Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11653752-B2
Application number	US-202017077639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2017
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

An oral care implement comprises a head and a handle, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle. The head is made from a non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material, while the handle is at least partially made from a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement ( 10 ) comprising a head ( 14 ) and a handle ( 12 ), the head ( 14 ) being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle ( 12 ), the head ( 14 ) being made from a non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material, and the handle ( 12 ) being at least partially made from a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material,
wherein the magnetic and/or ferromagnetic material comprises from about 13 weight percent to about 30 weight percent of an amorphous thermoplastic resin, from about 3 weight percent to about 25 weight percent of aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate; and from about 45 weight percent to about 67 weight percent of iron oxide,
wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin comprises about 17% weight percent styrene acrylonitrile, and 10.5 weight percent of a mixture comprising polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.

2. The oral care implement ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the handle ( 14 ) comprises a thumb rest ( 16 ) being made from thermoplastic elastomer material and/or from polypropylene material.

3. The oral care implement ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the oral care implement ( 10 ) is a manual toothbrush ( 10 ).

4. The oral care implement ( 10 ) of claim 1 , wherein the handle ( 12 ) is formed of at least two different parts ( 12 , 16 , 18 ) made of different materials.

5. A kit ( 22 ) comprising the oral care implement ( 10 ) of claim 1 and a magnetic holder ( 24 ) for attaching and holding the oral care implement ( 10 ).

6. A method for manufacturing an oral care implement ( 10 ) of claim 1 , the method comprising steps:
providing an amorphous thermoplastic resin;
providing aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate;
providing iron oxide;
mixing the amorphous thermoplastic resin, aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate and iron oxide into a magnetic and/or ferromagnetic molding material;
heating the molding material mixture into a flowable molding material;
molding the flowable molding mixture into a handle ( 12 ) or part of a handle ( 12 );
providing a non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material; and
molding the non-magnetic and/or non-ferromagnetic material into a head ( 14 ) or part of a head ( 14 ),
wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin is provided in a range from about 13 weight percent to about 30 weight percent; the aluminum oxide, boron nitride or aluminum silicate is provided in a range from about 3 weight percent to about 25 weight percent; and the iron oxide is provided in a range from about 45 weight percent to about 67 weight percent.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the amorphous thermoplastic resin comprises at least one of styrene acrylonitrile, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the amorphous thermoplastic resin is blended with glass fiber.

9. The method of claim 6 , comprising a step of electroplating the handle ( 12 ) with a thermoplastic elastomer or a polypropylene material.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the head ( 14 ) and/or handle ( 12 ) is molded by injection molding or extrusion molding.

Assignees

• Gillette Co Llc

Inventors

• Görich Gerald
• Morgott Markus
• Jungnickel Uwe

Classifications

• B29L2031/425

  Toothbrush · CPC title

• A46D3/005 Primary

  by moulding or casting a body around bristles or tufts of bristles · CPC title

• A46B5/0095 Primary

  Removable or interchangeable brush heads · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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

• B29C45/14385

  Coating a portion of a bundle of inserts, e.g. making brushes · CPC title