Toothbrush with resiliently flexible head

Abstract

A toothbrush with its head in the form of a frame being an extension of the handle. Within and surrounded by the frame there are segments each of which carry one or more tufts of bristles. The segments are not joined to each other but each of the segments is flexibly and resiliently linked to the surrounding frame by one or more thin spines oriented inwardly from the surrounding frame. Preferably the space within the frame contains an elastomer. The segments provide a flexible resilient head.

I claim:  
     
       1. A toothbrush comprising: 
       a handle, and at one end thereof,  
       a bristle-bearing head made of plastics material having a face and an opposite face,  
       the head having at least two segments flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and having at least one of the segments being bristle bearing,  
       the head having bristles mounted on one face of the head and the opposite face of the head having at least one groove formed therein,  
       each of said at least one groove being formed between the segments such that the segments form a land on either side of a groove, and each groove containing an elastomeric material different from said plastics material.  
     
     
       2. A toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein said at least one groove is aligned transverse to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. 
     
     
       3. A toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the toothbrush comprises only one groove. 
     
     
       4. A toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the depth of said at least one groove, width of said at least one groove, or the frequency per unit distance of said at least one groove along the length or across the width of the head, varies with distance along the head. 
     
     
       5. A toothbrush comprising 
       a handle, and at one end thereof,  
       a bristle bearing head made of plastics material having a face from which bristles extend and an opposite face,  
       the head comprising at least two segments flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and having at least one of the segments being bristle bearing,  
       the head having bristles mounted on one face of the head and the opposite face of the head having at least one groove formed therein,  
       each of said at least groove being formed between the segments such that the segments form a land on either side of a groove, and each groove containing an elastomeric material,  
       the head further including a frame integral to the handle and wholly surrounding the segments whereby at least one space is formed between the frame and the segments,  
       said at least one space containing a flexible and resilient material therein.  
     
     
       6. A toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein the head is linked to the frame in at least one point within a plane that includes the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. 
     
     
       7. A toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein the head is linked to the frame in at least one point within a plane which is 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. 
     
     
       8. A toothbrush according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one space between the frame and the segments contain a flexible and resilient thin diaphragm. 
     
     
       9. A toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein said at least one space between the frame and the segments contain a flexible and resilient elastomeric material. 
     
     
       10. A toothbrush comprising 
       a handle, and at one end thereof,  
       a bristle bearing head made of plastics material having a face from which bristles extend and an opposite face,  
       the head comprising at least two segments flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and having at least one of the segments being bristle bearing,  
       the head further including a frame integral to the handle,  
       stalk-like bridging portions extending inwardly from said frame to the segments for linking said segments to said frame, whereby spaces are formed between the segments, and between the segments and the frame, and  
       said spaces containing an elastomeric material.  
     
     
       11. A toothbrush comprising 
       a handle, and at one end thereof,  
       a bristle bearing head made of plastics material having a face from which bristles extend and an opposite face,  
       the head comprising at least two segments flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and having at least one of the segments being a bristle carrier,  
       the head further including a frame integral to the handle,  
       said head comprising at least one chain of bristle carriers being flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and being linked at least at one end to said frame,  
       said head having at least one space being formed between the frame and said at least one chain of bristle carriers,  
       said at least one space being filled with a flexible and resilient material.  
     
     
       12. A toothbrush according to  claim 5 ,  10  or  11  including bristles borne by and extending from the frame. 
     
     
       13. A toothbrush comprising: 
       
         a handle, and at one end thereof,  
       
         a bristle - bearing head made of plastics material having a face and an opposite face,    
       
         the head having at least two segments flexibly and resiliently linked to each other and having at least one of the segments being bristle bearing,  
       
       
         the head having bristles mounted on one face of the head and having at least one groove formed therein,  
       
       
         each of said at least one groove being formed between the segments such that the segments form a land on either side of a groove, and each groove containing an elastomeric material different from said plastic material, the elastomeric material controlling the degree of flexibility and resilience in the linkage between the segments.  
       
     
     
       14. The toothbrush of  claim 13 , wherein the toothbrush comprises only one groove.  
     
     
       15. The toothbrush of  claim 13 , wherein at least two segments are bristle bearing.  
     
     
       16. The toothbrush of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one groove is on said opposite face.