Powered toothbrush with improved ergonomics

• US 20040163191A1
• Filed: 02/26/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Enderby, Christine, Cuffaro, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 7,434,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/16 Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B

Abstract

A powered toothbrush which has been designed for improved ergonomics and for assisting the user in using a powered brush in an improved and gentler manner. The powered toothbrush includes a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof. A neck portion extends from the other end of the handle portion with the head coupled to the neck portion. The head includes at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft rotating the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotatable direction. In order to improve the ergonomics and stability of the powered toothbrush, the handle portion is formed asymmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the powered toothbrush and the base member of the handle portion is substantially flat. In this ergonomically-designed powered toothbrush, the width of the base member is less than the greatest width of the handle portion, the depth of the base member is less than the greatest depth of the handle portion, and the height dimension of the neck portion is greater than the height dimension of the handle portion.

Claims

1. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction; and

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions and said handle portion is asymmetrical about said longitudinal axis and said base member of said handle portion is substantially flat throughout.

2. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction; and

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions and each of said base member and said handle portion have a width which intersects said longitudinal axis and is parallel to said bristle carrier and wherein the width of said base member is less than the greatest width of said handle portion.

3. The powered toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said width of said base member is within the range of approximately 20 to 50 mm, and said greatest width of said handle portion is within the range of approximately 25 to 60 mm.

4. The powered toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said width of said base member is approximately 37 mm and the greatest width of said handle portion is approximately 43 mm.

5. The powered toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said width of said base member is within the range of approximately 30 to 60 mm, and the greatest width of said handle portion is within the range of approximately 40 to 70 mm.

6. The powered toothbrush of claim 2 wherein the width of said base member is approximately 50 mm and the greatest width of said handle portion is approximately 60 mm.

7. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction; and

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions and each of said handle and neck portions have a height dimension which is parallel to said longitudinal axis and wherein said height dimension of said neck portion is greater than the height dimension of said handle portion.

8. The powered toothbrush of claim 7 wherein the height dimension of said neck portion is within the range of approximately 50 to 110 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is within the range of approximately 30 to 100 mm.

9. The powered toothbrush of claim 7 wherein the height dimension of said neck portion is approximately 90 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is approximately 70 mm.

10. The powered toothbrush of claim 7 wherein the height dimension of said neck portion is within the range of approximately 50 to 110 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is within the range of approximately 30 to 100 mm.

11. The powered toothbrush of claim 7 wherein the height dimension of said neck portion is approximately 85 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is approximately 75 mm.

12. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction; and

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions and each of said base member and said handle portion have a depth which intersects said longitudinal axis and is perpendicular to said bristle carrier and wherein the depth of said base member is less than the greatest depth of said handle portion.

13. The powered toothbrush of claim 12 wherein the depth of said base member is within the range of between approximately 20 to 50 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is within the range of between approximately 25 to 60 mm.

14. The powered toothbrush of claim 12 wherein the depth of said base member is approximately 37 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is approximately 43 mm.

15. The powered toothbrush of claim 12 wherein the depth of said base member is within the range of between approximately 15 to 40 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is within the range of between approximately 20 to 50 mm.

16. The powered toothbrush of claim 12 wherein the depth of said base member is approximately 25 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is approximately 30 mm.

17. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction; and

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions, and each of said base member and said handle portion have a depth which intersects said longitudinal axis and is parallel to said bristle carrier and each of said base member and said handle portion have a depth which intersects said longitudinal axis and is perpendicular to said bristle carrier, and each of said handle and neck portions have a height dimension which is parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

wherein the width of said base member is less than the greatest width of said handle portion, the depth of said base member is less than the greatest width of said handle portion, and the height dimension of said neck portion is greater than the height dimension of said handle portion.

18. The powered toothbrush of claim 17 wherein said handle is asymmetrical about said longitudinal axis and said base member of said handle portion is substantially flat.

19. The powered toothbrush of claim 17 wherein two batteries for powering motor means for driving said drive shaft can be accommodated within said handle portion in an upright side-by-side relationship.

20. The powered toothbrush of claim 19 wherein a single on/off switch for activating/deactivating said motor means is provided along a front face of said handle portion.

21. The powered toothbrush of claim 17 wherein two AAA batteries for powering motor means for driving said drive shaft can be accommodated upright and each have an end thereof supported adjacent to said base member.

22. The powered toothbrush of claim 20 wherein said motor means is provided between said two AAA batteries.

23. The powered toothbrush of 17 wherein two batteries for powering motor means for driving said drive shaft can be accommodated in a side-by-side horizontal orientation adjacent to said base member.

24. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion having a base member at one end thereof;

a neck portion extending from the other end of said handle portion with a head coupled to the neck portion, the head including at least one bristle carrier connected to a drive shaft for moving the at least one bristle carrier in a first rotational direction;

wherein a longitudinal axis is coaxial with said handle and neck portions, and each of said base member and said handle portion have a width which intersects said longitudinal axis and is parallel to said bristle carrier and each of said base member and said handle portion have a depth which intersects said longitudinal axis and is perpendicular to said bristle carrier, and each of said handle and neck portions have a height dimension which is parallel to said longitudinal axis; and

wherein the widths of said base member and said handle portions, the depths of said base member and said handle portions, and the height dimensions of said handle portion and said neck portion are predetermined so as to provide a lower center of gravity in the handle portion of the toothbrush.

25. The powered toothbrush of claim 24 wherein the width of said base member is approximately 37 mm and the greatest width of said handle portion is approximately 43 mm, the depth of said base member is approximately 37 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is approximately 43 mm, and the height dimension of said neck portion is approximately 90 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is approximately 70 mm.

26. The powered toothbrush of claim 24 wherein the width of said base member is approximately 50 mm and the greatest width of said handle portion is approximately 60 mm, the depth of said base member is approximately 25 mm and the greatest depth of said handle portion is approximately 30 mm, and the height dimension of said neck portion is approximately 85 mm and the height dimension of said handle portion is approximately 75 mm.