Manual toothbrush with movable head

Abstract

A manual toothbrush including a handle that reciprocates into and out of a channel within a head of the toothbrush. The head includes a plurality of fixed first bristles and a first movable base that has a plurality of second bristles extending outwardly therefrom. A first end of the handle is non-releasably connected to the first movable base within the channel in the head. The first movable base is mounted for arcuate movement in response to the reciprocation of the handle when the first and second bristles frictionally engage the teeth of the user.

1 . A manual toothbrush comprising:
 an elongated handle having a gripping end; a first end remote from said gripping end and a longitudinal axis running through the gripping end and first end;   a head having an outer wall and an internal channel into which the first end of the handle is slidingly received, said first end of the handle being adapted to reciprocate into and out of said channel during a brushing motion;   a first aperture defined in said outer wall;   a plurality of first bristles extending outwardly away from the outer wall of the head,   a first movable base disposed in the channel and being at least partially complementary shaped to the first aperture;   a first pivot pin extending outwardly from said first movable base and into the channel; said pivot pin engaging the first end of the handle; and   wherein said first movable base pivots about the first pivot pin in response to the reciprocal motion of the handle; and   a plurality of second bristles mounted on the first movable base and extending outwardly away therefrom and outwardly through the first aperture in the head; and wherein said plurality of second bristles move relative to the first bristles in response to the reciprocal motion of the handle.   
   
   
       2 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a region of the outer wall defines a peripheral edge of the aperture and that peripheral edge is arcuately shaped. 
   
   
       3 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said first movable base is housed within the through-aperture. 
   
   
       4 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second aperture defined in the outer wall of the head and a spaced distance from the first aperture;   a second movable base disposed in the channel and being at least partially complementary shaped to the second aperture;   a second pivot pin extending outwardly from said second movable base and into the channel; said second pivot pin engaging the first end of the handle; and wherein said second movable base pivots about the second pivot pin in response to the reciprocal motion of the handle; and   a plurality of third bristles mounted on the second movable base and extending outwardly away therefrom and outwardly through the second aperture in the head; and wherein said plurality of third bristles move relative to the first bristles in response to the reciprocal motion of the handle.   
   
   
       5 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the second movable base pivots in the opposite direction to the first movable base. 
   
   
       6 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the head comprises:
 a front cover;   a back cover that is complementary shaped to the front cover and is securable thereto; said front cover and back cover defining the internal channel of the head therebetween and wherein the said outer wall of the head constitutes a portion of the front cover.   
   
   
       7 . A manual toothbrush comprising:
 a longitudinally elongated handle that has a gripping end; a first end and a longitudinal axis running through the gripping end and first end;   a first pair of gripping fingers extending outwardly away from said first end of the handle;   a head having an outer wall and an internal channel into which the first end of the handle is slidingly received; said first end of the handle being adapted to reciprocate into and out of said channel during the brushing motion;   a curved aperture defined through said outer wall and into said internal channel;   a plurality of first bristles fixedly mounted to the outer wall of the head and extending outwardly away therefrom;   a first movable base mounted within the head; said first movable base having an interior surface that extends into the channel;   a first drive pin extending outwardly away from the interior surface of the first movable base and into the channel; said first drive pin being non-releasably captured by the first pair of gripping fingers; whereby the first movable base is arcuately movable relative to the outer wall of the head in response to reciprocation of the handle during brushing; and   a plurality of second bristles mounted on an exterior surface of the first movable base and extending through the aperture and outwardly away from the outer wall of the head; whereby the arcuate movement of the first movable base during brushing causes the second bristles to move arcuately relative to the outer wall of the head.   
   
   
       8 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the gripping end and first end of the handle are unitary. 
   
   
       9 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the gripping end of the handle terminates in a leading end; and wherein the first end of the handle originates at the leading end of the gripping end. 
   
   
       10 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first pair of gripping fingers are immovable relative to the first end of the handle. 
   
   
       11 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first pair of gripping fingers extends outwardly at an angle from a first side edge of the first end of the handle; and that angle remains constant during reciprocation of the handle. 
   
   
       12 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the angle of the gripping fingers relative to the first side edge of first end of the handle is ninety degrees. 
   
   
       13 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second pair of gripping fingers extending outwardly away from said first end of the handle and a spaced distance away from the first pair of gripping fingers;   a second movable base rotatably mounted on the head; said second movable base having an interior surface that extends into the channel;   a second drive pin extending outwardly away from the interior surface of the second movable base and into the channel; said second drive pin being non-releasably captured by the second pair of gripping fingers; whereby the second movable base is arcuately movable relative to the outer wall of the head in response to reciprocation of the handle during brushing;   a second plurality of second bristles mounted on an exterior surface of the second movable base and extending outwardly away from the outer wall of the head; whereby the arcuate movement of the second movable base during brushing causes the second plurality of second bristles to move arcuately relative to the outer wall of the head.   
   
   
       14 . The manual toothbrush as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the second pair of gripping fingers extend outwardly away from a second side edge of the first end of the handle and at a fixed angle thereto;
 whereby the first and second movable bases oscillate in opposite directions to each other upon reciprocation of the handle during brushing.