Toothbrush having a uniform, smooth and continuous wall of bristles

Abstract

A toothbrush, either manual or powered, including an elongated member with a head at one end and a handle at the other end. The toothbrush is generally aligned along a central longitudinal axis. The head having a brush face including a brush cavity from which a plurality of bristles extend. The bristles being arranged in a plurality of bristle tufts so as to extend generally perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis. The toothbrush also includes a plurality of lateral support members extending upwardly from a base of the brush cavity. The bristles are attached to the toothbrush by an attachment device provided in the brush cavity. The attachment device engages at least one of the tufts and secures the tuft between adjacent lateral support members. The attachment device includes a bottom edge and a top edge. Each of the lateral support members extend to a predetermined height from the base of the brush cavity so as to reach at least the height of the bottom edge of said attachment device in the brush cavity.

1 . A toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated member having a head at one end and a handle at the other end, generally aligned along a central longitudinal axis, said head having a brush face including a cavity from which a plurality of bristles extend, said plurality of bristles being arranged in a plurality of tufts so as to extend generally perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;    a plurality of lateral support members extending upwardly from a base of the brush cavity;    attachment means provided in said brush cavity for engaging at least one of the plurality of tufts and for securing said one tuft between adjacent lateral support members, said attachment means having a bottom edge and a top edge, and    wherein each of the lateral support members extends to a predetermined height from the base of the brush cavity so as to reach at least the height of the bottom edge of said attachment means in said brush cavity.    
   
   
       2 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral support member extends to a predetermined height between the bottom edge of the attachment means and the brush face.  
   
   
       3 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tufts is affixed by the attachment means between one of the plurality of lateral support members and a side edge of the brush cavity.  
   
   
       4 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein attachment means is a metal staple.  
   
   
       5 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral support members are substantially U-shape.  
   
   
       6 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral support members enable the bristles of the plurality of tufts to contact one another at a point in the cavity below the brush face.  
   
   
       7 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means forms a substantially uniform continuous layer of bristles extending from the brush face.  
   
   
       8 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral support member has a non-flat top surface.  
   
   
       9 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral support walls are curved.  
   
   
       10 . A powered toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated member having a head at one end and a handle at the other end, generally aligned along a central longitudinal axis, said head having a brush face including a cavity from which a plurality of bristles extend, said plurality of bristles being arranged in a plurality of tufts so as to extend generally perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis;    a plurality of lateral support members extending upwardly from a base of the brush cavity;    attachment means provided in said cavity at least for engaging one of the plurality of tufts and for securing said one tuft between adjacent lateral support members, said attachment means having a bottom edge and a top edge, and    wherein each of the lateral support members extends to a predetermined height from the base of the brush cavity so as to reach at least the height of the bottom edge of said attachment means in said brush cavity.    
   
   
       11 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support member extends to a predetermined height between the bottom edge of the attachment means and the brush face.  
   
   
       12 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of tufts is affixed by the attachment means between one of the plurality of lateral support members and a side edge of the brush cavity.  
   
   
       13 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein attachment means is a metal staple.  
   
   
       14 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support members are substantially U-shape.  
   
   
       15 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support members enable the bristles of the plurality of tufts to contact one another at a point in the cavity below the brush face.  
   
   
       16 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein said attachment means forms a substantially uniform continuous layer of bristles extending from the brush face.  
   
   
       17 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support member has a non-flat top surface.  
   
   
       18 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support walls are curved.  
   
   
       19 . The toothbrush of  claim 11 , wherein the lateral support member extends to a predetermined height between the top edge of the attachment means and a top surface of said brush face.  
   
   
       20 . A lateral support member for holding bristles in a toothbrush comprising: 
 a substantially U-shaped formation formed in a cavity of the toothbrush, at least one leg of the U-shaped formation extending to a point between a bottom edge of a staple and a brush face of the toothbrush securing the bristles to the toothbrush.