Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1995-08-22
1998-03-31
Chin, Randall
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
15 221, 15DIG5, A46B 1302, A61C 1734
Patent
active
057324336
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to an electric toothbrush, with a brush section in which a rotatably carried shaft is received and on which a bristle supporting structure coupled to the shaft is rotatably mounted, and with means for driving the shaft in an alternating motion.
An electric toothbrush of this type is known from German published patent application DE 39 37 850 A1 which is incorporated in the disclosure content of the present application by express reference. In this application, the alternating rotary motion of the shaft is transmitted to the bristle supporting structure by means of a bevel gear arrangement. The bristle supporting structure carries a plurality of bristles whose free ends form an approximately circular cleaning surface. With the electric toothbrush in activated condition, this cleaning surface performs an alternating rotary motion about its vertical axis. The operator of the toothbrush may use the cleaning surface for cleaning both the tooth surfaces and the interproximal spaces, in addition to massaging the gums.
From German design patent M 92 03 436 a push-on brush attachment for an electric toothbrush is known in which a bristle supporting structure is integrally formed with the stem of the brush. The bristle supporting structure includes a plurality of bristles whose free ends form an elongate cleaning surface, as well as a single bristle cluster whose bristles taper to a point. The cleaning surface essentially serves the purpose of cleaning the tooth surfaces, while the bristle cluster is intended for cleaning spaces between adjacent teeth. With the electric toothbrush activated, the movements produced by the bristles of the cleaning surface and the single bristle cluster are identical.
SUMMARY
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric toothbrush of the type initially referred to with which an improved cleaning action, also of the interproximal spaces, can be accomplished.
This object is essentially solved by providing an interproximal brush which is coupled to the shaft independently of the coupling of the bristle supporting structure to the shaft.
Using an electric toothbrush of the type initially referred to, it is possible by means of the interproximal brush to clean interproximal areas particularly easily and thoroughly. However, rather than arranging the interproximal brush on the bristle supporting structure and coupling it to the shaft via the bevel gear arrangement, the interproximal brush is coupled to the shaft independently of the bristle supporting structure. It is thereby possible to impart a preferably alternating rotary motion about an axis substantially normal to the shaft to the bristle supporting structure, while imparting an alternating pivotal motion or reciprocating motion about the axis of rotation of the shaft to the interproximal brush. With the electric toothbrush in activated condition, the user is in a position to clean the tooth surfaces using the cleaning surface of the oscillating bristle supporting structure, in addition to cleaning the interproximal spaces using the interproximal brush that performs a pivotal or reciprocating motion. Cleaning of the teeth is thus essentially accomplished by means of the free ends of the bristles of the bristle supporting structure providing the cleaning surface, while the bristles of the interproximal brush are intended to perform a supplementary, still more efficient cleaning function of the interproximal spaces.
In an advantageous configuration of the electric toothbrush, the interproximal brush is arranged at a distance to the bristle supporting structure. This enables the interproximal brush to penetrate between adjacent teeth deeply, without the bristles that form the cleaning surface being in a position to prevent this from occurring due to their engagement against the tooth surfaces.
In a further advantageous configuration, the interproximal brush is disposed angularly, in particular at approximately right angles, with respect to the shaft. It is thereby accomplished that
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patent: 5467495 (1995-11-01), Boland
Copy of International Search Report mailed Jul. 7, 1994.
Driesen Georges
Drossler Michael
Gocking Wolfgang
Braun Aktiengesellschaft
Chin Randall
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