Oral care implement and replacement head thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12440320-B2
Application number	US-202418583855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2024
Priority date	Dec 28, 2011
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

A replacement head for detachable coupling to an oral care implement body. The replacement head may include a head having at least one treatment element and a tubular sleeve extending from the head and defining a cavity having an axis that receives a stem of the oral care implement body. The tubular sleeve may have a proximal edge that defines an opening into the cavity. A slot in the tubular sleeve is configured to mate with a boss of the stem of the oral care implement body. The slot may include an entry slot section extending from the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve towards the head and a locking slot section extending from the entry slot section towards the head. The locking slot section may have a first lateral wall that is oblique to the cavity axis and a second lateral wall that is parallel to the cavity 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 at least one treatment element for performing an oral care function;
a tubular sleeve extending from the head and defining a cavity that is configured to receive a stem of the oral care implement body, the tubular sleeve comprising a proximal edge that defines an opening into the cavity, the cavity having a cavity axis;
a slot in the tubular sleeve for mating with a boss of the stem of the oral care implement body, the slot comprising:
an entry slot section extending from the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve towards the head; and
a locking slot section extending from the entry slot section towards the head, the locking slot section comprising a first lateral wall that is oblique to the cavity axis, a second lateral wall that is parallel to the cavity axis, and a bottom wall that extends from a bottom end of the first lateral wall in a direction towards the second lateral wall.

2. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the locking slot section of the slot further comprises a top wall that extends between a top end of the first lateral wall and a top end of the second lateral wall, the top wall being arcuate and having a concave inner surface that faces downwardly towards the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve.

3. The replacement head according to claim 2 wherein the top wall is concave arcuate for about 180° and forms a U-shaped top portion of the locking slot section.

4. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall is concave arcuate.

5. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall extends from the first lateral wall of the locking slot section to a first lateral wall of the entry slot section, the first lateral wall of the entry slot section extending from the bottom wall to the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve.

6. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the locking slot section of the slot has a width measured between the first and second lateral walls, and wherein the width decreases moving in a direction from the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve towards the head along an entirety of a length of the second lateral wall.

7. The replacement head according to claim 1 wherein the first and second lateral walls are located on opposite sides of the cavity axis.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co
• Omron Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A61C17/3481 Primary

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

• A46B7/042

  Clip or snap connection for bristle carriers · CPC title

• A46B13/023

  with means for inducing vibration to the bristles · CPC title

• A46B5/0095

  Removable or interchangeable brush heads · CPC title

• A61C17/036

  Cleaning devices for dental prostheses removed from the oral cavity · CPC title