Toothbrush having a movable upstanding cleaning element

• US 6,966,093 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2002
• Issued: 11/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Eliav, Eyal, Goldfine, Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Balsis, Shay L
• Application Number:
  US10/260,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20040060134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/222, 15/28
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/008 Disc-shaped brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0032 with protrusion for polishing teeth
• 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 17/3436 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 powered toothbrush is provided and includes a handle portion having a neck formed at one end and a head coupled to the neck. The head includes a base, and a first carrier that is coupled to the head and is operatively connected to a first drive for moving the first carrier in a first direction. The first carrier has bristles, elastomeric cleaning members, or a combination thereof extending outwardly therefrom. The head also includes a second carrier that is coupled to the head and includes an upstanding elastomeric element disposed along an upper surface thereof. The elastomeric element has a first end that is coupled to the head and a second end that engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the elastomeric element in a second direction.

Claims

1. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion being formed with a neck at one end thereof; and

a head coupled to the neck, the head further including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric wall extending along an upper surface of the second carrier, the upstanding elastomeric wall having a serpentine shape;

wherein the second carrier engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the second carrier in a second direction.

2. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the first carrier is formed with a first feature which is directed toward the second carrier, the second carrier being formed with a second feature that engages the first feature of the first carrier such that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the second carrier in the second direction.

3. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the second direction is a direction parallel to an outer surface of the base.

4. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to an outer surface of the base.

5. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion being formed with a neck at one end thereof; and

a head coupled to the neck, the head further including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric wall extending along an upper surface of the second carrier, the upstanding elastomeric wall having a serpentine shape;

wherein the first feature comprises a protrusion extending outwardly from the first carrier and the second feature is a recess defined by the second carrier that receives and retains the protrusion when the first carrier moves in the first direction and the second carrier moved in the second direction.

6. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 5, wherein the protrusion is frictionally retained within the recess.

7. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion being formed having a neck formed at one end; and

a head coupled to the neck, the head including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric element disposed along an upper surface of the second carrier, the elastomeric element having a first end that is coupled to the base and a second end that engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the elastomeric element in a second direction;

wherein the elastomeric element comprises a continuous wall having a shape selected from the group consisting of zigzag, linear, and serpentine.

8. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion being formed having a neck formed at one end; and

a head coupled to the neck, the head including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric element disposed along an upper surface of the second carrier, the elastomeric element having a first end that is coupled to the base and a second end that engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the elastomeric element in a second direction;

wherein in a relaxed condition, the elastomeric element has a length measured as a distance between the first end and the second end, whereupon movement of the elastomeric element in the second direction, the length increases.

9. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to an outer surface of the base.

10. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the first carrier oscillates in a back and forth manner.

11. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the second direction is at least one of a direction parallel to an outer surface of the base and a direction along a longitudinal axis of the base.

12. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the second carrier includes a base, the first end of the upstanding elastomeric element having a leg extending downwardly therefrom, the leg being received through an opening formed in the second carrier base and into an opening formed in the base for fixing the first end to the base.

13. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the second end of the elastomeric element is formed with a protrusion extending outwardly therefrom, the protrusion being received in an opening defined by the first carrier so as to fixedly engage the elastomeric element to the first carrier.

14. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the second carrier further includes at least one elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly from an upper surface of the second carrier and being arranged around the elastomeric element.

15. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, wherein the first drive feature comprises a drive shaft that is part of a drive mechanism.

16. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 8, further comprising:

a third carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a second drive feature for moving the third carrier in a third direction, wherein the first end of the elastomeric element is retainingly attached to the third carrier.

17. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 16, wherein the movement of the third carrier is at least one of oscillation, rotation, vibration, translation or lateral movement.

18. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 16, wherein movement is imparted to the first end of the elastomeric element by the third carrier and to the second end by the first carrier.

19. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 16, wherein the third carrier has at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom.

20. The powered toothbrush as defined in claim 16 wherein the second drive feature is a gear mechanism that engages a drive shaft, the first drive feature being a drive end of the drive shaft.

21. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle portion being formed having a neck formed at one end; and

a head coupled to the neck, the head including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric element disposed along an upper surface of the second carrier, the elastomeric element having a first end that is coupled to the base and a second end that engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the elastomeric element in a second direction,

a third carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a second drive feature for moving the third carrier in a third direction, wherein the first end of the elastomeric element is retainingly attached to the third carrier;

wherein the third carrier comprises a disk shaped member that rotates within an opening formed in a base of the second carrier, the elastomeric element being disposed across an upper surface of the second carrier base.

22. A brush section for use in a powered toothbrush having a handle portion having a neck formed at one end, the brush section comprising:

a head adapted to be coupled to the neck, the head further including;

a first carrier coupled to the head and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in a first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the head, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric wall extending along an upper surface of the second carrier, the upstanding elastomeric wall having a serpentine shape;

wherein the second carrier engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the second carrier in a second direction.

23. A brush section for use in a powered toothbrush having a handle portion having a neck formed at one end, the brush section comprising:

a head adapted to be coupled to the neck, the head further including;

a base;

a first carrier coupled to the base and operatively connected to a first drive feature for moving the first carrier in first direction, the first carrier having at least one of a plurality of bristles and an elastomeric cleaning member extending outwardly therefrom; and

a second carrier coupled to the base, the second carrier having an upstanding elastomeric element disposed along an upper surface of the second carrier, the elastomeric element having a first end that is coupled to the base and a second end that engages the first carrier so that the movement of the first carrier in the first direction is translated into movement of the elastomeric element is a second direction;

wherein in a relaxed condition, the elastomeric element has a length measured as a distance between the first end and the second end, whereupon movement of the elastomeric element in the second direction, the length increases.