Oral care implement

• US 8,800,093 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Moskovich, Robert, Gatzemeyer, John J., Russell, Bruce, Andersen, Peter, Casini, Luca, Hancock, John, Hohlbein, Douglas, Jimenez, Eduardo, Kuechler, Thomas, Langgner, Tanja, Storz, Joachim, Mintel, Thomas, Rooney, Michael, Sorrentino, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): GUIDOTTI, LAURA COLE
• Application Number:
  US13/310,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 151/671, 151/10, D41/04
• 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 5/0062 being flexible or resilient during use
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/007 Inserts made of different material, e.g. springs, plates
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/02 specially shaped for holding by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/026 Grips or handles having a nonslip section
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights

Abstract

An oral care implement having a handle and a head having a flexible support from which cleaning elements extend. In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head attached to the handle; a flexible support attached to the head and having a face; a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the flexible support and projecting outwardly from the face, the cleaning elements including bristles and wall-like elements and being movable in the outward direction from the head; wherein the cleaning elements comprise a row of first cleaning elements substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head and traversing a central region of the flexible support; and wherein some of the wall-like cleaning elements laterally radiate from the central region of the flexible support.

Claims

1. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle;

a flexible support attached to the head and having a face;

a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the flexible support and projecting outwardly from the face;

wherein the cleaning elements comprise;

a row of first cleaning elements substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head and traversing a central region of the flexible support, the row of first cleaning elements comprising a combination of columnar and elongate elements, the elongate elements being elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of wall-like elements laterally radiating from the central region of the flexible support;

a first pair of bent cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements disposed at an opposite end of the row of first cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements having a concave side oriented toward the row of first cleaning elements; and

a row of second cleaning elements extending in a line substantially perpendicular to the row of first cleaning elements, wherein the longitudinal axis and the line intersect at a central point that is devoid of cleaning elements.

2. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the cleaning elements further comprise a second pair of bent cleaning elements, each one of the second pair of bent cleaning elements disposed at an opposite end of the row of second cleaning elements, each one of the second pair of bent cleaning elements having a concave side oriented toward the row of second cleaning elements.

3. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the flexible support includes a resilient membrane mounted to the head.

4. The oral care implement of claim 3 wherein the head includes a base forming a peripheral frame, the resilient membrane being mounted to the frame, and an open space being formed between the frame and the resilient membrane.

5. The oral care implement of claim 4 wherein the resilient membrane has an initial condition of non-use, the resilient membrane in the initial condition being convex to have an original dome-like shape, the resilient membrane being capable of flexing to alter the original dome-like shape during use of the oral care implement and to move the cleaning elements with respect to the head and the recovering to the original dome-like shape.

6. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the first cleaning elements and the second cleaning elements form a cross-shape across the face of the flexible support.

7. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the first cleaning elements extend further from the face of the flexible support than the wall-like elements that laterally radiate from the central region of the flexible support.

8. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein the elongate elements comprise a first elongate element positioned on to first side of the row of second cleaning elements and a second elongate element positioned on a. second side of the row of second cleaning elements.

9. The oral care implement of claim 8 wherein the row of second cleaning, elements comprises a third elongate element positioned on as first side of the row of first cleaning elements and a fourth elongate element positioned on a second side of the row of first cleaning elements, each of the third and fourth elongate elements being elongated in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

10. The oral care implement of claim 1 wherein one of the elongate elements of the row of first cleaning elements is positioned adjacent to the concave side of each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements.

11. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle;

a flexible support attached to the head and having a face;

a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the flexible support and projecting outwardly from the face;

wherein the cleaning elements comprise;

a row of first cleaning, elements substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head and traversing a central region of the flexible support the row of first cleaning elements comprising a combination of columnar and elongate elements, the elongate elements being elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of wall-like elements laterally radiating from the central region of the flexible support;

a first fair of bent cleaning, elements, each one of the first fair of bent cleaning elements disposed at an opposite end of the row of first cleaning elements, each one of the first air of bent cleaning elements having, a concave side oriented toward the row of first cleaning elements, and

a row of second cleaning elements extending in a line substantially perpendicular to the row of first cleaning elements, wherein the second cleaning elements extend further from the face of the flexible support than the wall-like elements that laterally radiate from the central region of the flexible support.

12. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle;

a flexible support attached to the head and having a face;

a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the flexible support and projecting outwardly from the face;

wherein the cleaning elements comprise;

a row of first cleaning elements substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head and traversing a central region of the flexible support, the row of first cleaning elements comprising a combination of columnar and elongate elements, the elongate elements being elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of wall-like elements laterally radiating from the central region of the flexible support;

a first pair of bent cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements disposed at an opposite end of the row of first cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements having a concave side oriented toward the row of first cleaning elements; and

a row of second cleaning elements extending in a line substantially perpendicular to the row of first cleaning elements, wherein the row of first cleaning elements comprises two of the elongate elements and one of the columnar elements on each side of the row of second cleaning elements.

13. The oral care implement of claim 12 wherein the columnar element on each side of the row of second cleaning elements is positioned between the two elongate elements on each side of the row of second cleaning elements.

14. An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;

a head attached to the handle;

a flexible support attached to the head and having a face;

a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the flexible support and projecting outwardly from the face;

wherein the cleaning elements comprise;

a row of first cleaning elements substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head and traversing a central region of the flexible support, the row of first cleaning elements comprising a combination of columnar and elongate elements, the elongate elements being elongated in a direction of the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of wall-like elements laterally radiating from the central region of the flexible support;

a first pair of bent cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements disposed at an opposite end of the row of first cleaning elements, each one of the first pair of bent cleaning elements having a concave side oriented toward the row of first cleaning elements; and

a row of second cleaning elements extending in a line substantially perpendicular to the row of first cleaning elements, wherein;

the elongate elements comprise a first elongate element positioned on a first side of the row of second cleaning elements and a second elongate element positioned on a second side of the row of second cleaning elements;

the row of second cleaning elements comprises a third elongate element positioned on a first side of the row of first cleaning elements and a fourth elongate element positioned on a second side of the row of first cleaning elements. each of the third and fourth elongate elements being elongated in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

the first, second, third and fourth elongate elements collectively form a cross-shape configuration, a center point of the cross-shape configuration being devoid of cleaning elements.

15. The oral care implement of claim 14 wherein one of the wall-like elements laterally radiating from the central region of the flexible support extends into a space between each pair of adjacent ones of the first, second, third and fourth elongate elements.