Toothbrush

• US 5,406,664 A
• Filed: 03/22/1994
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Hukuba
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Hukuba
• Inventors: Hukuba, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US08/215,678
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 15/22.1, 15/22.2, 15/167.1, 15/167.2, 15/172, 15/22.4
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3418 Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

There is provided an electrically driven toothbrush having a simple structure and capable of changing the reciprocation stroke of bristles in a simple operation. The toothbrush is composed of a head portion 10 including a bristle portion 15 studded with bristles 14, a grip portion 12 having a motor 22, an intermediate transmission member 20 mounted in the grip portion and connected to the head portion, and a conversion mechanism 24 interposed between the intermediate transmission member and the motor for converting a rotational movement of the motor into a reciprocal movement of the intermediate transmission member. At least the bristle portion of the head portion is resiliently tiltable with respect to an axis of the intermediate transmission member, and at least the reciprocation stroke of the bristle portion can be changed in accordance with the tilting distance of the bristle portion.

Claims

1. A toothbrush, comprising:

a head portion including a bristle portion studded with bristles;

a grip portion adapted to be gripped manually and being a separate member from said head portion;

a receptacle outside of and connected to a distal end of said grip portion;

a connecting member pivotally supported within said receptacle and adapted to be coupled with said head portion such that said head portion, when connected with said connecting member, is pivotally connected to the grip portion; and

resilient means disposed within said receptacle and engaged against said connecting member for urging said connecting member in a direction such that said bristle portion of said pivotally connected head portion is urged toward teeth of a user.

2. A toothbrush according to claim 1, further comprising:

a battery accommodated in said grip portion;

a grip conductor member covering a surface of said grip portion and connected with one pole of said battery;

a second electrical conductor member on said grip portion connected with the other pole of said battery; and

means for electrically connecting said bristles with said second electrical conductor member.

3. A toothbrush, comprising:

a head portion including a bristle portion studded with bristles;

a grip portion adapted to be gripped manually and being a separate member from said head portion;

coupling means for detachably coupling said head portion to said grip portion and including means for providing said head portion with a tilting motion relative to said grip portion, in response to pressure applied to said bristle portion including

a receptacle at a distal end of said grip portion;

a connecting member having one end pivotally supported within said receptacle and other end adapted to be coupled with said head portion; and

spring means disposed within said receptacle for urging said connecting member in a tilting direction toward distal ends of said bristles with respect to said head portion coupled with said other end of said connecting member.

4. An electrically driven toothbrush comprising:

a head portion including a bristle portion studded with bristles, wherein at least said bristle portion in said head portion is tiltable from a reference position;

a grip portion adapted to be gripped manually and accommodating an electric motor and being a separate member from said head portion;

coupling means for coupling said head portion to said grip portion, said coupling means supported on said grip portion in such a manner that said coupling means makes a reciprocal movement and having a pivotal connecting member for pivotally connecting said head portion to said grip portion for providing said head portion with a tilting motion relative to the grip portion in response to pressure applied to said bristle portion;

conversion-means in said grip portion for converting a rotational movement generated from said motor into a reciprocal movement of said coupling means; and

wherein said conversion means causes said coupling means to move reciprocally in a rotational direction around an axis of rotation of said coupling means.

5. An electrically driven toothbrush according to claim 4, wherein a tilting distance from an axis of rotation of said coupling means to a point in said bristle portion varies in response to the tilting movement of said bristle portion, and a reciprocating distance of said reciprocal movement of said bristle portion varies depending on said tilting distance.

6. An electrically driven toothbrush according to claim 4, further comprising:

a battery accommodated in said grip portion;

a grip conductor member coveting a surface of said grip portion and connected with one pole of said battery; and

a second electrical conductor member on said grip portion connected with the other pole of said battery; and

means for electrically connecting said bristles with said second electrical conductor member.

7. An electrically driven toothbrush according to claim 4, wherein said grip portion includes an outer casing, said casing comprising at least three cylindrical members connected together in a lengthwise direction of said grip portion, each of said cylindrical members being molded independently.

8. An electrically driven toothbrush comprising

a head portion including a bristle portion studded with bristles;

a grip portion adapted to be gripped manually and accommodating an electric motor and being a separate member from said head portion;

coupling means for detachably coupling said head portion to said grip portion, said coupling means supported on said grip portion in such a manner that said coupling means makes a reciprocal movement and having means for providing said head portion with a tilting motion relative to the grip portion; and

conversion means in said grip portion for converting a rotational movement, generated from said motor into a reciprocal movement of said coupling means wherein said conversion means causes said coupling means to move reciprocally in a rotational direction around an axis of rotation of said coupling means.

9. A toothbrush, comprising:

a head portion including a bristle portion at one end studded with bristles and a free portion at an opposite end;

a grip portion adapted to be gripped manually and being a separate member from said head portion;

a coupling means for detachably coupling said head portion to said grip portion, said coupling means having a connecting means pivotally connecting said free portion of said head portion to said coupling means at a distal end of said grip portion for providing said head portion with a tilting motion relative to the grip portion in response to pressure applied to said bristle portion; and

resilient means disposed within said coupling means against said free portion of said head portion for urging said connecting member in a direction such that said bristle portion of said pivotally connected head portion is urged in a direction toward teeth of a user.

10. An electrically driven toothbrush according to claim 9, further comprising:

a battery accommodated in said grip portion;

a grip electrical conductor member covering a surface of said grip portion and connected with one pole of said battery; and

a second electrical conductor member on said grip portion connected with the other pole of said battery; and

means for electrically connecting said bristles with said second electrical conductor member.

11. An electrically driven toothbrush to claim 10, wherein said grip conductor member is provided on a surface of at least one of said three cylindrical members.

12. An electrically driven toothbrush according to claim 10, wherein said second electrical conductor member comprises said pivotable connecting member.