Oral care implement body and replacement head therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10898304-B2
Application number	US-201816013536-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2011
Publication date	Jan 26, 2021
Grant date	Jan 26, 2021

Abstract

An oral care implement body to which a replacement head can be detachably coupled. In one embodiment, the oral care implement body includes a gripping portion having a shoulder, a stem extending from the shoulder along a longitudinal axis, and a boss protruding from an outer surface of the stem. The boss may have a locking rib section having an undercut surface that is axially spaced from the shoulder and a positioning rib section extending from the locking rib section to the shoulder. The undercut surface may circumferentially protrude from a first side surface of the positioning rib section. The locking rib section may extend along a first rib axis and the positioning rib section may extend along a second rib axis, the first rib axis oriented obliquely to the second rib axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A replacement head for detachable coupling to an oral care implement body, the replacement head comprising:
a head having a plurality of tooth cleaning elements;
a tubular sleeve comprising a cavity for receiving a stem of the body, the tubular sleeve comprising a proximal edge defining an opening into the cavity;
a slot in the tubular sleeve for mating with a boss of the stem, the slot comprising:
(1) a locking slot section for receiving a locking rib section of the boss of the stem, the locking slot section axially spaced from the proximal edge; and
(2) an entry slot section for receiving a positioning rib section of the boss of the stem, the entry slot section extending from the proximal edge to the locking slot section;

a locking tab comprising a distal edge that forms a first lateral wall of the entry slot section and an upper edge that forms a bottom wall of the locking slot section, the upper edge capable of engaging an undercut surface of the locking rib section of the boss; and
wherein the locking slot section extends along a first slot axis and the entry slot section extends along a second slot axis; and
wherein the upper edge of the locking tab is concave arcuate and the upper edge extends from the distal edge.

2. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the locking slot section comprises a top wall that is concave arcuate.

3. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the locking slot section comprises a first lateral wall that extends substantially parallel to the first slot axis and a second lateral wall that extends substantially parallel to the second slot axis, the first and second lateral walls of the locking slot section being opposite one another, and wherein the locking slot section further comprises a transition wall extending from the entry slot section to the second lateral wall of the locking slot section, the transition wall extending substantially parallel to the first slot axis.

4. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the replacement head further comprises a protuberance circumferentially protruding into the slot, the protuberance terminating in a distal edge that forms a second lateral wall of the entry slot section that is opposite the first lateral wall of the entry slot section.

5. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein:
the locking slot section comprises a top wall that is concave arcuate;
the locking slot section extending along the first slot axis that extends from the bottom wall of the locking slot section to the top wall of the locking slot section; and
the entry slot section extending along the second slot axis that extends from the proximal edge to a central region of the locking slot section, the first slot axis oriented obliquely to the second slot axis.

6. The replacement head according to claim 5 wherein the top wall of the locking slot section is concave arcuate for about 180 degrees and the bottom wall of the locking slot section is concave arcuate for about 90 degrees.

7. The replacement head according to claim 5 wherein:
the bottom wall of the locking slot section extends from the first lateral wall of the entry slot section to a first lateral wall of the locking slot section;
the first lateral wall of the locking slot section extending from the bottom wall of the locking slot section to the top wall of the locking slot section, the first lateral wall of the locking slot section oriented substantially parallel to the first slot axis;
the locking slot section comprising a second lateral wall that extends from the top wall of the locking slot section to a transition wall, the second lateral wall of the locking slot section oriented substantially parallel to the second slot axis;
the transition wall of the locking slot section extending from the second lateral wall of the locking slot section to a second lateral wall of the entry slot section, the transition wall of the locking slot section oriented substantially parallel to the first slot axis, and
the first and second lateral walls of the entry slot section oriented substantially parallel to the second slot axis.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co
• Omron Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshida Hideaki
• Torihama Takashi
• Mintel Thomas
• Fattori Joseph

Classifications

• A46B5/0095

  Removable or interchangeable brush heads · CPC title

• A46B7/042

  Clip or snap connection for bristle carriers · CPC title

• A61C17/3481 Primary

  Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights · CPC title

• A61C17/0208 Primary

  combined with means providing suction (A61C17/0211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61C17/222 Primary

  Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle · CPC title