Gillette Canada Inc

The Gillette Company

Jeffrey S Meessmann

William A Bredall

Jean L Spencer

Christopher Loew

Gerald S Szczech

Miklos M Breuer

Larry J Oliphant

Patrick J Hanley

Sean G Gilligan

Dermot T Freeman

Douglas J McDowell

Alberto B Sabato

James D Vidra

Stanley Wreford

Ximena A Gavino

John A Kaminski

Adrian Hart

Thomas Craig Masterman

Georges Driesen

Armin Schwarz-Hartmann

Peter Hilfinger

James A Goranson

John K Philipp

A toothbrush has an elongated handle with bristles disposed at one end extending outwardly from one surface of the handle. The handle is formed of a semi-rigid plastic material having a pair of flanges disposed on the surface opposite that of the bristles for controlling the flexure at various points along the handle length and a softer material is formed onto that portion of the handle containing the flanges to provide a soft grip for the user.

Brush handle

The present invention relates to a toothbrush which exhibits superior interproximal and gingival margin cleaning. The toothbrush includes an elongated handle member connected to a toothbrush head member. The head is divided into two regions. A 'toe' region is defined as the part of the head which is furthest from the handle and a 'heel' region is the portion of the head which is closest to the handle. A multiplicity of bristles extend from the heel region of the head; the distal ends of these bristles form a longitudinally aligned concave shape when viewed on end. Likewise, a multiplicity of bristles extend from the toe region of the head, wherein said bristles extending from the toe portion of the head are at least as tall as the general height of said bristles extending from the heel portion when viewed from the side and wherein the side profile view of the distal ends of the bristles extending from the toe portion form a generally linear surface which forms an angle relative to the general plane of the bristles extending from the heel portion of from 0.degree. to about 45.degree. declining from the edge of the toe portion distal to the heel portion to the edge of the toe portion which is proximal to the heel portion.

Toothbrush

An improved oral brush is provided that includes crimped bristles. The oral brush includes a body and, extending from the body, a plurality of crimped bristles. One such oral brush is an electric toothbrush, with a brush head having a preferred arrangement of tufts of crimped and straight bristles that are flexed by cyclic motions of the brush head toward and away from the tooth.

Crimped bristle toothbrush

A method of trimming and end-rounding bristles and a device for carrying out the method are provided. The method includes providing a group of elongated continuous filaments arranged so that the longitudinal axis of each of the filaments is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the other filaments and so that the ends of the filaments define a plane; advancing the group of filaments to an end-rounding device; end-rounding the group of filaments; and cutting the filaments to define a bundle of end-rounded filaments having a predetermined length.

Method and device for trimming and end-rounding bristles

A process for manufacturing a continuous dental floss brush comprising alternating portions of thread sections which do not stretch significantly under tension and brush sections which stretch under slight tension, includes the step of coating at least the thread sections of a reverse twisted high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. The thread sections of the yarn are thereafter heated to vaporize solvent therefrom while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. In the humidifier assembly, having a housing which defines a humidifier zone, the brush sections of the yarn are exposed to a mixture of steam and gas, the steam and gas mixture having a temperature of from 130.degree. C. and a water vapor content of 65% (v/v), while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush sections of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Finally the brush sections of the yarn are heated to remove solvent therefrom while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero to form a floss brush product. As the yarn passes through the humidifier zone, the tension on the yarn is controlled to take account of changes in its length.

Floss yarn bulking assembly and method

The present invention relates to a bristle finishing fork for isolating bristles affixed to a toothbrush head within a bristle finishing region comprising two elongated prongs having tips spaced at a distance 'A' defining the width of the bristle swath to be isolated, wherein starting at said tip, the distance between the prongs increases to a distance 'B' defining the sidewall of the bristle finishing region. The present invention still further relates to a device for isolating and end-rounding bristles affixed to a toothbrush head within a bristle finishing region comprising: (a) a means for holding a toothbrush with bristles affixed thereto; and (b) a bristle finishing fork comprising two elongated prongs having tips spaced at a distance 'A' defining the width of the bristle swath to be isolated, wherein starting at said tip, the distance between the blades increases to a distance 'B' defining the sidewall of the bristle finishing region, whereby said fork has a backwards and forwards motion, in such a way that the tip of said prongs can be introduced between toothbrush bristles through a parallel relative motion between fork and brush, so that the swath of bristles to be isolated are positioned in said bristle finishing region; and (c) a means for rounding the distal ends of the bristles positioned in said bristle finishing region.

Bristle finishing fork

A continuous process for manufacturing a continuous floss brush comprises steps of first applying a polymer solution at a repeated preselected distance interval to a continuous length of floss yarn under tension and solidifying the polymer while the floss yarn is under tension to produce a continuous floss product of yarn sections which stretch under slight tension separated by thread sections which do not significantly stretch under tension. The floss yarn is treated to expand the yarn sections to form brush sections. The passage of a predetermined number of segments comprising thread and brush portions is determined while the continuous floss brush is under substantially zero tension using a optical detector. Finally, a length of the continuous floss segments containing the predetermined number of segments comprising thread and brush portions is cut for packaging. Preferably, a dye marker is applied to at least a portion of the thread portion, whereby the accuracy of the optical detection of the thread portions of the continuous floss brush is increased. The yarn is a nylon yarn, and the yarn sections are expanded by treatment with heat and water vapor when under zero tension to yield a product with a highly expanded brush portion which is stretched under slight tension. The floss brush product comprises a continuous length of floss having segments comprising alternating portions of yarn sections which stretch under slight tension separated by thread sections which do not significantly stretch under tension, at least a portion of each thread section being preferably marked with a dye.

Dental floss manufacturing process and product

A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 min. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed state and a diameter of from 1.7 to 3.0 mm under a tension of 0.05N. The brush floss has a breaking strength of at least 5N. The floss brush section can be coated with a low melting wax composition, optimally a polyethylene glycol ester of beeswax alone or in combination with a flavoring oil, silicone oil lubricant or mixtures thereof. This product is made by coating a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. Then the solvent is selectively vaporized from thread portions of the yarn while preventing significant vaporization of solvent from brush portions of the yarn, while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1N. The brush portions of the yarn are steam treated while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush portions of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Residual solvent is then removed from the brush portions of the yarn while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero.

Thin floss brush

The present invention relates to a toothbrush which exhibits improved tooth and gum cleaning. The toothbrush includes an elongated handle member connected to a toothbrush head member. A multiplicity of bristles extend from the head member; these bristles being comprised of at least two general directional orientations of bristles having a generally rectangular cross-section.

Toothbrush with rectangular bristles

A dental floss brush made from a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn comprising at least two thread sections having diameters, in their relaxed state, of at least 2.5 mm. The thread sections are separated by a floss brush section integral therewith having a diameter of from up to 4 mm in its relaxed state and a diameter of from 1.7 to 3.0 mm under a tension of 0.05 N. The brush floss has a breaking strength of at least 5 N. The floss brush section can be coated with a low melting wax composition, optimally a polyethylene glycol ester of beeswax alone or in combination with a flavoring oil, silicone oil lubricant or mixtures thereof. This product is made by coating a reverse twisted, high tenacity nylon yarn with a solution of polymer in a volatile solvent, the polymer being selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyurethane and mixtures thereof. Then the solvent is selectively vaporized from thread portions of the yarn while preventing significant vaporization of solvent from brush portions of the yarn, while the yarn is maintained under a tension of from 0.15 to 1 N. The brush portions of the yarn are steam treated while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero until the brush portions of the yarn have regained at least 100 percent of the diameter of the uncoated, relaxed yarn. Residual solvent is then removed from the brush portions of the yarn while the yarn is under a tension of approximately zero.

Growing community of inventors

Iowa City, IA, United States of America

Jeffrey S Meessmann