EP0901329A1 - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Toothbrush

Info

Publication number
EP0901329A1
EP0901329A1 EP97915250A EP97915250A EP0901329A1 EP 0901329 A1 EP0901329 A1 EP 0901329A1 EP 97915250 A EP97915250 A EP 97915250A EP 97915250 A EP97915250 A EP 97915250A EP 0901329 A1 EP0901329 A1 EP 0901329A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
brush
toothbrush
bristle
brush heads
toothbrush according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP97915250A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0901329B1 (en
Inventor
Alfred Jurt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen
Original Assignee
Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen filed Critical Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen
Publication of EP0901329A1 publication Critical patent/EP0901329A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0901329B1 publication Critical patent/EP0901329B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
    • A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
    • A46B9/04—Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B7/00—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body
    • A46B7/06—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement
    • A46B7/08—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement as a rotating disc
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a toothbrush with a handle and a bristle part.
  • a toothbrush of this type is shown and described in FR-A-2,622,089.
  • the axes of rotation of the two rotatably mounted brush heads are inclined to the side in opposite directions in such a way that the two brush heads are rotated in use by a reciprocating movement of the toothbrush.
  • the present invention has for its object to provide such a toothbrush, which allows a more effective cleaning of the teeth and the interdental spaces than conventional toothbrushes in a gentle manner.
  • the bristle part consists of two (or more) brush heads, which are angled so that the brush surfaces are inclined towards each other, a better adaptation of the cleaning-effective overall brush surface to the shape of the teeth and the individual teeth is achieved. The result of this is that the tooth surfaces are cleaned thoroughly on the one hand and on the other hand the bristles between the teeth and the gum line are better reached.
  • Fig. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the brush heads.
  • Fig. 8 u. 9 in longitudinal section a brush head with exchangeable bristle holder.
  • FIGS. 1-4 A first embodiment of the toothbrush according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
  • the toothbrush consists of a handle 1 and a bristle part 2, which is connected to the handle 1 via a neck part 3.
  • the bristle part 2 which is shown enlarged in FIGS. 3 and 4, is formed by two round brush heads 4, 5.
  • Each bristle head consists of a bristle carrier 6, from which bristles protrude, which are combined into bristle tufts 7 and anchored in the bristle carrier 6 at one end.
  • the free-standing ends of the bristles form the brush surface 8.
  • the bristle carriers 6 have a flat base surface 9.
  • the longitudinal axes of the brush heads 4, 5 running at right angles to this base area 9 are designated 4a and 5a, respectively.
  • the two brush heads 4, • 5 are arranged one behind the other as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush (FIGS. 2 and 4).
  • the two brush heads 4, 5 are angled relative to one another by an angle ⁇ about an axis B (FIG. 4) which runs approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush, in such a way that the brush surfaces 8 of the two brush heads 4, 5 are inclined towards each other.
  • the two longitudinal axes 4a, 5a of the brush heads 4, 5 converge upwards in the illustration according to FIG. 3.
  • the angle ⁇ is preferably between approximately 2 ° and 10 °, but can be between approximately 1 ° and 45 °.
  • the bristles are cut at their free ends in such a way that a concavely curved brush surface 8 can be seen in the side view.
  • the curvature or curvature runs in the direction of the toothbrush longitudinal axis A.
  • the brushing surfaces 8 are preferably formed by the outer surface of a cylinder or another rotational surface, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush.
  • the shape of this concave brush surface 8 corresponds approximately to the tooth shape.
  • the bristle ends can penetrate the interdental spaces even better.
  • Toothbrush occurs during the cleaning of the teeth because of the concave Curvature of the brush surface 8 depending on the direction of movement different bristles of the brush heads 4, 5 in the interdental spaces. Due to the curved design of the brush surfaces 8, an even more perfect adaptation to the individual shape of the individual teeth is achieved.
  • the contour defined by the two brushing surfaces 8 corresponds approximately to the course of the gum line, ie the rounding of the gum line. All this means that the cleaning effect is increased.
  • the two brush heads 4, 5 may also be useful to mount the two brush heads 4, 5 so that they can rotate about their longitudinal axis 4a or 5a by a certain angle ⁇ .
  • Such mobility of the brush heads 4, 5 allows a quick adaptation to the teeth and tooth shape when cleaning teeth.
  • FIG. 3 another embodiment is shown, which differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-4 only in that the two brush heads 4 and 5 are not rigid, but only by means of one schematically indicated elastic bending joint 10 are interconnected.
  • This elastic joint 10, which can have, for example, one or more connecting webs, allows the brush head 5 to have a certain elastic deflection about a deflection axis (not shown) running at right angles to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush.
  • the brush head 5 can therefore be deflected from the position shown in FIG. 5 in the direction of arrow C, which results in a reduction in the inclination angle ⁇ . 6, the brush head 5 is shown in such a deflected position.
  • the angle ⁇ 'between the two brush heads 4 and 5 is less than the angle ⁇ shown in FIG. 5 in the undeflected state of the brush head 5.
  • This spring-elastic deflectability of the brush head 5 also serves to better adapt the brush surfaces 8 to the shape of the dentition and the individual teeth. In this way, it is also avoided that too much pressure is exerted on the teeth when cleaning them. If the bristle part 2 is pressed too hard on the teeth, the brush head 5 can yield elastically. The deflectability of the brush head 5 also facilitates cleaning of the teeth on the inside of the bit (adaptation to the curved course of the bit).
  • the resilient deflection movement of the brush head 5 can be damped by the provision of rubber-elastic material in the area of the joint 10.
  • the manufacture of such a joint can e.g. in the two-component injection molding process.
  • FIG. 7 shows, in a representation corresponding to FIG. 3, a variant of the toothbrush according to FIGS. 1-4, in which flat brush surfaces 8 'are provided instead of curved brush surfaces 8.
  • the brush heads 4, 5 can also be designed such that the bristle carrier 6 together with the bristles can be replaced.
  • a base body 11 is provided with a holding part 12, which is provided with a circumferential groove 13.
  • the bristle carrier 6 is provided on its underside with a recess 14, the edge of which carries an inwardly projecting bead 15.
  • the bead 15 engages in the groove 13 (FIG. 8).
  • the bead 15 is brought out of engagement with the groove 13, as shown in Fig. 9.
  • the bristle carrier 6 is thus releasably connected to the base body 11 in the manner of a snap connection. It goes without saying that other types of detachable connections are also possible.
  • the bristle carrier 6 with the used bristles can thus be exchanged for a bristle carrier 6 with new bristles without any problem, without the entire toothbrush having to be thrown away. This obviously brings economic advantages for the user and contributes to the reduction of the waste to be disposed of.
  • Round brush heads 4, 5 with a cylindrical bristle field also have the advantage that this prompts the user to move the toothbrush in a circular motion when cleaning. Such a circular motion contributes to more effective tooth cleaning.
  • the bristle field a shape other than circular in plan view, e.g. a rectangular, in particular square, or hexagonal shape in plan view.
  • a good cleaning effect is also achieved with a toothbrush with two (or more) brush heads 4, 5 arranged one behind the other in the direction of the toothbrush longitudinal axis A, in which the brush heads 4, 5 are not angled toward one another as shown in the figures, i.e. in which, in the case of flat base surfaces 9 of the bristle carriers, these base surfaces 9 lie in the same plane or in mutually parallel planes.
  • the brush heads 4, 5 and their parts are preferably designed as described with reference to the figures and defined in claims 4-11.

Landscapes

  • Brushes (AREA)

Abstract

The bristle section (2) of the toothbrush connected to a handle comprises two brush heads (4, 5) disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the toothbrush. Each brush head comprises a bristle carrier (6) with bristles projecting therefrom. The two brush heads (4, 5) are angled towards each other about an axis extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, the two brush surfaces (8) being inclined towards each other. This angled arrangement of the two brush heads (4, 5) adapts the brush well to the curvature of the teeth. Furthermore, the brush can reach the interdental spaces and the edge of the gums more easily. The arrangement of two brush heads (4, 5) one behind the other produces a total brush area which is comparable with the brush area of conventional toothbrushes with a single brush head having a bristle region which is rectangular in plan view.

Description

Zahnbürstetoothbrush
Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft eine Zahnbürste mit einem Handgriff und einem Borstenteil.The present invention relates to a toothbrush with a handle and a bristle part.
Eine Zahnbürste dieser Art ist in der FR-A-2,622,089 gezeigt und beschrieben. Bei dieser bekannten Zahnbürste sind die Drehachsen der beiden drehbar gelagerten Bürstenköpfe so in entgegengesetzten Richtungen nach der Seite hin geneigt, dass beim Gebrauch durch eine Hin- und Herbewegung der Zahnbürste die beiden Bürstenköpfe in Drehung versetzt werden.A toothbrush of this type is shown and described in FR-A-2,622,089. In this known toothbrush, the axes of rotation of the two rotatably mounted brush heads are inclined to the side in opposite directions in such a way that the two brush heads are rotated in use by a reciprocating movement of the toothbrush.
Der vorliegenden Erfindung liegt nun die Aufgabe zugrunde, eine solche Zahnbürste zu schaffen, die auf schonende Weise eine wirksamere Reinigung der Zähne und auch der Zahnzwischenräume ermöglicht als herkömmliche Zahnbürsten.The present invention has for its object to provide such a toothbrush, which allows a more effective cleaning of the teeth and the interdental spaces than conventional toothbrushes in a gentle manner.
Diese Aufgabe wird erfindungsgemäss mit einer Zahnbürste mit den Merkmalen des Anspruches 1 gelöst.This object is achieved according to the invention with a toothbrush with the features of claim 1.
Dadurch, dass der Borstenteil aus zwei (oder mehr) Bürstenköpfen besteht, die so gegeneinander abgewinkelt sind, dass die Bürstflächen gegeneinander zu geneigt sind, wird eine bessere Anpassung der reinigungswirksamen Gesamtbürstfläche an die Form des Gebisses und der einzelnen Zähne erzielt. Das hat zur Folge, dass einerseits die Zahnoberflächen gründlich gereinigt werden und andererseits mit den Borsten die Zahnzwischenräume und auch der Zahnfleischrand besser erreicht werden.Because the bristle part consists of two (or more) brush heads, which are angled so that the brush surfaces are inclined towards each other, a better adaptation of the cleaning-effective overall brush surface to the shape of the teeth and the individual teeth is achieved. The result of this is that the tooth surfaces are cleaned thoroughly on the one hand and on the other hand the bristles between the teeth and the gum line are better reached.
Bevorzugte Weiterausgestaltungen der erfindungsgemässen Zahnbürste bilden Gegenstand der abhängigen Ansprüche. Im folgenden werden anhand der Zeichnung Ausführungsbeispiele des Erfindungsgegenstandes näher erläutert. Es zeigen rein schematisch:Preferred further developments of the toothbrush according to the invention form the subject of the dependent claims. Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows purely schematically:
Fig. 1 u.2 in Seitenansicht und in Draufsicht eine Zahnbürste mit zwei runden Bürstenköpfen,1 and 2 in side view and top view of a toothbrush with two round brush heads,
Fig. 3 u.4 in gegenüber den Figuren 1 und 2 vergrössertem Massstab den Borstenteil der Zahnbürste in Seitenansicht und in Draufsicht,3 and 4 on a larger scale than in FIGS. 1 and 2, the bristle part of the toothbrush in side view and in plan view,
Fig. 5 u.6 in einer Seitenansicht eine andere Ausführungsform des Borstenteils in verschiedenen Betriebszuständen,5 and 6 in a side view another embodiment of the bristle part in different operating states,
Fig. 7 in einer Seitenansicht eine andere Ausführungsform der Bürstenköpfe, undFig. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the brush heads, and
Fig. 8 u. 9 im Längsschnitt einen Bürstenkopf mit auswechselbarem Borstenträger.Fig. 8 u. 9 in longitudinal section a brush head with exchangeable bristle holder.
Anhand der Figuren 1-4 wird nun eine erste Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemässen Zahnbürste beschrieben.A first embodiment of the toothbrush according to the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
Die Zahnbürste besteht aus einem Handgriff 1 und einem Borstenteil 2, welcher über einen Halsteil 3 mit dem Handgriff 1 verbunden ist. Der Borstenteil 2, der in den Figuren 3 und 4 vergrössert dargestellt ist, wird durch zwei runde Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 gebildet. Jeder Burstenkopf besteht aus einem Borstenträger 6, von dem Borsten wegragen, die zu Borstenbüscheln 7 zusammengefasst und am einen Ende im Borstenträger 6 verankert sind. Die freistehenden Enden der Borsten bilden die Bürstfläche 8. Beim gezeigten Ausführungsbeispiel weisen die Borstenträger 6 eine ebene Grundfläche 9 auf. In den Figuren 3 und 4 sind die rechtwinklig zu dieser Grundfläche 9 verlaufenden Längsachsen der Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 mit 4a bzw. 5a bezeichnet. Die beiden Bürstenköpfe 4, • 5 sind in Richtung der Längsachse A der Zahnbürste (Fig. 2 und 4) gesehen hintereinander angeordnet. Wie besonders deutlich aus Fig. 3 hervorgeht sind die beiden Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 um eine etwa rechtwinklig zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse A verlaufende Achse B (Fig. 4) gegeneinander um den Winkel α abgewinkelt, und zwar so, dass die Bürstflächen 8 der beiden Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 gegeneinander zu geneigt sind. Anders ausgedrückt laufen die beiden Längsachsen 4a, 5a der Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 in der Darstellung gemäss der Fig. 3 gesehen nach oben zusammen. Vorzugsweise liegt der Winkel α zwischen etwa 2° und 10°, kann aber zwischen etwa 1 ° und 45° liegen.The toothbrush consists of a handle 1 and a bristle part 2, which is connected to the handle 1 via a neck part 3. The bristle part 2, which is shown enlarged in FIGS. 3 and 4, is formed by two round brush heads 4, 5. Each bristle head consists of a bristle carrier 6, from which bristles protrude, which are combined into bristle tufts 7 and anchored in the bristle carrier 6 at one end. The free-standing ends of the bristles form the brush surface 8. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bristle carriers 6 have a flat base surface 9. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the longitudinal axes of the brush heads 4, 5 running at right angles to this base area 9 are designated 4a and 5a, respectively. The two brush heads 4, • 5 are arranged one behind the other as seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush (FIGS. 2 and 4). As can be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 3, the two brush heads 4, 5 are angled relative to one another by an angle α about an axis B (FIG. 4) which runs approximately at right angles to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush, in such a way that the brush surfaces 8 of the two brush heads 4, 5 are inclined towards each other. In other words, the two longitudinal axes 4a, 5a of the brush heads 4, 5 converge upwards in the illustration according to FIG. 3. The angle α is preferably between approximately 2 ° and 10 °, but can be between approximately 1 ° and 45 °.
Durch diese Abwinkelung der Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 wird eine bessere Anpassung der reinigungswirksamen Gesamtbürstfläche an die Gebissrundung erreicht. Das bedeutet, dass die einzelnen Zähne über ihre ganze Oberfläche gründlich gereinigt werden. Zudem werden die Zahnzwischenräume und auch der Zahnfleischrand besser erreicht. Mit der Anordnung von zwei runden Bürstenköpfen 4, 5 hintereinander entsteht eine Gesamtbürstfläche, die in der Grosse mit der Bürstfläche von herkömmlichen Zahnbürsten mit einem in Draufsicht rechteckförmigen Borstenfeld vergleichbar ist.This bending of the brush heads 4, 5 results in a better adaptation of the cleaning-effective total brush surface to the rounding of the teeth. This means that the individual teeth are thoroughly cleaned over their entire surface. In addition, the interdental spaces and the gum line are better reached. The arrangement of two round brush heads 4, 5 one behind the other results in an overall brush surface which is comparable in size to the brush surface of conventional toothbrushes with a bristle field which is rectangular in plan view.
Wie aus den Fig. 1 und 3 hervorgeht, sind die Borsten an ihren freien Enden so geschnitten, dass eine in der Seitenansicht erkennbare konkav gewölbte Bürstfläche 8 entsteht. Die Wölbung oder Krümmung verläuft in Richtung der Zahnbürstenlängsachse A. Die Bürstflächen 8 werden vorzugsweise durch die Mantelfläche eines Zylinders oder eine andere Rotationsfläche gebildet, wobei deren Rotationsachse rechtwinklig zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse A verläuft. Die Form dieser konkav gewölbten Bürstenfläche 8 entspricht etwa der Zahnform.As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the bristles are cut at their free ends in such a way that a concavely curved brush surface 8 can be seen in the side view. The curvature or curvature runs in the direction of the toothbrush longitudinal axis A. The brushing surfaces 8 are preferably formed by the outer surface of a cylinder or another rotational surface, the axis of rotation of which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush. The shape of this concave brush surface 8 corresponds approximately to the tooth shape.
Dank dieser gewölbten Bürstflächen 8 können die Borstenenden noch besser in die Zahnzwischenräume eindringen. Beim Hin- und Herfahren derThanks to these curved brush surfaces 8, the bristle ends can penetrate the interdental spaces even better. When moving the back and forth
Zahnbürste während der Reinigung der Zähne treten wegen der konkaven Wölbung der Bürstfläche 8 je nach Bewegungsrichtung andere Borsten der Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 in die Zahnzwischenräume ein. Durch die gewölbte Ausbildung der Bürstflächen 8 wird eine noch vollkommenere Anpassung an die individuelle Form der einzelnen Zähne erreicht. Die durch die beiden Bürstflächen 8 festgelegte Kontour entspricht etwa dem Verlauf des Zahnfleischrandes, d.h. der Rundung des Zahnfleischsaumes. Dies alles bedeutet, dass damit die Reinigungswirkung erhöht wird.Toothbrush occurs during the cleaning of the teeth because of the concave Curvature of the brush surface 8 depending on the direction of movement different bristles of the brush heads 4, 5 in the interdental spaces. Due to the curved design of the brush surfaces 8, an even more perfect adaptation to the individual shape of the individual teeth is achieved. The contour defined by the two brushing surfaces 8 corresponds approximately to the course of the gum line, ie the rounding of the gum line. All this means that the cleaning effect is increased.
Wie in Fig. 2 angedeutet kann es für eine weitere Verbesserung der Reinigungswirkung auch noch sinnvoll sein, die beiden Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 um ihr Längsachse 4a bzw. 5a um einen gewissen Winkel ß drehbar zu lagern. Eine solche Drehbeweglichkeit der Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 erlaubt beim Zähnereinigen eine rasche Anpassung an die Gebiss- und Zahnform.As indicated in FIG. 2, for a further improvement in the cleaning effect, it may also be useful to mount the two brush heads 4, 5 so that they can rotate about their longitudinal axis 4a or 5a by a certain angle β. Such mobility of the brush heads 4, 5 allows a quick adaptation to the teeth and tooth shape when cleaning teeth.
In den Fig. 5 und 6 ist in einer der Fig. 3 entsprechenden Darstellung ein anderes Ausführungsbeispiel gezeigt, das sich vom Ausführungsbeispiel gemäss den Fig. 1-4 nur dadurch unterscheidet, dass die beiden Bürstenköpfe 4 und 5 nicht starr, sondern mittels eines nur schematisch angedeuteten elastischen Biegegelenkes 10 miteinander verbunden sind. Dieses elastische Gelenk 10, das z.B. einen oder mehrere Verbindungsstege aufweisen kann, erlaubt dem Bürstenkopf 5 eine gewisse elastische Auslenkung um eine rechtwinklig zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse A verlaufende Auslenkachse (nicht gezeigt). Der Bürstenkopf 5 kann daher aus der in Fig. 5 gezeigten Stellung in Richtung des Pfeiles C ausgelenkt werden, was eine Verringerung des Schrägstellungswinkels α zur Folge hat. In der Fig. 6 ist der Bürstenkopf 5 in einer solchen ausgelenkten Stellung gezeigt. Der Winkel α' zwischen den beiden Bürstenköpfen 4 und 5 ist geringer als der in Fig. 5 gezeigte Winkel α im nicht ausgelenkten Zustand des Bürstenkopfes 5.5 and 6 in a representation corresponding to FIG. 3, another embodiment is shown, which differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-4 only in that the two brush heads 4 and 5 are not rigid, but only by means of one schematically indicated elastic bending joint 10 are interconnected. This elastic joint 10, which can have, for example, one or more connecting webs, allows the brush head 5 to have a certain elastic deflection about a deflection axis (not shown) running at right angles to the longitudinal axis A of the toothbrush. The brush head 5 can therefore be deflected from the position shown in FIG. 5 in the direction of arrow C, which results in a reduction in the inclination angle α. 6, the brush head 5 is shown in such a deflected position. The angle α 'between the two brush heads 4 and 5 is less than the angle α shown in FIG. 5 in the undeflected state of the brush head 5.
Auch diese federelastische Auslenkbarkeit des Bürstenkopfes 5 dient zur verbesserten Anpassung der Bürstflächen 8 an die Form des Gebisses und der einzelnen Zähne. Zudem wird auf diese Weise vermieden, dass beim Reinigen der Zähne auf diese ein zu grosser Anpressdruck ausgeübt wird. Wird der Borstenteil 2 zu stark an die Zähne angepresst, so kann der Bürstenkopf 5 elastisch nachgeben. Die Auslenkbarkeit des Bürstenkopfes 5 erleichtert auch das Reinigen der Zähne auf der Gebissinnenseite (Anpassung an den gekrümmten Verlauf des Gebisses).This spring-elastic deflectability of the brush head 5 also serves to better adapt the brush surfaces 8 to the shape of the dentition and the individual teeth. In this way, it is also avoided that too much pressure is exerted on the teeth when cleaning them. If the bristle part 2 is pressed too hard on the teeth, the brush head 5 can yield elastically. The deflectability of the brush head 5 also facilitates cleaning of the teeth on the inside of the bit (adaptation to the curved course of the bit).
Die federelastische Auslenkbewegung des Bürstenkopfes 5 kann durch das Vorsehen von gummielastischem Werkstoff im Bereich des Gelenkes 10 gedämpft werden. Die Herstellung eines solchen Gelenkes kann z.B. im Zweikomponentensphtzgussverfahren erfolgen.The resilient deflection movement of the brush head 5 can be damped by the provision of rubber-elastic material in the area of the joint 10. The manufacture of such a joint can e.g. in the two-component injection molding process.
Fig. 7 zeigt in einer der Fig. 3 entsprechenden Darstellung eine Variante der Zahnbürste gemäss den Fig. 1-4, bei der statt gewölbten Bürstflächen 8 ebene Bürstflächen 8' vorgesehen sind. Aufgrund der Ausführungen im Zusammenhang mit den Fig. 1-4 lässt sich ohne weiteres nachvollziehen, dass bei einer Zahnbürste mit ebenen Bürstflächen 8' eine etwas weniger gute Reinigungswirkung zu erwarten ist als mit einer Zahnbürste, deren Bürstflächen wie in Fig. 3 gezeigt gewölbt sind.FIG. 7 shows, in a representation corresponding to FIG. 3, a variant of the toothbrush according to FIGS. 1-4, in which flat brush surfaces 8 'are provided instead of curved brush surfaces 8. Based on the explanations in connection with FIGS. 1-4, it can be easily understood that a slightly less good cleaning effect is to be expected with a toothbrush with flat brushing surfaces 8 'than with a toothbrush whose brushing surfaces are curved as shown in FIG. 3 .
Wie in den Fig. 8 und 9 dargestellt ist, können die Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 auch so ausgebildet sein, dass der Borstenträger 6 samt Borsten auswechselbar ist. Zu diesem Zweck ist ein Grundkörper 11 mit einem Halteteil 12 vorhanden, welcher mit einer umlaufenden Nut 13 versehen ist. Der Borstenträger 6 ist auf seiner Unterseite mit einer Ausnehmung 14 versehen, deren Rand einen nach innen vorstehenden Wulst 15 trägt. Bei auf den Halteteil 12 aufgesetztem Borstenträger 6 greift der Wulst 15 in die Nut 13 ein (Fig. 8). Durch ein Abkippen des Borstenträgers 6 wird der Wulst 15 ausser Eingriff mit der Nut 13 gebracht, wie das in Fig. 9 dargetellt ist. Der Borstenträger 6 ist somit in der Art einer Schnappverbindung mit dem Grundkörper 11 lösbar verbunden. Es versteht sich, dass auch andere Arten von lösbaren Verbindungen möglich sind.As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the brush heads 4, 5 can also be designed such that the bristle carrier 6 together with the bristles can be replaced. For this purpose, a base body 11 is provided with a holding part 12, which is provided with a circumferential groove 13. The bristle carrier 6 is provided on its underside with a recess 14, the edge of which carries an inwardly projecting bead 15. When the bristle carrier 6 is placed on the holding part 12, the bead 15 engages in the groove 13 (FIG. 8). Through a Tilting the bristle carrier 6, the bead 15 is brought out of engagement with the groove 13, as shown in Fig. 9. The bristle carrier 6 is thus releasably connected to the base body 11 in the manner of a snap connection. It goes without saying that other types of detachable connections are also possible.
Die Borstenträger 6 mit den verbrauchten Borsten können so problemlos gegen einen Borstenträger 6 mit neuen Borsten ausgetauscht werden, ohne dass die ganze Zahnbürste weggeworfen werden muss. Dies bringt für den Benutzer offensichtlich wirtschaftliche Vorteile und trägt zur Verminderung des zu entsorgenden Abfalles bei.The bristle carrier 6 with the used bristles can thus be exchanged for a bristle carrier 6 with new bristles without any problem, without the entire toothbrush having to be thrown away. This obviously brings economic advantages for the user and contributes to the reduction of the waste to be disposed of.
Runde Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 mit einem zylindrischen Borstenfeld haben noch den Vorteil, dass damit der Benutzer veranlasst wird, die Zahnbürste beim Reinigen kreisförmig zu bewegen. Eine solche kreisförmige Bewegung trägt zu einer wirkungsvolleren Zahnreinigung bei.Round brush heads 4, 5 with a cylindrical bristle field also have the advantage that this prompts the user to move the toothbrush in a circular motion when cleaning. Such a circular motion contributes to more effective tooth cleaning.
Dennoch ist es natürlich möglich, dem Borstenfeld eine andere als eine in Draufsicht kreisförmige Gestalt zu geben, z.B. eine in Draufsicht rechteckige, insbesondere quadratische, oder sechseckige Form.Nevertheless, it is of course possible to give the bristle field a shape other than circular in plan view, e.g. a rectangular, in particular square, or hexagonal shape in plan view.
Eine gute Reinigungswirkung wird auch schon mit einer Zahnbürste mit zwei (oder mehr) in Richtung der Zahnbürstenlängsachse A hintereinander angeordneten Bürstenköpfen 4, 5 erreicht, bei der die Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 nicht wie in den Figuren gezeigt gegeneinander abgewinkelt sind, d.h. bei der bei ebenen Grundflächen 9 der Borstenträger diese Grundflächen 9 in derselben Ebene oder in zueinander parallelen Ebenen liegen. Auch in diesem Fall sind die Bürstenköpfe 4, 5 und deren Teile vorzugsweise wie anhand der Figuren beschrieben und in den Ansprüchen 4-11 definiert ausgebildet. A good cleaning effect is also achieved with a toothbrush with two (or more) brush heads 4, 5 arranged one behind the other in the direction of the toothbrush longitudinal axis A, in which the brush heads 4, 5 are not angled toward one another as shown in the figures, i.e. in which, in the case of flat base surfaces 9 of the bristle carriers, these base surfaces 9 lie in the same plane or in mutually parallel planes. In this case too, the brush heads 4, 5 and their parts are preferably designed as described with reference to the figures and defined in claims 4-11.

Claims

Patentansprüche claims
1. Zahnbürste mit einem Handgriff (1) und einem Borstenteil (2), der zwei in Richtung der Zahnbürstenlängsachse (A) hintereinander angeordnete Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) aufweist, von denen jeder einen Borstenträger (6) mit abstehenden Borsten hat, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) so um eine quer zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse (A) verlaufende Achse (B) gegeneinander abgewinkelt sind, dass die beiden jeweils durch die Enden der Borsten gebildeten Bürstflächen (8, 8') gegeneinander zu geneigt sind.1. Toothbrush with a handle (1) and a bristle part (2) which has two brush heads (4, 5) arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush (A), each of which has a bristle carrier (6) with protruding bristles that the brush heads (4, 5) are angled relative to one another about an axis (B) extending transversely to the toothbrush longitudinal axis (A) in such a way that the two brush surfaces (8, 8 ') each formed by the ends of the bristles are inclined towards one another.
2. Zahnbürste nach Anspruch 1 , dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Borstenträger (6) eine ebene Grundfläche (9) aufweisen, von der die Borsten abstehen, wobei die beiden Grundflächen (9) miteinander einen Winkel (α) einschliessen, dessen Grosse der Abwinkelung der beiden2. Toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that the bristle carriers (6) have a flat base surface (9) from which the bristles protrude, the two base surfaces (9) forming an angle (α) with one another, the size of which is the angle of the both
Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) entspricht.Brush heads (4, 5) corresponds.
3. Zahnbürste nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) um einen Winkel (α) von etwa 1-45°, vorzugsweise etwa 2-10°, gegeneinander schräggestellt sind.3. Toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the brush heads (4, 5) by an angle (α) of about 1-45 °, preferably about 2-10 °, are inclined against each other.
4. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1-3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstflächen (8) in Richtung der Zahnbürstenlängsachse (A) konkav gewölbt sind.4. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the brush surfaces (8) are concavely curved in the direction of the toothbrush longitudinal axis (A).
5. Zahnbürste nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstflächen (8) durch Rotationsflächen, vorzugsweise5. Toothbrush according to claim 4, characterized in that the brush surfaces (8) by rotating surfaces, preferably
Zylindermantelflächen, gebildet sind, wobei deren Rotationsachse quer, vorzugsweise etwa rechtwinklig, zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse (A) verläuft. Cylinder jacket surfaces are formed, the axis of rotation of which extends transversely, preferably approximately at right angles, to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush (A).
6. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1-5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) bzw. deren Borstenträger (6) um ihre rechtwinklig zur Grundfläche (9) der Borstenträger (6) stehende Symmetrieachse (4a, 5a) drehbeweglich sind.6. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the brush heads (4, 5) or their bristle holder (6) about their perpendicular to the base (9) of the bristle holder (6) axis of symmetry (4a, 5a) rotatable are.
7. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1-6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) um eine quer, vorzugsweise rechtwinklig, zur Zahnbürstenlängsachse (A) verlaufende Achse relativ zueinander elastisch auslenkbar miteinander verbunden sind.7. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the brush heads (4, 5) are connected to one another elastically deflectable relative to one another about a transverse, preferably perpendicular, to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush (A).
8. Zahnbürste nach Anspruch 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) über eine biegeelastische Gelenkverbindung (10) miteinander verbunden sind, die vorzugsweise durch wenigstens einen Verbindungssteg gebildet ist.8. Toothbrush according to claim 7, characterized in that the brush heads (4, 5) are connected to each other via a flexible joint connection (10), which is preferably formed by at least one connecting web.
9. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1 -8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bürstenköpfe (4, 5) bzw. deren Borstenträger (6) samt Borsten auswechselbar sind.9. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1 -8, characterized in that the brush heads (4, 5) or their bristle carrier (6) together with bristles are replaceable.
10. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1-9, gekennzeichnet durch runde Borstenträger (6) und im wesentlichen zylindrische Beborstungen.10. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1-9, characterized by round bristle carriers (6) and substantially cylindrical bristles.
11. Zahnbürste nach einem der Ansprüche 1-9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die durch die Borsten gebildete Beborstung in Draufsicht eine vieleckige Form, vorzugsweise eine rechteckige, insbesondere eine quadratische, oder eine sechseckige Form, hat. 11. Toothbrush according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that the bristle formed by the bristles in plan view has a polygonal shape, preferably a rectangular, in particular a square, or a hexagonal shape.
EP97915250A 1996-05-06 1997-04-15 Toothbrush Expired - Lifetime EP0901329B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1145/96 1996-05-06
CH114596 1996-05-06
CH114596 1996-05-06
PCT/CH1997/000150 WO1997041753A1 (en) 1996-05-06 1997-04-15 Toothbrush

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EP0901329A1 true EP0901329A1 (en) 1999-03-17
EP0901329B1 EP0901329B1 (en) 2001-12-05

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EP97915250A Expired - Lifetime EP0901329B1 (en) 1996-05-06 1997-04-15 Toothbrush

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EP (1) EP0901329B1 (en)
AU (1) AU2285497A (en)
BR (1) BR9708914A (en)
DE (1) DE59705673D1 (en)
ID (1) ID17846A (en)
MY (1) MY132633A (en)
NO (1) NO985165D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1997041753A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7774885B2 (en) 2002-02-27 2010-08-17 Braun Gmbh Brush head for a toothbrush
DE202015002650U1 (en) 2014-05-22 2015-05-06 Felix Checa Ayet Surgical prosthesis for the treatment of inguinal hernias

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10044031A1 (en) * 2000-09-06 2002-03-21 Braun Gmbh Motorized toothbrush and brush head therefor
EP2770871B1 (en) 2011-10-27 2019-12-04 GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare GmbH & Co.KG. Toothbrush
ES2843001T3 (en) * 2017-03-31 2021-07-15 Trisa Holding Ag Electric brush for body grooming
EP4111907A1 (en) 2021-06-28 2023-01-04 Universität Basel Toothbrush cleaning head, assembly and handheld toothbrush

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US4608968A (en) * 1982-02-19 1986-09-02 Oral Ease Inc. Gum massaging device with internal dispenser
DE3428860A1 (en) * 1984-08-04 1986-02-13 Horst 4800 Bielefeld Wiethölter Toothbrush
GB9106511D0 (en) * 1991-03-27 1991-05-15 Lingner & Fischer Gmbh Novel article
GB9517450D0 (en) * 1995-08-25 1995-10-25 Lingner & Fischer Gmbh Toothbrush
US5373602A (en) * 1993-12-15 1994-12-20 Bang; Kook B. Toothbrush

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Title
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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7774885B2 (en) 2002-02-27 2010-08-17 Braun Gmbh Brush head for a toothbrush
US8453287B2 (en) 2002-02-27 2013-06-04 Braun Gmbh Brush head for a toothbrush
DE202015002650U1 (en) 2014-05-22 2015-05-06 Felix Checa Ayet Surgical prosthesis for the treatment of inguinal hernias

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE59705673D1 (en) 2002-01-17
MY132633A (en) 2007-10-31
ID17846A (en) 1998-01-29
AU2285497A (en) 1997-11-26
WO1997041753A1 (en) 1997-11-13
EP0901329B1 (en) 2001-12-05
BR9708914A (en) 1999-08-03
NO985165L (en) 1998-11-05
NO985165D0 (en) 1998-11-05

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