Patent EA-001298-B1 (EA)
Title: Toothbrush
Inventor: KRAMER HANS
IPC: A46B5/00
Filed: 1998-02-17
Abstract: 1. A toothbrush which comprises a handle and a head, the head having a base end facing the handle and a tip end remote from the base end, a neck region between the base end of the head and the handle, the head adjoining the neck region at the base end of the head, the head, neck and handle being disposed along a longitudinal toothbrush axis, the head having bristles extending from a bristle face of the head, characterised in that: the head comprises a substantially rigid base region adjoining the toothbrush neck and extending from the base end of the head to a resilient flexible link situated between the base end and the tip end, and a tip region extending from the tip end of the head to the link region, both the base region and tip region being bristle bearing, the tip region being flexibly and resiliently linked at the link region to the base region, and; between the base end of the head and the neck there is a resilient flexible link. 2. A toothbrush according to claim 1 characterised in that the linking of the tip region and base region is in a manner which enables the tip region to fold or pivot resiliently relative to the base region during toothbrushing and the link region is in the longitudinal half of the head furthest from the base of the head. 3. A toothbrush according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that in its non-stressed condition the bristle face of the tip region and base region of the toothbrush form an angle of less than 180 degree . 4. A toothbrush according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the link between the tip region and the base region comprises a composite region having structural elements made of both plastics material and an elastomeric material. 5. A toothbrush according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the link between the tip region and the base region comprises an aperture, space or chasm in the head material between the tip and base regions, wherein said aperture, space or chasm are bridged by filling them with an elastomeric material. 6. A toothbrush according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the head is constructed such that tip region may fold backwards resiliently relative to the base region, during toothbrushing, about a widthways oriented fold axis that crosses the head in the link region. 7. A toothbrush according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the resilient flexible link between the base end of the head and the neck comprises a composite region of plastics material and an elastomeric material. 8. A toothbrush according to claim 7 characterised in that the handle, neck, and head are integrally made of plastics material and integrally linked between the base end of the head and the handle, and between the neck and the head there are one or more cut-outs in the plastics material of the head and neck, extending inwardly from the surface of the plastics material, the cut out crossing the boundary between the neck and the head, the cut out containing an elastomeric material different to the plastics material of the head and neck and thereby providing a flexible resilient link between the head and handle. 9. A toothbrush according to claim 7 characterised in that the composite region comprises an integral thinned part which is of thinned cross section relative to the longitudinally immediately adjacent pans of the neck and/or the head to which it is connected, the said thinned part being laterally surrounded by a mass of eiastomeric material bonded to the plastics material. 10. A toothbrush according to claim 14 characterised in that the resilient flexible link is located at or immediately longitudinally adjacent to the base of the head, and links the head to the neck.