Patent ID: 9402462
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: A46B

Claim Text:
1. An oral-care implement having a longitudinal axis and comprising a bristle carrier and a plurality of cleaning elements embedded in and outwardly extending from the bristle carrier, wherein at least two of the plurality of cleaning elements are a first spring-loaded cleaning element movably disposed in a first channel and a second spring-loaded cleaning element movably disposed in a second channel, the first and second channels being formed in the bristle carrier, each of the at least two spring-loaded cleaning elements comprising a spring portion disposed in one of the first and second channels and a projecting portion longitudinally adjacent to the spring portion and outwardly extending from the one of the first and second channels at an angle of projection relative to the longitudinal axis of the oral-care implement, wherein the spring portion of the first spring-loaded cleaning element is structured and configured to elastically deform inside the first channel to at least partially conform to a shape of the first channel, and the spring portion of the second spring-loaded cleaning element is structured and configured to elastically deform inside the second channel to at least partially conform to a shape of the second channel, thereby causing the projecting portions of the first and second spring-loaded cleaning elements to change their respective lengths and the angles of projection, wherein a shape of the first channel is different from a shape of the second channel.