Toothbrush with enhanced cleaning effects
AssigneeColgate-Palmolive Company
InventorsEduardo Jimenez, John J. Gatzemeyer, Alan V. Sorrentino, Thomas Mintel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A toothbrush is provided for cleaning and/or massaging of teeth and gums having a mechanical vibratory element and a head having cleaning/treating elements on a plurality of different types of cleaning areas which provide for an enhanced cleaning, scrubbing and massaging effect. The cleaning/treating elements have different physical characteristics so that in addition to providing a varied cleaning/treating effect from the cleaning/treating elements themselves there is enhanced treatment as a result of the movement of the cleaning/treating elements imparted by the mechanical vibratory device.
Claims12
A powered toothbrush comprising:
- a handle having a longitudinal axis;
- a cleaning head attached to said handle, the cleaning head having a main body formed of a substantially rigid material;
- a plurality of spaced apart beams protruding from the main body, the beams constructed of the substantially rigid material;
- the plurality of beams enclosed in a flexible elastic material, thereby forming a plurality of spaced apart support structures that are rotatably movable with respect to the main body;
- a cleaning/treating element attached to each of the support structures, further comprising at least two cleaning/treating elements extending from the main body that are non-movable with respect to the main body;
- and
- a power source, a motor, and a mechanical vibratory device which causes the cleaning head to vibrate;
- wherein the cleaning/treating elements attached to the support structures and the at least two cleaning/treating elements extending from the main body are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the handle, the cleaning/treating elements attached to the support structures located between the at least two extending from the main body;
- wherein the cleaning/treating elements attached to the support structures and the at least two cleaning/treating elements extend along the substantial entirety of the width of the head.
A powered toothbrush comprising a handle, a cleaning head attached to said handle and having a first end adjacent the handle and a free end, the cleaning head having a main body formed of a substantially rigid material, a power source, a motor, a mechanical vibratory device which causes the cleaning head to vibrate, the motor and the vibratory device disposed in the handle, wherein said cleaning head includes a first cleaning/treating element adjacent the first end that is non-movable relative to the main body and is the endmost cleaning/treating element at the first end, a second cleaning/treating element adjacent the free end that is non-movable relative to the main body and is the endmost cleaning/treating element at the free end, and a plurality of third cleaning/treating elements disposed between the first and second cleaning/treating elements, wherein each of said plurality of third cleaning/treating elements extends from one of a plurality of support structures having at least a portion that is rotatably movable relative to the cleaning head about a vertical axis extending upwardly from said one of a plurality of support structures, the vertical axis extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle, and wherein each of said plurality of third cleaning/treating elements is movable independent of any other third cleaning/treating element, and further comprising a plurality of channels, each of the channels extending transversely and substantially completely across a surface of the cleaning head from which the cleaning/treating elements extend and separating a support structure from one of an adjacent support structure, the free end or the first end;
- and each of the plurality of support structures comprising a beam of the substantially rigid material extending from the main body and enclosed in an elastic material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.