US1901646A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

H. W, HICKS March 14, 1933.

TOOTHBRUSH Filed April 3, 1931 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE HARRY W. HICKS, OI FROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS TOOTHBRUSH This invention re Application filed April 8,

lates to a tooth brush particularly adapted for thethorough and proper cleansing of the teeth and massaging the gums adjacent to the exposed portions of the eeth.

Although t been practiced for he brushing of teeth has a long time, few of those who brush their teeth regularly brush them thoroughly, the inner surfaces of the teeth being especially neglected.

t 18 an object of the present invention to provide a brush by which faces of each tooth may all the exposed surbe simultaneously brushed, together with a gentle massaging of the adjacent marginal portions of the gums. According to the invention a tooth brush is provided, the bristles of which are varied in length to form a central longitudinal channel extending from one end other, this channel of the brush to the being of a suitable size to receive a row of teeth of ordinary size, the channel being sufficiently deep to permit the bristles defining'the outer edge thereof to extend beyond the teeth surfaces adjacent t exposed portions of the i so as to come into contact with the gum o the teeth. In order to accommodate the brush readily to the curved portions of the jaws, longitudinal contour I may round off the of the brush so that the bristles of maximum length occur at or near the middle of the brush, the bristles at either end of the brush being considerablyshorter. By this arrangement of bristles, a tooth brush embodying the inve ntion will receive and .em-

brace the teeth on any portion of either jaw.

Since the brush naturally guides itself into proper position for brushing the surfaces of the teeth and mass naturally employs way so that the te aging the gums, the user the brush in the correct eth are properly cleaned and the gums are properly and gently massaged.

Thus incorrect cleansing of the teeth, often resulting from laziness or ignorance of the correct use of an ordinary brush, is avoided by the use of a brush embodving the present invention. If my i all. its structure almost and correct use, so that a v of the tooth surfaces and sue is inevitably ob mproved brush is used at compels its proper complete treatment adjacent gum tis tained unless a deliberate 1931. Serial No. 527,377.

effort is made to use the brush in some manner other than that which is naturally followed, as hereinafter described.

On the drawing,-

igure 1 is a perspective view of a tooth brush embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the brush on a larger scale.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The tooth brush illustrated on the drawing may comprise the usual elongated handle 5, one end portion 6 of which serves as a back for the brush 7. The brush is preferably formed of an odd number of rows of bristles, five such rows being illustrated on the drawing. Of these rows, the outermost rows 8 contain the longest bristles, the middle row 9 containing the shortest. Between these rows there may be provided a pair of intermediate rows 10, the tufts of the rows 10 being staggered with respect to the rows 8 and 9 to avoid undue weakening of the brush back 6.

For the proper cleansing of the enamel surfaces of the teeth and the proper massaging of the gum tissue it is desirable that the ends of the bristles rather than their sides be in contact with these surfaces. To this end the brush should be of suflicient width to embrace the teeth and jaw without spreading the outer rows of bristles to such an extent as to cause the sides of the bristles to wipe along the surfaces of the teeth and gums. For average sized teeth, the width of the brush at the base of the bristles should be approximately the bristles naturally spreading toward their free ends to an overall brush width of slightly over When viewed from the side. as shown in Figure 2, the ends of the bristles present, preferably, an arcuate contour, the longest bristles being at or near the center of the brush, as at 11, the length of the bristles becoming less and less toward the ends 12, 12. For the average mouth, the longest bristles at 11 may be ap proximately in length, this length decreasing in both directions to a length of at the ends 12. The length of the brush itself may conveniently be 1%. As shown in Figure 3, the length of the bristles also varies in a transverse direction so as to form a, central of the teeth and the adjacent portions of the channel extending from one end of the brush gums,'are simultaneously treated. This not to the other. This channel may have an aponly insures complete and thorough-cleansproximate U or V cross sectional shape, as ing of the teeth andmassaging of the'gums,

shown. The bottom of the channel is debut also results in a considerable saving of fined by the central row 9 of bristles, these time and effort incleans'ing the teeth,'sinc'e bristles being preferably about ft," in length. it is not necessary to rub the brush successive- From the central bristles in the row 9 the ly on the inner, outer and top surfaces of the bristles in the rows 10 and 8 progressivel teeth in three different operations, as is cus- 10 increase in length until the maximum lengt tomary with an ordinary brush. 75 is reached at 11, this length, as hereinbefore It is obvious that various modifications and stated,being preferably about Thus the changes in size and proportions fromthe maximum depth of the channel at the central specific description hereinbefore given can be point of the brush is about This depth, made without departing from the spirit and especially when increased by a yielding of the scope of the invention as defined by the folbristles in the row 9 when pressed against lowing claims. the tops of the teeth, is suflicient to receive I claim: and embrace teeth of average size, the longest 1. A tooth brush comprising a plurality bristles at or near the point 11 extending beof rows of bristles, the bristles in the central yond the teeth to rest their ends against adrow being relatively short and of 'substanjacent gum tissue. tially uniform length from one end of the While the bristle lengths herein given are row to the other, the bristles in the outer rows. suitable for adult teeth of average size, it is being varied in length from a maximum near obvious that the length and proportions may the middle of the brush to minima at its be somewhat modified to receive and operate ends, presenting arcuate contours on the side upon teeth of sizes other than average. The faces of the brush to facilitate rocking of the long bristles at 11 are, by reason of then brush around the inner arcuate surface of length, more limber and yielding than the the row of teeth in eachjaw, the arrangement shorter bristles in the rows 9 and 10 so that and trim of th bri tle being u h a to ro- 9 the hard enamel surfaces of the teeth receive vide simultaneous end-bristle contact with a treatment which is more vigorous than the the'grinding and side surfaces of one or more comparatively gentle and yielding engageteeth and portions of the gum surfaces adment of the long bristles with the gum tissue. jacent thereto,

Thus the surfaces Of the teeth, and in par- 2. A tooth-brush comprising a, plurality ticular the occlusal surfaces of the molars of longitudinal row of bri tle in luding a which contain natural fissures are subjected central row of r lativ hort b i tl and to a thorough cleansing action, while the outer rows of longer bristles varying in gums are at the same time gently massaged. l ngth fro minima, at both nd f a h If desired, I may increase the difference in outer row to a maximum at the middle of 40 action between the central short bristles and the row whereby a, central longitudinal chanthe outer rows of long bristles by forming nel is formed with substantial depth from the outer rows with bristles of softer maone of the brush to the other, and the side terial than that of the bristles in the central faces of the brush present an arcuate conrow, but for ordinary purposes, the differtour to facilitate rocking the brush around ence in stifiness between the outer and the the inner arcuate surfac of th row of central rows arising from the difference in teeth in each jaw. length of the bristles, will be suificient for In testimony whereof I have aflixed my my purposes as described. signature.

It is important that the brush be adapted HARRY W, HICKS,

to cleanse thoroughly the teeth int-he forward or curved portions of the jaws, as well as the molars. In order to provide for the proper conforming of the brush to these portions of the jaws, the length of the bristles in the outside rows 8 are decreased from the maximum point 11 to the ends 12, as hereinbefore described. The shortening of the bristles toward the ends of the rows 8 permits the brush to adapt itself to the teeth on the curved portions of the jaws so as to present r bristle ends to all portions of these teeth. Thus, it is only necessary for the user to reciprocate the brush in its natural position on any portion'of either jaw, the result being that the inner, outer, and the top surfaces

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