Toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush comprising a head ( 10 ) carrying a group of bristles ( 20 ); an elongated handle ( 30 ), having a free end ( 31 ) and an opposite end ( 32 ); and a neck ( 40 ), connecting the opposite end ( 32 ) of the handle ( 30 ) to the head ( 10 ). Said handle ( 30 ) presents, on its front face ( 30 a ) and at the opposite end ( 32 ), a first shoulder ( 33 ) defining a thumb supporting front region ( 33 a ); and, on its rear face ( 30 b ) and spaced from the free end ( 31 ), a second shoulder ( 34 ) having opposite sides for supporting the little finger and the ring finger, respectively. The first and the second shoulders ( 33, 34 ) are used when the toothbrush is gripped with the bristles ( 20 ) turned to the user. The handle ( 30 ) has a cross section contour that increases generally from the thumb supporting region ( 33 a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), to the second shoulder ( 34 ). The rear face ( 30 b ) of the handle ( 30 ) is further provided with a thumb supporting rear region ( 35 a ), to be used when the toothbrush is gripped with the bristles ( 20 ) turned away from the user.

1 . A toothbrush comprising a head ( 10 ), having a front face ( 10   a ) constructed to carry a group of bristles ( 20 ): an elongated handle ( 30 ), having a free end ( 31 ), an opposite end ( 32 ), a front face ( 30   a ), and a rear face ( 30   b ); and a neck ( 40 ), connecting the opposite end ( 32 ) of the handle ( 30 ) to the head ( 10 ), characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) comprises a first shoulder ( 33 ) defining a thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ) and which is provided on the front face ( 30   a ) of the handle ( 30 ) at its opposite end ( 32 ); a second shoulder ( 34 ) having opposite sides for supporting the little finger and the ring finger, respectively, and which is provided on the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ) spaced from the free end ( 31 ) of the latter, said first and second shoulders ( 33 ,  34 ) being used when the toothbrush is gripped with the bristles ( 20 ) turned to the user; and a thumb supporting rear region ( 35   a ) provided on the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ), close to its opposite end ( 32 ), in order to be used when the toothbrush is gripped with the bristles ( 20 ) turned away from the user, the handle ( 30 ) having a cross section contour that generally increases from the thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), to the second shoulder ( 34 ).  
   
   
       2 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the first and second shoulders ( 33 ,  34 ) are defined by ramps matching with the respective front face ( 30   a ) and rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ), from which said shoulders project.  
   
   
       3 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the width of the handle ( 30 ) decreases progressively, from the maximum width in the second shoulder ( 34 ), to the free end ( 31 ), where it has a value substantially equal to that of the region in which the first shoulder ( 33 ) is provided.  
   
   
       4 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the free end ( 31 ) of the handle ( 30 ) is rounded and matches with the cross section contour of the handle ( 30 ) in this region.  
   
   
       5 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the cross section contour of the handle ( 30 ) is progressively reduced, from its maximum value at the second shoulder ( 34 ), until reaching the free end ( 31 ) of the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       6 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the distance between the first shoulder ( 33 ) and the second shoulder ( 34 ) corresponds to about 70-90% the length of the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       7 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) has a curvature along a longitudinal median plane (P) intercepting the front face ( 30   a ) and rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ), in order to make convex the front face ( 30   a ) and concave the rear face ( 30   b ).  
   
   
       8 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that said thumb supporting rear region ( 35   a ) is defined by the curvature of the rear face ( 30   b ) close to the opposite end ( 32 ) of the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       9 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the thumb supporting rear region ( 35   a ) is defined by a third shoulder ( 35 ) opposite to the first shoulder ( 33 ).  
   
   
       10 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the third shoulder ( 35 ) is defined by a ramp matching with the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ) from which it projects.  
   
   
       11 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) incorporates, in the region of the first and third shoulders ( 33 ,  35 ), a pair of first lateral shoulders ( 36 ), which are opposite to each other and slightly project from the contour of the handle ( 30 ), each first lateral shoulder ( 36 ) being defined by a pair of opposite ramps matching with each other and with the adjacent face of the handle ( 30 ), from which projects the respective first lateral shoulder ( 36 ).  
   
   
       12 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) incorporates, on its rear face ( 30   b ), a fourth shoulder ( 37 ), which maintains with the third shoulder ( 35 ) a spacing sufficient to adapt one of the user's fingers, upon gripping the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       13 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the fourth shoulder ( 37 ) is defined by a pair of opposite ramps, matching with each other and with the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ), on both sides of the fourth shoulder ( 37 ).  
   
   
       14 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) incorporates a pair of second lateral shoulders ( 38 ), opposite to each other and slightly projecting from the contour of the handle ( 30 ) in the region of the latter where is provided the fourth shoulder ( 37 ).  
   
   
       15 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 14 , characterized in that each second lateral shoulder ( 38 ) is defined by a pair of opposite ramps, matching with each other and with the adjacent face of the handle ( 30 ), from which projects the respective second lateral shoulder ( 38 ).  
   
   
       16 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the front face ( 30   a ) of the handle ( 30 ) extends in a convex arc, with at least one radius of curvature, from the thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), to the free end ( 31 ) of the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       17 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ), between the second shoulder ( 34 ) and the free end ( 31 ), is in the form of a rear surface ( 30   c ) converging with the corresponding portion of the front face ( 30   a ) of the handle ( 30 ) and matching with the second shoulder ( 34 ).  
   
   
       18 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the rear surface ( 30   c ) is slightly convex.  
   
   
       19 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the median longitudinal plane (P) is a plane of symmetry of the handle ( 30 ), of the neck ( 40 ) and of the head ( 10 ).  
   
   
       20 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ) is defined by a concave arc extending, with at least one radius of curvature, from the thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), where it defines the thumb supporting rear region ( 35   a ), to a region spaced from the free end ( 31 ) of the handle ( 30 ), where it defines the second shoulder ( 34 ).  
   
   
       21 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the width of the neck ( 40 ) decreases from a value that is equal to the width of the handle ( 30 ), at the adjacent thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), to a minimum value, at the region in which it is joined to the head ( 10 ).  
   
   
       22 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the neck ( 40 ) and the head ( 10 ) have a rear face ( 40   b,    10   b ) defined by a convex surface matching with the concave rear face ( 30   b ) of the handle ( 30 ) by means of the thumb supporting rear region ( 35   a ) located slightly offset from the first shoulder ( 33 ).  
   
   
       23 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the neck ( 40 ) and the head ( 10 ) are provided according to a longitudinal direction, which forms, on the side of the front face ( 30   a ) of the handle ( 30 ), an obtuse angle in relation to the longitudinal direction of development of the handle ( 30 ).  
   
   
       24 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the neck ( 40 ) and at least a certain extension of the handle ( 30 ), between the first shoulder ( 33 ) and the second shoulder ( 34 ), present a lateral contour defined by two rectilinear alignments, mutually converging to the direction of the head ( 10 ) and which are symmetrical in relation to the median longitudinal plane (P).  
   
   
       25 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the neck ( 40 ) has a front face ( 40   a ) matching with the first shoulder ( 33 ) by means of a concave matching surface ( 43 ).  
   
   
       26 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the cross section of the handle ( 30 ) presents a contour that increases continuously and progressively from the thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ), close to the first shoulder ( 33 ), to the second shoulder ( 34 ).  
   
   
       27 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 26 , characterized in that the first and the second shoulders ( 33 ,  34 ) present a width that is equal to the width of the region of the handle ( 30 ) in which they are provided.  
   
   
       28 . Toothbrush, according to  claim 26 , characterized in that the handle ( 30 ) has a cross section that increases continuously from the thumb supporting front region ( 33   a ) to the second shoulder ( 34 ).