Plaque removing toothbrush

US5341537A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Colgate-Palmolive Company · US

Inventors

• John P. Curtis · Bloomsbury, US
• Kedar N. Rustogi · Kendall Park, US
• John C. Crawford · Carmel, US
• James H. Kemp · Somerville, US
• Thomas Mintel · Rahway, US
• Bert D. Heinzelman · North Bergen, US
• Donald R. Lamond · Lynbrook, US
• Laura H. Edelman · New York, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 3, 1992
• Grant date: Aug 30, 1994
• Expiry date: Jun 3, 2012

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S15/05
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

A toothbrush whose tufts comprise three distinct groups of rows, with each row oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the head. The tufts of the first group are the shortest. The endmost tufts on each row of the second kind tilt laterally outwardly by about 12 degrees. The tufts of the third group are nearest the end of the head farthest from the handle and diverge from each other. In one embodiment, each tuft of the third kind tilts laterally at an angle of about 30 degrees and forwardly at about 14 degrees. In a first embodiment, each row of the first group comprises a single, wide tuft. In a second embodiment, each row of the first group has a plurality of laterally spaced round tufts. In a third embodiment, each row of the first group comprises a plurality of laterally spaced quadrangular tufts. All of the tufts may also be considered as defining four functional groups of tufts, with each of these four groups performing a specific function during brushing. The arrangement and orientation of the tufts yields a uniform cleaning action substantially independent of brushing direction or technique.