Abstract:
A system or method of forming an oral care implement (300) and an oral care implement (300) formed thereby comprising a base structure (310) having a handle portion (311) and a head portion (312). The method may comprise providing a first mold that defines a first mold cavity having a first portion that corresponds to the handle portion and a second portion that corresponds to the head portion; injecting a first material into the first portion (111) of the first mold cavity via a first injection orifice (120) with a first hot runner sub¬ system; and injecting a second material into the first portion of the first mold cavity via a second injection orifice (130) with a second hot runner sub-system, the second material being injected into the first material thereby forming the base structure, the second material forming a core component and the first material forming a shell component of the base structure that surrounds the core component.
Abstract:
A method of forming a bristle field for an oral care implement. The method includes providing a bundle of bristles and aligning the bundle of bristles with an insertion opening in a guide member. Upon insertion into the guide member, the guide member divides the bundle of bristles into a plurality of bristle tufts. The guide member can be aligned with tuft holes on a head or head plate of an oral care implement so that the bundle of bristles can be inserted through the guide member and into the tuft holes. As a result, a single bundle of bristles can be used to mount a plurality of bristle tufts to the head or head plate.
Abstract:
An oral care system comprising an oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, and dispenser containing a fluid detachably coupled to the toothbrush. The invention is an oral care system comprising: a toothbrush having a cavity; a dispenser comprising a reservoir containing a fluid; a cap detachably coupled to the dispenser; wherein when the cap is coupled to the dispenser, the cap prohibits the dispenser from being inserted into the cavity; and wherein when the cap is detached from the dispenser, the dispenser can be inserted into the cavity and detachably coupled to the toothbrush.
Abstract:
A powered toothbrush includes a handle having a neck. A head is mounted to the neck and has a first surface and an opposed second surface. At least one fixed tuft block is mounted to the head in a fixed orientation and has a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface. A movable tuft block is flexibly connected to each fixed tuft block and has a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending outwardly away from the first surface. A drive assembly is operably connected to the movable tuft block to move the movable tuft block with respect to each fixed tuft block.
Abstract:
An ultrasonic system may include: an oral care device including: a head; a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from a first side of the head; and an ultrasound module including an ultrasound transceiver positioned in the head, the ultrasound transceiver configured to produce an ultrasound signal on the first side of the head and to generate a detection signal from a reflected ultrasound signal; and a processing module operably coupled to the ultrasound module to receive the detection signal; wherein the processing module includes a programmable processor configured to process the detection signal non-linearly with respect to time by first identifying a first reflection representing a surface of a tooth and then determining whether a second reflection peak is present in the detection signal at a time prior to the first reflection peak, the second reflection peak representing a biofilm on the surface of the tooth.
Abstract:
A package (100) for an oral care implement such as one or more toothbrushes can include a transparent or translucent front panel (102) having a flat surface at a consumer-facing side of the package. The package can further include a transparent or translucent back panel (104) attached to the front panel, the back panel having a contoured surface, as well as text and/or graphics (116) on the front panel, wherein the package is configured to be displayed with the front panel of the package facing a viewing location. The front panel can further include an opening tab (120) defined by a tab line (122), a flap (126) defined, at least in part, by the tab line, and an opening cavity (124) in the back panel that is positioned behind the flap.
Abstract:
A packaged oral care implement that includes a package having a blister carton with a receiving trough, an insert tray positioned within the receiving trough, and a backer panel enclosing an open rear end of the receiving trough. The insert tray may be located within a middle axial section of the receiving trough and is in a fixed axial position relative to the blister carton through mating contact between a retaining section of the blister carton and a portion of the insert tray. An oral care implement is positioned within the receiving trough of the blister carton such that an ansate body of the oral care implement is positioned within a product receiving channel of the insert tray to prevent movement of the oral care implement relative to the insert tray.
Abstract:
A packaged oral care implement (1000) and method of opening the same. In one embodiment, the package (2000) includes a tab (106) on a first panel (100) of the package that is strategically located so that the oral care implement itself (1000) acts as a foundation or barrier adjacent to the tab that assists with shearing the first panel to release the tab.
Abstract:
An oral care dispenser and oral care system implementing the same. In one embodiment, the dispenser may comprise a collar having an axial passageway in which a drive component is rotatably coupled. The collar comprises a segmented neck portion and a non-segmented body portion that comprises a plurality of protuberances extending into the axial passageway. The drive component comprises at least one resilient arm that interacts with the plurality of protuberances to generate an audible signal during relative rotation.
Abstract:
A thermoformed package (10) can be easily opened when it is comprised of a first enclosing section (12), an intermediate section (30), and a second enclosing section (42). The first enclosing section (12) and second enclosing section (42) are each bonded to the intermediate section (30) about the periphery of the intermediate section (30) to form the package (10). The strength of the bond of at least one of the first enclosing section (12) and the second enclosing section (42) to the intermediate section (30) being less than the shear strength of the material of the first enclosing section (12) and the second enclosing section (42).