FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to toothpicks and more particularly to toothpicks of plastics material, and more particularly but not exclusively, to toothpicks moulded from plastics material.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Traditionally toothpicks were manufactured from wood. However, more recently, toothpicks have been formed of moulded plastics material. Typically the toothpicks are longitudinally elongated and taper to a point at one end. In some instances, to aid in the removal of plaque, the moulded plastic toothpicks are provided with surface irregularities such as depressions and ridges. The toothpicks have been generally round, triangular or square in transverse cross-section.

[0003] Toothpicks typically are made in the way that allows removal of food between the teeth but are typically too thick to penetrate optimally in the area between the tooth contact point and the gingiva. Round toothpicks and square toothpicks in particular cannot penetrate this area because the shape of the hole that they are entering is essentially that of a very thin Isosceles triangle. Triangular toothpicks typically penetrate this area better however many of them have been made of wood and the wood cannot be made as sharp as plastic at the leading edge pointing towards the tooth contact point because of the risk of the wood losing mechanical integrity in such a thin section and the risk of this wood fibre pulling off, jamming between the teeth, or breaking in the mouth. Plastic toothpicks that are made from brittle materials such as high impact polystyrene or ABS may also be susceptible to brittle fracture and therefore a mouldable flexible material with high levels of toughness such as polypropylene or k resin is more suitable for such fine sections.

[0004] Additionally previous toothpicks do not thoroughly clean the area immediately adjacent teeth contact.

13413669 1 :hxa [0005] Some manufacturers take the view that a sharp edge would cause a cut or an irritation to the gum i f the toothpick was put into the hole between the teeth in the wrong ori entation wi th the sharp edge towards the gum.

[0006] The above described toothpicks have the disadvantage that although they may remove large particles of food and debris, only minimal amounts of acid producing and decay causing plaque are removed, and that the most significant place for the plaque to be removed is in the area where most decay starts between the teeth, which is the area within 2 to 3 mm of the contact point between the teeth on the gum side of that contact point. Current state of the art toothpicks do not remove plaque optimally from this area, partly because they are not thin enough along the leading edge to get into this thin area (the radius of the leading edge is too large ) nor are they shaped in the appropriate geometric cross-sectional pattern with concave surfaces to match up to and engage with the convex surfaces formed by the bulbous tooth crowns on either side of the interproximal space, which is the area between the teeth when they are typically in contact. As a result of the wrong geometric shape, (even if they had an appropriate thin edge) current generation toothpicks may not be able to penetrate into and clean the area immediately under the contact point because other parts of the toothpick would be engaging with the sides of the teeth prematurely and inhibiting the toothpick leading edge from going up to the optimal plaque removal and decay preventing posi tion as far as it could have otherwise if it had been concave in cross-section.

[0007] In addition to allowing optimal penetration of the leading edge, the concave surfaces also give greater cleaning power of the entire interproximal space, due to the matching geometries.

OBJECT

[0008] The object of the present invention is to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.

13413669 1 :hxa SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0009] There is disclosed herein a toothpick formed of plastic material and having a longitudinal axis, the toothpick including:

a longitudinally extending body that tapers to an end extremity apex and having an end portion remote from the apex;

at least three longitudinally extending side surfaces;

a plurality of holes extending through the body between the surfaces; and

a gripping part fixed to and extending from the end portion to enable a user to grip the toothpick and manipulate the toothpick, including insertion of the apex between a pair of adjacent teeth of the user.

[0010] Preferably, the toothpick has three longitudinally extending sides so that in transverse cross-section, the toothpick is triangular in configuration.

[001 1] Preferably, the triangular configuration is an isosceles triangle.

[0012] Preferably, the triangular configuration is an equilateral triangle.

[0013] Preferably, at least one of the longitudinally extending surfaces is concave.

[0014] Preferably, at least two of the longitudinally extending surfaces are concave in cross-section transverse of said axis.

[0015] Preferably, the toothpick is moulded from plastics material.

[0016] Preferably, the body has at least one hole extending between two of the surfaces.

[0017] Preferably, the body has a plurality of hol es extending between two of the surfaces.

[0018] Preferably, the holes are arranged in two rows, each row extending longitudinally of the body.

[0019] Preferably, two of the side surfaces converge to provide a longitudinally extending edge, with the edge having an end portion adjacent the apex, with the end portion being serrated.

13413669 1 :hxa [0020] Preferably, the longitudinally extending edge is inclined to said axis by an acute angle.

[0021] There is further disclosed herein a toothpick formed of plastics material and having a longitudinal axis, the toothpick including:

a longitudinally extending body that tapers to an end extremity apex and having an end portion remote from the apex;

at least three longitudinally extending side surfaces;

a gripping part fixed to and extending from the end portion to enable a user to grip the toothpick and manipulate the toothpick, including insertion of the apex between a pair of adjacent teeth of the user; and wherein

at least two of the surfaces, when viewed in a section transverse of said axis, are concave.

[0022] Preferably, the two surfaces converge to provide a longitudinally extending edge. [0023] Preferably, a plurality of holes extend between the surfaces.

[0024] Preferably, the gripping part has an end portion adjacent the body, and an end extremity most remote from the body, with the gripping part providing a handle having a transverse cross-section, with the handle cross-section diminishing from the gripping part end portion to generally longitudinally centrally of the gripping portion, with the handle transverse cross- sectional area then increasing toward said gripping part end extremity.

[0025] There is still further disclosed herein a toothpick formed of plastic material and having a longitudinal axis, the toothpick including:

a longitudinally extending body that tapers to an end extremity apex and having an end portion remote from the apex;

at least three longitudinally extending side surfaces;

a gripping part fixed to an extending from the end portion to enable a user to grip the toothpick and manipulate the toothpick, including insertion of the apex between a pair of adjacent teeth of the user; and wherein

the apex has a radius less than 220μιη.

[0026] Preferably, the radius is less than 125μηι. [0027] Preferably, the radius is less than Ι ΟΟμηι.

13413669 1 :hxa [0028] Preferably, the radius is less than 75μηι. [0029] Preferably, the radius is about 90μηι.

[0030] There is still further disclosed herein a toothpick formed of plastic material and having a longitudinal axis, the toothpick including:

a longitudinally extending blade that tapers to an end extremity apex and having an end portion remote from the apex, and at least three longitudinally extending side surfaces;

a gripping part fixed to and extending from the end portion to enable a user to grip and manipulate the toothpick, including insertion of the apex between a pair of adjacent teeth of the user; and wherein

the gripping part provides a handle that has a generally circular transverse cross-section.

[0031] Preferably, there are three longitudinally extending side surfaces so that the blade is generally triangular in transverse cross-section.

[0032] Preferably, the body is a blade.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Preferred fonns of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic isometric view of a toothpick;

[0035] Figure 2 is a further schematic isometric view of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0037] Figure 4 is a further schematic side elevation of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic top plan view of the toothpick of Figure 1;

[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic bottom plan view of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

13413669 1 :hxa [0040] Figure 7 is a schematic end elevation of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 8 is a further schematic end elevation of the toothpick of Figure 1;

[0042] Figure 9 is an enlarged isometric view of portion of the toothpick of Figure 1;

[0043] Figures 10, 11 and 12 are schematic isometric views of alternative handles for the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0044] Figure 13 is a schematic end elevation of the handle portion of Figure 10;

[0045] Figure 14 is a schematic end elevation of the handle portion of Figure 1 1 ;

[0046] Figure 15 is a schematic end elevation of the handle portion of Figure 12;

[0047] Figure 16 is a schematic parts sectioned isometric view of portion of the toothpick of Figure 1 ;

[0048] Figure 17 is a schematic isometric view of an alternative portion that is illustrated in Figure 16;

[0049] Figure 18 is a schematic end elevation of the portion of Fi gure 16;

[0050] Figure 19 is a schematic end elevation of the portion of Figure 17;

[0051] Figure 20 is a schematic isometric view of a modification of the toothpick as shown in Figure 1 ;

[0052] Figure 21 is a schematic side elevation of an end length of th e toothpick as shown in Figure 20;

[0053] Figure 22 is a schematic plan view of a modification of the toothpick as shown in Figure 20;

13413669 1 :hxa [0054] Figure 23 is a schematic isometric view of a modification of the toothpick shown in Figure 1 ; and

[0055] Figure 24 is a further schematic isometric view of the toothpick of Figure 23. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0056] In Fi gures 1 to 19 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a toothpick 10. The toothpick 10 is moulded of plastics material and includes a body in the form of a blade 1 1. The blade 1 1 has an end portion 22 to which a handle 12 is attached. The toothpick 10 has a longitudinal axis 13 and is longitudinally elongated.

[0057] The blade 11 tapers longitudinally from the handle 12 to an apex 14. The blade 11 also includes a plurality of longitudinally extending side surfaces 15 that have a transverse width 16 that diminishes in a direction towards the apex 14. The surfaces 15 converge to provide three longitudinally extending edges 19.

[0058] The blade 1 1 in transverse cross-section is preferably triangular with the configuration preferably being an isosceles triangle or an equilateral triangle. In this embodiment the blade 1 1 in transverse cross-section is of an isosceles triangular configuration. Accordingly, two of the longitudinally extending side surfaces 15 have substantially equal transverse widths 16, with the third longitudinally extending side 15 have a transverse width 16 less than the transverse widths 16 of the other two surfaces 15.

[0059] Extending between two of the surfaces 15 is a plurality of holes 17 that extend

transversely through the blade 1 1. Preferably the holes 17 extend between the surfaces 15 that have substantially equal transverse widths 16.

[0060] Preferably the holes 17 are arranged so as to be located adjacent edges 19 of the blade 1 1, with holes 17 also being grouped adjacent an end portion 20 of the blade 1 1. Preferably the end portion 20 is serrated so that one edge 19 has a serrated longitudinally extending edge portion 21. The edges 19 are provided by adjacent surfaces 15. Preferably the edge portion 21 is inclined to the axis 13 by an acute angle. Preferably, the edges 19 each have a ratio of about .1mm.

13413669 1 :hxa [0061] The handle 12 extends longitudinally in an opposite direction away from the apex 14 from the end portion 22.

[0062] The handle 12 is configured so that a user can grip the handle 12 and cause angular movement of the toothpick 10 about its longitudinal axis 13.

[0063] In one embodiment, the handle 12 has annular grooves 23 located at spaced intervals along the handle 12, as well as longitudinally extending grooves 24. The grooves 23 and 24 assist a user in applying longitudinal and angular forces to the toothpick 10.

[0064] In further embodiments, the handle 12 may have longitudinally extending side surfaces 25. In the embodiment of Figures 10 and 13 there are six longitudinally extending side surfaces 25, while in the embodiment of Figures 1 1 and 14 there are eight longitudinally side surfaces 25. In the embodiment of Figures 12 and 15, the handle 12 is circular in transverse cross-section.

[0065] The longitudinally extending side surfaces 15 may be generally planar as illustrated in Figures 16 and 18, but more preferably are concave, when viewed in transverse cross-section as shown in Figures 17 and 19. Most preferably, two of the surfaces 15 of the isosceles

configuration (surfaces 15 of equal length) are preferably concave, with the remaining third surface 15 (the surface 15 of smaller length) being generally planar.

[0066] In use of the above described toothpick 10, a user grips the handle 12 and inserts the blade 1 1 between two adjacent teeth by first inserting the apex 14.

[0067] The above described preferred embodiment has a number of advantages, including efficiently removing plaque by use of the holes 17. It has been found that the holes 17, rather than irregularities or depressions, are far more efficient in removing plaque.

[0068] The above described preferred embodiments also have the advantage that the serrated edge 21 aids in removing plaque from small areas between adjacent teeth.

[0069] A still further advantage of the above described preferred embodiment is that the handle 12 can be manipulated so that the toothpick 10 is angularly about its longitudinal axis 13 to be correctly aligned with apertures between adjacent teeth.

13413669 1 :hxa [0070] In the embodiment of Figures 20 and 21 , the apex 14 is of a rounded configuration so as to have a radius 25 less than 220μιη. Preferably the radius 25 is less than 125μιη. Even more preferably, the radius 25 is less ΙΟΟμπι. Even more preferably, the radius 25 is less than 75μπι. Preferably, the radius is about 90μιη.

[0071] The embodiments of Figures 20 and 22, the handle 12 has an end portion 26 adjacent the blade 1 1 and an end extremity 27 most remote from the blade 1 1.

[0072] The handle 12 has a transverse cross-sectional area (transverse of the axis 13) that diminishes from the portion 26 to generally lengthwise centrally of the handle 12, and then increases towards the extremity 27. Accordingly, the handle 12 has a central portion 28 that has a transverse cross-sectional area less than the cross-sectional area of the handle 12 adjacent the portion 26 and adjacent the end extremity 27.

[0073] In the embodiment of Figures 20 and 21, the blade 1 1 is triangular in transverse cross-section, as described previously, and the handle 12 generally circular in transverse cross-section.

[0074] In the embodiment of Figures 23 and 24, the blade 1 1 has the holes 17 arranged in two rows 29 and 30. The two rows extend longitudinally of the blade 11 , that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 13. The row 30 is slightly shorter than the row 29, with the row 29 extending from adjacent the handle 12 to adjacent the edge portion 21. Preferably the rows 29 and 30 are spaced towards the edge 19 having the edge portion 21.

13413669 1 :hxa