Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Vanessa M. Nichols
  • Patent number: 6408476
    Abstract: A toothbrush, having a handle (12) and at one end thereof a bristle-bearing head (11), wherein the head (11) is in the form of two or more segments (15) flexibly and/or resiliently linked to each other and/or to the handle (12), one or more of the segments (15) being bristle bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: David Victor Cann
  • Patent number: 6219874
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle and a resiliently flexible bristle-bearing head. The head has a pair of opposing faces with the bristles mounted on one face. Each opposing face has a groove, the groove on each face being substantially parallel to the groove on the opposing face. The pair of substantially parallel grooves form a flexible hinge within the head, allowing the toothbrush head to flexibly conform from a concave profile to a convex profile to suit the labial surface of the teeth or to avoid damage to the gums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Co.
    Inventors: Maria van Gelder, Kristie Jane Morgan
  • Patent number: 6178583
    Abstract: A toothbrush which provides superior cleaning as well as gum and inter dental stimulation. The toothbrush has an elongated member extending between two ends. The elongate member has a head at one of its ends. The head has a plurality of tufts comprising a multiplicity of bristles. The tufts have proximal ends attached to the head, distal ends extending outwardly from the head and sides extending between the distal and proximal ends. The distal ends of the tufts are angled downwardly from a peak so that adjacent tufts form a V shaped profile when looking at the side of the tufts. The head further includes a number of additional bristles attached thereto and extending above the peaks of the tufts. Alternatively, the tufts of bristles may include a predetermined number of bristles that are stiffer than the rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Daniel W. Volpenhein
  • Patent number: 6115870
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle (4) and a head (1), the head (1) being of length L and having longitudinal and transverse axes, the head (1) having a bristle-bearing surface (7) with a plurality of tufts (6) extending therefrom, wherein the tufts (6) are arranged in a plurality of groups N, which are separated from each other by a transverse gap (8) of from 1.3 mm to 5 mm, the distance between tufts (6) within a group being less than 1.3 mm, and wherein at least 50% of the tufts (6) are characterized by there being no other tuft (6) within 1.3 mm, measured along a line parallel to the transverse axis, for at least 50% of the width of the tuft (6). Preferably, each group is in the form of a crescent shaped array and tufts (6) are generally perpendicular to the toothbrush head (1). The arrangement allows for independent movement of bristle tufts (6), particularly whilst using the Bass technique for toothbrushing, yet maintains a high density of tufts (6) on the toothbrush head (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Procter & Gamble
    Inventors: Sanjay Amratlal Solanki, Simon Phillip Shenton
  • Patent number: 6109787
    Abstract: A soft bag for accommodating a stack of personal-hygiene articles, especially of cosmetic cotton pads, which comprises a side wall, a bottom wall and removal mechanism, located in the bottom area of the bag, with a tear-off latch, defined by weakening lines in the bag wall. Two separate tear-off latches on two sides of the bottom area facing away from each other are provided in order to form two separate removal openings. The tear-off latches extend from the bottom wall into the side wall of the bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Procter & Gamble
    Inventor: Christof Karl Stary
  • Patent number: 6093468
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved protective pad for protecting the human body against impact forces. The pad is formed using layers of high density closed-cell polymer foam low density closed-cell polymer foam, and resilient or non-resilient energy absorbing inserts. The high density layer absorbs and shunts impact forces, while the low density layer acts as a cushion against the human body, and provides for comfort. The pad can be provided with a plurality of holes through its thickness to provide for breathability and release of heat from the human body, the surface area of the holes being great enough to allow for adequate ventilation but not so great as to significantly decrease the protection offered by the pad. The pad can also be provided with a plurality of score lines across its surface and partially through its thickness to provide for flexibility and conformability to the part of the human body being protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Douglas Toms, Andrew J. Wnuk, Dimitris I. Collias
  • Patent number: D435910
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Leane Kristine Davis, Nancy Jean McCarthy
  • Patent number: D436734
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Maria Van Gelder
  • Patent number: D437643
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Leane Kristine Davis
  • Patent number: D439412
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Daniel William Volpenhein, Sanjay Amratlal Solanki, Gregory DeSwarte
  • Patent number: D440494
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Ralph Albert Sagel, David Eugene Ebersole
  • Patent number: D421913
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Shane Edwin Meeker, Ronald de Vlam
  • Patent number: D422408
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Krista Rijn Schwartz, Michael Andrew Huth, John Anthony Scattiglio
  • Patent number: D425992
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Leane Kristine Davis, Sandra Hintz Clear
  • Patent number: D427140
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael Hung-Tai Luh, Eric Richard Bartsch, Chow-Chi Huang, Naomi Ruth Nelson
  • Patent number: D427141
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael Hung-Tai Luh, Michael Edward Butler
  • Patent number: D427142
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael Hung-Tai Luh, Michael Edward Butler
  • Patent number: D428153
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Leane Kristine Davis
  • Patent number: D428385
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Michael Hung-Tai Luh, Eric Richard Bartsch, Chow-Chi Huang, Naomi Ruth Nelson
  • Patent number: D428702
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Maria Van Gelder