Brush head for toothbrush

• US 8,220,097 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: DePuydt, Joseph A., Boland, Bernhard, Stolper, Michael, Fritsch, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAHAM, GARY K
• Application Number:
  US12/923,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 151/671, 151/672, 15/221, 15/222, 15/224, 152/01, 15/23, 15/28, 15/29
• US Class Current: 15/22.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven
• 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 17/26 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/32 reciprocating or oscillating
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3427 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• 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 toothbrush head includes a base portion having a first surface and a pivot portion having a first cleaning element holder having a second surface, wherein the second surface is superjacent the first surface. The pivot portion also includes a second cleaning element holder and a third cleaning element holder which extend longitudinally from the first element holder. The head includes a pivot element for pivotally coupling the base portion and the pivot portion.

Claims

1. A brushhead for an electric toothbrush comprising:

a housing;

a base portion structured to receive a drive motion from a drive rod having a longitudinal axis, the base portion including a first set of bristles secured thereto;

a rocker portion structured to receive a drive motion from the drive rod having a longitudinal axis, the rocker portion including a second set of bristles secured thereto; and

a pivot element coupling the base portion to the housing and a pin element being perpendicular to the pivot element, the pin element coupling the base portion to the pivot element;

wherein base portion and the rocker portion are movable such that a first cleaning motion of the first and second set of bristles includes a back and forth oscillation movement about the pivot element; and

wherein the rocker portion is movable such that a second cleaning motion of the second set of bristles includes an up and down movement about the pin element.

2. The brushhead according to claim 1, wherein the drive rod is oscillateable.