Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10485328-B2
Application number	US-201515767675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 12, 2015
Priority date	Oct 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

An oral care implement having a handle, a head, and at least one movable cleaning element coupled to the head. The movable cleaning element may be used as an interdental cleaner. The movable cleaning element may be positioned within a loop formed by fixed cleaning elements on the head. The movable cleaning element may be coupled to an actuator that moves the movable cleaning element between a first position wherein a distal tip of the movable cleaning element is spaced a first distance from a front surface of the head and a second position wherein the distal tip of the movable cleaning element is spaced a second distance from the front surface of the head, the second distance being greater than the first distance. The movable cleaning element may maintain the first and second positions until subsequent actuation of the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle and a head, the head having a front surface and an opposing rear surface;
a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head, the plurality of cleaning elements comprising a plurality of fixed tooth cleaning elements and a movable interdental cleaning element;
an actuator operably coupled to the movable interdental cleaning element to move the movable interdental cleaning element between: (1) a first position in which a distal tip of the movable interdental cleaning element is spaced a first distance from the front surface of the head; and (2) a second position in which the distal tip of the movable interdental cleaning element is spaced a second distance from the front surface of the head, the second distance being greater than the first distance;
wherein actuation of the actuator selectably alters the movable interdental cleaning element between one of the first and second positions, the movable interdental cleaning element being maintained in each of the first and second positions upon being selected after cessation of an actuation force of the actuator;
the actuator comprising a switch and first and second buttons, the switch having a pivot point and first and second legs extending from the pivot point in opposite directions, the first button operably coupled to the first leg and the second button operably coupled to the second leg, the first leg being operably coupled to the movable interdental cleaning element;
wherein pressing the first button causes the first leg of the switch to pivot upwardly about the pivot point thereby transitioning the movable interdental cleaning element into the second position; and
wherein pressing the second button causes the first leg of the switch to pivot downwardly about the pivot point thereby transitioning the movable interdental cleaning element into the first position.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is in a first state when the movable interdental cleaning element is in the first position and the actuator is in a second state when the movable interdental cleaning element is in the second position, and wherein the actuator self-maintains the first and second states upon actuation into the first and second states until subsequent actuation of the actuator into the other one of the first and second states.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the movable interdental cleaning element is a single element formed of an elastomeric material or a single tuft of bristles.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein a subset of the plurality of fixed tooth cleaning elements are arranged in a loop about a central axis, the movable interdental cleaning element being positioned within the loop and extending along the central axis.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 4 wherein the subset of the plurality of fixed tooth cleaning elements that are arranged in the loop are formed of an elastomeric material or one or more bristle tufts.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 4 wherein the subset of the plurality of fixed tooth cleaning elements comprises two or more arcuate tooth cleaning elements that are spaced apart along the head such that the loop forms a discontinuous wall that substantially surrounds the movable interdental cleaning element.

7. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein a tallest one of the fixed tooth cleaning elements is spaced a third distance from the front surface of the head, and wherein the first distance is less than or equal to the third distance and the second distance is greater than the third distance.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the distal tip of the movable interdental cleaning element cannot be maintained at a distance from the front surface of the head that is between the first and second distances.

9. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle and a head, the head having a front surface and an opposing rear surface;
a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head, the plurality of cleaning elements comprising a subset of cleaning elements that form a loop and at least one movable cleaning element positioned within the loop;
an actuator operably coupled to the movable cleaning element to move the movable cleaning element between: (1) a first position in which a distal tip of the movable cleaning element is spaced a first distance from the front surface of the head; and (2) a second position in which the distal tip of the movable cleaning element is spaced a second distance from the front surface of the head, the second distance being greater than the first distance;
the actuator comprising a switch and first and second buttons located on the rear surface of the head, the switch having a pivot point and first and second lees extending from the pivot point in opposite directions, the first button operably coupled to the first leg and the second button operably coupled to the second leg, the first lea being operably coupled to the movable cleaning element;
wherein Dressing the first button causes the first lea of the switch to pivot upwardly about the pivot point thereby transitioning the movable cleaning element into the second position; and
wherein pressing the second button causes the first leg of the switch to pivot downwardly about the pivot point thereby transitioning the movable cleaning element into the first position.

10. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the subset of cleaning elements that form the loop are formed of an elastomeric material.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the subset of cleaning elements that form the loop comprises two or more arcuate cleaning elements arranged about a central axis in a spaced apart manner so that gaps are formed in the loop between adjacent ones of the arcuate cleaning elements.

12. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the movable cleaning element maintains the first and second positions upon actuation into one of the first and second positions without continued actuation of the actuator and until subsequent actuation of the actuator.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the movable cleaning element is either a single tuft of bristles or a single element formed of an elastomeric material used for interdental cleaning.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the movable cleaning element is coupled directly to the head in both the first and second positions.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the loop terminates in a distal surface that is spaced a fourth distance from the front surface of the head, and wherein the fourth distance is less than each of the first and second distances.

16. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the distal tip of the movable interdental cleaning element cannot be maintained at a distance from the front surface of the head that is between the first and second distances.

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

• A46B9/04

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B7/02

  in an expanding or articulating manner · CPC title

• A46B5/0075 Primary

  being adjustable and stable during use · CPC title

• A46B9/06

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