Toothbrush

• US 7,168,125 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Hohlbein, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US10/963,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20050102783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 151/671, 151/672, 152/072, 15D/IG.5, 151/10, 151/06, D41/04, D41/08, 601/139, 601/141
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0032 with protrusion for polishing teeth
• 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: A46B 9/06 Arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3463 Translation along the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/05 Varied length bristle

Abstract

A toothbrush includes a head and a handle, wherein the head has a plurality of dense packs of bristles surrounded by a plurality of tufts. The tufts can be inclined, extended farther from the head than the cleaning members to retain dentifrice, and at either end or along the sides of the head.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle, the head including a face and a longitudinal axis;

a first dense pack of bristles and a second dense pack of bristles extending from the face and being spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, said first and second dense packs each defining a distal cleaning area for engaging teeth of the user; and

a plurality of tufts of bristles extending from the face, some of the tufts extending at an inclination to the face and some of the tufts extending generally perpendicular to the face, a first portion of said tufts being positioned between the first and second dense packs and to surround said first and second dense packs, and a second portion of the tufts being positioned on the face outside of the first portion of the tufts, at least one tuft of the second portion being positioned between the first and second dense packs, each tuft of the first portion defining a tuft cleaning area, and each said tuft cleaning area being smaller than the each said distal cleaning area, wherein the first portion of the tufts collectively form a generally circular first bristle ring surrounding the first dense pack and a second generally circular bristle ring surrounding the second dense pack, the first bristle ring and the second bristle ring each having a center, respectively, and the first dense pack and the second dense pack each have a center, respectively, wherein the center of the first dense pack is generally coincident with the center of the first bristle ring, and the center of the second dense pack is generally coincident with the center of the second bristle ring.

2. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first and second dense packs each extend generally perpendicular to the face.

3. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein tufts of said second portion are positioned at opposing ends of the head.

4. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first portion of tufts extends farther from the face than the first and second dense packs.

5. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein said head includes a pair of sides extending between the ends, and wherein at least one tuft of the second portion is positioned adjacent each said side.

6. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second dense packs are adjacent each other generally along the longitudinal axis with the second dense pack closer to the handle, and wherein at least one tuft of said second portion is positioned on the face to one side of the first dense pack opposite the extension of the handle, and at least one other tuft of said second portion is positioned on the face to one side of said second dense pack proximate the handle.

7. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said distal cleaning area has a generally concave configuration.

8. A toothbrush comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle, the head including a face, a first end remote from the handle, a second end proximate to the handle, a pair of sides extending between the ends, and a longitudinal axis;

a first dense pack of bristles and a second dense pack of bristles extending from the face and being spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, said first and second dense packs each including an end remote from the face, each said end defining a first perimeter; and

a plurality of tufts of bristles extending from the face, some of the tufts extending at an inclination to the face and some of the tufts extending generally perpendicular to the face, a first portion of said tufts being positioned on the face to encircle said first and second dense packs, and a second portion of the tufts being positioned on the face outside of the first portion of the tufts, the first portion of tufts extending farther from the face than the first and second dense packs, each of the first portion of said tufts having a distal end remote from the face each said distal end defining a second perimeter which is smaller than said first perimeter, a plurality of said second portion of tufts being positioned at the first end of the head, and a plurality of said second portion of tufts being positioned along said sides of the head;

wherein the first portion of tufts collectively form a generally circular first bristle ring around the first dense pack and a second generally circular bristle ring around the second dense pack, the first bristle ring and the second bristle ring each having a center, respectively, and the first dense pack and the second dense pack each have a center, respectively, wherein the center of the first dense pack is generally coincident with the center of the first bristle ring, and the center of the second dense pack is generally coincident with the center of the second bristle ring.

9. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 8 wherein said dense packs of bristles extend generally perpendicular from the face.

10. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 8 wherein said second portion of the tufts at at least one of the ends of the head extends generally perpendicular from the face.

11. A toothbrush in accordance with claim 8 wherein said second portion of the tufts at at least one of the ends of the head extends at an inclination to the face.