Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20120121312
Timestamp: 2018-02-23 10:48:06
Document Index: 197639226

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n15', 'art.\n16', 'art.\n17', 'art.\n28', 'art.\n29', 'art.\n30']

US20120121312A1 - Brush, in particular toothbrush, and associated production method - Google Patents
US20120121312A1
US20120121312A1 US13341212 US201113341212A US20120121312A1 US 20120121312 A1 US20120121312 A1 US 20120121312A1 US 13341212 US13341212 US 13341212 US 201113341212 A US201113341212 A US 201113341212A US 20120121312 A1 US20120121312 A1 US 20120121312A1
US8408833B2 (en )
A brush, in particular a toothbrush, including a head part with a cleaning structure that with bristles, a hand part and a neck part, a cavity with at least one outlet opening for an active substance being located in the head or neck part. In one embodiment, the cavity incorporates an active substance element, which contains the active substance in a carrier material and releases the substance in a controlled manner when it comes into contact with water. The cavity may be adapted to the shape of an active substance element by means of defined external contours. The volume of the cavity is preferably 1-2 times and no more than 4 times greater than the volume of the active substance element, ensuring that the latter is preferably surrounded by water during use. This allows the active substance to be effectively metered and ensures that the brush is easy to use.
The cavity offers space for at least one active substance element. The cavity preferably offers additional space such that water can wash round the active substance element and, in this way, the active substance is able to exert its action by means of being partially or completely dissolved. To permit sufficient circulation of water in the cavity, provision is preferably made for the volume of the cavity to be designed not more than four times greater, particularly preferably one to two times greater, than the size (the volume in the original size) of the active substance element. In toothbrushes, the cavity has a volume of from 5 to 1500 mm3, preferably 100 to 500 2m3.
1. A toothbrush comprising a head part made from hard and soft material and having a cleaning structure that comprises bristles, with a handle part and with a neck part, a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element being located in the head part, wherein the cavity or the recess is defined by the rear half of the head part, being integrally formed with the handle part comprising a hard material and by a bristle carrying head plate comprising a hard material wherein at least the rear half of the head part or the bristle carrying head plate are provided with an additional soft material structure.
13. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outlet openings are situated in the flexible membrane between the massaging and/or cleaning elements and/or in the massaging and/or cleaning elements.
14. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet openings are situated in the hard and/or soft material of the head part.
15. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet openings are formed as flat perforated structure, concertina-like structure, lamella-like structure and/or knob-like structure and are arranged on the rear face of the head part.
16. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet openings are formed as a knob-like structure and are arranged on the front face of the head part.
17. A toothbrush comprising a head part made from hard and soft material and having a cleaning structure that comprises bristles, with a handle part and with a neck part, a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element being located in the head part, wherein the cavity or the recess is defined by the front half of the head part being integrally formed with the handle part comprising a hard material and being provided with bristles and by a cover being provided on the rear face of the head part comprising a hard material wherein at least the front half of the head part or the cover are provided with an additional soft material structure.
18. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 17, wherein the active substance element contains the active substance in a carrier material, and the carrier material releases the active substance upon contact with water, the carrier material being an injection-moldable polymer.
26. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 25, wherein the outlet openings are situated in the flexible membrane between the massaging and/or cleaning elements and/or in the massaging and/or cleaning elements.
27. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 17, wherein the outlet openings are situated in the hard and/or soft material of the head part.
28. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 17, wherein the outlet openings are formed as flat perforated structure, concertina-like structure, lamella-like structure and/or knob-like structure and are arranged on the rear face of the head part.
29. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 17, wherein the outlet openings are formed as a knob-like structure and are arranged on the front face of the head part.
30. A toothbrush comprising a head part made from hard and soft material and having a cleaning structure that comprises bristles, with a handle part and with a neck part, a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element being located in the head part, wherein the cavity or the recess is defined by an annular body of the head part, being integrally formed with the handle part comprising a hard material, by a bristle carrying head plate comprising a hard material and by a cover being provided on the rear face of the head part comprising a hard material wherein at least the bristle carrying head plate or the cover are provided with an additional soft material structure.
31. A method for producing a toothbrush with a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element comprising the following steps:
(a) Injection molding of a brush handle including a rear half of a brush head from a hard material;
(b) Injection molding of a head plate from soft and a hard material and forming the at least one outlet opening in the soft and/or hard material of the head plate; providing the head plate with bristles;
(c) Providing the cavity formed by the rear half of the brush head and the bristle carrying head plate with the active substance element;
(d) Connecting the rear half of the brush head with the bristle carrying head plate.
32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein additional cleaning elements are molded on the head plate from the soft material during step (b).
33. A method for producing a toothbrush with a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element comprising the following steps:
(a) Injection molding of a brush handle including a front half of a brush head from a soft and hard material and forming the at least one outlet opening in the soft and/or hard material of the front half of the brush head; providing the front half of the brush head with bristles;
(b) Injection molding a cover from a hard material;
(c) Providing the cavity formed by the front half of the brush head and the cover with the active substance element;
(d) Connecting the front half of the brush head with the cover.
34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein additional cleaning elements are molded on the front half of the head from the soft material during step (a).
35. A method for producing a toothbrush with a cavity with at least one outlet opening or a corresponding recess for an active substance element comprising the following steps:
(a) Injection molding of a brush handle including the rear half of a brush head from a hard and soft material and forming the at least one outlet opening in the soft and/or hard material;
(b) Injection molding of a head plate from a hard material; providing the head plate with bristles;
36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein additional cleaning elements are molded on the rear half of the brush head from the soft material during step (a).
US20120121312A1 true true US20120121312A1 (en) 2012-05-17
US8408833B2 US8408833B2 (en) 2013-04-02