Movable Tuft Section Patents (Class 15/201)
  • Patent number: 6202248
    Abstract: A toothbrush that allows a better, less painfull cleaning. By combining a multi texture bristle brush with an adjustable brush, it makes a toothbrush that's just right for cleaning the surface of the teeth and reaching the uneven areas which require cleaning also. The gums and gumlines can also get the required cleaning they need without hurting them or wearing them down faster, it produces desire results with the ability of making the task easy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventor: Everardo D Faires
  • Patent number: 6161245
    Abstract: The brushware comprises a bristle carrier and bristles fixed thereto, which are either arranged singly or in bundles and whose hardness is adjustable. A particularly simple, space-saving and hygienically satisfactory setting of the bristle hardness is obtained in that the bristles are elastically mounted on the bristle carrier and in the case of force action are deflectable at least tranversely to their axis and that the deflection angle of the bristles is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Coronet-Werke GmbH
    Inventor: Georg Weihrauch
  • Patent number: 6141817
    Abstract: A toothbrush comprising a head, a neck and a handle, the head comprising a readily flexed resilient member having a plurality of bristles arranged on one side thereof, and a rigid member depending from the neck, the resilient member resting on the rigid member and being arranged with an inner array of bristles between outer arrays of bristles on opposite sides thereof, the outer arrays being caused to splay divergingly from the resilient member as a consequence of deformation of the resilient member when the bristles are urged onto a tooth or gum surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Cheesebrough-Pond's USA Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Leonard Dawson
  • 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: 6112361
    Abstract: A new and improved toothbrush has a pair of discreet twin brushing heads. The heads are arranged side-by-side with independent head flexure. The heads are attached to the handle through use of two discrete neck segments that have purposeful flexure. Each head is connected to one neck segment, thereby permitting independent head flexure. The heads may be angled relative to each other so as to provide two discrete stabilizing contact areas, these contact areas being the respective "high" areas of the two brushing heads that initially meet the teeth and gum surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Michael F. Brice
    Inventor: Michael F. Brice
  • Patent number: 6088870
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toothbrush having bristles mounted on a flexibly resilient lattice network, such that the bristles deflect during brushing to conform to the various arcuate surfaces of the teeth for more effective cleaning thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventor: Douglas J. Hohlbein
  • Patent number: 6076221
    Abstract: An adjustable brush for cleaning grout includes a group of brush mounting constructions slidably disposed on a rigid support track. Each mounting construction is movable, yet selectively held in place along the longitudinal axis of the support track. A brush assembly is removably attached to each brush mounting construction. Each brush assembly includes bristles secured within a bristle holding member, and the brush assemblies are selectively held in place during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Inventor: Robert John Bradshaw
  • Patent number: 6070286
    Abstract: A toothbrush which will alleviate stress through an angulated handle portion that has a series of coils located at its distal end. The distal end being connected to a mandolin shaped brush head which includes a center core material which acts to urge the bristles into a 45 degree angle of brushing. The head can be removed for cleaning or replacement by a screw shank connector. The screw shank connector includes a dominant component and an inferior component which will enable the user to be able to position the brush head at the desired working angle. The opposite end of the handle has grip which includes, a 360 degree serrated thumb rest on one end and a 360 degree hand stop at the other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Inventor: Venanzio Cardarelli
  • Patent number: 6018839
    Abstract: A device for the cleaning of teeth is disclosed. The device comprises a cleaning device having an elastically supported deformable surface. The surface of the cleaning device is formed by a cleaning fleece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Inventor: Hartfried Pietz
  • Patent number: 6009584
    Abstract: A thin card-like housing that incorporates a retractable brush and other useful implements. The brush has a base with an outer edge from which bristles extend. The base includes a deflectable web portion having a rib extending through an actuation opening in the housing. Manual engagement of the rib is used to move the brush from an outwardly extended operative position to a retracted storage position within the housing. The web portion includes wedge parts that releasably engage detent structures inside the housing. The detent structures are positioned to correspond to the storage and operative positions of the brush. The housing interior also includes guide posts that extend through guide openings in the brush base to facilitate brush alignment and movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen J. Padden
  • Patent number: 6006395
    Abstract: The present invention features a brush or hair grooming instrument that can be configured to orient bristles or teeth inwardly toward a contact region along generally parallel lines with relatively little contact force, thus expanding the effective area over which the instrument contacts the hair. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the instrument comprises a rigid support having a longitudinal axis and a flexible membrane having first and second ends pivotally attached to the rigid support. The flexible membrane comprises a plurality of substantially rigid sections integrally joined along parallel lines of flexure, with the parallel lines of flexure disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rigid support. The flexible membrane may be biased into a normal or relaxed configuration and transition into a flexed or bent shape through a more or less pronounced "snap" action. A plurality of combing elements are secured to and extend from the flexible membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: 500 Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Paolo B. Tiramani, Soohyun Ham, John A. Bozak
  • Patent number: 5991959
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle at one end thereof and a bristle bearing head, the head having a skeleton, a resilient member mounted on at least one side of the skeleton, tuft mounts in the skeleton and/or resilient member for receiving bristles, the resilient member bristle tufts being capable of toggling movement, the resilient member tuft mounts having an array of rigid receptacles or wells attached to the skeleton by a bridge hinge, characterised in that the bridge hinges are broken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co.,
    Inventors: Stephen John Raven, Derek Guy Savill
  • Patent number: 5970564
    Abstract: A brush having a handle at one end thereof and a bristle bearing head characterised in that the bristles are anchored in an elastomeric bridge disposed between the bristles and the head, the bridge forming a bond between the bristles and the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: George Richard Inns, Stephen John Raven, Derek Guy Savill
  • Patent number: 5946759
    Abstract: The present invention relates to resiliently flexible brush heads, more particularly to toothbrush heads, having segmented faces with grooves between the segments, wherein the grooves on at least one face contain elastomer, so that the head durability is improved through repeated flexing. The invention further relates to toothbrushes comprising the brush heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: David Victor Cann
  • Patent number: 5913348
    Abstract: An extendable-bristle brush having a hollow, tubular handle containing a folded bundle of fibers, the free ends of the fibers extending from an open end of the handle as bristles. The bundle is formed by folding a half-bundle of fibers about a hooked drawpiece and drawing the fold of the bundle into the handle so that both ends of each fiber protrude from the same end of the tubular handle to form the bristles of the brush. Folding of the bundle creates a bulge in the bundle which is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tubular handle. Drawing the bundle into the handle compresses the bulge, resulting in a holding force which frictionally locks the bundle within the handle. The bundle may be advanced by pulling out the exposed bristles. As the bundle is repeatedly pulled out and cut off for additional uses, the holding force does not change significantly with shortening of the bundle or the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Inventor: Robert C. Horton
  • Patent number: 5906023
    Abstract: A pivotable hairbrush for offering a hairbrush that would adjust to the contour of a user's head. The inventive device includes a pivotable head, a plurality of bristles protruding from the pivotable head, and a handle extending from one end of the pivotable head. The pivotable head includes a stationary portion and a pivotable portion wherein the pivotable portion and the plurality of bristles protruding therefrom conjointly pivot relative to the stationary portion so as to conform to the contour of the head of a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Inventor: David B. Edwards
  • Patent number: 5881426
    Abstract: A brush with flexible bristles in which each bristle includes a flexion integral with the bristle to provide innate resilience to the bristle for flexing along its longitudinal axis. The brush fitted with the bristles includes a perforated brushhead for passing the bristles so as to maintain the bristles on their axis. A trapezoidal bristle grid provides for bristle density in the brush comparable the standard brush density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventor: Gary S. Tong
  • Patent number: 5850659
    Abstract: An ergonomically designed toothbrush having an oversized handle, a shapeable stem, interchangeable, flexible heads of different sizes, bristles arrangements, and geometrical configurations. The handle is generally cylindrical in shape so as to readily fit in the palm of ones hand while having a flattened portion against which the thumb and fingertips may be rested. The handle has attached thereto a rotation means which may be selectively set in a variety of positions about the longitudinal axis of the handle. When a stem with a flexible toothbrush head is attached to the rotation means, the user of the toothbrush may bend the head and set the orientation of the bristles on the head such that they are at a 45.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: The Smart Brush Corporation
    Inventors: C. P. Butler, F. M. Butler, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5842249
    Abstract: A toothbrush for efficiently removing plaque, tartar, and calculus from teeth. The toothbrush includes a grip handle and a crown cap mounted on a distal end of the grip handle. The crown cap is provided with a first tooth fitting portion which includes a pair of walls having curved inner surfaces confronting each other and proximal ends, and a central portion for connecting the pair of walls at the proximal ends. The central portion has a wavy or sinuous inner surface that is continuous with the curved inner surfaces. The curved and wavy inner surfaces have a cross-section of a substantially heart-shape with a lower, opened end, and bristle assemblies are secured on the continuous curved and wavy inner surfaces. The bristle assemblies are elongated and extend at an angle ranging from 30.degree. to 60.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Inventor: Masanori Sato
  • Patent number: 5839148
    Abstract: Disclosed is a toothbrush having an elongated handle having a head at one end and tufts of bristles affixed to the head. The head has a stationary section which contains fixed, stationary tufts of bristles, and a movable section with tufts of bristles affixed thereto. The movable section of the head is movably attached to the stationary section. The movable section may be pivotally or hingedly attached to the stationary section. The present toothbrush provides for the control and cleaning ability of fixed tufts, while also providing for the cleaning efficiency and effectiveness of movable tufts which follow the contour of the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventor: Daniel W. Volpenhein
  • Patent number: 5839149
    Abstract: A toothbrush is disclosed having a brush head that includes a flexible member formed for resilient flexure between a first shape and a second shape. The flexible member has first and second sides and a central bristle support portion disposed between first and second outer bristle support portions. The flexible member also has an elastic portion interconnecting the central bristle support portion to the first and second bristle support portions along lateral edges thereof. The toothbrush further includes a pair of handle extensions for supporting the flexible member at the first and second sides thereof such that the flexible member is free to flex between first and second shapes when stressed. An array of first bristle tufts is attached to the central bristle support portion. First and second arrays of second bristle tufts are attached to the first and second outer bristle support portions, respectively, and are aligned in parallel relation to the array of first bristle tufts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Inventors: Paul A. Scheier, Luise E. Scheier
  • Patent number: 5815877
    Abstract: A compact, self-cleaning brush having minimal number of components and being easier to assemble which makes the design more cost effective. The bristles of the brush are mounted between a base and a sliding actuating member which are constructed so that as the sliding member is moved along the base, the bristle components are extended and spread so as to be fanned out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Inventor: William R. Heneveld
  • Patent number: 5813079
    Abstract: A toothbrush, having a handle (11) and a bristle bearing head (13), the head (13) being flexibly and resiliently linked to an extended portion (12) of the handle, the extended portion (12) either surrounding the head (13) or the head (44) partly surrounding the extended portion (42), the head (13, 44) being capable of rocking motion relative to the extended portion (12, 42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Lingner & Fischer GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Halm
  • Patent number: 5802656
    Abstract: A toothbrush is provided having a handle and a bristle bearing head. The head includes a central skeleton, resilient side members mounted on either side of the central skeleton, tuft mounting receptacles in both the skeleton and the side members, and bristle forming tufts received in both the tuft mounting receptacles of the skeleton and of the side members. The side member bristle tufts are movable both sideways and downwards in a toggling movement relative to the bristle tufts stationarily mounted on the skeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Leonard Dawson, Bert Davis Heinzelman, Donald Richard Lamond, John Moldauer, Stephen John Raven
  • Patent number: 5799354
    Abstract: A rocker toothbrush is disclosed wherein the brushhead includes three bristle tuft bundles, each on a separate, elongated base. The middle bundle is elastically hinged to the two side bundles, which, in turn are hinged to the brushhead. A force applied to the middle bundle, during normal use, causes the two side bundles to turn in the direction toward the middle bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Inventor: Ehud Amir
  • Patent number: 5791007
    Abstract: A pair of brush heads of a toothbrush may be positioned adjacent each other to define a single brush surface or facing each other to define a pair of opposed brush surfaces by slidable engagement between a V-shaped groove of a movable push block and a pair of oppositely directed spiral ribs on a pair of rolling rods supporting the brush heads, so that the single brush surface may be used to clean the front teeth and the opposed brush surfaces may be used to clean the back teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Inventor: I-Lung Tsai
  • Patent number: 5774923
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a flexibly linked zone in its head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: SmithKline Beecham plc
    Inventor: Hans Halm
  • Patent number: 5678279
    Abstract: A floor care appliance, in particular a vacuum cleaning appliance, for example a vacuum cleaner (1) or a floor polisher, with downwardly directed bristles (11) arranged preferably around its outer periphery, the bristles (11) being fixed in a mounting strip (13), and the mounting strip (13) being positively held in a downwardly open receiving groove portion (14) of sidewalls (16, 19) inwardly extending projections (17, 24) being disposed on the sidewalls (16, 19). In order to enable force-free installation and removal of the mounting strip fitted with the bristles, the projections (24) of one sidewall (19) are displaceable into a release disposition for the mounting strip (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH
    Inventors: Wieland Guhne, Gentile Marafante, Mario Tecchiati, Thomas Braun
  • Patent number: 5660019
    Abstract: An apparatus and methodology for smoothing relatively small pads of freshly laid concrete. The apparatus comprises a pair of broom assemblies joined by a gang bar structure and each pivotally movable on the gang bar structure between first and second angularly displaced positions. A first rope is connected to the apparatus and moves the apparatus across the pad in one direction in response to pulling on the first rope, and a second rope is connected to the apparatus and moves the apparatus across the pad in an opposite direction in response to pulling on the second rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Inventor: Cliffton L. Roe
  • Patent number: 5651158
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a handle and at one end having a bristle-bearing head which is in the form of one or more segments which are flexibly and/or resiliently linked to each other. Optionally, the head may also be flexibly and/or resiliently linked to the handle. The grooves between the linked segments of the head are wholly or partly filled with an elastomeric material. In one aspect, the bristle-bearing head of the toothbrush is attached to the handle by a frame which wholly or partly surrounds the head and is an integral extension of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Lingner & Fischer GmbH
    Inventor: Hans Halm
  • Patent number: 5623746
    Abstract: Large-diameter cylindrical portion (3) is formed in water passage (2) of a water-spraying nozzle (1) in the vicinity of the tip portion of said nozzle. Piston (5) which is housed in aforementioned cylindrical portion (3) is driven in a reciprocating manner, so that the tip portion of bristle bundle (4) which is implanted in the front surface of aforementioned piston (5) is caused to move in and out via water-spraying opening (6) located at the tip of aforementioned nozzle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Euronica Corporation
    Inventor: Sugimoto Ichiro
  • Patent number: 5596785
    Abstract: A multi-utility shoe brush system (11) is provided which includes a main body (13) having a several sides meeting other adjacent sides to form angles greater than ninety degrees so a plurality of paste applicator brushes (17, 19, 21b), a soft buffing brush (45), hard soil-removing brush (21a, 53), and one or more polishing pads (23, 27). A handle (31) is attached to the main body (13) to increase the efficiency of the use of the multi-utility shoe brush system (11), and its cleanliness. Each of the brushes and polishing pads is recommended to be removably attached to the main body (13). A shoe horn (49) is attached at the free end of the handle (31) for an additional utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Inventor: Hyun C. Park
  • Patent number: 5592711
    Abstract: The paint brush apparatus having multiple painting widths is designed in order to provide the user with a paintbrush apparatus that is able to paint in a number of different pre-determined widths that will allow the user to more rapidly finish any painting project. The apparatus is comprised of a handle assembly having lengthwise holes to permit the handle to incorporate internal, movable drive shafts. The drive shafts have a control mechanism such as a slide button or thumbwheel that will allow the extension or retraction of one or both of the shafts. A bristle head assembly has the bush bristles attached and has at least one open slot cut therein. Separate brush inserts are inserted into the slots in the bristle head assembly and are attached to the drive shafts in the handle assembly. The inserts are designed to be constructed of material which will inhibit the sticking of the inserts due to dried paint or debris in the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Inventors: Christopher L. Maier, Kevin R. Busl
  • Patent number: 5581840
    Abstract: A brush includes a handle, a base plate, a bristle holder, and a plurality of springs. The handle and the base plate are integrally formed. The base plate has a recessed portion defined therein, a locating channel defined around a peripheral wall of the recessed portion, and a plurality of holes defined in the recessed portion. The bristle holder carries a plurality of bristles and has a locating rim defined in a peripheral bottom thereof for engagement with the locating channel. The plurality of springs are respectively received within the plurality of holes and are compressed between an under surface of the bristle holder and peripheries defining corresponding holes to permit a reciprocating movement of the bristle holder against the springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Inventor: Li-min Chen
  • Patent number: 5546626
    Abstract: A toothbrush wherein a plurality of tubular bristle holders are sleeved onto respective upright pins inside the head of the toothbrush and supported on a respective spring to hold a respective bundles of bristles outside a respective hole at the top of the head of the toothbrush so that each tubular bristle holder is rotated downwards along a spiral groove around the respective upright pin when the respective bundle of bristles is depressed by the teeth, or rotated upwards when the respective bundle of bristles is released from the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Chung
  • Patent number: 5528786
    Abstract: A toothbrush comprising an elongated handle, a bristle support member articulately mounted on one end of the handle so as to be constrained, in use, into limited reciprocal movement with respect to the handle and in a direction of longitudinal axis of the handle. The toothbrush further comprising a plurality of bristle tuft arrays pivotally mounted on the support member about at least one pivotal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and articulately coupled to the one end of the handle so that the limited reciprocal movement of the support member gives rise to limited pivotal lateral rocking of the bristle arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Inventors: Amir Porat, Adam Waks
  • Patent number: 5524319
    Abstract: A toothbrush includes a brush head formed with a plurality of cavities, and an assembly of bristle holders received in the cavities, the bristle holders being fixed to and interconnected together by spring elements engageable with the bottoms of the cavities and normally urging the bristle holders to a projected position outwardly of the brush head, but permitting the bristle holders to be displaced inwardly to a retracted position within their respective cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Inventor: Joseph Avidor
  • Patent number: 5511274
    Abstract: There is disclosed therein a tufted construction formed of a thermoplastic sheet which defines a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional tufted construction design which has integrally mutually spaced prefused tufts mounted at preselected areas on one surface thereof. The three-dimensional design includes a radial surface having said tufts thereon and a handle portion so that when the projection is assembled and the edges thereof joined, the three-dimensional design will be complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Tucel Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Lewis, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5497526
    Abstract: The device is a straddle-type device in which the handle thereof has a pair of elongated arms and a cowling on the distal end thereof. The arms extend from the handle in generally parallel relationship to one another, with a slot therebetween, and the cowling is made of plastic resin material and supported on the arms at the distal end portions thereof. The cowling also bridges the slot and has an inverted U-shaped body, which in turn has endmost sections and a midsection therebetween. The endmost sections are encircled about the distal end portions of the arms in intimate contact with the opposing relatively inwardly directed surfaces thereof, as well as the relatively outwardly directed surfaces thereof and the relatively upper, lower and forward peripheral edges thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Oral Logic Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald W. Klinkhammer
  • Patent number: 5483722
    Abstract: A toothbrush is set forth in which the bristles are mounted on a readily flexed resilient member supported from a handle by means of one or more handle extensions. The bristles are arranged in arrays with a center array for engaging the biting surface of a tooth and outer arrays for simultaneously engaging the sides of the tooth and adjacent gums when the resilient member is flexed by the engagement of the center array bristles with the tooth. The resilient member can be flat or arcuate and bristles can project from either side of the resilient member. A double headed toothbrush is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Inventors: Paul A. Scheier, Louise E. Scheier
  • Patent number: 5481775
    Abstract: A toothbrush having a head which moves in an arc about the longitudinal axis of the brush in a spiral track. The brush comprises bristles, a bristle base from which the bristles extend, a panel in which the bristle base slides, a head base and a handle. The panel is attached to the head base by a hinge. The panel is curved and includes an elongated aperture which forms the track for the bristle base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Gentile, Joseph E. Meenan
  • Patent number: 5471702
    Abstract: A toothbrush is provided that includes a handle formed with an elongated cavity and a mouth opening at a terminus thereof. At least two stems consisting of a bar and a brushhead are hingedly supported at a first end of each bar within the elongated cavity. The toothbrush enables a user despite incorrect stroking to convert lateral motion into a corrected up and down movement of the bristles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Chesebrough-Pond's USA Co., Division of Conopco, Inc.
    Inventor: William Schmitt
  • Patent number: 5465450
    Abstract: A toothbrush having an elongated handle part and a head part with bristles projecting there from. A neck part joins the handle part. The head part has at least one region thereof weakened so as to allow deformation in the head part to suit the shape of the user's dental arches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1995
    Inventor: Victor A. Humphries
  • Patent number: 5454133
    Abstract: A toothbrush, comprising a handle, having a head portion and a grip portion. The head portion has a plurality of bristle cavities, each for receiving a bristle group. The bristle cavities are connected with passage ways. The bristle groups are mounted in the bristle cavities with a rubber base, creating a seal with its associated bristle cavity, creating a closed system where the bristle cavities are in fluid communication with each other through the passage ways. The closed system is filled with a substantially non-compressible medium. When pressure is exerted on one bristle group, pressure is thereby exerted on the medium, which exerts pressure on the other bristle groups, in turn applying even pressure to all bristle groups. A plaque remover, having a fiberglass pick, is mounted in the grip portion of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Inventor: Arrow Garnet
  • Patent number: 5450646
    Abstract: A portable battery powered pot washing tool is provided, which consists of a gun-shaped housing having a handle. An electric motor having a shaft is within the housing. A waterproof battery is carried on a back end of the handle of the housing, to supply power to the motor. An on/off trigger switch is on a side of the handle of the housing and is electrically connected between the motor and the battery, to control the power to the motor. A collet having a release lever is carried on a front end of the housing. A brush attachment is coupled to the shaft within the collet and is operated by the motor for rotation, to clean various cooking utensils and similar articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Inventors: Hugh M. McHugh, George Spector
  • Patent number: 5435032
    Abstract: A toothbrush head consists of a hollow body (16) closed at one side by a flexible membrane (13) formed with cavities (17) to hold bases of tufts of bristles. The cavities form protrusions extending up inside the body (16) which are pushed against by a reciprocating finger (18) to tilt and move the bristles relative to the body (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: ISIS International, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory J. McDougall
  • Patent number: 5432971
    Abstract: A toothbrush split axially into two halves which are hinged together along their length. The toothbrush can be used in a first position as a conventional toothbrush and can be pivoted to a second position wherein the bristles on the heads extend towards one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Inventor: Angelika Y. B. Chung
  • Patent number: 5406967
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a paint brush cleaning device in which a paint brush is located through an exit region of an elongated cavity of a nozzle-like housing, the exit region defining an inner area which is much larger than that of the entry region through which the cleaning fluid, viz., water enters the cylindrical sectional. The cylindrical neck section includes a hub having an interior side wall surface threaded for connection to a conventional garden hose, a central region that includes a valve for control of the passage of water and a throat region that marks the intersection between the cylindrical neck section and a flared exitway of which the exit region previously mentioned is associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Inventor: John J. Eberle
  • Patent number: 5398366
    Abstract: A toothbrush that affords tilting movement to the bristles thereof only in either of two opposite directions about a tilting axis disposed at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle of the toothbrush. The bristles project from the top surface of a bristle support, the bottom surface of which is secured to the distal end of the toothbrush handle. In one embodiment, an elongated attachment rod secured to the bottom surface of the bristle support is rotatably received in an elongated attachment rod receiving slot formed in the distal end of the handle in alignment with the tilting axis. In an alternate embodiment, first and second attachment knobs projecting from opposite ends of the bristle support are rotatably received in first and second opposed attachment knob receiving sockets formed in the distal end of the handle at positions in alignment with the tilting axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Inventor: Terry Bradley
  • Patent number: 5373602
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a toothbrush including a flexible extension which is attached to the outside of a brush head for perfectly cleaning the back teeth and minimizing scratches on the periodontal tissue surface and oral cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Inventor: Kook B. Bang