HAND HELD BATTERY OPERATED DEVICE AND CHARGING MEANS THEREFOR

• US 3,840,795 A
• Filed: 01/21/1970
• Issued: 10/08/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leon M. Roszyk, Louis A. Barnas Jr
• Original Assignee: Leon M. Roszyk, Louis A. Barnas Jr
• Inventors: Roszyk, Leon M., Barnas, Louis A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Application Number:
  US05/004,712
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2,53,57,59 336/83,86,87,90,96,119,136,182 310/47,50
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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 2204/002 using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 336/02 Separable

Abstract

A battery operated appliance comprising a power unit having a rechargeable battery therein and a charging unit having a recess for insertion of the power unit therein for recharging the battery within the power unit, a transformer including one winding in the power unit and one winding in the charging unit. In one embodiment the magnetic core structure associated with one of the windings is at least in part defined by the casing of the rechargable battery. Various core structures may be employed to ensure good inductive coupling between the respective windings.

Claims

1. A battery operated toothbrush comprising a power unit including a rechargeable battery and a charging unit for association with said power unit during a charging operation of said battery, said power unit including a cylindrical casing closed at one end and of a size capable of being readily held in one hand of the user, a low voltage direct current motor mounted in said casing, a battery and first circuit means in said casing connected selectively to energize said motor from said battery, a first magnetic structure including spaced pole pieces disposed in said casing adjacent said closed end, a first inductive winding wound on said first magnetic structure, a diode and second circuit means in said casing interconnecting said first winding said battery and said diode in a battery charging circuit, said charging unit including means defining a recess for receiving at least the portion of said closed end of said casing enclosing said first magnetic structure, a second magnetic structure mounted in said charging unit including spaced pole pieces having semicircular portions closely embracing the means defining said recess, a seconD inductive winding associated with said second magnetic structure, the pole pieces of said first and second magnetic structures being similarly spaced whereby said windings are inductively coupled when the closed end of said power unit is disposed in said recess, and means for connecting said second winding to an alternating current source.

2. A battery operated toothbrush comprising a power unit including a rechargeable battery and a charging unit for association with said power unit during a charging operation of said battery, said power unit including a cylindrical casing closed at one end and of a size capable of being readily held in one hand of the user, a low voltage direct current motor mounted in said casing, a battery, first circuit means in said casing connected selectively to energize said motor from said battery, a first magnetic structure including spaced pole pieces interconnected by a tubular member disposed in said casing adjacent said closed end, a first inductive winding wound on said tubular member, said battery being disposed within said tubular member, a diode, second circuit means in said casing interconnecting said first winding said battery and said diode in a battery charging circuit, said charging unit including means defining a recess for receiving at least the portion of said closed end of said casing enclosing said first magnetic structure, a second magnetic structure mounted in said charging unit including spaced pole pieces having portions closely embracing the means defining said recess, a second inductive winding associated with said second magnetic structure, the pole pieces of said first and second magnetic structures being similarly spaced whereby said windings are inductively coupled when the closed end of said power unit is disposed in said recess, and means for connecting said second winding to an alternating current source.

3. A battery operated toothbrush comprising an insulated integral cylindrical casing closed at one end, a rotatable direct current motor and drive mechanism mounted in said casing remote from said closed end with an output shaft projecting from said remote casing end, a concentrically disposed rechargeable battery and secondary transformer winding in said casing adjacent the closed end thereof, means in said casing for interconnecting said secondary winding and said battery in a charging circuit including means for converting alternating current to direct current, and means in said casing for selectively interconnecting said battery and said electric motor, said secondary winding including a magnetic core structure associated therewith at least in part defined by the casing of said battery whereby said secondary winding may readily be inductively coupled with a primary winding disposed outside said casing.

4. In a battery operated toothbrush, the combination of a power unit including a rechargeable battery and a charging unit for association with said power unit during a charging operation of said battery, said power unit including a casing, a direct current electric motor mounted in said casing, a battery and first circuit means in said casing connected selectively to energize said motor, a first inductive winding disposed in said casing, a rectifier and second circuit means in said casing interconnecting said first winding said battery and said rectifier, and a second inductive winding in said charging unit, said charging unit and said power unit being so constructed and arranged that said first and second windings are inductively coupled when said power unit is associated with said charging unit, said battery being surrounded by said first winding and the casing of said battery serving as a flux path for flux linking said first winding.

5. A battery operated toothbrush comprising a power unit including a rechargeable battery and a charging unit for association with said power unit during a charging operation of said battery, said power unit including a cylindrical casing closed at one end and of a size capable of being readily held in the hand of the user, a direct current motor mounted in said casing, a battery and first circuit means in said casing connected selectively to energize said motor from said battery, a first inductive winding disposed in said casing adjacent said closed end, a rectifier and second circuit means in said casing interconnecting said first winding said battery and said rectifier, said charging unit including a housing having means defining a recess for receiving at least the portion of said closed end of said casing enclosing said first inductive winding and a second inductive winding mounted within said charging unit adjacent said recess, means for connecting said second inductive winding to an alternating current source, said units including magnetic structure associated with said windings for automatically inductively coupling said windings when the closed end of said power unit is disposed in said recess whereby said battery may be recharged from said source, said magnetic structure comprising a bobbin in said casing having flanged ends defining secondary pole pieces and a pair of spaced bifurcated primary pole pieces interconnected by a low reluctance core member with the bifurcations thereof closely embracing the means defining said recess, said bifurcated primary pole pieces being spaced apart the same distance as the spacing between said flanged ends, said first winding being disposed on said bobbin and said second winding surrounding said core member.