Toothbrush tip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11744690-B2
Application number	US-202217851406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A toothbrush tip includes a brush head, a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the brush head, a water jet nozzle extending from the brush head, and a cover panel arranged on a rear of the toothbrush tip opposite the bristle tufts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toothbrush tip comprising:
a brush head;
a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the brush head;
a water jet nozzle extending from the brush head, the water jet nozzle defining a fluid lumen and a nozzle outlet in fluid communication with the fluid lumen;
a rigid nozzle insert partially positioned within the fluid lumen and in fluid communication with the nozzle outlet; and
a cover panel arranged on a rear of the toothbrush tip opposite the bristle tufts.

2. The toothbrush tip of claim 1 , further comprising a tip shaft defining a tip fluid passage therethrough to the brush head, wherein the tip fluid passage is in fluid communication with the water jet nozzle.

3. The toothbrush tip of claim 2 , further comprising a color-coded ring arranged at a base of the toothbrush tip.

4. The toothbrush tip of claim 3 , wherein the base of the tip shaft of the toothbrush tip defines a recess with a retention groove, and an inner wall of the color-coded ring defines a number of retention detents configured to snap into the retention groove to retain the color-coded ring around the base of the toothbrush tip.

5. The toothbrush tip of claim 2 , wherein the brush head defines a bristle base comprising a plurality of recesses for insertion of the bristle tufts.

6. The toothbrush tip of claim 5 , wherein the brush head defines a nozzle aperture that opens in the bristle base in an area surrounded by the bristle tufts.

7. The toothbrush tip of claim 6 , wherein a cavity is formed in the back of the brush head to provide access to the nozzle aperture and a fluid flow connection between the nozzle aperture and the tip fluid passage.

8. The toothbrush tip of claim 7 , wherein the cavity is enclosed by the cover panel, which snaps into sidewalls defining the cavity and is attached to provide a fluid-tight seal in the brush head.

9. The toothbrush tip of claim 5 , wherein the water jet nozzle is positioned within the nozzle aperture and extends normal to the bristle base.

10. The toothbrush tip of claim 9 , wherein the water jet nozzle is generally conical, and tapers in diameter from its base, which is received in the nozzle aperture, to its tip.

11. The toothbrush tip of claim 1 , wherein a cylindrical recessed band is formed in a sidewall of the water jet nozzle adjacent a base of the water jet nozzle to define a raised band at the base of the water jet nozzle.

12. The toothbrush tip of claim 11 , wherein an outer diameter of the recessed band is generally congruent with a diameter of the nozzle aperture while an outer diameter of the base is larger than the diameter of the nozzle aperture.

13. The toothbrush tip of claim 11 , wherein the recessed band is sized to fit snugly within the nozzle aperture and the base is sized to abut a back of the bristle base, when the water jet nozzle is inserted into the nozzle aperture from the cavity in the rear of the brush head.

14. The toothbrush tip of claim 13 , wherein the rigid nozzle insert is configured to be inserted into the base of the water jet nozzle to prevent the water jet nozzle from bending or collapsing under high water pressure and contact with teeth.

15. The toothbrush tip of claim 14 , wherein the rigid nozzle insert comprises:
a tube received within the fluid lumen of the water jet nozzle; and
a flange that extends outwards from the tube and abuts against an outer surface of the base the water jet nozzle.

16. The toothbrush tip of claim 11 , wherein the water jet nozzle further comprises a body, wherein the cylindrical recessed band is recessed relative to the body and the base.

17. The toothbrush of claim 16 , wherein the brush head further defines a nozzle aperture and the water jet nozzle is received within the nozzle aperture such that the cylindrical recessed band is positioned snugly within the nozzle aperture with the base positioned on a first side of the brush head and the body positioned on a second side of the brush head.

18. The toothbrush tip of claim 1 , further comprising a release button arranged at a base of the toothbrush tip.

19. A toothbrush tip comprising:
a brush head defining a nozzle aperture;
a plurality of bristle tufts coupled to the brush head;
a rubber nozzle received through the nozzle aperture, the rubber nozzle defining a nozzle outlet, a base, and a fluid lumen extending between the base and the nozzle outlet; and
a rigid nozzle insert partially positioned with the fluid lumen and in fluid communication with the nozzle outlet, wherein a portion of the rigid nozzle insert abuts against an outer surface of the base.

20. The toothbrush tip of claim 19 , further comprising:
a cover panel coupled to the brush head opposite of the bristle tufts; wherein
the rigid nozzle insert further comprises a tube and a flange, wherein the tube is received within the fluid lumen of the rubber nozzle and the flange abuts the outer surface of the base; and
the rubber nozzle further comprises a recessed band that extends around an outer surface thereof, wherein the recessed band is positioned within the nozzle aperture, with the base positioned on an interior side of the brush head.

Assignees

• Water Pik Inc

Inventors

• Sokol Gary L
• Luettgen Harold A

Classifications

• A61C17/36 Primary

  with rinsing means · CPC title

• A46B13/04

  with reservoir or other means for supplying substances · CPC title

• A61C17/0202 Primary

  Hand-pieces · CPC title

• A61C17/227

  with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste · CPC title

• A61C17/3418

  Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle · CPC title