Toothbrush and Anchor Wire Therefor

Abstract

A toothbrush ( 100 ) including a head portion ( 120 ) formed from bamboo. A plurality of tuft holes ( 130 ) are formed into the head portion ( 120 ) and a bristle tuft ( 151 ) is positioned within each of the tuft holes ( 130 ) and secured by an anchor wire ( 200 ). The anchor wire ( 200 ) may be formed from a metal alloy that includes nickel. The anchor wire ( 200 ) includes a plurality of first grooves ( 210 ) in its first surface ( 203 ) and a plurality of second grooves ( 220 ) in its second surface ( 204 ). The grooves ( 210, 220 ) may have sidewalls ( 212, 213, 222, 223 ) that are perpendicular to its floor ( 211, 221 ). A width (WG 1 , WG 2 ) of the grooves ( 210, 220 ) may be equal to a spacing (D 2 , D 5 ) between the grooves ( 210, 220 ) and greater than a thickness (Ti) of the anchor wire ( 200 ).

1 . A toothbrush comprising:
 a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion comprising a front surface, the body formed from bamboo;   a plurality of tuft holes formed into the front surface of the head portion, each of the tuft holes comprising a floor that is recessed relative to the front surface of the head portion;   a bristle tuft positioned within each of the tuft holes;   an anchor wire positioned within each of the tuft holes to secure the bristle tufts to the head portion, each of the anchor wires formed from a metal alloy comprising nickel;   each of the anchor wires comprising a bottom end adjacent to the floor of the tuft hole within which the anchor wire is positioned, a top end opposite the bottom end, a first anchor wire axis extending from the bottom end to the top end, and first and second surfaces extending from the bottom end to the top end;   a plurality of first grooves formed into the first surface of each of the anchor wires and a plurality of second grooves formed into the second surface of each of the anchor wires, each of the first and second grooves extending along a groove axis that is perpendicular to the first anchor wire axis, each of the first grooves spaced apart from each adjacent one of the first grooves and each of the second grooves spaced apart from each adjacent one of the second grooves by a groove to groove spacing distance; and   wherein each of the first and second grooves has a groove width measured in a direction parallel to the first anchor wire axis, the groove width being substantially equal to the groove to groove spacing distance.   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein each of the first grooves comprises a floor, a first sidewall extending from the floor to the first surface of the anchor wire, and a second sidewall extending from the floor to the first surface of the anchor wire, the first and second sidewalls of the first grooves being perpendicular to the floor of the first grooves, and wherein each of the second grooves comprises a floor, a first sidewall extending from the floor to the second surface of the anchor wire, and a second sidewall extending from the floor to the second surface of the anchor wire, the first and second sidewalls of the second grooves being perpendicular to the floor of the second grooves. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush according to  claim 2  wherein each of the first grooves has a first groove depth measured from the floor of the first groove to the first surface of the anchor wire and wherein each of the second grooves has a second groove depth measured from the floor of the second groove to the second surface of the anchor wire, the first and second groove depths being the same. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush according to  claim 3  wherein a ratio of the groove width to each of the first and second groove depths is between 5:1 and 8:1. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein one of the first grooves adjacent to the bottom end of the anchor wire and one of the second grooves adjacent to the bottom end of the anchor wire are spaced apart from the bottom end of the anchor wire by a groove to end spacing distance, and wherein the groove width and the groove to groove spacing distance are greater than the groove to end spacing distance. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein a ratio of the groove width to the groove to end spacing distance is between 1.1:1 and 1.3.1, and wherein a ratio of the groove to groove spacing distance and the groove to end spacing distance is between 1.1:1 and 1.3:1. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein each of the anchor wires comprises a length measured from the bottom end to the top end and a width measured from a first side end to a second side end, the width being greater than the length. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the body extends along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end, and wherein each of the anchor wires is positioned within one of the tuft holes so that the groove axes of the first and second grooves of the anchor wires intersect the longitudinal axis of the body portion at an oblique angle, and wherein the oblique angle is between 10° and 20°. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein for each of the anchor wires, each of the first grooves in the first surface of the anchor wire is aligned with one of the second grooves in the second surface of the anchor wire. 
     
     
         11 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein each of the anchor wires comprises a thickness measured from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein each of the first and second grooves has a depth, and wherein a ratio of the thickness of the anchor wire to the depth of the first and second grooves is greater than 4:1 and less than 6:1. 
     
     
         12 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein each of the anchor wires comprises a thickness measured from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein the groove width is greater than the thickness. 
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the metal alloy comprises nickel, copper, and zinc, the nickel comprising 8-15 wt % of the metal alloy and the copper comprising 50-70 wt % of the metal alloy. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the groove width is approximately 0.3 mm, wherein the groove to groove spacing distance is approximately 0.3 mm, wherein a thickness of the anchor wire measured from the first surface to the second surface is approximately 0.28 mm, wherein a depth of the first and second grooves is approximately 0.05 mm, and wherein a distance between the first and second grooves positioned closest to the bottom and top ends of the anchor wire and the bottom and top ends of the anchor wire is approximately 0.25 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A toothbrush comprising:
 a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion comprising a front surface, the body formed from a cellulosic material;   a plurality of tuft holes formed into the front surface of the head portion, each of the tuft holes comprising a floor that is recessed relative to the front surface of the head portion;   a bristle tuft positioned within each of the tuft holes;   an anchor wire positioned within each of the tuft holes to secure the bristle tufts to the head portion, each of the anchor wires formed from a metal alloy comprising nickel;   each of the anchor wires comprising a bottom end adjacent to the floor of the tuft hole within which the anchor wire is positioned, a top end opposite the bottom end, a first anchor wire axis extending from the bottom end to the top end, and first and second surfaces extending from the bottom end to the top end;   a plurality of first grooves formed into the first surface of each of the anchor wires and a plurality of second grooves formed into the second surface of each of the anchor wires, each of the first and second grooves extending along a groove axis that is perpendicular to the first anchor wire axis; and   wherein each of the first grooves comprises a floor, a first sidewall extending from the floor to the first surface of the anchor wire, and a second sidewall extending from the floor to the first surface of the anchor wire, the first and second sidewalls being perpendicular to the floor, and wherein each of the second grooves comprises a floor, a first sidewall extending from the floor to the second surface of the anchor wire, and a second sidewall extending from the floor to the second surface of the anchor wire, the first and second sidewalls being perpendicular to the floor.   
     
     
         17 . The toothbrush according to  claim 16  wherein each of the first grooves and each of the second grooves has a groove width measured in a direction parallel to the first anchor wire axis, wherein each of the first grooves is spaced apart from each adjacent one of the first grooves and each of the second grooves is spaced apart from each adjacent one of the second grooves by a groove to groove spacing distance, and wherein the groove width and the groove to groove spacing distance are the same. 
     
     
         18 . The toothbrush according to  claim 17  wherein each of the first grooves and each of the second grooves comprises a groove depth, and wherein a ratio of the groove width to the groove depth is between 5:1 and 8:1. 
     
     
         19 . The toothbrush according to  claim 17  wherein the plurality of first grooves comprises a first end groove spaced a first groove to end spacing distance from the bottom end of the anchor wire and a second end groove spaced a second groove to end spacing distance from the top end of the anchor wire, and wherein the groove width and the groove to groove spacing distance are greater than the first and second groove to end spacing distances wherein a ratio of the groove width to each of the first and second groove to end spacing distances is between 1.1:1 and 1.3:1. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The toothbrush according to  claim 16  wherein the cellulosic material comprises bamboo. 
     
     
         22 . The toothbrush according to  claim 16  wherein each of the anchor wires comprises a thickness measured from the first surface to the second surface, and wherein each of the first grooves and each of the second grooves has a groove width measured in a direction parallel to the first anchor wire axis, and wherein the groove width is greater than the thickness. 
     
     
         23 . A toothbrush comprising:
 a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion comprising a front surface, the body formed from bamboo;   a plurality of tuft holes formed into the front surface of the head portion, each of the tuft holes comprising a floor that is recessed relative to the front surface of the head portion;   a bristle tuft positioned within each of the tuft holes;   an anchor wire positioned within each of the tuft holes to secure the bristle tufts to the head portion, each of the anchor wires formed from a metal alloy comprising nickel;   each of the anchor wires comprising a bottom end adjacent to the floor of the tuft hole within which the anchor wire is positioned, a top end opposite the bottom end, a first anchor wire axis extending from the bottom end to the top end, first and second surfaces extending from the bottom end to the top end, and a thickness measured from the first surface to the second surface;   a plurality of first grooves formed into the first surface of each of the anchor wires and a plurality of second grooves formed into the second surface of each of the anchor wires, each of the first and second grooves extending along a groove axis that is perpendicular to the first anchor wire axis; and   wherein each of the first and second grooves has a groove width measured in a direction parallel to the first anchor wire axis, wherein the groove width is greater than the thickness of the anchor wire.   
     
     
         24 .- 30 . (canceled)