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WO2003017865A1 - Accessoire de tete oscillante pour brosse a dents electrique - Google Patents

Accessoire de tete oscillante pour brosse a dents electrique Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2003017865A1
WO2003017865A1 PCT/CA2002/001329 CA0201329W WO03017865A1 WO 2003017865 A1 WO2003017865 A1 WO 2003017865A1 CA 0201329 W CA0201329 W CA 0201329W WO 03017865 A1 WO03017865 A1 WO 03017865A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
oscillatory
head
spindle
bristle
drive shaft
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA2002/001329
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert G. Dickie
Original Assignee
Pulse Innovations Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pulse Innovations Inc. filed Critical Pulse Innovations Inc.
Publication of WO2003017865A1 publication Critical patent/WO2003017865A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
    • A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
    • A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
    • A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
    • A61C17/32—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating
    • A61C17/34—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating driven by electric motor
    • A61C17/3409—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating driven by electric motor characterized by the movement of the brush body
    • A61C17/3436—Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electric toothbrushes, and particularly to electric toothbrushes that have a circular bristle head that moves with an oscillatory rotary action.
  • the present invention is specifically directed to an oscillatory head attachment for electric toothbrushes, where the head attachment derives the oscillatory rotary movement of the bristle head by a direct drive coupling between a rotating output socket of a power handle for electric toothbrush and the circular bristle head.
  • Electric toothbrushes having circular bristle heads that have an oscillatory rotary movement are well known.
  • a number of advantages are derived by using electric toothbrushes, including typically an assurance that a more effective cleaning action of the teeth will be effected by the user than would be the case with a manual toothbrush.
  • One solution for those problems is particularly to provide toothbrushes that provide rotary bristle heads - that is, circular bristle heads that move with an oscillatory rotary movement.
  • the oscillatory movement is particularly effective because it causes a whipping or scrubbing action of the ends of the toothbrush bristles against the surfaces of the teeth; and the rotary oscillatory movement has been found to be particularly effective because the bristles move at different speeds depending on their position away from the centre of the circular bristle head, in a radial direction.
  • the McDougall toothbrush head provides a direct drive from the rotary source of driving power to the bristle head, without the necessity for intervening drive links or gear arrangements.
  • a simple crank is provided at the end of a shaft, where the crank rotates and drives a circular bristle head in a rotary oscillatory movement by its interference within a slot formed in the periphery of the bristle head.
  • the present inventor has unexpectedly determined that a direct drive to a circular bristle head may be effected without any intervening drive links or gear arrangements of any sort, and without affecting the bristle bundle placement on the front face of the bristle head, by effectively providing a crank shaft which has lobes that drive against cam surfaces formed on the back surface of the circular bristle head.
  • the oscillatory head attachment is disposed of, and a new oscillatory head attachment is placed on the power handle.
  • the arrangement of the oscillatory head attachment for electric toothbrushes is such that an even distribution and reasonable packing density of packing toothbrush bristle bundles may be achieved in their placement on the circular bristle head. As noted above, more effective scrubbing action by the ends of the toothbrush bristles against the teeth is thereby achieved.
  • an oscillatory head attachment having a power handle with a rotating output connector, where the oscillatory head attachment comprises a circular bristle head, an elongate hollow body, and a rotatable drive shaft extending through the elongate hollow body.
  • the circular bristle head has a front side from which a plurality of toothbrush bristle bundles are upstanding, and a back side having an upwardly directed spindle upstanding therefrom.
  • the elongate hollow body has a longitudinal axis, with the circular bristle head being mounted at a first end of the body such that the axis of the spindle generally intersects the longitudinal axis of the elongate hollow body.
  • the body is adapted at a second end remote from the first end to be connected to a mating power handle for an electric toothbrush.
  • a rotatable drive shaft extends through the elongate hollow body from the second end to the first end, and is rotatably supported within the hollow body by at least a first bearing near a first end of the drive shaft.
  • the first bearing is located within the elongate hollow body at a location which is adjacent the bristle head.
  • the rotatable drive shaft is adapted at a second end thereof which is remote from the first end to be rotatably coupled to a rotating output connector of a power handle.
  • the drive shaft has a longitudinal axis, and it has first and second crank lobes which are arranged at the first end of the drive shaft so as to constitute a two-lobe crank shaft.
  • the first and second crank lobes are spaced along the crank shaft at the first end of the drive shaft, and are disposed 180° from each other.
  • the backside of the bristle head has a pair of depressions which are formed therein, one at each side of the spindle.
  • the depressions each have a vertical cam surface which is located in a plane that defines a chord of the circular bristle head.
  • the plane which defines the vertical cam surfaces of the depressions extends across the bristle head in a direction that is parallel to the spindle axis.
  • the first and second crank lobes are adapted to overlie the pair of depressions in a manner such that they will alternately engage a respective one of the vertical cam surfaces, so as to cause an oscillatory rotary movement of the bristle head about the spindle axis.
  • the distance between the spindle axis and the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft is less than the twice the combined diameters of the spindle and the intermediate shaft portion.
  • a second bearing may be provided for rotatably supporting the drive shaft, at a location near the second end of the elongate body.
  • each of the depressions that are formed on the back side of the bristle head has an upwardly sloping bottom surface which extends upwardly and away from the bottom end of the respective vertical cam surface.
  • the present invention provides that the plurality of toothbrush bristle bundles that are upstanding from the front side of the circular bristle head are arranged on that front side in at least concentric circles of bristle bundles, with the centre thereof being the spindle axis. [0028] Typically, the bristle bundles are evenly spaced from each adjacent bristle bundle in each of the concentric circles.
  • the present invention provides that, typically, the extent of the oscillatory rotary movement of the bristle head about the spindle axis is in the range of 15° to 45°.
  • Figure 1 is a side elevation of an oscillatory head attachment for an electric toothbrush, in keeping with the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a plan view of the oscillatory head attachment of Figure 1 , looking from the bottom thereof;
  • Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing an assembled electric toothbrush having the oscillatory head attachment of the present invention secured to a power handle therefor;
  • Figure 4A is a section view looking in the direction of arrows 4 - 4 of Figure 1 , when the drive shaft has a assumed a first rotational orientation;
  • Figure 4B is a view similar to Figure 4A, but where the drive shaft has rotated 90° from the position shown in Figure 4A;
  • Figure 4C is a view similar to Figure 4A, but where the drive shaft has rotated 180° from the position shown in Figure 4A;
  • Figure 5 is a plan view of the drive shaft and the circular bristle head only of a toothbrush in keeping with the present invention, where the drive shaft has assumed the rotational orientation of that shown in Figure 4B;
  • Figure 6 is a side elevation of the assembly of Figure 5, when the assembly has been rotated 90° out of the plane of the page from its position in Figure 5; and
  • Figure 7 is a perspective view to a much larger scale of the circular bristle head configuration of an oscillatory head attachment of the present invention.
  • Figure 3 shows an oscillatory head attachment for an electric toothbrush, which is attached to a power handle so as to provide the full assembly.
  • the remaining figures show either the oscillatory head attachment er se, features thereof, details thereof, and elements thereof.
  • An oscillatory head attachment is shown generally at 10 in Figures 1 through 4C; and, as seen in Figure 3, the oscillatory head attachment is fitted through a power handle 12 so that the user has an electrically powered toothbrush.
  • the power handle 12 there may typically be a pair of batteries 14, which provide the driving energy for a small electric motor 16.
  • the electric motor 16 has a drive output
  • the output shaft 18 of the electric motor 16 is fitted with a rotating output connector, to which the drive shaft to be described hereafter is rotatably coupled. All of those details are outside the scope of the present invention.
  • the principal components of the oscillatory head attachment for an electric toothbrush in keeping with the present invention are a circular bristle head 30, an elongate hollow body 40, and a rotatable drive shaft 50.
  • the circular bristle head 30 has a front side from which a plurality of toothbrush bristle bundles 32 are upstanding, as seen particularly in Figures 1 and 7.
  • the body 40 is hollow. It will be understood that the elongate hollow body 40 has a longitudinal axis which extends throughout its length. It will be seen that the circular bristle head 30 is mounted at a first end of the body 40, as seen particularly in Figures 1 through 3.
  • the spindle 36 has a spindle axis; and it will be clearly understood from Figures 1 through 3, 4A, 4B, and 4C, that the axis of the spindle 36 generally intersects the longitudinal axis of the hollow body 40. There may be a slight offset of one axis to the other.
  • the elongate body 40 is adapted at its second end 42, which is remote from the first end where the circular bristle head 30 is located, to be connected to the mating power handle
  • the drive shaft 50 is rotatable, and it extends through the length of the hollow body
  • the rotatable drive shaft 50 is rotatably supported within the hollow body 40 by a first bearing 44 which is near the first end of the drive shaft 50, adjacent the bristle head 30.
  • the rotatable drive shaft 50 is not disposed along the longitudinal axis of the elongate hollow body 40, but rather that it is offset from the longitudinal axis of the elongate hollow body 40, particularly at the first, outer end where it interacts with the circular bristle head in the manner to be described hereafter.
  • the rotatable drive shaft 50 is adapted at its second end remote from the first end by such as a spade fitting 52, so as to be rotatably coupled to a rotating output connector of the power handle, which is generally but not necessarily a socket, and which is driven by the output shaft 18 of the electric motor 16.
  • the rotatable drive shaft 50 has a longitudinal axis; and, as described above, the longitudinal axis of the rotatable drive shaft 50 is offset from the longitudinal axis of the elongate hollow body 40, and is effectively tilted or angled thereto so that the longitudinal axis of the rotatable drive shaft 50 and the longitudinal axis of the elongate hollow body 40 can be considered to intersect in the vicinity of the end of the rotatable drive shaft 50 which couples to a rotating output connector within the power handle 12.
  • the rotatable drive shaft 50 has first and second crank lobes 54 and 56 which are arranged at the first, outer end of the rotatable drive shaft 50 in such a manner as to constitute a two-lobe crank shaft. It will be clearly understood from those figures that the first and second crank lobes are spaced along the crank shaft, and are disposed 180 ° from each other.
  • An intermediate shaft portion 58 is located between the first and second lobes 54 and
  • the intermediate shaft portion 58 is located on the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft 50.
  • the intermediate shaft portion 58 rotates on the same longitudinal axis thereof; and the crank lobes 54 and 56 thereby function as a two-lobe crank shaft with a crank throw being that which is defined by the configuration of the crank lobes
  • first bearing 44 assures that the rotatable drive shaft 50 is held in place while it rotates, so that the two-lobe crank shaft comprising crank lobes 54 and 56 will function in their intended manner, as now described.
  • the back side 34 of the circular bristle head 30 has a pair of depressions 62 and 64 formed therein. It will be seen in each of Figures 4A, 4B, 4C, 5 and 7 that the depressions 62 and
  • the depressions 62 and 64 each have a vertical cam surface 66 and 68, respectively.
  • the vertical cam surfaces 66, 68 are located in a plane which defines a chord on the circular bristle head 30, across the back side 34 thereof. Also, the plane in which the vertical cam surfaces 66 and
  • 68 are located extends from the back side of the bristle head 30 in a direction which is parallel to the axis of the spindle 36.
  • the first and second crank lobes 54, 56 are adapted to overlie the pair of depressions 62, 64 in such a manner that the crank lobes 54 and 56 will alternately engage the respective vertical cam surface 66 or 68 as the rotatable drive shaft 50 is rotatably driven, so as to cause an oscillatory rotary movement of the bristle head 30 about the spindle axis.
  • the rotatable drive shaft has assumed a first position where each of the crank lobes 54 and 56 is essentially in the plane of the page. It will also be seen that the crank lobe 54 is in engagement with the vertical cam surface 66.
  • a ridge may be formed also on the back side 34 of the circular bristle head 30, and its purpose is to extend the height of the cam surfaces 66 and 68 without adding additional mass to the body portion of the circular bristle head 30.
  • the distance between the spindle axis and the longitudinal axis of the rotatable drive shaft 50 is less than twice the combined diameters of the spindle 36 and the intermediate shaft portion 58.
  • a second bearing 46 may alternatively also be placed within the elongate hollow body
  • the 64 has an upwardly sloping bottom surface 72 and 74, respectively.
  • the upwardly sloping bottom surfaces 72, 74 extend upwardly and away from the bottom ends of the respective vertical cam surfaces 66 and 68. This provides room for the crank lobes 54 and 56 to move when they are in their non-driving relationship to the respective cam surfaces 66 and 68.
  • the plurality of toothbrush bristle bundles 32 may be arranged on the front side of the circular bristle head 30 in at least two concentric circles of bristle bundles, with the centre of the those concentric circles being the spindle axis.
  • the bristle bundles 32 may be evenly spaced from each adjacent bristle bundle in each of the concentric circles in which they are arranged. Thus, there are no gaps between bristle bundles as are necessary in toothbrushes made in keeping with the 5,625,916 patent, noted above.
  • the placement of the two-lobe crank shaft at the end of the rotatable drive shaft 50, and the dimensioning of the first and second crank lobes 54 and 56, may be dimensioned so that the oscillatory rotary movement of the bristle head 30 about the spindle axis is in the range of 15 ° to 45 ° .
  • a typical oscillatory rotary movement may be 25° or 30°.
  • the output of the electric motor 16 is in the range of 2,500 to 6,500 RPM.
  • the configuration of the present invention provides a direct drive from the electric motor to the circular bristle head 30, the number of oscillatory cycles that the circular bristle head 30 undergoes while it is being driven will be the same as the rotational speed of the drive shaft 50.
  • An electric toothbrush has been illustrated, and the oscillatory head attachment for that electric toothbrush has been explained.
  • the structure is such that there is a direct drive which is provided for the circular bristle head, without the necessity for any intervening drive links or gear arrangements, thereby providing greater power efficiency with less loss of driving energy, as well as greater economy in production and thereby lower costs to the consumer.
  • Effective toothbrush cleaning action is assured by the structure of the oscillatory head attachment in keeping with the present invention, because there is a sufficient range of oscillatory motion and because there is even an effective toothbrush bristle placement.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Brushes (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un accessoire de tête oscillante pour une brosse à dents comportant une tête à crins avec des faces avant et arrière. Une tige axiale est prévu sur la face arrière. Il comporte un corps de forme allongée creux avec un axe longitudinal, et la tête à crins est montée de sorte que la tige coupe l'axe du corps. Un arbre d'entraînement rotatif s'étend à travers le corps creux à partir d'une première portée disposée de manière adjacente à proximité de la tête à crins. L'arbre d'entraînement présente un axe longitudinal, et des première et deuxième arêtes de support au niveau de l'extrémité externe de manière à former un arbre à deux arêtes de support, les arêtes de support étant espacées dans le sens de la longueur et disposées à 180° l'une de l'autre. Une paire d'évidements est formée sur la face arrière, un de chaque côté de la tige ; et chaque évidement présente une surface à cames verticale située dans un plan définissant une corde de la tête à crins circulaire, et s'étendant à partir de la face arrière de la tête à crins en une direction parallèle à l'axe de la tige. Les arêtes d'appui sont destinées à recouvrir la paire d'évidements de manière à engager en alternance une des surfaces à cames verticales respective afin de provoquer un mouvement rotatif oscillant de la tête à crins autour de l'axe de la tige.
PCT/CA2002/001329 2001-08-30 2002-08-28 Accessoire de tete oscillante pour brosse a dents electrique WO2003017865A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US94193201A 2001-08-30 2001-08-30
US09/941,932 2001-08-30

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003017865A1 true WO2003017865A1 (fr) 2003-03-06

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PCT/CA2002/001329 WO2003017865A1 (fr) 2001-08-30 2002-08-28 Accessoire de tete oscillante pour brosse a dents electrique

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2017525431A (ja) * 2014-08-21 2017-09-07 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェＫｏｎｉｎｋｌｉｊｋｅ Ｐｈｉｌｉｐｓ Ｎ．Ｖ． パーソナルケア機器のための共振構造体を具備するアタッチメント及び方法

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5577285A (en) * 1992-11-21 1996-11-26 Braun Aktiengesellschaft Electric toothbrush with rotary bristle supporting structure
US5625916A (en) 1995-05-24 1997-05-06 Mcdougall; Greg Toothbrush
CH688537A5 (de) * 1994-12-21 1997-11-14 Trisa Buerstenfabrik Ag Zahnbuerste.
US5778474A (en) * 1995-11-01 1998-07-14 Addway Engineering Limited Mechanically driven toothbrush
WO2001021094A1 (fr) * 1999-09-21 2001-03-29 Gimelli Produktions Ag Brosse a dents electrique

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5577285A (en) * 1992-11-21 1996-11-26 Braun Aktiengesellschaft Electric toothbrush with rotary bristle supporting structure
CH688537A5 (de) * 1994-12-21 1997-11-14 Trisa Buerstenfabrik Ag Zahnbuerste.
US5625916A (en) 1995-05-24 1997-05-06 Mcdougall; Greg Toothbrush
US5778474A (en) * 1995-11-01 1998-07-14 Addway Engineering Limited Mechanically driven toothbrush
WO2001021094A1 (fr) * 1999-09-21 2001-03-29 Gimelli Produktions Ag Brosse a dents electrique

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2017525431A (ja) * 2014-08-21 2017-09-07 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェＫｏｎｉｎｋｌｉｊｋｅ Ｐｈｉｌｉｐｓ Ｎ．Ｖ． パーソナルケア機器のための共振構造体を具備するアタッチメント及び方法
US10828136B2 (en) 2014-08-21 2020-11-10 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Attachment with resonant structure for personal care appliance method
JP7098322B2 (ja) 2014-08-21 2022-07-11 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エヌ ヴェ パーソナルケア機器のための共振構造体を具備するアタッチメント及び方法

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