Tooth brush with four bristle groups

• US 7,036,180 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bow Wow Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Barbara Hanlon
• Inventors: Hanlon, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/916,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 151/06, 151/671, 151/672, D41/05, D41/06
• US Class Current: 15/167.2
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/02 specially shaped for holding by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/026 where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat A46B9/005 takes precedence

Abstract

A toothbrush for use on domestic pets, comprising a toothbrush head with each end curved upward at roughly 30 degree angles, and four sets of soft bristles attached to the head. Three sets of bristles are attached to the front face of the brush head, with two sets positioned opposite each other on each upward curved end of the head and the third set of bristles positioned in the center in the middle region, perpendicular to the toothbrush head between the other two sets, thereby providing coverage of the mesial, distal and occlusal surfaces of the teeth simultaneously. The fourth set of bristles is attached to the back side of the toothbrush head, thereby propping open the jaw and softening the bite while cleaning and massaging the opposing teeth at the same time that the other three sets of bristles are doing the primary cleaning. The toothbrush handle is attached to the center of the head for ease of use and the ability to reach the back molars.

Claims

1. A toothbrush for cleaning domestic pets'"'"' teeth comprising:

a handle;

a toothbrush head fixedly attached to said handle, said head further including,

a substantially flat base protruding transversely in a T-formation from said handle to opposing ends protruding outward from said base at an angle, said handle being integrally attached to a midpoint of said base, and both of said ends being integrally attached to said base at a junction defined by a transverse notch for providing resiliency, whereby said ends are flared and angled upward from said base, creating three distinct regions, a middle region and two angled ends;

a first circular set of bristle tufts fixedly attached to said middle region of said base and extending perpendicularly from said middle region between said opposing ends for cleaning an occlusal surface of the teeth;

second and third sets of bristle tufts fixedly attached to said respective upwardly angled ends of said base diametrically opposite each other, wherein said second and third sets of bristle tufts extend inward toward each other for cleaning mesial and distal surfaces of the teeth,

said first, second and third sets of bristle tufts converging inward to conform to a row of teeth, and

a fourth circular set of bristle tufts fixedly attached to the rear surface of said base opposite said first set of bristle tufts to clean and massage the opposing tooth and to prop open the jaw;

whereby said toothbrush simultaneously engages the mesial, distal, and occlusal surfaces of the teeth and maintains said jaw open for a softer bite during the cleaning process.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said base is approximately 1½

inches long.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein each of said angled ends is approximately ½

inch long.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 3, wherein said middle region is approximately ½

inch long.

5. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said angled ends are within a range of from 30–

45 degrees relative to said middle region.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said second and third sets of bristle tufts each comprise multiple rows of bristles in a rectangular formation.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 6, wherein said rows of bristles are of graduated length.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 7, wherein said rows of bristles increase in length running away from said first set of bristles.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 8, wherein said bristles comprise poly-plastic bristles.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 8, wherein said rows of bristles range between ⅜

–

⅝

inches in length.

11. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said transverse notches comprise shallow-angle grooves formed between the middle region and opposing ends to provide more resilience to the ends, allowing them to better conform and straddle a row of teeth.

12. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said opposing ends are each joined to said base at a 30 degree angle.