Abstract: A brush head for an electric toothbrush is disclosed. The brush head includes a bristle support having mounting means for the movable mounting of the bristle support and a plurality of bristle tufts arranged on the bristle support in at least one outer ring and one middle ring, the middle ring being nested within the outer ring and having a central area. The outer ring includes outer bristle tufts having an elongated tuft cross-section, which outer bristle tufts are mounted on opposing sides of the outer ring. The middle ring includes at least two middle bristle tufts that each have a cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of the outer bristle tufts and a central area including at least one bristled section that consists of two center bristle tufts having a cross-section larger than the cross-section of the middle bristle tufts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dental and/or oral care, especially a tooth brush, comprising a preferably rod-shaped tool support to which a cleaning tool, especially a bristle field, can be fastened. The tool support is configured as a composite body that comprises an enveloping body from a first material, preferably plastic material, and a functional body from a second material, preferably metal, which is embedded in the enveloping body. The dental and/or oral care device is characterized in that the functional body is configured in at least some sections thereof as a trelliswork girder frame that has longitudinal girders substantially extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool support and a plurality of cross-girders. The enveloping body is especially transparent so that the functional body is visible through the enveloping body.

Abstract: A brush head for an electric toothbrush is disclosed. The brush head includes a plate-shaped bristle support including mounting means for the movable mounting of the bristle support, the bristle support carrying at least two outer bristle tufts and at least two inner bristle tufts, the outer bristle tufts having a greater height than the inner bristle tufts, such that in the working surface defined by the free ends of the tufts there is formed a central depression which has a groove-shaped concave bottom curved in one direction and extending substantially straight in the direction vertical thereto. At least one of the outer bristle tufts has a chamfer on its outer lying edge of its free end close to the circumferential side of the bristle support.

Abstract: A brush head for an electric toothbrush is disclosed. The brush head includes a substantially plate-shaped bristle support carrying a bristle field, the bristle field having a main axis extending substantially perpendicularly to the bristle support and including a plurality of bristles defining with their free ends a flat or concave working surface to be put onto the teeth to be cleaned; driving and/or transmitting means for driving the bristle support using a reciprocating poking motion along a poking axis and an oscillatory rotational motion about an axis of rotation; and connecting means for connecting the bristle support with a toothbrush handpiece such that a brush head longitudinal axis extends substantially parallel to a toothbrush handpiece longitudinal axis in connected condition.

Abstract: A brush head for an electric toothbrush is disclosed. The brush head includes a bristle support having mounting means for the movable mounting of the bristle support and a plurality of bristle tufts arranged on the bristle support in at least one outer ring and one middle ring, the middle ring being nested within the outer ring and having a central area. The outer ring includes outer bristle tufts having an elongated tuft cross-section, which outer bristle tufts are mounted on opposing sides of the outer ring. The middle ring includes at least two middle bristle tufts that each have a cross-section that is smaller than the cross-section of the outer bristle tufts and a central area including at least one bristled section that consists of two center bristle tufts having a cross-section larger than the cross-section of the middle bristle tufts.

Abstract: A method for measuring the efficacy of a dental care product with respect to plaque removal on the teeth of a volunteer, comprising the steps: a) requesting selection of a plaque index system on a display device; b) requesting selection of a model tooth to be examined and display of the selected model tooth on the display device; c) requesting input of the plaque data on the model tooth displayed on the display device according to the selected plaque index. d) repeating steps b) and c) for a predetermined number of teeth; and e) determining the percentage amount of plaque for each tooth by calculating the ratio of the area covered with plaque to the tooth surface, wherein the area covered with plaque is calculated according to the selected plaque index.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dental and/or oral care, especially a tooth brush, comprising a preferably rod-shaped tool support to which a cleaning tool, especially a bristle field, can be fastened. The tool support is configured as a composite body that comprises an enveloping body from a first material, preferably plastic material, and a functional body from a second material, preferably metal, which is embedded in the enveloping body. The dental and/or oral care device is characterized in that the functional body is configured in at least some sections thereof as a trelliswork girder frame that has longitudinal girders substantially extending in the longitudinal direction of the tool support and a plurality of cross-girders. The enveloping body is especially transparent so that the functional body is visible through the enveloping body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for preparing hot beverages, comprising a water tank (1) which can be filled with water (23) and a brewing unit (6) which can be filled with an ingredient (9) such as ground coffee or tea leaves. The water (23) is heated and supplied to the brewing unit (6) for extraction. After the extraction process, the hot beverage (24) flows into a container (8). The machine for preparing hot beverages includes a device (10, 11) for sensing the amount of water and ingredients. The device (10, 11) sends corresponding electric signals to an electronic evaluation device (14). The electronic evaluation device (14) indicates the detected strength of the hot beverage on an indicator instrument (17). The degree of strength may be varied by this arrangement in conformity with a user's taste. Further, only that amount of ingredients required for the desired strength of the beverage is used.

Abstract: A coffee maker and a method of preparing coffee in which steam is applied to the coffee grinds prior to passing hot water through the coffee grinds. The coffee maker includes a controllable outlet valve disposed within a fluid path, between a water reservoir and a flow-through heater. In a first position, the outlet valve has a flow opening dimensioned sufficiently small that water exiting the outlet valve evaporates completely in the flow-through heater. In a second position, the outlet valve has a flow opening dimensioned sufficiently large that water exiting the outlet valve is heated in the flow-through heater without appreciable development of steam.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a tea filter assembly (10) adapted to be fitted to a coffee maker (18) in place of a coffee filter in order to be able to make tea with the coffee maker (18). It is known in the art to provide such a tea filter assembly (10) with a first valve (36) for closing an outlet (44) from the tea filter assembly (10) while the tea is steeping. It is a disadvantage in such a type of tea filter assembly (10) that upon termination of the steeping time hot water continues to be discharged from the coffee maker (18), flowing over the tea leaves and extracting bitter principle in the process. To avoid this drawback, provision is made in the invention for a water conduit (14) through which hot water exiting the coffee maker flows straight into a carafe after the steeping time has ended, without coming into contact with tea leaves contained in a tea basket (16).

Abstract: In a first embodiment, a beverage brewing machine has a reservoir in which water is heated, which is arranged upstream of a brewing unit and heatable by an electric heating device. At the bottom is an outlet valve which opens only on reaching a given water temperature so that the hot water flows through an outlet pipe downstream of the outlet valve from the reservoir over the upper surface of a product, preferably ground coffee or tea-leaves, contained in a brewing unit, from which it goes to a receptacle as a beverage after extraction of the product. Hot water from the reservoir can also be taken via a pipe along paths other than over the upper surface of the product into the receptacle. The pipe takes a siphon-like path, the vertex of which is far enough above the bottom of the reservoir so that hot water also flows via the pipe to the other path and not only over the upper surface of the product only when a certain level is reached in the reservoir.

Abstract: An espresso coffee making system includes an unpressurized boiler vessel with an electric heating element arranged outside the boiler vessel for heating water in the boiler vessel for delivery to a perforated filter holder of the espresso coffee maker. A tube is provided between the electric heating element and the boiler vessel that is in thermal contact with both the heating element and the boiler vessel. A valve allows water from the boiler vessel to be recirculated by a pump through the tube to generate steam, without overheating the water contained in the boiler vessel.

Abstract: A bread toaster includes a cooling system for the casing which includes structure for dividing the air flow rising in an air guide duct into a laminar part and a second part which is supplied to the upper region of the toasting chamber.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a bread toaster comprising a carriage (4) which is manually slidable in a guide (3) between an upper and a lower limit position by means of a handle (6). Moving in conjunction with the carriage (4) is a toasting rack (2) which is adapted to receive an article to be toasted (22), with the upper limit position of the carriage (4) serving to receive or withdraw the article (22), while the lower limit position serves for turning the power on and for toasting the article (22). The bread toaster includes an extra-lift device (11) which is operated by a control knob (8) to enable the toasting rack (2) to be raised relative to the carriage (4). According to the invention, the extra-lift device (11) is carried by the carriage (4) and/or by the toasting rack (2).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a bread toaster with a removable crumb tray, including devices which prevent operation of the bread toaster when the crumb tray is not inserted and, secondly, which ensure that operation of the bread toaster is stopped when the crumb tray is removed during toasting.

Abstract: The invention proposes a temperature measuring device for a bread toaster, with a sensing element (1) which is in communication with the toasting chamber (25) through a radiation guide channel (A, B, C, D). The radiation guide channel (A, B, C, D) is formed of several passageways (11, 12, 13) arranged in spaced apart serially disposed partition walls (4, 6, 8).