MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN, SONIC TOOTHBRUSH SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A sonic toothbrush comprisingan electric motor including a drive shaft, wherein, when the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates until the motor is caused to stop;
- a brush shaft; and
a drive assembly coupled between the drive shaft and the brush shaft and configured to convert the rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of a toothbrush head supported on an end of the brush shaft.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sonic toothbrush system includes an electric motor, a brush shaft, and a drive assembly. The electric motor includes a drive shaft. When the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates until the motor is caused to stop. The drive assembly is coupled between the drive shaft and the brush shaft. The drive assembly is configured to convert the rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of a toothbrush head supported on an end of the brush shaft.
74 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A sonic toothbrush comprising
an electric motor including a drive shaft, wherein, when the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates until the motor is caused to stop; -
a brush shaft; and a drive assembly coupled between the drive shaft and the brush shaft and configured to convert the rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of a toothbrush head supported on an end of the brush shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A sonic toothbrush providing oscillating bristle motion comprising
a continuously rotating drive system; -
a brush shaft; and a linkage between the drive system and the brush shaft that provides oscillating, sonic speed output motion to the brush shaft with an extremely low level of mechanical vibration and noise. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of designing a sonic toothbrush having a continuously rotating drive system, a brush shaft, and a linkage between the drive system and the brush shaft, the method comprising
performing a finite element analysis on the linkage; determining a weight distribution in the linkage based upon the finite element analysis to position a center of mass of the linkage and impart a balance or a selected imbalance to the linkage. - View Dependent Claims (20)
Specification