Toothbrush, as Well as Toothbrush Head Therefor

Abstract

A toothbrush and toothbrush head with a bristle carrier, on which a bristle section featuring a multitude of filaments is arranged. At least one filament is provided with a taper on its free end with a shape other than a rotationally symmetrical shape to preserve a high flexural strength of the filament in one direction. The taper is a flat-pressed scarfing such that the filament has a greater flexural strength with respect to a first lateral axis than with respect to a second lateral axis perpendicular to the first lateral axis in the region of the taper. The flat-pressed scarfing at the point of the filament improves penetration into the interdental spaces, while the higher geometrical moment of inertia of the wide side reduces the bending of the filament during use.

1 . A toothbrush head comprising
 a bristle carrier on which a bristle section comprising a multitude of filaments is arranged,   wherein at least one filament is provided with a taper on its free end, with the taper in the form of a flat-pressed scarfing, such that the filament has a greater flexural strength with respect to a first, longer lateral axis than with respect to a second, shorter lateral axis extending perpendicular to the first lateral axis in the region of the taper.   
   
   
       2 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing is wedge-shaped. 
   
   
       3 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is aligned on the bristle carrier in such a way that the first lateral axis of the scarfing extends approximately parallel to interdental spaces when the brush head is placed against a row of teeth such that the longitudinal toothbrush axis is approximately aligned tangential to a dental arch. 
   
   
       4 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one filament is aligned on the bristle carrier in such a way that the higher flexural strength with respect to brushing movements extends parallel to interdental spaces when the brush head is placed against a row of teeth such that the longitudinal toothbrush axis is approximately aligned tangential to a dental arch. 
   
   
       5 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing is formed by a sloped surface that is inclined relative to the longitudinal filament axis by an acute angle. 
   
   
       6 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 5 , wherein the scarfing is formed by two opposite sloped surfaces that are respectively inclined relative to the longitudinal filament axis by an acute angle. 
   
   
       7 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 5 , wherein the sloped surface is planar. 
   
   
       8 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 5 , wherein the sloped surface has a curvature. 
   
   
       9 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 8 , wherein the curvature is uniaxial. 
   
   
       10 . The toothbrush head according  claim 8 , wherein the curvature is convex. 
   
   
       11 . The toothbrush head according  claim 8 , wherein the curvature is concave. 
   
   
       12 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein an edge of the scarfing is rounded at least toward the free end of the filament. 
   
   
       13 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 12 , wherein the rounding follows an outside contour of the sloped surfaces. 
   
   
       14 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing features a blunt head surface. 
   
   
       15 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 14 , wherein the blunt head surface has a thickness of approximately ⅕ to ⅖ the filament diameter. 
   
   
       16 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing has a wedge angle of less than 40°. 
   
   
       17 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 16 , wherein the wedge angle lies between 15° and 25°. 
   
   
       18 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the filament has a cylindrical contour in a non-scarfed region of the filament. 
   
   
       19 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing extends over approximately ⅛ to 4/8 the length of the filament above the bristle carrier. 
   
   
       20 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing is produced by grinding. 
   
   
       21 - 27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the filaments are combined into bristle clusters on the bristle carrier, and wherein at least ¾ of all filaments with scarfings in a bristle cluster containing filaments with flat-pressed scarfings have substantially the same alignment. 
   
   
       29 . The toothbrush head according to  claim 1 , wherein the scarfing is formed such that the flexural strength of the filament is at least 20% greater with respect to the first lateral axis than the flexural strength with respect to the second lateral axis. 
   
   
       30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . A manual toothbrush comprising:
 a toothbrush head;   a bristle carrier coupled to the toothbrush head;   a bristle section coupled to the bristle carrier; and   a multitude of filaments arranged on the bristle section,   wherein at least one filament is provided with a taper on its free end, with the taper in the form of a flat-pressed scarfing, such that the filament has a greater flexural strength with respect to a first, longer lateral axis than with respect to a second, shorter lateral axis extending perpendicular to the first lateral axis in the region of the taper.   
   
   
       32 . An electric toothbrush comprising:
 a toothbrush head;   a bristle carrier coupled to the toothbrush head;   a bristle section coupled to the bristle carrier; and   a multitude of filaments arranged on the bristle section,   wherein at least one filament is provided with a taper on its free end, with the taper in the form of a flat-pressed scarfing, such that the filament has a greater flexural strength with respect to a first, longer lateral axis than with respect to a second, shorter lateral axis extending perpendicular to the first lateral axis in the region of the taper.   
   
   
       33 . The toothbrush according to  claim 32 , wherein the bristle carrier is configured to be driven in a rotatively oscillating fashion about a drive axis that extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. 
   
   
       34 . The toothbrush according to  claim 32 , wherein the first lateral axis of the scarfing of at least one filament is aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. 
   
   
       35 . The toothbrush according to  claim 32 , wherein the bristle carrier is configured to be driven in a rotatively oscillating fashion about a drive axis that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal toothbrush axis. 
   
   
       36 . The toothbrush according to  claim 35 , wherein the at least one filament is arranged in one or two opposite angular sectors that are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, the angular sectors containing a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush in a rotational center position of the bristle carrier, wherein the first lateral axis of the at least one filament is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal toothbrush axis. 
   
   
       37 . The toothbrush according to  claim 36 , wherein the angular sectors extend over an angular range of less than 45°. 
   
   
       38 . The toothbrush according to  claim 35 , wherein the at least one filament is arranged in two opposite angular sectors that lie on an axis that is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal toothbrush axis in the rotational center position of the bristle carrier, wherein the at least one filament is aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal toothbrush axis with the first lateral axis of the filament in the aforementioned rotational center position of the bristle carrier.