Electric toothbrush, and transmission for an electric toothbrush

• US 8,365,335 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trisa Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Trisa Holding AG
• Inventors: Fischer, Franz, Baertschi, Armin, Hilfiker, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENNINGS, MICHAEL DEANGILO
• Application Number:
  US12/227,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20090183324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/222, 15/224, 15/23, 15/28
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• 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 17/34 driven by electric motor
• 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 17/3427 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3445 Translation along the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3454 Translation along the axis perpendicular of the axis of toothbrush handle and in the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

The transmission according to the invention for an electric toothbrush serves for the transmission and reforming of a rotational movement provided by an electric motor into a particularly careful and effective cleaning movement of a cleaning element. The ratio of the distance between the longitudinal mid-axis of an output shaft and the longitudinal mid-axis of a drive shaft of the transmission and of the distance between the longitudinal mid-axis of a shaft driving a cam of the transmission and the longitudinal mid-axis of the cam amounts to at least 10:1.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least one reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving a movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly mounted on the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the drive shaft is oriented at an inclination with respect to the output shaft; and

wherein the inclination is at an angle of less than 20°

, and wherein the pick-up is operatively connected directly to the cam on the drive shaft of the electric motor.

2. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inclination is at an angle between about 3°

and 10°

.

3. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cleaning element executes a reversible pivoting movement with a frequency of between 3,000 cycles/min and 15,000 cycles/min.

4. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frequency is between 8,000 cycles/min and 12,000 cycles/min.

5. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable cleaning element, during the pivoting movement, can be deflected, overall by 3°

to 15°

between its two maximum deflection positions.

6. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 5, wherein the deflection is by about 5°

to 12°

.

7. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one further movement is superposed on the pivoting movement of the movable cleaning element.

8. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cleaning element is arranged on a head of a plug-on brush having a neck with a longitudinal axis, and the pivoting movement of the movable cleaning element moves about an axis that runs at least virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of the neck.

9. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cleaning element is arranged on a head of a plug-on brush having a neck with a longitudinal axis and movement of the movable cleaning element has a reversibly translational to-and-fro movement component, the direction of movement of which extends virtually parallel to the longitudinal axis of the neck.

10. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 9, wherein the reversibly translational to-and-fro movement component has a frequency of between 1,000 cycles/min and 12,000 cycles/min.

11. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 10, wherein the frequency is between 8,000 cycles/min and 12,000 cycles/min.

12. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cleaning element is equipped with bundles of bristles of elongate cross section and/or elongate elastomeric cleaning lamellae or cleaning structures that are oriented with their longitudinal axis transversely with respect to a direction of movement of the cleaning element.

13. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable cleaning element is arranged on a head of a plug-on brush having a neck with a longitudinal axis, the head having a stationary cleaning element that is arranged fixedly with respect to the neck.

14. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission is of single-stage design and has a cam that is directly arranged fixedly in terms of rotation on the drive shaft.

15. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein the output shaft executes a reversibly translational to-and-fro movement component in the active operating state of the electric motor.

16. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pick-up surrounds the cam openly in a bracket-like manner or in a continuously closed manner.

17. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ratio of the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the output shaft and a longitudinal mid-axis of the drive shaft in the region of the pick-up to the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the shaft driving the cam and the longitudinal mid-axis of the cam amounts to at least 10:

1.

18. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least one reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving a movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly mounted on the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the movable cleaning element executes a reversible pivoting movement with a frequency of between 3,000 cycles/min and 15,000 cycles/min and wherein the movable cleaning element, during the pivoting movement, can be deflected, overall, by 3°

to 15°

, between its two maximum deflection positions, and wherein the pick-up is operatively connected directly to the cam on the drive shaft of the electric motor.

19. An electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 18, where the deflection is by about 5°

and 12°

.

20. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving a movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly mounted on the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the drive shaft and the output shaft have longitudinal axes included with respect to each other to form an angle of between about 3°

-10°

, and the movable cleaning element executes a reversible pivoting movement with a frequency of between 3,000 cycles/min and 15,000 cycles/min and wherein the movable cleaning element, during the pivoting movement, can be deflected, overall, by 3°

to 15°

, between its two maximum deflection positions, and wherein the pick-up is operatively connected directly to the cam on the drive shaft of the electric motor.

21. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 20, wherein the deflection is between about 5°

and 12°

.

22. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a body portion having a grip and a body cavity that receives an electric motor and a power source, the electric motor including a drive shaft that is driven at a rotational speed of between 3,000 and 12,000 rev/min., the drive shaft having a longitudinal axis;

an internal framework provided inside the body cavity, the internal framework having a head bearing;

an output shaft extending from the body portion through the head bearing to be supported thereby, the output shaft having a longitudinal axis;

a plug-on brush forming a movable cleaning element and having a neck and a head containing bristles, the neck having an internal shaft receptacle that receives the output shaft to be fixedly mounted thereon for rotation with the output shaft;

a 1;

1 step-up transmission that transforms rotational movement of the drive shaft into reciprocating pivotal movement of the output shaft for driving the movable cleaning element formed by the plug-on brush, the transmission having a cam eccentrically mounted for rotation on the drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up fixedly mounted for rotation with the output shaft, the pick-up including a support portion extending coaxial with the output shaft and extending along the longitudinal axis of the output shaft to be supported thereby, a pick-up surround defined by an internal sensing wall that receives the cam therethrough, the pickup surround extending generally perpendicular to the support portion, and a pick-up support extension tip formed as an extension of the support portion that stands on a supporting surface of the electric motor or body of the electric toothbrush to support the pick-up at an end opposite the output shaft, the extension tip forming a bearing point allowing rotation of the pick-up,

wherein the longitudinal axes of the drive shaft and the output shaft are offset from each other and form an angle therebetween of between about 3°

-10°

,

the movable cleaning element executes a reversible pivoting movement with a frequency of between 3,000 cycles/min and 15,000 cycles/min, and

the movable cleaning element during the movement is constrained by the dimensions of the pick-up surround sensing wall and cam between two maximum deflection positions to an overall deflection of 3°

to 15°

.

23. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 22, wherein the frequency is about 8,000 cycles/min.

24. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 22, wherein the pick-up surround internal sensing wall forms an oval aperture that receives the cam.

25. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 22, wherein a ratio of the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the output shaft and a longitudinal mid-axis of the drive shaft in the region of the pick-up to the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the shaft driving the cam and the longitudinal mid-axis of the cam amounts to at least 10:

1.

26. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a body portion having a grip and a body cavity that receives an electric motor and a power source, the electric motor including a drive shaft that is driven at a rotational speed of between 3,000 and 12,000 rev/min., the drive shaft having a longitudinal axis;

an internal framework provided inside the body cavity, the internal framework having a head bearing and a stabilizer shaft substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

an output shaft extending from the body portion through the head bearing to be supported thereby, the output shaft having a longitudinal axis;

a plug-on brush forming a movable cleaning element and having a neck and a head containing bristles, the neck having an internal shaft receptacle that receives the output shaft to be fixedly mounted thereon for rotation with the output shaft;

a 1;

1 step-up transmission that transforms rotational movement of the drive shaft into reciprocating pivotal movement of the output shaft for driving the movable cleaning element formed by the plug-on brush, the transmission having a cam eccentrically mounted for rotation on the drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up fixedly mounted for rotation with the output shaft, the pick-up including a support portion extending coaxial with the output shaft and extending along the longitudinal axis of the output shaft to be supported thereby, a pick-up surround defined by an internal sensing wall that receives the cam therethrough, the pickup surround extending generally perpendicular to the support portion, and a pick-up recess, the pick-up recess being dimensioned to receive the stabilizer shaft therethrough to support the pick-up and allow pivotal movement of the pick-up,

wherein the longitudinal axes of the drive shaft and the output shaft are offset from each other and form an angle therebetween of between about 3°

-10°

,

the movable cleaning element executes a reversible pivoting movement with a frequency of between 3,000 cycles/min and 15,000 cycles/min, and

the movable cleaning element during the movement is constrained by the dimensions of the pick-up surround sensing wall and cam between two maximum deflection positions to an overall deflection of 3°

to 15°

.

27. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 26, wherein the pick-up recess is a long hole.

28. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 27, wherein the pick-up recess is an oval hole.

29. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 27, wherein the long hole is oriented at an angle and achieves a translational movement component parallel with the output shaft.

30. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 26, wherein the frequency is about 8,000 cycles/min.

31. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 26, wherein the pick-up surround internal sensing wall forms an oval aperture that receives the cam.

32. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 26, wherein a ratio of the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the output shaft and a longitudinal mid-axis of the drive shaft in the region of the pick-up to the distance between a longitudinal mid-axis of the shaft driving the cam and the longitudinal mid-axis of the cam amounts to at least 10:

1.

33. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least one reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving a movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly connected to the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the pick-up comprises a pick-up body and a pick-up surround, wherein the pick-up surround is shaped on the pick-up body and surrounds the cam wherein the pick-up surround is oriented perpendicular to the drive shaft, wherein an acute angle is formed between the pick-up body and the pick-up surround, wherein the pick-up is supported along its longitudinal direction by a pick-up extension, and wherein the pick-up extension tapers conically toward a free end region of the pick-up extension such that a pick-up extension tip is formed.

34. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 33, wherein the acute angle is between about 70°

and 89°

.

35. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 33, wherein the acute angle is between about 80°

and 89°

.

36. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 33, wherein the pick-up with the pick-up surround and the pick-up body is integrally formed from a hard plastic material by an injection molding method.

37. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 33, wherein the pick-up extension tip stands virtually in a punctiform manner on a supporting surface assigned to the electric motor or provided on the inside of a basic body of the electric toothbrush.

38. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 37, wherein the pick-up extension tip is shaped as a continuation of the longitudinal mid-axis of the output shaft.

39. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 38, wherein in the active operating state of the electric motor, only point rotation about a bearing point of the pick-up extension tip on the supporting surface is obtained.

40. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least one reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving the movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly connected to the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the pick-up comprises a pick-up body and a pick-up surround, wherein the pick-up surround is shaped on the pick-up body and surrounds the cam, wherein the pick-up surround is oriented throughout the operation perpendicular to the drive shaft, and wherein an acute angle is formed between the pick-up body and the pick-up surround.

41. An electric toothbrush with a 1:

1 step-up transmission and reforming of a rotational movement, oriented in one direction of rotation and provided by an electric motor having a drive shaft, into at least one reversible pivotal movement of an output shaft for driving the movable cleaning element of the electric toothbrush, the transmission having a cam, directly connected to the electric motor drive shaft, and a corresponding pick-up which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the output shaft, wherein the pick-up comprises a pick-up body and a pick-up surround, wherein the pick-up surround is shaped on the pick-up body and surrounds the cam, wherein the pick-up surround is oriented perpendicular to the drive shaft, wherein an acute angle is formed between the pick-up body and the pick-up surround, and wherein the transmission comprises an internal framework with rearwardly directed protrusions for fixing the pick-up within the electric toothbrush.

42. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 41, wherein the pick-up body is at least partially located between the rearwardly directed protrusions.

43. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 41, wherein the internal framework comprises a head bearing for supporting the pick-up in its position.

44. The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 43, wherein on the head bearing a sealing groove for a sealing O-ring is arranged.