Powered toothbrush bristle head

Abstract

A powered toothbrush and toothbrush head comprise a transmission housing; a substantially disk-shaped bristle carrier; a plurality of first bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a first virtual circle; and a plurality of second bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a second virtual circle, the second virtual circle being concentric with and having a smaller diameter than the first virtual circle, wherein each of the plurality of first bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a first type, having a tapered form.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bristle carrier, comprising:
 a plurality of first bristle tufts arranged along a first virtual circle,
 each of the plurality of first bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a first type, each of the plurality of bristles of the first type having a tapered form; and 
   a plurality of second bristle tufts arranged along a second virtual circle, the second virtual circle being concentric with and having a smaller diameter than the first virtual circle, wherein:
 a first subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a second type, each of the plurality of bristles of the second type having an end-rounded form, 
 a second subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a third type, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a second type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm; and 
 a difference between a second type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the second type bristle height is less than the first type bristle height and the third type bristle height, and wherein the third type bristle height is less than the first type bristle height. 
     
     
         3 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the third type is the same as the second type. 
     
     
         4 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the third type is the same as the first type. 
     
     
         5 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height are equal. 
     
     
         6 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the second type bristle height is 2 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 2 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height is no greater than 8 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles of the first type are formed of polybutylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         10 . The bristle carrier according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of bristles of the second type are formed of a nylon. 
     
     
         11 . A toothbrush head, comprising:
 a transmission housing;   a bristle carrier;   a plurality of first bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a first virtual circle,
 each of the plurality of first bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a first type, each of the plurality of bristles of the first type having a tapered form; and 
   a plurality of second bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a second virtual circle, the second virtual circle being concentric with and having a smaller diameter than the first virtual circle, wherein:
 a first subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a second type, each of the plurality of bristles of the second type having an end-rounded form, 
 a second subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a third type, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a second type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm; and 
 a difference between a second type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm. 
   
     
     
         12 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height have the same height. 
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 11 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 11 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the second type bristle height is 2 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 2 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height is no greater than 8 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A powered toothbrush, comprising:
 a power handle;   a toothbrush head in communication with the power handle, the toothbrush head comprising:
 a transmission housing; 
 a bristle carrier; 
 a plurality of first bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a first virtual circle,
 each of the plurality of first bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a first type, each of the plurality of bristles of the first type having a tapered form; and 
 
 a plurality of second bristle tufts arranged on the bristle carrier along a second virtual circle, the second virtual circle being concentric with and having a smaller diameter than the first virtual circle, wherein:
 a first subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a second type, each of the plurality of bristles of the second type having an end-rounded form, 
 a second subset of the plurality of second bristle tufts includes a plurality of bristles of a third type, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a second type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm, 
 a difference between a first type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm; and 
 a difference between a second type bristle height and a third type bristle height is from 0 mm to 2 mm. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The powered toothbrush according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height have the same height. 
     
     
         18 . The powered toothbrush according to  claim 16 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 1 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The powered toothbrush according to  claim 16 , wherein the difference in height between the first type bristle height and the second type bristle height is 2 mm, the difference in height between the second type bristle height and the third type bristle height is 2 mm, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The powered toothbrush according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the first type bristle height, the second type bristle height, and the third type bristle height is no greater than 8 mm.