Vibratory electric toothbrush

• US 20040068809A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shixing Weng
• Original Assignee: Shixing Weng
• Inventors: Weng, Shixing
• Granted Patent: US 6,813,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights

Abstract

This invention relates to a battery powered electric toothbrush whose toothbrush head can vibrate laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush. The electric toothbrush comprises a handle containing a drive head eccentrically mounted to a motor shaft, a toothbrush head, and a sleeve intermediate the toothbrush head and the handle accommodating a swing arm. The swing arm has a head portion adjoining the toothbrush head pivotally attached in the forward end of the sleeve and has a tail portion provided with a transverse groove receiving the drive head. The head portion of the swing arm is bent to facilitate itself in contact within the forward end of the sleeve to minimize the impact on the motor power as a user presses the toothbrush head in a daily tooth cleaning. The toothbrush head is attachable, sealed, and secured to the drive portion with a flexible collar member.

Claims

1. A vibratory electric toothbrush comprising:

a toothbrush head having plurality of bristles;

a handle portion having a case accommodating an electric switch, a battery power source, an electric motor, and a drive head mounted eccentrically to the motor shaft;

a sleeve intermediate the toothbrush head and the handle portion having a smaller cross dimension at the forward end thereof adjoining the toothbrush head than that of the other end thereof extending to the handle portion and having a pair of diametric bores in the forward end thereof to support a pivotal means;

a swing arm disposed in said sleeve having a head portion at one end thereof extending to the toothbrush head and pivotally attached in said forward end of said sleeve and having a tail portion at the other end thereof provided with a transverse groove with an elongated opening to receive the drive head which can slide freely in said transverse groove in the lengthwise direction of the elongated opening but is restricted to move relative to said transverse groove in the other direction, perpendicular to the first said direction; and

a flexible collar member covering over the joint gap between the toothbrush head and said forward end of said sleeve;

whereby the toothbrush head swings laterally around the pivotal means as the drive head circulates in the transverse groove of said swing arm.

2. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the toothbrush head is attachable to said swing arm and has a base portion mounted with plurality of bristles, an annular flange developed from the base portion, a neck portion extended to the flange, an annular recess on the neck portion for the secured attachment thereof, and another recess positioned therein with an opening at the free end of the neck portion to receive an extension in the head portion of said swing arm.

3. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the head portion of said swing arm is bent laterally toward the inner wall of said forward end of said sleeve.

4. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the swing arm has a rod intermediate said head portion and said tail portion, one end of the rod is received by a recess in said head portion and the other end of the rod is received by a recess in said tail portion.

5. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is attachable at a base portion thereof to said handle portion and is provided with at least two bores transversely positioned through the walls of the base portion thereof for secured attachment to the same by screws.

6. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the forward end of said sleeve is enlarged outwardly and has a pair of diametric bores transversely positioned through the walls thereof to support a pivotal means.

7. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said toothbrush head is secured to the vibratory electric toothbrush by said annular recess on said neck portion thereof snugly receiving an annular projection extended inwardly to the inner surface of said collar member.

8. The vibratory electric toothbrush of claim 7 wherein the collar member is secured to said sleeve by an annular recess therein receiving and holding an outward enlargement portion on the forward end of said sleeve.