Toothbrush

• US 6,065,176 A
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hisakata Hoshizaki, Takayuki Watanabe
• Original Assignee: Hisakata Hoshizaki, Takayuki Watanabe
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takayuki, Hoshizaki, Hisakata
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US09/261,663
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 15/167.1, 15/207.2, 15/DIG. 5
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/045 specially adapted for cleaning a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/05 Varied length bristle

Abstract

A toothbrush is provided that can easily and effectively remove dental plaque on molars in the deepest part of the mouth, in interdental spaces and on inner surfaces of teeth. The bristle tips form three brush surfaces. The first brush surfaces adjacent the free end of the brush extends upwardly from the free end to define a first bristle peak. The second brush surface extends downwardly from the first bristle peak toward the brush head. The third brush surface extends upwardly from the second brush surface to a second bristle peak adjacent to the attached end of the brush head. The second brush surface and the third brush surface intersect to form a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and the second bristle peak. The toothbrush preferably comprises six to ten rows of bristle tufts.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising a brush head, a handle and a neck portion connecting said brush head to said handle, said brush head having a free end distal from said handle and an attached end adjacent to said neck portion, wherein;

a) said brush comprises a plurality of rows of bristle tufts, each of said rows of bristle tufts being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said toothbrush;

b) the tips of the bristles of said bristle tufts being arranged to provide three brush surfaces;

c) the first of said three brush surfaces being located adjacent the free end of said brush head and extending upwardly from said free end at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head to a first bristle peak;

d) said second brush surface extending downwardly from said first bristle peak toward said brush head at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head;

e) said third brush surface extending upwardly from said second brush surface, at an angle of from about 5°

to about 25°

with respect to said brush head, to a second bristle peak adjacent said neck portion, said second brush surface and said third brush surface forming a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and said second bristle peak;

f) the ratio of the height of the bristles at said first bristle peak to the height of the bristles located at said bristle valley being from about 1.1 to about 1.4; and

,

g) the difference between the height of the bristles at said second bristle peak and the height of said bristles at said first peak being less than about 2 mm;

wherein all of the tips of the bristles in at least one of said second brush surface and said third brush surface is planar form a plane.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said brush head comprises six to ten rows of bristle tufts.

3. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said first bristle peak is located at the top of the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head.

4. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristle valley is located at the third to the fifth row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head.

5. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said brush head comprises six to ten rows of bristle tufts, said first bristle peak is located at the top of the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head, and wherein said bristle valley is located at the third to the fifth row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the bristles of said first peak and those of said second peak are of substantially the same height.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the difference in bristle heights between the valley and the first peak as well as the difference in bristle height between the valley and the second peak are both from about 0.3 mm to about 6 mm.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the differences in bristle height between the valley and the first peak as well as between the valley and the second peak are both from about 1.5 mm to about 3 mm.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the bristles comprising the first row and the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said neck portion are stiffer than the rest of the bristles.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 9 characterized in that the color of said stiffer bristles is different from that of the other bristles.

11. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the bristles comprising the first row and the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said attached end of said brush head are thicker than the rest of the bristles.

12. The toothbrush according to claim 11 characterized in that the color of said thicker bristles is different from that of the other bristles.

13. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that said first brush surface and said second brush surface are symmetrically disposed about a plane which bisects said first peak.

14. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that said third brush surface is longer than one half a length of a bristle section of the brush head.

15. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said first bristle peak is located at the top of the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head.

16. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said brush head comprises six to ten rows of bristle tufts, said first bristle peak is located at the top of the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head, and wherein said bristle valley is located at the third to the fifth row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head.

17. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the bristles comprising the first row to the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said neck portion are stiffer than the rest of the bristles.

18. The toothbrush according to claim 1 characterized in that the bristles comprising the first row to the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said attached end of said brush head are thicker than the rest of the bristles.

19. A toothbrush comprising a brush head, a handle and a neck portion connecting said brush head to said handle, said brush head having a free end distal from said handle and an attached end adjacent to said neck portion, wherein;

a) said brush comprises a plurality of rows of bristle tufts, each of said rows of bristle tufts being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said toothbrush;

b) the tips of the bristles of said bristle tufts being arranged to provide three brush surfaces;

c) the first of said three brush surfaces being located adjacent the free end of said brush head and extending upwardly from said free end at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head to a first bristle peak;

d) said second brush surface extending downwardly from said first bristle peak toward said brush head at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head;

e) said third brush surface extending upwardly from said second brush surface, at an angle of from about 5°

to about 25°

with respect to said brush head, to a second bristle peak adjacent said neck portion, said second brush surface and said third brush surface forming a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and said second bristle peak;

f) the ratio of the height of the bristles at said first bristle peak to the height of the bristles located at said bristle valley being from about 1.1 to about 1.4; and

,

g) the difference between the height of the bristles at said second bristle peak and the height of said bristles at said first peak being less than about 2 mm;

wherein the bristles comprising the first row and the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said neck portion are stiffer than the rest of the bristles.

20. The toothbrush according to claim 19 characterized in that the color of said stiffer bristles is different from that of the other bristles.

21. A toothbrush comprising a brush head, a handle and a neck portion connecting said brush head to said handle, said brush head having a free end distal from said handle and an attached end adjacent to said neck portion, wherein;

a) said brush comprises a plurality of rows of bristle tufts, each of said rows of bristle tufts being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said toothbrush;

b) the tips of the bristles of said bristle tufts being arranged to provide three brush surfaces;

c) the first of said three brush surfaces being located adjacent the free end of said brush head and extending upwardly from said free end at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head to a first bristle peak;

d) said second brush surface extending downwardly from said first bristle peak toward said brush head at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head;

e) said third brush surface extending upwardly from said second brush surface, at an angle of from about 5°

to about 25°

with respect to said brush head, to a second bristle peak adjacent said neck portion, said second brush surface and said third brush surface forming a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and said second bristle peak;

f) the ratio of the height of the bristles at said first bristle peak to the height of the bristles located at said bristle valley being from about 1.1 to about 1.4; and

,

g) the difference between the height of the bristles at said second bristle peak and the height of said bristles at said first peak being less than about 2 mm;

wherein the bristles comprising the first row to the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said neck portion are stiffer than the rest of the bristles.

22. The toothbrush according to claim 21 characterized in that the color of said stiffer bristles is different from that of the other bristles.

23. A toothbrush comprising a brush head, a handle and a neck portion connecting said brush head to said handle, said brush head having a free end distal from said handle and an attached end adjacent to said neck portion, wherein;

a) said brush comprises a plurality of rows of bristle tufts, each of said rows of bristle tufts being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said toothbrush;

b) the tips of the bristles of said bristle tufts being arranged to provide three brush surfaces;

c) the first of said three brush surfaces being located adjacent the free end of said brush head and extending upwardly from said free end at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head to a first bristle peak;

d) said second brush surface extending downwardly from said first bristle peak toward said brush head at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head;

e) said third brush surface extending upwardly from said second brush surface, at an angle of from about 5°

to about 25°

with respect to said brush head, to a second bristle peak adjacent said neck portion, said second brush surface and said third brush surface forming a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and said second bristle peak;

f) the ratio of the height of the bristles at said first bristle peak to the height of the bristles located at said bristle valley being from about 1.1 to about 1.4; and

,

g) the difference between the height of the bristles at said second bristle peak and the height of said bristles at said first peak being less than about 2 mm;

wherein the bristles comprising the first row and the second row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said attached end of said brush head are thicker than the rest of the bristles.

24. The toothbrush according to claim 23 characterized in that the color of said thicker bristles is different from that of the other bristles.

25. A toothbrush comprising a brush head, a handle and a neck portion connecting said brush head to said handle, said brush head having a free end distal from said handle and an attached end adjacent to said neck portion, wherein;

a) said brush comprises a plurality of rows of bristle tufts, each of said rows of bristle tufts being oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said toothbrush;

b) the tips of the bristles of said bristle tufts being arranged to provide three brush surfaces;

c) the first of said three brush surfaces being located adjacent the free end of said brush head and extending upwardly from said free end at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head to a first bristle peak;

d) said second brush surface extending downwardly from said first bristle peak toward said brush head at an angle of from about 15°

to about 45°

with respect to said brush head;

e) said third brush surface extending upwardly from said second brush surface, at an angle of from about 5°

to about 25°

with respect to said brush head, to a second bristle peak adjacent said neck portion, said second brush surface and said third brush surface forming a bristle valley located below said first bristle peak and said second bristle peak;

f) the ratio of the height of the bristles at said first bristle peak to the height of the bristles located at said bristle valley being from about 1.1 to about 1.4; and

,

g) the difference between the height of the bristles at said second bristle peak and the height of said bristles at said first peak being less than about 2 mm;

wherein the bristles comprising the first row to the third row of bristle tufts from said free end of said brush head and the row of bristle tufts adjacent said attached end of said brush head are thicker than the rest of the bristles.

26. The toothbrush according to claim 25 characterized in that the color of said thicker bristles is different from that of the other bristles.