Toothbrush and process for producing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9232852-B2
Application number	US-201314083896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2013
Priority date	Dec 19, 2002
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a toothbrush that is produced by AFT and has a head part and at least one carrier element connected thereto. A front surface of the head part is formed by the top surfaces of the at least one carrier element and has a non-planar three-dimensional configuration, or is capable of assuming such a configuration during intended use. The invention also relates to a process for producing such a toothbrush.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face, and the head part being made of a hard material; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and clusters of bristle filaments having the rear end melted to form a bristle melt, wherein
the head part contains an elastic material integrally moulded with the head part, and the elastic material is coordinated with the hard material to thereby form a non-releasable connection.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material is supporting the bristle melt of the rear bristle ends.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material is forcing up the bristle melt of the rear bristle ends.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material is located between the rear face of the head part and the carrier element.

5. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material is located on the rear face of the head part.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the head part containing a membrane formed by the elastic material.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 6 , wherein
the membrane forms an outer surface of the head part.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 6 , wherein
the membrane, according to a cross sectional side view, runs in an arch-shaped manner through the head part.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the bristle melt is forming separate webs.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material, according to a cross sectional side view, protrudes over the front end of the at least one carrier element and preferably also over the rear end of the at last one carrier element.

11. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic material and the at least one carrier element contact one another in the front end region of the head part.

12. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element containing a plurality of cutouts running between the top surface and the rear surface of the carrier element; and the clusters of bristle filaments guided through the cutouts.

13. The toothbrush according to claim 12 , wherein
the bristle clusters can be displaced in the cutouts.

14. The toothbrush according to claim 12 , wherein
the cutouts are located at least partially in an elastic material of the at least one carrier element.

15. The toothbrush according to claim 12 , wherein
the cutouts are located at least partially in a hard plastic material of the at least one carrier element.

16. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the bristle melt at least partially covering the rear surface of the at least one carrier element.

17. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the carrier element is connected to the head part along an outer border of the carrier element.

18. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element is made of a hard plastic material and a soft plastic material.

19. The toothbrush according to claim 18 , wherein
the hard plastic, material is PET, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, styrene-acrylonitrile, or polypropylene and the soft plastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer.

20. The toothbrush according to claim 18 , wherein
the Shore A hardness of the elastic material is below 70.

21. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element has a contact surface defined by a hard plastic material, the contact surface providing connection of the at least one carrier element with the head part.

22. The toothbrush according to claim 21 , wherein
the at least one carrier element is connected to the head part by the contact surface.

23. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element is only connected to the head part in subregions.

24. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element is spaced apart from the head part.

25. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , wherein
the at least one carrier element includes flexible cleaning elements made of an elastic material.

26. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face, and the head part being made of a hard material; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and clusters of bristle filaments having the rear end melted to form a bristle melt, wherein
the head part contains an elastic material integrally moulded with the head part, and the elastic material is coordinated with the hard material to thereby form a non-releasable connection, and wherein
the elastic material is supporting the bristle melt of the rear bristle ends.

27. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face, and the head part being made of a hard material; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and clusters of bristle filaments having the rear end melted to form a bristle melt, wherein
the head part contains an elastic material integrally moulded with the head part, and the elastic material is coordinated with the hard material to thereby form a non-releasable connection, and wherein
the elastic material is located between the rear face of the head part and the carrier element.

28. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face, and the head part being made of a hard material; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and clusters of bristle filaments having the rear end melted to form a bristle melt, wherein
the head part contains an elastic material integrally moulded with the head part, and the elastic material is coordinated with the hard material to thereby form a non-releasable connection, and wherein
the elastic material is located on the rear side of the head part.

29. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face, and the head part being made of a hard material; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surface and clusters of bristle filaments having the rear end melted to form a bristle melt, wherein
the head part contains an elastic material integrally moulded with the head part, and the elastic material is coordinated with the hard material to thereby form a non-releasable connection, and wherein
the bristle melt is forming separate webs.

30. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle part;
a head part connected to the handle part, the head part having a front face and a rear face; and
at least one carrier element connected to the head part, the at least one carrier element having a top surface, a rear surf

Assignees

• Trisa Holding Ag

Inventors

• Pfenniger Philipp
• Fischer Franz

Classifications

• A46B3/20

  the bristles being fixed or joined in rubber bodies, e.g. in soft rubber · CPC title

• A46B7/06

  movably during use {, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement (driven brush bodies A46B13/00)} · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A46B15/0002

  Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process · CPC title

• A46B15/0032

  with protrusion for polishing teeth · CPC title