Powered toothbrush

• US 7,428,766 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Original Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
• Inventors: Gatzemeyer, John J., Eliav, Eyal, Ahn, Kyoungeun
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US10/970,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/222, 15/28
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• 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 17/3445 Translation along the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3454 Translation along the axis perpendicular of the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

A powered toothbrush refill head combines a typical round oscillating or primary tuft block which oscillates in a rotational manner with a secondary tuft block. The secondary tuft block may be oscillated in a rotational manner or may oscillate linearly back and forth in the same direction as the handle of the toothbrush. The secondary tuft block could be in the form of a pair of side by side plates mounted on the head adjacent to the round oscillating block. The invention could also be practice where the secondary tuft block is in the form of a plurality of sets of rows of bristles mounted for back and forth movement in a direction perpendicular to the handle.

Claims

1. In a powered toothbrush having a handle, a head mounted to said handle, a primary tuft block mounted in said head, said primary tuft block having exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head, a shaft mounted in said head, said primary tuft block being rotationally mounted on said shaft, a secondary tuft block mounted in said head at a location displaced from said primary tuft block, said secondary tuft block having exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head, a drive assembly in said handle, said drive assembly including a drive connection to said primary tuft block to oscillate said primary tuft block back and forth in a rotational direction, and a drive transmitting connection located between said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block for moving said secondary tuft block back and forth in a reciprocating manner in a linear direction while said primary tuft block is oscillated in a rotational direction, wherein said secondary tuft block comprises at least two substantially coplanar side by side plates, said primary tuft block is a round tuft block having a generally circular cross section, said at least two substantially coplanar side by side plates disposed adjacent to said primary tuft block, and said drive transmitting connection causing said at least two substantially coplanar side by side plates to reciprocate linearly in a direction parallel to said handle.

2. In a powered toothbrush having a handle, a head mounted to said handle, a primary tuft block mounted in said head, said primary tuft block having exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head, a shaft mounted in said head, said primary tuft block being rotationally mounted on said shaft, a secondary tuft block mounted in said head at a location displaced from said primary tuft block, said secondary tuft block having exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head, a drive assembly in said handle, said drive assembly including a drive connection to said primary tuft block to oscillate said primary tuft block back and forth in a rotational direction, and a drive transmitting connection located between said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block for moving said secondary tuft block back and forth in a reciprocating manner in a linear direction while said primary tuft block is oscillated in a rotational direction, wherein said secondary tuft block comprises at least two substantially coplanar side by side plates, wherein each of said plates are located between said primary tuft block and said handle and wherein each of said plates includes an arcuate edge disposed adjacent to and parallel to a curved edge portion of said primary tuft block.

3. The toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said drive transmitting connection comprises a link connecting each of said plates to said primary tuft block.

4. The toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said bristles in one of said plates are ramped and are inclined in an opposite direction and parallel to said bristles in the other of said plates.

5. The toothbrush of claim 2 wherein said bristles on at least one of said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block include bristles of different configuration and material than other bristles on said at least one of said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block.

6. The toothbrush of claim 2 wherein the bristles on each of said plates are arranged in rows and are of ramped height, and the ramped height of each plate being inclined in an opposite direction than its adjacent plate.

7. A powered toothbrush comprising:

a handle;

a head mounted to said handle;

a primary tuft block rotationally mounted in said head;

a secondary tuft block mounted in said head for movement in a linear direction parallel with said handle, said secondary tuft block including two substantially coplanar side by side plates;

a drive assembly in said handle, said drive assembly including a drive connection to said primary tuft block to oscillate said primary tuft block back and forth in a rotational direction; and

a drive transmitting connection located between said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block for moving said secondary tuft block back and forth in a reciprocating manner in said linear direction while said primary tuft block is oscillated in said rotational direction.

8. The toothbrush of claim 7, wherein said primary tuft block is a round tuft block having a generally circular cross section.

9. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein said drive transmitting connection comprises a link connecting each of said plates to said primary tuft block.

10. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein said plates are located between said primary tuft block and said handle.

11. The toothbrush of claim 10 wherein each of said plates includes an arcuate edge disposed adjacent to and parallel to a curved edge portion of said primary tuft block.

12. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein each said tuft block has exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head and said bristles in one of said plates are inclined in an opposite direction to said bristles in the other of said plates.

13. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein each said tuft block has exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head and said bristles on at least one of said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block includes bristles of a different configuration and material than other bristles on said at least one of said primary tuft block and said secondary tuft block.

14. The toothbrush of claim 7 wherein each said tuft block has exposed bristles extending outwardly from said head and the bristles on each of said plates are arranged in rows and are of ramped height, and the ramped height of each plate being inclined in an opposite direction than its adjacent plate.