Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1994-07-08
1996-04-09
Spisich, Mark
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
15 222, 15 224, 15 28, A61C 1722, A46B 1302
Patent
active
055049591
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns an electric toothbrush in which a toothbrush is electrically driven.
BACKGROUND ART
A toothbrush is composed of a brush projecting from one side of the end of a handle. Electric toothbrushes, in which the toothbrush is electrically driven, are available in a bus-brushing type where the toothbrush moves in a reciprocating rectilinear fashion in the direction of the axis of its handle, and in a rolling-brushing type where the toothbrush moves in a reciprocating fashion about the axis of its handle.
With the bus-brushing type, however, the brush of the toothbrush can get trapped between teeth, particularly between molars, so that the stroke becomes small and reduces scrubbing effectiveness. With the rolling-brushing type, there is a risk of gums being folded back or of injury being inflicted to the gums.
Another electric toothbrush is available in which a brush is mounted on a rotating base and moves in a reciprocating fashion about an axis in the direction of brush projection, but since this device requires that the brush be placed against each individual tooth, brushing of teeth takes an extremely long time.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was made in light of issues such as these, and the object of the invention lies in the provision of an electric toothbrush that permits effective brushing of teeth while retaining a large scrub area.
The invention also has a characteristic wherein a brush arranged on the end surface of a handle is equipped with a driving device capable of producing a reciprocating rectilinear motion in the direction of the handle axis and a reciprocating motion about the handle axis, while simultaneously producing a reciprocating motion about an axis in the direction of brush projection.
According to the invention, the brush moves in a combination of the reciprocating rectilinear motion in the direction of the handle axis, the reciprocating motion about the handle axis, and the reciprocating motion about the axis in the direction of brush projection, and therefore scrub area increases, by virtue of the fact that the motion the brush does not become trapped between teeth, and cleaning of the entire tooth surface is possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electric toothbrush of an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional diagram of the electric toothbrush;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional diagram of a toothbrush attachment;
FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a toothbrush attachment;
FIG. 5(a) is an oblique exploded view of connecting rods housed within a handle, FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional diagram of the toothbrush attachment, and FIG. 5(c) is a perspective view of a connecting spring used in lieu of the connecting rod;
FIG. 6 is a perspective exploded view of a cam block;
FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are front views illustrating eccentricities in the cam block;
FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) illustrate one action of the cam block, wherein FIG. 8(a) is a horizontal cross-sectional diagram, and FIG. 8(b) is a vertical cross-sectional diagram;
FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) illustrate another action of the cam block, wherein FIG. 9(a) is a horizontal cross-sectional diagram, and FIG. 9(b) is a vertical cross-sectional diagram;
FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) illustrate an action of a brush of the toothbrush;
FIG. 11 is a perspective exploded view of a cam block of another exemplary embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 12(a) to 12(c) depict actions of the cam block of FIG. 11, wherein FIG. 12(a) is a horizontal cross-sectional diagram showing a rotation in one direction, and FIGS. 12(b) and 12(c) are a horizontal cross-sectional diagram and vertical cross-sectional diagram showing a rotation in the other direction;
FIG. 13 is an oblique exploded view of a cam block of still another embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b) illustrate an action of a brush of a toothbrush when the cam block of FIG. 13 is used;
FIG. 15 is a perspective exploded view of a cam block of still another embodiment of t
REFERENCES:
patent: 2095956 (1937-10-01), Bess
patent: 4156620 (1979-05-01), Clemens
patent: 4989287 (1991-02-01), Scherer
patent: 5253382 (1993-10-01), Beny
patent: 5321866 (1994-06-01), Klupt
patent: 5383242 (1995-01-01), Bigler et al.
Kawamoto Yoji
Yukawa Kazuhiko
Matsushita Electric & Works Ltd.
Spisich Mark
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