Gels for force gauging

• US 7,093,316 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 08/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Elastomerics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Elastomerics Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, John Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lilling, Herbert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/613,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20040063833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 151/671, 151/10, 152/072, 132/308, 433/216, 601/141
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0014 with a controlling temperature device
• 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 9/005 where the brushing material is not made of bristles, e.g. sponge, rubber or paper
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/028 Bristle profile, the end of the bristle defining a surface other than a single plane or deviating from a simple geometric form, e.g. cylinder, sphere or cone
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/065 the bristles or the tufts being embedded in a different brushing material
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/87 Application Devices; Containers; Packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/042 Gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/8117 Homopolymers or copolymers of aromatic olefines, e.g. polystyrene; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/90 Block copolymers A61K8/89 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 11/00 Preparations for care of the teeth, of the oral cavity or of dentures; Dentifrices, e.g. toothpastes; Mouth rinses
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/035 containing four or more polymers in a blend
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/00 Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 53/025 modified
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 91/00 Compositions of oils, fats or waxes; Compositions of derivatives thereof

Abstract

For effective plaque removal, a combination of a gel force gauging component and a plaque removing gel component are employed to prevent tooth and gum damage over gel rigidity range of from about 75 gram Bloom to about 300 gram bloom.

Claims

1. An oral care article comprising a combination of one or more elements(s) of:

(I) a handle means for transferring one or more motion forces,

(II) a plaque removing means for contact with a surface,

(III) a plaque removing elastic gel means for contact with said surface,

(IV) a force gauging elastic gel means for gauging said motion forces,

(V) a force gauging elastic gel means having a hollow member for receiving and holding a finger capable of transferring said motion forces, and

(VI) a plaque removing elastic gel means having a hollow member for receiving and holding said finger for transferring said motion force(s) to said surface;

wherein said article includes said elemenet(s) of said combination selected from (VI), (I)+(VI)+(II), (V)+(II), (I)+(III), (I)+(IV)+(III), and (V+III), wherein+denote an attached order of said elements comprising said article;

wherein said elastic gel comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of about 70 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

5. An article according to claim 1, wherein said element(s) being suitable for used independently or in said combination(s) by one or more hand(s);

and wherein said gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 1,2500 gram Bloom.

6. An article according to claim 1, having composite comprising one or more of a first said force gauging elastic gel means in combination with one or more brush member(s) attached on a brush member holding base, one or more of a second said force gauging elastic gel means being attached to one end of said handle means and attached to said brush member holding base;

wherein said elastic gel comprising one or more gel compositions having a selected gel rigidity of about 70 grams Bloos to about 800 gram Bloom.

7. An article according to claim 1, having a brush member holding base holding one or more brush member(s) attached to one or more force gauging elastic gel means, said brush member holding base attached to one end of said handle means;

wherein said elastic gel comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of about 70 grams Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom.

8. An article according to claim 1, attached at one end of said handle means, a gel composite comprising a force gauging elastic gel means attached to a plaque removing elastic gel means, wherein said force gauging means elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a selected gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom, and said plaque removing elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition having a selected gel rigidity of from about 150 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

9. An artice according to claim 1, having comprising one or more said force gauging elastic gel means in combination with said plaque removing elastic gel means, said force gauging elastic gel means attached at one end of said handle means;

wherein said force gauging elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 75 gram Bloom to about 300 gram Bloom and said plaque removing elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 150 gram Bloom to about 1,2500 gram Bloom.

10. An article according to claim 1, one or more force gauging elastic gel means and a plaque removing means comprising one or more plaque removing textural component(s), wherein said elastic gel comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom and said textural component(s) comprising one or more materials selected from woven fabrics, non woved fabrics, webs, loops, fibers, and sponges.

11. An article according to claim 1, a plaque removing means comprising one or more plaque removing elastic gel component(s) attached to said handle means, wherein said plaque removing gel component(s) comprising one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom.

12. An article in accordance with claim 1, having a composite comprising one or more force gauging elastic gel component(s) attached to one or more plaque removing means comprising one or more plaque removing elastic gel component(s), wherein said force gauging elastic gel component(s) comprising one or more composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom, and said plaque removing gel component(s) comprising one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 150 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

13. An article according to claim 1, having said handle means attached to removing means comprising one or more elastic gel array of protruded shapes selected from shape grooves, shape stems, shape tips, shape wedges, shape cones, shape points, shape columns, shape edges, shape corners, shape sides, shape gears, shape sawtooths, and shape wedges.

14. An article according to claim 1, having said handle means attached to a plaque removing means comprising one or more elastic gel patterned surface(s) for engaging plaque on said surface, said patterned surface(s) selected from wiggle patterns, wave patterns, circular patterns, triangle patterns, rectangle patterns, and line patterns;

said elastic gel comprising one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity from about 70 gram to about 800 gram Bloom.

15. An article according to claim 1, having one or more plaque removing means comprising one or more plaque removing elastic gel component(s) attached to a froce gauging elastic gel means comprising one or more elastic gel component(s) having a hollow member for receiving and holding said finger, said force gauging elastic gel component(s) being surrounded by said plaque removing elastic gel component(s), wherein said force gauging elastic component(s) comprising one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom and said plaque removing elastic gel component(s) comprising one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 150 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

16. An article according to claim 1, having force gauging elastic gel means comprising one or more force gauging elastic gel component(s) having a hollow member for receiving and holding said finger, said force gauging elastic gel component(s) being surrounded by a plaque removing mens comprising one or more plaque removing textural component(s), wherein said force gauging elastic gel component(s) comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloo, and said textural component(s) comprising one or more materials selected from woven fabrics, non woven fabrics, webs, loops, fibers, and sponges.

17. An article according to claim 1, having a force gauging elastic gel means having a hollow member for receiving a finger being surrounded by a plaque removing elastic gel means, wherein said force gauging elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom and said plaque removing gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 150 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

18. An article according to claim 1, wherein said force gauging elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) of

(i) 100 parts by weight of one or a mixture of two or more of a hydrogenated styrene isoprene/butadiene block copolymer(s) and from

(ii) about 300 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

and in combination with or without

(iii) a selected amount of one or more polymers or copolymers of poly(styrene- butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene)n, poly(styrene-isoprene styrene)n, poly(styrene-iosprene)n, poly(styrene ethylene-propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene- propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene- butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene propylene)n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene)n, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene-butylene), polypropylene, or polyethylene.

19. An article according to claim 1, wherein said force gauging elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) of

(i) 100 parts by weight of one or a mixture of two or more of a hydrogenated styrene isoprene/butadiene block copolymer(s) and from

(ii) about 300 to about 1,600 parts by weight of a plasticizing oil;

and in combination with or without

(iii) a selected amount of one or more polymers or copolymers of poly(styrene- butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene)n, poly(styrene-isoprene styrene)n, poly(styrene-isoprene)n, poly(styrene ethylene-propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene- propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene- butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene propylene)n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene)n, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene-butylene), polypropylene, or polyethylene, wherein said selected copolymer is a linear, radial, star shaped, branched or multiarm copolymer.

20. An article according to claim 1, wherein said force gauging electic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) of

(i) 100 parts by weight of one or a mixture of two of more of a hydrogenated styrene block copolymer(s) with 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene and 1,3-butadiene and

(ii) from about 300 to about 1,600 parts by weight of an plasticizing oil;

in combinatio with or without

(iii) a selected amount of one or more selected polymer or copolymer selected from the group consisting of poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene butadiene), poly(styrene-isoprene-styrene), poly(styrene-isoprene), poly(styrene- ethylene propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene- ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene, ethylene-butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene- propylene)n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene)n, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene butylene), polypropylene, or polyethylene, wherein said selected copolymer is a linear, radial, branched, star shaped, or multiarm copolymer; and

n is an integer greater than one.

21. An article according to claim 1, wherein said force gauging elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) of

(i) 100 parts by weight of one or a mixture of two or more of a hydrogenated styrene isoprene/butadiene block copolymer(s), wherein at least one of said block copolymer is a high viscosity copolymer having a viscosity value at 5 weight percent solution in toluene at 30°

C. of about 90 cps and higher which corresponds to a viscosity at 10 weight percent of about 5800 cps and higher which corresponds to a viscosity at 20 weight percent solids solution in toluene at 25°

C. of at about 80,000 cps and higher, and

(ii) from about 300 to about 1,600 parts by weight of an plasticizing oil, and in combination with or without

(ii) a selected amount of one or more polymers or copolymers of poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene), poly(styrene-isoprene styrene), poly(styrene-isoprene), poly(styrene-ethylene propylene), poly(styrene-ethylene- propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene ethylene- butylene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene)n, poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene)n, polystyrene, polybutylene, poly(ethylene-propylene), poly(ethylene, butylene), polypropylene, or polyethylene, wherein said selected copolymer is a linear, branched, radial, star shaped, or multiarm copolyerm; and

n is an integer greater than one.

22. An article according to claim 1, wherein said elastic gel comprises a gel composition made from one or more hydrogenated poly(styrene isoprene/butadiene-styrene) block copolymer(s) of poly(styrene-ethylene-ethylene propylene-styrene) and oil, said gel composition having a selected gel rigidity of from about 75 gram Bloom to about 300 gram Bloom.

23. An article according to claim 1, wherien said elastic gel comprises a gel composition made from one or more soft thermoplastic elastomer gels having a selected gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom,.

24. An article to claim 1, wherein said elastic gel comprises one or more thermoplastic elastomer(s) and one or more plasticizes, said thermoplastic elastomers selected from poly(styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene- styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene/ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene- ethylene-butylene-styrene/ethylene-butylene-styrene), and poly(styrene-ethylene- propylene-styrene-ethylene-proylene-styrene).

25. An article according to claim 1, wherein said elastic gel comprises one or more gel composition(s) selected poly(styrene-ethylene-ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-butylene/ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene- butylene-styrene/ethylene-butylene-styrene), poly(styrene-ethylene-propylene- styrene/ethylene-propylene-styrene), poly(styrene-butadiene-styrene), silicone, and polyurethane.

2. An article according to caim 1, wherien said plaque removing means comprises one or more plaque removing textural component(s) or one or more plaque removing textural and elastic gel component(s);

wherein said eleastic gel comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of from about 70 gram Bloom to about 1,250 gram Bloom.

3. An article according to caim 1, wherein said plaque removing elastic gel means attached to said handle means, said plaque removing elastic gel means having one or more shapes selected from one or more protruded shapes, one or more elastic gel array(s) of protruded shapes, and one or more elastic gel patterned surface(s);

wherein said plaque removing elastic gel means comprises one or more gel composition(s) having a gel rigidity of about 70 gram Bloom to about 800 gram Bloom.

4. An article according to caim 1, wherein said plaque removing means selected from:

one or more plaque removing textural component(s), one or more plaque removing textural and elastic gel component(s), one or more plaque removing textural component(s) having said hollow member, one or more plaque removing textural and elastic gel component(s) having said hollow member;

said textural component(s) comprising one or more materials selected from woven frabrics, non woven fabrics, webs, loops, fibers, and sponges.