Brush head and method of manufacturing such a brush head

• US 6,665,901 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Schwarz-Hartman, Armin, Fritsch, Thomas, Driesen, Georges
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUIDOTTI, LAURA COLE
• Application Number:
  US09/813,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 151/671, 151/83, 151/761, 151/90, 151/911, 151/84, 151/93, 151/95, D 4/104, 300/21
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 3/08 by clamping
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a brush head, particularly a toothbrush head, and to a method of manufacturing such a brush head. The brush head includes a bristle carrier and bristles fixedly secured thereto, said bristle carrier having a slot-type recess in which a multiplicity of bristles is received forming an elongated tuft with a closed, smooth outer contour corresponding essentially to the contour of the slot-type recess. According to the invention the brush head is characterized in that the slot-type recess is divided by means of at least one transverse wall into several segments, a separate tuft is inserted and secured in each of the segments, and the at least one transverse wall is constructed so that the separate tufts converge, forming in combination the elongated tuft with a closed, smooth outer contour.

Claims

1. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars secured to the bristle carrier and securing said first and second bristle tufts to the bristle carrier in each respective said recess segment,

wherein the partition is in supporting relation to bristle mounting ends at least one of said first and second bristle tufts disposed on opposite sides of said partition, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour.

2. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the bristles of each said tuft are received in the respective segment in a U-shaped configuration held by said anchor bar extending between limbs of the U-shaped bent bristles.

3. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the partition extends transversely across said recess.

4. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the partition is not configured as an anchor secured between limbs of a single U-shaped bristle tuft.

5. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the recess has a longitudinal axis that is generally straight.

6. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier defines a brush head for an electrically powered toothbrush.

7. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein the recess segments have approximately equivalent base areas.

8. The toothbrush head of claim 1, wherein said plurality of bristle tufts disposed in the recess comprises a first portion of said plurality comprising bristles having at least one property differing from bristles of a second portion of said plurality.

9. The toothbrush head of claim 8, wherein said bristle property is a color.

10. The toothbrush head of claim 8, wherein said bristle property is chosen from the group consisting of a length, a structure, a material, a stiffness and a diameter.

11. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment,

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the partition is in supporting relation to bristle mounting ends of adjacent converging bristles of each said first and second bristle tuft disposed on opposite sides of said partition.

12. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the bristles of respective adjacent bristle tufts are convergent in a region above said partition.

13. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein along a length of said bristles from mounting ends thereof proximal said bristle carrier towards free ends thereof remote from said bristle carrier the substantially continuous outer contour corresponds to a projection of said recess directed along an axis away from the bristle carrier.

14. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the partition comprises an anchor bar.

15. The toothbrush head of claim 14, wherein the anchor bar is selected from the group consisting of an anchor wire and an anchor plate.

16. The toothbrush head of claim 14, wherein the anchor bar is metallic and the bristle carrier comprises a plastics material.

17. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the partition defines a gap between at least a portion of a lower edge of the partition and a floor of the recess.

18. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein an upper edge of the partition is recessed a distance below an outwardly directed face surface of the bristle carrier.

19. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein the recess distance is more than one-fifth of a depth of the recess.

20. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein the recess distance is about 0.5 mm.

21. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein the recess distance is up to about a third of a depth of the recess.

22. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein

the partition further has a thickness dimension in a direction generally parallel the surface of the bristle carrier, and

the thickness dimension is about equal to the recessed distance below the surface.

23. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein the partition is spaced a different amount below said bristle carrier surface than are the anchors.

24. The toothbrush head of claim 23, wherein the partition is spaced closer to the bristle carrier surface than are the anchors of the adjacent bristle tufts.

25. The toothbrush head of claim 18, wherein an upper edge of the partition is recessed a distance below an outwardly directed face surface of the bristle carrier adjacent the recess.

26. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the partition has a thickness in a direction generally parallel a surface of the bristle carrier generally less than 0.5 mm.

27. The toothbrush head of claim 26, wherein the partition has a thickness less than 0.4 mm.

28. The toothbrush head of claim 26, wherein the partition has a thickness in the range of about 0.15 to 0.3 mm.

29. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, wherein the partition is in supporting relation to bristle mounting ends of at least one of said first and second bristle tufts disposed on opposite sides of said partition, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the partition is secured in at least one of opposing side walls of the recess.

30. The toothbrush head of claim 29, wherein the partition is secured in both opposing side walls of the recess.

31. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment,

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour,

wherein the partition is secured in both opposing side walls of the recess

and wherein the partition is spaced from a floor of the recess.

32. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the recess has a longitudinal axis that is generally curved.

33. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the recess has a longitudinal axis that is kinked.

34. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment,

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the recess has a longitudinal axis, said bristle tuft anchor bars being disposed generally transverse said longitudinal axis.

35. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein at least one said bristle tuft anchor extends at an angle relative to a plane normal to an outwardly directed surface of the bristle carrier in a region of the partition, said angle being less than 30 degrees to said plane.

36. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the bristle carrier defines a rotary brush head for a powered toothbrush, said recess being aligned generally parallel at least a portion of a periphery of said bristle carrier.

37. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein an upper edge of the partition is rounded off.

38. The toothbrush head of claim 37, wherein the partition has a shape in cross-section selected from the group of shapes consisting of an oval shape and an elliptical shape.

39. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein at least one lateral face of the partition is inclined towards a median region of the partition, whereby bristles of adjacent tufts are supported towards each other.

40. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein both opposite lateral partition faces are inclined towards the median region of the partition.

41. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein at least one end wall of at least one said recess segment is inclined towards the partition.

42. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the first bristle tuft has a central axis directed at a first angle relative an axis constructed normal to an upper surface of the bristle carrier, and the second bristle tuft has a central axis directed at a second angle relative said bristle carrier axis different from said first angle.

43. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein at least two said partitions divide said recess into three said recess segments, each segment carrying a respective said bristle tuft.

44. The toothbrush head of claim 43, wherein three said partitions divide said recess into four said segments.

45. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein at least two said recess segments have different base areas, said bristle tufts of said different base area segments being anchored in a cascade.

46. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein said recess segments have a non-circular contour.

47. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein said recess segments have a polygonal contour.

48. The toothbrush head of claim 47, wherein opposite side walls of said recess segments are generally parallel.

49. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier molded of a plastics material,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one thin metallic partition received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of recess segments, and

wherein a first said bristle tuft is disposed in a first said segment and a second said bristle tuft is disposed in an adjacent second said segment,

said first and second bristle tufts being secured with a respective anchor in respective said segments, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively present a tuft.

50. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein said first and second bristle tufts collectively present said tuft having visually substantially uninterrupted lateral faces corresponding to a contour of said recess.

51. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein said partition comprises an anchor piece.

52. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein said partition comprises an anchor substantially similar to at least one said anchor for securing said first and second bristle tufts.

53. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein the partition defines a gap between at least a portion of a lower edge of the partition and a floor of the recess.

54. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein an upper edge of the partition is recessed a distance below an outwardly directed face surface of the bristle carrier.

55. The toothbrush head of claim 54, wherein the recess distance is more than one-fifth of a depth of the recess.

56. The toothbrush head of claim 54, wherein the recess distance is about 0.5 mm.

57. The toothbrush head of claim 54, wherein the recess distance is up to about a third of a depth of the recess.

58. The toothbrush head of claim 54, wherein

the partition further has a thickness dimension in a direction generally parallel the surface of the bristle carrier, and

the thickness dimension is about equal to the recessed distance below the surface.

59. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein the partition has a thickness in a direction generally parallel a surface of the bristle carrier generally less than 0.5 mm.

60. The toothbrush head of claim 59, wherein the partition has a thickness in the range of about 0.15 to 0.3 mm.

61. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein said partition is not positioned between bent limbs defined by bristles of a single said tuft.

62. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein the bristle carrier defines a rotary brush head for a powered toothbrush, said recess being aligned generally parallel at least a portion of a periphery of said bristle carrier.

63. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein the recess is elongate.

64. The toothbrush head of claim 49, wherein the respective anchors comprise first and second anchors respectively securing said first and second bristle tufts, said first and second anchors being disposed on opposite sides of said partition.

65. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment,

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour, and

wherein the recess is elongate.

66. A toothbrush head, comprising

a bristle carrier,

said bristle carrier defining at least one recess adapted to receive a plurality of bristle tufts adapted to clean an oral cavity of a user, each said bristle tuft comprising a plurality of bristles,

at least one narrow partition, said partition being formed separate from said bristle carrier and received in said recess and disposed not extending above said recess, said partition subdividing said recess into a plurality of adjacent recess segments,

a first said bristle tuft disposed in a first said recess segment and a second said bristle tuft disposed in an adjacent second said recess segment,

respective anchor bars securing said first and second bristle tufts in each respective said recess segment, and

wherein converging bristles of said first and second bristle tufts collectively form a tuft having a substantially continuous outer contour.