Oral care implement

• US 8,393,042 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Moskovich, Robert, Waguespack, Kenneth, Russell, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US12/576,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20100024144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 152/01, 151/671, 151/72
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• 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 5/0029 Head made of soft plastics, rubber or rubber inserts in plastics matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/02 specially shaped for holding by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/021 Grips or handles specially adapted to conform to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/026 Grips or handles having a nonslip section
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/06 movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement driven brush bodies A46B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/025 the bristles or the tufts being arranged in an angled position relative to each other
• 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
• 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

Abstract

An oral care implement is provided having a handle and a head with tooth cleaning elements extending from fixed pods. Additional tooth cleaning elements extend from one or more central pods suspended between the fixed pods via a bridge. The bridge may be formed from an elastomer and permit the one or more central pods to move from an initial position toward the head during use. The central pods, the bridge and outer portions of the fixed pods may be formed as a unitary structure. When a single central pod is employed, a flexible section may be disposed in the middle of the central pod so that cleaning elements extending from either end of the central pod can move toward one another during use.

Claims

1. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle and having a first face;

a proximal fixed pod and a distal fixed pod extending from said first face, said pods further comprising a plurality of cleaning elements; and

at least one central pod disposed between and supported above said first face by said pair of fixed pods by at least one suspension member so that a gap exists between a bottom surface of the at least one central pod and the first face, said at least one central pod further comprising a plurality of cleaning elements;

wherein at least a portion of said at least one central pod is movable in a direction normal to said first face.

2. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein said suspension member is made from a resilient material.

3. The oral care implement of claim 2, wherein said resilient material includes a thermoplastic, a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoplastic urethane, a plastomer, or combinations thereof.

4. The oral care implement of claim 1, wherein said at least one central pod comprises a single pod having at least two groups of cleaning elements extending therefrom.

5. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle, the head having a base structure having a first face;

a proximal pod extending from the first face of the base structure, the proximal pod being substantially non-movable with respect to the base structure, a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the proximal pod;

a distal pod extending from the first face of the base structure, the distal pod being substantially non-movable with respect to the base structure, a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the distal pod;

at least one central pod disposed between and supported above the first face by the proximal and distal pods by at least one suspension member, a gap existing between a bottom surface of the at least one central pod and the first face of the base structure, a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the at least one central pod; and

the at least one central pod being movable with respect to the base structure.

6. The oral care implement of claim 5 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod and the at least one central pod are aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head.

7. The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein the central pod can twist about a support axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head.

8. The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the central pod is movable in a direction normal to said first face.

9. The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein the distal pod forms a distal-most portion of the head and the proximal pod forms a proximal-most portion of the head.

10. The oral care implement of claim 9 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod, and the base structure are a unitary structure constructed of a rigid material.

11. The oral care implement of claim 10 wherein the at least one central pod is constructed of a rigid material.

12. The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein the at least one central pod has a transverse width that is substantially equal to a transverse width of the base structure.

13. The oral care implement of claim 6 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod, and the at least one central pod is constructed of a rigid material, and wherein the suspension member is constructed of a resilient material.

14. The oral care implement of claim 13 comprising only one central pod disposed between the proximal pod and the distal pod.

15. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle, the head having a base structure having a first face;

a proximal pod and a distal pod extending from the first face and being static with respect to the base structure, said proximal and distal pods comprising a plurality of cleaning elements extending therefrom;

at least one central pod disposed between and supported above the first face by the proximal and distal pods by a resilient member so that a gap exists between a bottom surface of the at least one central pod and the first face, the at least one central pod comprising a plurality of cleaning elements extending therefrom; and

the resilient member forming a first loop that peripherally surrounds the proximal pod and a second loop that peripherally surrounds the distal pod, the resilient member attached to the at least one central pod.

16. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the resilient member is a membrane.

17. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the proximal and distal pods comprise a groove which receives the first and second loops.

18. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod, and the at least one central pod are constructed of a rigid material.

19. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod and the at least one central pod are aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head.

20. The oral care implement of claim 19 wherein the central pod can twist about a support axis that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the head.

21. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein at least a portion of the central pod is movable in a direction normal to said first face.

22. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the distal pod forms a distal-most portion of the head and the proximal pod forms a proximal-most portion of the head.

23. The oral care implement of claim 15, wherein said resilient member envelops the at least one central pod.

24. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the proximal pod, the distal pod, and the base structure are a unitary structure constructed of a rigid material.

25. The oral care implement of claim 15 wherein the at least one central pod has a transverse width that is substantially equal to a transverse width of the base structure.

26. The oral care implement of claim 15 comprising only one central pod disposed between the proximal pod and the distal pod.