Oral care toothbrush

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016128459-A1
Application number	US-201615000080-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Sep 5, 2002
Publication date	May 12, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An oral care implement having a handle and a head. The head may include a support structure formed of a rigid material and a monolithic cleaning block formed of a thermoplastic elastomer. The support structure may have a front surface and a recess formed therein, the recess extending partially through the support structure and terminating in a floor. The monolithic cleaning block may include an anchor portion disposed within the recess of the support structure, a base portion having a bottom surface overlying at least a portion of the front surface of the support structure, and a plurality of cleaning elements extending from a top surface of the base portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An oral care implement comprising:
a handle and a head, the head comprising:
a support structure formed of a rigid material and having a front surface and a recess formed into the front surface, the recess extending partially through the support structure and terminating in a floor; and
a monolithic cleaning block formed of a thermoplastic elastomer and comprising an anchor portion disposed within the recess, a base portion having a bottom surface overlying at least a portion of the front surface of the support structure and a top surface, and a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the top surface of the base portion.

2 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of cleaning elements extends a first distance from the top surface of the base portion thereby forming a flat cleaning surface.

3 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein some of the cleaning elements are longer than others of the cleaning elements.

4 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are arranged in a plurality of concentric rings.

5 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are individual bristles extending in a spaced apart manner along a length and a width of the head.

6 . The oral care implement of claim 5 wherein the bristles are tapered.

7 . The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein the bristles have a root portion with a diameter that is no greater than 1.0 mm.

8 . The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein the bristles have a diameter that is no greater than 0.2 mm at a distance of no greater than 6 mm from the root portion thereof.

9 . The oral care implement of claim 5 wherein each of the bristles has a cylindrical shape.

10 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the bottom surface of the base portion of the monolithic cleaning block is in surface contact with the front surface of the support structure, and wherein the anchor portion of the monolithic cleaning block extends from the bottom surface of the base portion of the monolithic cleaning block and into the recess.

11 . The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the monolithic cleaning block further comprises an upstanding wall extending from the top surface of the base portion.

12 . The oral care implement of claim 11 wherein the plurality of cleaning elements extend a greater distance from the top surface of the base portion than the upstanding wall.

13 . An oral care implement comprising:
a handle and a head, the head comprising:
a support structure formed of a rigid material and having a front surface; and
a monolithic cleaning block formed of a thermoplastic elastomer, the monolithic cleaning block comprising:
a base portion having a bottom surface overlying at least a portion of the front surface of the support structure and a top surface;
a first member extending from the top surface of the base portion and having a first shape; and
a second member extending from the top surface of the base portion and having a second shape that is different than the first shape.

14 . The oral care implement of claim 13 wherein the base portion, the first member, and the second member of the monolithic cleaning block are integrally formed from the thermoplastic elastomer.

15 . The oral care implement of claim 13 further comprising a plurality of the first members extending from the top surface of the base portion in a spaced apart manner.

16 . The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein each of the first members is a bristle and wherein the second member is an upstanding wall.

17 . The oral care implement of claim 16 wherein each of the first members is a tapered bristle.

18 . The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the plurality of first members surround the second member.

19 . The oral care implement of claim 13 wherein the first member has a cylindrical shape and the second member has a ring-like shape.

20 . The oral care implement of claim 13 further comprising a recess formed into the front surface of the support structure, the recess extending partially through the support structure and terminating in a floor, and wherein the monolithic cleaning block further comprises an anchor portion extending from the bottom surface of the base portion and disposed within the recess.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Hohlbein Douglas J

Classifications

• A46B9/028

  Bristle profile, the end of the bristle defining a surface other than a single plane or deviating from a simple geometric form, e.g. cylinder, sphere or cone · CPC title

• A46B9/04 Primary

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A61C15/02

  Toothpicks · CPC title

• A46B11/0003

  containing only one dose of substance, e.g. single-use toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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