Patent Publication Number: US-9894985-B2

Title: Toothbrush head

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a toothbrush head, especially to a toothbrush head comprising a head base capable of rotating and a head frame with a soft material, allowing users to clean their teeth at a 45-degree angle with slight pressure on the gingival margin and protect the teeth and gingival from injury. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     One of the reasons causing periodontal disease is cleaning the teeth in a wrong way. The most effective and correct method for cleaning teeth is Bass method by touching the bristles to the teeth at a 45-degree angle, and brushing the upper teeth with up-down processing and brushing the lower teeth with bottom-top processing from facial surfaces, occlusal surfaces to lingual/palatal surfaces of the teeth. Each part of the teeth needs to be brushed 10 to 20 times and total brushing time is at least two minutes. 
     A first conventional toothbrush head comprises a fixed head base anchored with bristles. However, users cannot brush the teeth at a 45-degree angle correctly with the first conventional toothbrush head. 
     A second conventional toothbrush head comprises a head base with a fulcrum set at a center thereof, allowing a flat of the head base to be shaken horizontally at any angle during tooth-brushing. However, users still cannot brush the teeth at a 45-degree angle correctly with the second conventional toothbrush head. Additionally, the head base is usually made of rigid material which easily causes gingival injury as the head base touches the gingiva during tooth-brushing. Moreover, solid structure of the first and second conventional toothbrush heads easily causes water to accumulate on the head base and bacteria to grow if users do not dry the toothbrush heads thoroughly. 
     To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a toothbrush head to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main objective of the invention is to provide a toothbrush head for helping users to brush the teeth with Bass method without injuring the gingiva, and keeping the toothbrush head dry after brushing the teeth. 
     The toothbrush head in accordance with the present invention has a head base and a head frame framing the head base. The head base comprises a substrate. The substrate comprises an outer frame, a central component, two lateral components, at least one junction and multiple sockets. The outer frame comprises a receiving space. The receiving space has a front inner wall, a back inner wall and two lateral inner walls. The central component is positioned in the receiving space of the outer frame. The at least one junction links the central component to the front inner wall or to the back inner wall of the receiving space. One of the two lateral components is linked to one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame with the at least one junction and the other one of the two lateral components is linked to the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame with the at least one junction. The multiple sockets are formed on the central component and the two lateral components. The interspace is formed between the central component and each of the two lateral components, the front inner wall and the back inner wall of the outer frame; between one of the two lateral components and one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame; as well as between the other one of the two lateral components and the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame. Two junctions are formed between one of the two lateral components and one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame; two junctions are also formed between the other one of the two lateral components and the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame, allowing each of the two lateral components to be rotated by a single side fixation. 
     Bristles are inserted into the multiple sockets. The bristles inserted into the multiple sockets of the two lateral components of the substrate can be rotated at a 45-degree angle to brush the teeth and decrease brushing pressure for protecting teeth and gingival. The bristles inserted into the sockets of the central component of the substrate can be brushed vertically on the surface of the teeth for enhancing the cleaning effect. 
     The head base and the head frame are made of different materials. The head base is made of a rigid material, and the head frame is made of a soft material. The frame is formed inside and at a bottom rim of the head base by overmolding technique or 3D printing technique, allowing the toothbrush head to be comprised of two different materials. The toothbrush head prevents injury of the gingival caused by touching the toothbrush head to the gingival during tooth brushing. The substrate of the head base can be used as a tongue scraper. 
     The interspace is formed between the central component and each of the two lateral components. The interspace allows users to dry the toothbrush head thoroughly after brushing the teeth; besides, dirt blocked by the bristles of the head base is easily to be flushed away through the interspace. Moreover, the interspace allows water to be easily evaporated and prevents water from accumulating on the head base, thereby further preventing bacteria growing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a head base of a toothbrush head in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a head frame of the toothbrush head in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the toothbrush head in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side-sectional and end view of the toothbrush head in a usage state in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an another side-sectional and end view of the toothbrush head in a usage state in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of the head base in  FIG. 1A ; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective back view of the head base in  FIG. 1A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With references to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  FIG. 2 , a toothbrush head in accordance with the present invention comprises a head base  10  and a head frame  20  framing the head base  10 . The head base  10  comprises a substrate. With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 6 , the substrate of the head base  10  comprises an outer frame  101 , a central component  10 B, two lateral components, at least one junction and multiple sockets  10 A. The two lateral components comprise a first lateral component  10 C and a second lateral component  10 D. The at least one junction comprises a front junction  10 E, a back junction  10 F, a first junction  10 G, a second junction  10 H, a third junction  10 I and a fourth junction  10 J. The multiple sockets  10 A are inserted by bristles  30 . 
     The outer frame  101  comprises a receiving space, a front inner wall, a back inner wall and two lateral inner walls. The central component  10 B of the head base  10  is positioned in the receiving space of the outer frame  101 . The first lateral component  10 C is linked to one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame  101  with the first junction  10 G and the second junction  10 H of the head base  10 . The second lateral component  10 D is linked to the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame  101 . The first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D are respectively linked to each of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame  101  and is respectively positioned between the central component  10 B and each of the two lateral inner walls to which the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D are linked, allowing the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D to be rotated by a single side fixation. 
     With references to  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 3 , the first lateral component  10 C is linked to one of the two lateral inner walls of the head base  10  with a single-side linkage by the first junction  10 G and the second junction  10 H, allowing the first lateral component  10 C to be rotatable. It allows the bristles  30  inserted in the multiple sockets  10 A of the first lateral component  10 C to be rotated at 45 degrees for cleaning during tooth brushing. With references to  FIGS. 1A  and  4 , the second lateral component  10 D is linked to the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the head base  10  with a single-side linkage by the third junction  10 I and the fourth junction  10 J. It allows the bristles  30  inserted in the multiple sockets  10 A of the second lateral component  10 D to be rotatable at 45 degrees for cleaning during tooth brushing. The present invention provides a toothbrush head with multiple orientations by the head base  10  with multiple bristles  30  and the head frame  101  framing the head base  10 . The present invention helps users to brush teeth by Bass method and allows the bristles  30  to be bent at 45 degrees as touching and pressing the bristles  30  from the teeth to the crevices between the teeth. It allows the bristles  30  to clean the teeth and the crevices between the teeth thoroughly for decreasing the risk of causing decayed tooth and periodontal disease. With reference to  FIG. 5 , the amount of the central component  10 B is at least one, and an interspace  40  is formed between the central component  10 B and each of the two lateral components, the front inner wall and the back inner wall of the outer frame  101 , between one of the two lateral components and one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame  101 , as well as between the other one of the two lateral components and the other one of the two lateral inner walls of the outer frame  101 . The interspace  40  allows users to dry the toothbrush head  10  thoroughly after brushing the teeth; besides, the dirt blocked by the bristles  30  of the head base  10  is easily to be flushed away through the interspace  40 . Moreover, the interspace  40  allows water to be easily evaporated and prevents water from accumulating on the head base, thereby further preventing bacteria growing. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the amount of junctions formed on the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D of the head base  10  is at least two. The junctions of the present invention help to control the rotating orientation of the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D of the head base  10 , allowing the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D of the head base  10  to be rotated in a single orientation. It also allows the bristles  30  inserted in the first lateral component  10 C and the second lateral component  10 D of the head base  10  to be rotated and bent at 45 degrees to thoroughly clean the teeth and crevices between the teeth for decreasing the risk of causing decayed tooth and periodontal disease. 
     With references to  FIGS. 1A, 1B and 5 , the head base  10  and the head frame  30  are made by the overmolding technique or 3D printing technique. The head base  10  is made first and the head frame  20  is formed inside and at a bottom rim  11  of the head base  10 . A first protrusion  20 A, a second protrusion  20 B, a third protrusion  20 C, a fourth protrusion  20 D, a fifth protrusion  20 E and a sixth protrusion  20 F of the head frame  20  are respectively mounted into the front junction  10 E, the third junction  10 I, the fourth junction  10 J, the second junction  10 H and the first junction  10 G of the head base  10  to form a toothbrush head with two different materials. The head base  10  is made of a rigid material, such as plastic. The head frame  20  is made of a soft material, such as silicon. 
     The rigid plastic material of the surface opposite to the bristles  30  inserted in the head base  10  can be used as a tongue scraper during tooth brushing. The soft material of the head frame  20  can protect the gingival from injury during tooth brushing as the head frame  20  touches the gingival. 
     Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.