Mechanical toothbrush with opposed dual heads and having oscillatory movement

• US 6,401,288 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Twinbrush, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Dickie, Robert P. Porper
• Inventors: Dickie, Robert G., Porper, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Randall E.
• Application Number:
  US09/510,501
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 151/672
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0012 Brushes with two or more heads on the same end of a handle for simultaneous use, e.g. cooperating with each-other
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/026 where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat A46B9/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/045 specially adapted for cleaning a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3445 Translation along the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

An electric toothbrush is provided with an electric motor and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism includes a motion translation means to convert rotary motion to oscillatory movement of a drive shaft adapted to be received on the brush head portion of the electric toothbrush, so as to impart an oscillatory movement of the head portion about its longitudinal axis. A particular driving mechanism includes a flywheel having a drive pin which is received in a cam block secured to the drive shaft. The brush head portion comprises a pair of opposed bristle head portions arranged so as to present two groups of opposed bundles of bristles disposed substantially perpendicularly each to the other. Each of the groups of bundles of bristles comprises a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of bristle bundles, where the rows aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the brush head portion, and the columns are aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the brush head portion. The bristles in each bundle in each row of bristle bundles are substantially equal in length, and the lengths of the bristles in each row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion are progressively longer in each successive row of bristle bundles which is further away from the longitudinal axis of the brush head portion than an adjacent row of bristle bundles which is closer to the longitudinal axis of the brush head portion. The outer ends of the respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion which is closest to the longitudinal axis of the brush head portion are spaced less than 0.100 inch from the outer ends of the respective opposed row of bristle bundles on the other bristle head portion.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising a power handle portion and a brush head portion;

said power handle portion being adapted to provide a housing for an electric motor and for a driving mechanism located at a first end of said power handle portion;

said driving mechanism being powered by said electric motor, said electric motor having a longitudinal axis;

said brush head portion having a longitudinal axis which is offset by a first offset distance with respect to the longitudinal axis of said electric motor;

said brush head portion being removably attachable at a first end thereof to said first end of said power handle portion;

said brush head portion comprising a pair of opposed bristle head portions arranged so as to present two groups of opposed bundles of bristles disposed substantially perpendicularly each to the other;

each of said groups of bundles of bristles on each respective bristle head portion comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of bristle bundles;

said driving mechanism comprising motion translation means for translating rotational driving power from said electric motor to oscillatory motion delivered to said brush head portion;

wherein said driving mechanism further comprises a drive shaft disposed on said longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and being adapted to deliver oscillatory driving power from said motion translation means to said brush head portion;

said drive shaft being detachably connected to said brush head portion in a manner so as to preclude rotational slippage therebetween, and so as to secure said drive shaft in position along said longitudinal axis thereof;

whereby rotational motion of said electric motor is translated by said motion translation means into oscillatory motion of said drive shaft, so as to provide oscillatory movement to said pair of opposed bristle head portions of said brush head.

2. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the detachable connection between said drive shaft and said brush head portion is by way of a socket or slot being formed in one of said drive shaft and said brush head portion and a mating plug or blade being formed in the other of said drive shaft and said brush head portion for co-operating fitment therewith.

3. The electric toothbrush of claim 2, wherein said brush head portion further comprises a collar portion at the first end thereof, which is adapted to be removably attachable to the first end of said power handle portion, wherein said opposed bristle head portions are disposed at the end of an intermediate arm portion which is opposite said first end of said brush head portion, and wherein said intermediate arm portion is accommodated within said collar portion and includes said socket disposed on said longitudinal axis thereof.

4. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the amount of oscillatory motion by said opposed bristle head portions of said brush head portion about the longitudinal axis thereof is in the range of 3°

to 10°

.

6. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the rate of oscillatory movement by said opposed bristle head portions of said brush head portion about the longitudinal axis thereof is in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 oscillations per minute.

7. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, wherein the rate of oscillatory movement is in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 oscillations per minute.

8. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said electric motor is a direct current motor, and said power handle portion further comprises a battery chosen from the group consisting of primary batteries and rechargeable batteries.

5. The electric toothbrush of claim 5, wherein the amount of oscillatory motion is in the range of 5°

to 6°

.

9. An electric toothbrush comprising a power handle portion and a brush head portion;

said power handle portion being adapted to provide a housing for an electric motor and for a driving mechanism located at a first end of said power handle portion;

said driving mechanism being power by said electric motor, said electric motor having a longitudinal axis;

said brush head portion having a longitudinal axis which is offset by a first offset distance with respect to the longitudinal axis of said electric motor;

said brush head portion being removably attachable at a first end thereof to said first end of said power handle portion;

said brush head portion comprising a pair of opposed bristle head portions arranged so as to present two groups of opposed bundles disposed substantially perpendicularly each to the other;

each of said groups of bundles of bristles on each respective bristle head portion comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of bristle bundles;

said driving mechanism comprising a flywheel mounted on a drive shaft from said electric motor so as to have a rotational axis coincident with the longitudinal axis thereof, a drive pin mounted on said flywheel and rotatable therewith, a cam block having a slot at a first end thereof into which the end of said drive pin which is remote from said flywheel is inserted, and an oscillating drive shaft mounted at a second end of said cam block remote from said first end and being adapted for oscillatory motion transfer fitment to said brush head portion;

said drive pin having a longitudinal axis which is offset from said longitudinal axis of said electric motor by an amount less than said first offset distance;

said drive shaft being detachably connected to said brush head portion in a manner so as to preclude rotational slippage therebetween, and so as to secure said drive shaft in position along said longitudinal axis thereof;

whereby rotational motion of said flywheel is translated by movement of said drive pin in said slot of said cam block into oscillatory motion of said drive shaft, so as to provide oscillatory movement to said pair of opposed bristle head portions of said brush head.

10. The electric toothbrush of claim 9, wherein the detachable connection between said drive shaft and said brush head portion is by way of a socket or slot being formed in one of said drive shaft and said brush head portion and a mating plug or blade being formed in the other of said drive shaft and said brush head portion for co-operating fitment therewith.

11. The electric toothbrush of claim 10, wherein said brush head portion further comprises a collar portion at the first end thereof, which is adapted to be removably attachable to the first end of said power handle portion, wherein said opposed bristle head portions are disposed at the end of an intermediate arm portion which is opposite said first end of said brush head portion, and wherein said intermediate arm portion is accommodated within said collar portion and includes said socket disposed on said longitudinal axis thereof.

12. The electric toothbrush of claim 11, wherein said brush head portion comprises two matched halves;

wherein each of said two matched halves comprises a respective one of said bristle head portions and a respective half of said intermediate arm portion;

wherein each respective matched half is formed with a portion of said socket at said first end thereof in each said respective half of said intermediate arm portion.

13. The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the material from which each of said two matched halves has been manufactured is ABS, and the material from which said drive shaft has been manufactured is nylon;

and wherein said matched halves of said brush head portion are assembled to each other by the process chosen from the group consisting of gluing said matched halves to each other and sonically welding said matched halves to each other.

14. The electric toothbrush of claim 9, wherein the rows or bristle bundles of each of said groups of bundles of bristles are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and the columns of bristle bundles are aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion;

and

wherein the bristles in each bundle in each row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion are substantially equal in length, where the length of the bristles in the respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion which is closest to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion is shorter than the length of the bristles in the respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion which is furthest away from the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and wherein the lengths of the bristles in each respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion are progressively longer in each row of bristle bundles which is further away from the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion than an adjacent row of bristle bundles which is closer to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion.

15. The electric toothbrush of claim 9, wherein the amount of oscillatory motion by said opposed bristle head portions of said brush head portion about the longitudinal axis thereof is in the range of 3°

to 10°

.

16. The electric toothbrush of claim 15, wherein the amount of oscillatory motion is in the range of 5°

to 6°

.

17. The electric toothbrush of claim 9, wherein the rate of oscillatory movement by said opposed bristle head portions of said brush head portion about the longitudinal axis thereof is in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 oscillations per minute.

18. The electric toothbrush of claim 17, wherein the rate of oscillatory movement is in the range of 1,500 to 2,000 oscillations per minute.

19. The electric toothbrush of claim 9, wherein said electric motor is a direct current motor, and said power handle portion further comprises a battery chosen from the group consisting of primary batteries and rechargeable batteries.

20. An electric toothbrush comprising a power handle portion and a brush head portion;

said power handle portion being adapted to provide a housing for an electric motor and for a driving mechanism located at a first end of said power handle portion;

said driving mechanism being powered by said electric motor, said electric motor having a longitudinal axis;

said brush head potion having a longitudinal axis which is offset by a first offset distance with respect to the longitudinal axis of said electric motor;

said brush head portion being removably attachable at a first end thereof to said first end of said power handle portion;

said brush head portion comprising a pair of opposed bristle head portions arranged so as to present two groups of opposed bundles of bristles disposed substantially perpendicularly each to the other;

each of said groups of bundles of bristles on each respective bristle head portion comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of bristle bundles, wherein the rows of bristle bundles of each of said groups of bundles of bristles are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and the columns of bristle bundles are aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion;

wherein the bristles in each bundle in each row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion are substantially equal in length, where the length of the bristles in the respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion which is closest to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion is shorter than the length of the bristles in the respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion which is furthest away from the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and wherein the lengths of the bristles in each respective row of bristle bundles on each bristle head portion are progressively longer in each row of bristle bundles which is further away from the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion than an adjacent row of bristle bundles which is closer to the longitudinal axis of said brush head portion;

said driving mechanism comprising motion translation means for translating rotational driving power from said electric motor to oscillatory motion delivered to said brush head portion;

wherein said driving mechanism further comprises a drive shaft disposed on said longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and being adapted to deliver oscillatory driving power from said motion translation means to said brush head portion;

said drive shaft being detachably connected to said brush head portion in a manner so as to preclude rotational slippage therebetween, and so as to secure said drive shaft in position along said longitudinal axis thereof;

whereby rotational motion of said electric motor is translated by said motion translation means into oscillatory motion of said drive shaft, so as to provide oscillatory movement to said pair of opposed bristle head portions of said brush head.

21. An electric toothbrush comprising a power handle portion and a brush head portion;

said power handle portion being adapted to provide a housing for an electric motor and for a driving mechanism located at a first end of said power handle portion;

said driving mechanism being powered by said electric motor, said electric motor having a longitudinal axis;

said brush head portion having a longitudinal axis which is offset by a first offset distance with respect to the longitudinal axis of said electric motor;

said brush head portion being removably attachable at a first end thereof to said first end of said power handle portion;

said brush head portion comprising a pair of opposed bristle head portions arranged so as to present two groups of opposed bundles of bristles disposed substantially perpendicularly each to the other;

each of said groups of bundles of bristles on each respective bristle head portion comprising a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns of bristle bundles;

said driving mechanism comprising motion translation means for translating rotational driving power from said electric motor to oscillatory motion delivered to said brush head portion;

wherein said driving mechanism further comprises a drive shaft disposed on said longitudinal axis of said brush head portion, and being adapted to deliver oscillatory driving power from said motion translation means to said brush head portion;

said drive shaft being detachably connected to said brush head portion in a manner so as to preclude rotational slippage therebetween, and so as to secure said drive shaft in position along said longitudinal axis thereof;

wherein the detachable connection between said drive shaft and said brush head portion is by way of a socket or slot being formed in one of said drive shaft and said brush head portion and a mating plug or blade being formed in the other of said drive shaft and said brush head portion for co-operating fitment therewith;

wherein said brush head portion further comprises a collar portion at the first end thereof, which is adapted to be removably attachable to the first end of said power handle portion, wherein said opposed bristle head portions are disposed at the end of an intermediate arm portion which is opposite said first end of said brush head portion, and wherein said intermediate arm portion is accommodated within said collar portion and includes said socket disposed on said longitudinal axis thereof;

whereby rotational motion of said electric motor is translated by said motion translation means into oscillatory motion of said drive shaft, so as to provide oscillatory movement to said pair of opposed bristle head portions of said brush head; and

wherein said brush head portion comprises two matched halves;

wherein each of said two matched halves comprises a respective one of said bristle head portions and a respective half of said intermediate arm portion;

wherein each respective matched half is formed with a portion of said socket at said first end thereof in each said respective half of said intermediate arm portion.

22. The electric toothbrush of claim 21, wherein the material from which each of said two matched halves has been manufactured is ABS, and the material from which said drive shaft has been manufactured is nylon;

and wherein said matched halves of said brush head portion are assembled to each other by the process chosen from the group consisting of gluing said matched halves to each other and sonically welding said matched halves to each other.