Brush head for toothbrush

• US 20030182747A1
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: DePuydt, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,760,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/32 reciprocating or oscillating
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3427 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

A head for a toothbrush including a neck and, first and second sets of one or more bristles each. The first and second sets are indirectly supported by the neck and movable relative to each other such that at least one component of this relative movement causes the bristle(s) of the first set to be raised and/or lowered relative to the bristle(s) in the second set. The first and second sets of bristles both are movable relative to the neck.

Claims

1. A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a neck; and

first and second sets of one or more bristles each, the first and second sets being indirectly supported by the neck and movable relative to each other, the second set of bristles being oscillatable about an axis, the first set of one or more bristles being translatable relative to the second set of bristles.

2. The head of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are movable relative to the neck.

3. The head of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of bristles extend in generally the same direction.

4. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more bristles is also oscillatable.

5. The head of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are interlinked.

6. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of bristles is translatable along the axis.

19. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of bristles is mounted on a ifrst bristle carrier that translates relative a second bristle carrier on which said second set of bristles is mounted.

7. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a head having a neck;

first and second sets of one or more bristles each, the first and second sets being indirectly supported by the neck and movable relative to each other, the second set of bristles being oscillatable about an axis, the first set of one or more bristles being translatable relative to the second set of bristles; and

a drive mechanism for causing the relative movement between the first and second sets of bristles.

8. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are movable relative to the neck.

9. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of bristles extend in generally the same direction.

10. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the first set of one or more bristles is also oscillatable.

11. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are interlinked.

12. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the first set of bristles is translatable along the axis.

13. A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a neck; and

first and second sets of one or more bristles each, the first and second sets being indirectly supported by the neck and movable relative to each other, the second set of bristles being oscillatable about an axis, the first set of one or more bristles being translatable in a direction in which the second set of bristles is not translatable.

14. The head of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are movable relative to the neck.

15. The head of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of bristles extend in generally the same direction.

16. The head of claim 13, wherein the first set of one or more bristles is also oscillatable.

17. The head of claim 13, wherein the first and second sets of bristles are interlinked.

18. The head of claim 13, wherein the first set of bristles is translatable along the axis.