Power toothbrush

• US 20040168269A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Taniguchi, Shinichi, Kunita, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.2
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/06 movably during use , i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement driven brush bodies A46B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/026 where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat A46B9/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/08 Supports or guides for bristles
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3445 Translation along the axis of the toothbrush handle

Abstract

In a power toothbrush, a brush base portion is provided at a top end of a brush attachment which is detachably engaged with a main body containing an actuator generating driving force for driving at least the brush base portion. The brush base portion can be reciprocally moved in an axial direction of the main body with a predetermined stroke and a predetermined frequency, swing around a rotation axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the main body with a predetermined swing angle and a predetermined frequency, or rotated around the rotation axis with a predetermined rotation speed. A plurality of floating base member is floatingly supported in guiding hollows formed in the brush base portion, and a brush staple is planted on each floating base member. Thus, dirt or plaque remained in interdental portion of the tooth can effectively be removed, when top ends of the brush staples contact the surfaces of the tooth.

Claims

1. A power toothbrush comprising a main body and a brush attachment detachably engaged with the main body, wherein

a brush base portion, which can reciprocally move in an axial direction of the main body, swing or roll around an axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the main body, is provided in the vicinity of a top end of the brush attachment;

a plurality of floating base member is floatingly provided in the brush base portion; and

at least a brush staple is planted on each floating base member.

2. The power toothbrush in accordance with claim 1, wherein the brush base portion is reciprocally moved with a stroke in a range between 0.5 mm to 5 mm.

3. The power toothbrush in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein the brush base portion is reciprocally moved with a frequency in a range between 20 Hz to 300 Hz.

4. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

a plurality of guiding hollows having a circular truncated cone shaped inner surface is formed in the brush base portion;

a through hole having a diameter smaller than that of the guiding hollow is formed on each top wall of the guiding hollow having the smallest diameter;

the floating base members formed substantially the same shape as a part of the circular truncated cone of the guiding hollows are freely movable in the guiding hollows in a manner so that the brush staples protrude from the through holes; and

a spring is provided between the floating base member and the bottom wall of the guiding hollow so that the floating base member is forced toward the top wall of the guiding hollow.

5. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the top end of each brush staple is cut to slant for forming a peak.

6. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a fastener for preventing the brush staple unfasten is provided on each brush staples except a portion in the vicinity of the top end thereof.

7. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 6, wherein brush staples are directly planted on the brush base portion for surrounding the brush staples planted on the floating base members.

8. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least two brush staples are planted on one floating base member;

and each floating base member is floatingly supported by one spring in the brush base portion.

9. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the floating base member has at least two planting holes on a top face thereof to which the brush staples are planted, and both sides of each floating base member are tapered in a manner so that the width at the top end is smaller than the width at the bottom end.

10. The power toothbrush in accordance with one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a boss, with which a top end of the spring is engaged, is formed on a bottom face of each floating base member, and a spot facing, to which a bottom end of the spring is inserted, is formed at a position facing the boss on a bottom face of the guiding hollow.