The Procter Gamble Company

The Gillette Company

Braun Gmbh

Jens Alinski

Uwe Jungnickel

Karen Lynn Claire-Zimmet

Sven Alexander Franke

Niclas Altmann

Ulrich Störkel

Dominik Langhammer

Devran Albay

Christine Hallein

Erwin Paul Mark

Rüdiger Boss

Manfred Klawuhn

Heidrun Annika Schmelcher

Matthew Lloyd Newman

Florina Winter

Elizabeth Ann Brown Reno

Gerhard Schafer

Frank Roland Gliemroth

Li Wen

Jochen Erich Kawerau

Holger Port

Elizabeth Ann Reno

Ulrich STÖRKEL

Robert SCHÜTZ

A handle connection mechanism with a handle having a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end. The proximal end has a hollow portion. A connector has an outer lateral surface and a recess therein. The recess forms a cavity within the connector. A spring-loaded ball-snap element having a ball and a spring is configured to apply a radial force onto the ball. The spring-loaded ball-snap is positioned within the cavity of the connector. The spring applies a force onto the ball in a direction towards the outer lateral surface of the connector. A head is repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle via the connector. A portion of the connector having the spring-loaded ball-snap element therein outwardly extends from the proximal end of the handle and the ball slightly extends beyond the outer lateral surface surrounding the ball.

Handle connection mechanism

A replaceable head for removeable connection with a manual toothbrush handle, the head comprising: a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, a neck having a hollow portion therein and extending between the first end and the second end, and a bristle carrier disposed adjacent to the first end. The second end comprises a second-end opening leading into the hollow portion of the neck and terminates with a second-end edge comprising a chamfered surface structured and configured to mate with a corresponding chamfered surface of the handle when the head is connected thereto. The neck's hollow portion is defined by an inner wall comprising a recess for receiving a spring-loaded ball associated with a connector of the handle.

Manual toothbrush having replaceable head

A method for manufacturing a handle, a connector, and a head by injection molding at least a part of the handle having a distal end and a proximal end comprising a hollow portion opposite the distal end. At least a part of the connector having an outer lateral surface and a recess therein by injection molding with the recess forming a cavity within the connector. A spring-loaded ball-snap element is provided that with a ball and a spring configured to apply a radial force onto the ball. The spring-loaded ball-snap element is inserted into the cavity of the connector and the spring-loaded ball-snap element is fixed therein. At least a part of the head is injection molded. The connector is inserted into the hollow portion of the handle and the connector and fixed. The ball is extended slightly beyond the connector's outer lateral surface surrounding the ball.

Method of manufacturing a connector, handle and head

Head for electric toothbrush

A toothbrush head or a brush carrier having at least one carrier element including at least one shape-shifting tuft mounted thereon. The shape-shifting tuft raises from a mounting end on a mounting surface of the carrier element generally along an extension direction towards a free end of the shape-shifting tuft. The shape-shifting tuft has a length from the mounting base to the free end and comprises a plurality of fibers. The shape-shifting tuft has a first cross-section having a first cross sectional area and shape at a first length along the extension direction, and a second cross-section having a second cross-sectional area and shape at a second length along the extension direction, wherein the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area are substantially identical and the first cross-sectional shape and the second cross-sectional shape are different so that the first cross-sectional shape does not match the second cross-sectional shape independent from an angle by which the first cross-sectional shape is rotated and independent from a displacement of the first cross-sectional shape.

Toothbrush head or brush carrier

A connector with a first substantially cylindrical section having a cavity with a spring-loaded ball-snap element comprising a ball and a spring. An at least partially conically shaped section connecting the first substantially cylindrical section and a second substantially cylindrical section. The first and the second substantially cylindrical sections and the at least partially conically section define a longitudinal length extension. The first substantially cylindrical section and the second substantially cylindrical section are off-center with respect to the longitudinal length extension. A head having a hollow portion is dimensioned to receive the second substantially cylindrical section, the at least partially conically shaped section and a part of the first substantially cylindrical section. The hollow portion has an inner wall with a circular recess dimensioned to receive the ball, removably attaching the head to the second substantially cylindrical section.

Connector

A manual oral care implement comprises a handle, a connector and a head, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle via the connector. The handle has a distal end and a proximal end opposite to the distal end and adjacent to the head when the head is attached to the handle. The proximal end has an upper surface that is at least partially chamfered. The handle has a longitudinal axis and a cross-sectional area extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The chamfered surface and the cross-sectional area define therebetween an angle &#x3b1; from about 15&#xb0; to about 30&#xb0;.

Manual oral care implement

A method for manufacturing an oral care implement comprising a handle, a connector, and a head repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle via the connector. The method includes the steps of injection molding of at least a part of the handle having a distal end and a proximal end opposite thereto and comprising a hollow portion; injection molding of at least a part of the connector having an outer lateral surface and a recess therein, the recess forming a cavity within the connector; injection molding of at least a part of the head; inserting the connector into the hollow portion of the handle and fixing the connector therein by gluing, welding, and/or press-fitting.

Method for manufacturing an oral care implement

A connector for repeatedly attaching and detaching a head to and from a handle of a manual oral care implement comprises a first substantially cylindrical section, a second substantially cylindrical section, and an at least partially conically shaped section connecting the first and second cylindrical sections. The first and second substantially cylindrical sections and the at least partially conically section define a longitudinal length extension of the connector, wherein the first substantially cylindrical section and the second substantially cylindrical section are placed off-center with respect to the longitudinal length extension.

Connector for a manual oral care implement

A connector for repeatedly attaching and detaching a head to and from a handle of a manual oral care implement has an outer surface and a recess. The recess forms a cavity within the connector, wherein the cavity comprises a spring-loaded ball-snap element, the element comprising a ball and a spring, the spring applying a radial force onto the ball in a direction towards the outer surface of the connector.

A filament for an oral care implement has a longitudinal axis and a substantially cross-shaped cross-sectional area extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cross-shaped cross-sectional area has four projections and four channels. The projections and channels are arranged in an alternating manner. Each channel has a concave curvature formed by neighboring and converging projections. The concave curvature has a radius, and each projection is end-rounded thereby forming a curvature. The curvature has a diameter, and the ratio of the diameter of the curvature of the projection to the radius of the curvature of the channel is from about 0.2 to about 1.5.

Growing community of inventors

Kelkheim, Germany

Jens Alinski