Bristles for an interproximal and periodontal toothbrush

• US 4,268,933 A
• Filed: 11/30/1979
• Issued: 05/26/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sophia Papas
• Original Assignee: Sophia Papas
• Inventors: Papas, Sophia
• Primary Examiner(s): Feldman, Peter
• Application Number:
  US06/098,859
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 15/167 R, 15/167 A, 15/106, 15/110, 128/62 A
• 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 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes

Abstract

Bristles for a toothbrush arranged in repeating patterns of like and unlike shaped bristles, consisting of clusters of long, soft, bristles alternating with clusters of shorter, pyramidal shaped bristles which shorter bristles begin at the base of the longer clusters of bristles, together with the other two sides of the pyramid facing the width of the brush, all four sides gradually moving in a convex curve to the apex of the pyramidal bristles which is centered from all sides, allowing the bristles to be used along any portion of the teeth, either occlusal, or labial, lingual or buccal either in a horizontal motion along the teeth or in a vertical direction either up or down, which brushing facilitates not only the cleaning of the teeth and between the teeth, but also the massaging and strengthening the gingerval tissue providing both interproximal and periodontal bristles used at the same time.

Claims

1. In a toothbrush having bristles attached to the end of a rigid frame for the purpose of inserting the bristles into the mouth to brush the teeth, wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) groups of long, soft, bristles alternating with groups of shorter, soft, bristles from which shorter bristles are shaped four (4) sloping sides rising together to form the apex of a pyramidal shaped group, and

(b) which group of pyramidal shaped, soft bristles, begin at the perimeter of the base of the pyramid, on the frame, with bristles rising, convexly, from the perimeter of the four sides to a common apex shorter in height than the bristles of the longer clump, with two of the four sides perpendicular to the long axis of the frame and the other two sides, opposite each other, parallel to the long axis of the frame, and

(c) with the spacing of the alternating clumps of different sized bristles closely approximating the average width of the teeth with the longer bristles fitting into and between the spaces between the teeth, and the shorter pyramidal bristles fitting reversely into the gingival border around the base of the crowns of the teeth, and

(d) allowing the bristles to both clean the crowns and the spaces between the teeth while at the same time massaging and exercising the gingiva bordering the teeth.

2. The claim as recited in claim 1 wherein the height of the longer bristles are at least 11 mm long and the height of the shorter bristles are begun at a height of at least 4 mm.

3. The claim as recited in claim 1 where the height of the shorter bristles are not more than one-half the height of the longer bristles measured at the apex.