Brush, in particular for an electric toothbrush

• US 6,421,867 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coronet-Werke GmbH
• Original Assignee: Coronet-Werke GmbH
• Inventors: Weihrauch, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US09/463,850
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28, 151/671
• US Class Current: 15/28
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body

Abstract

A brush, in particular for an electrical toothbrush, having a brush head driven in at least one direction and bristles attached thereto is distinguished in that the ends of at least one portion of the bristles lie on a strip-like or spotted enveloping surface and at least those border edges of the enveloping surface formed by the bristles leading in the direction of motion of the brush head extend at an angle with respect to the direction of motion of the brush head which is different than 90°.

Claims

1. A brush head, the brush head structured to cooperate with means for driving the head in at least one direction of motion, the brush head comprising:

a first group of bristles attached to the brush head at a bristle mounting surface to extend above said bristle mounting surface for forming an even field of bristles;

a second group of bristles attached to the brush head at said bristle mounting surface, said second group of bristles embedded in said first group of bristles and extending beyond said first group of bristles to form at least one bristle envelope protruding beyond said even field of bristles, said bristle envelope having one of a striped and spotted shape, said bristle envelope defining at least one first bordering edge, leading in the direction of motion of the brush head, wherein each of said at least one first bordering edge extends at a first angle or at first angles relative to the direction of motion, wherein said first angle or each of said first angles differ from 90°

.

2. The brush head of claim 1, wherein said bristle envelope defines at least one second bordering edge trailing in the direction of motion of the brush head, wherein said at least one second bordering edge is substantially parallel to an associated first bordering edge.

3. The brush head of claim 1, wherein said bristle envelope defines at least one second bordering edge trailing in the direction of the motion of the brush head, wherein said at least one second bordering edge is substantially non-parallel to an associated first bordering edge.

4. The brush head of claim 1, wherein the brush head is driven in a circular manner about an axis of rotation and said first bordering edge lies on a curve whose radius of curvature differs from a radius of the brush head.

5. The brush head of claim 4, wherein said first bordering edge lies along a spiral.

6. The brush head of claim 5, wherein said spiral has a middle point lying in said axis of rotation.

7. The brush head of claim 5, wherein said spiral has a middle point which is eccentric with respect to said axis of rotation.

8. The brush head of claim 4, wherein said first bordering edge lies along an S-shaped curve whose cusp point is one of on and proximate to said axis of rotation.

9. The brush head of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of strip-like bristle envelopes having S-shaped curves and a common middle point at cusp points of said S-shaped curves.

10. The brush head of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bristle envelopes, the brush head being driven about an axis of rotation, wherein surface centers of gravity of said bristle envelopes are disposed outside said axis of rotation.

11. The brush head of claim 10, wherein said bristles envelopes lie entirely outside said axis of rotation.

12. The brush head of claim 1, wherein the brush head is elongated along a longitudinal axis and is structured to be driven by a linear drive acting at least along said longitudinal axis, wherein said bristle envelope extends in a zigzagged or waved manner in said longitudinal direction.

13. The brush head of claim 1, wherein the brush head is elongated along a longitudinal axis and is structured to be driven by a linear drive acting at least along said longitudinal axis, and further comprising a plurality of bristle envelopes having surface centers of gravity outside of said longitudinal axis.

14. The brush head of claim 1, wherein said brush head is elongated along a longitudinal axis and is structured to be driven by a linear drive acting along said longitudinal axis, and further comprising a plurality of stripe-shaped bristle envelopes, arrowed in a longitudinal direction, said bristle envelopes disposed at both sides of said longitudinal axis in a staggered fashion.