PERSONAL CARE DEVICE

• US 20120036658A1
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Schaefer, Norbert, Schober, Uwe, Utsch, Joern, Kramp, Andreas, Ziegler, Frank, Heil, Benedikt, Hübner, Marlis
• Granted Patent: US 10,470,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/28
• 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: H02K 33/10 wherein the alternate energisation and de-energisation of the single coil system is effected or controlled by movement of the armatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18992 Reciprocating to reciprocating

Abstract

A personal care device having a handle having an engagement portion and a persona care attachment are described. The personal care attachment has a housing attached to the engagement portion and a contact element carrier. The contact element carrier is movably coupled to the housing. A plurality of contact elements is arranged on the contact element carrier, and wherein the personal care attachment is driven at a frequency of between about 150 Hz to about 175 Hz and has a sound intensity level of less than about 75 dB(A).

Claims

1. A personal care device comprising:

a handle having an engagement portion; and

a personal care attachment comprising an housing attached to the engagement portion and a contact element carrier, the contact element carrier being movably coupled to the housing; and

a plurality of contact elements being arranged on the contact element carrier, wherein the personal care attachment is driven at a frequency of between about 150 Hz to about 175 Hz and has a sound intensity level of less than about 75 dB(A).

2. The personal care device of claim 1, wherein the personal care attachment is unloaded.

3. The personal care device of claim 1, wherein the personal care attachment is loaded at 2 N.

4. The personal care device of claim 1, wherein the personal care device comprises a toothbrush and wherein the personal care attachment comprise a refill.

5. The personal care device of claim 4, wherein the contact element carrier is rotatably coupled to the housing.

6. The personal care device of claim 5, wherein the refill is unloaded.

7. The personal care device of claim 5, wherein the refill is loaded at 2 N.

8. The personal care device of claim 1, wherein the personal care attachment has a resonance frequency which is at least 125 percent of the driving frequency of the personal care attachment.

9. A personal care attachment comprising:

an housing; and

a contact element carrier movably mounted to the housing;

a drive member disposed within the housing, the drive member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an attachment element and the distal end comprising a connection coupled to the contact element carrier, wherein the attachment element comprise a permanent magnet or a magnetisable material.

10. The personal care attachment of claim 9, wherein the drive member has a cross section that can fit within the circumference of a circle having a 6 mm diameter.

11. The personal care attachment of claim 10, wherein the drive member has a Y cross section.

12. The personal care attachment of claim 10, wherein the drive member has a cruciform cross section.

13. The personal care attachment of claim 9, wherein the drive member has a resonance frequency of at least 200 Hz.

14. The personal care attachment of claim 9, wherein the drive member comprises reinforcement fibers.

15. The personal care attachment of claim 9, wherein the personal care attachment is a refill for a toothbrush.

16. A personal care attachment comprising:

an housing; and

a contact element carrier movably mounted to the housing;

a drive member disposed within the housing, the drive member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an attachment element and the distal end comprising a connection coupled to the contact element carrier, wherein the connection is positioned at an angle of less than about 40 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane.

17. The personal care attachment of claim 16, wherein the drive member has a cross section that can fit within the circumference of a circle having a 6 mm diameter.

18. The personal care attachment of claim 17, wherein the drive member has a non-circular cross section.

19. The personal care attachment of claim 16, wherein the drive member has a resonance frequency of at least 200 Hz.

20. The personal care attachment of claim 20, wherein the personal care attachment is a refill for a toothbrush.