Acoustic toothbrush
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electric toothbrush comprising:
- a brush head assembly;
a housing;
a frame enclosed by the housing;
a power supply contained within the housing;
an electric coil and core that is secured relative to the frame and electrically connected to the power supply through a control circuit that creates an alternating flow of current in the coil;
an elongated driveshaft having a distal end that is connected to the brush head assembly and an internal end that is disposed within the housing;
a torsion bar is secured to the frame at a first end;
an armature having first and second ends, the armature is connected to one of the torsion bar or the driveshaft;
at least one magnet arranged on the armature, the magnet being aligned relative to a central axis of the driveshaft, the magnet being located at a radially spaced location relative to the central axis of the shaft, wherein the alternating flow of current in the electric coil at a predetermined frequency causes the first and second ends of the armature to be alternately attracted to the coil and core causing the torsion bar to twist and causing the driveshaft to oscillate in an oscillatory rotary motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electric toothbrush having a detachable brush head assembly including a driven shaft that is driven by a driveshaft disposed with in a housing. The driveshaft is part of or secured to a torsion bar that supports an armature including a pair of magnets. An electric coil receives an alternating flow of current at a predetermined frequency that causes the magnets to be alternately attracted to the coil and causes the torsion bar to oscillate in an oscillatory rotary motion.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. An electric toothbrush comprising:
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a brush head assembly;
a housing;
a frame enclosed by the housing;
a power supply contained within the housing;
an electric coil and core that is secured relative to the frame and electrically connected to the power supply through a control circuit that creates an alternating flow of current in the coil;
an elongated driveshaft having a distal end that is connected to the brush head assembly and an internal end that is disposed within the housing;
a torsion bar is secured to the frame at a first end;
an armature having first and second ends, the armature is connected to one of the torsion bar or the driveshaft;
at least one magnet arranged on the armature, the magnet being aligned relative to a central axis of the driveshaft, the magnet being located at a radially spaced location relative to the central axis of the shaft, wherein the alternating flow of current in the electric coil at a predetermined frequency causes the first and second ends of the armature to be alternately attracted to the coil and core causing the torsion bar to twist and causing the driveshaft to oscillate in an oscillatory rotary motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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17. An electric toothbrush comprising:
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a handle enclosing an electric coil that oscillates a driveshaft about a longitudinal axis, the drive shaft is fixedly secured to the handle at a first end by an elongated torsion bar that is coaxial with the driveshaft, the driveshaft is received in a bearing disposed in the handle at a second end of the driveshaft that oscillates in an oscillatory rotary motion relative to the handle; and
a brush head assembly removably secured to the handle, the brush head assembly having a driven shaft that is operatively secured to the second end of the driveshaft to oscillate with the driveshaft.
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33. An electric toothbrush comprising:
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a brush head assembly;
a housing;
a frame enclosed by the housing;
a power supply contained within the housing;
an electric coil fixedly mounted relative to the frame and electrically connected to the power supply through a control circuit that creates an alternating flow of current in the coil;
an elongated driveshaft/torsion bar having a distal end that is connected to the brush head assembly and an internal end that is secured to the frame at an inner end;
an armature connected to an intermediate portion of the driveshaft/torsion bar; and
at least one magnet arranged on the armature having first and second ends, the magnet being aligned relative to a central axis of the driveshaft/torsion bar, the magnet being located at radially spaced location relative to the central axis, wherein the alternating flow of current in the electric coil at a predetermined frequency causes the first and second ends of the armature to be alternately attracted to the coil and core causing the driveshaft/torsion bar to oscillate in an oscillatory rotary motion.
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34. A removable brush head assembly and electric toothbrush body, in combination, comprising:
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a brush head;
a plurality of bristles molded into the brush head;
an elongated brush head body having an attachment end and a brush head end;
a driven shaft extending longitudinally through the brush head body, the driven shaft having a distal end embedded in the brush head;
a driven shaft holder receiving the driven shaft with the distal end extending outwardly from the driven shaft holder, the driven shaft holder being received in the brush head body, wherein the driven shaft drives the brush head to oscillate in an oscillatory rotary motion relative to the driveshaft holder and brush head body; and
the attachment end of the brush head body having a first locking element and the toothbrush body having a second locking element that cooperates with the first locking element to detachably retain the brush head body on the toothbrush body.
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Specification