Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells – With discharge of cells or batteries
Patent
1995-05-04
1996-08-13
Wong, Peter S.
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
With discharge of cells or batteries
H01M 1042
Patent
active
055459684
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a motor-powered appliance for personal use as, for example, an appliance for oral or dental hygiene, a shaver or the like, with a housing for accommodating the drive means as well as at least one rechargeable energy-storage cell, with the housing being composed of at least two housing sections sealingly connectible with each other, and with the appliance having an associated case structure incorporating in particular means for charging the energy-storage cells, or in particular means for the storage of attachments for the appliance.
A motor-powered toothbrush of this type is already disclosed in applicant's DE 39 37 877 C1. The toothbrush disclosed therein is comprised of a two-part housing accommodating the function-related parts as, for example, an electric motor, a gear train, a drive shaft, at least one energy-storage cell, and an induction coil. To effect a tight seal between the two housing parts, these are snap-fitted or locked into engagement with each other. If the user wishes to open the toothbrush by disengaging the two housing parts for removing, for example, the spent energy-storage cell to dispose of it separately, this is practically not possible without the use of an additional tool, and only with difficulty where such an additional tool as a pliers, a saw or a knife is used.
When the two housing parts of an appliance are joined together by adhesive bonding or are welded together, opening of the appliance requires invariably the use of sharp-edged tools presenting, however, the risk of personal injury in particular to the average user who has no special skills in the handling of such tools.
Printed Specification DE 91 01 850 U1 discloses an electric toothbrush having a toothbrush housing of elliptical cross-section and a closure body detachably arranged at the end remote from the brush body. An annular groove is provided between the toothbrush housing and the closure body. To open the toothbrush housing, it is introduced into a cutout in a charging unit, such that a parting body projecting into the opening in the manner of a lug is received within the annular groove, followed by a rotating movement of the elliptical housing. This arrangement has the disadvantage that toothpaste residues or particles of dirt may deposit in the annular groove which, for one thing, may make it difficult to use the toothbrush in a hygienically safe manner and, for another thing, may obstruct the engaging action of the lug within the annular groove. Understanding the construction of the opening device and using it properly is difficult, in particular for the unskilled average user. The risk that the user decides against the use of the device to dispose of spent accumulators, for example, is accordingly high.
A case structure associated with the appliance and including means for charging the energy-storage cell or means for storing attachments for the appliance is already disclosed in applicant's patent application DE 37 31 587 A1 or the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,617. This specification relates to a case serving essentially for the storage of tools of the oral and dental care type, in which the tools are protected from contamination from outside to the largest possible extent, while yet being readily identifiable and accessible for removal. This specification does not, however, suggest a case function that goes beyond the accommodation of attachments for the appliance or the charging of the energy-storage cell.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a user-friendly possibility of opening the appliance housing. This object is essentially accomplished in that the case structure includes two abutment means which, in forming an integral part of the case structure, provide a tool for severing the housing sections. The user is in a position to disengage the housing sections without major effort or without the need for additional tooling. Because the integral construction of the parting tool is accomplished by a modification of the case structure, the requirement of having
REFERENCES:
patent: 5138245 (1992-08-01), Mattinger et al.
Hilfinger Peter
Kressner Gerhard
Sauer Michael
Braun Aktiengesellschaft
Shin K.
Wong Peter S.
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