CONTOURED TOOTHBRUSH

• US 3,742,549 A
• Filed: 02/03/1972
• Issued: 07/03/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gerson Cohen, Irwin W. Scopp
• Original Assignee: Gerson Cohen, Irwin W. Scopp
• Inventors: Scopp, Irwin W., Cohen, Gerson
• Primary Examiner(s): Feldman, Peter
• Application Number:
  US05/223,170
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 15/167R,167A,159R,159A
• US Class Current: 15/167.1
• 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

A contoured toothbrush adapted to reach and clean areas which are inaccessible to conventional toothbrushes, the configuration of the brush being such as to conform to the natural convexity of the teeth. The toothbrush is constituted by an array of tufts, each formed by a cluster of bristles mounted on a shank, the height of the tufts in the longitudinal direction diminishing progressively from the front to the rear of the array. The diameter of each bristle is proportionally related to the height thereof (the taller the thicker, and the shorter the thinner), whereby the consistency of the brush is effectively homogeneous. In the transverse direction, the height of the tufts follows a curve to define a concave channel which conforms to the convex form of the teeth engaged thereby.

Claims

1. A toothbrush adapted to reach and clean dental areas inaccessible to conventional toothbrushes and comprising a. a shank;

and b. a brush constituted by a generally rectangular array of upstanding tufts anchored in said shank, each tuft being constituted by a cluster of bristles, the height of the tufts in the longitudinal direction diminishing progressively from the front to the rear of the array, the height of the tufts in the transverse direction following a curve to create a concave channel running the length of the brush and conforming to the natural convexity of teeth to be brushed, the diameter of the bristles in each tuft being a function of height whereby short bristles are thinner than long bristles to provide a brush of substantially homogeneous consistency.

2. A toOthbrush as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shank is provided with a handle extension, said shank and handle being integral with each other and being fabricated of synthetic plastic material.

3. A toothbrush as set forth in claim 2, wherein said bristles are formed of synthetic plastic material.

4. A toothbrush as set forth in claim 1 wherein the number of bristles clustered in each tuft depends on the diameter of the bristles whereby all tufts in the brush have substantially the same peripheral dimension.

5. A toothbrush as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tufts along the edges of the array have a distinct color to visually demark the concave channel.

6. A toothbrush as set forth in claim 1, further including an adapter connected to said shank for attachment to an electric motor.