Composite Toothbrush Having Safety Features And Methods Of Making Same
Patent No. US11013311 (titled "Composite Toothbrush Having Safety Features And Methods Of Making Same") was filed by Loops Llc on Jul 1, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’311 is related to the field of toothbrush design , specifically addressing the need for safer and more durable toothbrushes in institutional settings like prisons and hospitals. Conventional toothbrushes can be weaponized or cause injury, and prior attempts at safer designs have often compromised usability or bristle retention. The patent aims to overcome these limitations by using a composite structure.
The underlying idea behind ’311 is to create a toothbrush with a dual-material head : a rigid inner core for bristle support and a soft, flexible outer layer for safety. This combination allows for effective cleaning while minimizing the risk of harm. The flexible handle further reduces the potential for the toothbrush to be used as a weapon.
The claims of ’311 focus on a toothbrush comprising a rigid polymer material and a pliable flexible material, where the flexible material constitutes a larger volume. The claims also cover a composite toothbrush with a rigid polymer inner core having bristle holes, partially surrounded by a pliable flexible material, and a flexible handle that can be bent into an "L" or "C" shape. A thermoplastic bond joins the two materials.
In practice, the toothbrush head is manufactured in two stages. First, the rigid inner core is molded with holes for the bristles. Then, this core is inserted into a second mold, and the softer, flexible material is molded around it, creating a thermoplastic bond without the need for glue. The flexible handle is molded simultaneously with the outer layer of the head.
This design differentiates itself from prior art by strategically using two materials to achieve both safety and functionality. The rigid inner core ensures good bristle retention and cleaning effectiveness, while the soft outer layer and flexible handle minimize the risk of injury or weaponization. The volume ratio of flexible to rigid material is also a key differentiator, ensuring that the toothbrush is primarily composed of the safer, flexible material.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2000s when ’311 was filed, toothbrushes were typically implemented using single-material construction for both the handle and head, at a time when bristle retention in flexible materials was non-trivial. At that time, toothbrush designs commonly relied on mechanical anchoring or adhesives to secure bristles, and when hardware or software constraints made multi-material molding processes more complex and costly.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner allowed the claims after an examiner's amendment. Claim 8 was cancelled. The word "composite" was deleted from claims 1, 2, 3, and 4. The word "ridged" was changed to "rigid" in claim 4. Claim 7 was amended to specify that the pliable flexible material comprises a greater volume than the rigid polymer toothbrush inner core material.
Claims
This patent contains 5 claims, with claims 1 and 5 being independent. The independent claims focus on a composite toothbrush featuring a rigid polymer material and a pliable flexible material. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features and configurations of the toothbrush described in the independent claims, such as material properties, head construction, and handle flexibility.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Date
Description
Get instant alerts for new documents
US11013311
- Application Number
- US16459341
- Filing Date
- Jul 1, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Dec 26, 2037
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents