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EP0042459B1 - Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives - Google Patents

Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0042459B1
EP0042459B1 EP19800302076 EP80302076A EP0042459B1 EP 0042459 B1 EP0042459 B1 EP 0042459B1 EP 19800302076 EP19800302076 EP 19800302076 EP 80302076 A EP80302076 A EP 80302076A EP 0042459 B1 EP0042459 B1 EP 0042459B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
head
toothbrush
tufts
major axis
handle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19800302076
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0042459A1 (fr
Inventor
Raymond Ernest
Jack Nester
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to DE8080302076T priority Critical patent/DE3069695D1/de
Priority to EP19800302076 priority patent/EP0042459B1/fr
Publication of EP0042459A1 publication Critical patent/EP0042459A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0042459B1 publication Critical patent/EP0042459B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
    • A46B5/0095—Removable or interchangeable brush heads
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
    • A46B5/02—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware specially shaped for holding by the hand
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
    • A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
    • A46B9/04—Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
    • A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
    • A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to toothbrushes and more particularly is directed to a bristle bearing head, supporting stem and handle construction providing accessibility to the interproximal spaces and beneath the free gingival margin and enabling the user to more easily manipulate the head on the buccal, labial and lingual surfaces of the maxillary and mandibular teeth.
  • British Patent Specification No. 484331 discloses a toothbrush comprising a handle, a stem extending therefrom and, carried on the distal end section of the stem, a a head having a substantially flat bristle-bearing surface from which tufts of bristles extend, the head having a major axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said end section and a minor axis perpendicular to the major axis, said minor axis being co-axial with said longitudinal axis.
  • the invention is intended to provide a toothbrush which meets the requirements set out in the preceding paragraph, whether the brush is being used to brush the back teeth with the handle held horizontally or the front teeth with the handle held vertically.
  • a toothbrush construction characterised in that the head is of substantially hour-glass shape constituted by two rounded end sections interconnected by a neck portion, in that the tufts are arranged in a generally corresponding hour- glass configuration with an isolated, terminal apical tuft located on said major axis at the extremity of each end section, and in that there are a pair of lateral apical tufts positioned one on each side of each end section, the centre of each tuft being further from said major axis in a direction normal thereto than the centre of any other tuft in the respective end section, the arrangement being such that when the brush is used with the mouth open and said longitudinal axis disposed in the occlusal plane the terminal apical tufts are located at the free gingival margins of the respective mandibular arches, and when used with said major axis extending parallel to the occlusal plane said lateral apical tufts are located at the respective free gingival margins.
  • a toothbrush construction having bristles which are shaped, sized, located and flexible for reaching into the interproximal spaces and under the free gingival margins and which are particularly adapted for penetrating those relatively inaccessible areas of the molars and bicuspids from the lingual cavity and the buccal cavity where the accumulation of plaque is relatively heavy; and which promote the desirable rotary brushing motion while enabling the teeth of both the maxillary and mandibular arches to be brushed simultaneously.
  • French Patent Specification No. 458 512 discloses a toothbrush having a head of hour-glass configuration, this is only in relation to an opposed member of quite different configuration, the arrangement being intended to facilitate the brushing of the buccal and lingual faces of the teeth of both jaws simultaneously. However, this toothbrush is totally unsuitable for rotary brushing movement.
  • toothbrushes having an hour- glass configuration when seen in plan are disclosed in French Specification No. 1 075 171.
  • the head When seen in elevation the head is of arcuate shape, having a concave bristle-bearing surface, and is thus again totally unsuitable for rotary brushing movement.
  • U.S. Specification No. 3,010,131 discloses a tooth brush having a generally triangular head on which the bristles are arranged in a trapezoidal configuration.
  • the bristle arrangement which may be clustered in a plurality of tufts, thus includes wedge-like configurations of such tufts having one of the tufts located at an apex adjacent each opposite end of the back.
  • the length of the head along the major axis spaces the bristles comprising the apices a distance apart to facilitate penetration into the interproximal spaces and free gingival margins of the teeth of both the maxillary and mandibular arches simultaneously when the stem, through handle manipulation, is disposed along the occlusal plane with the mouth in an open, teeth brushing, position.
  • the tuft forming the apex of the wedge-like configuration is centrally located with respect to the rounded end of the head on the major axis.
  • the slope of the wedge-like configuration away from each apex conforms to the scallopped contour of the gingival edges thereby improving the ability of the bristles to penetrate beneath the free margins thereof and those bristles at the apices to penetrate into the interproximal spaces at the gum-line.
  • the hourglass-shaped head provides additional wedge-like configurations of bristles and tufts spaced apart along the leading and trailing side edges of the head between the opposite ends thereof to facilitate interproximal and free gingival margin penetration when the major axis of the head is held parallel to the occlusal plane to render an additional capability to the toothbrush which is particularly useful in cleaning the front teeth.
  • a trailing end section of the stem has a stub shaft which removably telescopes into the axial bore of the handle providing for separation and relative rotation therebetween.
  • the trailing stem section may be angularly disposed to the leading stem section to offset the latter from the longitudinal axis of the handle about which the relative rotation of the stem on the stub shaft occurs to improve handling and orientation of the head in the mouth of the user.
  • An area of bristles adjacent the transverse minor axis of the head may be cut to a shorter length than those bristles located toward the opposite ends of the head including the bristles in the wedge-like configuration of tufts in order to facilitate the flexing of the latter in achieving their hereinbefore described intended simultaneous penetration.
  • 10 generally denotes a toothbrush constructed to embody the invention comprising a head 31 terminating the leading end of supporting stem 15 which extends from handle 20.
  • head 31, constructed to embody the invention may be perpendicularly mounted on a toothbrush stem and handle which are disposed coaxially with each other, an improved construction is shown as stem 15 and handle 20 in Figures 1 and 2.
  • the leading end section 16 of stem 15, which terminates at the outer end in back 32, has its longitudinal axis fixed in perpendicular relation to the major axis x-x of head 11.
  • section 16 is integrally formed with an offsetting, angularly disposed section 17 and tapers slightly in thickness from its inner end toward head 31, as seen in Figure 1, leading end section 16 being of a length to substantially position section 17 entirely on the exterior of the lips of the user in all operative positions of head 31.
  • section 16 may be broader at the inner end than section 17 and also tapers toward head 31, as seen in Figure 2.
  • This enlargement of section 16 adjacent section 17 provides an upfacing surface area 16a to which pressure may be applied by the index finger or thumb for in turn exerting pressure by bristles 13 against the teeth.
  • a cylindrical stub shaft 18 terminates the rearward end of section 17 and is positioned with its axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of section 16.
  • Handle 20 which is cylindrically shaped and sized to fit the user's hand to be grasped thereby for manipulation of head 31 within the mouth in the preferred manner, has, at its leading end, an axial bore 21 sized to telescopingly engage stub shaft 18 for separation therefrom and rotation thereon.
  • handle 20 may be hollow, providing a storage chamber 22 fitted with a screw cap 23 which may have a central opening 23a for access to chamber 22 when cap 23 is in mounted position.
  • Head 31 comprises a back 32 integrally formed with stem 15 from a suitable plastics material and having a flat underside 32a from which bristles 33 project in a predetermined pattern of tufts 34.
  • Bristles 33 may be natural or made of a suitable synthetic material, such as Nylon (trademark), and have a softness permitting flexure of the ends thereof sufficient for entering beneath the free gingival margins when normal brushing pressure is applied against the surface of the teeth.
  • Back 32 has an hourglass contour which provides a pair of opposite end sections 32b, each having a rounded or circular shape, interconnected by a constricted midportion 32c.
  • Tufts 34 are in a bilaterally symmetrical arrangement with respect to the minor axis of heat 31, that is, with respect to plane y-y, whereby two rows R1 1 of two tufts 34 each are adjacent to each side of plane y-y. Thereafter, located in sequence on each side of plane y-y beyond rows R 11 are one row R22 of four tufts 34; one row R33 of five tufts 34; one row R44 of four tufts and a single terminal tuft R5 positioned at the extreme opposite ends of back 32 on the major axis x-x.
  • toothbrush 10 is comfortably gripped in the opposite hand, as for example, by three fingers being curled around handle 20 so that angularly disposed section 17 extends between the thumb and index finger for disposing leading end section 16 along the occlusal plane to readily position head 31 in the buccal or lingual cavity with bristles 33 engaging the teeth.
  • the jaws are held open sufficiently but in a relaxed fashion to position tufts R5 of the opposite ends of head 31 at the gum-line of both the mandibular and maxillary arches as illustrated in Figure 4.
  • the brushing to achieve the desired result of breaking up organized bacterial plaque, is performed by applying light pressure against the teeth sufficient to flex the ends of the longer bristles 33 in rows R22, R33, R44 and R5.
  • Head 31 is moved in a circular motion, which more precisely may be elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse extending vertically and parallel to the major axis x-x of head 31.
  • the perpendicular disposition of the major axis x-x of head 31 with respect to stem 15 and the arrangement of tufts 34 in accordance with the invention is particularly adaptable to and facilitates this desirable brushing motion whereby the wedge-like contour of tufts 34 provided by rows R33, R44 and R5 penetrates the interproximal spaces at the base of the teeth and by said flexure of bristles 33, the latter also extend beneath the free gingival margin along the entire width of each tooth.
  • the circular brushing motion is applied while slowly advancing stem 15 along the occlusal plane.
  • the buccal surfaces of the teeth of the entire half of the mouth may be carefully brushed, and then by rotating stem 15180° in handle 20, the lingual surfaces of the teeth of the same half of the mouth may likewise be brushed.
  • the offset of leading end section 16 with respect to handle 20 makes the lingual surfaces as well as the buccal surfaces of the teeth readily accessible.
  • the other half of the mouth is then similarly brushed holding handle 20 in the opposite hand.
  • toothbrush 10 is not necessarily limited to the simultaneous brushing of the mandibular and maxillary arches but is also adaptable to brushing each arch individually by the same hereinbefore described rotary movement particularly when brushing the canines and incisors at the front of the mouth.
  • occlusal surfaces of the teeth are brushed by conventional short reciprocating strokes but utilizing the bristles 33 on one half of head 31, or, if desired, handle 20 may be held perpendicular to the arches thereby aligning axis x-x for reciprocal movement along the arches and brushing with the bristles of the entire head 31.
  • head 31 may be applied to the teeth with major axis x-x extending parallel to the occlusal plane instead of perpendicular thereto by holding handle 20 in a vertical position.
  • Circular or elliptical brushing movement imparted by head 31 particularly for brushing the front teeth, will enable the tufts 34 in the wedge-like configurations located along the sides of head 31 to penetrate the interproximal spaces and the free gingival margins in a manner similar to that of the wedge-like configurations at the opposite ends of heads 3 ' 1 when the latter are held perpendicular to the occlusal plane.
  • the perpendicular relationship between major axis x-x of head 31 and the longitudinal axis of leading end section 16 and handle 20, embodying the invention also prevents, or at the very least greatly discourages, continued use of the undesirable brushing habit of taking long and hard strokes across the buccal and lingual surfaces of the teeth in a direction parallel to the occlusal plane.
  • erosion of the surface layer of the teeth, particularly along the dento-enamel junction, the cause of which has been attributed, to a large degree, to such parallel brushing is substantially eliminated or at least materially reduced by the use of toothbrush 10 fitted with head 31.
  • Head 31 of toothbrush 10 may be proportioned for the intended use thereof, for example, in a regular adult size and in a smaller child size.
  • an average overall length for back 32 of approximately 24 mm and width of 10 mm satisfy the size requirements of most. adult mouths.
  • the length of the longer bristles 33 in rows R22, R33 and R44 are preferably 10 mm while rows R11 are approximately 8 mm long.
  • tufts Fewer than the twelve rows of tufts may be used within the scope of the invention as dictated by the dimensions of back 32 and the size of the respective tufts 34. Thus, fewer than four rows R11 may be used on back 32 and tufts 34 in each of the rows R11, R22, R33 and R44 may be reduced in number.
  • the bristles 33 in rows R11 of back 32 may be shorter than those of the rows end sections 32b. The ends of the longer bristles may be cut to provide a convex transverse contour as shown in Figure 1. However the transverse contour may be flat.
  • bristles 33 may be mounted in back 31, individually or as pairs of bilaterally symmetrical tufts having the configuration providing the contour shown and described with respect to head 31.
  • handle 20 and stem 15 permits one handle to service a plurality of stems 15 each fitted with a toothbrush head embodying the invention, one or more for each member of the family, or also fitted with a gum massaging instrument such as a periodontal aid.
  • the offset feature of leading end 16 with respect to handle 20 may be preserved without the relative rotation of stem 15 in handle 20 by enlarging integrally formed stub shaft 18 to a convenient handle size.
  • Storage chamber 22 may be used to house a spool of dental floss (not shown), the leading end of which may be fed through central opening 23a in screw cap 23, or, when travelling, a small tube or container of tooth paste or powder may be carried therein.

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  • Brushes (AREA)

Claims (4)

1. Brosse à dents (10) comportant un manche (20), une tige (15) partant de ce manche et, portée sur la section terminale distale (16) de la tige (15), une tête (31 ) ayant une surface support de soies pratiquement plate (32a) dont partent des touffes (34) des soies (33), la tête (31) ayant un grand axe (x-x) perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal de la section terminale (16) et un petit axe (y-y) perpendiculaire au grand axe, ce petit axe étant co- axial à l'axe longitudinal, caractérisée en ce que la tête (31) a pratiquement la forme d'un sablier constitué par deux sections terminales arrondies (32b) reliées entre elles par une portion de col (32c), en ce que les touffes (33) sont disposées selon une configuration correspondant généralement à un sablier avec une touffe apicale terminale isolée (R5) située sur le grand axe (x-x) au niveau de l'extrémité de chaque section terminale (32b) et en ce que deux touffes apicales latérales (R33) sont situées une de chaque côté de chaque section terminale (32b), le centre de chaque touffe étant plus éloigné du grand axe (x-x) dans une direction perpendiculaire à celui-ci que le centre de toute autre touffe (33) dans la section terminale correspondante (32b), la disposition étant telle que, lorsque la brosse (10) est utilisée avec la bouche ouverte et avec l'axe longitudinal disposé dans le plan d'occlusion, les touffes apicles terminales (R5) sont situées au niveau des bords gingivaux libres des arcades maxillaires respectives et, lorsqu'elle est utilisée avec le grand axe (x-x) parallèle au plan d'occlusion, ces touffes apicales latérales (R33) sont situées au niveau des bords gingivaux libres respectifs.
2. Brosse à dents (10) selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle la longueur de la tête (31) mesurée selon le grand axe (x-x) de celle-ci est environ 24 mm.
3. Brosse à dents (10) selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, dans laquelle cet axe longitudinal est déporté et est parallèle à l'axe du manche (20), la section terminale distale (16) étant raccordée au manche par une section inclinée (17) et ayant une longueur suffisante, en utilisation, pour positionner la section inclinée (17) au-delà des lèvres de l'utilisateur.
4. Brosse à dents (10) selon la revendication 3, dans laquelle le manche (20) comporte un alésage axial (21) pour recevoir de façon amovible en lui permettant de tourner à l'intérieur, un tourillon (18) formant l'extrémité proximale de cette section inclinée (17).
EP19800302076 1980-06-19 1980-06-19 Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives Expired EP0042459B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE8080302076T DE3069695D1 (en) 1980-06-19 1980-06-19 Toothbrush with improved interproximal and free gingival margin accessibility
EP19800302076 EP0042459B1 (fr) 1980-06-19 1980-06-19 Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19800302076 EP0042459B1 (fr) 1980-06-19 1980-06-19 Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0042459A1 EP0042459A1 (fr) 1981-12-30
EP0042459B1 true EP0042459B1 (fr) 1984-11-28

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ID=8187189

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19800302076 Expired EP0042459B1 (fr) 1980-06-19 1980-06-19 Brosse à dents facilitant l'accessibilité aux espaces interdentaires et aux bords des dents limitrophes des gencives

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EP (1) EP0042459B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3069695D1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3378248D1 (en) * 1983-07-05 1988-11-24 Raymond Ernest Modular interproximal toothbrushes
FR2716781B1 (fr) * 1994-03-07 1996-08-23 Alain Delattre Brosse à dents.
EP0955831A1 (fr) * 1995-07-27 1999-11-17 Noel Hensey Appareil de soins dentaires

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE81724C (fr) *
FR443435A (fr) * 1912-05-06 1912-09-24 Bernard Mendelovici Del Vinci Nouveau genre de brosses particulièrement destinées au nettoyage des pièces dentaires fixées à demeure dans la bouche
FR458512A (fr) * 1913-05-28 1913-10-13 Marcel Darcissac Brosse à dents pour le brossage simultané des deux arcades dentaires, et de leurs faces externe et interne
US1439279A (en) * 1921-05-19 1922-12-19 Howard R Ward Toothbrush
FR557261A (fr) * 1922-10-11 1923-08-06 Brosse à dents
US1647453A (en) * 1927-01-24 1927-11-01 Philip M Krantz Toothbrush
FR715589A (fr) * 1931-04-17 1931-12-05 Inclinaison et rotation variables et à remplacement
GB412414A (en) * 1932-07-01 1934-06-28 William Vachoux Improvements in teeth-cleaning appliances
GB484331A (en) * 1936-12-29 1938-05-04 Dermot Patterson Boyle Improvements relating to toothbrushes
FR940878A (fr) * 1944-10-17 1948-12-27 Perfectionnements aux brosses à dents
FR1075171A (fr) * 1952-08-28 1954-10-13 Brosse à dents
US3010131A (en) * 1960-05-23 1961-11-28 Kisky Christian Toothbrush
US3890986A (en) * 1973-04-29 1975-06-24 Den Tal Ez Mfg Co Teeth cleaning unit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0042459A1 (fr) 1981-12-30
DE3069695D1 (en) 1985-01-10

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