GB2327038A

GB2327038A - Oscillating electric toothbrush

Info

Publication number: GB2327038A
Application number: GB9714566A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregory John Mcdougall
Original assignee: AUSWORLD CONSULTANTS Ltd
Current assignee: AUSWORLD CONSULTANTS Ltd
Priority date: 1997-07-10
Filing date: 1997-07-10
Publication date: 1999-01-13
Also published as: GB9714566D0

Abstract

An electric toothbrush (or flosser) comprises a handle 10 incorporating a motor 11. A set of bristles 17 are mounted on a shank 16 coupled to an auxiliary shaft 18. The shaft 18 is pivoted and oscillated at one end by a drive coupling 20 so that the bristles 17 move backwards and forwards generally along a mean axis A. Such oscillations are particularly effective in cleaning teeth during normal brushing and are not directly applied to the handle 10.

Description

TOOTHBRUSH The invention relates to toothbrushes.

The invention relates more particularly to electric toothbrushes that provide relative movement of brush heads. In such toothbrushes, an electric motor is incorporated in a handle, and the head has a brush head that is caused to rotate or oscillate by the motor so as to improve the cleaning and massaging of teeth and gums respectively during use. It has also been proposed to have a weight mounted to rotate off-set from a central motor rotationally axis to cause vibrations of brush head, which is rigidly fixed to a toothbrush handle.

Although this vibration can be arranged generally in a direction along the longitudinal axes of bristles of the brush, vibration of the whole of the toothbrush takes place making it uncomfortable and less useful in operation.

It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least to reduce this problem.

According to the invention there is provided an electric toothbrush having an elongate handle having a central axis, and a brush head mounted rigidly to a shank that extends along the central axis, in which the shank is pivotable mounted intermediate its length at a point beyond one end of the handle in a manner that permits oscillating movement of the head in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of bristles mounted to the head, including a rotary drive coupling which is connected to an output shaft of a motor supported in the handle and bears on one end of the shank to cause the oscillating movement thereof when the motor shaft rotates.

The brush head may carry a plurality of sets of bristles, or a single set of bristles where in use the toothbrush operates in the manner of a toothpick or flosser.

The toothbrush may include an adapter that fits to the one end of the handle and incorporates an output shaft extension and the rotary coupling.

Toothbrushes according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional under plan view of a toothbrush; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional under plan view of another toothbrush; Figure 4 is a sectional side view of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is an isometric view of a component of the toothbrushes.

Referring to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 the toothbrush contains many components which are generally well-known and applicable to all electric toothbrushes and so will not be described in any detail. An elongate handle 10 provides a housing for a motor 11 having a drive shaft 12 extending along a central axis of the handle 10. A battery compartment 13 for two side-by-side batteries (not shown) is provided, as well as suitable electrical connections and tandem ON-OFF switch 14.

A brush head 15 is rigidly mounted adjacent a remote end of a shank 16 and supports a single set of bristles 17; the bristles have a mean longitudinal axes shown as A.

The shank 16 is fitted permanently (or as a press-fit, for example) to an auxiliary shaft 18 (see Figure 5) that is pivotably mounted inside an elongate carrier 19. A mechanical drive coupling 20 is connected to the drive shaft to cause the auxiliary shaft to move up and down in Figure 2 which in turn causes the bristles 17 to oscillate generally along the axis A as required. The coupling 20 is held in position by a supporting component 21 that as provides pivot apertures for the auxiliary shaft 18. In this way, normal rotation of the motor causes the ends of the bristles 17 to oscillate so as to move towards and away from surfaces of the teeth during normal sweeping and brushing of those surfaces. Such action is particularly beneficial in practice; a movement of the bristles 17 of around 1.3 mm along the axis A has proved very effective. Also, as the motor itself and the handle are not directly caused to vibrate in the described toothbrush, the handle can be comfortably held during use of the toothbrush.

It is possible to provide the described single set of bristles (sometimes referred to as a "toothpick" or "flosser") attached or for attachment to an adapter. In that case the adapter comprises the auxiliary shaft 18 and the elongate carrier 19. This format is shown in Figures 3 and 4 although in Figures 3 and 4, the brush comprises a plurality of sets of bristles 22 instead of the single set 17.

In Figures 3 and 4, components equivalent to those in Figures 1 and 2 have the same respective numerals. Added to the components in Figures 1 and 2 is an auxiliary straight drive coupling 23 that directly engages an output shaft (not shown) of the motor and couples to the coupling 20 as required. Thus, the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4 can be fitted directly to electric toothbrush handles of currently known and widely used designs (that are arranged to cause rotational motion of brush heads when the motor is operated). This enables the user to fit the arrangement incorporating the bristles 22 (or the "flosser' 17) as an alternative to a known rotating set of brushes. More especially as a practical matter, the same handles, motors, power supply and switches can be used in currently used handle housings but providing the new arrangements that form the embodiments of this invention.

Naturally, as explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2, the flosser of Figures 1 and 2 or a multi-set bristles of Figures 3 and 4 attachment may be designed with its own or especially formed handle as required. However, it will be noted that either of a flosser or a multi-set brush head can be fitted as required either permanently or at the users option to the remote end of the shaft 18.

In all cases the arrangement is such that rotation of motor 11 is arranged to be converted into oscillations of the bristles generally along their longitudinal axes in a manner that does not cause vibrations directly to the handle 10,

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An electric toothbrush having an elongate handle having a central axis, and a brush head mounted rigidly to a shank that extends along the central axis, in which the shank is pivotable mounted intermediate its length at a point beyond one end of the handle in a manner that permits oscillating movement of the head in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axes of bristles mounted to the head, including a rotary drive coupling which is connected to an output shaft of a motor supported in the handle and bears on one end of the shank to cause the oscillating movement thereof when the motor shaft rotates.
2. An electric toothbrush according to claim 1, in which the brush head carries a plurality of sets of bristles.
3. An electric toothbrush according to claim 1, in which the brush head carries a single set of bristles where in use the toothbrush operates in the manner of a toothpick or flosser.
4. An electric toothbrush according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the toothbrush includes an adapter that fits to the one end of the handle and incorporates an output shaft extension and the rotary coupling.
5. Toothbrushes substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.