Electrical dentifrice-dispensing toothbrush with replaceable bristle unit and refillable cartridge

• US 6,735,803 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Youti Kuo
• Original Assignee: Youti Kuo
• Inventors: Kuo, Youti
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOPPIKAR, VIVEK D
• Application Number:
  US10/159,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20030221270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28, 15/29, 151/10, 151/671, 151/88, 401/278
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/001 with integral reservoirs A46B11/0003, A46B11/0006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0065 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being replaced when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/008 Disc-shaped brush bodies
• 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 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/227 with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

An electrical dentifrice dispensing toothbrush using a replaceable bristle unit with a permanent drive head and handle is described. The replaceable bristle unit consists of a rotary bristle element and a stationary bristle element that has an opening for the flow of dentifrice material through the drive head. The bristle unit is snap-on latched to the side walls of the drive head. Opposing tabs which also function as pressure sensors on the bristle unit are pressed toward each other to release the bristle unit. A linkage is used to convert the rotation of the drive shaft to a planar oscillation that enables a compact drive head configuration. The dentifrice dispensing is accomplished by using a rotary solenoid for actuating an internal button that applies pumping pressure to the dentifrice material. As a benefit to arthritis suffers, no external squeezing action is involved.

Claims

1. An electrical toothbrush comprising:

a. a handle having a motor;

b. a neck extending from the handle having a drive shaft which has first end and second end with the first end connected to said motor;

c. a drive head extending from said neck having an oscillation driver attached to the second end of said drive shaft, said drive head has a base having a top and two side walls;

d. a bristle unit mounted on said drive head having;

i. a first rotary bristle element comprising a base having a side wall between a top surface and a bottom surface, a pair of notch walls extending from the side wall forming a drive notch, a plurality of bristles attached to the top surface, and a bushing extending from said bottom surface and said drive notch being engaged with said oscillation driver;

ii. a platform comprising top and bottom surfaces having a first slot therein, a peripheral edge and a first post which extends from the top surface for the mounting and free rotating of said first bristle element with said notch walls positioned and extended beyond said first through slot;

iii. a retention means for allowing free rotation and preventing separation of first bristle element from first post including;

a. an annular groove positioned on inner surface of said bushing of first rotary bristle element and said bushing having split bushing walls, the diameter of said annular groove being larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls;

b. a protruding annular rim on said first post for engaging with said annlar groove of said bushing of the first rotary bristle element and the diameter of said annular rim is smaller than the diameter of said annular groove but larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls.

2. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the drive shaft has a central longitudinal axis integrally connecting said first end and said second end.

3. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein a retention means for allowing free rotation and preventing separation of first bristle element from first post including a rib on the inner surface of each said notch wall of first rotary bristle element and the radial distance of the rib being less than the radial distance of the inner edge of said first slot from the axis of said first post.

4. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said platform is detachable and having a locking means for fastening said detachable platform on said drive head comprising:

a. a latch recess on each side wall of said drive head;

b. two opposing latch arms attached to the peripheral edges of said platform with each latch arm having a rib for detachably engaging with the corresponding latch recesses on said side walls; and

c. two opposing tabs each attached to the peripheral edge of said platform, wherein inward deflection of the tabs toward each other causes outward deflection of the two opposing latch arms and their disengagement from the latch recesses of said drive head.

5. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 in which the oscillation driver has a drive tab extending radially outward from the first end of said drive shaft and is mateable with the drive notch in the side wall of said first rotary bristle element.

6. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 in which the oscillation driver is an oscillation conversion linkage consisting of a pair of notch walls at its input end, a swing arm at its output end and a stud shaft extending from a linkage lever that connects the input end and the output end, said swing arm being engaged with the drive notch of said first bristle element and said input end being in communication with the second end of the drive shaft.

7. The electrical toothbrush of claim 6 in which the notch walls of said input end is engaged with an offset rod of a cam connected to the second end of the drive shaft.

8. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristle unit includes:

a. a second rotary bristle element comprising a base having a side wall between a top surface and a bottom surface, a pair of notch walls extending from the side wall forming a drive notch, a plurality of bristles attached to the top surface, and a bushing extending from said bottom surface and said drive notch being engaged with said oscillation driver;

b. a second post and a second slot positioned in said platform, said second post extends from said top surface for mounting and free rotating of said second bristle element with said notch walls positioned and extended beyond the second slot;

c. a retention means for allowing free rotation and preventing separation of second bristle element from second post including;

i. an annular groove positioned on inner surface of said bushing of first rotary bristle element and said bushing having split bushing walls, the diameter of said annular groove being larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls;

ii. a protruding annular rim on said first post for engaging with said annular groove of said bushing of the first rotary bristle element and the diameter of said annular rim is smaller than the diameter of said annular groove but larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls.

9. The electrical toothbrush of claim 8 in which the oscillation driver is an oscillation conversion linkage consisting of a pair of notch walls at its input end, a swing arm at its output end and a stud shaft extending from a linkage lever that connects the input end and the output end, said swing arm being engaged with the drive notches of said first and second bristle elements and said input end being in communication with the second end of the drive shaft.

10. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 in which the platform includes a stationary bristle element.

11. The electrical toothbrush of claim 10 in which the oscillation driver is an oscillation conversion linkage consisting of a pair of notch walls at its input end, a swing arm at its output end, and a linkage lever that connects the input end and the output end, said swing arm being engaged with the drive notch of said first bristle element and said input end being in communication with the second end of the drive shaft.

12. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein the bushing of first rotary bristle element has split walls and a gap between said split walls for enabling mounting and free-rotation on said first post and each split wall having an annular groove for engaging with the annular rim of said first post for preventing the detachment of said bushing from said first post.

13. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 where the first post of said platform has split walls and a gap between said split walls for enabling mounting and free-rotation of said bushing.

14. The electrical toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bushing of first rotary bristle element and said first post of said platform each having split walls separated by a gap for enabling mounting and free-rotation of said bushing on said first post while each wall of bushing having an annular detent recess for engaging with the annular rim of said first post for preventing the detachment of said bushing from said first post.

15. The electrical toothbrush of claim 14 wherein the orientations of the gaps of the split walls of said bushing of the first rotary bristle element and said first post are not overlapping during the oscillation of the first rotary bristle element.

16. An electrical dentifrice dispensing toothbrush comprising:

a. a handle having a motor and a reservoir for storing dentifrice material;

b. a neck extending from the handle having a drive shaft and an flow channel, said drive shaft having a first end and a second end with the first end connected to said motor and said flow channel being in communication with the reservoir;

c. a drive head extending from said neck having;

i. a base having a top and two side walls;

ii. a spout extending from the top and being in communication with the flow channel;

iii. an oscillation driver attached to the second end of said drive shaft;

d. a bristle unit mounted on said drive head;

e. a pumping means including an elastic and compressible button for dispensing dentifrice material from the reservoir to said spout;

f. an electrical switch;

g. an actuator in contact with said elastic and compressible button and said actuator is moved to dispensing position and compressing on said elastic and compressible button when the electrical switch is activated and said actuator is moved back to the non-dispensing position when said electrical switch is deactivated.

17. The electrical dentifrice dispensing toothbrush of claim 16 wherein said bristle unit comprising:

a. a first rotary bristle element comprising a base having a side wall between a top surface and a bottom surface, a pair of notch walls extending from the side wall forming a drive notch, a plurality of bristles attached to the top surface, and a bushing extending from said bottom surface and said drive notch being engaged with said oscillation driver;

b. a platform being attached to said drive head comprising a ton and bottom surfaces having a first slot therein, a peripheral edge and a first post which extends from the top surface for engaging with the bushing of said first bristle element for free rotating when said notch walls being positioned and extended beyond said first slot;

c. an opening through the ton and the bottom surfaces of said platform for accommodating said spout;

d. a second bristle element having a plurality of bristles attached to the top surface of said platform;

e. a retention means for allowing free rotation and preventing separation of first bristle element from said first post.

18. The dentifrice dispensing electrical toothbrush of claim 16 wherein said retention means including:

a. an annular groove positioned on inner surface of said bushing of first rotary bristle element and said bushing having split bushing walls, the diameter of said annular groove being larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls;

b. a protruding annular rim on said first post for engaging with said annular groove of said bushing of the first rotary bristle element and the diameter of said annular rim is smaller than the diameter of said annular groove but larger than the inside diameter of said bushing walls.