JPH02114908A - Electric toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable to powerfully massage gingiva, by providing a brush head mounted with a member of cylindrical bristle holders to rotate individually on a brush member, and making a brush holder to be vibrated and reciprocated by a motor and a gear. CONSTITUTION: A handle 1 with a motor 3 and a gear 4 is enabled to be guided by hand. A brush head 15 with a number of cylindrical bristle holders 16-20 to be rotated independently are mounted on a brush member 2. In addition, the gear 4 gives the brush holder 16-20 vibration and reciprocal motion. This tooth brush is constituted so that a connecting rod 12 is not rotatably placed on the brush member 2 and the brush member 2 is rotatably placed around its longitudinally axial line on the handle 1, and the gear 4 moves a connecting rod 12 in the longitudinal direction and rotates the connecting rod 12 around its longitudinal axial line. As a result, this tooth brush can powerfully massage gingiva.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a hanging member having a handle with a motor and gears adapted to be guided by hand, and a brush head with a number of cylindrical bristle holders that rotate independently of each other. Regarding electric toothbrushing with. Such tooth brushing is disclosed, for example, in US Pat. No. 4,156,620.

In known tooth cleanings of this type, the cleaning member does not move, and the teeth are cleaned exclusively by a rotational movement of the bristle holder.

In the toothing device known from US Pat. No. 4,156,620, the connecting rod is constructed as a toothed rack in the part of the hanging head.

Each bristle holder has a gear inside the brush head,
The gears in the rows of all the bristle holders mesh with each other;
The second gear of each row meshes with the teeth of the toothed rack. Therefore, adjacent bristle holders rotate in opposite directions when the connecting rod moves back and forth, which is advantageous for cleaning teeth.

The known toother is relatively complex in construction due to the large number of gear wheels and the connecting rod configured as a toothed rack. To prevent the gears from jamming, the toothing must be manufactured to extremely tight tolerances, which increases production costs and risks the slightest inaccuracy in production causing a stoppage of operation.

The object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned type of tooth brushing in such a way that it is capable of powerful cleaning and at the same time gingival massage.

According to the invention, this object consists of a brush head with a hand-guided nozzle with a motor and gear wheels, and a number of cylindrical bristle holders that rotate separately from each other. This is accomplished by a motorized toothbrush having a member, said gear wheel being constructed and arranged to vibrate as well as reciprocate the toothblade holder.

A toothbrush in which the bristle members have an oscillatory and reciprocating movement is known, for example, from French Patent No. 1,525,112. However, the present invention consists in applying the principle of this oscillating bristle member to a toothbrush in which a bundle of bristles rotates. This allows a particularly effective cleaning of the teeth and also very good gingival gingiva.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush constructed in such a way that the individual bristle holders are driven by fairly simple means so that the toothbrush can be manufactured economically and function particularly reliably. It is in.

To achieve this purpose, a connecting rod is provided inside the hanging head which has a groove extending laterally in its main extension into which a bristle holder with a cam extending parallel to the axis of rotation engages. It will be done.

For such toothing, no gears are required to provide a rotational movement to the bristle holder. The rotational movement of the bristle holder is simply caused by the connecting rod moving the cam by its reciprocating movement. The drive is therefore of very simple construction and does not require strict manufacturing tolerances. The term "lateral to the main extension" does not mean that the groove has to be perpendicular to the main extension, but can also be oriented obliquely. The same solution is provided by diagonally extending protrusions instead of grooves.

The connecting rod must have an inclined plane to rotate the cam.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the hanging head has two adjacent rows of bristle holders, and in the central position of the connecting rod the cams of the two rows of bristle holders are arranged so that they are transverse to each other with respect to the hanging member. arranged to face the direction. Because the cams face each other, the connecting rod is narrow in the area of the hanging head and each adjacent bristle holder of the row rotates in opposite directions. If the cams are arranged alternately with respect to the center of the hanging head and with respect to the outside of the hanging head, all bristle holders rotate in the same direction. The invention therefore allows changing the orientation of the bristle holder in a simple manner.

It is advantageous if the brushing head is moved in a circular motion by means of an electric toothbrush designed like a manual toothbrush relative to the brushing head. This circular movement is carried out by a special gearing system that allows the toothing axis to be moved back and forth and rotated about the longitudinal axis.

An example of such prior art is U.S. Patent No. 3,160,902
Seen in the issue. The known principle of this oscillation of the toothing head is that if the connecting rod is non-rotatably mounted on the hanging member and the hanging member is mounted on the handle for rotation about its longitudinal axis, then the connecting rod can also be It can easily be applied to the toothing according to the invention if, in addition to moving in the longitudinal direction, the gear is configured to alternately rotate the connecting rod about its longitudinal axis.

The hanging member can be manufactured inexpensively and, according to another embodiment of the invention, can be easily replaced, the hanging member being removably connected to the heddle and the connecting rod being connected to the heddle. It has a snap connection at its handle end for connection to the shaft.

Instead of rotating the entire hanging member about its longitudinal axis, according to another embodiment of the invention, the individual bristle holders can be moved alternately more or less away from the hanging member,
The connecting rod is rotatable about its longitudinal axis within the hanging member, and the hanging member on the handle is arranged such that the bristle holder is arranged axially movable relative to the rotational axis of the hanging head. , can be mounted non-rotatably about its longitudinal axis.

A particularly simple gear that produces rotational and oscillatory motion is
It includes a bevel wheel driven by a bevel pinion of the motor and rotating about a pivot pin extending transversely to the connecting rod, and an eccentric peg mounted parallel to the pivot pin of a rocker fixed to the toothing shaft. Engaging in the recess, the toothing shaft is axially movable and rotatably disposed relative to the handle and is disposed longitudinally of the handle portion.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the gear is provided rotatably on an eccentric peg with a sliding block inserted into a rocker recess, and two of the sliding blocks extending parallel to the toothing axis.
If the two sides and/or the sides of the corresponding recess are curved or beveled to enable rocking of the rocker, it operates with particularly low friction and is very inexpensive to manufacture.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the rocking movement of the rocker can be easily implemented if the part of the rocker has a recess radially remote from the toothing axis. In this embodiment, the sliding block acts on the pivot axis of the rocker and at the same time on the rocker, at a considerable distance from the axis of the toothing, where a relatively large rocking movement occurs and the hanging member The vibrational motion of occurs with a sufficiently large force.

The embodiment in which the eccentric peg engages is extremely compact, right down to the sliding block on the toothing side.

The invention is capable of numerous embodiments. In order to further clarify the principle of the present invention, one embodiment shown in the drawings will be described below.

The tooth holder shown in its entirety in FIG. 1 consists of a handle 1 and a holder 2 detachably and rotatably attached to the handle 1. A motor 3 mounted on the handle 1 drives the toothing shaft 5 via a gearing 4 such that the toothing shaft 5 simultaneously undergoes an oscillatory movement about its longitudinal axis as well as an axial translational movement. . Gear device 4 is motor 3
The motor 3 has a hevel pinion 6 which is driven by a motor 3 and drives a bevel wheel 7, which is rotatable around a pivot pin 8 provided laterally of the motor 3.

The bevel wheel 7 has an eccentric peg 9 parallel to the pivot pin 8.
It is rotatably placed on a sliding block 10 which is non-rotatably provided inside the rocker 11. Due to the circular movement path of the eccentric peg 9, the rocker 11 moves back and forth. Since the rocker 11 is fixed to the toothing shaft 5 and the toothing shaft 5 is held in the handle 1 so as to be axially movable and rotatable, the rocker 11 cannot be moved laterally; This guidance of the toothing shaft 5 causes the rocker 11 to move along with the toothing shaft 5 when the eccentric peg 9 is moved out of the plane of the drawing, as will be explained in detail below.
Move #8 around the vertical axis of.

The connecting rod 12 is provided within the hanging member 2 so as to be movable in the axial direction with respect to the hanging member, but not to rotate. This connecting rod 12 is snap connected 13 to the handle side end of the child, and this snap connection 13 allows the rod 12 to be connected to the toothing shaft 5C vs. j1. is locked so that it cannot rotate. The hanging member 2 is therefore removably connected to the handle by a fitting joint 14. However, this mating joint 14 is constructed in such a way that the hanging member 2 can rotate relative to the handle 1 about its longitudinal axis, so that the hanging shaft 5 and therefore the connecting rod 12 are necessarily rotated only by a limited amount. The scales rotate around the vertical axis of the toothbrush.

The hanging member 2 has at its front end a hanging head 15 into which several cylindrical bristle holders I6 to 20 are rotatably inserted, the holders projecting from the hanging head 15 groups of bristles 21. There is.

Inside the hanging head, each hanging holder 16 to 20 has a cam 22 which engages in a laterally extending groove 23 of the connecting rod 12.

When the connecting rod 12 moves back and forth, the cam 23 moves and the bristle holders 16 to 2o rotate.

FIG. 2 clearly shows the structure of the hanging member. The connecting rod 12 has a total of five continuous and laterally extending i23. 23 a, 23b23c, 2
3d, in which the cams 22 of the bristle holders 1G to 20 engage. In this embodiment, the hanging head 15 is provided with further bristles parallel to the row of bristle holders 16 to 20, bristle holder 16b being shown.
It is configured. The bristle holder 16b and other bristle holders in series also fit into the groove 23. of the connecting rod 12. 23a
.

23b, 23c, and 23d, each of which is engaged by a cam 22b. As shown in FIG. 2, all bristle holders 16 to 20 and 16b are rotatably mounted on a lid 24, which can be inserted as an insert into the hanging head 15 from above.

The cross-sectional view in FIG. 3 shows the bristle holders 16 to 20 connecting each cam 22 to each cam 23 of the connecting rod 12.
23a, 23b, 23c and 23d. FIG. 4 shows that in the central position of the connecting rod 12 the cams 22, 22b as well as the other cams are oriented transversely to each other in the direction of the hanging head 15.

FIG. 5 shows, on a larger scale than in FIG. 1, how the motor 3 drives the bevel wheel by means of the bevel pinion 6. The pivot pin 8 of this bevel wheel 7 is fitted at both ends into the housing of the handle 1. It can be seen from the drawing that the rocker 11 has a recess 25 in which the sliding block 10 rests. Sliding block 1
0 rotatably engaged. The rocker 11 is non-rotatably and non-movably connected to the toothing shaft 5.

FIG. 6 shows the rocker 1 rotatably engaged with the tooth hanging shaft 5.
The recess 25 of No. 1 has a rectangular cross section, indicating that the sliding block IO is also rectangular. This sliding block 10
has a hole 26 in which the eccentric peg 9 engages. When the eccentric peg 9 rotates 18 degrees and comes to the lower position shown by the dashed line, the rocker 11 also moves downward and the tooth swinging shaft 5 also moves in the axial direction. When the eccentric peg 9 assumes an intermediate position (not shown) with respect to the toothing axis, the rocker 11 also tries to move laterally, but cannot because the toothing axis 5 is fixed laterally. .

Instead of a lateral movement, the rocker 11 makes a rocking movement.

This is because the sliding block 10 is curved in an arc at the two sides 27.degree. 28, and the tooth hanging shaft 5 extends below the sliding block as shown in FIG.

The rocking movement causes the sliding block 10 to move around the rocker 1 in its recess.
1 to the side, the rocker 11 swings around the toothing shaft 5 and thus rotates the toothing shaft 5.

FIG. 7 shows the arcuate sides 27, 28 of the sliding block 10, in which the rocker 11 can assume a rocking position and the eccentric peg 9
In the illustrated position, it has been rotated 90° from the position of FIG. 6 and has not been moved laterally.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic low longitudinal cross-sectional view of the tooth hanging member of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hanging member of the tooth hanging member shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the front section of the hanging member. 4 is a plan view of the front section of the hanging member, FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the gear device with the tooth hanging member, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the gear device rocker shown with adjacent elements, and FIG. FIG. 1.--handle, 2.--hanging member, 3.
-...Motor. 4.--gear device, 5.--toothed shaft, 6.--
・Bevel binion, 7-・-・Bevel wheel, 8・-
・-Hibibot pin, 9--Eccentric peg, 10...
・Sliding block. 11...-Rocker, 12--Series rod, 13-
... Susatsubu connection, 14... ~ Fitting joint, 15
...-hanging hend, 16-20...-hanging holder, 21-...-bristle group. 22...Cam, 23...Groove, 24...Lid, 25-...Four places FIG, 3 FIG, 4 L-1, , □

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A hanging member having a handle with a motor and gears adapted to be guided by hand, and a brush head with a number of cylindrical bristle holders rotating separately from each other. , wherein the gear is configured and arranged to vibrate and reciprocate the swing holder. 2. A connecting rod is provided for driving the bristle holder, said connecting rod being arranged to reciprocate the hanging member longitudinally by means of the drive and having a connecting rod inside the hanging head transversely to the main extension. 2. A powered toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, having an extending groove and wherein each bristle holder engages a cam extending parallel to the axis of rotation. 3. The hanging head has two adjacent rows of bristle holders, and in the central position of the connecting rod, the cams of the two rows of bristle holders are arranged such that they face each other in the lateral direction of the hanging member. The electric toothbrush according to claim 2. 4. The connecting rod is non-rotatably disposed on the hanging member, and on the handle, the hanging member is rotatably disposed about its longitudinal axis, and the gear moves the connecting rod in the longitudinal direction and moves the connecting rod along its longitudinal axis. 3. The electric tooth brush according to claim 2, wherein the electric tooth brush is configured to alternately rotate around the circumference. 5. The electric toothbrush according to claim 4, wherein the buffing member is removably connected to the handle, and the connecting rod has a snap connection at the handle side end thereof to be connected to the toothbrush shaft. 6. The connecting rod is arranged rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the hanging member, the hanging member is arranged non-rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the handle, and the bristle holder of the hanging head is axially arranged about their axis of rotation. The electric tooth brush according to claim 2, wherein the electric tooth brush is arranged so as to be movable in the direction. 7. The gear is driven by the bevel pinion of the motor,
A toothing shaft having a bevel gear that rotates around a pivot pin extending laterally on the connecting rod and engaging an eccentric peg installed parallel to the pivot pin in a rocker recess provided on the toothing shaft. 3. The electric toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein the electric tooth brush is axially movable and rotatable within the handle and is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the handle. 8. The sliding block inserted into the rocker recess is rotatably installed on the eccentric peg, and the sliding block has two sides parallel to the tooth hanging axis and/or the corresponding side of the recess is curved. The electric toothbrush according to claim 7, wherein the electric toothbrush is tilted and has a swinging motion. 9. The electric toothbrush according to claim 8, wherein a part of the rocker having the recess for the sliding block is radially separated from the toothblind shaft. 10. The electric toothbrush according to claim 7, wherein the eccentric peg engages the sliding block on the side of the toothbrush.