Brush section for an electric toothbrush

• US 5,862,558 A
• Filed: 03/25/1997
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun Aktiengesellschaft
• Inventors: Herzog, Karl, Kressner, Gerhard, Hilfinger, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US08/823,413
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 15/22.1, 15/22.2, 15/22.4, 15/28, 15/23, 15/29, 433/216
• US Class Current: 15/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/40 orbiting, e.g. nutating

Abstract

The invention is directed to a brush section (1) for an electric toothbrush which includes a mounting tube (2) in which a shaft (7) rotary about a longitudinal axis (3) is received. Further, the brush section (1) includes a bristle carrier (11) from which bristles (15) extend in the direction of a brush axis (14). The bristle carrier (11) is rotary about a transverse axis (19) by means of a bearing pin (21). By means of in particular a tapered disk (24), the brush axis (14) and the transverse axis (19) define between them an angle (28) departing from an apex (29). In operation of the electric toothbrush, the bristle carrier (11) performs a nutating motion about the transverse axis (19). This effects a revolving approaching/receding motion of the free ends of the bristles (15) resulting in an improved cleaning action on a user'"'"'s teeth.

Claims

1. A brush section for an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a mounting tube;

a shaft within said mounting tube and rotary about a longitudinal axis;

a bristle carrier having a brush axis and bristles extending therefrom and being rotary about a transverse axis and coupled to said shaft; and

a coupling mechanism connecting said bristle carrier to the shaft and which converts a rotational motion of the shaft about the longitudinal axis to a motion of the bristle carrier (11) and the brush axis relative to the transverse axis, whereby the motion of the brush axis of the bristle carrier occurs essentially on an envelope of a cone.

2. The brush section as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse axis and the brush axis define between them an acute angle about an apex.

3. The brush section as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apex lies at a distance from the bristle carrier beyond a surface defined by distal ends of the bristles when the bristles are in use.

4. The brush section as claimed in claim 2, wherein the apex lies at a distance from the bristle carrier before a surface defined by distal ends of the bristles when the bristles are in use.

5. The brush section as claimed in claim 2 wherein the acute angle has a value in a range of approximately 2 to 14 degrees.

6. The brush section as claimed in claim 2, wherein the acute angle has a value in a range of approximately 6 to 10 degrees.

7. The brush section as claimed in claim 2, wherein the acute angle has a value in a range of approximately 3 to 5 degrees.

8. The brush section as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises:

a first gear carried by the shaft, said first gear connected with said shaft in a non-rotating relationships; and

a second gear rotary about the transverse axis, said second gear being in meshing engagement with said first gear and coupled to said bristle carrier.

9. The brush section as claimed in claim 8, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises:

a bearing pin rotatably carried in the mounting tube, said bearing pin being connected with said second gear in a non-rotating relationship.

10. The brush section as claimed in claim 9, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises:

a second bearing pin, wherein the bristle carrier is rotatably mounted on said second bearing pin.

11. The brush section as claimed in claim 8, wherein said coupling mechanism comprises:

a bent shaft fabricated from a bent piece of round metal, said shaft having a section thereof connected with said second gear in a non-rotating relationship and being rotatably carried in the mounting tube.

12. The brush section as claimed in claim 11, wherein the bristle carrier is rotatably mounted by means of a section of said bent shaft.

13. The brush section as claimed in claim 8, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises:

a tapered disk, wherein the bristle carrier is connected with said second gear through said tapered disk.

14. The brush section as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first gear is a pinion.

15. The brush section as claimed in claim 8, wherein said second gear is a contrate gear.

16. The brush section as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

means to prevent rotation of the bristle carrier about the brush axis.

17. The brush section as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mounting tube includes a groove extending radially to the brush axis;

and said means for preventing rotation of the bristle carrier comprises;

a finger protruding from the bristle carrier and engaging said groove.

18. The brush section as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for preventing rotation of the bristle carrier is a retaining spring.

19. The brush section as claimed in claim 18, wherein said retaining spring includes:

two approximately right-angled portions; and

a spring portion connecting said right-angled portions.

20. The brush section as claimed in claim 19, wherein said retaining spring is made of a piece of metal wire, and where said bristle carrier and said mounting tube each have blind-end holes, wherein said right-angled portions of the retaining spring are inserted in the blind-end holes of said bristle carrier and said mounting tube.

21. The brush section as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

means to produce a rotation of the bristle carrier about the brush axis.

22. The brush section as claimed in claim 21, wherein said rotating means comprises:

a first bevel gearing on the mounting tube; and

a second bevel gearing on the bristle carrier wherein said first and second bevel gearings are in meshing engagement with one another.

23. The brush section as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting tube and bristle carrier have relatively associated surfaces which are domed in a complementary manner.

24. The brush section as claimed in claim 23, wherein said mounting tube comprises:

a cap structure having a surface relatively associated with a surface of said bristle carrier, wherein the relatively associated surfaces of said bristle carrier, and said cap structure are of a spherical configuration and have a common sphere center.

25. The brush section as claimed in claim 24, wherein the common sphere center is the apex of an acute angle of defined by the transverse axis and the brush axis.

26. The brush section as claimed in claim 23, wherein the relatively associated surfaces of said bristle carrier and said mounting tube are of a spherical configuration and have a common sphere center.

27. The brush section as claimed in claim 26, wherein the common sphere center is the apex of an acute angle defined by the transverse axis and the brush axis.

28. An electric toothbrush having a brush section as claimed in claim 1.

29. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 28, comprising:

a continuously rotating drive mechanism.