oral care implement comprises a mounting surface having a maximum longitudinal extension and a longitudinal axis extending along the maximum longitudinal extension. At least one tuft extends from the mounting surface. The tuft has a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cross-sectional area has a shape substantially of a parallelogram with two pairs of substantially parallel sides forming four angles and a diagonal joining two non-consecutive angles of the parallelogram. The sides of the parallelogram have a length of at least 3.5 mm. The at least one tuft extends from the mounting surface so that the diagonal of the parallelogram is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mounting surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head ( 14 ) for a manual oral care implement ( 10 ) comprising:
a longitudinally elongated mounting surface ( 20 ) having a maximum longitudinal extension ( 29 ) and a longitudinal axis ( 26 ) extending along said maximum longitudinal extension ( 29 ),
the head ( 14 ) further comprising at least one tuft ( 16 ) extending from the mounting surface ( 20 ),
the at least one tuft ( 16 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 27 ) and a cross-sectional area ( 28 ) extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ( 27 ) and having a shape substantially of a parallelogram ( 30 ) with two pairs of substantially parallel sides ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) forming four angles ( 44 , 46 , 48 , 50 ), and a diagonal ( 52 ) joining two non-consecutive angles ( 32 , 36 ) of the parallelogram ( 30 ), the sides ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) of the parallelogram ( 30 ) having a length ( 82 ) of at least 3.5 mm, wherein
the at least one tuft ( 16 ) extends from a central part of the mounting surface ( 20 ) in a manner that the diagonal ( 52 ) of the parallelogram ( 30 ) is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ( 26 ) of the mounting surface ( 20 ),
wherein the at least one tuft ( 16 ) has a free end ( 54 ) having a topography which is concave or convex, and wherein the at least one tuft comprises filaments individually extending from the mounting surface ( 20 ) of the head ( 14 ).

2. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the parallelogram is a square.

3. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the parallelogram is a rhombus.

4. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the length ( 82 ) of each side ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) is from 4.5 mm to 10 mm.

5. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each of the filaments of the at least one tuft ( 16 ) has a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the cross-sectional area has a substantially circular shape.

6. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the filaments individually extending from the mounting surface ( 20 ) extend to a length ( 84 ) of from 10 mm to 12 mm over the mounting surface.

7. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the head ( 14 ) further comprises at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) having a longitudinal axis ( 86 ) and a cross-sectional area ( 88 ) extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ( 86 ) and the cross-sectional area ( 88 ) has a substantially circular shape with a diameter ( 90 ) from 1.5 mm to 2 mm.

8. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) comprises filaments having a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the cross-sectional area has a substantially circular shape with a diameter being larger than the diameter of the filaments of the at least one tuft ( 16 ).

9. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the filaments of the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) is from 0.17 mm to 0.18 mm.

10. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the diameter of the filaments of the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) is 0.178 mm (7 mil).

11. The head ( 14 ) according to any of claim 7 , wherein, the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) extends from the mounting surface ( 20 ) of the head ( 14 ) over a length ( 92 ) from 10 mm to 12 mm.

12. The head ( 14 ) according to any of claim 11 , wherein, the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) extends from the mounting surface ( 20 ) of the head ( 14 ) over a length ( 92 ) of over 11 mm.

13. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) is arranged next to one side ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) of the parallelogram ( 30 ).

14. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the head ( 14 ) comprises a plurality of circular tufts ( 18 ) and at least one circular tuft ( 18 ) is arranged next to each side ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) of the parallelogram ( 30 ).

15. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 7 , wherein the diameter ( 90 ) is 1.7 mm.

16. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tuft ( 16 ) is attached to the head ( 14 ) by means of a hot-tufting process.

17. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one tuft ( 16 ) comprises filaments extending from the mounting surface ( 20 ) over a length ( 84 ) of over 11 mm.

18. The head ( 14 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the length ( 82 ) of each side ( 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 ) is about 7 mm.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Jungnickel Uwe

Classifications

• A46B9/06

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

• A46B3/06 Primary

  by welding together bristles made of metal wires or plastic materials · CPC title

• A46B9/026

  where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat (A46B9/005 takes precedence) · CPC title