Power operated toothbrush
First Claim
1. A power operated toothbrush comprising:
- a hollow housing having a longitudinal axis;
a power means;
a toothbrush extending from the housing and having a bristled toothbrush head;
a means for driving the toothbrush head in a figure-eight motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A power-operated toothbrush for cleaning and stimulating the surface of the teeth, cleaning between the teeth, cleaning between the teeth and gums, and cleaning and stimulating the gums of a user having a housing, a power means, a toothbrush extending from the housing having a bristled toothbrush head and an oscillating or movement imparting means for driving the toothbrush head in a complex motion, such as a figure-eight motion. The brush driving means of the power-operated toothbrush may comprise a rotary motor, a gear element driven by the rotary motor, a cam follower pivotally attached to the motor, and a T-bar. The T-bar is driven in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the power-operated toothbrush housing and also in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the power-operated toothbrush housing. The complex motion of the toothbrush head across the surface of the teeth is produced by driving the T-bar to move one cycle in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the housing while simultaneously driving the T-bar to move more than one cycle in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The toothbrush head is preferably driven in a figure-eight motion across the surface of the teeth by driving the T-bar to move two cycles in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
157 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A power operated toothbrush comprising:
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a hollow housing having a longitudinal axis; a power means; a toothbrush extending from the housing and having a bristled toothbrush head; a means for driving the toothbrush head in a figure-eight motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A power operated toothbrush comprising:
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a hollow housing having an opening and having a longitudinal axis; a toothbrush support means located within the housing; means connected to the support means and mounted within the housing for imparting translational movement to the support means along the longitudinal axis of the housing and for imparting translational movement to the support means perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing, wherein while the movement imparting means moves one cycle in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the housing, the movement imparting means simultaneously moves more than one cycle in a direction substantially nonparallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing; power means operatively connected to the movement imparting means; and a toothbrush connected to the toothbrush support means and extending through the opening of the housing, the toothbrush having a bristled head, the toothbrush head moving in a complex motion by the movement of the support means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A power operated toothbrush comprising:
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a hollow housing having a pivot pin and having a longitudinal axis; a power source; a rotary motor; a gear element driven by the rotary motor, the gear element having a crank pin and a cam surface; a cam follower pivotally attached to the housing, the cam follower having a follower pin in contact with the cam surface of the gear element and an output pin; a bar having an output pin slot for engaging the output pin of the cam follower, a crank pin slot for engaging the crank pin of the gear element, a pivot slot for engaging the pivot pin of the housing and a toothbrush slot; and a toothbrush engaged to the toothbrush slot of the bar. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A power operated toothbrush comprising:
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a hollow housing having a pivot pin and having a longitudinal axis; a power source; a rotary motor; a first gear element driven by the rotary motor, the first gear element having a first crank pin; a second gear element driven by the first gear element, the second gear element having a second crank pin; a bar having an first crank pin slot for engaging the first crank pin, a second crank pin slot for engaging the second crank pin, a pivot slot for engaging the pivot pin of the housing and a toothbrush slot; and a toothbrush engaged to the toothbrush slot of the bar. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification