Abstract:
A toothbrush includes a head and a handle, wherein the head has a plurality of elastomeric cleaning members surrounded by cleaning elements. The cleaning elements can be a plurality of tufts of bristles that extend farther from the head than the cleaning members to retain dentifrice. Additional cleaning elements can also be provided at either end or along the sides of the head.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed to a toothbrush, either manual or powered, which includes a handle and a head. Cleaning elements are mounted to the head such as tufts of bristles. When toothpaste is applied to the cleaning elements the user inserts the head into the mouth and brushes the teeth in a known manner. Also included in this invention are prophylaxis polishing cups or arrays of bristles forming cups in the center of the head to hold toothpaste. These cups are closely surrounded by cleaning elements which help to retain the toothpaste within the head.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The head of a conventional toothbrush usually has a flat or slightly altered surface to which cleaning elements are attached. Usually the cleaning elements are strands of plastic material(s) formed into tufts, bundles or other groupings. The strands are attached to the head either before or after forming the toothbrush.  
         [0003]     Various approaches have been advanced in the prior art for orientating the cleaning elements in the toothbrush.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 2,083,217 issued Jun. 8, 1937 to E. I. Brothers, et al. discloses two or three circular brush sections which are arranged within cups 5 and 5′ that may be screwed into mating receptacles in the tooth brush handle so that they can be removed and replaced as needed (page 2, lines 52-70). Each brush section contains stiff cleaning elements and is spaced from the other along the longitudinal axis of the handle at a distance less than the thickness of a tooth so that the brush operates on both the lingual (inside) and facial (outside) surfaces of the teeth (page 2, column 1, line 71 to column 2, line 9).  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,951 describes a toothbrush with a head containing a flexible, rubber-like prophylaxis polishing cup or “prophy cup” similar to that used by dental personnel to professionally clean teeth. This prophy cup is loaded with toothpaste by the user and applied to the teeth. According to this patent, the “soft rubber-like prophy cup device follows the contours of teeth more effectively than bristles” (column 2, lines 23-26). This patent also discloses a ring of cleaning elements (“bristle tufts”) placed about the periphery of the toothbrush head which coact with the prophy cups to clean the user&#39;s teeth and gums (column 2, lines 34-47).  
         [0006]     Another approach to oral hygiene is described in the toothbrush described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,468 issued to the assignee of this application. The cleaning elements (bristles) of this toothbrush are arranged in a concave shape across the width of the toothbrush head (See FIGS. 3-5 and column 4, lines 1-22).  
         [0007]     Design Patents illustrating circular groups of cleaning elements are U.S. Pat. No. Des. 273,635 issued May 1, 1984 to Stocchi and U.S. Pat. No. D450,929S issued Nov. 27, 2001 to Angelina, et al.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     This invention seeks to improve the tooth buffing/polishing capability of a toothbrush by inter alia providing a configuration that promotes retention of toothpaste in place within a toothbrush head while in use. This goal is achieved by mounting elastomeric prophy cups on a toothbrush head, which cups are closely surrounded by cleaning elements extending above the surface of the cups.  
         [0009]     Unlike a professional dentist&#39;s office where the dental professional can repeatedly add toothpaste to a prophy cup, a typical domestic toothbrush user applies but one portion of toothpaste to a toothbrush. A substantial portion of the applied toothpaste, and thus its cleaning power, is typically lost after the first few movements of the toothbrush in the user&#39;s mouth. It either falls off as the top of the toothbrush head is tilted from horizontal to vertical as it approaches the mouth or is squeezed off as the toothbrush is pressed against the teeth. The toothpaste is of no cleaning value once it leaves contact with the brush and teeth.  
         [0010]     Accordingly, this invention provides a unique combination of features to maintain and retain toothpaste on the head of a toothbrush. Prophy cup(s) are arranged in the center of the toothbrush head, preferably on the longitudinal axis of the head. Alternatively, the cups could be in the form of an array of bristles. These cups are closely surrounded by groupings of cleaning elements that have a greater height relative to the face of the toothbrush head than the height of the prophy cup from that face. This grouping of taller cleaning elements at least partially surrounds the prophy cup to form a barrier around the prophy cup that retains toothpaste when the toothbrush is in use.  
         [0011]     An additional set of cleaning elements can then be arranged about the periphery of the toothbrush head to clean the teeth with the toothpaste retained by the prophy cup and surrounding cleaning elements. The outer set of cleaning elements also promotes massaging of the gum and removal of plaque at the gum line.  
         [0012]     The cleaning elements are typically bristles secured to the toothbrush head by anchor free tufting (AFT) technology.  
         [0013]     The invention may be practiced where each set of cup and surrounding cleaning elements is mounted on a disk and the disk is power driven to rotate continuously in the same direction or back and forth in an oscillating movement. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     This invention is capable of use in a broad array of oral hygiene products. The drawings illustrate one use of the invention and are not to be construed as the only embodiment of the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a toothbrush of this invention showing the arrangement of prophy cups and cleaning elements used in this invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of a powered toothbrush in accordance with this invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of a toothbrush showing a further arrangement in accordance with this invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view in elevation taken along the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of a powered toothbrush incorporating the cup and cleaning element arrangement of  FIGS. 4-5 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of a powered toothbrush in accordance with yet another arrangement of this invention; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a cross section view in elevation taken along the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  illustrates a manual toothbrush  10  containing the features of this invention. This toothbrush  10  includes a handle  12  and a head  14 . Handle  12  may include a suitable textured grip (not shown) made of elastomeric material. This invention, however, is primarily directed to the arrangement of prophy cups and cleaning elements on the head. In accordance with this invention, prophy cups  16  are arrayed in the center of head  14 , preferable aligned with the longitudinal axis of toothbrush  10 . As illustrated, three prophy cups  16  are affixed to head  14 , although use of a larger or smaller number of such cups is contemplated for use with toothbrush  10 . The prophy cups  16  are typically made of a soft elastomeric material and, as the name implies, are cup-shaped. The inner surface of the cup can contain ridges which help to clean teeth when the toothbrush is pressed against the user&#39;s teeth. More importantly, the cup shape of prophy cups  16  acts to hold toothpaste in place while the toothbrush  10  is in use.  
         [0024]     Complementing this function of toothpaste retention is a set of cleaning elements or bristle rings  18  surrounding some or all of the prophy cups  16 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the bristle rings  18  extend a greater distance above the face  20  of head  14  than the prophy cups  16 . This extra height relative to cups  16  acts as a further means for retaining toothpaste within the toothbrush head  14  during use. A preferred placement of the bristle rings  18  is with a space of about one (1) millimeter from the outer circumference of the prophy cup  16 .  
         [0025]     Upon the user&#39;s application of force on the handle  14  as the toothbrush  10  approaches the user&#39;s teeth, the toothpaste applied by the user will be forced into the holding areas  22  formed by between a prophy cup  16  and the surrounding bristle ring  18 . The toothpaste will be held in holding areas  22  near the top of the bristle rings by the top of prophy cup  16 .  
         [0026]     This unique combination of prophy cups  16  and closely surrounding bristle rings  18  holds most of the toothpaste exactly where desired, namely, in the area  22  where the principal cleansing components, prophy cup and bristle rings, are in contact with the user&#39;s teeth. The surrounding ring of bristles  18  captures the toothpaste as it escapes from the cup  16 , to act as a replenishing reservoir when one changes the direction of one&#39;s brush stroke.  
         [0027]     To complement the cleaning effect of the prophy cups  16  and bristle rings  18 , additional elements  24  can be arranged about the periphery of head  14  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . These peripheral cleaning elements  24  help to clean deep between teeth and along the gumline. These additional cleaning elements may be tufts of bristles and may be elastomeric walls or fingers, as illustrated.  
         [0028]     Cleaning elements  24  and bristle rings  18  are arranged in both portions of head  14  in a known manner. For example, anchor free tufting (AFT) could be used to mount the cleaning elements. In AFT a plate or membrane is secured to the brush head such as by ultrasonic welding. The bristles extend through the plate or membrane. The free ends of the bristles on one side of the plate or membrane perform the cleaning function. The ends of the bristles on the other side of the plate or membrane are melted together by heat to be anchored in place. Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used in the broad practice of this invention. The term “cleaning elements” is intended to be used in a generic sense which could include conventional fiber bristles or massage elements or other forms of cleaning elements such as elastomeric fingers or walls arranged in a circular cross-section shape or any type of desired shape including straight portions or sinusoidal portions. Where bristles are used, the bristles could be mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending through suitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristles is mounted within or below the tuft block.  
         [0029]     It is to be understood that the specific illustration of the cleaning elements is merely for exemplary purposes. The invention can be practiced with various combinations (such as AFT, etc.) and/or with the same bristle or cleaning element materials (such as nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, etc.) Similarly, while the Figures illustrate the cleaning elements to be generally perpendicular to head  14 , some or all of the cleaning elements may be angled at various angles with respect to the face  20  of head  14 . It is thereby possible to select the combination of cleaning element configurations, materials and orientations to achieve specific intended results to deliver additional oral health benefits, like enhanced cleaning, tooth polishing, tooth whitening and/or massaging of the gums.  
         [0030]     Although the bristle ring  18  is illustrated as being formed by fibrous bristles, the bristle ring could be formed by other types of cleaning elements such as elastomer fingers.  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates a powered version  10 A of  25  the toothbrush wherein sections  40  of the head  14  are moved under power or may contain a powered set of cleaning elements. Sections  40  may take the form of circular discs. Preferably, the prophy cups  16  and/or bristle rings  18  would be mounted to the section  40  to be powered to provide rotational or oscillating movement thereto. Switch  26  on toothbrush  10 A can be used to activate and deactivate power to the movable elements of toothbrush  10 A.  
         [0032]     The movable section  40  could be oscillated rotationally such as by using the type of drive mechanism shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916, or could move in and out using the type of drive mechanism shown in U.S. Pat. No. RE 35,941; all of the details of both patents are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Alternatively, the other types of drives referred to above could move section  40  in other manners and directions. Although  FIG. 3  shows movable section  40  to be at one end of the head  14 , the movable section(s) would be located at any desired location on the head.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 1-3  relate to the practice of the invention wherein the cleaning elements  18  surround prophy cups  16 . The invention could, however, be practiced where instead of prophy cups the cups are formed by a dense pack of cleaning elements. This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 . As shown therein the toothbrush  110  has many of the same features as the toothbrush  10 . Thus, the toothbrush  110  includes a handle  112  and a head  114  similar to the same components in  FIGS. 1-3 .  
         [0034]     In accordance with the practice of the invention shown in  FIG. 4-6 , a central, dense pack of cleaning elements  116  is arrayed in the center of head  114 , preferable aligned with the longitudinal axis of toothbrush  110 . As illustrated, three circular groups of densely packed cleaning elements  116  are affixed to head  114 , although use of a larger or smaller number of such groups is contemplated for use with toothbrush  110 . The ends of cleaning element groups  116  are typically contoured in cross-section to provide a cup-like shape. The cup-like shape of cleaning elements  116  acts to hold toothpaste in place while the toothbrush  110  is in use.  
         [0035]     Complementing this function of toothpaste retention is a set of cleaning elements or bristle rings  118  surrounding some or all of the cup-shaped cleaning elements  116 . As best illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the bristle rings  118  extend a greater distance above the face  120  of head  114  than the cup-shaped elements  116 . This extra height relative to cup-shaped cleaning elements  116  acts as a further means for retaining toothpaste within the toothbrush head  114  during use. A preferred placement of the bristle rings  118  is with a space of about one (1) millimeter from the outer circumference of the cup-shaped elements  116 .  
         [0036]     Upon the user&#39;s application of force on the handle  114  as the toothbrush  110  approaches the user&#39;s teeth, the toothpaste applied by the user will be forced into the holding areas  122  formed by the surrounding bristle rings  118 . The toothpaste will be held in holding areas  122  near the top of the bristle rings by the top of cup-shaped elements  116 .  
         [0037]     This unique combination of elements  116  and closely surrounding bristle rings  118  holds most of the toothpaste exactly where desired, namely, in the area  122  adjacent where the principal cleansing components, which are in contact with the user&#39;s teeth. The surrounding ring of bristles  118  captures the toothpaste as it escapes from the cup-shaped bristles  116 , to act as a replenishing reservoir when one changes the direction of one&#39;s brush stroke.  
         [0038]     To complement the cleaning effect of the cup-shaped elements  116  and bristle rings  118 , additional elements  124  can be arranged about the periphery of head  114  in a manner similar to that shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . These peripheral cleaning elements  124  help to clean deep between teeth and along the gumline.  
         [0039]     As with toothbrush  10  of  FIGS. 1-2 , cleaning elements  116 ,  118 , and  124  are arranged in head  114  in a known manner. Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used in the broad practice of this invention.  
         [0040]      FIG. 6  illustrates a powered version  110 A of the toothbrush wherein portions  140  of the head  114  are moved under power or may contain a powered set of cleaning elements. Preferably, the cup-shaped cleaning elements  116  and/or bristle rings  118  would be powered to provide rotational or oscillating movement thereto. A switch  126  on toothbrush  110 A can be used to activate and deactivate power to the movable elements of toothbrush  110 A. Toothbrush  110 A could operate in the same manner as toothbrush  110 A.  
         [0041]     The toothbrushes  10 A and  110 A utilize a power drive to move the respective sections  40 ,  140 .  FIGS. 7-8  illustrate in greater detail one such practice of the invention. As shown in  FIG. 7 , a powered toothbrush  210  includes a handle  212  and a head  214 . Handle  212  includes a battery pack or rechargeable unit  216  which provides the motive power to toothbrush  210 . This power source  216  is electrically connected to motor  218  by suitable wiring or after connection. Selective operation of motor  218  is controlled by switch  220 .  
         [0042]     Extending from one end of motor  218  toward head  214  is drive shaft  222 . Motor  218  can be geared to impart rotational or reciprocating motion to drive shaft  222 . The other end underlies the discs or movable platforms  224  on which are mounted cups  226  and taller cleaning elements  228 .  
         [0043]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the drive shaft rotates back and forth through an angle of about 60-90° as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . Offsets  223  in drive shaft  222  rotate a similar angular distance. These offsets  223  in drive shaft  222  are positioned in slots  225  formed in the base of platforms  224 . As the shaft rotates back and forth through the aforesaid angle, offsets  223  cause reciprocation of platforms  224  as the offsets alternatively push the sides of slots  225  in one direction and then another. This, in turn, causes reciprocating movement of cups  226  or bristles  228 , depending upon which is mounted on platform  224 . That movement aids in cleaning of teeth and invigoration of gums.  
         [0044]     In accordance with this invention, cups  226  are mounted on platforms  224  in the center of head  214 , preferably aligned with the longitudinal axis of toothbrush  210 . As illustrated, three cups  226  are contained in head  214 , although use of a larger or smaller number of such cups is contemplated for use with toothbrush  210 . Where cups  226  are prophy cups, the prophy cups  226  are typically made of a soft elastomeric material and, as the name implies, are cup-shaped. The inner surface of the cup can contain ridges which help to clean teeth when the toothbrush is pressed against the user&#39;s teeth. Also, the cup shape of prophy cups  226  acts to hold toothpaste in place while the powered toothbrush  10  is in use.  
         [0045]     Although prophy cups are specifically illustrated, cups  226  could also be densely packed cleaning elements, such as cups  116 .  
         [0046]     Complementing these functions of toothpaste retention and cleaning is a set of cleaning elements or bristle rings  228  surrounding some or all of the cups  226 , as previously described with respect to toothbrushes  10  and  110 .  
         [0047]     It is to be understood that various features shown in an individual embodiment may be incorporated in other embodiments. Thus, for example, where a toothbrush utilizes a plurality of cups all of the cups may be prophy cups or all of the cups may be cups formed by densely packed cleaning elements. Alternatively, a combination of the two different types of cups may be used in any suitable arrangement. Thus, where three cups are used the end cups may be of one type which differs from the central cup or only one of the end cups may differ from the other cups. Where more than three cups are used the cups are preferably longitudinally aligned and could be all or a combination of the different types of cups. Alternatively, where the plurality of cups are used if a wider toothbrush head is used the cups need not be longitudinally aligned. Although the sets of cups and bristle rings are illustrated as being uniformly spaced from each other, a non-uniform spacing could be used.