Methods for Making Safety Toothbrushes

Abstract

A method of making safety toothbrushes is disclosed. The toothbrush apparatus detailed herein employs a composite head made from a rigid inner polymer material and a softer thermoplastic material surrounding the inner material. The softer material provides safety for prison toothbrush applications as well as elderly and patient care where care givers may brush the teeth of the patient. The solution is importantly devoid of glue due to bonding that occurs during the mold curing process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for making a flexible handle toothbrush comprising:
 molding an inner toothbrush head with a first material, the first material being rigid; and   molding an outer toothbrush head with a second material around the inner toothbrush head, the second material being pliable, wherein the outer and inner toothbrush heads together form a composite toothbrush head, wherein a method step of molding the inner toothbrush head precedes a step of molding the outer toothbrush head.   
     
     
         2 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the composite toothbrush head is devoid of glue or other adhesives. 
     
     
         3 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the method employs two single cavity molds. 
     
     
         4 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the method steps of molding an inner toothbrush head and molding an outer toothbrush head include allowing for a pair of pin connectors at the interface of the inner toothbrush head and the outer toothbrush head, wherein further the pins are offset diagonally with respect to a longitudinal axis of the flexible handle toothbrush. 
     
     
         5 . A method for making a flexible handle toothbrush comprising:
 making a first mold for an inner toothbrush head;   selecting a first rigid material for use in the first mold;   molding an inner toothbrush head with the first mold; and   making a second mold for an outer toothbrush head, the inner and outer toothbrush head forming a composite toothbrush head.   
     
     
         6 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 5 , further comprising selecting a second pliable material for the second mold, the second material having a softness preventing damage to a patient's teeth or gums due to brushing. 
     
     
         7 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 6  further comprising:
 molding the outer toothbrush head around the inner toothbrush head; and 
 curing the second material around the first material thereby bonding without the use of glue. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method for making a flexible handle toothbrush of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 drilling a multiplicity of bristle holes on a surface of the inner toothbrush head, the drilling subsequent to the making the inner toothbrush head; and   filling the multiplicity of bristle holes with steel pins so that during a method step of molding an outer toothbrush head, no outer toothbrush head material flows into the bristles holes.