Electric toothbrush
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cleaning device defining a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
- (a) a housing;
(b) a motor shaft within the housing and aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
(c) a motor located in the housing for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft;
(d) a reciprocable rack located in the housing which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device;
(e) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack;
(f) a gear mounted for rotation with the shaft and for sliding movement along the shaft, the gear being operatively connected to the reciprocable rack so as to convert the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke of the rack;
(g) a lifting cam and a cam follower, one of the lifting cam and the cam follower positioned to rotate with the gear, the other of the lifting cam and the cam follower associated with the housing of the cleaning device, the cam follower interacting with the lifting cam such that when the gear is in the revolving motion of rotation, the gear oscillates back and forth along the shaft.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electric toothbrush having in its slip-on brush a piston is disclosed, which is set rotating by a motor shaft projecting out of the handle segment. This piston exhibits a lifting cam, by means of which it effects an axial motion relative to the motor shaft in the slip-on brush. This axial motion causes a reciprocating motion of a toothed rack, which sets the bristle tufts of the toothbrush rotating.
157 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A cleaning device defining a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
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(a) a housing; (b) a motor shaft within the housing and aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; (c) a motor located in the housing for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; (d) a reciprocable rack located in the housing which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device; (e) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack; (f) a gear mounted for rotation with the shaft and for sliding movement along the shaft, the gear being operatively connected to the reciprocable rack so as to convert the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke of the rack; (g) a lifting cam and a cam follower, one of the lifting cam and the cam follower positioned to rotate with the gear, the other of the lifting cam and the cam follower associated with the housing of the cleaning device, the cam follower interacting with the lifting cam such that when the gear is in the revolving motion of rotation, the gear oscillates back and forth along the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cleaning device defining a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
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(a) a housing comprising; a handle segment; and a slip-on head segment removably attached to the handle segment; (b) a shaft extending from the handle segment to the head segment and aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; (c) a motor located in the handle segment for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; (d) a reciprocable rack located in the head segment which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device; (e) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack; (f) a gear disposed in the slip-on head segment for converting the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke for the reciprocable rack, the gear being oriented to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device and being capable of rotation with the shaft; (g) a lifting cam on the outer periphery of the gear; and (h) a component which engages with the lifting cam and is connected to the reciprocable rack, whereby the rotation of the gear causes the component and the reciprocable rack to reciprocate back and forth. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A cleaning device defining a housing and a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
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(a) a motor shaft aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; (b) a motor for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; (c) a reciprocable rack which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device; (d) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack; (e) a gear mounted for rotation with the shaft and for sliding movement along the shaft, the gear being operatively connected to the reciprocable rack so as to convert the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke of the rack; (f) a lifting cam and a cam follower, one of the lifting cam and the cam follower positioned to rotate with the gear, the other of the lifting cam and the cam follower associated with the housing of the cleaning device, the cam follower interacting with the lifting cam such that when the gear is in the revolving motion of rotation, the gear oscillates back and forth along the shaft; (g) an extension on the gear on the side of the gear facing away from the motor; (h) a second lifting cam; and (i) a second cam follower, one of the second lifting cam and the second cam positioned to rotate with the extension and the other of the second lifting cam and the second cam follower being associated with the reciprocable rack such that when the gear is rotating, the extension rotates and causes a corresponding reciprocating motion of the rack. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A cleaning device defining a housing and a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
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(a) a motor shaft aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; (b) a motor for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; (c) a reciprocable rack which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device; (d) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack; (e) a gear mounted for rotation with the shaft and for sliding movement along the shaft, the gear being operatively connected to the reciprocable rack so as to convert the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke of the rack; (f) a lifting cam and a cam follower, one of the lifting cam and the cam follower positioned to rotate with the gear, the other of the lifting cam and the cam follower associated with the housing of the cleaning device, the cam follower interacting with the lifting cam such that when the gear is in the revolving motion of rotation, the gear oscillates back and forth along the shaft; (g) a coaxial guide bore on the gear, the coaxial guide bore being located on the side of the gear facing away from the motor; (h) a second lifting cam; and (i) a second cam follower, one of the second lifting cam and the second cam follower being located in the guide bore, and the other of the second lifting and the second cam follower being associated with the reciprocable rack such that when the gear is rotating, the guide bore rotates and causes a corresponding reciprocating motion of the reciprocable rack. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A cleaning device defining a longitudinal axis therethrough, the cleaning device comprising:
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(a) a housing comprising; a handle segment; and a slip-on head segment removably attached to the handle segment; (b) a motor shaft extending from the handle segment to the head segment and aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; (c) a motor located in the handle segment for rotating the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft; (d) a reciprocable rack located in the head segment which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device; (e) a cleaning head operatively connected with the reciprocable rack; (f) a gear disposed in the slip-on head segment mounted for rotation with the shaft and for sliding movement along the shaft, the gear being operatively connected to the reciprocable rack so as to convert the rotation of the shaft into a reciprocating stroke of the rack; (g) a lifting cam and a cam follower, one of the lifting cam and the cam follower positioned to rotate with the gear, the other of the lifting cam and the cam follower associated with the housing of the cleaning device, the cam follower interacting with the lifting cam such that when the gear is in the revolving motion of rotation, the gear oscillates back and forth along the shaft; and a coupling on the gear which, when the slip-on head segment is slid on the handle segment, couples with the motor shaft, which leads out of the handle segment.
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Specification