US 12,440,320 B2
Oral care implement and replacement head thereof
Hideaki Yoshida, Kyoto (JP); Takashi Torihama, Kyoto (JP); Thomas Mintel, Rahway, NJ (US); and Joseph Fattori, East Sandwich, MA (US)
Assigned to COLGATE-PALMOLIVE COMPANY, New York, NY (US); and OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD, Kyoto (JP)
Filed by Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, NY (US); and Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/583,855.
Application 17/247,964 is a division of application No. 16/013,536, filed on Jun. 20, 2018, granted, now 10,898,304, issued on Jan. 26, 2021.
Application 18/583,855 is a continuation of application No. 17/247,964, filed on Jan. 4, 2021, granted, now 11,931,218.
Application 16/013,536 is a continuation of application No. 14/852,174, filed on Sep. 11, 2015, granted, now 10,022,208, issued on Jul. 18, 2018.
Application 14/852,174 is a continuation of application No. 14/369,818, granted, now 9,168,117, issued on Oct. 27, 2015, previously published as PCT/US2012/042973, filed on Jun. 18, 2012.
Claims priority of application No. 2011-287790 (JP), filed on Dec. 28, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2024/0189084 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. A61C 17/22 (2006.01); A46B 5/00 (2006.01); A46B 7/04 (2006.01); A61C 17/34 (2006.01); A46B 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 17/222 (2013.01) [A46B 5/0095 (2013.01); A46B 7/042 (2013.01); A61C 17/3481 (2013.01); A46B 13/023 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A replacement head for detachable coupling to an oral care implement body, the replacement head comprising:
a head having at least one treatment element for performing an oral care function;
a tubular sleeve extending from the head and defining a cavity that is configured to receive a stem of the oral care implement body, the tubular sleeve comprising a proximal edge that defines an opening into the cavity, the cavity having a cavity axis;
a slot in the tubular sleeve for mating with a boss of the stem of the oral care implement body, the slot comprising:
an entry slot section extending from the proximal edge of the tubular sleeve towards the head; and
a locking slot section extending from the entry slot section towards the head, the locking slot section comprising a first lateral wall that is oblique to the cavity axis, a second lateral wall that is parallel to the cavity axis, and a bottom wall that extends from a bottom end of the first lateral wall in a direction towards the second lateral wall.