Toothbrush

• US 7,162,764 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Fritsch, Thomas, Schwarz-Hartmann, Armin, Harms, Michael, Drossler, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US10/771,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20040154113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3463 Translation along 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 17/40 orbiting, e.g. nutating
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

An electric toothbrush having a handpiece, a bristle holder which is arranged on a head portion of the handpiece and is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the bristle holder, and a drive mechanism for the bristle holder. The drive mechanism includes a motor which is arranged on the handpiece, and a transmission member which transfers a driving motion from the motor to the bristle holder. A drive rocker is provided as transmission member, and is arranged to rock in multiple axes and is driven by the motor such that it approximately traverses a double conical path.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising

a graspable housing having a head portion;

a bristle holder arranged on the head portion of the housing and rotatable about an axis of rotation of the bristle holder, the bristle holder carrying a cluster of bristles; and

a drive mechanism for the bristle holder, including

a motor arranged within the housing, and

a transmission member configured to transfer a driving motion from the motor to the bristle holder, the transmission member including a drive rocker arranged to rock in multiple axes and driven by the motor to approximately traverse a double conical path,

wherein the drive rocker and the bristle holder are connected in jointed manner that permits a relative tilting between the bristle holder and drive rocker about an articulated axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the bristle holder.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein a connection between the bristle holder and the drive rocker enables a further degree of freedom besides the relative tilting about the articulated axis, permitting a translatory motion between the drive rocker and the bristle holder along the axis of articulation.

3. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the drive rocker is seated in a notch-shaped recess in the bristle holder.

4. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle holder is arranged in the housing to move along the axis of rotation, and wherein a connection between the bristle holder and the drive rocker transfers at least some corresponding movements of the drive rocker along the articulated axis to the bristle holder.

5. The toothbrush of claim 4, wherein the drive rocker is seated in a recess, a lengthwise extension of which along the articulated axis is smaller than an amptitude of motion of the drive rocker along the articulated axis.

6. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle holder is seated on the drive rocker essentially without any play along the articulated axis.

7. The toothbrush of claim 1, comprising a cam coupling a motor end of the transmission member to the motor.

8. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein the motor has a drive shaft on which the cam is fixed non-rotatably, such that the motor end of the transmission member is driven in a circular path.

9. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein a bearing member displaceable longitudinally relative to the toothbrush is provided for bearing the transmission member between the motor and the bristle holder.

10. The toothbrush of claim 1, including a seal that insulates the transmission member from the toothbrush housing.

11. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the toothbrush housing defines a frontal opening, the toothbrush including a motor-supporting chassis attached to an inside of the toothbrush housing, wherein the motor-supporting chassis and motor are configured to be inserted into the frontal opening in the toothbrush housing lengthwise relative to the toothbrush.

12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the chassis is configured to engage automatically with the toothbrush housing when inserted in a linear motion.

13. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the chassis supports a switch and defines a battery compartment containing a battery, the chassis, motor, battery and switch configured to be inserted pre-assembled into the toothbrush housing.

14. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the chassis includes a movable contact breaker as a switch, the breaker operable to disconnect a battery contained in a battery compartment of the chassis.

15. The toothbrush of claim 11, further comprising a rotational engagement code allowing the chassis to be inserted in only one alignment relative to the toothbrush housing.

16. The toothbrush of claim 11, further comprising a housing cap covering the toothbrush housing opening through which the chassis is inserted.

17. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle holder carries only one movable bristle cluster.

18. The toothbrush of claim 1, including at least one stationary bristle cluster and one movable bristle cluster on the bristle holder.

19. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the bristle cluster is approximately circular in shape and is arranged to be driven in rotating oscillating manner.

20. An electric toothbrush comprising

a graspable housing having a head portion;

a bristle holder arranged on the head portion of the housing and rotatable about an axis of rotation of the bristle holder, the bristle holder carrying at least one stationary bristle cluster and one movable bristle cluster; and

a drive mechanism for the bristle holder, including

a motor arranged within the housing, and

a transmission member configured to transfer a driving motion from the motor to the bristle holder, the transmission member including a drive rocker arranged to rock in multiple axes and driven by the motor to approximately traverse a double conical path,

wherein the drive rocker and the bristle holder are connected in jointed manner about an articulated axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the bristle holder.