MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN, SONIC TOOTHBRUSH AND WATER FLOSSER
First Claim
1. A toothbrush with combined sonic brushing and water flossing attributes comprisingan electric motor including a drive shaft, wherein, when the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates in a single direction;
- a brush tip supporting a brush head on a distal end and defining a fluid conduit therein;
a drive assembly coupled between the drive shaft and the brush tip and configured to convert rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of the brush head whereby the brush tip pivots back and forth about a longitudinal axis of the brush tip; and
a fluid passage configured to transport fluid from a fluid source external to the toothbrush to the fluid conduit in the brush tip, wherein a portion of the fluid passage is formed within the drive assembly.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sonic toothbrush system including an electric motor, a brush shaft, a drive assembly, a fluid conduit connected to a pressurized, pulsed water source, and a water jet nozzle positioned on the brush head and connected to the fluid conduit. 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 brush shaft. The drive assembly is configured to convert the rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of a toothbrush supported on an end of the brush shaft. The drive assembly further forms part of the fluid conduit to deliver a pulsed water stream to the jet nozzle.
172 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A toothbrush with combined sonic brushing and water flossing attributes comprising
an electric motor including a drive shaft, wherein, when the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates in a single direction; -
a brush tip supporting a brush head on a distal end and defining a fluid conduit therein; a drive assembly coupled between the drive shaft and the brush tip and configured to convert rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of the brush head whereby the brush tip pivots back and forth about a longitudinal axis of the brush tip; and a fluid passage configured to transport fluid from a fluid source external to the toothbrush to the fluid conduit in the brush tip, wherein a portion of the fluid passage is formed within the drive assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A toothbrush with combined sonic brushing and water flossing attributes comprising
an electric motor including a drive shaft, wherein, when the electric motor is caused to operate, the drive shaft continuously rotates in a single direction; -
a brush tip supporting a brush head on a distal end and defining a fluid conduit therein; a drive assembly coupled between the drive shaft and the brush tip and configured to convert rotation of the drive shaft into sonic oscillation of the brush head whereby the brush tip pivots back and forth about a longitudinal axis of the brush tip; a fluid passage configured to transport fluid from a fluid source external to the toothbrush to the fluid conduit in the brush tip; a removable base plate comprising a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid passage and configured for connection with the fluid source; and a first valve positioned within the fluid passage and configured to close the fluid passage when the base plate is removed from the toothbrush and configured to open when the base plate is connected to the toothbrush. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification