US3683442A - Toothbrush - Google Patents

Toothbrush Download PDF

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Publication number
US3683442A
US3683442A US131246A US3683442DA US3683442A US 3683442 A US3683442 A US 3683442A US 131246 A US131246 A US 131246A US 3683442D A US3683442D A US 3683442DA US 3683442 A US3683442 A US 3683442A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
brush
unit
head
units
longitudinal axis
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
US131246A
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English (en)
Inventor
James A Holly
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.)
Hollymatic Corp
Original Assignee
Hollymatic Corp
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 Hollymatic Corp filed Critical Hollymatic Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3683442A publication Critical patent/US3683442A/en
Assigned to AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST COMPANY OF CHICAGO reassignment AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST COMPANY OF CHICAGO SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: PATTY PROCESSING. INC.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • 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

  • a toothbrush and the like comprising a brush head elongated along its longitudinal axis and having longitudinal sides, a hollow interior and an elongated bottom opening, a plurality of individual brush units in the head each projecting a plurality of tufts through the opening but each being retractable into the hollow interior of the brush head when subjected to an external force and brush projecting urging means in the hollow head for urging each brush unit toward the opening to project the tufts therethrough and end guide means in the brush head snugly engaging the end surfaces of the brush units for guiding movement of the units individually inwardly of the head when subjected to an external force sufiicient to overcome the urging means of the individual unit.
  • the brush units are spaced apart at the sides to provide liquid flow paths communicating with the hollow interior of the brush head for cleaning purposes and each brush unit has two
  • One of the features of this invention is to provide an improved toothbrush and the like comprising retractable brush units arranged in the head of the brush and urged outwardly into tuft projecting position but yieldable inwardly under an external force together with guide means for guiding the inward and outward movement of each brush unit in which the guide means comprises a single guide pin for each brush unit.
  • Another feature of the invention is to provide such a brush in which there are provided means spacing the sides of the brush units apart to provide liquid flow paths communicating with the hollow interior of the brush head and with the head having a liquid outlet from the interior thereof spaced from the opening that contains the movable brush units.
  • Another feature of the invention is to provide an improved toothbrush and the like having side-by-side transverse brush units in the brush head each retractable under an external force and each having a plurality of brush tufts aligned transversely of the length of the brush head so that each unit performs as a miniature individual brush, all cooperating to produce more efficient cleaning of complexly contoured surfaces such as teeth and between the teeth.
  • the toothbrush and the like of this invention provides a plurality of side-by-side brush units each containing a plurality of tufts at least some of which are aligned laterally transversely to the longitudinal axis-of the brush head so as to give stability to the brush units thereby preventing them binding in the head even when subjected to strong lateral forces.
  • the brush units are spaced from each other a small but significant distance to provide for liquid flow into and out of the hollow interior of the head during cleaning.
  • FIG. 1 is an end elevational view from the head end of a toothbrush embodying the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the head end of the toothbrush.
  • FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 3.
  • FlG.'-4 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating the operation of the brush in cleaning teeth.
  • the toothbrush 10 comprises a brush head 11 on the end of a customary handle 12.
  • the brush head 11 has a hollow interior chamber 13 defined by side walls 14, a top wall 15 and a bottom wall 16.
  • the brush head is elongated along a longitudinal axis 17 so that the side walls 14 comprise the longitudinal sides of the head that are substantially parallel to the axis 17.
  • an elongated bottom opening 18 Located in the bottom wall 16 is an elongated bottom opening 18 having retaining means 26 along the sides of the opening and thereby defining the opening.
  • a liquid outlet from the hollow interior 13 of the brush head with this outlet opening comprising a somewhat large free flow opening 19 in the end wall 20 of the brush head 1 1.
  • Each brush back 22 is elongated in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis 17 and each has parallel sides 24 between rounded ends 25.
  • Each brush unit 21 is retained in the hollow interior 13 by retaining means comprising edge flanges or ledges 26 at the sides of the bottom opening 18 and each engaging the outer surface 27 of its brush back in the region of a rounded end 25.
  • the edge flanges 26 are in the form of narrow ledges that are wide enough to retain the brush backs within the hollow interior 13 of the brush head but that are narrow enough for lateral distortion away from each other by outward bending of the side walls 14 in forcing a brush back 22 from the exterior of the head into the interior thereof to the position shown in FIG. 3.
  • the edge flanges26 were 0.015 inch wide (shown exaggerated in the drawings for illustrative purposes). The brush units were easily snapped into the interior 13 by forcing the opposite flanges 26 apart a sufficient distance to permit the brush backs 22 to pass therebetween.
  • each brush unit 21 engage similarly rounded interior surface portions 28 that define the sides of the hollow interior l3 and these surface portions 28 forrn end guide means that snugly engage the end surfaces 25 of the brush units for aid in guiding the movement of the units 21 individually inwardly of the brush head when subjected to an external force as illustrated in FIG. 4 sufficient to overcome the urging means that urge the individual units outward.
  • this urging means comprises a helical spring 29 for each brush unit 21 and the others so that there can be no binding or jamming of the brush units during use.
  • the brush of this invention also includes spacing means spacing the sides 24 of adjacent brush units apart a short distance to provide liquid flow paths between the units communicating with the hollow interior 13 of the brush head for aid in cleaning the head as by holding it under running water.
  • this spacing is about 0.015 0.025 inch (shown exaggerated in FIG. 2 for illustrative purposes) and is provided by the rounded ends 25 engaging the rounded head surface portions 28 in snug engagement so as to hold the brush units against substantial lateral movement parallel to the longitudinal axis 17.
  • the plurality of tufts 23 are symmetrically arranged on each unit and laterally aligned in a direction transversely to the longitudinal axis 17.
  • each pair of tufts 23 in each brush back 22 in the illustrated embodiment are aligned at right angles to the axis 17 which is the direction of normal up and down teeth 33 cleaning movement as illustrated by the arrow 32.
  • the guide pins 30 are rigidly mounted on the top wall 15 so as to project toward the bottom wall 16 and terminate short of the bottom opening 18 so that when the brush backs 22 are in fully projected positions as shown in FIG. 3 the outer ends of the pins are even with or slightly below the outer surfaces 27 of the brush backs 22. All of the pins 30 are parallel to each other, parallel to the brush unit end surfaces 25 and parallel to the end guide surfaces 28. Each pin 30 is also positioned centrally within the chamber 13 between the side walls 14.
  • each pin 30 may also be made of plastic material and as shown in FIG. 3 is preferably made integral with the top wall 13.
  • each small brush back 22 requires only a single supporting and guiding pin 30 which is wholly contained within the hollow interior chamber 13. This conserves internal space and the pin engaging each brush back 22 in combination with the rounded ends 25 snugly engaging the interior guide surfaces 28 that form the inner surfaces of the side walls 14 cooperate to retain each brush back 21 against twisting and jamming during the full extent of its movement from the complete extended position of FIG. 3 through and to a completely retracted position adjacent the top wall 15.
  • These guide surfaces including each pin 30 also maintain the narrow spacing between adjacent sides 24 of the brush backs for proper cleaning of the brush.
  • the assembling of the springs 29 and brush units 21 within the hollow brush head 11 is quite simple. Because the parallel pins 30 are integral parts of the brush head particularly when the head and pins are made of a molded plastic and because of the small overlap (such as about 0.015 inch) of the edge flanges or ledges 26 all that is necessary to assemble the parts of the brush together is to place each spring 29 over its pin 30 while the brush is held inverted, then snap the brush unit 21 through the opening 18 by forcing it past the edge flanges 26 in an action where the ends of the unit serve to force the walls 14 and flanges 26 apart enough to permit entry of the brush back 22 past the flanges, and then repeat this operation for each brush unit, spring and pin assembly until all brush units 21,
  • a toothbrush and the like usable with a liquid in cleaning comprising: a brush head elongated along its longitudinal axis and having longitudinal sides, a hollow interior, an elongated bottom opening, retaining means along the sides of the opening and a liquid outlet from said interior spaced from said opening; a plurality of individual brush units in said brush head retained therein by said retaining means and each having a projecting brush tuft, each said unit having end surfaces adjacent the longitudinal sides of said brush head; brush projecting urging means in said hollow head for urging each said unit toward said opening to project said tufts therethrough; and guide means in said brush head snugly engaging said end surfaces of said brush unit for guiding the movement of the units individually inwardly of the head when subjected to an external force sufficient to overcome said urging means of the individual unit; and spacing means spacing the sides of said brush units apart to provide liquid flow paths communicating with said hollow interior of said brush head.
  • each said brush unit has a plurality of said tufts symmetrically arranged on each unit and laterally aligned transversely to said longitudinal axis.
  • each said brush unit has substantially parallel sides transverse to said longitudinal axis, and each said brush unit has a plurality of said tufts symmetrically arranged on each unit and laterally aligned transversely to said longitudinal axis.
  • said retaining means comprises edge flanges at said bottom surface overlapping said brush unit end surfaces.
  • said urging means for urging said brush unit comprises a helical spring positioned around a said pin.
  • a toothbrush and the like comprising: a brush head elongated along its longitudinal axis and having longitudinal sides, a hollow interior, an elongated bottom opening and retaining means along the sides of the opening; a plurality of individual brush units in said brush head retained therein by said retaining means and each having a plurality of projecting brush tufts, each said unit having end surfaces adjacent the longitudinal sides of said brush head; brush projecting urging means in said hollow head for urging each said unit toward said opening to project said tufts therethrough; and end guide means in said brush head snugly engaging said end surfaces of said brush unit for guiding the movement of the units individually inwardly of the head when subjected to an external force sufficient to overcome said urging means of the individual unit.
  • each said brush unit has a plurality of said tufts symmetrically arranged on each unit and laterally aligned transversely to said longitudinal axis and each said brush unit has substantially parallel sides transverse to said longitudinal axis.
  • said retaining means comprises edge flanges at said bottom surface overlapping said brush unit end surfaces and said edge flanges are of narrow width for lateral distortion of said head in forcibly moving a brush unit into said hollow interior past said flanges.
  • each said brush unit located centrally of the brush unit on which the brush unit is slidably movable during its said movement, all said pins being parallel to each other, parallel to said brush unit end surfaces and side surfaces, and parallel to said end guide means, and said urging means for urging each said brush unit comprises a helical spring positioned around a said pin.

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  • Brushes (AREA)
US131246A 1971-04-05 1971-04-05 Toothbrush Expired - Lifetime US3683442A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13124671A 1971-04-05 1971-04-05

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3683442A true US3683442A (en) 1972-08-15

Family

ID=22448589

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US131246A Expired - Lifetime US3683442A (en) 1971-04-05 1971-04-05 Toothbrush

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3683442A (fr)
BE (1) BE781695A (fr)
BR (1) BR7201987D0 (fr)
CA (1) CA941561A (fr)
CH (1) CH535557A (fr)
DE (1) DE2215799A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2136171A5 (fr)
GB (1) GB1330606A (fr)
IT (1) IT954407B (fr)
NL (1) NL7204433A (fr)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4346492A (en) * 1978-11-30 1982-08-31 Solow Terry S Mechanical toothbrush with individual tuft drive
US4795347A (en) * 1984-08-31 1989-01-03 Wilhelm Maurer Process and device for the cleaning of teeth
US5068939A (en) * 1989-12-27 1991-12-03 Ohad Paz Brush construction including movably-mounted bristles
WO1992008390A2 (fr) * 1990-11-20 1992-05-29 Paz, Ohad Brosse avec supports porte-soies a ressorts
US5184368A (en) * 1990-11-20 1993-02-09 Ohad Paz Toothbrushes
EP0661954A1 (fr) * 1992-09-24 1995-07-12 Dentatech Corporation Brosse a dents electromecanique
US5524319A (en) * 1995-05-31 1996-06-11 Avidor; Joseph Toothbrush having spring-mounted bristle holders
US6334232B1 (en) * 1992-10-31 2002-01-01 Masanori Sato Toothbrush and electric toothbrush
US6389634B1 (en) 1998-11-24 2002-05-21 Gillette Canada Company Oral devices
US6708364B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2004-03-23 Trisa Holding Ag Flexible brush head for a toothbrush
US20040123409A1 (en) * 2002-12-16 2004-07-01 Dickie Robert G. Electric toothbrush having rotatably oscillating and pulsating bristle heads
US6823554B1 (en) 2000-10-05 2004-11-30 Gillette Canada Company Oral devices
US7836537B1 (en) * 2008-06-27 2010-11-23 Kumar Devakumaran J Toothbrush with independently mobile bristle groups for vertical brushing of teeth
US7941886B2 (en) 2003-09-19 2011-05-17 Braun Gmbh Toothbrushes
US8667634B2 (en) 2008-12-29 2014-03-11 Koninklijke Philips N.V. System for axial bristle motion in a teeth cleaning mouthpiece

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4827550A (en) * 1985-06-10 1989-05-09 Dental Research Corporation Removable head mechanism for automatic cleaning device
FR2615709A1 (fr) * 1987-05-29 1988-12-02 Brosset Georges Brosse a dents a brosses multiples auto-directionnelles
DE4207968A1 (de) * 1992-03-13 1993-09-16 Bausch & Lomb Zahnbuerste
US7841041B2 (en) 2002-08-09 2010-11-30 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement
US8806695B2 (en) 2002-08-09 2014-08-19 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement having flexibly supported cleaning elements extending in opposite directions
US8151397B2 (en) 2002-08-09 2012-04-10 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement having flexibly supported cleaning elements extending in opposite directions
US8876221B2 (en) 2002-08-09 2014-11-04 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement
US8281448B2 (en) 2005-10-24 2012-10-09 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement having one or more moving sections
USD637003S1 (en) 2006-05-08 2011-05-03 Colgate-Palmolive Company Toothbrush
USD637400S1 (en) 2006-05-08 2011-05-10 Colgate-Palmolive Company Toothbrush

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2882544A (en) * 1957-10-23 1959-04-21 Puzant H Hadidian Tooth brush
US2935755A (en) * 1955-10-14 1960-05-10 Leira Alberto Ramon Tooth-brushes and the like
US3082457A (en) * 1961-05-26 1963-03-26 Florio R Lucibello Self-adapting tufts for brushes
US3386118A (en) * 1966-03-18 1968-06-04 Morioku Shigemi Resilient brush unit

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2935755A (en) * 1955-10-14 1960-05-10 Leira Alberto Ramon Tooth-brushes and the like
US2882544A (en) * 1957-10-23 1959-04-21 Puzant H Hadidian Tooth brush
US3082457A (en) * 1961-05-26 1963-03-26 Florio R Lucibello Self-adapting tufts for brushes
US3386118A (en) * 1966-03-18 1968-06-04 Morioku Shigemi Resilient brush unit

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4346492A (en) * 1978-11-30 1982-08-31 Solow Terry S Mechanical toothbrush with individual tuft drive
US4795347A (en) * 1984-08-31 1989-01-03 Wilhelm Maurer Process and device for the cleaning of teeth
US5068939A (en) * 1989-12-27 1991-12-03 Ohad Paz Brush construction including movably-mounted bristles
WO1992008390A2 (fr) * 1990-11-20 1992-05-29 Paz, Ohad Brosse avec supports porte-soies a ressorts
WO1992008390A3 (fr) * 1990-11-20 1992-10-01 Paz Ohad Brosse avec supports porte-soies a ressorts
US5184368A (en) * 1990-11-20 1993-02-09 Ohad Paz Toothbrushes
EP0661954A4 (fr) * 1992-09-24 1999-07-14 Dentatech Corp Brosse a dents electromecanique.
USRE35941E (en) * 1992-09-24 1998-11-03 Pulse Innovations, Inc. Mechanical toothbrush
EP0661954A1 (fr) * 1992-09-24 1995-07-12 Dentatech Corporation Brosse a dents electromecanique
US6334232B1 (en) * 1992-10-31 2002-01-01 Masanori Sato Toothbrush and electric toothbrush
US5524319A (en) * 1995-05-31 1996-06-11 Avidor; Joseph Toothbrush having spring-mounted bristle holders
WO1996038069A1 (fr) * 1995-05-31 1996-12-05 Bernstein, David Brosse a dent a supports de poils montes sur ressort
US6708364B1 (en) * 1998-01-16 2004-03-23 Trisa Holding Ag Flexible brush head for a toothbrush
US6389634B1 (en) 1998-11-24 2002-05-21 Gillette Canada Company Oral devices
US6823554B1 (en) 2000-10-05 2004-11-30 Gillette Canada Company Oral devices
US20040123409A1 (en) * 2002-12-16 2004-07-01 Dickie Robert G. Electric toothbrush having rotatably oscillating and pulsating bristle heads
US7941886B2 (en) 2003-09-19 2011-05-17 Braun Gmbh Toothbrushes
US8621698B2 (en) 2003-09-19 2014-01-07 Braun Gmbh Toothbrushes
US9204949B2 (en) 2003-09-19 2015-12-08 The Gillettte Company Toothbrushes
US7836537B1 (en) * 2008-06-27 2010-11-23 Kumar Devakumaran J Toothbrush with independently mobile bristle groups for vertical brushing of teeth
US8667634B2 (en) 2008-12-29 2014-03-11 Koninklijke Philips N.V. System for axial bristle motion in a teeth cleaning mouthpiece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH535557A (de) 1973-04-15
BE781695A (fr) 1972-07-31
CA941561A (en) 1974-02-12
FR2136171A5 (fr) 1972-12-22
NL7204433A (fr) 1972-10-09
BR7201987D0 (pt) 1973-06-07
GB1330606A (en) 1973-09-19
DE2215799A1 (de) 1972-10-19
IT954407B (it) 1973-08-30

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Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK AND TRUST COMPANY OF CHICAG

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:PATTY PROCESSING. INC.;REEL/FRAME:004066/0135

Effective date: 19821015