Replacement head for an oral care implement, and oral care implement and method of utilizing the same
First Claim
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1. An oral care implement comprising:
- a body comprising;
a gripping portion comprising a shoulder;
a stem extending from the shoulder along a longitudinal axis; and
a boss protruding from an outer surface of the stem, the boss comprising a locking rib section having an undercut surface that is axially spaced from the shoulder and a positioning rib section extending from the locking rib section to the shoulder, the undercut surface circumferentially protruding from a first side surface of the positioning rib section;
a replacement head comprising;
a tubular sleeve comprising a cavity and a proximal edge defining an opening into the cavity;
a slot in the tubular sleeve comprising a locking slot section spaced from the proximal edge and an entry slot section that extends from the proximal edge to the locking slot section; and
a locking tab comprising a distal edge that forms a first lateral wall of the entry slot section and an upper edge that forms a bottom wall of the locking slot section;
wherein the tubular sleeve is detachably coupled to the stem in a locked state in which;
the stem is located within the cavity of the tubular sleeve;
the positioning rib section is located within the entry slot section; and
the locking rib-section is located within the locking slot section, the upper edge of the locking tab engaging the undercut surface of the locking rib section; and
wherein the locking slot section extends along a first slot axis and the entry slot section extends along a second slot axis, and wherein the first slot axis is oriented obliquely to the second slot axis.
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Abstract
A replacement head for an oral care implement, such as a powered toothbrush, wherein the replacement head utilizes a specially designed structure for coupling the replacement head to an oral care implement body. In one embodiment, the invention can be a replacement head comprising: a head having a plurality of tooth cleaning elements mounted thereto; a tubular sleeve comprising a cavity for receiving a stem of the body, a proximal edge defining an opening into the cavity, and a distal end to which the head is coupled, the tubular sleeve comprising a locking tab for engaging an undercut surface of a locking section of a boss.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An oral care implement comprising:
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a body comprising; a gripping portion comprising a shoulder; a stem extending from the shoulder along a longitudinal axis; and a boss protruding from an outer surface of the stem, the boss comprising a locking rib section having an undercut surface that is axially spaced from the shoulder and a positioning rib section extending from the locking rib section to the shoulder, the undercut surface circumferentially protruding from a first side surface of the positioning rib section; a replacement head comprising; a tubular sleeve comprising a cavity and a proximal edge defining an opening into the cavity; a slot in the tubular sleeve comprising a locking slot section spaced from the proximal edge and an entry slot section that extends from the proximal edge to the locking slot section; and a locking tab comprising a distal edge that forms a first lateral wall of the entry slot section and an upper edge that forms a bottom wall of the locking slot section; wherein the tubular sleeve is detachably coupled to the stem in a locked state in which; the stem is located within the cavity of the tubular sleeve; the positioning rib section is located within the entry slot section; and the locking rib-section is located within the locking slot section, the upper edge of the locking tab engaging the undercut surface of the locking rib section; and wherein the locking slot section extends along a first slot axis and the entry slot section extends along a second slot axis, and wherein the first slot axis is oriented obliquely to the second slot axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electric toothbrush comprising:
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an electric toothbrush main body including a bar-shaped stem which has a leading end part, vibrates by a vibration source provided inside the electric toothbrush main body, and extends along a center axis; and a replacement brush to be attached so as to cover said stem; wherein said stem includes a protruding part region which protrudes outward from an outer peripheral face of the stem; wherein said replacement brush includes; a tubular part having an open trailing end; a brushing member formed outside a leading end side of said tubular part; and an open sidewall formed from a trailing end side toward the leading end side of said tubular part to define an opening region having a leading end side which is closed and a trailing end side which is opened at said open trailing end; wherein said open sidewall has a bulging wall protruding toward said opening region; wherein in the attached state of said replacement brush to said stem, said protruding part region is located inside said opening region, and said bulging wall comes into contact with said protruding part region at a trailing end side of said protruding part region; and wherein said open sidewall has a first sidewall extending from said open trailing end toward the leading end side, wherein the first sidewall is formed so as to extend in an inclined direction relative to said center axis when being seen laterally, said protruding part region has an inclined wall face extending in an inclined direction relative to said center axis when being seen laterally, and in the attached state of said replacement brush to said stem, said first sidewall comes into contact with said inclined wall face. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification