Patent Publication Number: US-6219875-B1

Title: Toothbrush for cleaning teeth with assistance from opposed teeth

Description:
The present invention relates generally to implements for use in the practice of oral hygiene and pertains, more specifically, to a toothbrush for cleaning selected teeth with assistance provided by engagement of the toothbrush with further teeth opposed to the selected teeth. 
     In the pursuit of more effective oral hygiene practices, toothbrushes have undergone a great deal of development toward attaining increased effectiveness with ease of use. The present invention provides a toothbrush which enables such increased effectiveness, with ease of use. As such, the present invention attains several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Provides a toothbrush having bristles configured and arranged for effective cleaning of teeth with the assistance of engagement of the toothbrush with teeth opposed to the teeth being cleaned; provides a toothbrush bristle configuration and arrangement combined with a contoured toothbrush surface configuration for enabling cleaning of selected teeth with the assistance of teeth opposed to the selected teeth; enables ease in cleaning surfaces of the teeth, while attaining more effective cleaning between teeth and adjacent the gum line, where the teeth meet the gums; effects advantageous gum massage, as well as tooth cleaning, through manipulations assisted by opposing teeth; provides a toothbrush which enables more effective oral hygiene practice without a vast departure from conventional practices which utilize a toothbrush, thereby encouraging widespread use; provides a toothbrush capable of being manufactured and sold at costs comparable to current conventional toothbrushes, while providing features far advanced over conventional toothbrushes. 
     The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as a toothbrush for cleaning selected teeth while being assisted by corresponding opposed teeth in effecting cleaning manipulations, the toothbrush comprising: a manipulating member extending longitudinally between first and second ends; a handle adjacent the first end; a bristle support adjacent the second end; and a multiplicity of bristles extending altitudinally from the bristle support, the bristles being arranged in groups of bristles within a field of bristles having laterally opposite first and second edges, each bristle having a proximal end at the bristle support and a distal end remote from the bristle support, the field including at least a first group of bristles extending longitudinally adjacent the first edge of the field, and a second group of bristles extending longitudinally adjacent the second edge of the field; the bristles of the first group being curved between the proximal end and the distal end of each bristle to curve laterally away from the bristles of the second group; the bristles of the second group being bowed between the proximal end and the distal end of each bristle to curve laterally away from the bristles of the first group; and the bristle support having at least one support surface spaced transverse from the first and second groups of bristles, the support surface having a curved transverse cross-sectional configuration for engaging the opposed teeth while the toothbrush is manipulated for cleaning the selected teeth with the first and second groups of bristles, whereby the engagement of the curved support surface with the opposing teeth assists in creating cleaning manipulations in which the bristles of the first and second groups clean the selected teeth. 
    
    
     The invention will be understood more fully, while still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial perspective view of a toothbrush constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged transverse cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partially sectioned, of a portion of the toothbrush; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic end view showing the toothbrush in position and being manipulated for cleaning a selected tooth, with the assistance of an opposed tooth; 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end view similar to FIG.  4  and showing another position during manipulation of the toothbrush for cleaning; and 
     FIGS. 6 through 9 are similar diagrammatic views illustrating further manipulations of the toothbrush available during cleaning. 
    
    
     Referring now to the drawing, and especially to FIG. 1 thereof, a toothbrush constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at  10  and is seen to include a manipulating member  12  extending longitudinally from a first end  14  to a second end  16 . A handle  18  is located adjacent the first end  14  and is unitary with the manipulating member  12 , in a now conventional manner. A bristle support  20  is located adjacent the second end  16 , as a unitary portion of the manipulating member  12 . 
     As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, as well as in FIG. 1, the bristle support  20  includes longitudinally extending opposite first and second sides  22  and  24 , and altitudinally opposite first and second faces  26  and  28 . A multiplicity of bristles  30  extend altitudinally from the first, or upper, face  26  of the bristle support  20 , each bristle  30  having a proximal end  32  at the bristle support  20  and a distal end  34  remote from the bristle support  20 . Bristles  30  are arranged in groups within a field  40  of bristles  30 . The field  40  extends longitudinally along the length of the bristle support  20  and includes laterally opposite first and second edges  42  and  44  located adjacent corresponding opposite first and second sides  22  and  24  of the bristle support  20 . A first group  52  of bristles  30  extends longitudinally along the bristle support  20  adjacent the first edge  42  of the field  40 , and a second group  54  of bristles  30  extends longitudinally along the bristle support  20  adjacent the second edge  44  of the field  40 . A third group  56  of bristles  30  extends longitudinally along the bristle support  20  between the first and second groups  52  and  54 . 
     The bristles  30  of the first group  52  are bowed from the proximal end  32  toward the distal end  34  so as to curve in a laterally outward direction, away from the second and third groups  54  and  56 . Likewise, the bristles  30  of the second group  54  are bowed so as to curve laterally outwardly from the proximal end  32  toward the distal end  34 , in the direction away from the first and third groups  52  and  56 . The bristles  30  of the third group  56  are essentially straight between the proximal end  32  and the distal end  34 . In the illustrated construction, the distal ends  34  of each group  52  and  54  lie on an arc, illustrated at  60 , while the distal ends  34  of the bristles  30  of group  56  extend altitudinally upwardly no further than arc  60 . Preferably, essentially all of the bristles  30  in the groups  52 ,  54  and  56  are located on or near arc  60  such that arc  60  is essentially common to the ends  34  of the bristles  30  of all of the groups  52 ,  54  and  56 . Arc  60  preferably is a segment of a circle having a center  62 . 
     The bristle support  20  includes a support surface  70  extending along the lower face  28  of the bristle support  20 , spaced transverse from the upper face  26 , and from the bristles  30  of the three groups  52 ,  54  and  56 . Support surface  70  has a curved transverse cross-sectional configuration, as viewed in FIG. 2, and extends longitudinally along the length of the bristle support  20 , as seen in FIG.  3 . The curved configuration of support surface  70  is concave, for purposes to be described more fully below, and preferably follows a circular arc  72 . In the preferred construction, arc  72  lies on a circle centered at center  62 . Bristle support  20  preferably includes further support surfaces. Thus, further support surfaces  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86  are located at corners  88  of the transverse cross-sectional configuration of the bristle support  20 , each spaced transversely from the groups  52 ,  54  and  56  of bristles  30  and extending longitudinally along the length of the bristle support  20 . The further support surfaces  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86  each have a convex curved transverse cross-sectional configuration, for purposes to be described below. Additional support surfaces  90  and  92  have a concave curved cross-sectional configuration and are located between support surfaces  80  and  84 , and  82  and  86 , respectively, along the length of the bristle support  20 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, toothbrush  10  is shown being manipulated for cleaning a selected upper tooth  100 , with the assistance of a corresponding opposed lower tooth  102 . Cleaning is accomplished by supporting the bristle support  20  upon the opposed tooth  102 , with the support surface  70  placed against the crown  104  of the tooth  102 , and then rocking the toothbrush  10  to move the support surface  70  laterally along the crown  104  of tooth  102 . Lateral rocking movement of the bristle support  20 , guided by the concave configuration of the support surface  70  as the support surface  70  traverses the crown  104 , sweeps the distal ends  34  of the bristles  30  along the tooth  100  and between tooth  100  and adjacent teeth for effective cleaning. At the same time, the distal ends  34  move across the gum line  110 , between the gum  112  and the tooth  100 , to effect cleaning at and adjacent to the gum line  110  and massage of the gum  112 . The outwardly bowed configuration of the bristles  30  of the first group  52  acts in concert with the resilient nature of the bristles  30  to urge the distal ends  34  against the surface  114  of tooth  100 , to urge the distal ends  34  between tooth  100  and adjacent teeth, and to push the distal ends  34  beneath the gum  112  adjacent the gum line  110 , assuring that the cleaning along the surface  114  of tooth  100 , and between tooth  100  and adjacent teeth, is thorough and that the massage is effective. Likewise, the outwardly bowed configuration of the bristles  30  of the second group  54  assures thorough cleaning of the surface  116  of tooth  100 , and adjacent corresponding gum line  110 , as well as cleaning between teeth and providing an effective massage of the gum  112 . The bristles  30  of the third group  56  sweep along the crown  120  of tooth  100  for effective cleaning of all of the surfaces of tooth  100 , as assisted by engagement of the bristle support  20  with the opposed tooth  102 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 6 through 9, engagement of the further support surfaces  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86  with one or the other of teeth  100  and  102 , and subsequent rocking of the bristle support  20  will effect further manipulations for cleaning of a selected tooth  100  or  102  with the assistance of the respective opposed tooth  102  or  100 . Still further assistance in attaining the desired rocking motion for effective cleaning, as well as massage, is provided by the further support surfaces  90  and  92 , as the bristle support  20  is moved through the motions illustrated in FIGS. 6 through 9. 
     As demonstrated above, the outwardly bowed configuration of the bristles  30  in the groups  52  and  54 , together with at least the curved support surface  70  enable cleaning of a selected tooth with the assistance of a corresponding opposed tooth with ease and effectiveness. In addition, effective cleaning at and adjacent to the gum line is accomplished, along with desirable massage of the gum. The further support surfaces  80 ,  82 ,  84  and  86 , along with additional support surfaces  90  and  92 , assist further in the cleaning and massage manipulations. 
     It will be seen that the present invention attains the several objects and advantages summarized above, namely: Provides a toothbrush having bristles configured and arranged for effective cleaning of teeth with the assistance of engagement of the toothbrush with teeth opposed to the teeth being cleaned; provides a toothbrush bristle configuration and arrangement combined with a contoured toothbrush surface configuration for enabling cleaning of selected teeth with the assistance of teeth opposed to the selected teeth; enables ease in cleaning surfaces of the teeth, while attaining more effective cleaning between teeth and adjacent the gum line, where the teeth meet the gums; effects advantageous gum massage, as well as tooth cleaning, through manipulations assisted by opposing teeth; provides a toothbrush which enables more effective oral hygiene practice without a vast departure from conventional practices which utilize a toothbrush, thereby encouraging widespread use; provides a toothbrush capable of being manufactured and sold at costs comparable to current conventional toothbrushes, while providing features far advanced over conventional toothbrushes. 
     It is to be understood that the above detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided by way of example only. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.