Tongue hygiene device

• US RE37,625 E1
• Filed: 05/18/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Peak Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peak Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Oechslin, Thomas A., Wieder, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US09/314,181
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 151/431, 151/60, 151/671, D 4/104, D 4/111
• US Class Current: 15/160
• 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 5/02 specially shaped for holding by the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes

Abstract

A tongue hygiene device to be used with a mildly abrasive cleanser, the tongue hygiene device having a generally elongate handle section and a generally disk-shaped cleansing section. The handle section is ergonomically designed to allow the user to effectively and comfortably hold the tongue hygiene device in proper cleansing alignment with the tongue. The cleansing section includes three generally parallel, circular patterns of medium-length bristles of medium stiffness, protruding from a generally disk-shaped cleansing head, the cleansing head having a top face, and a bottom face from which the bristles protrude, and a large aperture extending between the centers of the bottom and top faces which is surrounded by the bristles on the bottom face. The bristles allow the tongue hygiene device to cleanse the tongue by brushing bacteria and food buildup from the tongue using a mildly abrasive cleanser. The aperture allows air and the lather formed by brushing with a cleanser to pass through the head element, thereby increasing the lather and facilitating the passage of bacteria and food buildup away from the surface of the tongue, and provides a conduit for the passage of air and water through the head element during cleaning of the tongue hygiene device, expediting and simplifying cleaning of the tongue hygiene device and hastening drying of the bristles.

Claims

1. A tongue hygiene device for use with a mildly abrasive cleansing medium, comprising:

a generally elongate handle having a top surface, a bottom surface, and proximal and distal ends, said handle being ergonomically designed to provide finger notches for placement of a user'"'"'s fingers on the top surface of said distal handle portion and wherein the bottom surface is substantially smooth except for a single thumb notch for placement of a user'"'"'s thumb and;

a generally disk-shaped cleansing head portion disposed at the proximal end of said handle portion structured to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth, said cleansing head portion having a bottom face, a top face, a side edge and an aperture located centrally therethrough to permit passage of fluid and air; and

a plurality of bristles protruding from the bottom face of said cleansing head portion in a generally perpendicular relation thereto.

2. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said bristles are disposed in a generally parallel circular pattern extending outward from said aperture toward said side edge.

3. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said bristles have a medium stiffness.

4. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein said bristles protrude approximately one-quarter inch from the bottom face of said cleansing head portion.

5. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein the diameter of the disk formed by said cleansing head portion measures approximately one inch.

6. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein the height of the side edge of said cleansing head portion measures approximately one-quarter inch.

7. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein the side edge of said cleansing head portion has a rounded and highly polished surface.

8. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said bristles includes a plurality of individual strands.

9. A tongue hygiene device as recited in claim 1 wherein the aperture located centrally through the bottom face and top face of said cleansing head portion has a diameter of approximately one-quarter inch.

10. A tongue hygiene device for use with a cleansing medium, comprising:

a generally elongate handle having a top surface, a bottom surface, and proximal and distal portions,

said distal portion having notches for placement of a user'"'"'s fingers on the top surface of said distal portion and the bottom surface is substantially smooth except for a notch for placement of a user'"'"'s thumb, said notches orienting said handle in a single position in said user'"'"'s hand ;

said proximal portion being curved and being attached to said distal portion;

a generally disk-shaped cleansing head portion disposed at said proximal portion structured to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth, said cleansing head portion having a bottom face, a top face, and a side edge and an aperture located centrally therethrough to permit passage of fluid and air, wherein the cleansing head portion is at a different planar orientation than the distal portion; and

a plurality of bristles protruding from the bottom face of said cleansing head portion in a generally perpendicular relation thereto , the notches facilitating placement of the user'"'"'s fingers and thumb during use with the bristles angled downward.

11. A tongue hygiene device, comprising:

12. The tongue hygiene device of claim 11, wherein the proximal and distal portions of the handle meet at an angle of less than 180 degrees, as measured on the top surface.

13. A tongue hygiene device, comprising: