Oral care implement having multi-component handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338485-B2
Application number	US-202017000400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2009
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A method of forming a handle for an oral care implement. The method may include first forming a core structure out of a first hard plastic. Next, an elongated handle body may be formed out of a second hard plastic, whereby during formation the elongated handle body is made to partially surround the core structure, while leaving opposing surfaces of the core structure exposed. Finally, a grip cover may be formed out of a resilient material and positioned over at least a portion of the elongated handle body. The oral care implement handle formed by the method may include a handle having an elongated handle body and a core structure. The elongated handle body may have openings in opposing surfaces. The core structure may be partially surrounded by the elongated handle body while protruding from the openings.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a handle for an oral care implement, the method comprising:
a) forming a core structure of the handle from a first hard plastic;
b) forming an elongated handle body of a second hard plastic that partially surrounds the core structure so that opposing surfaces of the core structure remain exposed; and
c) forming a grip cover of a resilient material over at least a portion of the elongated handle body,
wherein steps a)-c) are performed by injection molding, the core structure being exposed also via through holes in the elongated handle body, and the through holes being formed by contact of the core structure with a gripping member of a mold during said forming of the handle body, and
wherein outer arcuate ridges of the handle body extend into openings of the grip cover while remaining depressed below a rear surface of a rear leg of the grip cover, the grip cover filling transverse channels or slots between the outer arcuate ridges, and the grip cover contacting the core structure via the through holes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first hard plastic is a substantially transparent plastic, the second hard plastic is an opaque hard plastic, and the resilient material is an opaque TPE.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first hard plastic is SAN and the second hard plastic is PP.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a chemical bond is not formed between the first hard plastic and the second hard plastic.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein a chemical bond is formed between the resilient material and the second hard plastic.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the core structure comprises first and second protuberances, wherein the first and second protuberances extend into through holes of the elongated handle body, and wherein the grip cover covers the first and second protuberances of the core structure and the through holes of the elongated handle body.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated handle body covers opposing front and rear surfaces of the core structure while leaving opposing lateral surfaces of the core structure uncovered and exposed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein step b) comprises positioning the core structure within a mold cavity and injecting a liquefied form of the second hard plastic into the mold cavity to fill a remaining volume of the mold cavity that is not occupied by the core structure so that the liquefied form of the second hard plastic partially surrounds the core structure.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step b) further comprises allowing the liquefied form of the second hard plastic to cool and harden and thereby form the elongated handle body that partially surrounds the core structure.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the elongated handle body comprises a through slot extending between opposing sides of the elongated handle body through which the opposing surfaces of the core structure are exposed.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the elongated handle body comprises:
a front surface, a rear surface opposite the front surface, a right lateral surface, and a left lateral surface opposite the right lateral surface; and
a through slot extending from the right lateral surface of the elongated handle body to the left lateral surface of the elongated handle body, thereby forming a laterally extending passageway through the elongated handle body; and
wherein the opposing surfaces of the core structure are exposed through the through slot of the elongated handle body.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the through slot is elongated along a direction corresponding to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Rooney Michael
• Jimenez Eduardo
• Bohner Marco
• Moskovich Robert

Classifications

• A46B5/021

  Grips or handles specially adapted to conform to the hand · CPC title

• A46B5/026 Primary

  Grips or handles having a nonslip section · CPC title

• B29C45/0003

  of successively moulded portions rigidly joined to each other · CPC title

• B29K2995/0025

  Opaque · CPC title

• B29C2045/14352

  injecting into blind holes · CPC title