Patent ID: 6230355
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: A46B,Y10S

Abstract:
A toothbrush comprising:a head having a longitudinal axis;a handle having a longitudinal axis, said head being coupled to said handle such that said longitudinal axis of said handle is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said head; anda plurality of bristles secured to said head, each of said bristles having a projecting portion which extends outwardly from a surface of said head and terminates at a tip end, said plurality of bristles including a first group of bristles, a second group of bristles and a middle group of bristles, said middle group being disposed between said first group and said second group, and separating said first group from said second group, each tip end of said middle group lying substantially in a common plane to define a brushing surface overlying a substantial portion of said surface of said head, and lengths of projecting portions of said bristles in said first group and said second group decreasing substantially as a distance increases between said middle group and respective ones of said bristles in said first group and said second group, at least some of said bristles in said first group and at least some of said bristles in said second group being sufficiently short and rigid to reduce a tendency of said bristles in said middle group to flatten upon contact with the teeth, thereby improving cleaning efficiency of the toothbrush.