Oral care implement and method of forming the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11206917-B2
Application number	US-202016864242-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2020
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

An oral implement and a method of forming an oral care implement. The oral care implement may include a head having a front surface and a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface. In one embodiment, the plurality of tooth cleaning elements may include three different types of tooth cleaning elements, each type of tooth cleaning element being formed of a different material. In one embodiment each of the materials has a different hardness and thus the oral care implement includes three different types of tooth cleaning elements each having a different hardness. In another embodiment, the oral care implement may include bristles and a molded cleaning element that may function as an interdental cleaner. Such a molded cleaning element may include a body and tines extending therefrom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A molded tooth cleaning element comprising:
a body extending from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, the body comprising a first portion that includes the first end, a second portion that includes the second end, and a third portion located between the first and second portions;
a first plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle along the first portion of the body, the first plurality of tines extending towards the first end of the body;
a second plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle along the second portion of the body, the second plurality of tines extending towards the second end of the body; and
wherein the body is alterable between: (1) an unfolded state in which the first and second portions of the body are spaced apart from one another; and (2) a folded state in which the first and second portions of the body are aligned with and in contact with one another.

2. The molded tooth cleaning element according to claim 1 wherein in the unfolded state the first plurality of tines and the second plurality of tines extend from the body in opposite directions, and wherein in the folded state the first and second pluralities of tines extend from the body in the same direction.

3. The molded tooth cleaning element according to claim 1 wherein the third portion of the body is devoid of any tines extending therefrom.

4. The molded tooth cleaning element according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of the body tapers towards the first end of the body and the second portion of the body tapers towards the second end of the body.

5. The molded tooth cleaning element according to claim 1 wherein a length of the tines of the first plurality of tines progressively decreases as the tines are positioned closer to the first end of the body and wherein a length of the tines of the second plurality of tines progressively decreases as the tines are positioned closer to the second end of the body.

6. The molded tooth cleaning element according to claim 1 wherein the body and the first and second pluralities of tines are integrally molded from thermoplastic polyurethane.

7. An oral care implement comprising:
a head; and
a molded tooth cleaning element coupled to the head, the molded tooth cleaning element comprising:
a body extending from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, the body comprising a first portion that includes the first end, a second portion that includes the second end, and a third portion located between the first and second portions;
a first plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle along the first portion of the body, the first plurality of tines extending towards the first end of the body;
a second plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle along the second portion of the body, the second plurality of tines extending towards the second end of the body; and
wherein the body is alterable between: (1) an unfolded state in which the first and second portions of the body are spaced apart from one another; and (2) a folded state in which the first and second portions of the body are aligned with and in contact with one another.

8. A method of forming an oral care implement, the method comprising:
forming the oral care implement comprising a head and a handle, the head comprising a front surface having a plurality of holes;
injecting a material into a mold cavity to form a molded cleaning element in the mold cavity, the molded cleaning element comprising a body extending from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, the body having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion comprising a first plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle, the second portion comprising a second plurality of tines extending from the body at an oblique angle, the third portion of the body being located between the first and second portions of the body and being free of any tines extending therefrom, the body being in an unfolded state where the first and second portions of the body are spaced apart from one another;
removing the molded cleaning element from the mold cavity;
folding the molded cleaning element along the third portion of the body so that the body is altered into a folded state wherein the first and second portions of the body become aligned and in contact with one another;
inserting a portion of the molded cleaning element into one of the holes in the front surface of the head; and
coupling the molded cleaning element to the head with a connection member so that the molded cleaning element extends from the front surface of the head.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the material is thermoplastic polyurethane.

10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising coupling a plurality of bristles to the head to form bristle tufts that extend from the front surface of the head.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein in the unfolded state the first plurality of tines and the second plurality of tines extend from the body in opposite directions, and wherein in the folded state the first and second pluralities of tines extend from the body in the same direction.

12. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the third portion of the body is devoid of any tines extending therefrom.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the first portion of the body tapers towards the first end of the body and the second portion of the body tapers towards the second end of the body.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein a length of the tines of the first plurality of tines progressively decreases as the tines are positioned closer to the first end of the body and wherein a length of the tines of the second plurality of tines progressively decreases as the tines are positioned closer to the second end of the body.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the body and the first and second pluralities of tines are integrally molded from thermoplastic polyurethane.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Hohlbein Douglas
• Waguespack Kenneth
• Wainless Daniel

Classifications

• A46D1/0292 Primary

  Bristles having split ends · CPC title

• A46B3/04

  by mouldable materials, e.g. metals, cellulose derivatives, plastics (A46B1/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A46B9/04 Primary

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title