The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 2014
Filed:
Aug. 19, 2013
Colgate-palmolive Company, New York, NY (US);
Thomas Boyd, Metuchen, NJ (US);
Douglas J. Hohlbein, Hopewell, NJ (US);
Joe Vazquez, Hamilton Township, NJ (US);
Ian Nicholson, New York, NY (US);
Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
An oral care implement or toothbrushincludes a head, a tooth cleaning element regionand a tissue cleaning element region. The tissue cleaning element regionincludes a plurality of flexible, angled projections. The projectionsare configured to flex from an at-rest position to a substantially flat position when the tissue cleaning element regionis in contact with the tongue and is pushed into the mouth. The projectionsare also configured to flex to a substantially upright position when the tissue cleaning element regionis in contact with the tongue and is pulled out of the mouth. This arrangement aids in preventing debris from being pushed into the mouth and in removing debris from the mouth and tongue. The flexible projectionsmay be used in conjunction with rigid projectionshaving a generally vertical configuration to aid in removing debris from the mouth and in engaging the cheek to improve saliva production during brushing.