Oral cleaning tool for an oral hygiene device

• US 9,387,059 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Utsch, Joern, Schaefer, Norbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Horton, Andrew A
• Application Number:
  US14/108,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/222, 15/23, 15/28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• 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

Abstract

An oral cleaning tool for an electric oral hygiene device is disclosed. The oral cleaning tool includes a housing having a head section with a head cavity for accommodating a movable oral cleaning head and a neck section with a neck cavity and a handle coupling section; a first magnetic coupling element including at least a permanent magnet or a magnetizable element being provided in the neck section for mechanical handle drive shaft connection by magnetic interaction. The first magnetic coupling element is mounted at a motion transmitter, the motion transmitter extending inside the neck cavity to the head cavity, the motion transmitter arranged so as to be movable in a linear or longitudinal direction. The motion transmitter is coupled with the oral cleaning head, the oral cleaning head arranged so as to oscillate in a rotational direction.

Claims

1. An oral cleaning tool for an electric oral hygiene device, comprising:

a housing having a head section with a head cavity for accommodating a movable oral cleaning head and a neck section with a neck cavity and a handle coupling section;

a first magnetic coupling element including at least a permanent magnet or a magnetizable element being provided in the neck section for mechanical handle drive shaft connection by magnetic interaction;

wherein the first magnetic coupling element is mounted at a motion transmitter, the motion transmitter extending inside the neck cavity to the head cavity, the motion transmitter arranged so as to be movable in a linear or longitudinal direction, and wherein the motion transmitter is coupled with the oral cleaning head, such that during operation, the linear reciprocation is transmitted to the oral cleaning head, and

wherein the first magnetic coupling element has a protective cover that covers at least a coupling side of the first magnetic coupling element that is arranged for establishing a magnetic connection and wherein the protective cover is a cup that is mounted by gluing, press-fitting, crimping, shrink-fitting, welding, or snapping or any combination thereof.

2. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling element, the motion transmitter and the oral cleaning head are arranged and coupled so as to be drivable with an operation frequency of from about 140 Hz to about 180 Hz.

3. The oral cleaning tool according to any claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling element is a two component part including a metal and/or a ferrous composition that is mounted or in-molded in a plastic element.

4. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the protective cover has a thickness of less than about 0.2 mm at the coupling side of the first magnetic coupling element.

5. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic coupling element is provided with a uncovered or blank surface of a coupling side of the first magnetic coupling element that is arranged for establishing a magnetic connection.

6. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the motion transmitter is a rod element.

7. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 6, wherein the rod element is pivotably mounted with either the movable oral cleaning head or with the first magnetic coupling element.

8. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 6, wherein the first magnetic coupling element and/or the rod element are spaced in the neck cavity relative to an inner housing wall of the neck, so that the first magnetic coupling element is able to laterally align with its coupling partner of a handle.

9. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, further comprising a centering structure with either a tapered protruding side wall or a tapered recessed side wall for mechanical connection of the housing independent from the mechanical connection provided by the first magnetic coupling element.