U.S. patent application number 10/592764 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for toothbrush.
Invention is credited to Sang Ho Lee.
Application Number | 20070136968 10/592764 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34993391 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070136968 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Sang Ho |
June 21, 2007 |
Toothbrush
Abstract
The object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush which
has a structure such that deformed bristles may easily be replaced
with new ones. The toothbrush includes a handle having a
predetermined length to allow a user to hold the toothbrush, with
an insert hole formed in an end of the handle. The toothbrush
further includes a bristle support head, with a protrusion provided
on the bristle support head, and a plurality of front bristles made
of hard material set in the bristle support head. The toothbrush
further includes a removable bristle support unit which is provided
in the bristle support head, with a plurality of rear bristles made
of soft material set in the removable bristle support unit.
Inventors: |
Lee; Sang Ho; (Gyeonggi-do,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
W. NORMAN ROTH
523 W. 6TH STREET
SUITE 707
LOS ANGELES
CA
90014
US
|
Family ID: |
34993391 |
Appl. No.: |
10/592764 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
March 21, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/KR05/00809 |
371 Date: |
September 14, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/167.1 ;
15/176.1; 15/176.4; 15/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 2200/1066 20130101;
A46B 7/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/167.1 ;
015/176.1; 015/176.4; 015/202 |
International
Class: |
A46B 9/04 20060101
A46B009/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2004 |
KR |
20-2004-0007819 |
Claims
1. A toothbrush, comprising: a handle having a predetermined length
to allow a user to hold the toothbrush, with an insert hole formed
in an end of the handle; a bristle support head, with a protrusion
provided on the bristle support head to engage with the insert
hole, and a plurality of front bristles made of hard material and
set in the bristle support head; and a removable bristle support
unit provided in the bristle support head at a predetermined
position adjacent to the front bristles, with a plurality of rear
bristles made of soft material and set in the removable bristle
support unit.
2. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the handle is made
of resin, and both the bristle support head and the removable
bristle support unit are made of biodegradable resin.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to toothbrushes
and, more particularly, to a toothbrush which has a structure such
that the bristles may be replaced with new ones.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Generally, toothbrushes are used along with toothpaste for
cleaning teeth, thus keeping the teeth clean. Such a toothbrush
includes a handle part to allow a user to hold the toothbrush, and
a head part which is provided on an end of the handle part to
support therein a plurality of bristles which is in direct contact
with the user's teeth. Three or four rows of bristles are set in
the head part in a longitudinal direction.
[0003] However, when a toothbrush is used over a long period,
bristles placed near an outside edge of the head part of the
toothbrush become bent outwards. The bent bristles stimulate the
user's gums while brushing the teeth. If this stimulation is
repeated over a long period, the user's gums are seriously injured
and, as well, the teeth may be damaged.
[0004] Furthermore, when toothbrushes that have become useless
alter being used for a long period are buried in the ground,
serious environmental pollution results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in
mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object
of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush which has a
structure such that deformed bristles may easily be replaced with
new ones, and which is made of biodegradable material, thus
preventing environment pollution.
[0006] In order to accomplish the above object, the present
invention provides a toothbrush, including: a handle having a
predetermined length to allow a user to hold the toothbrush, with
an insert hole formed in an end of the handle; a bristle support
head, with a protrusion provided on the bristle support head to
engage with the insert hole, and a plurality of front bristles made
of hard material and set in the bristle support head; and a
removable bristle support unit provided in the bristle support head
at a predetermined position adjacent to the front bristles, with a
plurality of rear bristles made of soft material and set in the
removable bristle support unit.
[0007] The handle may be made of resin, and both the bristle
support head and the removable bristle support unit may be made of
biodegradable resin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush, according to
the present invention; and
[0009] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the toothbrush according to
the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0010] Hereinafter, a toothbrush according to the present invention
will be explained in detail with reference to the attached
drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush, according
to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the
toothbrush according to the present invention.
[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the toothbrush of the present invention
has a structure such that a front part and a rear part are coupled
to each other. The rear part of the toothbrush comprises a handle 1
to allow a user to hold the toothbrush when brushing his/her teeth.
The front part of the toothbrush comprises a bristle support head 3
in which a plurality of bristles that come into contact with the
teeth is set.
[0012] The handle 1 has an appropriate length so that the user can
easily hold the handle 1. An insert hole 5 is formed in an end of
the handle 1. Furthermore, the handle 1 is streamlined so that the
user is able to stably hold the toothbrush when brushing the
teeth.
[0013] The bristle support head 3 has a protrusion 7 which engages
with the insert hole 5. A plurality of front bristles 9, made of
relatively hard material, is set in a front end of the bristle
support head 3 opposite the protrusion 7. The number of bundles of
front bristles 9 is 1/5 to 1/3 of the total number of bundles of
bristles.
[0014] As shown in FIG. 2, the toothbrush further includes a
removable bristle support unit 12 which is mounted to the bristle
support head 3 at a predetermined position in back of the front
bristles 9. A plurality of rear bristles 11, which have superior
cleaning ability and are made of softer material than are the front
bristles 9 such that the user does not experience discomfort when
the rear bristles 11 come into contact with the gum, is set in the
removable bristle support unit 12. The bristle support head 3 has a
recess 13 which is formed at a predetermined position in the
bristle support head 3 so that the removable bristle support unit
12 is inserted into the recess 13. A coupling hole 15 is formed at
a predetermined position in the bottom of the recess 13 'so that a
coupling protrusion 14 provided under the lower surface of the
removable bristle support unit 12 is forcibly fitted into the
coupling hole 15 of the recess 13.
[0015] Meanwhile, in consideration of the protection of the
environment, because both the bristle support head 3 and the
removable bristle support unit 12 are replaced with new ones after
being used for a long period, they are made of biodegradable resin
which is decomposed in general soil within a relatively short
period. On the other hand, because the handle 1 is used
semi-permanently, the handle 1 is made of general resin.
[0016] As such, in the toothbrush of the present invention, both
the bristle support head 3 and the removable bristle support unit
12 can be replaced with new ones after use over a long period,
while the handle 1 can be used semi-permanently. Furthermore, they
are made of biodegradable material, thus being easily decomposed by
the self-purifying power of the environment. In addition, because
the front bristles 9 are made of hard material, the toothbrush of
the present invention can easily clean even areas deep inside the
mouth.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0017] As described above, the present invention provides a
toothbrush which has a structure such that deformed bristles may
easily be replaced with new ones, thus being usable
semi-permanently, and which is made of biodegradable material, thus
preventing environmental pollution.
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