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US 6,438,786 B2Granted
Toothbrush with longitudinal bristle reinforcement
OwnerStephen D. Haradainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toothbrush is disclosed including a head with a bristle mounting surface having a center section within which an array of bundles of bristles is mounted, and a pair of bristle supports located at either end of the center section which are effective to resist bending of the bristles within the center section in the longitudinal direction in response to brushing motion so that the tips of such bristles are maintained in contact with the teeth.
Claims21
A toothbrush comprising:
- a handle;
- a head having a first end, a second end connected to said handle, opposed sides and a longitudinal axis extending in a direction between said first and second ends;
- a plurality of bristles mounted to said in a center section which is spaced from said first end, spaced from said second end and extends substantially between said opposed sides, each of said bristles within said center section extending outwardly from said head and terminating at a tip, said tips of said bristles lying in substantially a common plane defining a height dimension relative to said head, said center section within which said bristles are located defining a length dimension measured in a direction along said longitudinal axis of said head;
- a first group of bristle supports mounted to said head and extending between said first end and said center section, and a second group of bristle supports mounted to said head and extending between said second end and said center section, each of said first group and said second group of bristle supports having a length dimension measured in a direction along said longitudinal axis which is in the range of about ¼ to ½ of said of said length dimension of said center section and a height dimension measured from said head which is less than said height dimension of said bristles in said center section, said first group and said second group of bristle supports being effective to resist deformation of said bristles within said center section in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis of said head.
1 more element
A toothbrush, comprising:
- a handle;
- a head having a first end, a second end connected to said handle, opposed sides and a longitudinal axis extending in a direction between said first and second ends;
- a plurality of bristles mounted to said head in a center section which is spaced from said first end, spaced from said second end and extends substantially between said opposed sides, each of said bristles within said center section extending outwardly from said head and terminating at a tip, said tips of said bristles lying in substantially a common plane defining a height dimension relative to said head, said center section within which said bristles are located defining a length dimension measured in a direction along said longitudinal axis of said head;
- a first group of bristle supports mounted to said head and extending between said first end and said center section, and a second group of bristle supports mounted to said head and extending between said second end and said center section, each of said first group and said second group of bristle supports having a height dimension measured from said head, at least some of said bristle supports within said first and second groups including a stiffening portion to resist bending of the bristles within said center section in the longitudinal direction.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.