Multi-motion toothbrush

• US 20030084528A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Church & Dwight Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Brown, Patrick W., Gall, Douglas A., Chan, John Geoffrey, Blaustein, Lawrence A., Ping, Wang
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/34 driven by electric motor

Abstract

An electric toothbrush is provided. The electric toothbrush includes a handle having a motor disposed therein, a head having a longitudinal axis, and a neck disposed between the handle and the head. First and second bristle holders are associated with the head. The first bristle holder oscillates or rotates. The second bristle holder is reciprocates in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the head but does not rotate or oscillate. The motor is operatively connected to the first and second bristle holders.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle having a motor disposed therein;

a head having a longitudinal axis;

a neck disposed between said handle and said head;

a first bristle holder associated with said head which oscillates or rotates; and

a second bristle holder associated with said head which reciprocates in generally the same direction as said longitudinal axis of said head but does not rotate or oscillate, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said first and second bristle holders.

2. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said second bristle holder is disposed between said first bristle holder and said handle.

3. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said first bristle holder only rotates or oscillates.

4. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a shaft at least partially disposed within said neck, said shaft being operatively connected to said motor and at least to one of said first bristle holder and said second bristle holder.

5. The electric toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said shaft is operatively connected to said first bristle holder and said second bristle holder.

6. The electric toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said shaft reciprocates.

7. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, further comprising a pin operatively connecting said shaft and said second bristle holder.

8. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, wherein said second bristle holder further includes a first T-shaped block which depends from a bottom surface of said second bristle holder, wherein said T-shaped block slideably engages a first pair of projections of said head to guide the movement of said second bristle holder.

9. The electric toothbrush of claim 8, wherein said pin engages a hole in said first T-shaped block.

10. The electric toothbrush of claim 8, wherein said pin extends from said first T-shaped block and engages a hole associated with said shaft.

11. The electric toothbrush of claim 8, further comprising a second T-shaped block which engages a second pair of projections of said head.

12. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, wherein said shaft further comprises a cam in the form of a plurality of spaced apart rings and said second bristle holder further comprises a cam follower in the form of block having a slot disposed therein, wherein said block depends from a bottom surface of said second bristle holder and wherein said slot is shaped to receive said shaft and said block is disposed between said rings.

13. The electric toothbrush of claim 6, wherein said shaft further comprises a pair of projections which extend in a direction transverse from said shaft and wherein said second bristle holder further comprises a block depending from a bottom surface of said second bristle holder having a pair of slots which are shaped to slideably receive said projections.

14. The electric toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said shaft rotates or oscillates.

15. The electric toothbrush of claim 14, further comprising a cam associated with said shaft.

16. The electric toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said cam comprises a bend in said shaft.

17. The electric toothbrush of claim 15, wherein the second bristle holder includes a cam follower depending from a bottom surface of said second bristle holder and wherein said cam follower engages said cam.

18. The electric toothbrush of claim 17, wherein said cam includes a groove and wherein said cam follower follows a surface of said groove.

19. The electric toothbrush of claim 15, wherein said second bristle holder includes first and second cam followers depending from a bottom surface of said second bristle holder, said first and second cam followers being separated from one another and wherein said cam is disposed between said first and second cam followers.

20. The electric toothbrush of claim 3 wherein the cam comprises a shaped bead fixedly attached to the driven shaft.

21. An electric toothbrush head, comprising:

a head having a longitudinal axis;

a neck attached to said head;

a first bristle holder associated with said head which oscillates or rotates; and

a second bristle holder associated with said head which reciprocates in generally the same direction as said longitudinal axis of said head but does not rotate or oscillate.