Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9585464-B2
Application number	US-201214381008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2012
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

An oral care implement having a head that achieves an enhanced cleaning action during brushing. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a base structure having a front surface and an opening in the front surface; a carrier having a front surface and a rear surface, the carrier comprising a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from the front surface, the carrier movably supported above the front surface of the base structure so that a gap exists between the rear surface of the carrier and the front surface of the base structure; and a spheroid positioned within the opening so that a first portion of the spheroid protrudes from the front surface of the head into the gap and alters movement of the carrier relative to the head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle;
a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a base structure having a front surface, a rear surface and an opening forming a passageway extending from the rear surface of the base structure to the front surface of the base structure;
a first pod formed integrally with the base structure and extending from the front surface of the base structure;
a carrier having a front surface and a rear surface, the carrier comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the carrier, the carrier movably supported above the front surface of the base structure by at least the first pod so that a gap exists between the rear surface of the carrier and the front surface of the base structure; and
a spheroid positioned within the opening so that a first portion of the spheroid protrudes from the front surface of the base structure into the gap and a second portion of the spheroid protrudes from the rear surface of the base structure.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of the spheroid comprises a first domed surface and the second portion of the spheroid comprises a second domed surface.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of the spheroid is in surface contact with the rear surface of the carrier.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the spheroid comprises a resilient material and the base structure comprises a rigid material.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 4 wherein the carrier is translatable toward the front surface of the base structure by deformation of the spheroid and/or displacement of the spheroid relative to the base structure in response to a brushing force.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the carrier is pivotable with respect to the base structure about the first portion of the spheroid.

7. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the second portion of the spheroid protrudes from a rear surface of the head.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising a resilient soft tissue cleanser on the rear surface of the base structure.

9. The oral care implement according to claim 8 wherein the resilient soft tissue cleanser comprises a pad portion disposed in a basin formed in the rear surface of the base structure and a plurality of protuberances protruding from the pad portion.

10. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the opening of the base structure is located in an island extending from a floor of the basin.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the carrier is supported by the first pod in a cantilevered manner.

12. The oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising:
a second pod extending from the front surface of the base structure; and
the carrier positioned between the first and second pods and movably supported above the front surface of the base structure by connections to the first and second pods.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 12 wherein the first and second pods are substantially non-movable with respect to the base structure.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 12 wherein each of the first and second pods comprise a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending therefrom.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 14 further comprising:
a unitary head plate comprising a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion connected to the first and second end portion by the connections;
the plurality of teeth cleaning elements of the first and second pods and the carrier coupled to the head plate; and
the head plate coupled to the first and second pods so that the first end portion of the head plate forms a portion of the first pod and the second end portion of the head plate forms a portion of the second pod, the middle portion of the head plate forming a portion of the carrier.

16. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the gap forms a transverse passageway from a first side surface of the head to a second side surface of the head.

17. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle;
a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a base structure having a front surface, a rear surface and an opening forming a passageway extending from the rear surface of the base structure to the front surface of the base structure;
a first protuberance formed integrally with the base structure and extending from the base structure;
a carrier having a front surface and a rear surface, the carrier comprising a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the carrier, the carrier movably supported above the front surface of the base structure by the first protuberance so that a gap exists between the rear surface of the carrier and the front surface of the base structure; and
a spheroid positioned within the opening so that a first portion of the spheroid protrudes from the front surface of the base structure into the gap.

18. The oral care implement of claim 17 wherein the first protuberance extends from the front surface of the base structure.

19. The oral care implement of claim 18 wherein the carrier is supported by the first protuberance in a cantilevered manner.

20. The oral care implement according to claim 17 further comprising:
a second protuberance extending from the front surface of the base structure; and
the carrier positioned between the first and second protuberances and movably supported above the front surface of the base structure by connections to the first and second protuberances.

21. The oral care implement according to claim 17 wherein the spheroid comprises a resilient material and the base structure comprises a rigid material.

22. The oral care implement according to claim 21 wherein the carrier is translatable toward the front surface of the base structure by deformation of the spheroid and/or displacement of the spheroid relative to the base structure in response to a brushing force.

23. The oral care implement according to claim 17 wherein the carrier is pivotable with respect to the base structure about the first portion of the spheroid.

24. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle;
a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a base structure having a front surface and an opening in the front surface;
a first protuberance extending from the base structure;
a carrier having a front surface and a rear surface, the carrier comprising a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the carrier, the carrier movably supported above the front surface of the base structure by the first protuberance so that a gap exists between the rear surface of the carrier and the front surface of the base structure; and
a spheroid positioned within the opening so that a first portion of the spheroid protrudes from the front surface of the base structure into the gap, wherein the first portion of the spheroid is in surface contact with the rear surface of the carrier when a force is applied to the carrier in the direction of the front surface of the base structure.

Assignees

• Moskovich Robert
• Wechsler Andreas
• Rooney Michael
• Hohlbein Douglas
• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Moskovich Robert
• Wechsler Andreas
• Rooney Michael
• Hohlbein Douglas

Classifications

• A46B15/0081

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

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A46B7/06 Primary

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

• A46B9/04

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title

• A46B5/0025 Primary

  Brushes with elastically deformable heads that change shape during use · CPC title