Abstract: A process for manufacturing hollow handled toothbrushes is disclosed. The process includes; a) providing a toothbrush mold having a head portion, a base portion, a toothbrush cavity located between said head and end portions and having walls, an injection port for molten plastic, and a gas injection port, wherein the gas injection port is positioned in the end of the base portion of the mold so that gas is injected into the mold cavity substantially centrally thereof and in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mold; b) injecting a predetermined amount of a molten plastic into the mold cavity to partially fill the cavity; and c) injecting at least one gas through the gas injection port into the cavity to direct the molten plastic against the walls of the mold cavity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composition containing a hydrophobic solvent, a network polymer and a flow control agent which is useful in healing wounds. The composition of this invention may be applied directly to a wound to create a structured occlusive dressing. The dressings of this invention do not migrate, but maintain their integrity at skin temperature, and encourage the creation of a moist wound environment while protecting the wound in order to accelerate healing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a composition containing a hydrophobic solvent, a network polymer and a flow control agent which is useful in healing wounds. The composition of this invention may be applied directly to a wound to create a structured occlusive dressing. The dressings of this invention do not migrate, but maintain their integrity at skin temperature, and encourage the creation of a moist wound environment while protecting the wound in order to accelerate healing.

Abstract: A wound treatment material which absorbs wound fluid without overdrying the wound, provides physical cushioning for the wound, and releases an antimicrobial agent (iodine) in a controlled manner to kill harmful micro-organisms without irritating the wound area or adversely affecting would healing. The wound treatment material comprises crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex which is water insoluble, but water-absorbent and water-swellable. When the complex or a wound treatment preparation containing the complex is applied to a wound, i.e., becomes hydrated, and an equilibrium is established between the complex and the wound at the wound/complex interface. Iodine is releaed from the crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex by a diffusion controlled process which responds to the reduction in concentration of free iodine in the wound fluid in equilibrium with the complex. The greater the rate of iodine depletion in the wound, the greater the rate of iodine release from the polymer-iodine complex.

Abstract: A toothbrush comprising, generally in a sole piece, an elongated handle (10); one head (20) carrying, on the front side, a set of bristles (40); and a flexible neck (30) joining the handle (10) and the head (20) and comprising a pair of front (31) and rear (32) spaced longitudinal beams (33) and having their opposite extreme ends respectively united to the head (20) and the handle (10) through localized bending regions (34) which allow the beams to operate as parallelogram articulation arms when the head (20) is displaced in transversal direction in relation to the handle (10) and in a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the handle (10) and being parallel to the longitudinal axes of the bristles (40), from an inoperative rest position to operative positions.