Oral care implement

• US 8,079,110 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Hohlbein, Douglas J., Mintel, Thomas E., Baertschi, Armin
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/787,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 151/10, 151/11, 151/17, 151/671, 15186-188, 601/139, 601/141, 606/161
• US Class Current: 15/110
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0081 Brushes with a scraper, e.g. tongue scraper
• 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

Abstract

An oral care implement with a handle includes a head with a tissue cleanser. The tissue cleanser may be a pad composed of an elastomeric material. The pad is disposed on the head on a surface opposite the tooth cleaning elements. The tissue cleanser may include a plurality of nubs extending for cleaning between the papillae of the tongue. The tissue cleanser may include a plurality of conically shaped nubs. A tissue cleanser can be used to reduce oral malodor problems and remove oral epithelial cells.

Claims

1. An oral care implement comprising a head connected to a handle, the head including a support surface and a cleanser for soft tissue in the mouth, the cleanser including at least one projection protruding outward from the support surface for removal of microbial and other debris from soft tissue in the mouth, the at least one projection including a first surface and a second surface that converge toward each other to define a distal edge surface to contact the soft tissue, the first surface being inclined to the support surface at a first angle and generally facing in a first direction towards the handle, the second surface being inclined at a second angle to the support surface and generally facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the first angle being larger than the second angle such that the first surface is steeper than the second surface, and wherein the at least one projection is a nub having a cylindrical shape.

2. An oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the at least one projection is formed of an elastomeric material.

3. An oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the at least one projection is formed of a relatively hard plastic material.

4. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the nub comprises a base portion having a circular cross-section, the base portion terminating in the distal edge surface.

5. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the cleanser comprises a base in the form of a strip, the cleanser comprising a plurality of the projections protruding from the strip in a spaced-apart manner, the cleanser being formed of an elastomeric material.

7. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the head comprises a first face opposite the support surface, a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from the first face.

8. The oral care implement of claim 7 wherein the first face is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the handle.

6. An oral care implement comprising a head connected to a handle, the head including a support surface and a cleanser for soft tissue in the mouth, the cleanser including at least one projection protruding outward from the support surface for removal of microbial and other debris from soft tissue in the mouth, the at least one projection including a first surface and a second surface that converge toward each other to define a distal edge surface to contact the soft tissue, the first surface being inclined to the support surface at a first angle and generally facing in a first direction towards the handle, the second surface being inclined at a second angle to the support surface and generally facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the first angle being larger than the second angle such that the first surface is steeper than the second surface, wherein the cleanser comprises a plurality of the projections protruding outward from the support surface arranged seriatim, and wherein each of the plurality of projections comprises a base portion having a circular cross-section, the base portion terminating in the distal edge surface.