Oral care implement

Abstract

An oral care implement designed for users with reduced dexterity in their hands. In particular, the oral care implement includes a handle portion including a grip portion configured to be gripped by a user's hand and a grip stop projecting in cantilever fashion from the grip portion. The grip stop can be positioned near an end of the handle adjacent to a head of the oral care implement to discourage movement of the user's hand upward toward the head. The grip stop extends from the grip portion a distance greater than the width or diameter of an adult finger to ensure that it functions as a stop. In one embodiment, the grip stop can be rotatably or pivotably coupled to the grip portion so that its exact circumferential position can be changed to improve user comfort.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 114,097, filed November 16, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] It is well known that personal hygiene activities are difficult for people suffering from a loss of dexterity, which may stem from birth defects, arthritis, age, and other underlying health problems. For example, users with reduced dexterity may find it difficult to hold and operate a toothbrush, as they need to grip the handle tightly and move it back and forth quickly to thoroughly clean their teeth. Therefore, there is a need for an oral care appliance that provides an improved grip for users with reduced dexterity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention relates to oral care appliances designed for users with reduced hand dexterity. Specifically, the oral care appliance includes a handle portion comprising a gripping part configured for gripping by the user's hand and a gripping stop projecting cantilevered from the gripping part. The gripping stop may be positioned near the end of the handle adjacent to the head of the oral care appliance to prevent the user's hand from moving upwards toward the head. The gripping stop extends from the gripping part by a distance greater than the width or diameter of an adult's finger to ensure its function as a stop. In one embodiment, the gripping stop may be rotatably or pivotally coupled to the gripping part, allowing its exact circumferential position to be changed to improve user comfort.

[0005] In one aspect, the invention can be an oral care appliance comprising: a handle portion extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the handle along a handle axis, the handle portion including: a grip portion configured to be gripped by a user's hand and extending along the handle axis; and a grip stop portion projecting cantilevered from the grip portion, the grip stop portion being configured to contact the user's hand to prevent the hand from moving relative to the grip portion in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the handle.

[0006] Other applicable areas of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided below. It should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate preferred embodiments of the invention, they are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The invention will be more fully understood from the detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1 This is a front perspective view of an oral care appliance according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0009] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Rear perspective view of oral care appliances;

[0010] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A front perspective view of an oral care appliance, showing the head portion of the oral care appliance detached from the handle portion;

[0011] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A side view of the handle portion of an oral care appliance;

[0012] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of line VV;

[0013] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A close-up view of area VI;

[0014] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A side view of an oral care appliance placed on a horizontal surface;

[0015] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The side view of the oral care appliance being held by the user's hand in the first grip configuration;

[0016] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 The side view of the oral care appliance being held by the user's hand in a second grip configuration;

[0017] Figure 10 This is a front perspective view of an oral care appliance according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 Rear perspective view of oral care appliances;

[0019] Figure 12 yes Figure 10 A front perspective view of an oral care appliance, showing the head portion of the oral care appliance detached from the handle portion;

[0020] Figure 13 yes Figure 10 A side view of the handle portion of an oral care appliance;

[0021] Figure 14 It is along Figure 12 A cross-sectional view taken from line XIV-XIV;

[0022] Figure 15 yes Figure 14 A close-up of the XV region;

[0023] Figure 16A and 16B yes Figure 10 A rear perspective view of an oral care appliance, showing the pivoting or rotational movement of the gripping stop of the oral care appliance; and

[0024] Figure 17 yes Figure 10 A side view of an oral care appliance held by the user's hand. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following description of preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or its uses.

[0026] The description of illustrative embodiments of the invention is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are considered an integral part of the entire written description. Any references to directions or orientations in the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are intended for ease of description only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “top,” and “bottom,” and their derivatives (e.g., “horizontally,” “downward,” “upward,” etc.) should be understood to refer to the orientation as described subsequently or as shown in the discussed drawings. These relative terms are for ease of description only and do not require the device to be configured or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly stated otherwise. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, terms such as “attach,” “connect,” “join,” “interconnect,” etc., refer to relationships in which structural members are directly or indirectly fixed or attached to each other through intermediate structural members, and where both are movable or rigid attachments or relationships. Furthermore, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to illustrative embodiments. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments that illustrate some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in combination with other features; the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0027] First refer to Figures 1 to 6 An oral care appliance 100 will be described according to one embodiment of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the oral care appliance 100 is a toothbrush, and more particularly a manual toothbrush. However, the invention is not so limited in all embodiments; in some alternative embodiments, the oral care appliance 100 may be an electric toothbrush. In other embodiments, the oral care appliance 100 may perform other functions, such as a dental floss device, a teeth scraper, a tongue cleaner, or any of the many other tools commonly used for oral care.

[0028] Oral care appliances 100 typically include a head portion 110 and a handle portion 120. For example... Figure 3 As seen in the illustrated embodiment, the head portion 110 is detachable from the handle portion 120. Therefore, when the bristles on the head portion 110 wear down, the head portion 110 can be replaced, and the handle portion 120 can be reused with the replaced head portion 110. Of course, in other embodiments, the handle portion 120 and the head portion 110 may not be detachable, and when the bristles wear down, the entire oral care appliance 100 may need to be replaced.

[0029] The head portion 110 includes a front surface 111 and a rear surface 112 opposite to the front surface 111. Furthermore, the head portion 110 includes a sleeve portion 113 and a head 114 attached to the sleeve portion 113. The sleeve portion 113 defines a hollow interior (not visible in the provided figures) such that when the head portion 110 is attached to the handle portion 110, the sleeve portion 113 can be positioned around the brush handle of the handle portion 120. A plurality of dental cleaning elements 115 extend from the front surface 111 of the head portion 110 along the head 114. In several different embodiments of the invention, the dental cleaning elements 115 may include bristles, rubber elements, or combinations thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the dental cleaning elements 115 are shown arranged in a specific pattern, but the invention is not limited to this pattern. In fact, the invention is not limited by materials, patterns, arrangements, or attachment methods to the head portion 110 with respect to the dental cleaning elements 115, unless specifically required to be so. Therefore, although the oral care appliance 100 should include tooth cleaning elements 115 that perform cleaning functions, the details of these tooth cleaning elements 115 are not intended to be particularly limited to the invention described and claimed herein.

[0030] The term "dental cleaning element" as used herein can be used in a general sense to refer to any structure that can be used to clean, polish, or wipe teeth and / or oral soft tissues (e.g., tongue, cheeks, gums, etc.) through relative surface contact. Common examples of "dental cleaning elements" include, but are not limited to, bristle tufts, filament bristles, fiber bristles, nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubber bristles, elastomeric protrusions, flexible polymer protrusions, combinations thereof, and / or structures containing such materials or combinations. Suitable elastomeric materials include any biocompatible elastomeric material suitable for use in oral hygiene devices, including thermoplastic elastomers, thermoplastic polyurethanes, rubber, etc. The dental cleaning element 115 can be coupled to the head 114 using any technology now known or later discovered, including non-anchored tufts, studs, in-mold tufts, PTt tufts, etc.

[0031] The handle portion 120 extends along the handle axis AA from the proximal end 121 to the distal end 122. The proximal end 121 forms the bottommost end of the oral care appliance 100. The distal end 122 is the end of the handle portion 120 from which the head portion 110 extends. The handle portion 120 includes a gripping portion 123 configured for gripping by a user and a brush handle 124 extending from the gripping portion 123. Specifically, the gripping portion 123 extends along the handle axis AA from the proximal end 121 to the shoulder 125, while the brush handle 124 extends along the handle axis AA from the shoulder 125 to the distal end 122. The head portion 110 is attached to the handle portion 120 by means of a mating engagement between connecting elements on the head portion 110 (e.g., features located within a cavity defined by the sleeve portion 113, features positioned along the sleeve portion 113, openings formed in the sleeve portion 113, etc.) and connecting features on the brush handle 124 and / or shoulder 125. The invention is not limited to the specific manner in which the head portion 110 and the handle portion 120 are joined together, and various different joining techniques can be used, including friction engagement, mechanical engagement, pawl / boss engagement, protrusion / recess engagement, snap-fit ​​engagement, etc. However, in embodiments in which the head portion 110 is detachable from the handle portion 120, the head portion 110 should be able to detach from and reattach to the handle portion 120 as many times as possible.

[0032] The grip portion 123 of the handle portion 120 includes an exposed outer surface 128, which is the entire outer surface of the grip portion 123 exposed to the field of vision. The exposed outer surface 128 includes a front exposed surface 138 and a rear exposed surface 139. The grip portion 123 includes a base member 126 formed of rigid plastic and a gripping member 127 formed of thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, rubber, or other materials designed for comfort and enhanced grip during use. During manufacturing, the base member 126 can be formed in a first injection molding process, and then the gripping member 127 can be overmolded onto the base member 126 in a second injection molding process. The base member 126 defines the general shape of the grip portion 123 and provides it with structural stability, while the gripping member 127 allows the user to obtain an enhanced grip during use. The gripping member 127 may be molded over the base member 126 and may include multiple protrusions, ridges, etc., to further enhance the user's ability to grip the gripping portion 123 during use. The exposed outer surface 128 is formed by the combination of the base member 126 and the gripping member 127. In fact, the base member 126 and the gripping member 127 each form a portion of the front exposed surface 138 and a portion of the rear exposed surface 139 of the exposed outer surface 128, as shown below. Figure 5 The best example shown is...

[0033] The gripping portion 123 includes a thumb gripping portion 130 located on the front exposed surface 138 of the gripping portion 123. The thumb gripping portion 130 may be formed from the gripping member 127 described above. The thumb gripping portion 130 may be integral with the rest of the gripping member 127, or it may be formed as a separate part of the gripping member 127. Furthermore, the thumb gripping portion 130 includes a plurality of gripping protrusions 132 extending in a generally horizontal direction along the front exposed surface 138 of the gripping portion 123 to enhance the user's grip in this area. The gripping protrusions 132 protrude from the front exposed surface 138 of the gripping portion 123, making them easily identifiable by the user's touch. While in the illustrated embodiment, the gripping protrusions 132 are depicted as ridges, in other embodiments, the gripping protrusions 132 may be bump-like projections, a combination of ridges and bump-like projections, or various other shapes of projections, while still increasing the user's grip in this area. In the illustrated embodiment, the thumb grip portion 130 has an elliptical shape, but the invention is not limited to this in all embodiments. The thumb grip portion 130 extends axially from a lower end 133 to an upper end 134. The lower end 133 of the thumb grip portion 130 (which is the portion of the thumb grip portion 130 closest to the proximal end 121 of the handle) is positioned at a first axial distance D1 from the proximal end 121 of the handle.

[0034] Furthermore, the handle portion 120 includes a gripping stop 150 projecting from the gripping portion 123. In this embodiment, the gripping stop 150 is an integral part of the handle portion 120. Specifically, a base member 126 of the gripping portion 123 projects outward to form part of the gripping stop 150 and define its shape, and then a gripping member 127 may cover the base member 126 along the gripping stop 150 to form the remainder of the gripping stop 150. Thus, the gripping stop 150 is not formed by a separate component attached to the handle portion 120 of the oral care appliance 100 or positioned around the handle portion 120 of the oral care appliance 100. Instead, the gripping stop 150 is formed as an integral part of the handle portion 120. In other words, if the handle portion 120 is formed via injection molding, the gripping stop 150 is formed as an integral part of the handle portion 120 during the injection molding process. The gripping stop 150 is positioned adjacent to the distal end 122 of the handle portion, and more particularly adjacent to the shoulder 125, which is formed at the distal end of the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120 of the oral care appliance 100. In embodiments in which the head portion 110 is inseparable and forms an integral part of the oral care appliance 100 together with the handle portion 120, the gripping stop 150 may be positioned adjacent to the proximal end of the head portion 110.

[0035] The gripping stop 150 protrudes cantilevered from the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120. Specifically, the gripping stop 150 protrudes from the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 to a free distal end 151, which is spaced a certain distance from the exposed outer surface 128. The gripping stop 150 has a minimum height H1 measured from the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 at its bottom 152 to the free distal end 151, wherein the minimum height H1 is measured in a direction orthogonal to the handle axis AA. In some embodiments, the minimum height H1 of the gripping stop 150 may be greater than or equal to 16 mm. In some embodiments, this specific minimum height H1 is selected to ensure that when a user grasps the handle portion 120 of the oral care appliance 100, the gripping stop 150 extends from the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 by a distance greater than the user's index finger. Therefore, the specification that the minimum height H1 is greater than or equal to 16 mm is not randomly selected, but specifically chosen to ensure that the gripping stop 150 can perform its intended function, namely, preventing the user's hand from moving relative to the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120 in the direction from the proximal end 121 to the distal end 122 of the handle.

[0036] In the illustrated implementation scheme, and as Figure 5 As best illustrated, the gripping portion 123 includes a maximum radius r1, which is measured from the handle axis AA to the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 in a direction orthogonal to the handle axis AA. In the illustrated embodiment, the minimum height H1 of the gripping stop 150 is greater than the maximum radius r1 of the gripping portion 123.

[0037] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As seen, when the head portion 110 is attached to the handle portion 120, the tooth cleaning element 115 extends from the front surface 111 of the head portion 110 in a first direction orthogonal to the handle axis AA. Furthermore, the gripping stop 150 protrudes from the rear exposed surface of the gripping portion 123 in a second direction orthogonal to the handle axis AA. In the illustrated embodiment, the second direction is opposite to the first direction. Therefore, the tooth cleaning element 115 extends in one direction and the gripping stop 150 extends in the second direction opposite to the first direction. When the user uses the oral care appliance 100 to brush their teeth or otherwise clean their mouth, the gripping stop 150 will extend only in the direction opposite to the bristles. Therefore, if the tooth cleaning element 115 faces downwards, the gripping stop 150 faces upwards, and so on. During use of the oral care appliance 100, the gripping stop 150 abuts against a portion of the user's hand positioned along the rear of the gripping portion 123, such as... Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown.

[0038] The gripping stop 150 includes a lower wall surface 153 and an upper wall surface 154, each of which extends from the base 152 of the gripping stop 150 to its distal end 151. In the illustrated embodiment, both the lower wall surface 153 and the upper wall surface 154 are concave or include concave portions. The exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120 includes a recess 135 located immediately below the lower wall surface 153 of the gripping stop 150. Similar to the gripping stop 150, the recess is located on the rear exposed surface 139 of the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120. The recess 135 is a concave-shaped portion of the rear exposed surface 139 of the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120. The handle portion 120 seamlessly transitions from the concave recess 135 to the concave lower wall surface 153 of the gripping stop portion 150. The recess 135 provides an area for the user's fingers to engage during gripping and use of the oral care appliance 100. Indeed, in the illustrated embodiment, the lower wall surface 153 of the gripping stop portion 150 and the recess 135 on the rear exposed surface 139 of the gripping portion 123 form a continuous concave surface. As previously described, in the illustrated embodiment, the gripping member 127 extends onto the gripping stop portion 150 and actually forms a portion of the lower wall surface 153 and a portion of the upper wall surface 154 of the gripping stop portion 150.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the lower wall surface 153 extends upward and outward from the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 to the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150. Therefore, the recess of the lower wall surface 153 faces generally downward toward the proximal end 121 of the handle and away from the handle axis AA. The upper wall surface 154 of the gripping stop 150 extends downward from the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 to a transition region 156, and then upward from the transition region 156 to the free distal end 151. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the gripping stop 150 includes a generally V-shaped member, wherein each leg of the V is concave, but each leg of the V does not need to be concave in all embodiments.

[0040] The gripping stop 150 extends from the base 152 to the free distal end 151 along the gripping stop axis BB. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping stop axis BB is oriented obliquely relative to the handle axis AA. More specifically, when the gripping stop axis BB extends from the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150 to the handle axis AA, the gripping stop axis BB extends downward in a direction toward the proximal end 121 of the handle. The gripping stop axis BB may intersect the handle axis AA at an angle θ1 of 45° to 85°, more specifically 60° to 85°, and even more specifically 70° to 85°.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, there are a plurality of gripping protrusions 155 projecting from the lower wall surface 153 and the upper wall surface 154. In the illustrated embodiment, there are gripping protrusions 155 projecting from both the lower wall surface 153 and the upper wall surface 154. However, the invention is not so limited in all embodiments, and in some alternative embodiments, the gripping protrusions 155 may project from one of the lower wall surface 153 and the upper wall surface 154, but not both. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping protrusions 155 are located on the upper wall surface 154 and the lower wall surface 153, and are positioned along a recess 135 immediately below the lower wall surface 153 as described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping protrusions 155 are bump-shaped projections, but in other embodiments they may take other shapes and forms. The gripping protrusions 155 are formed as an integral part of the gripping member 127, such that they are formed of rubber, such as thermoplastic elastomers, to enhance the user's grip during use of the oral care appliance 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the distal portion 157 of the gripping stop 150, including the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150, has no protrusions thereon.

[0042] As described above, the lower wall surface 153 and the upper wall surface 154 terminate at the free distal end 151. In the illustrated embodiment, the free distal end 151 is convex and rounded. The gripping member 127 extends onto and along the free distal end 151, as shown below. Figure 6 The oral care appliance 100 is best illustrated in the diagram. It also includes two support protrusions 140 located on the rear exposed surface of the grip portion 123 adjacent to the proximal end 121 of the handle. Although two support protrusions 140 are depicted in the illustrated embodiment, one or more support protrusions 140 may be used in other embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, the support protrusions 140 are formed as an integral part of the gripping member 128. The support protrusions 140 project from the rear exposed surface 139 of the grip portion 123 of the handle portion 120 and serve to hold the oral care appliance 100 in a desired position when placed on a horizontal surface, as shown below. Figure 7 As described.

[0043] like Figure 4As best shown, the gripping stop 150 is at least partially aligned with the thumb gripping portion 130 in the axial direction. That is, although the gripping stop 150 and the thumb gripping portion 130 are located on opposite sides of the gripping portion 123 of the handle portion 120, the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150 is radially aligned with the thumb gripping portion 130. As described above, the lower end 131 of the thumb gripping portion 130 is positioned at a first axial distance D1 from the proximal end 121 of the handle. Furthermore, the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150 is positioned at a second axial distance D2 from the proximal end 121 of the handle. The second axial distance D2 is greater than the first axial distance, therefore the free distal end 151 of the thumb gripping portion 150 is positioned further away from the proximal end 121 of the handle than the lower end 131 of the thumb gripping portion 130. Therefore, although the user's thumb rests against the thumb grip 130 during the use of the oral care appliance 100, the user's index finger may rest against the lower wall surface 153 of the grip stop 150.

[0044] Turn now Figure 7 The illustration shows an oral care appliance 100 placed on a horizontal support surface 105. The horizontal support surface 105 can be a work surface, a tabletop, or any other surface on which the oral care appliance 100 can be placed when not in use. When the oral care appliance 100 is placed against the horizontal support surface 105, the free distal end 151 of the gripping stop 150 and the support protrusion 140 are in direct physical contact with the horizontal support surface 105. Furthermore, the entire head portion 110 is raised above the horizontal support surface 105, such that the head portion 110 and the tooth cleaning element 115 thereon do not contact the horizontal support surface 105.

[0045] In addition to keeping the head portion 110 above the horizontal support surface 105 to prevent bacteria and the like from entering the dental cleaning element 115, the combination of the gripping stop 150 and the recess 135 also ensures a significant gap along the recess 135 between the exposed outer surface 128 of the gripping portion 123 and the horizontal support surface 105. That is, the recess 135 is spaced from the horizontal support surface 105 by a gap approximately the same size as the height H1 of the gripping stop 150. This gap provides space for the user to insert their fingers to grasp the oral care instrument 100 for use without interfering with the horizontal support surface 105.

[0046] Figure 8 and Figure 9 Two different grip configurations for holding the oral care appliance 100 during use are shown. Figure 8 In this process, the user aligns the thenar eminence (the skin area between the thumb and forefinger) with the adjacent contact portion of the lower wall surface 153 of the gripping stop 150 to grasp the oral care appliance 100. Then, the fingers encircle the front exposed surface 138 of the gripping portion 120. Figure 9 It's a slightly different grip configuration. Figure 9 In this configuration, the user's thumb rests on the thumb grip portion 130, and the upper edge of the user's index finger (the portion facing the thumb) abuts against the lower wall surface 153 of the grip stop portion 150. In either case, the grip stop portion 150 is configured to prevent the user's hand from moving relative to the grip portion 123 in the direction from the proximal end 121 of the handle to the distal end of the handle.

[0047] Now refer to Figures 10 to 13 An oral care appliance 200 will be described according to one embodiment of the invention. The oral care appliance 200 has similar functionality to the oral care appliance 100 and is a manual toothbrush in the illustrated embodiment, but it may take other forms, such as those mentioned above with respect to the oral care appliance 100. The oral care appliance 200 generally includes a head portion 210 and a handle portion 220. In the illustrated embodiment, the head portion 210 is detachable from the handle portion 220, but in other embodiments the head portion 210 and the handle portion 220 may be integral. The head portion 210 includes a teeth cleaning element 215 and is substantially the same as the head portion 110 described above. Therefore, the description of the head portion 110 is entirely applicable to the head portion 210, and for the sake of brevity, further description of the head portion 210 will not be provided here.

[0048] The handle portion 220 extends along the handle axis CC from the proximal end 221 to the distal end 222. The handle portion 220 typically includes a grip portion 223 configured for gripping by a user's hand and extending along the handle axis CC, a brush handle portion 224 configured for attachment to the head portion 210, and a grip stop 250 cantilevered from the grip portion 223 in a direction orthogonal to the handle axis CC. Contrary to the detachable embodiment illustrated in the illustrative figures, the brush handle portion 224 may be omitted, and in embodiments where the head portion 210 is integral with the handle portion 220, it may also be omitted.

[0049] Reference Figures 13 to 15 The gripping stop 250 will be further described below. The gripping stop 250 extends along its axis DD from the exposed outer surface 228 of the gripping portion 223 to its free distal end 251. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping stop axis DD is perpendicular to the handle axis CC. In this embodiment, the free distal end 251 of the gripping stop 250 includes a concave surface. Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the free distal end 251 is concave throughout. The gripping stop 250 may have a height equal to or greater than 16 mm, measured from the exposed outer surface 228 to the free distal end 251.

[0050] The gripping stop 250 includes a post portion 260 projecting from the gripping portion 223, a first flange portion 261 extending from the post portion 260 in a first axial direction, and a second flange portion 262 extending from the post portion 260 in a second axial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the first flange portion 261 extends in an upward axial direction toward the distal end 222 of the handle, and the second flange portion 262 extends in a downward axial direction toward the proximal end 221 of the handle. Therefore, the gripping stop 250, including the post portion 260 and the first flange portion 261 and the second flange portion 262, has a generally T-shaped profile.

[0051] In the illustrated embodiment, the handle portion 220 includes a lower handle portion 208 and an upper handle portion 209 operably coupled together to form the handle portion 220. Although the manner in which the lower handle portion 208 and the upper handle portion 209 are not specifically described in the drawings, in several different embodiments, this coupling can be achieved by threads, friction fits, snap-fits, engaging mechanical engagement features, fasteners, etc. In other embodiments, the handle portion 220 may be formed as a single part rather than two separate parts coupled together without prejudice to the structure and function described and claimed herein.

[0052] Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, the oral care appliance 200 includes a collar member 270. The collar member 270 is disposed between a lower handle portion 208 and an upper handle portion 209 and is configured to rotate about a handle axis CC relative to the lower handle portion 208 and the upper handle portion 209 (i.e., relative to the handle portion 220). In the illustrated embodiment, the collar member 270 is configured to rotate about the lower handle portion 208, but in other embodiments, depending on the structure and attachment between the lower handle portion 208 and the upper handle portion 209, the collar member 270 may rotate about the upper handle portion 209. The collar member 270 includes an exposed outer surface 271 that is substantially flush with the exposed outer surface 228 of the gripping portion 223 of the handle portion 220. The terminology used herein substantially allows for a small (approximately no more than 0.5 mm) slight difference in protrusion between the collar member 270 and the gripping portion 223 relative to the other.

[0053] The gripping stop 150 is coupled to and extends from the exposed outer surface 271 of the collar member 270. In fact, in the illustrated embodiment, the collar member 270 and the gripping stop 150 are formed as a single, integral component. Therefore, since the collar member 270 is configured to pivot or rotate relative to the gripping portion 223 of the handle portion 220 about the handle axis CC, the gripping stop 150 is also configured to rotate or pivot about the handle axis CC.

[0054] The post portion 260 of the gripping stop 250 includes a lower wall surface 252 facing downward toward the proximal end 221 of the handle and an upper wall surface 253 facing upward toward the distal end 222 of the handle. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the lower wall surface 252 and the upper wall surface 253 is a concave surface. The invention is not limited to this in all embodiments, but in other embodiments, one or both of the lower wall surface 252 and the upper wall surface 253 may be flat or convex. However, as will be discussed further below, the post portion 260 of the gripping stop 250 is configured to fit between adjacent fingers of the user's hand, thus the concave lower wall surface 252 and the upper wall surface 253 improve user comfort.

[0055] The handle portion 220 also includes a thumb grip portion 230. The thumb grip portion 230 includes a rear portion 232 located on the rear exposed surface 239 of the grip portion 223 of the handle portion 220 and a front portion 231 located on the front exposed surface 238 of the grip portion 223 of the handle portion 220. The thumb grip portion 230 is positioned adjacent to the distal end 222 of the handle. In the illustrated embodiment, a gripping protrusion 234 protrudes from the front portion 231 and the rear portion 232 of the thumb grip portion 230. In the illustrated embodiment, the gripping protrusion 234 is a bump-like protrusion, but in other embodiments it may take other shapes and forms. Furthermore, the thumb grip portion 230 includes a lower end 233 positioned at an axial distance D3 from the proximal end 221 of the handle. Additionally, a gripping stop portion 250 is positioned at an axial distance D4 from the proximal end 221 of the handle, where the axial distance D4 is less than the axial distance D3. Therefore, the grip stop 250 is positioned closer to the proximal end 221 of the handle than the thumb grip 230.

[0056] like Figure 15As best shown, the post portion 260 of the gripping stop 250 includes a first portion 265 formed of a rigid material (e.g., plastic) and a second portion 266 formed of an elastomeric material (e.g., thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, rubber, etc.). The first portion 265 of the post portion 260 is substantially completely covered by the second portion 266. Thus, the second portion 266 of the post portion 260 forms the lower wall surface 252 and upper wall surface 253 that come into contact with the user's fingers during use of the oral care appliance 200. This provides a soft and potentially compressible contact between the user's fingers and the gripping stop 250. In the illustrated embodiment, the first portion 265 of the post portion 260 is integral with the collar member 270, and the second portion 266 of the post portion 260 is overmolded onto the first portion 265 of the post portion 260. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, both the first flange portion 261 and the second flange portion 262 of the gripping stop 250 are entirely formed of an elastomeric material (integrated with the second portion 266 of the post portion 260). Therefore, the first flange portion 261 and the second flange portion 262 can be flexible, compressible, or flexible, thereby making them more comfortable for the user of the oral care appliance 200. In other embodiments, the exterior of the gripping stop 250 can be rigid, and the flexible elastomeric material may be formed only on the lower wall surface 252 and the upper wall surface 253 or portions thereof, and may also be formed on the free distal end 251 or portions thereof.

[0057] Figure 16A and Figure 16B The pivoting or rotation of the gripping stop 250 relative to the gripping portion 223 of the handle portion 220 is shown. Specifically, in Figure 16A In the middle, the gripping stop 250 is shown protruding from the rear exposed surface 339 of the gripping portion 223 of the handle portion 220. Figure 16B The gripping stop 250 is shown protruding from the side surface of the gripping portion 223 of the handle portion 220. Therefore, the gripping stop 250... Figure 16A The position shown has been rotated 45° to Figure 16B The grip stop 250 can be configured to rotate a full 360 degrees relative to the grip portion 223, allowing the user to position the grip stop 250 at any circumferential position relative to the grip portion 223, as that position may be desirable and most comfortable for that particular user.

[0058] The oral care appliance 200 may include various stop positions for the gripping stop 250. For example, a rib may be present along the interior of the collar member 270, i.e., an engaging rib or pawl along the portion of the handle portion 220 surrounded by the collar member 270. Thus, as the gripping stop 250 moves to certain positions, it can be locked in those positions, requiring a certain force to continue rotating it. In other embodiments, such a locking feature may not be included. In the illustrated embodiment, such a locking feature is absent, therefore the gripping stop 250 can rotate freely relative to the gripping portion 223.

[0059] Figure 17 An oral care appliance 200 is shown being held by a user's hand. As shown, the oral care appliance 200 is designed to be held such that the gripping stop 250 extends between adjacent fingers of the user's hand and accommodates the adjacent fingers in an interlocking manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the user's middle finger rests on the upper wall surface 253 of the post portion 260 of the gripping stop 250, and the user's middle finger is in contact with the lower wall surface 252 of the post portion 260 of the gripping stop 250. Thus, the post portion 260 extends into and through the space between the user's ring and middle fingers. The user's fingers can abut against the inner surfaces (inner surfaces opposite to the free distal end 251) of the first flange portion 261 and the second flange portion 262 of the gripping stop 250. Furthermore, the user's thumb abuts against the front portion 231 of the thumb gripping portion 230.

[0060] As used throughout, a range is used as a shorthand to describe the individual values ​​within that range and for each value. Any value within a range may be chosen as an endpoint of the range. Furthermore, all references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In the event of any conflict between definitions in this disclosure and definitions in the cited references, the definitions in this disclosure shall prevail.

[0061] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples (including the currently preferred mode for implementing the invention), those skilled in the art will understand that various variations and arrangements of the systems and techniques described above are possible. It should be understood that other embodiments can be utilized, and structural and functional modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the invention should be interpreted broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. An oral care appliance, comprising: A portion of the handle extending along the axis from the proximal end to the distal end of the handle, the handle portion comprising: The grip portion is configured for a user's hand to grip and extends along the axis of the handle; and A gripping stop protrudes cantilevered from the gripping portion and is configured to contact the user's hand to prevent the hand from moving relative to the gripping portion in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end of the handle. The gripping stop includes a lower wall surface, and the gripping portion includes a recess located below the lower wall surface of the gripping stop, wherein the gripping stop extends from the gripping portion to a free distal end, the free distal end being spaced apart from the outer surface of the gripping portion such that the lower wall surface is spaced apart from the recess and extends outward from the gripping portion beyond the recess, and wherein the lower wall surface of the gripping stop and the recess form a continuous concave surface.

2. The oral care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the gripping stop terminates at a free distal end.

3. The oral care appliance of claim 2, wherein the grasping stop has a minimum height orthogonal to the handle axis, measured from the exposed outer surface of the grasping portion at the bottom of the grasping stop to the free distal end.

4. The oral care appliance of claim 3, wherein the minimum height is greater than the maximum radius of the gripping portion, the maximum radius being measured from the handle axis to the outer surface of the exposed surface of the gripping portion orthogonal to the handle axis.

5. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 3 to 4, wherein the minimum height is greater than or equal to 16 mm.

6. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising: A head portion is connected to the distal end of the handle portion, the head portion including one or more tooth cleaning elements extending from the front surface of the head portion in a first direction; as well as The gripping stop protrudes from the rear exposed surface of the gripping portion in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

7. The oral care appliance of claim 6, wherein the handle is configured such that the oral care appliance can be supported on a horizontal surface by the free distal end of the gripping stop and one or more support protrusions located on the rear exposed surface of the gripping portion adjacent to the proximal end of the handle.

8. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: A thumb grip portion on the front exposed surface of the grip portion, the thumb grip portion including a lower end positioned at a first axial distance from the proximal end of the handle portion; as well as The gripping stop protrudes from the rear exposed surface of the gripping portion, and the free distal end of the gripping stop is positioned at a second axial distance from the proximal end of the handle portion, the second axial distance being greater than the first axial distance.

9. The oral care appliance of claim 8, wherein the free distal end of the gripping stop is radially aligned with the thumb gripping portion.

10. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 8 to 9, wherein the thumb gripping portion comprises a plurality of first gripping protrusions.

11. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the gripping stop further comprises an upper wall surface and a plurality of second gripping protrusions protruding from at least one of the upper wall surface and the lower wall surface.

12. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the gripping stop further comprises an upper wall surface, each of the upper wall surface and the lower wall surface having a concave portion.

13. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the gripping stop is positioned adjacent to the distal end of the handle.

14. The oral care appliance according to claim 1, wherein the gripping stop comprises: The column portion protruding from the gripping portion; A first flange portion extending from the column portion in a first axial direction; And a second flange portion extending from the column portion in a second axial direction opposite to the first axial direction.

15. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 and 14, wherein the gripping stop has a generally T-shaped profile.

16. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 and 14 to 15, wherein the gripping stop is pivotally coupled to the gripping portion so as to be able to pivot about the handle axis.

17. The oral care appliance of claim 16, further comprising a collar member, the gripping stop being coupled to the collar member, the collar member being pivotally coupled to the gripping portion; and wherein the collar member includes an exposed outer surface substantially flush with the exposed outer surface of the gripping portion.

18. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 and 14 to 17, wherein the gripping stop is configured to extend between adjacent fingers on the user's hand and to receive the adjacent fingers on the user's hand in an insert manner.

19. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 and 14 to 18, wherein the gripping stop terminates at a free distal end including a concave surface.

20. The oral care appliance according to any one of claims 1 and 14 to 19, further comprising: A thumb grip portion on the front exposed surface of the gripping portion, the thumb grip portion being positioned adjacent to the distal end of the handle and including a lower end positioned at a first axial distance from the proximal end of the handle; and The gripping stop is positioned at a second axial distance from the proximal end of the handle, and the second axial distance is less than the first axial distance.

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