Flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles

The flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles has a handle, a bristle block having bristles extending therefrom, and a brush head frame configured to removably receive the bristle block. The brush head frame has a pair of parallel prongs that define a recess and that slidably engage opposite sides of the bristle block so that the bristle block can be selectively disposed in first and second operative positions in the recess, the bristles extending in opposite directions in the operative positions. A neck interconnects the handle and the brush head frame, the neck being flexible relative to the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to toothbrushes, and more particularly to a flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles that is configured to reduce stress and strain on the user, and which features a replaceable bristle block that is supported on a flexible brush handle arrangement.

2. Description of the Related Art

A number of different brushing techniques have evolved with the passing of time. These include, by way of example, the Bass method, the Charter method and the Modified Stillman method. The Bass method is useful for all types of dental conditions, especially periodontal problems. With bristles pointed at a 45° angle into the gingival sulcus, the user vibrates the brush gently back and forth a plurality of times and then moves the brush forward, whereafter the process is repeated.

The Charter's Method is useful for patients with severe loss of interdental papilla height, fixed prosthetic appliances, previous gingival surgery, or subsided ulcerative gingivitis. The method includes a first rolling stroke to remove debris from the teeth. Then, the bristle tips are directed toward the occlusal or incisal surfaces of the user's teeth. Next, the handle of the brush is gently rotated, thus flexing the bristles and bringing them into contact with the interdental tissues and exposed proximal surfaces. The brush handle is then vibrated with a slow, circular motion.

The Modified Stillman's Method is useful for patients with hypersensitive gingiva or slightly reduced interdental papilla. This technique uses the rolling stroke method while vibrating the bristles in a lateral motion. The rolling stroke method involves placing the brush above the free gingiva with the bristles pointed toward the apices. Then, by exerting a light pressure, the user draws the brush toward the occlusal surface using a rolling stroke.

Nevertheless, these methods and other common tooth brushing techniques and the associated difficulty involved with vigorous tooth brushing often lead to physical fatigue. This fatigue usually develops in the dorsal group of the shoulder muscles due to their relatively important role in controlling the scrub techniques, and due to the way that the hand grasps the brush. Various devices, such as contoured and shaped handles, have been proposed, but such devices have not met with anything more than partial success.

Thus, a flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles is directed to reducing user fatigue when brushing and reducing the risk of tooth brushing trauma by providing a toothbrush that can reach distant tooth surfaces easily and that can be used by the handicapped, particularly handicapped children. The flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles has a handle, a bristle block having bristles extending therefrom, and a brush head frame configured to removably receive the bristle block. The brush head frame has a yoke or pair of parallel prongs that define an open-ended recess. The prongs slidably engage opposite sides of the bristle block so that the bristle block can alternately be disposed in first and second operative positions in the open-ended recess, the operative positions facing 180° apart. The handle and the brush head frame are connected by an arcuate, flexible neck that includes a 90° bend so that the bristle block extends orthogonal to the handle, the bristles also extending laterally when facing the front face of the handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The flexible, ergonomic toothbrush with replaceable bristles is depicted inFIGS. 1-4. As will be appreciated, the brush has a handle10, a neck12, and a brush head frame14. The neck12is curved and reduced in diameter with respect to the major portion of the handle10so that the neck has a predetermined amount of flexibility and may flex with respect to the handle10. The neck12has a 90° bend so that the prongs of the brush head frame14, and hence the bristle block16, extend orthogonal to the handle10, the front face of the handle facing upward in the side view ofFIG. 1, i.e., the handle may be flat.

The brush head frame14is configured to slidably receive and hold a bristle block16in a first position wherein the bristles extend in a first direction (into the page inFIG. 1), and in a second reversed position wherein the bristles extend in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction (out of the page inFIG. 1). This reversibility facilitates orienting the bristles as needed, e.g., by first orienting the bristles for brushing the buccal (cheek) sides of a user's teeth (i.e., into the page inFIG. 1), and then removing the bristle block16and re-inserting the block16in the frame14with the bristles facing 180° opposite for brushing the lingual (tongue) sides of a user's teeth (i.e., out of the page inFIG. 1).

The brush head frame14comprises an end portion14ajoining the neck12and two parallel or substantially parallel prongs or tines14b, which are arranged to engage the sides of the bristle block16. The prongs14band the end portion14adefine a substantially U-shaped recess14cthat receives the bristle block16. In order to grip the bristle block16, the prongs14bcan be arranged to extend inwardly toward one another by a limited amount when the block16is not disposed therebetween, and the prongs14bmay resiliently grip the bristle block16, or the block16may form a friction fit or pressure fit with the prongs14b, or the block16may be positively locked in the recess14cin any other manner so that the block16does not become dislodged during brushing.

In order to retain the bristle block16in an operative position, the inboard or inwardly extending edges of the prongs14bcan be formed with teeth, ribs, or other engagement members14dthat increase frictional engagement with the bristle block16so that the bristle block16remains in position in the brush head frame14throughout a brushing operation or operations and/or as long as it is desired. The engagement members14dcan take the form of crenulations, serpentine configurations, or they can have a saw-tooth profile, knurled surfaces, or the like. If desired, the sides of the bristle block16can be formed with corresponding members configured to mate with or otherwise engage with those formed on the inboard faces of the prongs14b.

The bristle block16may be provided with two different types of bristles16athat extend from an elongated, planar base. The first type is formed of a first relatively hard material, while the other type is formed of a relatively flexible material. The hard bristles, of course, are intended to provide a first well-known cleaning/brushing action, while the flexible bristles are intended to provide a second different and equally well-known cleaning/brushing function.

The toothbrush may have any desired dimensions. By way of example, and not by way of limitation, the toothbrush ofFIG. 1may have the following exemplary dimensions. The handle10is configured so that the dimension “a” of the upper end of the grip portion of the handle10is 50 mm, the length “b” of the handle10is 120 mm, the distance “c” from the handle10to the end of the brush head frame14is 55 mm, and the diameter “d” of the neck12is 0.5 mm. Further, the width “f” (outside dimension) of the brush head frame14is 16 mm, while the width “e” of the recess14cis 14 mm. The width of the bristle block16is also about 14 mm, while the width or thickness of each of the prongs14bis about 1 mm.

It is to be understood that these dimensions are merely exemplary and that they are in no way limiting on the variations that may be implemented.

The selection of the material or materials from which the handle10, neck12and brush head frame14are composed, along with the materials from which the bristles16aand bristle block16are formed, are conventional and well within the purview of a person of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, the use of a mixture of materials (and/or dimensions) and the formation of different components from these different materials is within the purview of a person of ordinary skill in the art.