CA2000424A1

CA2000424A1 - Toothbrush

Info

Publication number: CA2000424A1
Application number: CA 2000424
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gerhard Schmehling
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-10-18
Filing date: 1989-10-11
Publication date: 1990-04-18
Also published as: DD285549A5; DE3835379A1; CN1041872A; ES2017158A6

Abstract

Abstract A toothbrush has a handle which passes through the opening of an accurate fitting sleeve, the insertion depth being a function of the length of the fit-on sleeve, i.e. up to the cleaning part, the constriction or including the grip; to the cleaning part is fixed a basic fabric with the woven in bristles, or punctiform individual bristles, or a moulded or injection moulded bristle area with a base and the individual thermal bristles, this taking place directly or thermally or chemically, or in-directly by intermediate layers.

Description

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The invention relates to a toothbrush wlth a bristle area of individual free-standing bristles, which can be applied to an interchangeable sleeve, the handle then merely serving as a support and a mounting during cleaning.
In the known toothbrushes several bristles are formed into a bristle bundle and several of the bristle bundles form the bristle area. Such tooth-brushes are designed for long use. Disinfecting is not possible after use. Thus, during each further use a new infection occurs. This represents an impossible situation due to prophylaxis and hygiene.
The present invention seeks to create a toothbrush, which is so inexpensive and satisfactory in operation as to pexmit only a single use and thereby fulfills demands regarding prophylaxis and hygiene. Only the part used in the mouth has to be removed after use, followed by the washing of the handle and the reuse thereof.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, a toothbrush has a handle which is constructed in one piece as a hollow body.
In particular the bristle area and its carrier are aranged in such a way that they can be removed. On a normal, smooth handle is fitted a shape-accurate sleeve, a case or a cover made from a thin, but still adequately strong material and to the carrier thereof the bristle area is fitted directly or indirectly through intermediate carriers.
The invention is illustrated in particular and preferred embodiments by reference to the accom-panying drawings in which:

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2~ Q~4 Fig. 1 shows a handle for a toothbrush, in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 shows a sleeve for the handle of Fig. l;
Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate the locking mechan-ism for the handle and sleeve of Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, in different embodiments;
Fig. 6 illustrates the weave of the bris-tles of a toothbrush in one embodiment of the inven-tion; and Fig. 7 illustrates the fixing of the bristles in one embodiment of the invention.
With further reference to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a handle 1 having a cleaning area 2, a constriction 3 and a grip 4.
Fig. 2 shows the sleeve with an opening 5 for receiving the handle 1. The length of the sleeve can be such that the inserted handle 1 only fills the cleaning area 2, or the vicinity of the constriction 3 or the complete grip 4 and consequently a firm hold is ensured during use.
With further reference to Figs. 3 to 5 there is shown different possibilities of locking between the handle 1 and the sleeve in the form of openings/pins 6, rings 7, grooves 8, protuberances and/or depressions 9 in known shapes and surfaces 10, the handle 1 and the inside of the sleeve being constructed in an identical opposite or complementary manner and in each case on assembly one or more pressure points have to be overcome.
According to Fig. 6 the bristles 11 are woven as pile threads in a basic fabric.

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According to Fig. 7 the bristles are thermally or chemically fixed to the cleaning part 2 of the handle 1 or the interchangeable sleeve, being moulded or injection moulded as individual bristles 12 in individual punctiform manner, or as a bristle area in one piece and comprising a base and indivi-dual bristles.
It is also possible to determine the desired reciprocal spacings of the individual bris-tles, or their height. It is also possible to choose different materials and constructions from the quality standpoint, i.e. to have a mixed form, so that simultaneously a bristle area is obtained with different spacings, heights, materials and con-struction/quality.
The hard teeth and the softer gums are not treated with the same unitary bristles.

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Claims

1. Toothbrush, characterized in that the handle 1 is constructed in one piece as a hollow body.

2. Toothbrush according to claim 1, and an already known solid handle, characterized in that the fabric with the woven in bristles is directly ther-mally or chemically fixed to the cleaning part 2.

3. Toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the individual bristles 12 are individually directly thermally or chemically fixed in punctiform manner to the cleaning part 2.

4. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that to the cleaning part 2 are fitted one or more layers of foil and/or fabric, to which the individual bristles 12 are individually thermally or chemically fixed in puncti-form manner.

5. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bristle area with the individual bristles is moulded or injection moulded from one piece and directly thermally or chemically fixed to the cleaning part 2.

6. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 5, and an already known solid handle, characterized in that through the opening 5 of a sleeve, corresponding in shape-accurate manner to the handle, the latter is inserted up to the height/depth of the cleaning part 2, constriction 3 or grip 4.

7. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fabric with the woven in bristles 11 is directly thermally or chemically fixed to the cleaning part 2 of the fit-on sleeve.

8. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the individual bristles 12 are individually chemically or thermally fixed in punctiform manner directly to the cleaning part 2 of the fit-on sleeve.

9. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that to the cleaning part 2 of the sleeve are applied one or more layers of foil and/or fabric, to which the individual bristles 12 are thermally or chemically fixed in individual punctiform manner.

10. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the bristle area with the individual bristles is injection moulded or moulded from one piece and directly thermally or chemically fixed to the cleaning part 2 of the fit-on sleeve.

11. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at one or more points and at one or more sides of the handle 1 are formed for the engagement thereof in the sleeve, one or more openings/pins 6, rings 7, grooves 8, pro-tuberances and/or depressions 9 and/or other known shapes and with known surfaces 10, a multiple thereof, or parts thereof, or a multiple of the parts.

12. Toothbrush according to one or more of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that for engaging the sleeve on the handle 1, the inside of the fit-on sleeve is constructed identically, oppositely or in complementary manner with the shapes and surfaces of the handle and on assembling the sleeve and handle one or more pressure points must be overcome.