TOOTHBRUSH

• US 3,624,667 A
• Filed: 04/01/1970
• Issued: 11/30/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph C. Muhler
• Original Assignee: Joseph C. Muhler
• Inventors: Muhler, Joseph C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feldman, Peter
• Application Number:
  US05/024,522
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 15/167,159A,110
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/06 Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber

Abstract

An improved toothbrush head, especially adapted for use in association with an automatic toothbrush power handle including as an energy source a source of vibratory energy in the sonic range, comprises a plurality of first bristle tufts and a plurality of second bristle tufts, the individual bristles in the first and second tufts of bristles being of different diameter. About four times as many bristles are provided in the tufts of smaller diameter bristles. The large diameter bristles are designed to clean the oral hard tissues, whereas the softer smaller diameter bristles are designed to polish the oral hard tissues and stimulate the gingival tissues. The bristle tufts are arranged on a brush head in three rows, with all peripheral bristle tufts being formed of relatively smaller diameter bristles and with the centrally disposed tufts being formed of relatively larger diameter bristles.

Claims

1. A toothbrush adapted to be mounted on an automatic toothbrush power handle having as a power source a source of vibratory energy in the sonic range, the said toothbrush comprising:

an elongated brush handle adapted to one end to be removably mounted on the power handle;

a brush head formed integrally with the elongated brush handle at the opposite end thereof;

a plurality of first tufts of the individual bristles disposed on the brush head about the periphery thereof; and

a plurality of second tufts of individual bristles disposed centrally on the brush head so as to be surrounded by the first tufts, the individual bristles of the first and second tufts being formed of nylon, with the diameter of the bristles of the second tufts being about 50 percent greater than the diameters of the bristles of the first tufts and with the ratio of the number of bristles in the first tufts to the number of bristles in the second tufts being about 4;

1, whereby the first tufts primarily perform a polishing function and the second tufts primarily perform a cleaning function when they are applied to the oral hard tissues.

2. A toothbrush, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bristles are all of the same length.

3. A toothbrush, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second tufts are arranged in three parallel rows on the brush head, with the two outer rows solely comprising first tufts, with the endmost tufts in the middle row being first tufts, and with the balance of the second row being second tufts.