ORAL CLEANSING DEVICE WITH ENERGY CONSERVATION

• US 20170007384A1
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wagner, Robert D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/063 by means of a supply pipe
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/04 with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0205 Container filling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/032 using pressurised tap-water , e.g. rinsing devices specially adapted for being connected to the main water supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3409 characterized by the movement of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3418 Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/36 with rinsing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/40 orbiting, e.g. nutating

Abstract

A brushing device including a motor having an eccentric drive shaft, an output shaft operably connected to the motor, and a power train assembly coupled between the eccentric drive shaft and the output shaft. The power train converts rotation of the eccentric drive shaft into an oscillating movement of the output shaft. The power train includes one or more conservation features that absorb energy when the output shaft rotates in a first direction and reapply energy to the output shaft when it rotates in a second direction.

Claims

1. A brushing device comprising:

a motor received including an eccentric drive shaft;

an output shaft operably connected to the motor; and

a power train assembly coupled between the eccentric drive shaft and the output shaft, wherein the power train assembly converts rotation of the eccentric drive shaft into an oscillation movement of the output shaft.

2. The brushing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a chassis assembly, wherein the motor and the power train assembly are at least partially received within the chassis assembly; and

a housing, wherein the chassis assembly is received within the housing.

3. The brushing device of claim 2, wherein the power train assembly comprises at least one conservation feature that engages one or more surfaces of the chassis assembly to absorb momentum and apply the momentum to the output shaft.

4. The brushing device of claim 1, wherein the power train assembly further comprises a rocker arm coupled between the eccentric drive shaft and the output shaft, wherein movement of the rocker arm is constrained to output the oscillating movement in response to the rotation of the eccentric drive shaft.

5. The brushing device of claim 4, wherein the at least one conservation feature comprises a first wing extending from a first side of the rocker arm and a second wing extending from a second side of the rocker arm.

6. The brushing device of claim 5, wherein the chassis assembly defines a first slot and a second slot, wherein an end of the first wing is received within the first slot and an end of the second wing is received within the second slot.

7. The brushing device of claim 4, wherein the power train assembly further comprises an eccentric coupled between the eccentric drive shaft and the rocker arm.

8. The brushing device of claim 7, wherein the rocker arm further comprises a cam follower, wherein the eccentric is received in the cam follower such that movement of the eccentric drive shaft causes the eccentric to rotate with the cam follower and causes the rocker arm to move correspondingly.

9. The brushing device of claim 8, wherein the eccentric comprises an outer spherical surface received in a spherical socket of the cam follower.

10. The brushing device of claim 1, further comprising one or more sleeve bearings received around an outer surface of the output shaft, wherein the one or more sleeve bearings support and constrain the output shaft.

11. The brushing device of claim 10, further comprising a chassis defining a mounting feature, wherein the chassis at least partially surrounds the output shaft and the one or more bearings are received in the mounting feature.

12. The brushing device of claim 11, wherein the one or more bearings each comprise an outer spherical surface.

13. The brushing device of claim 1, further comprising a brush head removably connected to the output shaft, wherein oscillating movement of the output shaft causes the brush head to oscillate correspondingly.

14. The brushing device of claim 2, further comprising a fluid passage configured to transport fluid from a fluid source to a fluid conduit in the brush head, wherein a portion of the fluid passage is formed within the power train assembly.

15. The brushing device of claim 3, further comprising

a handle enclosing the motor and the power train assembly;

and

a fluid connector removably coupled to the handle and fluidly connected to the fluid passage formed within in the power train assembly.

16. The brushing device of claim 4, wherein the fluid connector is rotatable relative to the handle when secured thereto.

17. The brushing device of claim 1, wherein the eccentric drive shaft is an integrally formed component.

18. A toothbrush comprising:

a chassis assembly;

an output shaft configured to connect to a brush head and extending at least in part through a portion of the chassis assembly;

a power train assembly operably connected to the output shaft, wherein the power assembly oscillates the output shaft; and

a fluid connector operably coupled to the chassis assembly and fluidly coupled to the output shaft via the power train assembly, wherein the fluid connector rotates 360 degrees relative to the chassis assembly.

19. The toothbrush of claim 18, wherein the power train assembly comprises a rocker arm including a first arm extending from a first side and a second arm extending from a second side, wherein during operation the first arm and the second arm are configured to engage directly or indirectly one or more surfaces of the chassis assembly to absorb and reapply momentum to the output shaft.