Denture brush

Abstract: A brush (10), particularly a denture brush particularly advantageous for persons of limited or diminished dexterity, comprises an elongated handle (12) having a front (12a), a back (12b) and a pair of sides (12c, 12d) and a bristle head (14) on one end of the handle (12), the handle having a narrowed neck (12e) joining the bristle head (14) to the remainder of the handle (12), having a narrowed distal end (12f) and having a bulbous enlarged central portion between the narrowed neck (12e) and the narrowed distal end (12f). A tapered junction between the narrowed neck (12e) and the bristle head (14), forms a sloped front zone (16) and a sloped back zone (18), both having finger tip or thumb tip receiving depressions (16a,18a) therein, the bristle head (14) having a front bristle face (14a) including bristles (20) therein generally normal to the sloped back zone (18), and having a rear bristle face (14b) including bristles (22) therein generally normal to the sloped front zone (16), the sloped front zone (16) and back zone (18) having a friction material in the depressions. The neck (12e) has four such depressions and the head (14) has three, for gripping at a variety of brush orientations.

Description: This invention relates to brushes and particularly to denture brushes. Denture brushes of a variety of configurations have been proposed heretofore, with some of these designs having been marketed. In the process of cleaning items such as dentures, considerable scrubbing force is often necessary for effective cleaning. Yet the shape and material of conventional brushes do not readily lend themselves to this. Such brushes are particularly difficult to use effectively by persons with limited or diminished manual dexterity due to age, arthritis, tremors or the like. US 1,696,433 shows a denture brush having a handle, an elongated head, an adjoining flat offset portion, and a detachable housing plate resting upon the offset. The front of the head is transversely and longitudinally convex. The offset portion is provided with an elongated recess curved portion. The head is provided with radially disposed holes in communication with the recess to receive bristles. One object of this invention is to provide a unique brush configuration particularly suited for a denture brush which provides optimum grip by a person's hand for vigorous scrubbing of dentures or the like. The brush can be effectively held by a person with limited or diminished manual dexterity. The handle is configurated to have thumb tip or finger tip receiving zones at several positions so that the handle or the head may be readily gripped for use. The handle is bulbous, with friction grip surfaces. It enables maximum potential pressure application to the object being cleaned, by either set of the alternate bristles on the front and back of the head of the brush and from different angles. Yet it also has an attractive aesthetic appearance. The invention is set out in the appended claims. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a brush according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the brush; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the brush; Fig. 4 is a back elevational view of the brush; Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the brush viewed from the bristle head end; Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the brush viewed from the distal end; Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the side of the brush, and a hand gripping the brush handle with a thumb on the front; Fig. 8 is a rear elevational view of the brush, and a hand gripping the handle with a thumb on the side; Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the brush, and a hand with the thumb engaging the back of the head; and Fig. 10 is a rear elevational view of the brush, and a hand with the thumb engaging a side of the head. Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 a denture brush 10 is there depicted, this brush having an elongated, bulbous handle 12 including a front 12a, a back 12b, and a pair of sides 12c and 12d. The cross section of the brush handle in any particular area basically comprises a rectangle, with the individual rectangular cross sections being of different size and configuration over the length of the handle. A bristle head is on one end of handle 12, with handle 12 having a narrowed neck 12e integrally joining the bristle head 14 to the handle 12. On opposite lateral sides of neck 12e are concavities, one of which is shown, as 12h. The handle also has a narrowed distal end 12f. Between the narrowed neck and the distal end is a bulbous, enlarged central portion 12g. Between the narrowed neck 12e and the bristle head 14 is a tapered junction which includes a sloped front zone 16 and a sloped rear zone 18. Front zone 16 has a concave depression, i.e., concavity, 16a therein while rear zone 18 also has a concave depression, i.e., concavity, 18a therein. The two opposite sides of head 14 also have concavities 14c and 14d. These depressions or concavities are to selectively receive a person's thumb tip or finger tip, as depicted in Figs. 9 and 10. Depression 16a includes a friction material strip 26 therein while depression 18a also includes a friction material strip 28 therein. This friction material may be a thin layer of polymeric rubber or the equivalent bonded to the brush. Preferably this friction material extends all the way from zone 16 to the distal end of the front of the brush, and from zone 18 to the distal end of the back of the brush for excellent manual grip of the bulbous brush handle. The main body, i.e., handle, neck and head, of the brush is preferably of an integrally molded polymer. The bristle head 14 has a front bristle face 14a which is at an obtuse angle to sloped zone 16. This front face has bristle receiving orifices extending into the bristle head 14 generally normal to face 14a, to receive the inner ends of front bristles 20 which protrude from head 14 generally normal to rear zone 18. Front bristle face 14a is generally parallel to sloped zone 18. Head 14 also includes a rear bristle face 14b which is generally parallel to front sloped zone 16, having a plurality of bristle receiving orifices extending generally normal to face 14b into head 14 to receive the inner ends of a plurality of rear bristles 22. Bristles 22 thus extend generally normal to front sloped zone 16. The distal end 12f of handle 12 curves over a large radius of curvature toward the back of the brush. The unique brush may be used in a variety of grips. In Fig. 7 is depicted one grip, with hand H holding the bulbous handle and thumb T against the friction strip 28 on the handle. In Fig. 8, hand H holds the brush with thumb T in side concavity 12h. In Fig. 9, hand H holds the brush with thumb T in head concavity 18a. In Fig. 10, hand H holds the brush with thumb T and the index finger F in opposite side concavities 14c and 14d. Because of the features described above and shown on the drawings, the denture brush is particularly easy to employ, enabling effective scrubbing type cleaning to be performed on dentures or other articles. The handle is bulbous with the friction material to improve use by people with limited or diminished manual dexterity due to age, arthritis, tremors, etc. by affording a solid non-slip mass for gripping. The handle is equally effective for use by right or left handed individuals. The head and neck concavities provide additional points at which the user can grasp the brush in various orientations. While the common method of use of denture brushes is to hold the handle, many people with limited or diminished manual dexterity grasp the head of a denture brush in order to gain better control. The concavities in the head and neck provide contoured areas which guide placement of the user's thumb and forefinger while bracing the brush with the contour of the handle nested in the palm and middle, right and little fingers. There are seven contoured areas for thumb and forefinger positioning, four in the neck and three on the head. Various advantages and features not specifically recited will likely be apparent to those in this art. It is also conceivable that minor variations may be made in the preferred embodiment depicted and described, without departing from the inventive concept. Therefore, it is intended that the invention is not to be limited to the specific preferred embodiment depicted, but only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.

Claims: A brush for cleaning dentures having a handle (12) and a head (14) jointed to one end of said handle, the handle having a front and a back, the head having bristles and a pair of sides, the brush characterised by: a juncture intermediate said handle (12) and said bristle head (14) forming a sloped back zone (18) and a sloped front zone (16); said bristle head having a rear bristle face (14b), including bristles (22) generally normal to said sloped front zone (16); said bristle head having a front bristle face (14a), including bristles (20) generally normal to said sloped back zone (18); and said sloped back zone (18) having a thumb or finger tip receiving depression (18a). A brush as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a neck (12e) joining said bristle head (14) to said handle (12), said handle having a distal end (12f) and having a central portion between said neck and said distal end; and said juncture is formed between said neck and said bristle head. A brush as claimed in claim 2 further comprising finger and thumb tip receiving depressions (14c,14d) in both sides of said head (14). A brush as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein: said handle (12) is elongated; said neck (12e) and distal end (12f) are narrowed; said central portion is bulbous and enlarged; and said junction is tapered. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said sloped front zone (16) and/or said sloped back zone (18) have a friction material in said depressions. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said distal end (12f) of said handle has a curve toward the back of the handle. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said front and back sides (12a,12b) of said handle have friction material strips thereon. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim including a neck (12e) joining said bristle head to said handle, said neck having a pair of opposite lateral sides (12c,12d) with finger and thumb receiving depressions (12L) therein. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim wherein said head (14) has a rear face with a depression therein. A brush as claimed in any preceding claim further including thumb or finger tip depressions in said sloped front zone (16a).

Inventors: LEWKOWICZ MARTIN, LEWKOWICZ, MARTIN
Applicants: RANIR DCP CORP, RANIR/DCP CORPORATION
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A46B5
IPC codes: A46B5, A46B9