US5305491A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self adjusting three-head toothbrush
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1993-03-15
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Granted: 1994-04-26
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Expires: 2013-03-15
Abstract
Abstract A toothbrush having three brush heads that self-adjust to maintain contact with the surfaces of the teeth and the gums. The three brush heads are independently attached to a single handle through elongated flexible arms and adjust independently to maintain contact with the surfaces of different size teeth and gums. The two brush heads whose bristles contact the sides of the teeth are slanted at a predetermined angle.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth J. Hegemann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 05:55
CPC Classifications
A; A46; A46B; A46B5/00; A46B5/0095; A46B5/0004; A46B5/0012; A46B5/002; A46B5/0025; A46B9/00; A46B9/02; A46B9/04; A46B9/045; A46B2200/00; A46B2200/10; A46B2200/1066; B; B29; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/42; B29L2031/425; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S15/00; Y10S15/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
400 words
A self-adjusting three-head toothbrush comprising: (a) a handle having a connecting end; (b) a central brush head having (i) a central brush head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the central brush head portion and bristle ends lying in a plane substantially parallel to the central brush head portion, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said central brush head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (c) a first side brush head having (i) a first side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the first side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said first side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (d) a second side brush head having (i) a second side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the second side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said second side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; wherein (i) said first side brush head and said second side brush head are positioned on opposite sides of said central brush head, (ii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the central brush head is integrally connected to the connecting end of the handle, (iii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the first side brush head and said connecting end of the elongated arm of the second side brush head are both connected to the connecting end of the handle on opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, (iv) the elongated arms of the first side brush head and the second side brush head lie parallel to and against opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, and (v) said bristle ends of the first side brush head and said bristle ends of the second side brush head lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
400 words
A self-adjusting three-head toothbrush comprising: (a) a handle having a connecting end; (b) a central brush head having (i) a central brush head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the central brush head portion and bristle ends lying in a plane substantially parallel to the central brush head portion, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said central brush head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (c) a first side brush head having (i) a first side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the first side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said first side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (d) a second side brush head having (i) a second side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the second side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said second side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; wherein (i) said first side brush head and said second side brush head are positioned on opposite sides of said central brush head, (ii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the central brush head is integrally connected to the connecting end of the handle, (iii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the first side brush head and said connecting end of the elongated arm of the second side brush head are both connected to the connecting end of the handle on opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, (iv) the elongated arms of the first side brush head and the second side brush head lie parallel to and against opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, and (v) said bristle ends of the first side brush head and said bristle ends of the second side brush head lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first side brush enlarged head portion and the second side brush enlarged head portion are both positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the central brush head portion, said predetermined angle being the acute angle between (i) a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head and (ii) a plane parallel to the respective first side brush enlarged head portion or second side brush enlarged head portion, wherein said predetermined angle is within the range of 15 to 40 degrees.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 2 wherein the predetermined angle is about 27 degrees.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and in the second side brush head are longer than the tufts of bristles in the central brush head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the second side brush head face each other above the tufts of bristles of the central brush head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 wherein the central brush head, the first side brush head and the second side brush head are adapted to move independently from one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A toothbrush in accordance with claim 6 wherein the central brush head is adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, the first side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, and the second side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
639 words
A self-adjusting three-head toothbrush comprising: (a) a handle having a connecting end; (b) a central brush head having (i) a central brush head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the central brush head portion and bristle ends lying in a plane substantially parallel to the central brush head portion, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said central brush head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (c) a first side brush head having (i) a first side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the first side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said first side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (d) a second side brush head having (i) a second side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the second side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said second side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; wherein (i) said first side brush head and said second side brush head are positioned on opposite sides of said central brush head, (ii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the central brush head is integrally connected to the connecting end of the handle, (iii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the first side brush head and said connecting end of the elongated arm of the second side brush head are both connected to the connecting end of the handle on opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, (iv) the elongated arms of the first side brush head and the second side brush head lie parallel to and against opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, and (v) said bristle ends of the first side brush head and said bristle ends of the second side brush head lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, (vi) the first side brush enlarged head portion and the second side brush enlarged head portion are both positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the central brush head portion, said predetermined angle being the acute angle between (1) a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head and (2) a plane parallel to the respective first side brush enlarged head portion or second side brush enlarged head portion, wherein said predetermined angle is within the range of 15 to 40 degrees, (vii) the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and in the second side brush head are longer than the tufts of bristles in the central brush head, (viii) the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the second side brush head face each other above the tufts of bristles of the central brush head, and (ix) the central brush head is adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, the first side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, and the second side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
639 words
A self-adjusting three-head toothbrush comprising: (a) a handle having a connecting end; (b) a central brush head having (i) a central brush head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the central brush head portion and bristle ends lying in a plane substantially parallel to the central brush head portion, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said central brush head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (c) a first side brush head having (i) a first side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the first side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said first side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; (d) a second side brush head having (i) a second side brush enlarged head portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein for receiving tufts of bristles, (ii) tufts of bristles, each tuft having an anchor fixed in the recesses of the second side brush enlarged head portion and bristle ends, and (iii) an elongated arm extending longitudinally from said second side brush enlarged head portion and terminating in a connecting end; wherein (i) said first side brush head and said second side brush head are positioned on opposite sides of said central brush head, (ii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the central brush head is integrally connected to the connecting end of the handle, (iii) said connecting end of the elongated arm of the first side brush head and said connecting end of the elongated arm of the second side brush head are both connected to the connecting end of the handle on opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, (iv) the elongated arms of the first side brush head and the second side brush head lie parallel to and against opposite sides of the elongated arm of the central brush head, and (v) said bristle ends of the first side brush head and said bristle ends of the second side brush head lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, (vi) the first side brush enlarged head portion and the second side brush enlarged head portion are both positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the central brush head portion, said predetermined angle being the acute angle between (1) a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head and (2) a plane parallel to the respective first side brush enlarged head portion or second side brush enlarged head portion, wherein said predetermined angle is within the range of 15 to 40 degrees, (vii) the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and in the second side brush head are longer than the tufts of bristles in the central brush head, (viii) the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the first side brush head and the bristle ends of the tufts of bristles in the second side brush head face each other above the tufts of bristles of the central brush head, and (ix) the central brush head is adapted to move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, the first side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head, and the second side brush head is adapted to move in a plane parallel to the plane of the bristle ends of the central brush head.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-04-25 | 1997-10-25 | 1998-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-04-25 | 2001-10-25 | 2002-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-04-25 | 2005-10-25 | 2006-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |