toothbrushes

Abstract

The present invention relates to toothbrushes. In particular, the present invention relates to improvements in sustainability of toothbrush heads for electric toothbrushes. We describe a brush head for an electric toothbrush; wherein the brush head comprises a brush stem attachable to a handle of an electric toothbrush and a brush comprising brush bristles mounted within a bristle head. The bristle head is mountable to and retained on the brush stem by means of inter-fitting first and second connecting portions. In certain examples, the inter-fitting first and second portions comprises a male connecting portion associated with one component and a female connecting portion associated with the other component. Optionally, the male and female connecting portions comprise an interfitting dovetail arrangement.

Description

[0001] TOOTHBRUSHES

[0002] The present invention relates to toothbrushes. In particular, the present invention relates to improvements in sustainability of toothbrush heads for electric toothbrushes.

[0003] According to The Oral Health Foundation, around two thirds of adults in the UK use electric toothbrushes, rather than manual toothbrushes. Most toothbrushes are manufactured wholly from plastics materials and are difficult to recycle (or are simply not recycled). In the area of manual toothbrushes, there has been a move towards the use of sustainable materials, such as bamboo. Heads for electric toothbrushes have been considered to be more problematic.

[0004] Ultrasonic toothbrushes have a relatively simple construction in terms of the mounting of the brush head onto the handle as the brush head simply fits over and onto a vibratable shaft attached, in the handle, to a mechanism for imparting an ultrasonic vibration to the brush head. The entire brush head vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies.

[0005] Other forms of electric toothbrush are more mechanically-complex. For example, many brush heads include a rotatable or oscillatable brush driven by means of a geared rod arrangement within the brush head which is attachable to a rotatable or oscillatable shaft driven by a motor within the handle.

[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for further developments to improve sustainability in electric toothbrush brush head construction. We have developed a brush head for an ultrasonic toothbrush handle, which has, in one example, a solid bamboo head construction, with castor oil bristles.

[0007] In a first aspect, in its broadest aspect, the present invention provides a brush head for an electric toothbrush; wherein the brush head comprises a brush stem attachable to a handle of an electric toothbrush and a brush comprising brush bristles mounted within a bristle head; characterised in that the bristle head is mountable to and retained on the brush stem by means of inter-fitting first and second connecting portions.In preferred embodiments, the interfitting first and second portions comprises a male connecting portion and a corresponding female connecting portion, each associated with a respective component.

[0008] Optionally, the male and female connecting portions comprise an interfitting dovetail arrangement. Further optionally, the bristle head comprises a male dovetail pin and engageable in a female pin socket formed in or on the brush stem.

[0009] In certain embodiments, at least one of the connecting portions includes a frictional retention arrangement adapted to retain the bristle head on the brush stem. In one example, the pin socket includes one or more detents arranged to bear against a surface of the pin.

[0010] In certain embodiments, the brush stem includes a rotatable or oscillatable portion adapted to impart a rotation or oscillation to the bristle head.

[0011] In some examples, the brush stem includes a rod having a distal portion attachable to a rotatable or oscillatable stem of an electric toothbrush handle.

[0012] In preferred embodiments, the bristle head is formed of a sustainable material.

[0013] Optionally, the sustainable material is a natural material or naturally-derived material.

[0014] Further optionally, the sustainable material is a natural fibrous material, further optionally a wooden material or grass material. In alternative embodiments, the sustainable material is a recyclable or compostable composite material.

[0015] Optionally, the sustainable material is bamboo or a corn-starch derived material

[0016] In preferred embodiments, the brush bristles are formed of a natural material.

[0017] Optionally, the natural material is natural fibre. Further optionally, the natural fibre is a caster oil fibre.In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a toothbrush comprising a brush head as defined above and an electric toothbrush handle attachable to and retainable on the brush head.

[0018] In certain embodiments, the toothbrush handle includes a motor to impart a rotational or oscillatory motion to the bristle head of the brush head, and a battery to drive the motor.

[0019] Optionally, the battery comprises at least one rechargeable battery cell.

[0020] Preferably, the toothbrush handle further comprises motor control means to control at least one of i) a duration of operation of the motor, ii) an magnitude of rotation, vibration or oscillation of the motor, and iii) a continuity of operation of the motor.

[0021] In some examples, continuity of operation of the motor is interrupted to provide short indication of time spent, such as every 30 seconds.

[0022] The above and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in further detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a brush head in accordance with the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the brush head of Figure 1 with bristle head removed;

[0025] Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the brush head of Figure 1 with bristle head removed;

[0026] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the brush head of Figure 1 ;Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the brush head of Figure 1 ; and

[0027] Figure 6 is a side view of a second embodiment of a brush head in accordance with the present invention.

[0028] Figures 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of a brush head 10 in accordance with the present invention. The overall appearance and construction of the brush head 10 will be familiar to the skilled reader and includes a brush stem 11 having a proximal end including a suitable fitment, such as a bayonet fitting 12, for attachment to a handle of an electric toothbrush (not shown).

[0029] Brush stem 11 has a distal end 33 to which is fittable a bristle head 13 formed of a bristle head body 14 having a face into which a plurality of brush or bristles 15 are mounted.

[0030] In accordance with the present invention, bristle head 13 is attachable and demountable from brush stem 11.

[0031] As shown in the figures, in the preferred embodiments, bristle head 13 is fittable to brush stem 11 by means of a dovetail-like fitment. In the illustrated embodiments, bristle head 13 includes a dovetail pin 20 which fits into a correspondingly-shaped dovetail pin socket 21 formed at the distal end of the brush stem 11. Dovetail pin socket 21 has the general form of an elongate channel passing from a first side of the distal portion of the brush stem to a second side of the distal portion.

[0032] In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 5, it will be seen that the dovetail pin socket 21 is orientated longitudinally (with respect to an axis of the brush stem). In the embodiment of Figure 6, socket 21 is orientated laterally.

[0033] In some embodiments, the dovetail pin socket 21 narrows from the first side to the second side such that the corresponding dovetail pin 20 can only be inserted in one direction. Such an arrangement can be useful in reducing potential for the bristle head13 to move out of engagement with dovetail pin socket 21 due to vibrations of the toothbrush in use, for example.

[0034] In this or other exemplary embodiments, the dovetail pin socket 21 is additionally provided with one or more detents 22 (two are shown, on one side of the channel of dovetail pin socket 21, but there may be a corresponding pair provided on the other side of the channel) to increase frictional engagement between the bristle head 13 and brush stem 11. In certain examples, the dovetail pin 20 includes a corresponding recess dimensioned to engage and retain each detent 22 of dovetail pin socket 21. It will also be appreciated that detents may be provided on dovetail pin 20 and that corresponding recesses, if provided, may be provided on dovetail pin socket 21. It will further be appreciated that each component may include both one or more detents and one or more corresponding recesses.

[0035] Other arrangements will be apparent to the skilled person.

[0036] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through the embodiment of Figure 1 . As can be seen, the brush stem 11 includes an elongate rod 30 including a proximal cap 31 adapted to engage the shaft of an electric toothbrush. Numerous variants of electric toothbrushes are commercially available and the configuration of cap 31 will be modified as appropriate to engage a user’s preferred model of toothbrush handle.

[0037] In the embodiment shown, elongate rod 30 includes a first gear 31 at a distal portion thereof which engages a corresponding second gear32 formed as part of distal end 33 of brush stem 11 and thereby transfer motion of the shaft of the electric toothbrush handle to the bristle head 11.

[0038] An advantage of the present invention is that, as the brush wears through use, only a small component of the brush head needs to be detached and disposed of. The brush stem and any associated gearing, can continue to be used for the lifetime of the toothbrush.In preferred embodiments, the bristle head body is formed of a sustainable material. Suitably, the sustainable material is a natural fibrous material. In some examples, the fibrous material is a wood or grass. In preferred examples, the fibrous material is bamboo or a corn-starch-derived material.

[0039] However, it will be realised that even if the bristle head body is formed of a conventional plastics material, such as polypropylene or other polymeric material, the mass and volume of material that needs to be replaced and disposed of is considerably reduced in comparison with a conventional brush head.

[0040] The bristles may be made of any suitable material. In certain embodiments, the bristles are nylon bristles. However, in preferred embodiments, the bristles are formed of a natural material. Optionally, the natural material is a natural fibre, such as castor oil fibre.

[0041] Accordingly, with the brush head of the present invention, even the small component that is replaced as the brush wears is sustainable and can be recycled or composted.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A brush head for an electric toothbrush; wherein the brush head comprises a brush stem attachable to a handle of an electric toothbrush and a brush comprising brush bristles mounted within a bristle head; characterised in that the bristle head is mountable to and retained on the brush stem by means of inter-fitting first and second connecting portions.

2. A brush head as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inter-fitting first and second portions comprises a male connecting portion associated with one component and a female connecting portion associated with the other component.

3. A brush head as claimed in claim 2 wherein the male and female connecting portions comprise an interfitting dovetail arrangement.

4. A brush head as claimed in claim 3 wherein the bristle head comprises a male dovetail pin and engageable in a female pin socket formed in or on the brush stem.

5. A brush head as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least one of the connecting portions includes a frictional retention arrangement adapted to retain the bristle head on the brush stem.

6. A brush head as claimed in claim 5 wherein the frictional retention arrangement includes one or more detents formed on one or more inner surfaces of at least one of the first and second connecting portions.

7. A brush head as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the brush stem includes a rotatable or oscillatable portion adapted to impart a rotation or oscillation to the bristle head.

88. A brush head as claimed in claim 7 wherein the brush stem includes a rod having a distal portion attachable to a rotatable or oscillatable stem of an electric toothbrush handle.

9. A brush head as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the bristle head is formed of a sustainable material.

10. A brush head as claimed in claim 9 wherein the sustainable material is a natural material, preferably a natural fibrous material.

11. A brush head as claimed in claim 10 wherein the natural fibrous material is or is formed of a wood or grass material.

12. A brush head as claimed in claim 11 wherein the sustainable material is bamboo.

13. A brush head as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the brush bristles are formed of a natural material, optionally, a caster oil fibre.

14. A toothbrush comprising a brush head as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 and an electric toothbrush handle attachable to and retainable on the brush head.

15. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 14 wherein the toothbrush handle includes a motor to impart a rotational or oscillatory motion to the bristle head of the brush head, and a battery to drive the motor; optionally, wherein the battery comprises at least one rechargeable battery cell.

16. A toothbrush as claimed in claim 15 further comprising motor control means to control at least one of i) a duration of operation of the motor, ii) an magnitude of rotation, vibration or oscillation of the motor, and iii) a continuity of operation of the motor.

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