Plaque removing toothbrush

[54] PLAQUE REMOVING TOOTHBRUSH

[75] Inventors: John P. Curtis, Bloomsbury; Kedar N. Rustogi, Kendall Park, both of N.J.; John C. Crawford, Lake Mahopac, N.Y.; James H. Kemp, Piscataway, N.J.; Thomas E. Mintel, Rab.way, N.J.; Bert D. Heinzelman, Tenafly, N.J.; Donald R. Lamond, Lynbrook; Laura H. Edelman, New York, both of N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y.

[21] Appl. No.: 501,992

[22] Filed: Mar. 29,1990

[51] Int. CI/5 A46B 7/04

[52] U.S. CI 15/167.1; 15/110;

15/DIG. 5

[58] Field of Search 15/167.1, 110, DIG. 5,

15/106, 159.1

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

D. 172,693 7/1954 Wibbelsman D4/104

1,382,681 6/1921 Segal 15/167.1

2,168,964 8/1939 Strasser 15/167.1

2,209,173 7/1940 Russell 15/167.1

2,312,828 3/1943 Adamsson 15/167.1

2,429,740 10/1947 Aufsesser 15/167.1

2,567,080 9/1951 Pifer 15/167.1

3,229,318 1/1966 Clemens 15/167.1

3,359,588 12/1967 Kobler 15/167.1

3,722,020 3/1973 Hills 15/167.1

4,010,509 3/1977 Huish 15/167.1

4,033,008 7/1977 Warren et al 15/167.1

4,051,571 10/1977 Ayers 15/167.1

4,268,933 5/1981 Papas 15/167.1

4,288,883 9/1981 DoUnsky 15/110

4,519,111 5/1985 Cavazza 15/167.1

4,706,322 11/1987 Nicolas 15/106

4,729,142 3/1988 Yoshioka 15/167.1

4,776,054 10/1988 Rauch 15/167.1

4,802,255 2/1989 Breuer 15/159.1

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

195608 2/1908 Fed. Rep. of Germany 15/167.1

225383 10/1943 Fed. Rep. of Germany 15/167.1

683311 6/1930 France 15/167.1

2624360 12/1987 France .

324623 11/1957 Switzerland .

265690 2/1927 United Kingdom 15/167.1

705725 3/1954 United Kingdom .

Primary Examiner—Harvey C. Hornsby

Assistant Examiner—Patrick F. Brinson

Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Robert C. Sullivan; Richard

J. Ancel

[57] ABSTRACT

A toothbrush whose tufts comprise three distinct kinds of rows, with each row oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the head. The tufts of the first kind are the shortest. The endmost tufts on each row of the second kind tilt laterally outwardly by about 12 degrees. The tufts of the third kind are nearest the end of the head farthest from the handle and diverge from each other, with each tuft thereof tilting laterally at an angle of about 30 degrees and forwardly at about 14 degrees. In a first embodiment, each row of the first kind comprises a single, wide tuft. In a second embodiment, each row of the first kind has a plurality of laterally spaced round tufts. In a third embodiment, each row of the first kind comprises a plurality of laterally spaced rectangular tufts. All of the tufts may also be considered as defining four functional groups of tufts, with each of these four groups performing a specific function during brushing. The arrangement and orientation of the tufts yields a uniform cleaning action substantially independent of brushing direction or technique.

24 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets