Vibrating toothbrush and a replaceable brush head for use with the same

• US 8,453,285 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ranir LLC (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Original Assignee: Brushpoint Innovations Incorporated (Perrigo Company PLC)
• Inventors: Dickie, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US12/503,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0062 being flexible or resilient during use
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/007 Inserts made of different material, e.g. springs, plates
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• 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 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights

Abstract

A vibrating toothbrush comprising a handle including a body with a tubular member extending outwardly from one end. A replaceable sleeve slides over the tubular member and detachably engages the body. One or more of the sleeve, tubular member and body incorporates a vibration damping zone for reducing vibration transmission from the sleeve to the handle. The damping zone is one of a material that differs in damping properties to the material of the rest of the toothbrush; a hole defined in the one of the sleeve, tubular member and body, and a toothbrush where that hole is filled with an elastomeric material.

Claims

1. A vibrating toothbrush comprising:

a body having a first end wall and a second end wall and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and

wherein the first end wall is disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis;

a generally tubular member extending longitudinally outwardly away from the first end wall of the body and terminating in a tip remote therefrom;

a longitudinal cavity defined within the tubular member;

a motor mounted within the body;

a drive shaft extending outwardly from the motor and into the cavity of the tubular member;

said drive shaft having an eccentric weight secured thereto;

a replaceable sleeve having an outer wall with a first end and a second end;

a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the first end of the sleeve;

an aperture defined in the second end of the sleeve, said aperture being complementary to the tubular member; and

wherein said tubular member is received within said aperture; and

at least one vibration damping zone provided in one of the sleeve and the tubular member; and

wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is positioned longitudinally outwardly beyond the first end wall of the body.

2. The toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the one of the sleeve and the tubular member is made from a first material and the at least one vibration damping zone is one of a hole and a groove defined in the first material.

3. The toothbrush as defined in claim 2, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone further includes a second material received in the one of the hole and the groove, wherein the second material differs in vibration transmission properties to the first material.

4. The toothbrush as defined in claim 3, wherein the second material is more flexibly resilient than the first material.

5. The toothbrush as defined in claim 4, wherein the second material is an elastomer.

6. The toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the one of the sleeve and the tubular member is made from a first material and the at least one vibration damping zone is made from a second material that has different vibration transmission properties to the first material.

7. The toothbrush as defined in claim 6, wherein the second material is more flexibly resilient than the first material.

8. The toothbrush as defined in claim 7, wherein the second material is an elastomer.

9. The toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is provided in the tubular member;

and an elastomeric second material used in the at least one vibration damping zone is an annular layer applied around an exterior surface of an end of the tubular member adjacent the first end wall of the body.

10. The toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is provided in the tubular member, where said tubular member includes a peripheral wall that originates in the first end wall of the body and terminates in the tip;

and wherein said at least one vibration damping zone is a first hole defined into a first side of the peripheral wall.

11. The toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the plurality of bristles that extend outwardly from the first end of the sleeve comprises:

a first set of bristles that extend outwardly from a front face of the first end, said first set of bristles being adapted to clean a U-shaped groove in a set of dentures; and

a second set of bristles that extend outwardly from a rear face of the first end, said second set of bristles being adapted to clean a plurality of teeth surfaces on the set of dentures.

13. The vibrating toothbrush as defined in claim 1, wherein the tubular member is fixedly secured to the first end wall of the body and extends longitudinally outwardly therefrom.

12. A vibrating toothbrush comprising:

a body having a first end wall and a second end wall and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween; and

wherein the first end wall is disposed at right angles to the longitudinal axis;

a generally tubular member extending longitudinally outwardly away from the first end wall of the body and terminating in a tip remote therefrom;

a longitudinal cavity defined within the tubular member;

a motor mounted within the body;

a drive shaft extending outwardly from the motor and into the cavity of the tubular member;

said drive shaft having an eccentric weight secured thereto;

a replaceable sleeve having an outer wall with a first end and a second end;

a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the first end of the sleeve;

an aperture defined in the second end of the sleeve, said aperture being complementary to the tubular member; and

wherein said tubular member is received within said aperture;

at least one vibration damping zone provided in one of the sleeve and the tubular member; and

an interior cavity defined by the body and disposed between the first and second end walls thereof; and

wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is provided in the tubular member and in a location outside of the interior cavity of the body.

14. The toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the one of the sleeve and the tubular member is made from a first material and the at least one vibration damping zone is one of a hole and a groove defined in the first material.

15. The toothbrush as defined in claim 14, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone further includes a second material received in the one of the hole and the groove, wherein the second material differs in vibration transmission properties to the first material.

16. The toothbrush as defined in claim 15, wherein the second material is more flexibly resilient than the first material.

17. The toothbrush as defined in claim 15, wherein the second material is an elastomer.

18. The toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the one of the sleeve and the tubular member is made from a first material and the at least one vibration damping zone is made from a second material that has different vibration transmission properties to the first material.

19. The toothbrush as defined in claim 18, wherein the second material is more flexibly resilient than the first material.

20. The toothbrush as defined in claim 19, wherein the second material is an elastomer.

21. The toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is provided in the tubular member;

and an elastomeric second material used in the at least one vibration damping zone is an annular layer applied around an exterior surface of an end of the tubular member adjacent the first end wall of the body.

22. The toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one vibration damping zone is provided in the tubular member, where said tubular member includes a peripheral wall that originates in the first end wall of the body and terminates in the tip;

and wherein said at least one vibration damping zone is a first hole defined into a first side of the peripheral wall.

23. The toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the plurality of bristles that extend outwardly from the first end of the sleeve comprises:

a first set of bristles that extend outwardly from a front face of the first end, said first set of bristles being adapted to clean a U-shaped groove in a set of dentures; and

a second set of bristles that extend outwardly from a rear face of the first end, said second set of bristles being adapted to clean a plurality of teeth surfaces on the set of dentures.

24. The vibrating toothbrush as defined in claim 12, wherein the tubular member is fixedly secured to the first end wall of the body and extends longitudinally outwardly therefrom.