Patent ID: 7281289

Claim:
A toothbrush comprising: a—a handle part having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the distal end of the handle part including a hinge yoke defined by a pair of spaced walls; b—a head part having proximal and distal ends, a longitudinal axis therebetween and a set of bristles having exposed tip portions extending in a forward direction; c—the proximal end of the head part being received between the spaced walls of the hinge yoke and further wherein the head part is coupled to the handle part to move about a pivot axis, the proximal end of the head part including a retaining means in the form of a detent or a spring-biased ball, said retaining means being spaced from the pivot axis at the proximal end of the head part, the distal end of the handle part further including means in the form of a single recess or hole for cooperating with the retaining means of the head part to retain the head part in a normal use position relative to the handle part, the head part in the use position being oriented at a predetermined first angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle part with the head part remaining in the use position until the application of a predetermined excessive force to the bristles in a rearward direction; and, d—upon the application of the predetermined threshold level of force to the bristles, the head part moves from the normal use position about the pivot axis to a second position at an acute angle inclined in the rearward direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle part, the cooperating means of the handle part and head part being limited to the normal use position such that the head part may be free to flop backward from the normal use position to the second position, the head part being entirely unrestrained between the two positions such that the toothbrush is rendered inoperative upon the application of excessive force to the bristles.