Oral care implement and method of manufacturing an oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9955778-B2
Application number	US-201415328586-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2014
Priority date	Jul 30, 2014
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an oral care implement comprising: (a) providing a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion, the head portion having a hole extending there through from a first side to a second side; (b) providing a layer of first material on the handle portion and the head portion to form a subassembly comprising a handle section, comprising the handle portion and a first portion of the layer of first material, and a head section, comprising the head portion and a second portion of the layer of first material; and (c) then injection molding a second material onto the head section to form one or more oral care elements of the second material on the head section and a member of the second material in the hole, which member is unitary with the one or more oral care elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an oral care implement, the method comprising:
(a) obtaining a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion connected to the handle portion;
(b) providing a layer of a first material on the handle portion and the head portion to form a subassembly comprising:
a handle section, comprising the handle portion and a first portion of the layer of the first material, and
a head section, comprising the head portion and a second portion of the layer of the first material; and

(c) then injection molding a second material onto at least a portion of the second portion of the layer of first material that forms a portion of a front surface of the head section to form one or more oral care elements of the second material on the head section, wherein at least a portion of the second material overlies the second portion of the layer of first material on the front surface of the head section.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (a) the head portion has a hole extending therethrough from a first side of the head portion to a second side of the head portion; and
wherein step (c) comprises injection molding the second material onto the head section to form the one or more oral care elements of the second material on the head section and a member of the second material in the hole, which member is unitary with the one or more oral care elements.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein step (c) comprises injection molding the second material onto the head section to form the one or more oral care elements of the second material on a first side of the head section and a pad of the second material on a second side of the head section, which pad is unitary with the member.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein formation of the subassembly in step (b) leaves the hole unblocked by the first material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) comprises providing the layer of first material on at least a majority of a surface area of one or both of the handle portion and the head portion, optionally wherein step (b) comprises providing the layer of first material on at least 75% of the surface area of one or both of the handle portion and the head portion.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body is formed of a material that is more rigid than the first material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second material is a resilient material, such as an elastomeric material, such as an elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS).

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more oral care elements comprise one or more tooth cleaning elements and/or one or more tooth polishing elements.

9. A method of manufacturing an oral care implement, the method comprising:
(a) providing a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion connected to the handle portion, the head portion having a hole extending therethrough from a first side of the head portion to a second side of the head portion;
(b) providing a layer of first material on the handle portion and the head portion to form a subassembly comprising:
a handle section, comprising the handle portion and a first portion of the layer of first material, and
a head section, comprising the head portion and a second portion of the layer of first material; and

(c) injection molding a second material onto the head section to form one or more oral care elements of the second material on the head section and a member of the second material in the hole, which member is unitary with the one or more oral care elements;
whereby the layer of first material is on at least 90% of the surface area of the head portion.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein in step (c) is performed after step (b).

11. An oral care implement, comprising:
a handle comprising a handle portion of a body and a first portion of a layer of first material on the handle portion; and
a head connected to the handle, the head having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and the head comprising a head portion of the body, a second portion of the layer of first material on the head portion, and one or more oral care elements of a second material;
wherein at least part of the second portion of the layer of first material is located between the head portion and the second material in a direction extending from the first major surface of the head to the second major surface of the head;
wherein the head portion has a hole extending therethrough from a first side of the head portion to a second side of the head portion; and
wherein a member of the second material extends through the hole, which member is unitary with the one or more oral care elements.

12. The oral care implement of claim 11 , comprising the one or more oral care elements of the second material on a first side of the head and a pad of the second material on a second side of the head, which pad is unitary with the member.

13. The oral care implement of claim 11 , wherein the layer of first material is on at least a majority of a surface area of one or both of the handle portion and the head portion, optionally wherein the layer of first material is on at least 75% of the surface area of one or both of the handle portion and the head portion.

14. The oral care implement of claim 11 , wherein all of a surface area of the head portion is covered with one or both of the first and second materials.

15. The oral care implement of claim 11 , wherein the body is formed of a material that is more rigid than the first material.

16. The oral care implement of claim 11 , wherein the second material is a resilient material, such as an elastomeric material, such as an elastomer, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS).

17. The oral care implement of claim 11 , wherein the one or more oral care elements comprise one or more tooth cleaning elements and/or one or more tooth polishing elements.

18. An oral care implement, comprising:
a handle comprising a handle portion of a body and a first portion of a layer of first material on the handle portion; and
a head connected to the handle, the head comprising a head portion of the body, a second portion of the layer of first material on the head portion, and one or more oral care elements of a second material;
wherein the head portion has a hole extending therethrough from a first side of the head portion to a second side of the head portion; and
wherein a member of the second material extends through the hole, which member is unitary with the one or more oral care elements, and wherein the second material conceals at least a portion of the second portion of the layer of first material; and
wherein at least part of the second portion of the layer of first material is located between the head portion and the second material.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Xi Wen Jin
• Ji Yan Mei
• Ding Xiang Ji
• Zhang Bo
• Liu Yu

Classifications

• A46D3/00 Primary

  Preparing, {i.e. Manufacturing} brush bodies · CPC title

• B29K2021/003

  Thermoplastic elastomers · CPC title

• B29L2031/425

  Toothbrush · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

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

• B29C45/1676

  using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part · CPC title