CN108113189B

CN108113189B - Personal care appliance with replacement head

Info

Publication number: CN108113189B
Application number: CN201611069604.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 丹尼尔·韦恩利斯; 道格拉斯·霍尔拜因; 道格拉斯·亨德森; 陈泉仲; 付鹏洋
Original assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Current assignee: Colgate Palmolive Co
Priority date: 2016-11-28
Filing date: 2016-11-28
Publication date: 2020-11-03
Anticipated expiration: 2036-11-28
Also published as: CN108113189A

Abstract

A personal care appliance includes a treatment device having a longitudinal axis. The processing device has: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection portion having a main body, a first resilient snap attachment projecting from the main body, and a positioning rib projecting from the main body; the positioning rib protrudes from the main body in a radial direction by a depth, the height of the positioning rib increasing with increasing longitudinal distance relative to a distal end of the connecting portion; and the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to the grip portion such that the first resilient snap attachment cooperates and engages with the first engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the oral treatment device to the grip portion.

Description

Personal care appliance with replacement head

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a personal care appliance having a replacement head.

Background

Manual toothbrushes having replaceable heads are known in the art. Such manual toothbrushes typically include a body and a replacement head removably coupled to the body. For a variety of reasons, it is desirable to have a replaceable head in these manual toothbrushes. Different types of replacement heads/brushes having bristles or other cleaning elements with different characteristics (such as, but not limited to, bristle stiffness, bristle length, bristle thickness, bristle profile, several kinds and material combinations of bristles, cut shape of bristles, bristle arrangement) are designed for different users 'specific purposes (such as, but not limited to, periodontal pocket care, interdental care, plaque removal, gum stimulation, whitening, polishing) and are also designed to meet different users' preferences (e.g., mouthfeel when in use). In addition, the body, which includes the portion held by the user, has a longer life expectancy than the brush members, i.e., the tooth cleaning elements (and other elements) of the head that perform the cleaning work within the oral cavity. The brush elements of the replacement brush/replacement head are consumables. Therefore, there is a need to continuously supply replacement brushes/replacement heads to the user (consumer). Having to discard the entire toothbrush as the tooth cleaning elements (or other elements of the head) wear out would be less convenient for the consumer. In many cases, a user will purchase several replacement heads/brushes over the course of a year with regular use of the toothbrush. It has therefore become common in the industry to design toothbrush bodies and head sections to be detachably couplable to each other, allowing the consumer to replace worn or particular head sections with new or different head sections as appropriate.

Existing refill heads have a number of disadvantages including complicated manufacture of the refill head, improper loading of the refill head into the body, and insufficient stability of the coupling of the refill head to the body. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved replacement head connection system and oral care implement including the same.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides a solution to the above-mentioned problems. While the present invention has been described with respect to personal care appliances, i.e., oral care appliances, it should be noted that other non-limiting examples of personal care appliances are household brushes, razors, cosmetic applicators, discharge liquids, and other personal care or personal treatment products.

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a personal care appliance comprising: a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection portion having a main body and a first resilient snap attachment projecting from the main body, the main body being formed of a first material having a first hardness and the first resilient snap attachment being formed of a second material having a second hardness, the first hardness being greater than the second hardness; and the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to the grip portion such that the first resilient snap attachment cooperates and engages with the first engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion.

In another aspect, the invention may be a personal care appliance comprising a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection portion having a main body and a first resilient snap attachment projecting from the main body; the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to a grip portion such that the first resilient snap attachment cooperates and engages with a first engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion; and the connection portion is configured such that during transition from the disassembled state to the assembled state, the first resilient snap attachment deflects in a first circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis to allow the first resilient snap attachment to pass the first engagement portion.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be a personal care appliance comprising a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection portion having a main body, a first resilient snap attachment projecting from the main body, and a positioning rib projecting from the main body; the positioning rib protrudes from the main body in a radial direction by a height that increases with increasing longitudinal distance relative to a distal end of the connecting portion; and the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to the grip portion such that the first resilient snap attachment cooperates and engages with the first engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the oral treatment device to the grip portion.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be a personal care appliance comprising a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection receptacle having a first recess positioned in a first inner surface of the connection receptacle and a first engagement portion positioned in the first recess; the first engagement portion extends circumferentially in a first circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis; the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) a fitted state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to a grip portion such that the first engagement portion cooperates and engages with a first resilient snap attachment of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion, the first resilient snap attachment protruding from a body of a connection portion of the grip portion, the body being formed of a first material having a first hardness and the first resilient snap attachment being formed of a second material having a second hardness, the first hardness being greater than the second hardness.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be a personal care appliance comprising a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connection receptacle having a first recess positioned in a first inner surface of the connection receptacle and a first engagement portion positioned in the first recess; the first engagement portion extends circumferentially relative to the longitudinal axis; the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to a grip portion such that the first engagement portion cooperates and engages with a first resilient snap attachment of a connection portion of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion, the engagement portion being configured such that, during a transition from the disassembled state to the assembled state, the first engagement portion deflects the first resilient snap attachment in a first circumferential direction relative to the longitudinal axis to allow the first resilient snap attachment to pass the first engagement portion.

In yet another aspect, the invention may be a personal care appliance comprising a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a processing section having at least one processing element; a connective receptacle having a first recess positioned in a first interior surface of the connective receptacle, a first engagement portion positioned in the first recess, and a rib-receiving groove positioned in a third interior surface of the connective receptacle, the third interior surface being a different surface than the first interior surface; the first engagement portion extends circumferentially relative to the longitudinal axis; the groove extends in a radial direction in the third inner surface to a depth, the depth of the groove decreasing with decreasing longitudinal distance relative to an entrance of the connection hub; the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to a grip portion such that the first engagement portion cooperates and engages with a first resilient snap attachment of a connection portion of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion; and the groove is configured to receive a positioning rib that protrudes from a main body of the connecting portion in a radial direction by a height, the height of the positioning rib increasing with increasing longitudinal distance relative to a distal end of the connecting portion.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Drawings

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

fig. 1 is a front perspective view of an oral care implement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front exploded perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an attachment portion of the oral care implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 taken along section line IX-IX of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 in a first insertion position;

FIG. 11 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 in a second insertion position;

FIG. 12 is a partial side cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 in a fully inserted position, taken along section line XII-XII of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of FIG. 1 taken along section line XIII-XIII in FIG. 5;

fig. 14 is a front perspective view of an oral care implement according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a front exploded perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a rear exploded perspective view of the oral care implement of FIG. 14; and

fig. 18 is a side cross-sectional view of the oral care implement of fig. 14.

Detailed Description

The following description of the embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

Referring to the drawings, a manual toothbrush handle and a replacement brush head will be described hereinafter in an embodiment based on the present invention. Although the present invention is exemplified herein as a manual toothbrush, it should be understood that the inventive concepts described herein may be applied to other manual or powered oral care implements, including but not limited to tongue cleaners, tooth rinsers, interdental devices, scrapers, mirrors, dispensers for applying material to oral surfaces, tooth polishers, and specially designed handled implements having tooth engaging elements. Thus, although the brush portion is used to describe the invention as an oral treatment device, it should be noted that the oral treatment device may be any of the alternative devices listed above or any other oral treatment device.

The description of illustrative embodiments in accordance with the principles of the invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In each of the following embodiments, if reference is made to a count, a number, or the like, the scope of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the count, the number, or the like unless otherwise specified. In the respective embodiments to be described below, the same components and the corresponding components are denoted by the same reference symbols, and thus repetitive descriptions are not repeated in some cases.

As used throughout, ranges are used as a shorthand way of describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event that a definition in this disclosure conflicts with a definition in a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

In describing the embodiments disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is intended merely to facilitate description and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Relative terms such as "lower," "upper," "horizontal," "vertical," "above," "below," "upward," "downward," "top" and "bottom" as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., "horizontally," "downwardly," "upwardly," etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as "attached," "coupled," "attached," "connected," "interconnected," and the like refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

Furthermore, the features and benefits of the present invention are illustrated by reference to exemplary embodiments. The invention should therefore expressly not be limited to such exemplary embodiments showing some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may be present alone or in other combinations of features.

Fig. 1 shows an example of an oral care implement 100, in this example a manual toothbrush, having an oral treatment device, in this example a brush portion, 200 and a grip portion 300. Brush portion 200 is removably attached to grip portion 300 such that brush portion 200 may be removed and brush portion 200 replaced with a new brush portion 200 when needed or desired. Brush portion 200 will typically wear or otherwise need replacement as early as grip portion 300 will need replacement. By having a replaceable brush portion, a user may use a more expensive grip portion without the expense of replacing the grip portion each time a replacement brush portion is required. For example, a user may want a particular grip portion due to their look, feel, or quality of grip. The hands and fingers are users of a particular shape and/or size or users lacking one or more fingers may purchase grip portions that are particularly adapted to their physical needs. These grip portions can be expensive and therefore it is desirable to not have to replace the grip portion each time a replacement of the brush portion is required. Moreover, by providing replaceable brush portions, a large number of combinations of grip portions and brush portions can be obtained without the need to manufacture each possible grip portion/brush portion combination as a single unit.

Referring again to fig. 1, in this example, brush portion 200 has a plurality of bristles 290. Other examples have more or fewer bristles, different bristle configurations, or cleaning elements other than bristles. In the example shown, the brush portion 200 is about 50% of the overall length of the toothbrush. In other examples, the brush portion 200 is between 30% and 60% of the overall length of the toothbrush. In yet other examples, the brush portion 200 is between 40% and 50% of the overall length of the toothbrush. By making the brush portion 200 a significant portion of the overall length of the toothbrush, the brush portion 200 is larger than some other designs and therefore more difficult to misplace. In addition, by making the brush portion 200 a larger portion of the overall length of the toothbrush, the grip portion 300 can be made shorter, resulting in easier storage of the disassembled toothbrush.

In this example, the grip portion 300 has a plurality of gripping features. As shown in fig. 1 to 4, the grip portion 300 has a main body 310 and a cushion unit 400. The main body 310 is made of a hard Thermoplastic (TP) in this example and the cushion unit 400 is made of a softer material than the main body 310 in this example. For example, the cushion unit 400 may be made of an elastic material such as thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) in order to provide more pleasant and comfortable feeling to the user. Fig. 4 shows the pad unit 400 separated from the main body 310 to more clearly show which parts of the grip portion 300 are of resilient material in this example. The grip part 300 may be manufactured, for example, by placing the main body 310 in a mold and injecting TPE into the main body 310 and the mold to form the cushion unit 400. Although the cushion unit 400 is a single unit in this example, in other examples, the various components of the cushion unit 400 are formed as two or more separate pieces. Referring to fig. 2, the upper portion 360 of the grip portion 300 includes two upper front grip features 330 and one lower front grip feature 340. Fig. 4 shows a palm portion 320 positioned in a lower portion of the body 310. The upper front grip feature 330, the lower front grip feature 340 and the palm portion 320 are in this example part of the main body 310 and are therefore a harder material than the grip features of the cushion unit 400. Also shown in fig. 2 is a thumb pad 410 comprising an inner thumb pad 412 and an outer thumb pad 414 that provide soft areas for a user to apply thumb pressure on the toothbrush during use. Fig. 4 shows voids 350 in the body 310 that are filled with TPE to form thumb pads 410. The number and placement of the various gripping features and pads are merely exemplary and should not be considered limiting. Other numbers, shapes, sizes and locations of gripping features and pads may be used. Also, gripping features shown as part of the body 310 may instead be part of the cushion unit 400, and vice versa. In this example, the grip portion 300 is solid. However, other examples may be hollow and/or made of materials other than TP materials. For example, the grip portion 300 may be made of metal, wood, composite material, or any other material.

Fig. 3 shows an example of a gripping feature positioned on the back side of the toothbrush. The gripping features molded into the body 310 include two upper rear gripping features 335. The gripping features molded as part of the pad unit 400 include an inner index finger pad 440, an outer index finger pad 450, a middle rear gripping feature 460, a lower finger pad 430, and three lower rear gripping features 470. The number and placement of the various gripping features and pads are merely exemplary and should not be considered limiting. Other numbers, shapes, sizes and locations of gripping features and pads may be used. Also, gripping features shown as part of the body 310 may instead be part of the cushion unit 400, and vice versa.

Referring to fig. 4, a brush portion 200 is shown having a head 210 from which bristles 290 extend, a shaft portion 220, and a lower portion 230. Extending from the lower portion 230 is a connecting portion 500 that provides a secure connection to the grip portion 300 by its interaction with a connection socket 380 at the end of the grip portion 300. The engagement of the connection portion 500 and the connection socket 380 provides a connection that is hidden from view in the assembled state and that securely and removably attaches the brush portion 200 to the grip portion 300.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300 in an assembled state. This view shows three bristle anchors 280 (in this example holes in which bristles 290 are glued or otherwise secured) in the head 210.

Fig. 6 to 8 show the connection between the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300 in more detail. In this example, the connecting portion 500 has a main body 510 and two

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 extending laterally from an end 530 of the connecting portion 500. The

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 may be separately formed pieces or they may be ends of a single piece. The resilient snap attachment 550 is received in the notch 384 in the connection socket 380, while similarly the resilient snap attachment 560 is received in the notch 382 when the connection portion 500 is inserted into the connection socket 380. As shown in fig. 8, the notch 382 has an engagement portion 392 that interacts with a resilient snap attachment 560 (as explained below). A similar interaction occurs between the resilient snap attachment 550 and the engagement portion 394 in the recess 384. In this example, the connecting portion 500 also has ribs 540 that extend from the surface of the connecting portion 500. The ribs 540 may be an elastic material, a hard plastic, or some other material and are received in the grooves 386 in the connection receptacle 380 to help properly position the connection portion 500 in the connection receptacle 380. In some examples, the ribs 540 exert pressure on the connection receptacles 380 to help prevent rocking between the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300.

The body 510 of the connecting portion 500 may be formed of a hard plastic. Suitable hard plastics include, but are not limited to, polyethylene, polypropylene (PP), polyamide, polyester, cellulose, SAN, acrylic, ABS, butadiene, vinyl, and polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, or any other well-known thermoplastic used in the manufacture of toothbrushes. The

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 may be formed from a resilient/elastomeric material, such as, but not limited to, a thermoplastic elastomer. In some embodiments, the hard plastic component has a hardness of a given hardness scale that is higher than the hardness of the resilient component.

In this example, as shown in fig. 7, the end 530 of the connection part 500 has a lower region cut in a circular arc to provide a positioning function when the connection part 500 is first inserted into the connection jack 380.

As shown in fig. 7, the ribs 540 can have a height that varies along the longitudinal axis of the body 510 of the connecting portion 500. In the illustrated example, the height of the rib 540 continuously increases from the end 530 of the connection part 500 to the lower portion 230 of the brush part 200. Similarly, in this example, the depth of the groove 386 continuously varies, as shown in FIG. 8. The ribs 540 and grooves 386 may provide a locating function between the connection portion 500 and the connection socket 380 to ensure that the brush portion 200 is attached in the correct orientation relative to the grip portion 300. The ribs 540 and the grooves 386 may also provide a stabilizing force to each other to maintain a secure fit between the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300, which prevents relative movement between the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300. The slope of the upper surface of the ribs 540 may be uniform to provide a flat upper surface, or may increase along their length to provide a curved upper surface.

Figures 6 and 7 show fillets 520 on either side of the top of the connecting portion 500. The fillet 520 provides a guide function to insert the connection part 500 into the connection receptacle 380. The fillet 520 may have a different radius than the opposite (lower) corner of the connection part 500 in order to further prevent the brush part 200 from being attached to the grip part 300 in an incorrect orientation.

Fig. 8 illustrates that in this example, the connection hub 380 is generally rectangular in cross-section with the corners rounded to at least substantially match the fillets of the connection portion 500. The notch 382 is a rectangular groove cut into one of the side walls of the connection socket 380 so as to allow the resilient snap attachment 560 to slide into the connection socket 380 such that the resilient snap attachment 560 is in contact with the engagement portion 392. Similarly, the notches 384 are rectangular grooves cut into opposing sidewalls of the connection socket 380 so as to allow the resilient snap attachment 550 to slide into the connection socket 380 such that the resilient snap attachment 550 is in contact with the engagement portion 394. This example also includes a groove 386 that is being cut into the upper wall of connection jack 380. The groove 386 has a rectangular cross-section that becomes smaller as it goes farther into the connection socket 380 because the upper surface of the groove 386 is inclined downward as shown in fig. 8. The shape of the groove 386 may be the same as the shape of the rib 540 or it may be shaped, for example, slightly smaller than the rib 540, such that the rib 540 is biased by contacting the groove 386 in the assembled position.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view along a sectional line IX-IX in fig. 5 and shows the connection part 500 inserted into the connection jack 380. Section line XII-XII in fig. 9 shows a line along which the sections shown in fig. 10 to 12 are taken. In fig. 9, the connection part 500 is completely inserted into the connection insertion hole 380 such that the brush part 200 and the grip part 300 are in the assembled position. Fig. 12 corresponds to the assembled position, while fig. 10 and 11 show a partial insertion. The interaction of the resilient snap attachment 560 with the engagement portion 392 will now be explained with reference to fig. 10 to 12. The interaction between the resilient snap attachment 550 and the engagement portion 394 is similar and occurs simultaneously with the interaction between the resilient snap attachment 560 and the engagement portion 392.

Fig. 10 shows the connection portion 500 partially inserted into the connection socket 380 to the point where the resilient snap attachment 560 comes into contact with the engagement portion 392. At this point, the user feels that further insertion is impeded due to interference of the resilient snap attachment 560 with the engagement portion 392. As the connection portion 500 is pushed further into the connection receptacle 380 (fig. 11), the resilient snap attachment 560 deflects (downward in this view) as it is pressed downward by the more rigid engagement portion 392. The resilient snap attachment 560 is crescent-shaped in this example and can deflect in various ways, including becoming less convex and/or being pushed away from the engagement portion 392. As the connection portion 500 is pushed further into the connection receptacle 380, the resilient snap attachment 560 snaps back (or substantially back) to its original position and is formed on the other side of the engagement portion 392 (fig. 12). In some embodiments, in the assembled state, one or both of the

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 are biased into contact with their respective engagement portions 394, 392. In the assembled state shown in fig. 12, the brush portion 200 is firmly attached to the grip portion 300. The brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300 will be kept in the assembled state by normal use and will only be separated upon application of a pulling force (in the longitudinal direction of the toothbrush) which is large enough to deflect the

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 such that they can move past the engagement portions 394, 392, respectively.

In this example, the resilient snap attachments deflect in the circumferential direction (downward in these views) as they move past the engagement portions 392, 394. The sharp leading edges of the resilient snap attachments 550, 560 (shown in fig. 7) are easily deflected when the

resilient snap attachments

550, 560 first contact the engagement portions 392, 394. The thickening of the

resilient snap attachment

550, 560 as it moves away from the leading edge requires increased force to deflect the

resilient snap attachment

550, 560 and thus provide a secure connection.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view along section line XIII-XIII in fig. 5. Fig. 13 shows the position of the connection part 500 in the connection jack 380 at a position where the connection part 500 has a larger sectional area than the position shown in fig. 9.

Although the connection between the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 300 is explained above in the case where the brush portion 200 has a connected male portion (the connection portion 500) and the grip portion 300 has a connected female portion (the connection insertion hole 380), other embodiments are opposite to this. In some embodiments, the brush portion has a female portion (e.g., connection hub 380) and the grip portion has a male portion (e.g., connection portion 500). Various circumstances may affect which orientation of the connection portion and connection jack is optimal in a particular application. For example, if the brush part has no resilient material and the connection part comprises a resilient material, it may be beneficial to construct the connection socket on the brush part such that the brush part is less expensive to manufacture since no resilient material is required. In addition, since the protrusions are generally easier to clean than the recesses, positioning the recesses on the replaceable part of the appliance (brush part) may result in a permanent part (grip part) that is easier to clean.

Fig. 14-18 illustrate one of many alternative embodiments of a grip portion that may be used with brush portion 200. Brush portion 200 is the same as described above. Grip portion 1300 is a simpler design than grip portion 300. The grip 1300 may be a grip for travel or other situations where a simpler and/or smaller grip is desired. Unlike grip portion 300, grip portion 1300 is made entirely of one material, and in this example, does not have a TPE portion like pad unit 400. By making grip 1300 from one material, it may be less expensive to manufacture than a multi-material grip (like grip 300).

In the example shown in fig. 14-18, the grip portion 1300 has two upper front grip features 1330, an inner thumb pad 1312, an outer thumb pad 1314, and a lower front grip feature 1340 on its front side. In this example, grip portion 1300 has two upper rear grip features 1335, an inner index finger pad 1313, an outer index finger pad 1315, a middle rear grip feature 1360, and three lower rear grip features 1370 on its rear side. The number and placement of the various gripping features and pads are merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting. Other numbers, shapes, sizes and locations of gripping features and pads may be used.

Fig. 16 and 17 show a grip portion 1300 having a connection socket 1380, which in this example is identical to the connection socket 380 described above. Thus, the secure connection provided by connection jack 1380 and connecting portion 500 is the same as the secure connection provided by connection jack 380 and connecting portion 500 (described above).

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of the brush portion 200 and the grip portion 1300 in an assembled state. In this example, the grip portion 1300 is solid and made of a TP material. However, other examples may be hollow and/or made of materials other than TP materials. For example, the grip portion 1300 may be made of metal, composite material, or any other material.

Although the present invention has been described in the case where the connection part 500 is a part of the brush part 200 and the connection insertion hole 380 is a part of the grip part 300, it should be noted that these parts may be exchanged so that the connection part 500 may be a part of the grip part 300 and the connection insertion hole 380 may be a part of the brush part 200.

While the present invention has been described with connection portion 500 being a partially hard plastic and a partially resilient material and connection receptacle 380 being a fully hard plastic, it should be noted that other combinations of hard plastic (or other hard materials) and resilient materials may be used. For example, connecting portion 500 may be a fully rigid plastic and the portions (e.g., engaging portions 392, 394) connecting to receptacle 380 may be resilient.

It can be seen from the present disclosure that the present invention provides a solution to at least the problem of securely connecting a replaceable treatment device to a grip portion of an oral care implement.

While the foregoing description and drawings represent exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that various additions, modifications and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims. In particular, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms, structures, arrangements, proportions, sizes, and with other elements, materials, and components, without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be used with many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, sizes, materials, and components and otherwise, used in the practice of the invention, which are particularly adapted to specific environments and operative requirements without departing from the principles of the present invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and not limited to the foregoing description or embodiments.

Claims

1. A personal care appliance comprising:

a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

a processing section having at least one processing element;

a connection portion having a main body, a first resilient snap attachment projecting from the main body, and a positioning rib projecting from the main body in a radial direction;

the positioning rib protrudes from the main body in the radial direction by a height, the height of the positioning rib increasing with increasing longitudinal distance relative to a distal end of the connecting portion; and is

The processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to the grip portion such that the first resilient snap attachment cooperates and engages with the first engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the oral treatment device to the grip portion.

2. The personal care appliance of claim 1, wherein the treatment device is an oral treatment device, the treatment portion is an oral insertion portion, and the treatment element is an oral treatment element.

3. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising a second resilient snap attachment projecting from the body,

wherein the second resilient snap attachment is configured to cooperate and engage with a second engagement portion of the grip portion to secure the processing device to the grip portion.

4. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the height of the positioning rib continuously varies from one end of the positioning rib to the other end of the positioning rib.

5. The personal care appliance of claim 4, wherein the height of the positioning rib continuously increases from the one end of the positioning rib to the other end of the positioning rib.

6. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the positioning rib is an elastomeric material.

7. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the body is a first material and the resilient snap attachment is a second material, and the first material and the second material are materials having different hardnesses.

8. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the resilient snap attachment is crescent-shaped.

9. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the resilient snap attachment is deflectable in a circumferential direction relative to a longitudinal direction.

10. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 1 to 2, further comprising the grip portion, the grip portion having a longitudinal axis.

11. The personal care appliance of claim 10, wherein connection receptacle further comprises a groove configured to receive the positioning rib, and

the groove has a depth in a radial direction, and the depth of the groove continuously varies from one end of the groove to the other end of the groove.

12. The personal-care appliance of claim 11, wherein the depth of the groove continuously increases from the one end of the groove to the other end of the groove.

13. The personal care appliance of claim 3, wherein the connection portion is configured such that during transition from the disassembled state to the assembled state, the first resilient snap attachment is deflected by the first engagement portion to a first degree to allow the first resilient snap attachment to pass the first engagement portion and to a degree less than the first degree after it passes the first engagement portion such that removal of the treatment device from the grip portion is impeded by the first resilient snap attachment being in contact with the first engagement portion and

the connection portion is configured such that during transition from the disassembled state to the assembled state, the second resilient snap attachment is deflected by the second engagement portion to a first degree to allow the second resilient snap attachment to pass the second engagement portion and to a degree less than the first degree after it passes the second engagement portion such that removal of the handling device from the gripping portion is impeded by the second resilient snap attachment being in contact with the second engagement portion.

14. A personal care appliance comprising:

a treatment device having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

a processing section having at least one processing element;

a connective receptacle having a first recess positioned in a first interior surface of the connective receptacle, a first engagement portion positioned in the first recess, and a rib-receiving groove positioned in a third interior surface of the connective receptacle, the third interior surface being a different surface than the first interior surface;

the first engagement portion extends circumferentially relative to the longitudinal axis;

the groove extends in a radial direction in the third inner surface by a depth, the depth of the groove decreasing with decreasing longitudinal distance relative to an entrance of the connection hub;

the processing means may vary between: (1) a disassembled state; and (2) an assembled state in which the treatment device is detachably coupled to a grip portion such that the first engagement portion cooperates and engages with a first resilient snap attachment of a connection portion of the grip portion to secure the treatment device to the grip portion; and is

The groove is configured to receive a positioning rib that protrudes in a radial direction from a main body of the connecting portion by a height, the height of the positioning rib increasing with increasing longitudinal distance relative to a distal end of the connecting portion.

15. The personal care appliance of claim 14, wherein the treatment device is an oral treatment device, the treatment portion is an oral insertion portion, and the treatment element is an oral treatment element.

16. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 14 to 15, wherein the connection jack is configured such that during transition from the disassembled state to the assembled state, the first resilient snap attachment is deflected by the first engagement portion to a first degree in a first circumferential direction to allow the first resilient snap attachment to pass the first engagement portion and to a degree less than the first degree in the first circumferential direction after it passes the first engagement portion such that removal of the treatment device from the grip portion is impeded by the first resilient snap attachment contacting the first engagement portion.

17. The personal care appliance of any one of claims 14 to 15, further comprising the grip portion, the grip portion having a longitudinal axis.

18. The personal care appliance of claim 17, further comprising a positioning rib protruding from the main body of the connecting portion.

19. The personal care appliance of claim 18, wherein the positioning rib is an elastomeric material.

20. The personal care appliance of claim 18, wherein the ribs have a height in the radial direction that is different at different points along the longitudinal axis.