Oral care implement having flexible handle

An oral care implement comprising:

• a head;
• and
• a handle extending along a longitudinal axis and connected to the head, the handle comprising:
• a main body integrally formed of a rigid material, the main body comprising a first rigid longitudinal section terminating in a bulbous body, a second rigid longitudinal section terminating in a basin, and a longitudinal strut having a first end connected to the bulbous body and a second end connected to a floor of the basin;
• a resilient material encasing the longitudinal strut;
• and
• the longitudinal strut and the resilient material forming a hinge about which the second rigid longitudinal section pivots relative to the first rigid longitudinal section upon a force being applied to the head;
• wherein the longitudinal strut axially extends from an apex of the bulbous body.

An oral care implement comprising:

• a head comprising a front surface and a rear surface;
• a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from the head;
• a handle connected to the head, the handle extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a first rigid longitudinal section, a second rigid longitudinal section, and a hinge about which the second longitudinal section pivots relative to the first longitudinal section upon a force being applied to the head;
• the hinge comprising:
• a bulbous body of the first rigid longitudinal section;
• a basin of the second rigid longitudinal section, the basin formed by first and second longitudinal flanges that extend axially from a floor of the basin, the first and second longitudinal flanges being circumferentially spaced apart from one another by a first valley circumferentially aligned with a rear surface of the head;
• and
• a resilient material in a separation gap between the bulbous body and the floor of the basin that connects the first and second rigid longitudinal sections together.

An oral care implement comprising:

• a head;
• a handle extending along a longitudinal axis and connected to the head, the handle comprising:
• a main body integrally formed of a rigid material, the main body comprising a rigid gripping section terminating in a first transverse shoulder, a rigid neck section terminating in a second transverse shoulder, and a longitudinal strut having a first end connected to the first transverse shoulder and a second end connected to the second transverse shoulder;
• a separation gap between the rigid gripping section and the rigid neck section;
• a first flexure limiting block protruding from the first transverse shoulder into the separation gap;
• a second flexure limiting block protruding from the second transverse shoulder into the separation gap, the first and second flexure limiting blocks circumferentially aligned with one another and a rear surface of the head so that a flexure limiting gap is formed between the first and second flexure limiting blocks;
• and
• a resilient material in the separation gap and in the flexure limiting gap;
• and
• the longitudinal strut and the resilient material forming a hinge about which the rigid neck section pivots relative to the rigid gripping section upon a force being applied to the head.

An oral care implement comprising:

• a head having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head;
• a handle extending along a longitudinal axis and connected to the head, the handle comprising:
• a main body integrally formed of a rigid material, the main body comprising a rigid gripping section terminating in a first transverse shoulder, a rigid neck section terminating in a second transverse shoulder, a first strut, a second strut oriented obliquely to the first strut, and a flexure limiting block;
• a separation gap between the rigid neck section and the rigid gripping section;
• a resilient material in the separation gap;
• and
• the first strut, the second strut, and the resilient material forming a hinge pivotably coupling the rigid neck section and the rigid gripping section together, the flexure limiting block limiting deflection of the rigid neck section in response to a force applied to the front surface of the head.