Dental hygiene item

Abstract

A toothbrush ( 10 ) including a handle ( 11 ) to which there is attached a toothbrush head ( 12 ). The handle ( 11 ) includes a hollow body ( 15 ) and opposite longitudinal ends ( 17, 18 ). An attachment portion ( 27 ) of the toothbrush head ( 12 ) engages an attachment portion ( 28 ) of the handle ( 11 ) so as to be secured thereto.

1 . A handle of a dental hygiene item, the handle including:
 a longitudinal axis, and opposite first and second longitudinal end portions;   the second end portion including an engagement portion to releaseably engage a head that is to be fixed to the second end portion so that via manipulation of the handle the head can be manipulated by a user to engage the user's teeth, internal mouth surfaces or tongue; and wherein   the second end portion includes a first longitudinal length and a second longitudinal length, the second longitudinal length tapering towards an end extremity, with the first length having a longitudinally extending external surface and the second length have a longitudinally extending external surface, with the surfaces being joined by a transition surface, the transition surface being tangential to the first surface and tangential to the second surface, with the second surface spaced outwardly from the first surface by no more than 3 mm relative to said axis at the transition surface.   
     
     
         2 . The handle of  claim 1 , wherein the two external surfaces are circular in transverse cross-section. 
     
     
         3 . The handle of  claim 1 , wherein the transition surface is joined to the first surface by a first radius, and the transition surface is joined to the second surface by a second radius, wherein the first radius is larger than the second radius. 
     
     
         4 . The handle of  claim 3 , wherein the first radius is between 9 mm and 10 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The handle of  claim 4 , wherein the first radius is about 9.7 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The handle of  claim 3 , wherein the second radius is between 5 mm and 6 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The handle of  claim 6 , wherein the second radius is about 5.2 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A dental hygiene item, said item including:
 a handle having a longitudinal axis, and opposite first and second longitudinally opposite end portions;   a head that is to engage a user's teeth, internal mouth surfaces or tongue, the head being fixed to the second end portion; and wherein   said handle includes a bulbous portion adjacent said first end portion, the bulbous portion tapering to said first end portion and towards said second end portion.   
     
     
         9 . The item of  claim 8 , wherein said handle is hollow and includes an end cap at said first end portion that is removable to enable items to be located internally and stored in said handle. 
     
     
         10 . The item of  claim 8  or  9 , wherein said head is removably attached to said handle. 
     
     
         11 . The item of  claim 8 , wherein said handle has an external surface, and said head has an external surface, with the handle surface being aligned with the head surface so as to provide a smooth transition between the two surfaces. 
     
     
         12 . The item of  claim 8 , wherein said handle has a longitudinal length that is greater than the longitudinal length of said head. 
     
     
         13 . A dental hygiene item including:
 a handle to be gripped in a user's hand, the handle having a body with a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal end portion;   a tooth, internal mouth surfaces or tongue engaging head removably attached to the end portion; and   attachment portions to secure the handle to the head, the attachment portions including an annular flange surrounding a passage, and a projection to extend inwardly of the passage to engage internally of the flange so that upon longitudinal relative movement between the handle and head towards each other, the projection enters the passage to engage the flange.   
     
     
         14 . The item of  claim 13 , wherein the head includes said annular flange, and the handle includes said projection. 
     
     
         15 . The item of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment portions include a shaft projecting inwardly of the passage, and the handle projection includes an internal projection passage within which the shaft is received when the attachment portions are engaged. 
     
     
         16 . The item of  claim 15 , wherein said shaft tapers towards an end extremity. 
     
     
         17 . The item of  claim 13 , wherein the head passage tapers inwardly from an end opening of the passage. 
     
     
         18 . The item of  claim 13 , wherein the attachment portions include a plurality of recesses and a plurality of raised portions, the raised portions being engaged in the recesses to secure the handle to the head. 
     
     
         19 . The item of  claim 18 , wherein the recesses are in said projection, and the raised portions attached to the flange and projecting inwardly relative to said passage to engage the recesses. 
     
     
         20 . The item of  claim 18 , wherein the raised portions engage in the recess by resilient deformation of the flange and/or projection, and the recesses extend angularly and longitudinally relative to said axis. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled)