Toothbrush

• US 5,373,602 A
• Filed: 12/15/1993
• Issued: 12/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kook B. Bang
• Original Assignee: Kook B. Bang
• Inventors: Bang, Kook B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US08/166,884
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 15/106, 15/110, 15/167.1, 15/172, 15/201
• 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 5/0025 Brushes with elastically deformable heads that change shape during use
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/02 in an expanding or articulating manner
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/06 movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement driven brush bodies A46B13/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toothbrush including a flexible extension which is attached to the outside of a brush head for perfectly cleaning the back teeth and minimizing scratches on the periodontal tissue surface and oral cavity.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising:

an elongated handle;

a brush head integrally and rigidly fixed to said handle and in longitudinal alignment therewith, said brush head having inner and outer planar surfaces;

a plurality of brush head bristles of a uniform length fixed to the inner planar surface of said brush head;

a flexible extension member fixed to the outer planar surface of said brush head, at least a portion of said flexible extension member extending in a longitudinal direction away from the handle beyond the outer planar surface of said brush head, said flexible extension member having an inner surface and an outer planar surface;

a plurality of flexible extension member bristles of a uniformly varying length fixed to the portion of said flexible extension member which extends beyond the outer planar surface of said brush head, with shortest ones of said plurality of extension member bristles positioned adjacent said brush head bristles,

wherein said flexible extension member is bendable during use such that said extension member bristles converge towards said brush head bristles.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the inner surface of said flexible extension member overlays the outer planar surface of said brush head and a second portion of the inner surface of said flexible extension member receives said extension member bristles.

3. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the inner surface includes an adhesive thereon for adhering said flexible extension member to the outer planar surface of said brush head.

4. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said flexible extension member is formed of rubber.