EP2702897A2 - Zusammenklappbare Taschenzahnbürste - Google Patents

Zusammenklappbare Taschenzahnbürste Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2702897A2
EP2702897A2 EP13181899.9A EP13181899A EP2702897A2 EP 2702897 A2 EP2702897 A2 EP 2702897A2 EP 13181899 A EP13181899 A EP 13181899A EP 2702897 A2 EP2702897 A2 EP 2702897A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
toothbrush
handle
hinge
imprint
spindle
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP13181899.9A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2702897A3 (de
Inventor
Eligio Ponzini
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.)
Ponzini SpA
Original Assignee
Ponzini SpA
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 Ponzini SpA filed Critical Ponzini SpA
Publication of EP2702897A2 publication Critical patent/EP2702897A2/de
Publication of EP2702897A3 publication Critical patent/EP2702897A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
    • A46B5/002—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware having articulations, joints or flexible portions
    • A46B5/0033—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware having articulations, joints or flexible portions bending or stretching or collapsing
    • A46B5/0041—Mechanical joint or hinge, made up of several components
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A45—HAND OR TRAVELLING ARTICLES
    • A45D—HAIRDRESSING OR SHAVING EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT FOR COSMETICS OR COSMETIC TREATMENTS, e.g. FOR MANICURING OR PEDICURING
    • A45D44/00—Other cosmetic or toiletry articles, e.g. for hairdressers' rooms
    • A45D44/18—Receptacles for hair brushes or tooth brushes as travelling equipment
    • 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 model relates to a pocket toothbrush, in particular a foldable toothbrush.
  • pocket toothbrushes are oral hygiene tools which are conceived - in terms of bulk or of layout - to be easily transported.
  • pocket toothbrushes may take up alternatively an operating layout - suitable to be gripped by a user's hand to bring the cleaning head to reach the desired regions within the oral cavity - and a "compact" layout, suitable to protect the cleaning head (provided with cleaning bristles) from the outer environment and to reduce the overall bulk of the toothbrush, better suited to transport requirements during a trip (for example so as to be slipped into a pocket, a handbag, and so on).
  • One type of particularly advantageous pocket toothbrush which will be dealt with in the present application, substantially consists of two mutually hinged portions, a former handle-shaped and a latter comprising the cleaning bristles.
  • Examples of this known art are disclosed for example in US 4,482,263 , US 5,003,658 , US 5,464,294 , EP 20,268 , GB 174, 874 and US 2,657,412 .
  • all these solutions have various drawbacks.
  • the two toothbrush components due to construction requirements, have a shape and structure optimised in view of the folding thereof, to the overall detriment of toothbrush ergonomics in the open operating layout.
  • toothbrushes are often taken into consideration by users only in case they need to temporarily move from their domicile, but they are not tolerated in daily current use, which relegates these products to narrow markets.
  • the handle portion has a significant open cavity, with thin perimeter walls, which is unaesthetic and awkward to use.
  • the separate moulding of the various components and the subsequent assembling thereof are rather expensive - the separately moulded pieces must be reprocessed and assembled together - and in any case they never determine a final configuration with perfect coupling, because the pieces of the various production batches have differing tolerances which produce varying clearances. That implies either a difficult folding or, more easily, an unpleasant risk of accidental disassembling (as it has been assembled, the known-art toothbrush can be disassembled into its components imparting modest traction).
  • the elements making up the hinge, or the engagement portion, between the two main toothbrush components precisely because they are meant to be elastically deformed in order to accomplish the snap assembling thereof, are prone to breakage or yielding under stress, impairing toothbrush firmness.
  • the problem at the basis of the present invention is hence to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, providing an improved pocket toothbrush, which can be manufactured economically, provides firm accurate coupling in the hinge area and is aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic in any condition of use, so as to be able to be used also regardless of the ability thereof to be folded.
  • a foldable toothbrush comprising a work portion, provided with a bristled head projecting at the distal end of a neck element, and a spindle-shaped body handle portion, between said two portions a hinge portion being provided apt to allow a mutual rotation according to an axis transversal to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, wherein said spindle-shaped body handle portion is solid and has, towards a distal end, a main seat imprint having a shape and depth suited to precisely house said head, when the work portion is folded on the handle portion around said hinge, and wherein only in the proximity of said hinge portion, the spindle-shaped body of said handle portion has a saddle-shaped recess to house a part of said neck.
  • the main seat imprint and the saddle-shaped recess are sized so that when said work portion is folded on the spindle-shaped body, bringing the bristled head into said main seat imprint and part of the neck into said saddle-shaped recess, determines with its back surface an arc profile connected to the handle profile.
  • the hinge portion consists of mutually engaged first hinge means integral with said work portion and second hinge means integral with said handle portion, said first hinge means and said second hinge means being obtained from mutually incompatible materials and overmoulded the ones on the others.
  • said first hinge means are in the shape of a bulb with mutually opposite planar faces, run through by a central hole, apt to cooperate with a rotation pin being part of said second hinge means.
  • said second hinge means are in the shape of a fork with a pair of prongs between which said rotation pin extends.
  • the handle portion and the work portion are made of different plastic materials and alternatively belonging either to the group of aromatic polyesthers, polyammides homopolymers and copolymers, or to the group of polyolefins, vynyl polymers, polyacrylic and methacrylic polymers.
  • the main seat imprint for the housing of the bristled head there is associated a thin-walled, half-shell cover, forming a protection cover of said main seat imprint and of the head housed therein.
  • the free edge of said half-shell has a profile which matches the profile of said main imprint, so as to connect and determine a continuity of the outer surface of the handle.
  • the half-shell cover is engaged in rotation, through a snap coupling, with a distal end of said handle provided with retaining means.
  • the half-shell cover furthermore has a widened cut-out which, when said work portion is folded on the spindle-shaped body, is run through by a portion of said neck.
  • the half-shell cover is made of clear or semi-clear material.
  • a foldable or pocket toothbrush consists of a handle portion P, a work portion L, and of a cover portion C.
  • Work portion L comprises at a distal end a cleaning head 1 provided with bristles, which extends into a neck 2 which carries, at the other end thereof (proximal end) opposite to head 1, a bulb which defines first hinging means 3.
  • Handle portion P in turn comprises a central spindle-like gripping body 4, which has at one proximal end second hinging means 5; in the distal end 7 region, handling body 4 has a main recess or seat imprint 6, forming the seat for the housing of head 1 in a closed-toothbrush attitude.
  • main recess 6 extends only on distal end of handle 4: in particular, as clearly shown in fig. 6A , recess 6 extends by no more than half the length of handle 4.
  • Distal end 7 of handle P is shaped so as to allow also, as better described in the following, the engagement and hinging of a cover C.
  • the toothbrush according to the invention is made of plastic material, according to a preferred method which will be highlighted further on.
  • the general trend of the lines and of the surfaces is fully similar to that of the lines and surfaces of a modern toothbrush with an ergonomic handle.
  • work portion L is moulded in a single piece, comprising head 1 and neck 2 which ends with said bulb making up first hinge means 3. Said hinge means are apt to rotatingly engage with said second hinge means 5, integral with handle portion P.
  • the two handle portion P and work portion L are mutually rotating around a rotation axis (crosswise to the main longitudinal axis of the toothbrush) determined by said first and second hinge means 3 and 5 which, by mutually coupling according to the method illustrated further on, do define a hinge portion of the two toothbrush parts L and P.
  • handle body 4 has a substantially spindle-like shape, with a generically elliptic section and tapering towards the ends; the greater crosswise thickness of the geometric figure which circumscribes the spindle falls in correspondence of recedss area 6, where head 1 ends up being housed in the folded attitude.
  • Handle body 4 on the front side thereof - i.e. the side facing the same side as the bristles during use - opens with said main imprint or recess 6 and a seating imprint 6a shaped so as to house at least part of neck 2.
  • the proximal end portion of body 4 - which defines the second hinge means 5 - has a slight slope towards the front part, with respect to the longitudinal axis of handle 4. That causes in the side profile a saddle area 6a' (as clearly visible in fig. 5 ).
  • handle body 4 has a deep recess 4' which defines a pair of end forks 7 and 8, between which a hinge pin 9 extends.
  • hinge pin 9 is preferably offset towards the front side with respect to the longitudinal axis x-x' of handle P.
  • Work portion L has a bristled head 1, from which a thin neck 2 extends, curved with respect to the working plane y-y' of the bristles.
  • the neck curvature is such as to arrange hinge bulb 3 offset towards the front side of the toothbrush, with respect to the work plane y-y' of the bristles.
  • Such offsetting is by a few millimetres and is sufficient to bring head 1 to be housed in seat imprint 6 - in folded attitude - with neck 2 arranged in an aesthetically pleasant way (see figs. 3 and 3A ) on the imprint 6a of handle 4.
  • hinge bulb 3 In the hinge bulb 3 a hole 3a is provided with which hinge pin 9 of handle P is meant to couple - in the way described further on.
  • hinge bulb 3 has a larger lateral dimension (in the direction of the hinge axis) than the remaining neck portion 2, with which it connects through a root area 2a.
  • Work portion L once it has been caused to rotate about hinge means 3,5, in the direction shown by arrow F, may be folded on handle P in the way shown in figures 3 to 5 , where bristled head 1 may be received into seat 6, neck 2 into imprint 6a and the root 2a of neck 2 between the two forks 7 and 8 of end recess 4'.
  • recess or seat imprint 6a has a depth varying along its length on the solid body 4 of the handle. As a matter of fact, imprint 6a is less deep in the proximity of the hinge portion 3, 5 and becomes progressively deeper, until opening into seat imprint 6, where also the handle body is bulkier and better able to receive the head 1 of work portion L.
  • the depth of imprint 6a and of seat imprint 6 follows a similar profile to the thickness of work portion L: therefore it is less deep in the saddle 6a' where it simply accommodates neck 2 and it is instead deeper in seat imprint 6, where it must accommodate head 1.
  • the width of the imprint is not constant, but follows the perimeter profile of work portion L (as clearly visible in fig. 6A ), narrowing between the proximal end of hinge 5 and the distal end portion provided with seat 6.
  • neck 2 departs from hinge portion 3, 5 with a thickness d which is substantially smaller than the corresponding thickness D of the grip in the proximity of hinge 3, 5. That allows, on the one hand, to fully receive the entire thickness d of neck 2 in saddle 6a' and, on the other hand, to obtain that the back profile of neck 2 - once the toothbrush has been closed again - remains about flush with the front surface of the handle, with the desired pleasant aesthetic effect, clearly noticeable in figs. 3 and 5 .
  • the hinge is defined by the two parts on work portion L and on handle portion 6.
  • First means 3 are in the shape of a bulb which has two parallel side surfaces run through perpendicularly by hinge hole 3a.
  • Second means 5 are in the shape of a fork with prongs 7 and 8 between which rotation pin 9 extends .
  • the two parallel surfaces of first means 3 are hence meant to abut and slide in rotation against similar inner surfaces of prongs 7 and 8.
  • bulb 3 is precisely housed, freely rotating, between the two prongs 7 and 8 of handle P; this coupling guarantees the side stability of the hinge portion.
  • pin 9 is meant to freely rotate constraint and the rotation guiding.
  • Said latter is obtained by defining a first structural component - for example fork 7, 8 with corresponding body 4 integral therewith - of a first plastic material A, on top of which the second component is then overmoulded - for example bulb 3 with corresponding neck 2 - of a second material B incompatible with the first one.
  • One of the components can in turn be overmoulded with other area of elastomeric material 4a provided on body 4.
  • the two materials A and B are chosen according to melting temperatures and nature, such as to lead to no joining between the parts, but instead such as to allow to accomplish a precise coupling (to the benefit of the regularity of the rotation movement) which is extremely firm (to the benefit of the safety of use).
  • the term "incompatible" is used here to indicate that a first material does not weld or does not bind with - due to physical or chemical characteristics - a second material. That implies both a non-affinity between the materials, and a sufficient difference of melting temperatures to prevent one from deforming the other.
  • the assembly of handle P and work portion L as a unitary complex, already assembled in the two subsequent moulding steps, without further mounting operations is hence obtained.
  • the coupling of the first 3 and of the second 5 hinging means is precisely obtained and hence allows a regularity of rotation and the firm holding over time of the mutual connection of these two parts.
  • a plastic material from the group of aromatic polyesthers for example PC polycarbonate, PET Polyethylenteraphtalate, PBT Polybutylenteraphtalate), homopolymer and copolymer polyammides (for example PA6, PA66, PA12) may be used, which all have a relatively high melting point (for example above 215-225°C), while as material B plastic materials of the polyolefin group (for example PE-LD, PE-HD, PP homopolymer and copolymer), vinyl polymers (for example polymers of styrol homopolymer such as PS or MS; polystyrene copolymers such as SAN or ABS; vinyl chloride polymers such as PVC), polyacrylic and methacrylic polymers (for example PMMA, methacrylate-(acrylonitryl)-buthadien-styrene copolymer) may be employed, which have a relatively low melting point (for example below 185-195°C).
  • aromatic polyesthers for example
  • the process provides to first mould work portion L in the shape illustrated in fig. 5 , possibly also bristling it in, and then proceeding to overmoulding the structural component of handle P.
  • prongs 7 and 8 and pin 9 are formed by exploiting as countermould directly the lateral surfaces of bulb 3 and the very hole 3a, which hence ensures a remarkable manufacturing precision and in any case a free rotation of the parts (because made of incompatible materials which do not bond).
  • hinge 3, 5 is consolidated in a secure manner and involuntary disassembling is no longer possible.
  • a projection or abutment cam 2b is provided at the bottom of bulb 3. This abutment element is meant to come into contact with a shoulder defined between the two prongs 7 and 8, so as to determine the open travel end position of the toothbrush.
  • seat imprint 6 in correspondence of the housing area of the bristle tufts in the collapsed condition, has an array of through-holes or through-slits (not shown), which serve to let water droplets percolate which may possibly drip from the bristle tufts and end up on the seat imprint bottom.
  • a cover element is preferably provided, overall referred to by C.
  • This element consists of a thin-walled half-shell 10, preferably made of clear or semi-clear material, which is meant to form a protection cover of the cavity 6 seat bristled head 1.
  • Half-shell cover C at a first end, has two flaps 11 and 12, between which a small pin-shaped bridge 13 extends.
  • a terminal protuberance 7 is provided, in which a seat 7a for pin 13 is practised, in the shape of a slit ending in a widening with a diameter corresponding to that of pin 13.
  • half-shell 10 has a widened cut-out 14, for the function better described here in the following.
  • cover C can then shift from the closed position, shown in fig. 3 , to the open position shown in fig. 1 (open attitude), or vice versa.
  • closed position work portion L is folded on handle portion P, bristled head 1 is found inside seat imprint 6 and the connecting portion of neck 2 runs through cut-out 14; the shaped edge 15 of half-shell 10 matches perfectly the edge of seat imprint 6, accomplishing a continuity of the lateral surface and of the overall geometric figure of the handle.
  • cover C In the open position, cover C is caused to rotate into direction A (see fig. 1 ) to leave seat imprint 6 free, so that neck 2 may be moved upwards, rotating according to arrow B to cause head 1 to come out of seat imprint 6 and to finally bring work portion L into the final position, itself also shown in the same fig. 1 .
  • cover C may be closed again, to give continuity to the portion of handle P and allow an easy grip by the hand using the toothbrush.
  • handle body 4 is closed and completed both by work portion L and by cover C; said cover is opened to rotate work portion L into working attitude, but is subsequently closed again to give back continuity and ergonomics to handle 4 during the use thereof.
  • the distance between the two hinge pins 9 and 13 is smaller than the sum of the overall lengths of work portion L and of cover C, so that the respective rotations bring work portion L to partially penetrate cover C, through cut-out 14, and hence to determine a general smooth connection of the surfaces which is aesthetically pleasant.
  • the application of bristles onto head 1 can be performed in any desired way, either before or after the coupling of handle portion P with work portion L, without that affecting in any way the main teaching provided here.
  • the application of the bristles may occur with traditional technology, with small metal anchors, or with the known "in-molding" technology.
EP13181899.9A 2012-08-29 2013-08-27 Zusammenklappbare Taschenzahnbürste Withdrawn EP2702897A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000313U ITMI20120313U1 (it) 2012-08-29 2012-08-29 Spazzolino da denti tascabile ripiegabile.

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2702897A2 true EP2702897A2 (de) 2014-03-05
EP2702897A3 EP2702897A3 (de) 2015-07-29

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP13181899.9A Withdrawn EP2702897A3 (de) 2012-08-29 2013-08-27 Zusammenklappbare Taschenzahnbürste

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EP (1) EP2702897A3 (de)
IT (1) ITMI20120313U1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3257398A1 (de) 2016-06-15 2017-12-20 Trisa Holding AG Mundhygienemittel
USD936974S1 (en) 2019-12-30 2021-11-30 Omolola Oyelude Foldable toothbrush

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB174874A (en) 1921-05-27 1922-02-09 Joseph Ernest Macmurray Improvements relating to tooth brushes
US2657412A (en) 1948-11-30 1953-11-03 Henry E Carlson Folding toothbrush
EP0020268A1 (de) 1979-05-30 1980-12-10 Celluloid S.A. Faltbarer und verpackbarer Toilettartikel, z.B. Zahnbürste
US4482263A (en) 1983-05-12 1984-11-13 Palamara Joseph P Foldable toothbrush and toothpaste supply unit
US5003658A (en) 1988-11-03 1991-04-02 Rolleri Dennis A Compact sanitary toothbrush
US5464294A (en) 1993-08-25 1995-11-07 Fortune Dragon Pte Ltd Folding toothbrush

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2168689A (en) * 1938-08-29 1939-08-08 Will O Smith Dental cleaning compact
US2247003A (en) * 1940-09-09 1941-06-24 Will O Smith Dental cleaning compact
US5735298A (en) * 1996-05-22 1998-04-07 Mayne; Harlo Tri-fold multipurpose toothbrush
NO327668B1 (no) * 2007-12-13 2009-09-07 Stein Hofstad Kombinert artikkel for personlig hygiene
CN201734122U (zh) * 2010-06-23 2011-02-09 张颖 多功能清洁牙刷

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB174874A (en) 1921-05-27 1922-02-09 Joseph Ernest Macmurray Improvements relating to tooth brushes
US2657412A (en) 1948-11-30 1953-11-03 Henry E Carlson Folding toothbrush
EP0020268A1 (de) 1979-05-30 1980-12-10 Celluloid S.A. Faltbarer und verpackbarer Toilettartikel, z.B. Zahnbürste
US4482263A (en) 1983-05-12 1984-11-13 Palamara Joseph P Foldable toothbrush and toothpaste supply unit
US5003658A (en) 1988-11-03 1991-04-02 Rolleri Dennis A Compact sanitary toothbrush
US5464294A (en) 1993-08-25 1995-11-07 Fortune Dragon Pte Ltd Folding toothbrush

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP3257398A1 (de) 2016-06-15 2017-12-20 Trisa Holding AG Mundhygienemittel
USD936974S1 (en) 2019-12-30 2021-11-30 Omolola Oyelude Foldable toothbrush

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITMI20120313U1 (it) 2014-03-01
EP2702897A3 (de) 2015-07-29

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