Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016270519-A1
Application number	US-201315034292-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 5, 2013
Priority date	Nov 5, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An oral care implement comprising a head and a handle coupled to the head, the head comprising a first face having a plurality of cleaning elements extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprises at least one bristle tuft positioned on a longitudinal axis of the head and having a distal end remote from the first face, wherein the at least one bristle tuft comprises bristles of varying lengths so as to form a cup-shaped recess at the distal end of the bristle tuft, the plurality of cleaning elements further comprising a plurality of cleaning elements which are substantially V-shaped in plan, positioned in series on the longitudinal axis of the head wherein a concave side of each said V-shaped cleaning element faces towards the bristle tuft.

First claim

1 . An oral care implement comprising a head and a handle coupled to the head,
the head comprising a first face having a plurality of cleaning elements extending therefrom, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprises at least one bristle tuft positioned on a longitudinal axis of the head and having a distal end remote from the first face, wherein the at least one bristle tuft comprises bristles of varying lengths so as to form a cup-shaped recess at the distal end of the bristle tuft, and the plurality of cleaning elements further comprising a plurality of cleaning elements which are substantially V-shaped in plan, positioned in series on the longitudinal axis of the head wherein a concave side of each said V-shaped cleaning element faces towards the bristle tuft.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a height, wherein the height of successive V-shaped cleaning elements in the series increases with an increase in distance of the V-shaped cleaning elements from the bristle tuft.

4 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , wherein each V-shaped cleaning element has a height which is consistent along its extension across a width of the head.

5 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , wherein each V-shaped cleaning element has a height which decreases upon its extension across a width of the head away from the longitudinal axis of the head.

6 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements is formed from an array of bristles.

7 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , further comprising peripheral bristles positioned towards an outer edge of the first face of the head.

8 . The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein the peripheral bristles have a height which increases with distance from the at least one bristle tuft.

9 . The oral care implement of claim 8 wherein each of the V-shaped cleaning elements has a height and, at any given position along the length of the head, the height of the peripheral bristles is greater than the height of an adjacent one of the V-shaped cleaning elements.

10 . The oral care implement of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral bristles include a terminal bristle tuft positioned at a distal-most end of the head remote from the handle, wherein a distal-most surface of the terminal bristle tuft forms an angle of from 80° to 89° with the longitudinal axis of the head.

11 - 19 . (canceled)

20 . The oral care implement of claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a proximal section adjacent to the handle and a distal section remote from the handle, the proximal section and the distal section being adjacent to one another and joined at a waist section, the oral care implement comprising a first bristle tuft positioned on a longitudinal axis of the head in the proximal section and a second bristle tuft positioned on a longitudinal axis of the head in the distal section, wherein each of the first and second bristle tufts have a distal end remote from the first face, and wherein each of the first and second bristle tufts comprise bristles of varying lengths so as to form a cup-shaped recess at the distal end of each of the first and second bristle tufts.

21 . (canceled)

22 . The oral care implement of claim 20 , comprising a first plurality of said cleaning elements which are substantially V-shaped in plan, positioned in series on the longitudinal axis of the head in the proximal section, wherein each of said first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a concave side facing towards the first bristle tuft.

23 . The oral care implement of claim 22 , wherein the first bristle tuft is positioned towards the waist section and the first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements are positioned between the first bristle tuft and a proximal-most end of the head.

24 . The oral care implement of claim 20 , comprising a second plurality of said cleaning elements which are substantially V-shaped in plan, positioned in series on the longitudinal axis of the head in the distal section, wherein each of said second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a concave side facing towards the second bristle tuft.

25 . The oral care implement of claim 24 , wherein the second bristle tuft is positioned towards the waist section and the second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements are positioned between the second bristle tuft and a distal-most end of the head.

26 . The oral care implement of claim 22 , wherein each of the first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a height, wherein the height of successive V-shaped cleaning elements in the series increases with an increase in distance of the first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements from the first bristle tuft.

27 . The oral care implement of claim 24 , wherein each of the second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a height, wherein the height of successive V-shaped cleaning elements in the series increases with an increase in distance of the second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements from the second bristle tuft.

28 . The oral care implement of claim 22 comprising the first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements and the second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements, wherein each of the second plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements has a height which is greater than the height of a corresponding one of the first plurality of V-shaped cleaning elements.

29 . The oral care implement of claim 22 , further comprising peripheral bristles positioned towards an outer edge of the first face of the head, wherein the peripheral bristles have a height which increases with distance from the waist section, wherein each of the V-shaped cleaning elements has a height and, at any given distance from the waist section along the length of the head, the height of the peripheral bristles is greater than the height of an adjacent one of the V-shaped cleaning elements.

30 .- 33 . (canceled)

34 . The oral care implement of claim 29 , wherein the first and second bristle tufts have a height which is less than the height of the peripheral bristles adjacent thereto.

35 . The oral care implement of claim 29 , wherein the oral care implement comprises first and second bristle tufts, first and second pluralities of V-shaped cleaning elements, and first and second pluralities of peripheral bristles, the first plurality of peripheral bristles being positioned on the proximal section of the head and the second plurality of peripheral bristles being positioned on the distal section of the head.

36 . The oral care implement of claim 35 , wherein the first plurality of peripheral bristles and the second bristle tuft are positioned on the head so as to form a first teardrop-shaped pattern when seen in plan view.

37 . The oral care implement of claim 35 , wherein the second plurality of peripheral bristles and the first bristle tuft are positioned on the head so as to form a second teardrop-shaped pattern when seen in plan view.

38 . The oral care implement of claim 37 , wherein the first teardrop-shaped pattern and the second teardrop-shaped pattern are interlocked when seen in plan view.

39 . The oral care implement of claim 35 , wherein the first plurality of peripheral bristles comprises a first plurality of peripheral bristle tufts and the second plurality of periph

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Lee David Kyung Min
• Moskovich Robert

Classifications

• A46B9/04 Primary

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B9/06

  Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A46B15/0081

  Brushes with a scraper, e.g. tongue scraper · CPC title