Bobin assembly for a driving assembly used in a personal care appliance

• US 7,482,906 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hanela, Craig D., Hall, Scott E., Taylor, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad; Elvin G
• Assistant Examiner(s): BAISA, JOSELITO SASIS
• Application Number:
  US11/501,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20060267419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 336/208
• US Class Current: 336/208
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/07 with vibratory drive, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/16 Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3418 Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 5/02 wound on non-magnetic supports, e.g. formers
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/1646 Armatures or stationary parts of magnetic circuit having permanent magnet

Abstract

A first aspect of the disclosure concerns a driving assembly for a power toothbrush which includes a drive member, specifically an E-core electromagnet, a driven member which is responsive to the action of the drive member and a workpiece mounted on the distal end of the driven member. The drive assembly includes an interface registration member, to one end surface portion of which is secured the end face of E-core electromagnet, another portion of which is configured to produce a selected registration of the driven member and the driving assembly, and still another portion of which is configured to produce a selected registration of the interface member relative to the handle of the toothbrush.

A second aspect of the disclosure concerns a split bobbin assembly for an electrical coil portion of an electromagnet in a power toothbrush. The split bobbin assembly includes a first portion which mates with a portion of the appliance which is exposed to the operating environment of the appliance and is made from a material which has sufficient chemical-resistant properties for tolerance of exposure to the environment. A second portion of the split bobbin is made from a material which is resistant to heat so as to withstand soldering of the electrical coil wires to the terminal pins positioned in a base part of the bobbin assembly. Connecting elements on the first and second portions join the two portions together.

Claims

1. A bobbin assembly for an electrical coil portion of a driving assembly used in a power appliance, comprising:

a first portion which is mated with a part of the appliance exposed to the external operating environment of the appliance, wherein the first portion is made from material which can withstand exposure to the external operating environment;

a second, opposing portion which is mated with a base part of the driving assembly and is made from a material which is substantially different than the material comprising the first portion, sufficiently heat-resistant as to permit attachment of coil wires to terminal pins located in the base part and has sufficiently high strength to withstand the coil being wound therearound; and

connecting elements on the first and second portions to join the first and second portions together, wherein the connecting elements interlock together such that the first and second portions define a complete, intergrated bobbin member around the exterior surface of which a single, continuous coil is thereafter wound.

2. An article of claim 1, wherein the connecting elements are so configured that when they are interlocked, they are resistant to being pulled apart.

3. An article of claim 2, wherein the connecting elements are so configured that when the coil is wound on them, resistance to being pulled apart is increased.

4. An article of claim 1, wherein the connecting elements are generally rectangular in cross-sectional configuration.

5. An article of claim 1, wherein the power appliance is a toothbrush, wherein the driving assembly is an E-core electromagnet, and wherein the electrical coil is wound around a middle portion of the E-core.

6. An article of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions each include one end wall of the integrated bobbin assembly and a portion of the remainder of the integrated bobbin assembly.

7. An article of claim 1, wherein a part of one of the first and second portions is insertable into a part of the other of the first and second portions.