ORAL HYGIENE DEVICE AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A toothbrush comprising:
- a handle including a handle wall that at least partially defines a handle cavity, said handle extending longitudinally between spaced first and second ends;
a vibratory source disposed within said handle cavity in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end of said handle, said vibratory source adapted to undergo vibratory movement and thereby generate vibratory output;
a mounting element supported on said handle within said handle cavity and in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end of said handle, said mounting element including an outer mounting wall adapted to engage said handle wall, an inner mounting wall adapted to receive said vibratory source, and at least one intermediate wall suspending said inner mounting wall from said outer mounting wall such that said vibratory source can undergo said vibratory movement within said handle cavity and thereby generate said vibratory output;
a connecting member extending longitudinally between opposing first and second member ends, said first member end fixedly connected to said vibratory source such that said connecting member projects from said vibratory source toward said first end of said handle;
a bearing surface disposed along said handle within said handle cavity and spaced from said vibratory source toward said first end of said handle, said connecting member engaging said bearing surface such that vibratory output from said vibratory source when acting in a first direction results in vibratory output at said second end of said connecting member acting in an opposing second direction; and
,a cleaning head received along said first end of said handle and operatively interengaging said second end of said connecting member such that said vibratory output at said second end of said connecting member is communicated to said cleaning head and said cleaning head is thereby displaced in said opposing second direction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An oral hygiene device includes a handle and a cleaning head supported on one end of the handle. A vibratory source is supported on the handle and is operative to generate vibratory output. A mounting element is disposed between the handle and the vibratory source. A connecting member extends between the vibratory source and the cleaning head, and is adapted to generate motion at the cleaning head in response to the vibratory output generated at the vibratory source.
36 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A toothbrush comprising:
-
a handle including a handle wall that at least partially defines a handle cavity, said handle extending longitudinally between spaced first and second ends; a vibratory source disposed within said handle cavity in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end of said handle, said vibratory source adapted to undergo vibratory movement and thereby generate vibratory output; a mounting element supported on said handle within said handle cavity and in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end of said handle, said mounting element including an outer mounting wall adapted to engage said handle wall, an inner mounting wall adapted to receive said vibratory source, and at least one intermediate wall suspending said inner mounting wall from said outer mounting wall such that said vibratory source can undergo said vibratory movement within said handle cavity and thereby generate said vibratory output; a connecting member extending longitudinally between opposing first and second member ends, said first member end fixedly connected to said vibratory source such that said connecting member projects from said vibratory source toward said first end of said handle; a bearing surface disposed along said handle within said handle cavity and spaced from said vibratory source toward said first end of said handle, said connecting member engaging said bearing surface such that vibratory output from said vibratory source when acting in a first direction results in vibratory output at said second end of said connecting member acting in an opposing second direction; and
,a cleaning head received along said first end of said handle and operatively interengaging said second end of said connecting member such that said vibratory output at said second end of said connecting member is communicated to said cleaning head and said cleaning head is thereby displaced in said opposing second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An oral hygiene device comprising:
-
a handle including a handle wall at least partially defining a handle chamber, said handle including a proximal end and a distal end that is spaced longitudinally from said proximal end; a cleaning head supported for vibratory movement on said distal end of said handle; a vibratory source supported on said handle within said handle chamber and in spaced relation to said distal end, said vibratory source operative to generate vibratory output; a mounting member disposed within said handle chamber between said vibratory source and said handle wall such that said vibratory source is suspended by said mounting member within said handle chamber and is thereby capable of undergoing vibratory displacement resulting in said vibratory output; a connecting member operatively connected between said vibratory source and said cleaning head; and
,a bearing surface provided along one of said handle and said cleaning head, said bearing surface adapted to permit said cleaning head to move relative to said handle and thereby generate motion in said cleaning head in response to said vibratory output of said vibratory source. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of assembling an oral hygiene device, said method comprising:
-
a) providing a handle that includes a handle wall at least partially defining a handle cavity, said handle extending longitudinally between proximal and distal handle ends; b) providing a vibratory source and supporting said vibratory source within said handle cavity in spaced relation to said distal end such that said vibratory source generates vibratory output along a principal plane of motion; c) providing a bearing surface on said handle between said vibratory source and said distal end of said handle; d) providing a connecting member that extends longitudinally between first and second ends thereof, supporting said connecting member along said bearing surface, and operatively interconnecting said first end of said connecting member with said vibratory source; and
,e) providing a cleaning head and operatively interconnecting said cleaning head and said second end of said connecting member such that said connecting member can pivot about said bearing surface in response to said vibratory output from said vibratory source and thereby generate corresponding vibratory output at said cleaning head. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification