Patent · US Expired

Resiliently flexible toothbrush

US5735012A · kind A · utility

132Cited by

13References

12Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Chesebrough-Pond's USA, division of Conopco, Inc. · US

Inventors

Bert D. Heinzelman · North Bergen, US
Donald R. Lamond · Lynbrook, US
Diego Fontayne · Montebello, US

Key dates

Filing date	Apr 1, 1997
Grant date	Apr 7, 1998
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 1, 2017

Classification

Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
CPC primaryB29L2031/425
WIPO fieldOther special machines
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A toothbrush is provided having a brushhead, neck and handle. The handle includes a flex zone flanked on one side by the neck on the other by a tail zone of the handle. The neck and tail zone are rigid in contrast to the bendable flex zone. Spring Rate for the neck and tail zone is each greater than that for the flex zone. A relatively hard, unitarily formed backbone traverses neck and handle. An elastomer forms portions of both the flex and tail zones. Elastomer is anchored through at least one channel traversing a beam of the backbone. Ends of the channel are radiused to eliminate structural weakness.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.