Motor-driven toothbrush

• US 5,617,602 A
• Filed: 06/27/1995
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eiji Okada
• Original Assignee: Eiji Okada
• Inventors: Okada, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US08/495,092
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 15/22.1, 15/145, 15/176.1, 15/176.6, 403/333, 403/361
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/10 Details of socket shapes

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to make an engaging section between a holder section and a toothbrush section of a motor-driven toothbrush more simple, manufacture thereof easier and also minimize the production cost as well as to achieve minimization and weight reduction thereof, and also to improve the reliability of insertion. For this purpose, an engaging/receiving hole or bore is formed in the toothbrush section of the motor-driven toothbrush, and a projection of the holder section is inserted into the engaging hole for fixing the toothbrush section to the holder section. Also the engaging projection is formed on said holder section and the toothbrush section is made of resilient material to provide the engaging hole having a round cross-section into which the projection is inserted. Furthermore the engaging hole is provided with a round cross-section into which the projection formed in said holder section is inserted, said engaging hole having a larger diameter section in the entrance side thereof and a smaller diameter section in the bottom side thereof, and at least one resilient engaging section projecting to a center of the engaging hole is continuously provided in at least one of the larger diameter section in the entrance side of the engaging hole and the smaller diameter section in the bottom side of the engaging hole.

Claims

1. A motorized toothbrush comprising:

a holder section including an elongated body enclosing a drive unit and a projection attached to one end of said body, said drive unit connected to said projection for moving said projection in response to actuation of said drive unit, said projection having a stem with a predetermined first diameter, a tip with a predetermined second diameter, and a tapered part positioned between said stem and said tip, said first diameter being larger than said second diameter,

a toothbrush section having opposed ends with a brush head positioned on one said end, and a receiving section integrally formed with the other said end, said receiving section being formed of flexible material and being shaped to define a sectioned bore therein, said sectioned bore having a first section with a predetermined third diameter positioned near said other end, a second section having a predetermined fourth diameter smaller than said third diameter, and a tapered third section positioned between said first and second sections, said first section receiving said stem therein, said second section receiving said tip therein, and said third section receiving said tapered part therein, and

elongate key means fixedly secured to and extending lengthwise within one of said first and second sections and projecting radially inwardly from the respective predetermined diameter for compression securing of said projection in said receiving section.

2. The motorized toothbrush according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said key means circumferentially spaced from one another and extending lengthwise within said one section, said plurality of said key means causing compression securing of said projection in said receiving section.

3. The motorized toothbrush according to claim 1, further comprising said key means extending lengthwise within both of said first and second sections.

4. A motorized toothbrush comprising:

a holder section including an elongated body enclosing a drive unit and a projection attached to one end of said body, said drive unit connected to said projection for moving said projection in response to actuation of said drive unit, said projection having a stem with a predetermined first diameter, a tip with a predetermined second diameter, and a tapered part positioned between said stem and said tip, said first diameter being larger than said second diameter,

a toothbrush section having opposed ends with a brush head positioned on one said end, and a receiving section integrally formed with the other said end, said receiving section being formed of flexible material and being shaped to define a sectioned bore therein, said sectioned bore having a first section with a predetermined third diameter positioned near said other end, a second section having a predetermined fourth diameter smaller than said third diameter, and a tapered third section positioned between said first and second sections, said first section receiving said stem therein, said second section receiving said tip therein, and said third section receiving said tapered part therein, and

a plurality of circumferentially spaced elongate key means fixedly secured to and extending lengthwise along said first section and projecting radially inwardly of said third diameter for compression securing of said projection in said receiving section, said plurality of key means defining therein a clearance diameter in said first section measured between radial inner edges of said key means, said clearance diameter being larger than said fourth diameter.

5. The motorized toothbrush according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of circumferentially spaced elongate key means are fixedly secured to and extend lengthwise along said second section and project radially inwardly of said fourth diameter.