Electric toothbrush

• US 5,341,534 A
• Filed: 06/21/1993
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Industries Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mork, Steve O., Serbinski, Andrew, Callaghan, Roberta L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US08/080,003
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 15/22.1, 15/22.2, 15/22.4, 15/23, 15/24, 15/28, 15/29, D 4/100, D 4/101, D 4/102, D 4/109, D 4/112
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/40 orbiting, e.g. nutating

Abstract

A battery-powered toothbrush has an elongated housing shaped to be grasped by the human hand. The housing encloses a battery-energized motor which drives a brush shaft that has a stub projecting through a nose of the housing and upon which in use a brush is mounted. A generally tubular housing shell confines the battery, motor and shaft. An upper half shell is of a U-shaped exterior cross section over a substantial portion of its length, while a lower half shell is mated to the upper half shell in definition of the housing and is of semi-cylindrical exterior cross-section over a like substantial portion of its length. The distance along those substantial portions approximates the width of the adult human hand. The shaft is offset downwardly from the longitudinal geometric axis. All shell portions of different diameter merge smoothly into other portions of the shell.

Claims

1. In a battery powered toothbrush having an elongated housing with a nose defined at one end thereof, said housing being shaped to be grasped by the human hand and within which housing are a battery, a motor energized by said battery, a brush shaft driven by said motor with a stub projecting through said nose of said housing and upon which a brush is secured for use, said housing comprising a generally tubular housing shell within which said battery, said motor and said shaft are mounted and which comprises:

an upper half shell of U-shaped exterior cross section over a substantial portion of its length;

a switch button located on said upper half shell at a location toward said nose relative to said substantial portion;

a lower half shell mated to said upper half shell in definition of said housing and being of semi-cylindrical exterior cross section over a similar substantial portion of its length; and

said substantial portions of said half shells defining a longitudinal geometric axis, in which said stub projects along a working axis parallel to but spaced in the direction away from said upper shell a predetermined distance from said geometric axis, and in which beyond said substantial portions toward said nose said half shells smoothly curve downwardly in accommodation of said predetermined distance;

the downward curve of said upper shell beyond its substantial portion being substantially uniform along its length to said nose, the downward curve of said lower shell is completed in a distance beyond its substantial portion toward said nose to define an arcuate abutment for providing finger support opposite said switch button, and a generally flat surface defined beyond said abutment and laterally spaced from said working axis to the opposite side thereof from said geometric axis.

2. A toothbrush housing as defined in claim 1 in which the distance along said substantial portions approximates the width of the adult human hand.

3. A toothbrush housing as defined in claim 2 wherein at the base end of said housing opposite said nose said shells merge smoothly into a cylinder and the inner wall of said cylinder threadably receives a closing plug.

4. A toothbrush housing as defined in claim 2 in which the widths and heights of said shells smoothly decrease from said substantial portions to said nose.

5. A toothbrush housing as defined in claim 4 in which beyond said substantial portion thereof said lower shell merges into a rearwardly tapering flat.

6. A toothbrush housing as defined in claim 4 in which beyond said substantial portion thereof said upper shell gradually changes to semi-cylindrical at said nose.