Toothbrush having main bristles and having transversely and longitudinally adjustable interdental bristles

• US 6,463,615 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2000
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gruber, Paul, Elkhuizen, Jan Peter, Mikula, Christian, Kauer, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US09/694,169
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/425 Toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush (1) has a cleaning member (3) equipped with a drivable bristle holder (20) for holding main bristles (21) and with a drivable interdental bristle holder (26) for holding interdental bristles (27),the interdental bristle holder (26) being coupled to a drive element (29) with the aid of a coupling element (39) and, of the coupling element (39) and the drive element (29) at the coupling element (39) is at least partly elastically deformable parallel to the longitudinal bristle direction (28) of the interdental bristles (27) held by the interdental bristle holder (26).

Claims

1. A toothbrush having a grip member and

having a cleaning member, which is connected to the grip member and which extends substantially parallel to a cleaning-member longitudinal direction, and

having drive means, which are partly accommodated in the grip member and partly in the cleaning member and which include a drivable first drive element and a drivable second drive element in the cleaning member in the area of that end of the cleaning member which is remote from the grip member, and

having a drivable bristle holder, which holds a plurality of main bristles and which is coupled to the first drive element, with the aid of a first coupling element, and having a drivable interdental bristle holder, which holds a plurality of interdental bristles which extend substantially parallel to a longitudinal bristle direction, which is oriented transversely to the cleaning-member longitudinal direction, and which is coupled to the second drive element with the aid of a second coupling element, wherein,

of the second coupling element and the second drive element, at least the second coupling element is at least partly elastically deformable substantially parallel to the longitudinal bristle direction of the interdental bristles.

2. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second coupling element is formed by a metal blade spring configuration having a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, and

the interdental bristle holder is connected to the first end portion, and

the second drive element is connected to the second end portion.

3. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the second drive element consists of a plastic, and

the connection between the second end portion and the second drive element is formed by an injection-molded connection.

4. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the interdental bristle holder consists of a plastic, and

the connection between the first end portion and the interdental bristle holder is formed by an injection-molded connection.

5. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the second drive element and the second coupling element as well as the interdental bristle holder consist of an integral part made of a comparatively hard plastic, and

the second coupling element is constructed as a bending element, and

at least the second coupling element is embedded in a cover which consists of a comparatively soft plastic.

6. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 5,

the comparatively hard plastic is polyoxymethylene, and

the comparatively soft plastic is a thermoplastic elastomer.

7. A cleaning member for a toothbrush,

which cleaning member extends substantially parallel to a cleaning-member longitudinal direction, and

which has drive means, which include a drivable first drive element and a drivable second drive element in the area of one end of the cleaning member, and

which has a drivable bristle holder, which holds a plurality of main bristles and which is coupled to the first drive element with the aid of a first coupling element, and

which has a drivable interdental bristle holder, which holds a plurality of interdental bristles which extend substantially parallel to a longitudinal bristle direction, which is oriented transversely to the cleaning-member longitudinal direction, and which is coupled to the second drive element with the aid of a second coupling element, wherein,

of the second coupling element and the second drive element, at least the second coupling element is at least partly elastically deformable substantially parallel to the longitudinal bristle direction of the interdental bristles.

8. A cleaning member as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the second coupling element is formed by a metal blade spring configuration having a first end portion, an intermediate portion and a second end portion, and

the interdental bristle holder is connected to the first end portion, and

the second drive element is connected to the second end portion.

9. A cleaning member as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the second drive element consists of a plastic, and

the connection between the second end portion and the second drive element is formed by an injection-molded connection.

10. A cleaning member as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the interdental bristle holder consists of a plastic, and

the connection between the first end portion and the interdental bristle holder is formed by an injection-molded connection.

11. A cleaning member as claimed in claim 7, wherein

the second drive element and the second coupling element as well as the interdental bristle holder consist of an integral part made of a comparatively hard plastic, and

the second coupling element is constructed as a bending element, and

at least the second coupling element is embedded in a cover which consists of a comparatively soft plastic.

12. A cleaning member as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the comparatively hard plastic is polyoxymethylene, and

the comparatively soft plastic is a thermoplastic elastomer.