Toothbrush with positionable stimulator tip

• US 4,879,781 A
• Filed: 08/19/1988
• Issued: 11/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Desimone, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/234,247
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 15/110, 128/62 R, 128/62 A, 132/321, 132/328, 132/329, 403/92, 403/93, 403/95, 403/96
• US Class Current: 15/110
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 13/00 Gum massage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32336 Engaging notch or recess in outer periphery of component

Abstract

Improved attachment structure between a rotatable interdental device and a toothbrush handle having said device rotatable about a movable shaft. The device is held in position by positioners which engage when the device is at a predetermined angle to said handle and said shaft is in a first position. The positioners dissengage when the shaft moves to a second position. The positioners interact in a camming manner so that a predetermined force cams the shaft into its second position. The shaft extends from a resilient cantilever arm which biases the shaft toward the first position. The shaft also includes diverging wedgelike end surfaces which facilitate separating legs of the device for assembly of the shaft and device.

Claims

1. In a toothbrush having a handle and an interdental device rotatably attached to said handle, the improvement wherein:

(a) said device is mounted for rotation about an axis which is movable between a first position and a second position; and

(b) positioning means are provided which hold said device in a predetermined orientation when said axis is in said first position and permits movement of said device when said axis is in said second position.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said axis is biased into said first position.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein:

(a) said positioning means comprises;

(i) at least one detent on one of said handle and said device; and

(ii) at least one interfitting surface on the other of said handle and said device which interfits with said detent to hold said device when said device is in said predetermined position and said axis is in said first position.

4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein:

(a) there are a plurality of detents.

5. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein:

(a) there are a plurality of said interfitting surfaces.

6. The improvement according to claim 2 including:

(a) a shaft coaxial with said axis on one of said handle and said device resiliently positioned in said first position; and

,

(b) a bearing means on the other of said handle and said device for operating with said shaft to rotatably mount said device to said handle.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) said shaft is resiliently mounted to said handle; and

(b) said bearing means is on said device.

8. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein:

(a) said shaft is attached by a cantilever arm which resiliently flexes between said first and second positions to bias said shaft into the first position of said axis.

9. The improvement according to claim 8 wherein:

(a) said shaft, said arm and said one of said handle and said device are integrally formed.

10. The improvement according to claim 2 including:

(a) a tab which is received by said device extending from said handle and parallel to a plane of rotation of said device; and

(b) a shaft movably connected to said tab about which said device rotates.

11. The improvement according to claim 10 including:

(a) at least one bearing defined by said device which receives said shaft to mount said device rotatably to said handle.

12. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein:

(a) said device includes two parallel spaced legs and said tab is received between said legs.

13. The improvement according to claim 12 including:

(a) a cantilevered arm extending from said tab and connecting said shaft to said tab.

14. The improvement according to claim 13 wherein:

(a) said arm is resilient and biases the shaft so said axis is biased into said first position.

15. The improvement according to claim 12 including:

(a) diverging end surface on said shaft adapted to wedge said two parallel spaced legs apart until said shaft is received by said bearing.

16. The improvement according to claim 10 wherein:

(a) said tab defines an opening having a resilient cross-bar extending thereacross and said shaft extends from said cross-bar.