Filament for an oral care implement and oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10869545-B2
Application number	US-201715729007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2017
Priority date	Oct 10, 2017
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A filament for an oral care implement has a longitudinal axis and a substantially cross-shaped cross-sectional area extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cross-shaped cross-sectional area has four projections and four channels, the projections and channels are arranged in an alternating manner. The cross-sectional area has an outer diameter, and each channel has a concave curvature formed by neighboring and converging projections. The concave curvature has a radius which is within a range from about 0.015 mm to about 0.12 mm, and the ratio of the outer diameter to the radius is within a range from about 2.5 to about 12.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filament for an oral care implement comprising: the filament having a longitudinal axis and a substantially cross-shaped cross-sectional area extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the cross-shaped cross-sectional area having only four projections and four channels, the projections and channels being arranged in an alternating manner, the cross-sectional area having an outer diameter, and each channel having a concave curvature formed by neighboring and converging projections, the concave curvature having a radius, wherein
the radius is within a range from 0.015 mm to 0.12 mm, the outer diameter is within a range from 0.22 mm to 0.40 mm, and the ratio of the outer diameter to the radius is within a range from 2.5 to 12.

2. The filament according to claim 1 , wherein the radius is within a range from about 0.03 mm to about 0.10 mm, and the ratio of the outer diameter to the radius is within a range from about 2.7 to about 9.

3. The filament according to claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter is within a range from 0.22 mm to 0.35 mm.

4. The filament according claim 1 , wherein each projection tapers off in an outward direction.

5. The filament according to claim 4 , wherein each projection) tapers off in the outward direction in an angle defined in a range from about 6° to about 25°.

6. The filament according to claim 4 , wherein each projection tapers off in the outward direction in an angle defined in a range from about 8° to about 20°.

7. The filament according to claim 1 , wherein each projection has a width extension extending between two opposite lateral edges, and the width extension is defined in a range from about 6% to about 15% of the outer diameter of the filament.

8. The filament according to claim 7 , wherein the width extension is within a range from about 8% to about 12% of the outer diameter of the filament.

9. The filament according to claim 7 , wherein the width extension is within a range from about 0.016 mm to about 0.041 mm.

10. The filament according to claim 1 , wherein the filament comprises along its longitudinal axis a substantially cylindrical portion and a tapered portion, the tapered portion tapers towards a free end of the filament, and the cylindrical portion has a cross-sectional area.

11. A tuft for an oral care implement comprising a plurality of filaments according to claim 1 .

12. The tuft according to claim 11 , wherein the tuft has a packing factor within a range from about 40% to about 60.

13. A head for an oral care implement comprising a tuft of filaments according to claim 11 .

14. An oral care implement comprising the head according to claim 13 .

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Mark Erwin Paul
• Kawerau Jochen Erich
• Alinski Jens
• Franke Sven Alexander
• Claire-Zimmet Karen Lynn
• Jungnickel Uwe

Classifications

• A46D1/0238 Primary

  Bristles with non-round cross-section · CPC title

• A46B9/04

  {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