Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
In a toothbrush comprising (1) a handgrip formed on one side with a substantially plane fingerrest and a concave thumbrest and on an adjacent side with a palmrest including a convex portion spaced apart from said thumbrest and a substantially linear portion adjacent to said thumbrest, (2) a neck connected to said handgrip, and (3) a head connected to said neck, said head being formed with a substantially plane bristle-supporting surface and including bristles extending outward from said bristle-supporting surface, the improvement wherein said neck has an axis that is angularly displaced with respect to an extension of said linear palmrest portion through an acute neck angle and said bristle-supporting surface is angularly displaced with respect to said neck axis through an acute crank angle and with respect to the plane of said fingerrest surface through an acute rotation angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a toothbrush comprising (1) a handgrip formed on one side with a substantially plane fingerrest and a concave thumbrest and on an adjacent side with a palmrest including a convex portion spaced apart from said thumbrest and a substantially linear portion adjacent to said thumbrest, (2) a neck connected to said handgrip, and (3) a head connected to said neck, said head being formed with a substantially plane bristle-supporting surface and including bristles extending outward from said bristle-supporting surface, the improvement wherein said neck has an axis that is angularly displaced with respect to an extension of said linear palmrest portion through an acute neck angle and said bristle-supporting surface is angularly displaced with respect to said neck axis through an acute crank angle and with respect to the plane of said fingerrest surface through an acute rotation angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
87 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said angular displacement of said neck axis is clockwise as seen from the side of said toothbrush on which said fingerrest and said thumbrest are located and said angular displacement of said bristle-supporting surface is, in the case of said crank angle, counterclockwise as seen from the side of said toothbrush opposite said palmrest and, in the case of said rotation angle, clockwise as seen from the head end of said toothbrush, whereby said toothbrush is adapted for right-hand use.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
87 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said angular displacement of said neck axis is counterclockwise as seen from the side of said toothbrush on which said fingerrest and said thumbrest are located and said angular displacement of said bristle-supporting surface is, in the case of said crank angle, clockwise as seen from the side of said toothbrush opposite said palmrest and, in the case of said rotation angle, counterclockwise as seen from the head end of said toothbrush, whereby said toothbrush is adapted for left-hand use.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck angle is within the range of 25° to 50°.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck angle is substantially 38°.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said crank angle is within the range of 5° to 15°.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said crank angle is substantially 10°.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said rotation angle is within the range of 8° to 18°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said rotation angle is substantially 13°.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck angle is within the range of 25° to 50°, said crank angle is within the range of 5° to 15°, and said rotation angle is within the range of 8° to 18°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck angle is substantially 38°, said crank angle is substantially 10°, and said rotation angle is substantially 13°.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said handgrip is sized to substantially fill the hand of a user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said bristle-supporting surface is substantially oval and has a major axis and a minor axis, said major axis being more nearly parallel than said minor axis to said neck axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said bristle-supporting surface is in part elevated with respect to said plane of said finger rest surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said bristles form an array sized in width to extend from the upper gingiva to the lower gingiva of a user, the user's teeth being clenched.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said bristles are made of soft nylon and arranged in a multi-tufted oval pattern.