BACKGROUND

Oral care implements, especially toothbrushes, are used by many people on a daily basis. Typical oral care implements comprise an elongate handle and a head connected to one end of the handle. The handle provides a structure by which a user grips and manipulates the oral care implement during use. The head typically comprises one or more elements designed to perform their intended function, such as tooth cleaning elements, soft tissue cleaning elements, and/or oral care agents.

Toothbrushes are oral care implements having one or more tooth cleaning elements, which are used to clean teeth by removing plaque and debris from surfaces of the teeth. Conventional toothbrushes are limited in their ability to retain dentifrice for cleaning teeth. During an oral care session, the dentifrice typically slips through the tooth cleaning elements, such as tufts of bristles, and away from the contact zone of the cleaning elements with the teeth. As a result, the dentifrice often is spread around the mouth, rather than being concentrated on the contact zone. Therefore, the efficiency of the cleaning process is reduced.

Over the years, efforts have been made to improve the design of oral care implements, in order that they may deliver improved cleaning of users' oral cavities during oral care sessions. Such efforts have included the development of heads carrying structures intended to better retain dentifrice for use in cleaning and/or polishing teeth. Despite these efforts, a need still exists for an oral care implement with a head having a structure for better retaining dentifrice, to enable improved cleaning and/or polishing of a user's teeth. A need also exists for an oral care implement that is easier to clean after an oral care session.

BRIEF SUMMARY

An oral care implement is described. The oral care implement may include a head extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a side surface extending between the first surface and the second surface. A central bristle tuft may from a central portion of the first surface. A plurality of perimetric bristle tufts may from the first surface and arranged to circumferentially surround the central bristle tuft. The perimetric bristle tufts may have distal ends that slope downwardly towards the central bristle tuft. The perimetric bristle tufts may be wedge shaped.

In one aspect, the invention may be oral care implement comprising: a head extending along a longitudinal axis and having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a side surface extending between the first surface and the second surface; a central bristle tuft extending from a central portion of the first surface; and a plurality of perimetric bristle tufts extending from the first surface and arranged to circumferentially surround the central bristle tuft.

In another aspect, the invention may be an oral care implement comprising: a head extending along a longitudinal axis, the head having a substantially elliptical outer shape in plan view; a central bristle tuft extending from a central portion of a first surface of the head, the central bristle tuft having a substantially elliptical outer shape in plan view with a major axis that is located on the longitudinal axis of the head; a plurality of wedge-shaped perimetric bristle tufts extending from the first surface of the head and arranged to circumferentially surround the central bristle tuft, wherein each of the perimetric bristle tufts comprises an inner sidewall that is immediately adjacent the central bristle tuft and an outer sidewall opposite the inner sidewall that immediately adjacent an outer perimeter of the first surface of the head, the outer sidewall having a width that is greater than a width of the inner sidewall; and wherein each of the plurality of perimetric bristle tufts comprises an inclined distal surface that slopes downward toward the central bristle tuft.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be an oral care implement, comprising: a head comprising a head portion and a head plate that is coupled to the head portion, the head plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of tuft holes extending through the head plate; and a bristle tuft comprising a first portion that extends from the first surface of the head plate, a second portion that extends from the second surface of the head plate, and a third portion that is located within one of the tuft holes, the second portion being melted to form a melt matte to couple the bristle tuft to the head plate; wherein the bristle tuft comprises a plurality of bristles that form a continuous wall that is free of gaps, the continuous wall surrounding a cavity that having a frusto-conical shape.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

