Mechanically driven resonant drive power toothbrush
First Claim
1. A power toothbrush, comprising:
- a handle;
a workpiece assembly with a brushhead at the end thereof; and
a drive assembly for driving the workpiece assembly, including a motor having a rotating output shaft, a mounting assembly for mounting the motor within the handle, a torsion spring member, an eccentric member, a coupling member for connecting the rotating output shaft of the motor and a rear end of the eccentric member, and a hub member, wherein the other end of the eccentric member extends to and is mounted at the hub member and wherein the torsion spring member extends between the mounting assembly for the motor and the hub member, wherein in operation, at a specific frequency, the rotating eccentric member excites a desired resonant mode in the torsion spring member, providing a sweeping back and forth action for the workpiece assembly and the brushhead.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The power toothbrush includes a handle (12) and a workpiece assembly (18) which includes a brushhead (20) at a forward end thereof. The toothbrush further includes a drive assembly (14) which includes a DC motor (26) having a rotating output shaft (41) and a mounting assembly (28) for flexibly mounting the motor to the handle. The drive assembly includes a torsion spring member (64), an eccentric member (52), a coupling member (44) for connecting the rotating output shaft of the motor to the rear end of the eccentric and a hub member (62) forward of the eccentric, wherein the other end of the eccentric extends to and is mounted to the hub member. The torsion spring extends between the motor mount and the hub member. In operation, the rotating eccentric excites a desired resonant mode in the torsion spring, resulting in a sweeping back and forth action of the workpiece assembly and the brushhead.
15 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A power toothbrush, comprising:
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a handle; a workpiece assembly with a brushhead at the end thereof; and a drive assembly for driving the workpiece assembly, including a motor having a rotating output shaft, a mounting assembly for mounting the motor within the handle, a torsion spring member, an eccentric member, a coupling member for connecting the rotating output shaft of the motor and a rear end of the eccentric member, and a hub member, wherein the other end of the eccentric member extends to and is mounted at the hub member and wherein the torsion spring member extends between the mounting assembly for the motor and the hub member, wherein in operation, at a specific frequency, the rotating eccentric member excites a desired resonant mode in the torsion spring member, providing a sweeping back and forth action for the workpiece assembly and the brushhead. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A power toothbrush, comprising:
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a handle; a workpiece assembly with a brushhead at the end thereof; and a drive assembly within the handle, wherein the drive assembly comprises a motor assembly, a torsion spring member for driving the workpiece assembly, and a spring exciting assembly, wherein the spring exciting assembly comprises an eccentric which rotates by action of a motor of the motor assembly for mechanically exciting the torsion spring member in a desired resonant mode, providing a sweeping back and forth action of the brushhead. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification