Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10477952-B2
Application number	US-201515766602-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

An oral care implement in one embodiment includes an elongated body comprising a head portion supporting plurality of tooth cleaning elements and a handle portion. The tooth cleaning elements are disposed on longitudinally extending bristle carrier sections hingedly coupled together about a common pivot axis. The axis may be formed by a flexible web. A slidable actuator mounted in the handle portion is mechanically coupled to the bristle carrier assembly by an elongated operating rod. Moving the actuator in opposing rearward and forward directions opens or folds the bristles on the carriers outwards or inwards respectively about the common pivot axis. In the folded position, the bristles are configured for interdental cleaning of the teeth. In the open or extended position, the bristles are configured for general purpose cleaning of the teeth.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement comprising:
an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a head portion and a handle portion;
a first bristle carrier section movably disposed on the head portion, the first bristle carrier section comprising a plurality of first tooth cleaning elements extending outward from a front surface thereof;
a second bristle carrier section movably disposed on the head portion adjacent the first bristle carrier section, the second bristle carrier section comprising a plurality of second tooth cleaning elements extending outward from a front surface thereof;
the first and second bristle carrier sections hingedly coupled together about a common pivot axis;
the first and second bristle carrier sections are structured and made of a rigid plastic material; and
an actuator operably coupled to the first and second bristle carrier sections, the actuator alterable between: (1) a first state in which the actuator causes the first and second bristle carrier sections to assume an extended position; and (2) a second state in which the actuator causes the first and second bristle carrier sections to assume a transversely folded position in which the first and second tooth cleaning elements converge.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second tooth cleaning elements are oriented substantially upright and parallel to each other in the extended position, and the first and second tooth cleaning elements are oriented substantially obliquely to each other in the folded position.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second bristle carrier sections are pivoted inwards about the pivot axis when in the folded position.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 1 , wherein the common pivot axis is formed by a living hinge connecting the first and second bristle carrier sections together.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 4 , wherein the living hinge comprises a resiliently flexible web that hingedly couples the first and second bristle carrier sections together, the web having greater flexibility than the first and second bristle carrier sections.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 5 , wherein the actuator further comprises an operating rod, a distal working end of the operating rod includes a wedge-shaped protrusion which is selectively engageable with an underside portion of the flexible web.

7. The oral care implement according to claim 4 , wherein the actuator further comprises an operating rod, a distal working end of the operating rod includes a plurality of first protrusions arranged to engage a plurality of second protrusions formed on the first and second bristle carrier sections, the first protrusions positioned between the second protrusions in the extended position of the first and second bristle carrier sections, the first protrusions positioned laterally adjacent the second protrusions in the folded position of the first and second bristle carrier sections.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second bristle carrier sections are hingedly coupled to a distal working end of the operating rod by a transversely oriented flexible web, the first and second bristle carrier sections being folded over the working end of the operating rod when mounted in the toothbrush body.

9. The oral care implement according to claim 8 , wherein the first and second bristle carrier sections and the operating rod are formed integrally as parts of a unitary structure.

10. The oral care implement according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second tooth cleaning elements of the first and second bristle carrier sections when in the folded position are angled inwards toward the longitudinal axis forming a wedge-shaped bristle profile.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is formed as a button slidably mounted in an upwardly open recess formed in a front surface of the handle portion.

12. An oral care implement comprising:
an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a head portion defining a distal end, a handle portion defining a proximal end, and a neck portion extending therebetween;
a foldable bristle carrier assembly comprising first and second bristle carrier sections hingedly coupled together by a flexible web;
the first and second bristle carrier sections are structured and made of a rigid plastic material;
an actuator operably coupled to the bristle carrier assembly, the actuator alterable between a first state and a second state;
wherein moving the actuator from the first state to the second state causes the first and second bristle carrier sections to pivot inwards about the flexible web to a folded position; and
wherein moving the actuator from the second state to the first state causes the first and second bristle carrier sections to pivot outwards about the flexible web to an upright open position.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 12 , wherein bristles mounted on the first and second bristle carrier sections are oriented substantially parallel to each other in the upright open position.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 13 , wherein the bristles on the first and second bristle carrier sections are oriented substantially obliquely to each other in the folded position.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 12 , wherein flat front surfaces of the first and second bristle carrier sections are oriented substantially parallel to a horizontal reference plane defined by opposing front lateral peripheral edges of the head portion of the body.

16. The oral care implement according to claim 15 , wherein the first and second bristle carrier sections are located on opposite sides of a first reference plane that includes the longitudinal axis and is orthogonal to the front surface of the head portion, and wherein the first reference plane intersects the flexible web of the bristle carrier assembly.

17. A method for operating an oral care implement with angularly adjustable bristles, the method comprising:
a) providing an elongated oral care implement comprising a longitudinal axis, a head defining a distal end, a handle defining a proximal end, a foldable bristle carrier assembly comprising first and second bristle carrier sections each having a plurality of bristles and hingedly coupled together about a common pivot axis, the first and second bristle carrier sections are structured and made of a rigid plastic material, and an actuator operably coupled to the bristle carrier assembly;
b) placing the actuator in a first state, thereby causing the bristles of the first and second bristle carrier sections to be oriented substantially perpendicular to the head of the oral care implement; and
c) altering the actuator to a second state, thereby causing each of the first and second bristle carrier sections to pivot inwards about the common pivot axis so that the bristles of the first and second bristle carrier sections assume a wedge-shaped folded position.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein step c) comprises sliding the actuator from the first state to the second state.

19. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the pivot axis is positioned below outer peripheral edges of the first and second bristle carrier sections when in the folded position.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Jimenez Eduardo
• Waguespack Kenneth
• Hohlbein Douglas
• Baxter Anthony
• Rodriguez Marisol
• Mantilla Alberto
• Smith Ellis Junior
• Helland Chad Leighton
• Narvaez Lopez Dario Alejandro
• Issa Mauricio

Classifications

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A46B5/0075

  being adjustable and stable during use · CPC title

• A46B9/04 Primary

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B7/02

  in an expanding or articulating manner · CPC title

• A46B5/0037

  Flexible resilience by plastic deformation of the material · CPC title