TOOTHBRUSH HAVING A COMBINATION OF BRISTLE TYPES

English Abstract

A toothbrush is provided. The toothbrush has a handle and a head attached to
the handle. The head has a free end most distal from the handle and opposed
side edges. A first group of bristle tufts are disposed adjacent the free end
of the head. The first group of bristle tufts have bristles that include a
slip agent. A second group of bristle tufts are disposed along the interior of
the head. The second group of bristle tufts include textured bristles. A third
group of bristle tufts are disposed adjacent the side edges of the head. The
third group of bristle tufts include non-textured bristles.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne une brosse à dents qui comprend un manche auquel est fixée une tête. La tête comprend une extrémité libre qui est la plus éloignée du manche et des bords latéraux opposés. Un premier groupe de touffes de filaments est disposé à proximité de l'extrémité libre de la tête. Le premier groupe de touffes de filaments comprend des filaments qui contiennent un agent glissant. Un second groupe de touffes de filaments est disposé à l'intérieur de la tête. Le second groupe de touffes de filaments comprend des filaments texturés. Un troisième groupe de touffes de filaments est disposé à proximité des bords latéraux de la tête. Le troisième groupe de touffes de filaments comprend des filaments non texturés.

Claims

4
What is claimed is:
1. A toothbrush, comprising:
a handle;
a head attached to said handle, said head having a free end most distal from
said
handle and opposed side edges;
a first group of bristle tufts disposed adjacent said free end of said head,
said first
group of bristle tufts comprising bristles having a slip agent;
a second group of bristle tufts disposed along the interior of said head, said
second
group of bristle tufts comprising textured bristles; and
a third group of bristle tufts disposed adjacent said side edges of said head,
said
third group of bristle tufts comprising non-textured bristles.

Description

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TOOTHBRUSHES
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE IN'VENTION
The present invention relates to toothbrushes, and, more particularly, to
toothbrushes having a coinbination of bristle types.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toothbrushes utilizing various types of bristles are lcnown. However, there is
continued desire to provide improved cleaning, whitening, polishing, mouth
feel, and/or
otller benefits.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the specification concludes with claims directed to the invention, it is
believed that the present invention will be better understood from the
following
description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a toothbi-ush made in accordance with the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a tuft pattern for the head of the toothbrush of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of anotller tuft pattern for the head of the
toothbrush of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a top plan view of another tuft pattern for the head of the
toothbrush of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of another bristle tuft profile suitable for
use with
the toothbrush of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of another tuft pattern for the head of the
toothbrush of
Fig. 1.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made to various einbodiments of the present invention
examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like
numerals
indicate the same elements throughout the views. All patents publications
referenced
herein are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is directed
to
toothbrushes generally, including both electric and manual toothbrushes.
Referring to Fig.
1, a manual toothbrush 20 will now be described. The toothbrush 20 comprises a
handle
22 and a head 24. The head has a plurality of bristle tufts. The bristle tufts
26 disposed
adjacent the free end 28 of the head 24 comprise bristles that comprise a slip
agent which
reduces the coefficient of friction of the bristle. Some slip agents which can
be used are a
fluorinated olefin polymer (e.g., poly(tetrafluoroethylene)), boron nitride,
molybdenuin
disulfide, graphites, fullerene and talc. The slip agent can be a admixed with
the bristle
material or can forin part of a coating on the bristle. The tufts 26 of
bristles are arranged in
a group 28 at the free end 28 of the head 24. An example of one bristle
suitable for use in
the tufts 26 is described in USPN 2002/0120995.
Bristle tufts 32 are disposed along the inner portion of the head 24 and can
extend
from the group of tufts 28 to end of the head 24 that is connected to the
handle 22. The
tufts 28 can be formed from bristles that have a micro or macro non-linear
shape or texture
associated with the bristles. Examples include crimped bristles, embossed
bristles, flagged
bristles, and bristles having scales, serrations, projections, pockets,
dimples, or ridges
about their outer surface. Some suitable bristles for tufts 28 are described
in USPNs
6,058,541; 3,295,156; 4,373,541; 3,567,569; 4,616,374; 3,671,381; 5,770,307;
6,141,818;
and 2,317,485.
Bristle tufts 34 are disposed adjacent the side edges 36 of the toothbrush
head 24
and can extend from adjacent tufts 26 substantially along the length of the
group of tufts
32. Tufts 34 thus form one or more outer rows of tufts. Tufts 34 can be formed
from non-
textured bristles as are lcnow in the art. An example of some non-textured
bristles are
illustrated in USPNs 6,151,745 and 5,926,897. The bristles of tufts 34 can be
formed from
a thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., natural or artificial rubber) or traditional
polymeric
materials such as NYLON. The bristle tufts 34 can also be provided in the form
of
upstanding elastomeric elements such as described in USPN 6,371,294 and WO
00/76369.
It is contemplated that bristle tufts 32 and 34 can be exchanged so that non-
textured bristle
tufts 34 are disposed along the interior of the head 24 and textured bristle
tufts 32 form the
outer tuft rows of head 24. It is also contemplated that the bristle tufts 32
and 34 and be
intermixed so that both disposed along the interior of the head 24 or both
form the outer

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tuft rows of head 24. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the non-textured bristle
tufts 34 may
wholly or partially encircle the textured tufts 32. The textured bristle tufts
32 may extend
above the non-textured bristle tufts 34, as seen in Fig. 5, in order to
improve the
effectiveness of the textured bristle tufts 32. The bristle tufts 26
comprising bristles
incorporating a slip agent may extend above both the textured bristle tufts 32
and the non-
textured tufts 34 as seen in Figs. 1 and 5 for better cleaning.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the bristle tufts 26
comprising
bristles incorporating a slip agent may be provided along the interior of the
head 24, as
seen in Fig. 6. The bristle tufts 26 may wholly or partially fill the interior
of the head 26.
In Fig. 6, the bristle tufts 26 are shown alternating with rows of non-
textured bristle tufts
34.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with
respect to the bristle tufts profiles illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, it is
contemplated that otlier
bristle tuft profiles can be provided.