ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH

• US 20110047729A1
• Filed: 05/15/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Omron Healthcare Company Limited (Omron Corporation)
• Inventors: Miki, Akitoshi, Iwahori, Toshiyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/990,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20110047729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

An electric toothbrush capable of greatly vibrating a brush with less vibration by a vibration source is provided. An electric toothbrush includes a cylindrical case; and a vibration body having one end located within case and the other end provided so as to protrude through an opening at the tip of the case to the outside of the case and vibrating a brush located in proximity to the other end. Vibration body is provided with a vibration source on the one end side and has an outer peripheral surface supported in the position close to the vibration source side with respect to the midpoint in the longitudinal direction of vibration body.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising:

a cylindrical case; and

a vibration body having one end located within the case and an other end provided so as to protrude through an opening at a tip of the case to outside of the case, and vibrating a brush located in proximity to the other end,

said vibration body being provided with a vibration source on said one end side and having an outer peripheral surface supported in a position close to the vibration source side with respect to a midpoint in a longitudinal direction of the vibration body.

2. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein said vibration source includes a motor fixed on said one end side of said vibration body and a weight attached to a rotation shaft of the motor and having a center of gravity in a position displaced from a rotation center of the rotation shaft.

3. The electric toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein said weight is attached to said one end side of said motor.

4. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein a position restricting portion for restricting movement of the vibration body toward said one end side while permitting vibration of said vibration body is provided within said case.

5. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein a vibration damping structure for suppressing transmission of vibration of said vibration source to the case is provided within said case.

6. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, comprising:

an eccentric shaft including a shaft body and a weight fixed to the shaft body and having a center of gravity located in a position displaced from a shaft center; and

a driving source rotating the eccentric shaft,

said vibration body including a hollow member, a bearing being provided in proximity to a tip on said other end side within the hollow member, and said eccentric shaft being supported by the bearing.

7. The electric toothbrush according to claim 6, wherein the center of gravity of the weight of said eccentric shaft is located in a position displaced by approximately 180°

from the center of gravity of the weight included in said vibration source with respect to the rotation center.