DE9113769U1 - toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

Description

toothbrush
5

The innovation concerns a toothbrush according to the generic term of claim 1.

This toothbrush was designed according to the requirements of mechanics and ergonomics, taking into account the latest findings in dental care.

There are a large number of toothbrushes in different designs as well as a range of toothbrush handles with integrated finger support points, as holding cams, cups, etc.

All of these developments aim to increase the cleaning effect of toothbrushes. Some toothbrushes have been built in such a way that they protect the gums from injury when used. Toothbrushes have been fitted with a compression spring to absorb unpleasant impacts from the teeth. To counteract the increasing pressure on the gums, toothbrushes have been developed that have an elastic neck that allows them to be deflected backwards in order to reduce the strong pressure.

These well-known toothbrushes have the following disadvantages:

- If you look at the effective surface of the pair of teeth toothbrushes (or rather "denture bristles") as a "workpiece tool", you can see three effective surfaces of different nature, namely the sides of the teeth, the cutting edges of the molars and the inside of the front teeth. Here you need a narrow bristle field that can immediately become effective for cleaning by turning it slightly, that moves easily on the cutting edges of the molars and that follows the inner curved surface of the front teeth.

adjusts teeth.

None of the known toothbrushes has a bristle field that is capable of this complex task.

- The axial back and forth movement on the side of the tooth that a toothbrush performs does not have a great cleaning effect and destroys the gums. A toothbrush that has a spring to absorb these shocks in the axial direction is therefore a thing of the past. 10

- Toothbrushes with thick bristles have a high resistance and require large contact forces and moments, which leads to an increase in the contact pressure on the gums, which has only disastrous consequences. Due to the poor flexibility of the bristles in this type of toothbrush, the actual task of a toothbrush, namely cleaning between the teeth, remains too far to be fulfilled.

- The wide bristle areas are usually damaged on the outside because one tries to clean the deep areas of the cutting surfaces of the molars in a back and forth movement.

- Just because these toothbrushes do not provide a reasonable solution to the task they are given, some inventors have come up with something to reduce the increasing pressure on the gums by making it possible to deflect the brush head backwards.

However, these developments miss their actual goal of "cleaning teeth" by devoting the majority of their momentum (amount of movement) to evasive maneuvers. This evasive maneuver (deflection) has actually only become necessary because other toothbrushes exert a high pressure on the gums.

- With these latter toothbrushes, the brush head has too many degrees of freedom in its movement. Here, the brush head moves uncontrollably in the mouth and can only achieve a very low cleaning performance.

These toothbrushes may be gentle on the gums, but only a small part of their kinetic energy is converted into cleaning work.

The present innovation is intended to provide a toothbrush according to claims 1 to 11, which not only brings about an improvement in mechanical properties, but also meets the latest findings in dental care and at the same time demonstrates ergonomic handling for the first time.
The new toothbrush has the following features:

- The bristle field is narrow (less than or equal to 7 mm) and thus it is more flexible (springy) with regard to its use for cleaning the side surfaces of the teeth and interdental spaces, whereby the movement from the gum side towards the tooth incisal edge takes place by means of an impulsed hand rotation (see claim 1, Fig. 3 /Kl and Fig. 6 /A,D).

- The narrow bristle field, i.e. the narrow bristle arrangement, adapts better to the deep areas of the molar cutting surfaces during the back and forth movement (Fig. 6 /B).

- The bristles are shortened on the side of the brush neck (see claim 2, Fig. 2 /K2,K3 and Fig. 6 /C) so that they adapt better to the inside of the front teeth.

- It goes without saying that the brush head is also designed to be narrow in order to be more accessible (see claim 1).

- The brush neck is (see claims 1 and 3, as well as Fig. 1,2 and 3 /H) relatively narrow, elastic and/or springy and lies with its wider profile in a plane (E2) which extends from/to the plane El of the bristle field surface

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rotated 90 degrees.

- A curvature of the brush neck outwards, in the case of simple cross-sections, prevents deflection backwards (see claim 4).

- Even relatively complicated cross-sections that allow an elastic and/or springy movement of the brush neck laterally in the plane El and prevent deflection to the rear as far as possible can be used for the brush neck (see claims 1, 3 and 8 as well as Fig. 3 - section Sl-Sl /A, B, C, D, E, F etc. and Fig. 4 /Hl to H9 etc.), in which case the formulas for the ratios of the moments of resistance of the respective cross-section according to claims 1 and 3 apply.

- The brush handle is in the same plane as the brush neck with the wider profile and thus forms the shape of a cutlery knife (see claims 1 and 5 and Fig. 1, 2 and 3). This arrangement results in better ergonomic handling of the toothbrush.

- This last property can be improved by a slight curvature of the brush handle and a stronger curvature of its free end (see claim and 10).

- The holding cams (troughs or similar) for the thumb (see claim 11 and Fig. 3 - section S2-S2 /A and B) are inclined at an angle (between 30 and 60 degrees) symmetrically to the plane E2 (Fig. 1, 2 and 3). This new arrangement increases the angle of retraction during the impulsive rotation of the hand to clean the side surfaces of the teeth and the spaces between the teeth. This arrangement of the finger support points improves the general ergonomic handling of the toothbrush.

- The brush handle is made of plastic or other material, the brush neck being elastically springy (according to claims 1, 3, 7 and 8).

- The bristles are plastic or natural bristles.

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This new toothbrush has the following special features:

- The relatively narrow bristle field (according to claims 1 and 2), the flexible, springy brush neck (according to claims 1, 3, 7 and 8) and the new arrangement of the finger support points (according to claims 1 and 11) make it possible to achieve a high cleaning effect of the toothbrush with very little effort because the bristles are more flexible, the lost work of the springy brush neck is recovered as cleaning work and the angle of retraction for the pulsed hand rotation is increased.

- The narrow arrangement of the bristle field makes it possible to reach the deep areas of the molars.

- The bristles are shortened on the side of the brush neck so that they fit better to the inside of the front teeth.

This new toothbrush has many advantages and is more advanced than the conventional toothbrushes. This new toothbrush is simple, comfortable, multi-purpose, very effective and gentle on the gums.

Claims (12)

Protection claims 1. In the present toothbrush, as described (Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), the features included here are highlighted as a generic term, which both together and individually constitute an innovation. Toothbrush, consisting of one or more parts: - A brush head (Fig. 2, 3 /K) which has a bristle field with a special arrangement of the bristles for the purpose of multi-sided use on the teeth (see description and Fig. 2, 3 /Kl, K2 and K3). - A brush neck as a narrow, elastic and/or springy blade, which can also be designed in different designs and cross-sections (see Fig. 2, 3 /H, Fig. 3 - section Sl-Sl / A, B, C, D, E, F o.a. and Fig. 4 /Hl to H9 o.a.), whose wider profile lies in the plane E2 (see description and Fig. 1) and can move elastically and/or springily in the plane El of the bristle field surface (Fig. 3 /W). The cross-section of the brush neck, whatever its shape, is defined in terms of its height (in the plane E2) and its width (in the plane El) by the ratio of its moments of resistance with respect to on the axes xx and yy which are perpendicular to each other and pass through the centre of gravity: W_/W £ 1.2 (or 6/5). **■ y For simple cross-sections, the ratio of the maximum cross-sectional height to the maximum cross-sectional width is given by the following formula: h /b Ss 1,2
max'max (see claim 3 and Fig. 3 - section Sl-Sl /A, B, C etc.). - And a narrow, ergonomically shaped brush handle (Fig. 2, 3 /G), which with its wider profile lies in the same plane E2 as the brush neck (Fig. 1, 2 and 3) and in its upper area, towards the neck, is provided with 3 or 4 holding cams (holding recesses or similar) for the thumb. These finger support points have a new arrangement (Fig. 3 -Sehn. S2-S2). With the arrangement of 3 finger support points (Fig. 3 Sehn. S2-S2 /A), the two front ones are symmetrical to each other and inclined at an angle (approx. 30 to 60 degrees) to the E2 plane. With the arrangement of 4 finger support points both the front and the back ones are symmetrical to each other and independent of each other and inclined at an angle of (approx. 30 to 60 degrees) to the E2 plane (Fig. 3 -Sehn. S2-S2 /B). The brush handle, consisting of the brush head, brush neck and handle, is made of plastic and/or other material, so that the brush neck can move elastically and/or springily in the plane El (Fig. 3 /W). The bristles are plastic or natural bristles, characterized, that the bristle field is built relatively narrow (less than or equal to 7 mm) and thus of course also the brush head of a toothbrush (Fig. 3 /Kl). 2. Toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized, that the bristles on the neck side of the bristle field are shortened continuously or in steps (Fig. 2 /K2 + K3). 30 3. Toothbrush according to claim 1 and 2, characterized, that the brush neck is a relatively narrow elastic and/or springy blade and with its wider profile (see description, Fig. 1) in the plane E2 which is rotated by an angle of 90 degrees from/to the plane El of the bristle field surface, the term "relatively narrow blade" is precisely defined as follows:
The cross-section of the brush neck, whatever its shape, is given in terms of its height (in the plane E2) and its width (in the plane El) by the ratio of its moments of resistance with respect to the axes xx and yy, which are perpendicular to each other and pass through the centre of gravity: W /W ^ 1.2 (or 6/5) i.e., the scalar ratio of the section modulus with respect to the x-axis to the section modulus with respect to the y-axis is greater than or equal to 1.2. For simple cross-sections (e.g. rectangles or similar), the ratio of the maximum cross-sectional height (h) to the Max maximum cross-sectional width (b ) by the following formula Max given: h _/b * 1.2 (or 6/5) &eegr;&agr;&lgr;&Pgr;&igr;&agr;&KHgr; i.e., the ratio of the maximum cross-sectional height to the maximum cross-sectional width is greater than or equal to 1.2 (or 6/5). (Fig. 3 - section Sl-Sl /A, B, C etc.). These two formulas refer exclusively to the geometry of the cross section of the brush neck. The material is responsible for the elastic, springy properties of the brush neck. 4. Toothbrush after 1 and 3, characterized, that the brush neck has a slight outward curvature towards the brush back in order to avoid a deflection in the plane E2 in which it is located with its wider 4
Profile is to be prevented as far as possible. 5. Toothbrush after 1 and 3,
5 characterized, that both the brush neck and the brush handle with their wider profile lie in the plane which is rotated by an angle of 90 degrees from/to the plane El (Fig. 1) of the bristle field surface. 6. Toothbrush after 1, 3 and 4, characterized, that the brush neck, as described, consists of one or more elastic and/or springy areas or elastic members (Fig. 4 /H3). 7. Toothbrush according to claim 1, 3, 4 and 6, characterized, that the brush neck, as described, is designed in different versions (design profiles) e.g. the following profiles: - Tapering of the neck blade from the brush head towards the brush handle and vice versa (Fig. 4 /H4). - Tapering of the neck blade from the brush head and brush handle towards the middle of the neck and vice versa (Fig. 4 /H5). - Neck leaf in a wave shape with at least half (1/2) wave (Fig. 4 /H6). - Zig-zag neck blade with at least one (1) point (Fig. 4 /H7). - Brush neck made of two (2) or more leaves as ribs (Fig. 4 /H8). - Brush neck with holes or gaps (Fig. 4 /H9) or any profile that has elasticity in the plane of the bristle field perpendicular to the plane in which it lies (see description) and prevents deflection backwards, towards the back of the brush, as far as possible. 8. Toothbrush according to claim 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7, 10 characterized, that the brush neck, as described, is designed in different profile cross-sections that have elasticity to the side of the brush head and prevent deflection backwards, towards the back of the brush, as far as possible. Examples: see description (Fig. 3 / section Sl-Sl / A, B, C, D, E, F, G or similar). 9. Toothbrush according to claim 1 to 8, characterized, that the brush handle is narrow, ergonomically shaped (Fig. 2, 3 /G) and with its wider profile lies in the same plane as the wider profile of the brush neck (Fig. 1, 2 and 3), somewhat like a cutlery knife . 10. Toothbrush according to claim 1, 3, 5 and 9, characterized, that the brush handle runs straight or with a slight curve from the brush neck to its free end in the plane of its wider profile and has a relatively strong curve at its free end. (Fig. 3). 11. Toothbrush according to claim 1 to 10, 5 characterized, that the brush handle, in its upper area towards the neck, is provided with 3 or 4 retaining cams (holding recesses or other types of support points) for the thumb, whereby the following arrangements are subject to protection: - With 3 finger support points (Fig. 3 / section S2-S2 /A), the two front finger support points are symmetrical to each other and inclined at an angle (approx. 30 to 60 degrees) to the plane E2, in which the wider profile of the brush handle is located. - When 4 finger support points are arranged, both the front and the back are symmetrical to each other and inclined at an angle (approx. 30 to 60 degrees) and independent of each other, to the plane E2 (Fig. 3 / section S2-S2 /B). 12. Toothbrush according to claim 1 to 11, 25 characterized, that instead of the elastic brush neck, an elastic area is arranged in the upper part of the brush handle in front of the finger support points (Fig. 5). 30 Remark: Claim 12 is considered a subsidiary claim here.