Abstract:
An oral care implement that includes a conical tuft of bristles. In one embodiment, the invention is an oral care implement that includes a handle and a head coupled to the handle, the head having a front surface. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements extend from the front surface of the head. The plurality of tooth cleaning elements include a conical tuft that has a bristle wall having an inner surface defining a cavity, the cavity having a transverse cross-sectional area that increases with distance from the front surface of the head. Furthermore, in some embodiments the bristle wall terminates in an annular top surface that is inclined relative to the front surface of the head. In some embodiments, the head includes more than one of the conical tufts, such as two of the conical tufts or four of the conical tufts.
Abstract:
An oral care implement having a multi-component handle is disclosed. In one aspect, the oral care implement comprises: a handle comprising a first component constructed of a first material and a second component constructed of a second material; the first component comprising: first, second and third depressions formed into an outer surface of the first component; and a first through-hole extending from a floor of the second depression to a floor of the third depression, the first through-hole extending through sidewalls of the first depression; and the second component comprising: a first portion disposed within the first depression, a second portion disposed within the second depression, and a third portion disposed within the first depression; and the first, second and third portions connected together to form an integral mass of the second material.
Abstract:
An oral care implement that includes a head having tooth cleaning elements including at least one conical tuft of bristles. The conical tuft of bristles defines a cavity that has a transverse cross-sectional area that increases with distance from the head. The tooth cleaning elements may also include one or more arcuate cleaning elements that at least partially surround the conical tuft. The tooth cleaning elements may also include multi-height bristle tufts along lateral sides of the head. Furthermore, the head may have two conical tufts such that one of the conical tufts is oriented at a smaller acute angle relative to the head than the other conical tuft and/or one of the conical tufts is taller than the other conical tuft.
Abstract:
An oral care implement having a tuft hole with inclined walls. In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a head having a front surface and a rear surface; a tuft hole in the front surface of the head, the tuft hole extending along a central axis, the tuft hole comprising a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, each of the first and second sidewalls comprising an inclined section that converges toward a central plane that comprises the central axis with decreasing distance from the front surface; and a bristle tuft formed by a plurality of bristles, each of the plurality of bristles having a first portion disposed within the tuft hole and a second portion protruding from the front surface of the head, the second portions of the plurality of bristles converging toward the central plane.
Abstract:
An oral care implement is provided having a head frame and a cleaning elements assembly attached thereto with tooth cleaning elements extending from one or more carriers. One or more central carriers can be suspended via a flexible bridge between a pair of support carriers attached to the head frame. The bridge may be formed from an elastomer and permit the one or more central carriers to move from an initial position toward the head frame during use. The bridge may include rigid supports and flexible elastomeric supports. The carriers and the bridge can be formed as a unitary assembly attached to the head frame, such as via mechanical connections. The mechanical connections could include snap-fit connections.
Abstract:
An oral care implement (16000,17000,18000) is provided having a handle (8013) and a head (16002) with tooth cleaning elements (16018) extending from fixed pods (16010,16020). Additional tooth cleaning elements extend from one or more central pods (16050, 17050, 18050) suspended between the fixed pods via a bridge (16060). The bridge may be formed from an elastomer and permit the one or more central pods (16050, 17050, 18050) to move from an initial position toward the head (16002) during use. The central pods (16050, 17050, 18050), the bridge (16060) and outer portions of the fixed pods (16010,16020) may be formed as a unitary structure. When a single central pod (16050, 17050, 18050) is employed, a flexible section (16052) may be disposed in the middle of the central pod so that cleaning elements extending from either end of the central pod (16050, 17050, 18050) can move toward one another during use.
Abstract:
A toothbrush including cleaning element support members (26) that enhance cleaning and user comfort while brushing. The cleaning element support members (26) permit a head (20) of the toothbrush to be comfortably received and manipulated within the user's mouth. The toothbrush head (20) includes a first flexible cleaning element support member (30) positioned at a first end (21) of the head (20), a second flexible cleaning element support member (40) positioned at a second (22), free end and an intermediate flexible cleaning element support member (60). Each flexible cleaning element support member has a flexible stem formed of a resilient material.
Abstract:
An electrically driven toothbrush having a rotatable drive shaft with an end, off-set from the central longitudinal axis of the drive shaft and lodged in a boring in a bristle carrier, which bristle carrier is orbitally secured within a socket in the toothbrush head. When the drive shaft rotates, the end describes a circle and drivingly engages the bristle carrier to actuate the bristle carrier in a three dimensional reciprocating side-to-side and rocking up-and-down motion.