CA2238099C - Dental instrument with improved grip - Google Patents
Dental instrument with improved grip Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2238099C CA2238099C CA002238099A CA2238099A CA2238099C CA 2238099 C CA2238099 C CA 2238099C CA 002238099 A CA002238099 A CA 002238099A CA 2238099 A CA2238099 A CA 2238099A CA 2238099 C CA2238099 C CA 2238099C
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- handle
- grip
- positioning
- dental instrument
- thumb
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
- A46B5/02—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware specially shaped for holding by the hand
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
- A46B5/02—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware specially shaped for holding by the hand
- A46B5/023—Grips or handles specially adapted for children
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
- A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
- A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures
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- Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
- Brushes (AREA)
Abstract
A dental instrument having an elongated handle and a grip with a thumb-positioning concavity in front and at least one finger-positioning concavity in the back of the handle.
Description
DENTAL INSTRUMENT WITH IMPROVED GRIP
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dental instruments intended to be gripped in the hand of the user of the instrument, and, more particularly, to dental instrument handles with concavities for the thumb and at least the forefinger of the user which facilitate a proper, comfortable and secure grip on the instruments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Proper, comfortable and secure use of dental instruments, such as toothbrushes and interproximal brushes, requires that the grip of the instrument handles be properly configured. This is particularly so in dental instruments like toothbrushes intended for use by children whose small hands and lack of experience in properly handling such instruments present special challenges.
Traditionally, commercially available toothbrushes and interdental brushes have had hard, elongated handles which are either rectangular or circular in cross-section and intended to be grasped at random locations along the proximal end of the handle. These handles offer no particularly comfortable, convenient or reproducible grip positioning and are therefore less than ideal for use by adults or children. Children, in particular, find toothbrushes with hard, flat or circular handles difficult to use, particularly in the early stages of learning the toothbrushing process. Certain adults may also find toothbrushes and interdental brushes with hard, flat or circular handles difficult to use due to joint or muscle problems associated with illness or aging.
Recently, toothbrushes with soft elastomeric handles and various types of contouring have become available. While these toothbrush handles are somewhat more comfortable to use and therefore preferable to what had been previously available, they are still less than ideal because they do not provide optimal, secure, or reproducible positioning of the handle grip in the hand of the user.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dental instrument handle which facilitates a proper, comfortable and secure grip on the instrument.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dental s instrument which insures reproducible positioning of the handle in the user's hand.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a dental instrument with a handle which is particularly well-adapted for use by children or by adults who have difficulty grasping or manipulating i o conventional handles.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to dental instruments intended to be gripped in the hand of the user of the instrument, and, more particularly, to dental instrument handles with concavities for the thumb and at least the forefinger of the user which facilitate a proper, comfortable and secure grip on the instruments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Proper, comfortable and secure use of dental instruments, such as toothbrushes and interproximal brushes, requires that the grip of the instrument handles be properly configured. This is particularly so in dental instruments like toothbrushes intended for use by children whose small hands and lack of experience in properly handling such instruments present special challenges.
Traditionally, commercially available toothbrushes and interdental brushes have had hard, elongated handles which are either rectangular or circular in cross-section and intended to be grasped at random locations along the proximal end of the handle. These handles offer no particularly comfortable, convenient or reproducible grip positioning and are therefore less than ideal for use by adults or children. Children, in particular, find toothbrushes with hard, flat or circular handles difficult to use, particularly in the early stages of learning the toothbrushing process. Certain adults may also find toothbrushes and interdental brushes with hard, flat or circular handles difficult to use due to joint or muscle problems associated with illness or aging.
Recently, toothbrushes with soft elastomeric handles and various types of contouring have become available. While these toothbrush handles are somewhat more comfortable to use and therefore preferable to what had been previously available, they are still less than ideal because they do not provide optimal, secure, or reproducible positioning of the handle grip in the hand of the user.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dental instrument handle which facilitates a proper, comfortable and secure grip on the instrument.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a dental s instrument which insures reproducible positioning of the handle in the user's hand.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a dental instrument with a handle which is particularly well-adapted for use by children or by adults who have difficulty grasping or manipulating i o conventional handles.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a dental instrument with a handle intended to be gripped in the hand of the user. The handle is elongated and has a front, a back, and a grip. The grip is located at the proximal end of the handle and is at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user.
The elongated handle has a working portion at its distal end.
The grip of the handle has a front portion with an exposed surface which forms part of the front of the handle. In the preferred embodiment, the grip is made of a semi-rigid plastic. The grip also has a back portion i o with an exposed surface along the back of the handle. The back portion is made of an elastomer.
Action means are located on the front of the handle at the working portion. In the case of a dental instrument in the form of a toothbrush, the action means will comprise a series of upstanding bristles, preferably made 1 s of nylon. In an interdental brush, the action means will comprise a twisted wire brush which may be fixed in place or replaceable.
The grip is provided with at least one thumb-positioning concavity in its front portion, adjacent the proximal end of the grip. This thumb-positioning concavity works in conjunction with at least one finger-2 o positioning concavity in the smooth exposed surface of the back portion of the grip. If only one finger-positioning concavity is used, it is spaced proximally from the thumb-positioning concavity to receive the pad of the user's forefinger.
The above, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the s preferred embodiment in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush in accordance with the present invention;
1 o FIG. 1 A is a partial view of another dental instrument in accordance with the present invention, showing an alternate embodiment in which a similar grip is intended to be used, but in which a twisted wire brush is removably attached to the working portion of the handle of the instrument;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the toothbrush of FIG. l;
is FIG. 2A is an enlarged partial view of the eliptical thumb-positioning concavity of FIG. 2 including the major and minor axes of the ellipse;
FIGS. 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E are further enlarged views of differently shaped thumb-positioning concavities;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1;
2 o FIG. 3A is a partial side view of an alternative embodiment of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is replaced by a thumb-positioning convexity;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the top of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 illustrating finger-positioning concavities on the back of the toothbrush handle;
s FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the bottom of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 to which various decorations have been applied;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a semi-rigid blank to which elastomer is applied to construct the toothbrush of FIG. 1; and FIGS. 7A and 7B are illustrations respectively of a user's hand 1 o curling around the grip of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 and taking a sure and comfortable hold.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment Referring now to the drawings, where like reference numerals have been used to designate like or similar elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 1 s and 3 a dental instrument in accordance with the present invention, in the form of a toothbrush 10 having an elongated handle 12 and a grip 14. The elongated handle includes a front 16, a back 18 and a working portion 20 at the distal end of the handle. Working portion 20 is separated from grip 14 by a neck 21.
2 o Grip 14 includes a front portion 2'_' having an exposed surface 24 forming part of the front 16 of the handle. In the illustrated embodiment, 96 to 101.
Back portion 26 of grip 14 has a rounded lateral cross-section and an exposed surface 28 which meets the back of neck 21 at 23 and constitutes part of the elongated handle 12. As best seen ire FIG. 3, the back portion is s contoured, with a rounded, gradually rising proximal end 2S which reaches a summit 27 and then curves downwardly into a valley 29. Back portion 26 is made from a thermoplastic elastomer such as styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene. which is commonly referred to by the acronym SEBS (e.~..
DYNAFLEXT"'', which is available from G.L.S. Corporation of Cary; Illinois), 1o hydrogenated isoprene-propylene-styrene (e.g., MONPRENET"", which is available from QST Inc. of St. Albanas, Vermont), ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer (e.g., ENGAGE'"", which is available from DuPont Dow Elastorners of Freeport, Texas) and thermoplastic vulcanizate (e.~., SANTC7PRENET"'', which is available from Advanced Elastomer Systems, is L.P: of Akron, Ohio): Among these. SEBS is.preferred. T'~i~ elastomer of back portion ?6 of the grip should have a Shore A hardness value of at least 30 to about 60 and preferably 30 to 40. A Shore A hardness of about 35 is particularly preferred.
Action means 30 are provided on front 16 of the handle at working 2 o portion 20. In the illustrated embodiment, action means 30 comprises a series of upstanding bristles 32 for use in toothbrushing, which are arranged generally perpendicularly to the front 16 of the handle along the working portion. FIG. 1 A illustrates an alternate embodianent of the invention in which a similar grip (not shown) is used. but the action means comprises an interdental brush 33 which includes a twisted wire 34 and a series of bristles 36 protruding from the interstices of the twisted wire. Such brushes are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,805;252 and 5,027,457. The s . twisted wire brush may be either permanently or removably attached to the working portion of the handle.
Although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of toothbrushes and interd.ental brushes, it is not intended to be so limited. Rather, the present invention is intended to 1 o extend to any dental instrument gripped in the hand of the user and used for brushing, cleaning, massaging or otherwise treating the teeth or gums.
Grip 14 includes a thumb-positioning concavity 38 in front portion 22 of the grip. Thumb concavity 38 is adjacent the distal end 40 of the grip.
Preferably it is elliptical, as best seen in FIG. 2, to correspond generally to Zs the shape of the pad of the thumb of a user. Thumb-positioning concavity 38 is positioned so that the major axis A of the cavity is aligned with the longitudinal axis B of the handle. (FIG. 2A.) Alternatively, the thumb-positioning concavity may be a regular shape, such as circular, as shown in FIG. 2B, square as shown in FIG. 2C, triangular as shown in FIG. 2D, or an 2 o irregular shape, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2E.
In the illustrated embodiment, the elliptical thumb-positioning concavity has a major axis A of about 0.5 inches and a minor axis C of about 0.3~ inches. Preferably, the major axis will be from about 0.3 to 0.7 Preferably it is elliptical, as best seen in FIG. ?. to correspond generally to the shape of the pad of the thumb of a user. Thumb-positioning concavity 38 is positioned so that the major axis A of the cavity is aligned with the longitudinal axis B of the handle. (FIG. 2A.) Alternatively, the thumb-s positioning concavity may be a regular shape, such as circular, as shown in FIG. 2B, square as shown in FIG. 2C, triangular as shown in FIG. 2D, or an irregular shape, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2E.
In the illustrated embodiment, the elliptical thumb-positioning concavity has a major axis A of about 0.5 inches and a minor axis C of to about 0.35 inches. Preferably, the major axis will be from about 0.3 to 0.7 inches and the minor axis will be from about 0.2 to 0.5 inches. The depth D
of thumb-positioning concavity 38, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is about 0.025 inches. The concavity, however, may be from 0.01 to 0.10 inches in depth and preferably will be from about 0.015 to 0.03 inches in depth.
is In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, thumb-positioning concavity 38 is replaced with a thumb-positioning convexity 42.
As in the case of the thumb-positioning concavity, convexity 42 is preferably eliptical in shape to correspond to the shape of the pad of the user's thumb, although it may be circular, triangular, etc., as discussed 2 o above with regard to the thumb-positioning concavity.
It is further preferred that concavity 38 and convexity 42, as well as the finger-positioning concavities/convexities which are described below, be made of elastomeric material. This presents the user of the dental instrument with a change of tactile sensation as the thumb is slid along the smooth semi-rigid plastic of front portion 22 until it reaches the softer, higher friction elastomeric material of the concavity or convexity. This change in tactile sensation insures proper placement of the user's thumb and ultimately the user's entire hand on the dental instrument.
A series of finger-positioning concavities 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 are located in the smooth exposed surface 28 of back portion 26 of the grip.
1 o The center of the first finger-positioning concavity 44 is spaced proximally from the center of the thumb-positioning concavity 38. In the illustrated embodiment, this spacing, F, is about 0.3 inches (FIG. 3). For children, spacing F should be from about 0.00 to 0.70 inches and preferably about 0.2 to 0.4 inches. For adults, spacing F should be from about 0.0 to 1.0 inches 1 s and preferably from about 0.2 to 0.6 inches. Also, while the invention requires at least one finger-positioning concavity, and five fmger-positioning concavities are preferred, as many as seven finger-positioning concavities can be used to accommodate a range of different hand sizes.
The first finger-positioning concavity 44 is key because it receives the 2 o user's forefinger and thus cooperates with the thumb-positioning concavity to insure that the user's hand is properly positioned on the grip. The remaining finger-positioning concavities may or may not correspond to the positions of the user's fingers on the grip, although it is preferred that at least two other fingers of the user ultimately rest in finger-positioning concavities to insure a secure and comfortable grasp of the instrument.
s As in the case of the thumb-positioning concavities, it is preferred that the finger-positioning concavities be elongated. Preferably the elongated finger-positioning concavities are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle. It is also preferred that these cavities be about 0.01 to 0.05 inches in depth and preferably about .015 to 0.03 inches in depth. Finally, as in the case of the thumb-positioning concavity, one or more finger-positioning convexities may be used in lieu of the concavities.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, one or more of the finger-positioning concavities/ convexities will be textured. As seen in FIG. 4, in i s the illustrated embodiment the texturing is in the form of a raised design in the elastomeric material. Other texturing configurations could, of course, be used, such as a regular array of bumps or other geometric shapes. Also, the thumb-positioning concavity/convexity may be textured in a like manner.
2 o Returning to FIGS. 1-3, grip 14 has a flat 56 on the smooth surface 28 of back portion 26 of the grip. This flat enables the dental instrument to rest securely on a supporting surface, thereby preventing the action means from coming in contact with the surface.
Surface 24 of grip 14 is smooth and free of encroaching elastomer.
Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the application of decorations to the handle is s facilitated. This is particularly desirable in toothbrushes intended for use by children since the decorations add to the "fun quotient" of the handle. The decorations, for example, may be in the form of decals or pressure-sensitive labels 58, pad printing 60, silk screening 62, or hot stamp printing 64.
Finally, front portion 22 of the grip is provided with a curved, 1 o upwardly ramping section 68 located distally of the thumb-positioning concavity. This upwardly ramping section urges the user's finger back into the thumb-positioning concavity while providing a particularly comfortable rest for the portion of the thumb extending beyond the concavity.
Additionally, ramping section 68 has opposite flat lateral surfaces 69 which 1 s are generally perpendicular to front 16 of the handle and parallel to each other. These flat lateral surfaces enable the toothbrush to securely rest on its side, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with working portion 20 clear of supporting surface 71. This prevents bristles 32 from rotating in a direction which would allow them to touch the supporting surface and become contaminated 2 o by anything on that surface.
Toothbrush 10 may be made by conventional techniques. This typically entails forming a semi-rigid member 70 as illustrated in FIG. 6 by conventional injection molding techniques. The semi-rigid member includes a single flat rib 72 onto which grip 14 is molded by a second conventional injection molding step. Additionally, semi-rigid member 70 is s provided with a cavity 74 through which the back of the rib is exposed.
Cavity 74 permits the formation of an elastomeric lining in thumb-positioning concavity 38.
In use, toothbrush 10 is held by the user as illustrated in Figs. 7A and 7B. The first stage of the gripping motion of the user is shown in FIG. 7A.
i o As seen there, the handle drops into the cupped fingers 77 of the user which curl around the back of the grip. In FIG. 7B, the user's thumb 78 finds thumb-positioning concavity and ramping portion 68 after which the user's forefinger 80 engages the proximal finger-positioning cavity and the remainder of the fingers 82, 84 and 86 fall comfortably into place. With 1 s this grip, the user achieves a sure and comfortable hold on the toothbrush so that it may be used in an efficient, comfortable and secure fashion.
While the present invention is described above in connection with specific embodiments, the invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications or equivalents that may be included within its sphere and scope, as defined by the appended claims.
The present invention comprises a dental instrument with a handle intended to be gripped in the hand of the user. The handle is elongated and has a front, a back, and a grip. The grip is located at the proximal end of the handle and is at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user.
The elongated handle has a working portion at its distal end.
The grip of the handle has a front portion with an exposed surface which forms part of the front of the handle. In the preferred embodiment, the grip is made of a semi-rigid plastic. The grip also has a back portion i o with an exposed surface along the back of the handle. The back portion is made of an elastomer.
Action means are located on the front of the handle at the working portion. In the case of a dental instrument in the form of a toothbrush, the action means will comprise a series of upstanding bristles, preferably made 1 s of nylon. In an interdental brush, the action means will comprise a twisted wire brush which may be fixed in place or replaceable.
The grip is provided with at least one thumb-positioning concavity in its front portion, adjacent the proximal end of the grip. This thumb-positioning concavity works in conjunction with at least one finger-2 o positioning concavity in the smooth exposed surface of the back portion of the grip. If only one finger-positioning concavity is used, it is spaced proximally from the thumb-positioning concavity to receive the pad of the user's forefinger.
The above, as well as other objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the s preferred embodiment in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush in accordance with the present invention;
1 o FIG. 1 A is a partial view of another dental instrument in accordance with the present invention, showing an alternate embodiment in which a similar grip is intended to be used, but in which a twisted wire brush is removably attached to the working portion of the handle of the instrument;
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the toothbrush of FIG. l;
is FIG. 2A is an enlarged partial view of the eliptical thumb-positioning concavity of FIG. 2 including the major and minor axes of the ellipse;
FIGS. 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E are further enlarged views of differently shaped thumb-positioning concavities;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1;
2 o FIG. 3A is a partial side view of an alternative embodiment of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is replaced by a thumb-positioning convexity;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the top of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 illustrating finger-positioning concavities on the back of the toothbrush handle;
s FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the bottom of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 to which various decorations have been applied;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a semi-rigid blank to which elastomer is applied to construct the toothbrush of FIG. 1; and FIGS. 7A and 7B are illustrations respectively of a user's hand 1 o curling around the grip of the toothbrush of FIG. 1 and taking a sure and comfortable hold.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment Referring now to the drawings, where like reference numerals have been used to designate like or similar elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 1 s and 3 a dental instrument in accordance with the present invention, in the form of a toothbrush 10 having an elongated handle 12 and a grip 14. The elongated handle includes a front 16, a back 18 and a working portion 20 at the distal end of the handle. Working portion 20 is separated from grip 14 by a neck 21.
2 o Grip 14 includes a front portion 2'_' having an exposed surface 24 forming part of the front 16 of the handle. In the illustrated embodiment, 96 to 101.
Back portion 26 of grip 14 has a rounded lateral cross-section and an exposed surface 28 which meets the back of neck 21 at 23 and constitutes part of the elongated handle 12. As best seen ire FIG. 3, the back portion is s contoured, with a rounded, gradually rising proximal end 2S which reaches a summit 27 and then curves downwardly into a valley 29. Back portion 26 is made from a thermoplastic elastomer such as styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene. which is commonly referred to by the acronym SEBS (e.~..
DYNAFLEXT"'', which is available from G.L.S. Corporation of Cary; Illinois), 1o hydrogenated isoprene-propylene-styrene (e.g., MONPRENET"", which is available from QST Inc. of St. Albanas, Vermont), ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer (e.g., ENGAGE'"", which is available from DuPont Dow Elastorners of Freeport, Texas) and thermoplastic vulcanizate (e.~., SANTC7PRENET"'', which is available from Advanced Elastomer Systems, is L.P: of Akron, Ohio): Among these. SEBS is.preferred. T'~i~ elastomer of back portion ?6 of the grip should have a Shore A hardness value of at least 30 to about 60 and preferably 30 to 40. A Shore A hardness of about 35 is particularly preferred.
Action means 30 are provided on front 16 of the handle at working 2 o portion 20. In the illustrated embodiment, action means 30 comprises a series of upstanding bristles 32 for use in toothbrushing, which are arranged generally perpendicularly to the front 16 of the handle along the working portion. FIG. 1 A illustrates an alternate embodianent of the invention in which a similar grip (not shown) is used. but the action means comprises an interdental brush 33 which includes a twisted wire 34 and a series of bristles 36 protruding from the interstices of the twisted wire. Such brushes are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,805;252 and 5,027,457. The s . twisted wire brush may be either permanently or removably attached to the working portion of the handle.
Although the invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of toothbrushes and interd.ental brushes, it is not intended to be so limited. Rather, the present invention is intended to 1 o extend to any dental instrument gripped in the hand of the user and used for brushing, cleaning, massaging or otherwise treating the teeth or gums.
Grip 14 includes a thumb-positioning concavity 38 in front portion 22 of the grip. Thumb concavity 38 is adjacent the distal end 40 of the grip.
Preferably it is elliptical, as best seen in FIG. 2, to correspond generally to Zs the shape of the pad of the thumb of a user. Thumb-positioning concavity 38 is positioned so that the major axis A of the cavity is aligned with the longitudinal axis B of the handle. (FIG. 2A.) Alternatively, the thumb-positioning concavity may be a regular shape, such as circular, as shown in FIG. 2B, square as shown in FIG. 2C, triangular as shown in FIG. 2D, or an 2 o irregular shape, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2E.
In the illustrated embodiment, the elliptical thumb-positioning concavity has a major axis A of about 0.5 inches and a minor axis C of about 0.3~ inches. Preferably, the major axis will be from about 0.3 to 0.7 Preferably it is elliptical, as best seen in FIG. ?. to correspond generally to the shape of the pad of the thumb of a user. Thumb-positioning concavity 38 is positioned so that the major axis A of the cavity is aligned with the longitudinal axis B of the handle. (FIG. 2A.) Alternatively, the thumb-s positioning concavity may be a regular shape, such as circular, as shown in FIG. 2B, square as shown in FIG. 2C, triangular as shown in FIG. 2D, or an irregular shape, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2E.
In the illustrated embodiment, the elliptical thumb-positioning concavity has a major axis A of about 0.5 inches and a minor axis C of to about 0.35 inches. Preferably, the major axis will be from about 0.3 to 0.7 inches and the minor axis will be from about 0.2 to 0.5 inches. The depth D
of thumb-positioning concavity 38, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is about 0.025 inches. The concavity, however, may be from 0.01 to 0.10 inches in depth and preferably will be from about 0.015 to 0.03 inches in depth.
is In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, thumb-positioning concavity 38 is replaced with a thumb-positioning convexity 42.
As in the case of the thumb-positioning concavity, convexity 42 is preferably eliptical in shape to correspond to the shape of the pad of the user's thumb, although it may be circular, triangular, etc., as discussed 2 o above with regard to the thumb-positioning concavity.
It is further preferred that concavity 38 and convexity 42, as well as the finger-positioning concavities/convexities which are described below, be made of elastomeric material. This presents the user of the dental instrument with a change of tactile sensation as the thumb is slid along the smooth semi-rigid plastic of front portion 22 until it reaches the softer, higher friction elastomeric material of the concavity or convexity. This change in tactile sensation insures proper placement of the user's thumb and ultimately the user's entire hand on the dental instrument.
A series of finger-positioning concavities 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52 are located in the smooth exposed surface 28 of back portion 26 of the grip.
1 o The center of the first finger-positioning concavity 44 is spaced proximally from the center of the thumb-positioning concavity 38. In the illustrated embodiment, this spacing, F, is about 0.3 inches (FIG. 3). For children, spacing F should be from about 0.00 to 0.70 inches and preferably about 0.2 to 0.4 inches. For adults, spacing F should be from about 0.0 to 1.0 inches 1 s and preferably from about 0.2 to 0.6 inches. Also, while the invention requires at least one finger-positioning concavity, and five fmger-positioning concavities are preferred, as many as seven finger-positioning concavities can be used to accommodate a range of different hand sizes.
The first finger-positioning concavity 44 is key because it receives the 2 o user's forefinger and thus cooperates with the thumb-positioning concavity to insure that the user's hand is properly positioned on the grip. The remaining finger-positioning concavities may or may not correspond to the positions of the user's fingers on the grip, although it is preferred that at least two other fingers of the user ultimately rest in finger-positioning concavities to insure a secure and comfortable grasp of the instrument.
s As in the case of the thumb-positioning concavities, it is preferred that the finger-positioning concavities be elongated. Preferably the elongated finger-positioning concavities are generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle. It is also preferred that these cavities be about 0.01 to 0.05 inches in depth and preferably about .015 to 0.03 inches in depth. Finally, as in the case of the thumb-positioning concavity, one or more finger-positioning convexities may be used in lieu of the concavities.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, one or more of the finger-positioning concavities/ convexities will be textured. As seen in FIG. 4, in i s the illustrated embodiment the texturing is in the form of a raised design in the elastomeric material. Other texturing configurations could, of course, be used, such as a regular array of bumps or other geometric shapes. Also, the thumb-positioning concavity/convexity may be textured in a like manner.
2 o Returning to FIGS. 1-3, grip 14 has a flat 56 on the smooth surface 28 of back portion 26 of the grip. This flat enables the dental instrument to rest securely on a supporting surface, thereby preventing the action means from coming in contact with the surface.
Surface 24 of grip 14 is smooth and free of encroaching elastomer.
Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the application of decorations to the handle is s facilitated. This is particularly desirable in toothbrushes intended for use by children since the decorations add to the "fun quotient" of the handle. The decorations, for example, may be in the form of decals or pressure-sensitive labels 58, pad printing 60, silk screening 62, or hot stamp printing 64.
Finally, front portion 22 of the grip is provided with a curved, 1 o upwardly ramping section 68 located distally of the thumb-positioning concavity. This upwardly ramping section urges the user's finger back into the thumb-positioning concavity while providing a particularly comfortable rest for the portion of the thumb extending beyond the concavity.
Additionally, ramping section 68 has opposite flat lateral surfaces 69 which 1 s are generally perpendicular to front 16 of the handle and parallel to each other. These flat lateral surfaces enable the toothbrush to securely rest on its side, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with working portion 20 clear of supporting surface 71. This prevents bristles 32 from rotating in a direction which would allow them to touch the supporting surface and become contaminated 2 o by anything on that surface.
Toothbrush 10 may be made by conventional techniques. This typically entails forming a semi-rigid member 70 as illustrated in FIG. 6 by conventional injection molding techniques. The semi-rigid member includes a single flat rib 72 onto which grip 14 is molded by a second conventional injection molding step. Additionally, semi-rigid member 70 is s provided with a cavity 74 through which the back of the rib is exposed.
Cavity 74 permits the formation of an elastomeric lining in thumb-positioning concavity 38.
In use, toothbrush 10 is held by the user as illustrated in Figs. 7A and 7B. The first stage of the gripping motion of the user is shown in FIG. 7A.
i o As seen there, the handle drops into the cupped fingers 77 of the user which curl around the back of the grip. In FIG. 7B, the user's thumb 78 finds thumb-positioning concavity and ramping portion 68 after which the user's forefinger 80 engages the proximal finger-positioning cavity and the remainder of the fingers 82, 84 and 86 fall comfortably into place. With 1 s this grip, the user achieves a sure and comfortable hold on the toothbrush so that it may be used in an efficient, comfortable and secure fashion.
While the present invention is described above in connection with specific embodiments, the invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications or equivalents that may be included within its sphere and scope, as defined by the appended claims.
Claims (39)
1. A dental instrument intended to be held in the hand of a user comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
2. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the front portion of the grip is made of a semi-rigid plastic and the back portion is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
3. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the semi-rigid plastic is chosen from the group consisting of polypropylene, cellulose acetate propionate, copolyester and polyurethane.
4. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the semi-rigid plastic is polypropylene.
5. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the semi-rigid plastic has a hardness of about 95 to 130, as measured on the Rockwell R scale.
6. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the thermoplastic elastomer is chosen from the group consisting of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, hydrogenated isoprene-propylene-styrene, ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer, and thermoplastic vulcanizate.
7. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the thermoplastic elastomer is styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene.
8. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the thermoplastic elastomer has a hardness of at least 30 to about 60 measured on the Shore A hardness scale.
9. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the elastomer has a hardness of 30 to 40, as measured on the Shore A hardness scale.
10. The dental instrument of claim 2 in which the elastomer has a hardness of about 35, as measured on the Shore A hardness scale.
11. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the action means comprise a plurality of bristles arranged longitudinally along the working portion for use in toothbrushing.
12. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the action means comprise an interdental brush extending from the working portion.
13. The dental instrument of claim 12 in which means are provided for removing and replacing the interdental brush.
14. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is a regular or irregular geometric shape.
15. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is generally elliptical, with the major axis of the concavity aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.
16. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which said first finger-positioning concavity is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity about 0.00 to 1.00 inches.
17. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which said first finger-positioning concavity is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity about 0.00 to 0.70 inches.
18. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which said first finger-positioning concavity is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity about 0.20 to 0.40 inches.
19. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which said first finger-positioning concavity is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity about 0.30 inches.
20. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which at least one of the concavities is textured.
21. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which at least one of the concavities contains raised designs.
22. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is lined with elastomeric material.
23. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the upwardly ramping portion includes flat lateral surfaces for resting the instrument on its side on a supporting surface.
24. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the grip includes a flat on the surface of the back portion for resting the dental instrument on a supporting surface.
25. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the exposed surface of the front portion of the grip is smooth, thereby facilitating the application of decoration.
26. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which there is applied to the exposed surface of the front portion of the grip one or more decorations chosen from the group consisting of decals, pad printing, silk screening, hot stamp printing, and pressure-sensitive labels.
27. A dental instrument intended to be held in the hand of a user comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning convexity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning convexity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
28. The dental instrument of claim 27 in which the convexity is elliptical.
29. A dental instrument intended to be held in the hand of a user comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities or convexities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity or convexity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
action means located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities or convexities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity or convexity which is aligned with the thumb-positioning concavity or spaced therefrom towards the proximal end of the handle.
30. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the depths of the concavities are in the range of about 0.010 to 0.050 inches.
31. The dental instrument of claim 1 in which the depths of the concavities are in the range of about 0.015 to 0.030 inches.
32. The dental instrument of claim 28 in which the thumb-positioning convexity is lined with elastomeric material.
33. A toothbrush comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
toothbrush bristles located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity towards the proximal end of the handle.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
toothbrush bristles located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
a single thumb-positioning concavity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the handle, the grip including an upwardly ramping portion located between the thumb-positioning concavity and the distal end of the handle; and a plurality of finger-positioning concavities in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, including a first finger-positioning concavity which is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity towards the proximal end of the handle.
34. The toothbrush of claim 33 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is generally elliptical, with the major axis of the concavity aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated handle.
35. The toothbrush of claim 33 in which said first finger-positioning concavity is spaced from the thumb-positioning concavity from about 0.00 to 1.00 inches.
36. The dental instrument of claim 34 in which the concavities are textured.
37. The dental instrument of claim 33 in which the thumb-positioning concavity is lined with elastomeric material.
38. A dental instrument comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
an interdental brush located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
at least one thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the grip; and at least one finger-positioning convexity in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, spaced towards said proximal end of the handle from the thumb-positioning convexity.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
an interdental brush located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
at least one thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the grip; and at least one finger-positioning convexity in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, spaced towards said proximal end of the handle from the thumb-positioning convexity.
39. A toothbrush comprising:
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
toothbrush bristles located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
at least one thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the grip; and at least one finger-positioning convexity in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, spaced towards the proximal end of the handle from the thumb-positioning convexity.
an elongated handle having a front, a back, a grip at the proximal end of the handle at least long enough to accommodate the hand of the user, and a working portion at the distal end of the handle;
said grip having a semi-rigid plastic front portion with an exposed surface along the front of the handle and a thermoelastic back portion with an exposed surface along the back of the handle;
toothbrush bristles located on the front of the handle at the working portion;
at least one thumb-positioning convexity in the front portion of the grip adjacent to the distal end of the grip; and at least one finger-positioning convexity in the exposed surface of the back portion of the grip, spaced towards the proximal end of the handle from the thumb-positioning convexity.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US96246397A | 1997-10-31 | 1997-10-31 | |
| US08/962,463 | 1997-10-31 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2238099A1 CA2238099A1 (en) | 1999-04-30 |
| CA2238099C true CA2238099C (en) | 2003-09-09 |
Family
ID=25505902
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002238099A Expired - Fee Related CA2238099C (en) | 1997-10-31 | 1998-05-20 | Dental instrument with improved grip |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2238099C (en) |
| SE (1) | SE517409C2 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8997297B2 (en) | 2010-11-22 | 2015-04-07 | Braun Gmbh | Toothbrush |
| CN110520010A (en) * | 2017-04-10 | 2019-11-29 | 吉列有限责任公司 | Oral care implement and method for manufacturing such oral care implement |
| CN110545692A (en) * | 2017-04-10 | 2019-12-06 | 吉列有限责任公司 | Oral care implement and method for manufacturing such oral care implement |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7047591B2 (en) | 2002-09-20 | 2006-05-23 | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Oral care implement |
| US8510893B2 (en) | 2008-06-20 | 2013-08-20 | Colgate-Palmolive Company | Toothbrush with visual and/or other sensory effects |
-
1998
- 1998-05-20 CA CA002238099A patent/CA2238099C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1998-05-20 SE SE9801790A patent/SE517409C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8997297B2 (en) | 2010-11-22 | 2015-04-07 | Braun Gmbh | Toothbrush |
| CN110520010A (en) * | 2017-04-10 | 2019-11-29 | 吉列有限责任公司 | Oral care implement and method for manufacturing such oral care implement |
| CN110545692A (en) * | 2017-04-10 | 2019-12-06 | 吉列有限责任公司 | Oral care implement and method for manufacturing such oral care implement |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| SE517409C2 (en) | 2002-06-04 |
| CA2238099A1 (en) | 1999-04-30 |
| SE9801790L (en) | 1999-05-01 |
| SE9801790D0 (en) | 1998-05-20 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |