Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare Gmbh & Co Kg

Wolf-Dieter Mueller

Christoph Geiberger

Klaus Reinbold

Winfried Ebner

Thomas Clos

Michael Koeth

Andreas Lanvers

A manual toothbrush having oral hygiene elements arranged in polygons with an oral hygiene element at each apex, and having plural polygons nested within each other. The oral hygiene elements may be bristles, which may be of two different types, or elastomer elements and may contain tooth-polishing additive. The toothbrush head surface may be flat or may have its region distal from the handle angled up.

Toothbrush

This invention relates to a process for making toothbrushes, in particular an injection moulding process.

Process for making a toothbrush

A toothbrush head having elastomeric oral hygiene parts in the form of elastomeric strips aligned non-perpendicular to the length direction of the head. Preferably adjacent pairs of strips are linked to form a strip of 'V' cross section. Preferably the head comprises flexibly linked segments and is flexibly linked to the toothbrush handle.

An injection moulding process for making a toothbrush involving a stack mould assembly of at least three mould blocks () arranged for use along a longitudinal stack axis (A&#x2014;A), with two end mould blocks (), and an intermediate mould block (), with part mould cavities (A,) in the blocks. Plastic toothbrush skeletons are made in a cavity (A,) between the intermediate block () and one end block (), then elastomer parts are made in a cavity () between the intermediate block () and the other end block (). Preferably the intermediate block () rotates so its part cavity (A) faces the other end block (). Stack mould assemblies () for this process are provided. The assembly () provides a compact mould with high output.

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Buehl, Germany

Wolf-Dieter Mueller