Brush section for an electric toothbrush

• US 6,848,141 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Gatzemeyer, John J., Eliav, Eyal, Ahn, Kyoungeun
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/878,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/222, 15/224, 15/28, 15/29, 151/671, 15D/IG.5, D 4/101, D 4/104, D 4/112, D 4/109, D 4/111
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• 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 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 17/32 reciprocating or oscillating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/05 Varied length bristle

Abstract

An electric toothbrush brush section and method of use thereof is disclosed, the brush section having a generally disk shaped bristle carrier from which extend one or more bristle bearing fingers of varying length and width, which fingers provide increased contact area between bristles and oral gingival tissue for enhanced massaging thereof.

Claims

1. A brush section for an electric powered toothbrush comprising,

a first end having a connector adapted to be joined to a handle section;

and

a second end containing a head, which head terminates in a toe;

said head containing a bristle carrier with a first portion closest to said first end, which first portion is generally disk shaped with a generally circular cross-section;

said first portion has one or more fingers extending therefrom, in a direction generally distal from said first end;

said bristle carrier has a face extending across said first portion and across said one or more fingers, from which face extends a plurality of bristle tufts;

wherein said face has a shape other than circular or oval;

said handle section contains a driving means which is drivingly engaged to said bristle carrier;

whereby in use, the bristles extending from the one or more fingers provides increased contact with the gingival tissues and enhanced massaging thereof,

wherein the bristle carrier has a bottom surface opposite to said face, which bottom surface has a front edge, said bottom surface is attached to the center of said bristle carrier by a rotational supporting means to a bristle carrier support;

said bottom surface of the bristle carrier is attached to a bristle carrier support by a rotational supporting means;

which bristle carrier support has a first end integral with the head and a second free, toe end;

the bristle carrier support extends from said head to a point between the toe of the head and the center of said bristle carrier, where there is a separation between the free, toe end of the bristle carrier support and the bottom surface of the bristle carrier; and

the front edge of the bristle carrier has a convex curve arcing away from the face, the convex curve arc extending further away from said face than the separation in a direction transverse to the face.

2. The brush section of claim 1, wherein said bristle carrier has one finger extending therefrom.

3. The brush section of claim 2, wherein the face of said bristle carrier is generally egg-shaped.

4. The brush section of claim 1, wherein said carrier has two fingers extending therefrom.

5. The brush section of claim 1, wherein said carrier has three fingers extending therefrom.

6. The brush section of claim 1, wherein the convex curve has a radius of curvature of at least about 1 mm.

7. The brush section of claim 1, wherein the free toe end is configured as a convex curve arcing away from the face surface.

8. The brush section of claim 7, wherein the convex curve of the free toe end has a radius of curvature of at least about 0.5 mm.

9. The brush section of claim 1, wherein the plurality of bristles tufts extending from the first portion of said face are arranged in generally concentric rings and the bristles tufts extending from the one or more fingers are arranged in rows.

10. The brush section of claim 9, wherein the bristle tufts in said rows are longer than the bristle tufts within the concentric rings of bristle tufts.

11. The brush section of claim 1, wherein the brush section is integrally joined to the handle section.

12. A brush section for an electric toothbrush comprising, a first end having a connector adapted to be joined to a handle section;

a second end containing a head, which head terminates in a toe and contains a bristle carrier support having an upper surface, the head and connector are generally aligned along the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush;

a single, unitary bristle carrier which is centrally supported by rotational means from the upper surface of a said bristle carrier support;

which bristle carrier support has a first end integral with the head and a second free, toe end;

the bristle carrier support extends from said head to a point between the toe of the head and the center of said bristle carrier;

the bristle carrier has a front edge which is convex with respect to said connector, which convex front edge arcs transversely further from the longitudinal axis of said toothbrush than any point on the upper surface of said bristle carrier support, such that in use the users lip or gingival tissue will not be pinched between the front edge of the bristle carrier and the upper surface of the bristle carrier support.

13. The brush section of claim 12, wherein the free toe end is a convex arc in relation to said connector.