DOMESTIC APPLIANCE

• US 20110083289A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Denney, Paul Anthony, Crouch, Jeremy William, Heatley-Adams, Emma Jane, Dyson, James, Gammack, Peter David
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor

Abstract

A domestic appliance includes a head divided into a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member, and a drive mechanism for rotating the head about a first axis while simultaneously rotating the first rotatable member about a second axis and the second rotatable member about a third axis. Each of the second axis and the third axis is angled to and preferably intersects the first axis. When viewed in a direction extending along the second axis towards the first axis, the drive mechanism rotates the first rotatable member about the second axis in a first angular direction and the second rotatable member about the third axis in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction.

Claims

1. A domestic appliance comprising:

a head divided into a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member; and

a drive mechanism for rotating the head about a first axis while simultaneously rotating the first rotatable member about a second axis and the second rotatable member about a third axis;

wherein each of the second axis and the third axis is angled to the first axis, and wherein, when viewed in a direction extending along the second axis towards the first axis, the drive mechanism rotates the first rotatable member about the second axis in a first angular direction and the second rotatable member about the third axis in a second angular direction opposite to the first angular direction.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the second axis and the third axis is substantially orthogonal to the first axis.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the second axis and the third axis is inclined to the first axis.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein the inclination of the second axis to the first axis is the same as the inclination of the third axis to the first axis.

5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein an angle subtended between the first axis and the second axis is between 60°

and 90°

.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first axis is substantially co-planar with at least one of the second axis and the third axis.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the second axis and the third axis is located within a respective plane containing the first axis.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein an angle subtended between a first plane containing the first axis and the second axis and a second plane containing the first axis and the third axis is between 90 and 180°

.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a drive shaft which rotates about a fourth axis, and wherein the first axis is angled to the fourth axis.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein an angle subtended between the first axis and the fourth axis is between 90 and 180°

.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member is dome-shaped.

12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein each of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member has a generally spherical curvature.

13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein the head is spherical.

14. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member comprises a plurality of facets.

15. The appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the first rotatable member and the second rotatable member comprises bristles extending outwardly therefrom.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the bristles have different lengths.

17. The appliance of claim 1, comprising a guard extending partially about the head.

18. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a plurality of bevel gears.

19. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first rotatable member is asymmetric about the second axis and the second rotatable member is asymmetric about the third axis.

20. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the first rotatable member has a longitudinal axis which is inclined at an acute angle to the second axis, and the second rotatable member has a longitudinal axis which is inclined at said acute angle to the third axis.

21. The appliance of claim 20, wherein the acute angle is between 0 and 15°

.

22. The appliance of claim 1, in the form of a toothbrush.