TOOTHBRUSH

• US 20130227806A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M+C Schiffer GmbH (Schiffer Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Scapa Holding GmbH
• Inventors: Scholze, Jurgen
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/007 Inserts made of different material, e.g. springs, plates
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes

Abstract

In order to create a toothbrush having a head part with bristles and having a handle part, such that the head part is movably connected to the handle part by means of a spring-like device and such that the device comprises a web which extends through the device and with which the head part is connected to the handle part in one piece, the head part being connected to the handle part by a spring-like device, such that the head part executes an approximately parallel displacement under load. The proposed device has an elastic supporting element with an opening, and the supporting element comprises a supporting web which borders the opening and together with the web, when a load is applied to the head part, produces an approximately parallel displacement of the head part from an initial position into at least one load position together with the web.

Claims

1. A toothbrush having a head part with bristles and having a handle part, such that the head part is movably connected to the handle part by means of a spring-like device and such that the device comprises a web which extends through the device and with which the head part is connected to the handle part in one piece, characterized in that the device has an elastic supporting element with an opening and the supporting element comprises a supporting web which borders the opening and together with the web produces an approximately parallel displacement of the head part from an initial position (A) into at least one load position (B) together with the web under load on the head part.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting web is deformed in the shape of a curve with a load on the head part and/or forms a kink area.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening has an elliptical shape comprising in particular a main axis (H) and a secondary axis (N), such that the length ratio between the main axis (H) and the secondary axis (N) changes with a load on the head part.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 3, characterized in that the elliptical shape of the opening is designed, such that the length ratio of the main axis (H) to the secondary axis (N) becomes smaller with a load on the head part.

5. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle part extends in a handle part axis and the head part extends in a head part axis, such that the handle part axis and the head part axis run approximately parallel to one another with an offset (H1), in particular so that the handle part axis extends on the side of the bristles.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 5, characterized in that the main axis (H) of the elliptical opening extends obliquely between the handle part axis and the head part axis.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic supporting element is integrally moulded on the web in an injection moulding step.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the web is surrounded at least partially by the material of the supporting element.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening is completely bordered by the material of the supporting element, in particular such that the material of the supporting element has a lower hardness than the material of the web.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the supporting element extends with a partial section into the area of the head part.