US 2013/0255018 A1Published application

Oral care implement

AssigneeColgate-Palmolive Company

InventorsWen Jin Xi, Liu Yu, Jian Rong Zhou

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An oral care implement, such as a toothbrush. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising a handle and a head. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements may be provided on a front surface of the head. The head is formed by a plurality of spaced-apart segments formed of a rigid material. The segments are isolated from one another by channels containing an elastomeric material that flexibly connects the segments together. The oral care implement further comprises an elastomeric soft tissue cleaner located on a rear surface of the head opposite the front surface of the head. The elastomeric soft tissue cleaner comprises a plurality of grooves that are aligned with the channels.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An oral care implement comprising:

a handle;
a head connected to the handle and having a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from a front surface of the head;
the head formed by a plurality of spaced-apart segments formed of a rigid material, the plurality of segments including a central segment and at least one peripheral segment arranged about the central segment, the at least one peripheral segment isolated from the central segment by a channel containing an elastomeric material, the elastomeric material flexibly connecting the at least one peripheral segment to the central segment;
an elastomeric soft tissue cleaner located on a rear surface of the head opposite the front surface of the head, the elastomeric soft tissue cleaner comprising a plurality of protuberances for engaging soft oral tissue extending from a base surface of the soft tissue cleaner and at least one groove formed in the base surface of the elastomeric soft tissue cleaner;
and
wherein the at least one groove of the elastomeric soft tissue cleaner aligned with the channel.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/992,271Filed 21 Dec 2010
Published: 3 Oct 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

A46B 9/04
Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups: arranged like in or for toothbrushes
A46B 5/0029
Brushes with elastically deformable heads that change shape during use: head made of soft plastics, rubber or rubber inserts in plastics matrix
A46B 7/06
Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body: movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement
A46B 9/06
Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body: arrangement of mixed bristles or tufts of bristles, e.g. wire, fibre, rubber

Family

US 9,462,877 B2Related patent
US 2013/0255018 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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