Oral Care Implement

Abstract

Disclosed is an oral care implement, comprising: an elongate handle having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis; and a head at the distal end of the handle, the head comprising one or more oral care elements on a first side of the oral care implement; wherein the handle comprises first and second visibly demarcated grip regions on the first side of the oral care implement, wherein the first grip region is between the second grip region and the proximal end of the handle, wherein the first grip region is between 60 and 100 millimeters from the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the first and second grip regions are spaced apart by between 50 and 100 millimeters in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An oral care implement, comprising:
 an elongate handle having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis; and   a head at the distal end of the handle, the head comprising one or more oral care elements on a first side of the oral care implement;   wherein the handle comprises first and second visibly demarcated grip regions on the first side of the oral care implement, wherein the first grip region is between the second grip region and the proximal end of the handle, wherein the first grip region is between 60 and 100 millimeters from the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the first and second grip regions are spaced apart by between 50 and 100 millimeters in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the first grip region is between 70 and 90 millimeters from the proximal end of the handle. 
     
     
         3 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second grip regions are spaced apart by between 65 and 85 millimeters in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the first grip region has a higher coefficient of friction than a portion of the handle surrounding the first grip region, and/or wherein the second grip region has a higher coefficient of friction than a portion of the handle surrounding the second grip region. 
     
     
         5 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a body, a first member fixed to the body and comprising the first grip region, and a second member fixed to the body and comprising the second grip region. 
     
     
         6 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein the first member is out of contact with the second member at an exterior surface of the handle. 
     
     
         7 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein the first member is softer than the body and/or wherein the second member is softer than the body. 
     
     
         8 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein an exterior surface of the first member has a higher coefficient of friction than an exterior surface of the body and/or wherein an exterior surface of the second member has a higher coefficient of friction than an exterior surface of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein the first member and/or the second member are made of an elastomeric material, such as an elastomer. 
     
     
         10 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein the first member is of a different color to the body and/or wherein the second member is of a different color to the body, and/or wherein the second member is of a different color to the first member. 
     
     
         11 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the handle comprises a body and a member fixed to the body, the member comprising the first and second grip regions. 
     
     
         12 . The oral care implement of  claim 11 , wherein the member is softer than the body. 
     
     
         13 . The oral care implement of  claim 11 , wherein an exterior surface of the member has a higher coefficient of friction than an exterior surface of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The oral care implement of  claim 11 , wherein the member is made of an elastomeric material, such as an elastomer. 
     
     
         15 . The oral care implement of  claim 11 , wherein the member is of a different color to the body. 
     
     
         16 . The oral care implement of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the head is formed by the body. 
     
     
         17 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second grip regions comprises one or more depressions, ridges, nubs, bumps or grooves. 
     
     
         18 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the first grip region is of a different color and/or texture to a portion of the handle surrounding the first grip region, and/or wherein the second grip region is of a different color and/or texture to a portion of the handle surrounding the second grip region, and/or wherein the second grip region is of a different color and/or texture to the first grip region. 
     
     
         19 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein the second grip region comprises an image. 
     
     
         20 . The oral care implement of  claim 1 , wherein a first section of the handle comprising the first grip region is detachable from a second section of the handle comprising the second grip region. 
     
     
         21 . An oral care implement, comprising:
 an elongate handle having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis; and   a head at the distal end of the handle, the head comprising one or more oral care elements on a first side of the oral care implement;   wherein the handle has an exterior surface profile that defines first and second peaks on the first side of the oral care implement, wherein the first peak is between the second peak and the proximal end of the handle, wherein the first peak is between 75 and 125 millimeters from the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the first and second peaks are spaced apart by between 60 and 100 millimeters in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
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         39 . An oral care implement, comprising:
 an elongate handle having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis; and   a head at the distal end of the handle, the head comprising a base portion, one or more oral care elements attached to the base portion; and a neck portion;   wherein the neck portion of the head has a smaller cross sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis than each of the handle and the base portion of the head; and   wherein a length of the handle between the proximal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle is at least 170 millimeters.   
     
     
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