Method and apparatus for brushing teeth with cyclically rotating brush strokes
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A toothbrush comprising:
- a handle elongated in a longitudinal dimension;
a brush head having a first surface;
a plurality of positionally rotatable brush bristles secured to and extending generally perpendicularly from said first surface;
means securing said handle to said brush head for permitting longitudinal movement of said handle relative to said brush head;
motion conversion means responsive to reciprocating motion of said handle along said longitudinal dimension relative to said brush head for rotating said plurality of rotatable brush bristles about an axis perpendicular to said first surface; and
a plurality of positionally fixed brush bristles extending generally perpendicularly from said first surface for engaging tooth surfaces to oppose longitudinal movement of said brush head along with said handle in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said handle.
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Abstract
A toothbrush includes a cluster of rotatable bristle tufts disposed between two longitudinally spaced clusters of positionally fixed bristle tufts. The fixed bristles frictionally engage tooth surfaces to oppose longitudinal movement of the brush head in response to longitudinal reciprocation of the brush handle within the head. A rack and pinion convert the longitudinal reciprocation of the handle to oscillatory rotation of the rotatable bristle tufts.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A toothbrush comprising:
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a handle elongated in a longitudinal dimension; a brush head having a first surface; a plurality of positionally rotatable brush bristles secured to and extending generally perpendicularly from said first surface; means securing said handle to said brush head for permitting longitudinal movement of said handle relative to said brush head; motion conversion means responsive to reciprocating motion of said handle along said longitudinal dimension relative to said brush head for rotating said plurality of rotatable brush bristles about an axis perpendicular to said first surface; and a plurality of positionally fixed brush bristles extending generally perpendicularly from said first surface for engaging tooth surfaces to oppose longitudinal movement of said brush head along with said handle in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. The method of applying oscillatory rotational brush strokes to teeth in response to longitudinally reciprocating motion of a handle of a toothbrush, said method comprising the steps of:
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frictionally engaging tooth surfaces with positionally fixed brush bristles secured in fixed relation to a head of said brush to oppose longitudinal movement of said head due to longitudinal reciprocation of said handle; longitudinally sliding said handle back and forth within said head in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said handle when said fixed brush bristles frictionally engage said tooth surfaces; and in response to said back and forth sliding of said handle in said brush head, rotating a plurality of rotatable brush bristles secured to said head about an axis oriented generally perpendicular to said sliding motion. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A toothbrush comprising:
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a handle; a brush head having a first surface; a first plurality of tufts of brush bristles fixedly mounted on said first surface; a generally cylindrical plate mounted on said brush head for rotatability about an axis generally parallel to said bristles in said first plurality of tufts; a second plurality of tufts of brush bristles mounted on said plate to extend generally parallel to said bristles in said first plurality of tufts; means for securing said handle to said brush head to permit longitudinal movement of said handle within said brush head; and means response to longitudinal movement of said handle within said brush head for rotating said plate and said second plurality of tufts about said axis without rotating the bristles in said first plurality of tufts. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification