Electric toothbrush head

Abstract

A head for an electric toothbrush includes a support member having a plurality of holes extending completely therethrough. A plurality of tufts of bristles each extends through one of the holes. A first brushing end of each tuft projects from a first side of the support member. Each tuft is prevented from being withdrawn from its hole when a tensile force is applied to the first end of each tuft along a long axis of the tuft. A resilient cushion is positioned adjacent a second side of the support member such that a second end of each tuft can contact the cushion. When a compressive force is applied to the first end of each tuft along the long axis of each tuft, each tuft can move in its hole in a first direction into the cushion. When the compressive force is removed the cushion causes each tuft to move in its hole in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction.

1 . A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising: 
 a support member; and    a plurality of tufts of bristles supported at their base by the support member, two of the tufts having their bases adjacent to each other, the two tufts being tilted away from each other at an acute angle relative to the support member.    
     
     
         2 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two tufts has a cross-section which is other than round in shape.  
     
     
         3 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two tufts has a cross-section which is oval in shape.  
     
     
         4 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tufts includes a third tuft which has a different cross-section than either of the two tufts.  
     
     
         5 . The head of  claim 4 , wherein the third tuft is also tilted at an acute angle relative to the support member.  
     
     
         6 . A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising: 
 a support member having a plurality of holes extending completely therethrough;    a plurality of tufts of bristles, each tuft extending through one of the holes, a first brushing end of each tuft projecting from a first side of the support member;    means for preventing each tuft from being withdrawn from its hole when a tensile force is applied to the first end of each tuft along a long axis of the tuft; and    a resilient cushion positioned adjacent a second side of the support member such that a second end of each tuft can contact the cushion, whereby when a compressive force is applied to the first end of each tuft along the long axis of each tuft, each tuft can move in its hole in a first direction into the cushion, and when the compressive force is removed the cushion causes each tuft to move in its hole in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction.    
     
     
         7 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein the preventing means includes a thickened portion at the second end of each tuft, the thickened portion being larger than the tuft's respective hole such that the thickened section cannot be pulled through the hole.  
     
     
         8 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein two of the tufts are tilted away from each other at an acute angle relative to the support member.  
     
     
         9 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the tufts has a cross-section which is oval in shape.  
     
     
         10 . A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising: 
 a support member; and    a plurality of tufts of bristles supported at their base by the support member, the support member having a substantially circular surface from which the tufts project, a first one of the tufts being tilted along an imaginary radius which projects from a center of the circular surface and passes through a base of the first tuft, a second one of the tufts being tilted along an imaginary circumference which encircles the center of the circular surface and passes through a base of the second tuft.    
     
     
         11 . The head of  claim 10 , wherein a base of the first tuft is located closer to the center of the circular surface than a base of the second tuft.  
     
     
         12 . The head of  claim 10 , wherein the first tuft and second tuft are tilted at different angles relative to the circular surface.  
     
     
         13 . The head of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second tufts has a cross-section which is other than round in shape.  
     
     
         14 . The head of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second tufts has a cross-section which is oval in shape.  
     
     
         15 . A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising: 
 a support member; and    a plurality of tufts of bristles supported at their base by the support member, a pair of the tufts being tilted in substantially the same direction relative to the support member, a first tuft of the pair having a different cross-section than a second tuft of the pair.    
     
     
         16 . The head of  claim 15 , wherein the first tuft has a different length than the second tuft.  
     
     
         17 . The head of  claim 16 , further including a third tuft which is tilted relative to the support member, the third tuft having a different length than the first and second tufts.  
     
     
         18 . The head of  claim 15 , wherein the first tuft has a different number of bristles than the second tuft.  
     
     
         19 . The head of  claim 15 , wherein the first tuft has a different length than the second tuft.  
     
     
         20 . The head of  claim 15 , further including a third tuft which is tilted a an angle which is different from the angle of tilt of the first and second tufts.  
     
     
         21 . The head of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the tufts is oriented at an acute angle to a surface of the support member from which the at least one tuft projects.  
     
     
         22 . A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising: 
 a tuft of bristles which has a cross-section that is other than round in shape.    
     
     
         23 . The head of  claim 22 , wherein the tuft has an oval cross-section.  
     
     
         24 . The head of  claim 22 , wherein the tuft is tilted at an acute angle relative to a top surface of the head from which the tuft projects.  
     
     
         25 . The head of  claim 22 . further including an additional tuft, the two tufts having at least one different characteristic from each other, the characteristic being selected from the group of characteristics consisting of length, cross-sectional shape, color, material composition, number of filaments, type of extrusion and angle of tilt.  
     
     
         26 . The head of  claim 22 , further including a second tuft having a cross-section that is round in shape.  
     
     
         27 . The head of  claim 26 , wherein the round shaped tuft is perpendicular to a top surface of the head from which this tuft projects, and the other tuft is oriented at an acute angle to this surface.  
     
     
         28 . The head of  claim 26 , wherein the round shaped tuft is at an acute angle to a top surface of the head from which this tuft projects, and the other tuft is oriented perpendicular to this surface.  
     
     
         29 . The head of  claim 25 , further including a third tuft, the lengths of the three tufts differing in length from each other and being in the range of from about 6.7 mm to about 8.6 mm in length.  
     
     
         30 . The head of  claim 25 , wherein at least some of the bristles have a diameter of from about 5.5 mil to about 6.5 mil.