Oral care device with multi-structural contact elements

Abstract

A contact device with resilient contact elements is disclosed. The resilient contact elements have primary structures and secondary structures. The primary structures and secondary structures have contact surfaces for engaging a working surface. The primary structures are preferably molded structures with hardness value between 10 to 90 Shores A. The secondary structures are nodules, squeegees, bristles or combinations thereof. In accordance with the embodiment of the invention a toothbrush includes resilient bristle boots that surround groups of bristles and have squeegees, nodules, bristles, or combinations thereof, that protrude from surfaces of the resilient bristle boots.

1 . A device comprising a cleaning head, the cleaning head comprising; 
 a) a support structure;    b) resilient contact element protruding from a surface of the support structure, the resilient contact element comprising a primary squeegee structure and a secondary structure protruding from a surface of the primary squeegee structure; and    c) bristles.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary structure is a squeegee.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary structure is a nodule.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the primary squeegee structure surrounds a portion of the bristles.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle configured to couple to the cleaning head.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising squeegees protruding from the surface of the support.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , where the squeegee are curved.  
   
   
       8 . A device comprising: 
 a) a support with a plurality of bristle boots;    b) bristle tufts protruding from compartments of the bristle boots; and    c) resilient contact structures protruding one or more surface of the bristle boots    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein resilient contact structures comprise squeegees.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein resilient contact structures comprise nodules.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a handle configured to couple to the cleaning head.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising of squeegees protruding from a surface of the support.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , where the squeegees are curved.  
   
   
       14 . A device comprising: 
 a) elongated bristle boots that extend along opposed sides of a cleaning head and that surround a first set of bristle tufts; and    b) a second set of bristle tufts protruding from a region of the cleaning head between elongated bristle boots,    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising squeegees protruding from the region of the cleaning head between the elongated bristle boots.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 14 , further comprising secondary resilient structures protruding from surfaces of the elongated bristle boots.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the secondary resilient structures include one or more squeegees or nodules.  
   
   
       18 . A device comprising a cleaning head with resilient contact elements resiliently coupled to the cleaning head, the resilient contact elements including primary structures, secondary structures and bristle.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , further comprising an electric powered handle for coupling to the cleaning head and moving the resilient contact elements.