Electric toothbrush

• US 20020078514A1
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Gall, Douglas A., Spirk, John W., Blaustein, Lawrence A., Nottingham, John R., Osher, John
• Application Number:
  US10/082,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078514A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/425 Toothbrush

Abstract

An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a circular portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The circular portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The circular portion includes stiff bristles and the static portion includes soft bristles. The elongated body portion is hollow and further includes a motor in the hollow portion, which is operatively connected to the circular portion for rotating or oscillating or reciprocating the circular portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A switch is operatively connected to the motor to provide momentary and continuous operation of the toothbrush. A worm gear and a pair of step gears are located in the hollow portion. The motor is operatively connected to the worm gear and the step gears are operatively connected to the worm gear and to each other. One of the step gears is offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body portion. A shaft which is operatively connected to the offset step gear and to a second end to the circular portion. Alternately, the toothbrush comprises a plurality of gears and swivel arms which move the brush head moving portion in a rotating, oscillating or reciprocating manner.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising:

an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends, a hollow portion and a longitudinal axis;

a head attached to said first end;

a motor located within said hollow portion of said elongated body portion;

a plurality of gears located in said hollow portion, wherein said motor is operatively connected to one of said gears;

at least one swivel arm, said at least one swivel arm being pivotably connected to one of said gears; and

a shaft operatively connected to said at least one swivel arm at a shaft first end.

2. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said plurality of gears comprises a first gear and a second gear, wherein said motor is connected to said first gear, said first gear is connected to said second gear.

3. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 further comprising a handle located adjacent said second end of said elongated body portion.

4. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said shaft moves in a back and forth manner along said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.

5. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 further comprising a head which has a traditional brush head shape having dimensions of .75 inches to 1.75 inches in length and .25 inches to .50 inches in thickness.

6. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 further comprising a switch which is operably connected to said motor, said switch is depressed to provide momentary operation of said toothbrush and is depressed and slid in a slot in said elongated body portion to provide continuous operation of said toothbrush.

7. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 further including a battery located within said hollow portion for powering said motor.

8. The electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said at least one swivel arm comprises a first swivel arm, a second swivel arm and a third swivel arm, wherein said first swivel arm is operatively connected to one of said gears, said second swivel arm is pivotably connected to said first swivel arm and to said shaft first end, and wherein said third swivel arm is operatively connected to a second end of said shaft.

9. The electric toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said first gear rotates about said longitudinal axis and said second gear rotates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis.

10. The electric toothbrush of claim 3 further comprising an angled shaft located between said head and said handle, wherein said shaft is located within said angled shaft.

11. The electric toothbrush of claim 8 wherein said swivel arms move in a back and forth manner along said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.

12. The electric toothbrush of claim 8 wherein said head further comprises a moving portion and a static portion, said moving portion and said static portion are located adjacent each other.

13. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion is located adjacent a first end of said head and said static portion is located adjacent a second end of said head.

14. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said static portion is located adjacent a first end of said head and said moving portion is located adjacent a second end of said head.

15. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion is located at a center of said head and said static portion is located on opposite sides of said head.

16. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said third swivel arm is pivotably connected to said moving portion.

17. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion further comprises a disk which is connected to said third swivel arm.

18. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion rotates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.

19. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion oscillates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.

20. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein said moving portion moves in a back and forth manner along said longitudinal axis of said elongated body portion.

21. The electric toothbrush of claim 12 wherein the moving portion includes stiff bristles and the static portion includes soft bristles.

22. The electric toothbrush of claim 21 wherein the stiff bristles are recessed with respect to the soft bristles.

24. The electric toothbrush of claim 23 wherein said moving portion rotates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis.

25. The electric toothbrush of claim 23 wherein said moving portion oscillates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis.

26. The electric toothbrush of claim 23 wherein said moving portion moves in a back and forth manner along said longitudinal axis.

27. The electric toothbrush of claim 23 wherein said first gear rotates about said longitudinal axis and said second gear rotates about an axis normal to said longitudinal axis.

23. An electric toothbrush comprising:

an elongated body portion having opposed first and second ends, a hollow portion and a longitudinal axis;

a head attached to said first end;

a motor located within said hollow portion of said elongated body portion;

a first gear and a second gear located in said hollow portion, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said first gear, said first gear is connected to said second gear;

first, second and third swivel arms, wherein said first swivel arm is connected to said first gear, said second swivel arm is pivotably connected to said first swivel arm;

a shaft operatively connected to said second swivel arm at a shaft first end and operatively connected to said third swivel arm at a shaft second end;

wherein said head further comprises a moving portion, wherein said third swivel arm is connected to said moving portion.