Oral-care implement having color-communicative element

1. An oral-care implement comprising:

a mounting surface having a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

a plurality of filaments outwardly extending from the mounting surface in at least one direction not parallel to either one of the longitudinal and transverse axes, each filament having a free end terminating with a filament tip, a plurality of the filament tips forming an overall working surface;

wherein at least some of the filaments possess at least one functional characteristic selected from the group consisting of filament's structure, composition, cross-sectional shape, tip geometry, and any combination thereof;

wherein the overall working surface comprises at least a first color and a second color different from the first color;

wherein the at least first and second colors form, in combination, at least one scaled-up image disposed on the overall working surface and graphically replicating the at least one functional characteristic, thereby visually communicating to a consumer that the oral-care implement includes filaments having said at least one functional characteristic,

wherein the at least one functional characteristic comprises an X-shaped or cross-shaped cross-section of a filament, and the at least one scaled-up image has a shape of an X-shaped or cross-shaped area having the first color, wherein the working surface comprises a background having a second color.

2. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the background further includes a third color different from the first color and the second color.

3. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of filaments comprises at least a first plurality of filaments and a second plurality of filaments, the first plurality of filaments having a first functional characteristic selected from the group consisting of filament's structure, composition, cross-sectional shape, tip geometry, and any combination thereof, and the second plurality of filaments having a second functional characteristic selected from the group consisting of filament's structure, composition, cross-sectional shape, tip geometry, and any combination thereof, the first functional characteristic being different from the second functional characteristic.

4. The oral-care implement of claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of filaments comprises the first color and the second plurality of filaments comprises the second color.

5. The oral-care implement of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of filaments comprises at least a third plurality of filaments having a third functional characteristic selected from the group consisting of filament's structure, composition, cross-sectional shape, tip geometry, and any combination thereof, the third functional characteristic being different from the first functional characteristic and the second functional characteristic.

6. The oral-care implement of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of filaments and the second plurality of filaments comprises composite, multi-component filaments.

7. The oral-care implement of claim 6 , wherein the filaments comprising composite, multi-component filaments include a first material forming a core and a second material forming a sheath.

8. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the first color comprises a color-changing material that causes the first color to gradually change to eventually match the second color after a predetermined period of use of the oral-care implement.

9. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the first color at least partially covers the second color, and wherein the first color is structured to slowly wear away during the use of the oral-care implement to indicate an extent to which the filaments are worn.

10. The oral-care implement of claim 9 , wherein the first color is structured to substantially wear away after a predetermined period of use of the oral-care implement so that the at least one scaled-up image is noticeably altered by an end of said predetermined period of use.

11. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the at least some of the filaments are arranged in at least one tuft having a shape comprising the at least one scaled-up image graphically replicating the at least one functional characteristic of the at least some of the filaments.

12. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one functional characteristic of the at least some of the filaments comprises a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

13. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the overall working surface comprises a convex portion.

14. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the overall working surface comprises a concave portion.

15. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one scaled-up image graphically replicating the at least one functional characteristic visually communicates to a consumer that the oral-care implement possesses a superior efficacy attributable to said filaments having the at least one functional characteristic.

16. A manual toothbrush comprising the oral-care implement of claim 1 .

17. A refill for an electric toothbrush, the refill comprising the oral-care implement of claim 1 .

18. An electric toothbrush comprising the oral-care implement of claim 1 .