Brush head for toothbrush

• US 6,574,820 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Fritsch, Thomas, DePuydt, Joseph A., Boland, Bernhard, Stopler, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Gary K.
• Application Number:
  US09/425,423
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28, 15/224, 15/29, 15/23, 15/222, 433/216
• US Class Current: 15/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/32 reciprocating or oscillating
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3427 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

A head for a toothbrush including a neck and, first and second sets of one or more bristles each. The first and second sets are indirectly supported by the neck arid movable relative to each other such that at least one component of this relative movement causes the bristle(s) of the first set to be raised and/or lowered relative to the bristle(s) in the second set. The first and second sets of bristles both are movable relative to the neck.

Claims

1. A head for a toothbrush, comprising:

a neck; and

first and second sets of one or more bristles each, the first and second sets being indirectly supported by the neck, interlinked and movable relative to each other such that at least one component of this relative movement causes the bristle(s) of the first set to be raised and/or lowered relative to the bristle(s) in the second set, the first and second sets of bristles both being movable relative to the neck, the second set of bristles being rotatable about a first axis, the first set of one or more bristles being rotatable about the axis.

2. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more bristles is movable along the axis.

3. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of one or more bristles is rotatable about the axis in unison with the second set of bristles.

4. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of bristles is movable parallel to the axis.

5. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of bristles are tilted at an angle of between about 1-20 degrees from a vertical line extending from a surface of a support to which the first set of bristles are secured.

6. The head of claim 1, wherein the first set of bristles is set into periodic motion relative to the second set of bristles.

7. A head for a toothbrush, comprising:

a neck; and

first and second sets of one or more bristles each, the first and second sets being indirectly supported by the neck, interlinked and movable relative to each other such that at least one component of this relative movement causes the bristle(s) on the first set to be raised and/or lowered relative to the bristle(s) in the second set, the first and second sets of bristles both being movable relative to the neck, the second set of bristles being rotatable about a first axis, the first set of bristles being rotatable about a second axis which is different from the first axis.

8. The head of claim 7, wherein the second axis is substantially perpendicular to the first axis.

9. The head of claim 7, wherein the first set of bristles is rotateable about the first axis.

10. The head of claim 9, wherein the first set of bristles is rotateable about the first axis in unison with the second group of bristles.

11. A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a neck;

at least one bristle mounted to a portion of a bristle carrier moveably supported within the neck;

a longitudinal drive shaft moveably disposed in the neck and driving the bristle carrier to move relative to the neck in a first direction of rotary motion about a first axis; and

whereby the portion of the bristle carrier moves relative to the neck in said first direction of motion and simultaneously moves in a second direction of motion which is transverse to the first direction, and that the portion of the bristle carrier has one of a cam surface and a cam follower, and a neck housing has the other of the cam surface and the cam follower, the cam surface and cam follower slidingly engaging with each other for causing the second direction of motion of the bristle carrier.

12. The head of claim 11, wherein the bristle carrier is supported by the neck such that the motion of the bristle carrier in the first rotary motion direction relative to the neck causes displacement of the bristle carrier in the second direction.

13. The head of claim 11, wherein the cam surface has portions extending transverse to the first axis.

14. The head of claim 11, wherein there are two camming surfaces and respective two cooperating cam followers.

15. The head of claim 11, wherein the camming surface is a track extending between first and second locations axially spaced in a direction along the first axis.

16. The head of claim 11, wherein the camming surface and cam follower are located in spaced relation from a juncture between the bristle carrier and the drive shaft.

17. The head of claim 11, wherein the camming surface and the cam follower are provided along radially confronting surfaces between the bristle carrier and the neck.

18. The head of any of claim 11, wherein the camming surface is a slot or groove.

19. The head of claim 11, wherein the cam follower is a pin sliding along a camming track.

20. The head of claim 11, wherein the camming surface is provided on the neck portion of the brush head and that the cam follower is provided on the bristle carrier.

21. The head of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the camming surface is located further from the axis than a periphery of the portion of the bristle carrier.

22. The head of claim 11, wherein two camming surfaces are located diametrically opposite one another.

23. The head of claim 11, wherein the bristle carrier has on an underside thereof support structure defining the rotational axis.

24. The head of claim 11, wherein the head also includes a securement pin which retains the bristle carrier to the neck.

25. The head of claim 11, wherein the brush head further includes a second brush base bearing a second set of bristle(s), that the bristle carrier is configured as a slider core received within and radially surrounded by the second brush base, wherein the cam follower extends through respective one or more slot(s) formed in the second brush base.

26. A head for an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a neck;

at least one bristle mounted to a bristle carrier moveably supported within the neck;

a longitudinal drive shaft moveably disposed in the neck; and

a mechanism for moving the bristle carrier, the mechanism being coupled to the drive shaft and including a cam surface and a cam follower, the drive shaft actuating the mechanism to move the bristle carrier, whereby the bristle carrier is movable relative to the neck in a first direction of rotary motion about a first axis and simultaneously movable in a second direction of motion which is transverse to the first direction, and that the bristle carrier has one of the cam surface and cam follower, and a neck housing has the other of the cam surface and the cam follower, the cam surface and cam follower slidingly engaging with each other for causing the first and second directions of motion of the bristle carrier to be linked.