EP0957707B2 - Toothbrushes - Google Patents

Toothbrushes Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0957707B2
EP0957707B2 EP96931374A EP96931374A EP0957707B2 EP 0957707 B2 EP0957707 B2 EP 0957707B2 EP 96931374 A EP96931374 A EP 96931374A EP 96931374 A EP96931374 A EP 96931374A EP 0957707 B2 EP0957707 B2 EP 0957707B2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bristles
side elevation
toothbrush
shoulder
group
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP96931374A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0957707A2 (en
EP0957707B1 (en
Inventor
Joan Brady
Helen Benedict
Kenneth Waguespack
Geir Oxseth
Nils Terje Vestheim
Helge Sletbak
Hilde Angelfoss
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.)
Colgate Palmolive Co
Original Assignee
Colgate Palmolive Co
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
Family has litigation
First worldwide family litigation filed litigation Critical https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=26669814&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=EP0957707(B2) "Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Application filed by Colgate Palmolive Co filed Critical Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority to EP00203299.3A priority Critical patent/EP1074200B2/en
Priority to EP00125873A priority patent/EP1097655A3/en
Publication of EP0957707A2 publication Critical patent/EP0957707A2/en
Publication of EP0957707B1 publication Critical patent/EP0957707B1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0957707B2 publication Critical patent/EP0957707B2/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • 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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25G—HANDLES FOR HAND IMPLEMENTS
    • B25G1/00—Handle constructions
    • B25G1/10—Handle constructions characterised by material or shape
    • B25G1/102—Handle constructions characterised by material or shape the shape being specially adapted to facilitate handling or improve grip
    • 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 novel handles and to novel bristle configurations for toothbrushes and to novel combinations thereof.
  • the handle configurations have as their primary (but not sole) objective the provision of a toothbrush which is easier for the user to manipulate.
  • the bristle configurations have as their primary (but not sole) objective the provision of a toothbrush in which the bristles afford improved cleaning action and access to the teeth and gums.
  • USP5369835 discloses a toothbrush having a handle comprising a waist, shoulder and end section, but the relationships there between are entirely different to those in the present invention.
  • USP5398369 discloses a toothbrush having a handle with an end position, a slightly narrower waist portion and a shoulder portion of approximately the same lateral width as the end portion, the relationships there between are very different to those of the present invention.
  • USP5305489 discloses a toothbrush having a bristle configuration having a mixture of concave and convex bristle profiles but these form a continuous curve rather than a discontinuous curve as in the present invention and does not disclose the combination of features to which the present invention is directed.
  • a tooth-brush having a handle is provided as claimed in claim 1.
  • the handle is preferably curvilinear in plan view and in elevation.
  • the ratio of the maximum width of the end portion in plan view to the minimum width of the waist in plan view is preferably in the range 1.1:1 to 1.8:1.
  • the ratio of the maximum width of the shoulder in plan view to the minimum width of the waist in plan view is preferably in the range 1.05:1 to 1.5:1.
  • the end portion is preferably thicker in side elevation than the waist.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness of the end portion in side elevation to the minimum thickness of the waist in side elevation is preferably in the range 1.2:1 to 2.0:1.
  • the end portion is preferably thicker in side elevation than is the shoulder.
  • the shoulder is preferably thicker in side elevation than the waist.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness of the shoulder viewed in side elevation to the minimum thickness of the waist: viewed in side elevation is preferably in the range 1.01:1 to 1.5:1.
  • the ratio of the length from the free end of the end portion to the location of the minimum width of the waist: viewed in side elevation to the maximum width of the end portion viewed in side elevation is preferably in the range 4:1 to 7:1 e.g. about 5:1 to 6:1, especially about 5.6:1.
  • the handle may have a grip enhancing unitary mat providing grip enhancing surfaces on at least two separate locations of the handle.
  • the mat preferably provides the grip enhancing surfaces on at least the front and back of the handle or at at least two locations on the front or the back of the handle or at least one location at the front or back of the handle and at at least one side of the handle.
  • the mat provides grip enhancing surfaces at three or four separate locations on the handle.
  • the grip enhancing surfaces of the mat may also afford grip enhancing configurations, for example ribs, preferably inclined diagonally to the handle.
  • the handle preferably has grip enhancing configurations on at least two separate locations of the handie.
  • the grip enhancing configurations preferably are provided on at least the front and back of the handle or at at least two locations on the front or the back of the handle or at least one location at the front or back of the handle and at at least one side of the handle.
  • the grip enhancing configurations are preferably provided at three or four separate locations on the handle.
  • Figure 1 shows a toothbrush having a handle 35 and a bristle head 50.
  • the handle is shown in Figures 1 to 5, the head in Figures 1 to 9 but in enlarged scale in Figures 6 to 9.
  • the handle (which is a first embodiment thereof) has a body portion having a palm engaging end portion 36 with a rounded free end 47, a waist 37, a finger engagable shoulder 38, a neck 39 and a head 40 for receiving the bristles of the bristle configuration 50, in a surface 46.
  • a mat 41 of rubber like material (for example the rubber like material may be that sold under the Trade Mark SANTOPRENE) (to give a good wet grip for the user's fingers) is attached to the handle so as to wrap around the waist and provide a grip surface 42 on the shoulder 38 on the bristle face of the handle as well as a grip surface 43 on the back face of the shoulder of the handle and a grip surface 44 on the back face of the palm engaging end portion 36 of the handle.
  • SANTOPRENE Trade Mark SANTOPRENE
  • Each of the surfaces 42, 43 and 44 have ribs 45 moulded into their surfaces in such a way as to lie diagonally across the said surfaces when located on the handle. This wrapped unitary mat arrangement facilitates placement of the gripping surfaces on the handle.
  • the ratio of the maximum transverse width in plan view of the portion 36 (indicated by the line 36) to the minimum transverse width in plan view of the waist 37 (indicated by the line 37) is 1.4:0.9 i.e. 1.55:1 or more broadly 1.1:1 to 1.8:1 e.g. 1.2:1 to 1.7:1 more preferably 1.3:1 to 1.6:1.
  • the ratio of the widest transverse width in plan view of the shoulder 38 (indicated by the line 38) to the minimum transverse width in plan view of the waist 37 is 1.1:0.9 i.e. 1.2:1 or more broadly 1.05:1 to 1.5:1 e. g. 1.1:1 to 1.3:1.
  • the ratio of the widest transverse width in plan view of the end 36 to the shoulder 38 is 1.4:1.1 i.e. 1.25:1 or more broadly greater than 1:1 e.g. 1.2:1 to 1.5:1.
  • the end portion 36 is wider than the shoulder 38 which is wider than the waist 37.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness in side elevation of the end portion 36 (see Figures 4 and 5) indicated by the line 80 in Figure 4 including the ribs 45 on the mat, namely 1.5 units to the minimum width of the waist 37 indicated by the line 81 namely 0.9 units is 1.7:1 or more broadly 1.3:1 to 2.0:1 or 1.5:1 to 1.9:1.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness in side elevation of the shoulder 38 indicated by the line 82 including the ribs 45 on the mat, namely 1.1 units to the minimum width of the waist 37 namely 0.9 units is 1.2:1 or more broadly 1.05:1 to 1.5:1 or 1.1.:1 to 1.3:1.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness in side elevation of the end portion 36 to the shoulder 38 is 1.35: 1 or more broadly 1.1:1 to 1.7:1 or 1.2:1 to 1.6:1.
  • the ratio of the maximum thickness in side elevation of the end portion 36 to the shoulder 38 is 1.4: 1 or more broadly 1.1:1 to 1.7:1 or 1.2:1 to 1.6:1.
  • the handle of the second embodiment is provided with ribs akin to those 45 on the mat 41, though not necessary in the same numbers or the same inclination or on all of the surfaces 42, 43 and 44.
  • an arrangement which has the same ribs 45 as in the first embodiment integrally moulded into the handle is preferred.
  • the embodiment of the bristle configuration is shown in Figures 1 to 9.
  • the head has three groups of bristle tufts 55, 75 and 95. These are shown in plan view in Figure 6 delineated by the transverse lines 56 and 76.
  • the group 55 affords a teeth engaging surface 57 which is convex with regard to the surface 46 of the head of the handle when the toothbrush is viewed in side elevation.
  • the surface 46 is that in which the tufts of bristles are embedded.
  • the group 75 affords a teeth engaging surface 77 which is concave with regard to the surface 46 when the toothbrush is viewed in side elevation.
  • the group 75 has a central front outer tuft 60, side tufts 61,62,63 and 64,65,66 on either side and two centre line tufts 67 and 68.
  • the group 75 has five transverse rows of tufts 78,79,80,81,82.
  • the first three rows 78, 79 and 80 having four tufts each and the last two rows 81 and 82 five tufts each.
  • the teeth engaging ends of the tufts 78 are further from the surface 46 than the ends of the tufts 63, 68 and 66 but come to about the same level as the tufts 67, 62 and 65.
  • the group 95 affords a teeth engaging surface 97 which is closely similar in profile to the surface 57.
  • the group 95 has a first row of five tufts 98, a second row of four tufts 99 and two side tufts 100 and 101 and a central rear tuft 102.
  • the tufts in row 98 are shorter than the tufts in row 82, but the tufts in row 99 are about the same height as those in row 82.
  • the teeth engaging surface afforded by the bristles as whole is thus wavy or sinusoidal but is not a continuous surface having breaks in level between the end tufts of adjacent groups, i.e. 63, 68, 66 of group 55 and row 78 of group 75 and row 82 of group 75 and row 98 of group 95.
  • the length of the bristle configuration in plan view or in side elevation namely the length parallel to the surface 46 of the teeth engaging ends of the bristles in 8.8 units. 100% of this length is provided by bristles the teeth engaging ends of which lie in a curved line when the toothbrush is viewed in side elevation.
  • the group 55 occupies 2.5 units, and the group 95 also occupies 2.5 units and both are convex.
  • the group 75 occupies 3.5 units and is concave. The ratio of convex to concave is thus 5:3.5 or 1.4:1 or more broadly 1:1 to 2:1.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Brushes (AREA)
EP96931374A 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes Expired - Lifetime EP0957707B2 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP00203299.3A EP1074200B2 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes
EP00125873A EP1097655A3 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US202695P 1995-08-22 1995-08-22
US2026 1995-08-22
US518496P 1996-02-27 1996-02-27
US5184 1996-02-27
PCT/US1996/012944 WO1997007706A2 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes

Related Child Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP00125873A Division EP1097655A3 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes
EP00203299.3A Division EP1074200B2 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0957707A2 EP0957707A2 (en) 1999-11-24
EP0957707B1 EP0957707B1 (en) 2002-01-30
EP0957707B2 true EP0957707B2 (en) 2005-01-05

Family

ID=26669814

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96931374A Expired - Lifetime EP0957707B2 (en) 1995-08-22 1996-08-09 Toothbrushes

Country Status (29)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0957707B2 (uk)
JP (1) JPH11511998A (uk)
KR (1) KR19990037709A (uk)
CN (2) CN1101663C (uk)
AR (1) AR004506A1 (uk)
AT (2) ATE326879T1 (uk)
AU (1) AU713165B2 (uk)
BG (1) BG63616B1 (uk)
BR (2) BR9610145A (uk)
CA (1) CA2229803C (uk)
CZ (1) CZ51298A3 (uk)
DE (2) DE69618994T2 (uk)
DK (1) DK0957707T3 (uk)
EG (1) EG20921A (uk)
ES (1) ES2137904T3 (uk)
GR (1) GR990300040T1 (uk)
HK (1) HK1035645A1 (uk)
HU (1) HU221146B1 (uk)
IL (2) IL123353A0 (uk)
MX (1) MX9801354A (uk)
NO (1) NO980677L (uk)
NZ (1) NZ318559A (uk)
PL (2) PL185327B1 (uk)
PT (1) PT957707E (uk)
RO (1) RO118624B1 (uk)
SK (1) SK21598A3 (uk)
TR (1) TR199800248T2 (uk)
UA (1) UA44803C2 (uk)
WO (1) WO1997007706A2 (uk)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AU3978197A (en) * 1996-08-20 1998-03-06 Procter & Gamble Company, The Toothbrush with multi-directional bristle profiling
GB2321183A (en) * 1997-01-17 1998-07-22 Galpathage Amarasena Perera Toothbrush
US6886207B1 (en) 1999-06-14 2005-05-03 The Procter & Gamble Company Toothbrush
GB9726294D0 (en) 1997-12-12 1998-02-11 Optident International Ltd Improvements relating to hand held devices
WO2001017391A1 (en) 1999-09-08 2001-03-15 The Procter & Gamble Company A handle for a toothbrush
EP1453397B1 (en) * 2001-12-04 2006-04-19 Johnson & Johnson Industrial Ltda. Toothbrush
EP1615587B1 (en) 2003-04-23 2017-09-27 The Procter & Gamble Company Electric toothbrushes
USD675830S1 (en) 2009-12-18 2013-02-12 Colgate-Palmolive Company Toothbrush
US8863345B2 (en) 2009-12-18 2014-10-21 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement having a closed-loop arrangement of cleaning elements
AU2017404422B2 (en) * 2017-03-14 2020-09-03 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement
CN107252182A (zh) * 2017-07-27 2017-10-17 江苏东方创意文化产业有限公司 一种创意牙刷
WO2021131553A1 (ja) * 2019-12-26 2021-07-01 ライオン株式会社 歯ブラシ
CN112370198B (zh) * 2020-11-09 2022-03-08 北京紫涵科技有限公司 基于语音提示的电动牙刷、牙刷控制方法以及存储介质

Family Cites Families (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR792476A (fr) * 1934-10-03 1935-12-31 Thibaud Brosse à dents avec disposition rationnelle des touffes
US3067446A (en) * 1961-11-15 1962-12-11 Walter G Mcgauley Tooth brushes
US4031587A (en) * 1975-07-28 1977-06-28 Deepen Enterprises, Inc. Toothbrush for canines
DE7915457U1 (de) * 1979-05-29 1979-11-15 Holland-Letz, Horst, Dipl.-Ing., 3577 Neustadt Werkzeugheft, insbesondere fuer schraubendreher
US4780924A (en) * 1987-10-20 1988-11-01 Hansen Paul D Tooth brush with removable brush head
US5305489A (en) * 1990-08-28 1994-04-26 Lage Gregg L Ergonomic topographic toothbrush
US5201092A (en) * 1991-10-09 1993-04-13 Colson Edward L Periodontal toothbrush
US5339482A (en) * 1992-07-21 1994-08-23 Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Inc. Toothbrush having non-slip surface
IL107381A (en) * 1992-11-02 1998-01-04 Gillette Canada Toothbrush
US5369835A (en) * 1993-07-28 1994-12-06 Delphic Inc Toothbrush assembly
DE9404639U1 (de) * 1994-03-18 1995-07-13 Lingner + Fischer GmbH, 77815 Bühl Zahnbürstenkopf
US5392483A (en) * 1994-07-07 1995-02-28 Chesebrough-Pond's Usa Co., Division Of Conopco, Inc. Multi-level bristle tuft toothbrush
US5398369A (en) * 1994-07-07 1995-03-21 Chesebrough-Pond's Usa Co., Division Of Conopco, Inc. Toothbrush with pliable pressure pad
US5511276A (en) * 1995-05-22 1996-04-30 Lee; Kuo-Ming Toothbrush with replaceable bristle carrier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
HUP9900494A2 (hu) 1999-05-28
ES2137904T3 (es) 2002-09-16
UA44803C2 (uk) 2002-03-15
PL188120B1 (pl) 2004-12-31
HUP9900494A3 (en) 1999-11-29
CA2229803C (en) 2007-06-26
WO1997007706A2 (en) 1997-03-06
ATE212517T1 (de) 2002-02-15
NO980677L (no) 1998-04-21
IL153445A0 (en) 2004-09-27
DK0957707T3 (da) 2002-05-13
GR990300040T1 (en) 1999-12-31
KR19990037709A (ko) 1999-05-25
AU7007096A (en) 1997-03-19
ATE326879T1 (de) 2006-06-15
BG63616B1 (bg) 2002-07-31
JPH11511998A (ja) 1999-10-19
IL123353A0 (en) 1998-09-24
HK1035645A1 (en) 2001-12-07
CN1193263A (zh) 1998-09-16
CN1432321A (zh) 2003-07-30
BR9603387A (pt) 1998-05-12
MX9801354A (es) 1998-07-31
EP0957707A2 (en) 1999-11-24
CN1101663C (zh) 2003-02-19
DE69618994T2 (de) 2002-09-26
DE69636175T3 (de) 2016-01-28
HU221146B1 (en) 2002-08-28
CA2229803A1 (en) 1997-03-06
WO1997007706A3 (en) 1997-06-12
TR199800248T2 (xx) 1998-08-21
AU713165B2 (en) 1999-11-25
PT957707E (pt) 2002-07-31
DE69618994D1 (de) 2002-03-14
RO118624B1 (ro) 2003-08-29
EP0957707B1 (en) 2002-01-30
EG20921A (en) 2000-06-28
CN1203796C (zh) 2005-06-01
AR004506A1 (es) 1998-12-16
DE69636175T2 (de) 2006-10-26
ES2137904T1 (es) 2000-01-01
PL185327B1 (pl) 2003-04-30
NO980677D0 (no) 1998-02-18
SK21598A3 (en) 1998-11-04
DE69636175D1 (de) 2006-06-29
NZ318559A (en) 2000-02-28
BR9610145A (pt) 1999-02-02
CZ51298A3 (cs) 1999-03-17
PL325052A1 (en) 1998-07-06
BG102331A (en) 1998-12-30

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