Oral care implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517412-B2
Application number	US-202016825335-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Dec 12, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An oral care implement including a handle and a replacement head that is detachably coupled to the handle. The oral care implement may include a handle having a longitudinal axis that includes a gripping portion and a stem extending from the gripping portion. The gripping portion may have a shoulder that circumferentially surrounds the stem and an annular rib protruding from the shoulder. The replacement head may have a sleeve portion terminating in a proximal edge that is formed from a resilient material. The replacement head may be detachably coupled to the handle so that the annular rib of the shoulder and the proximal edge of the sleeve portion that is formed of elastomeric material are in contact with one another.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a gripping portion extending from a proximal end to a distal end; and
a stem extending from the distal end of the gripping portion, the gripping portion comprising a shoulder that surrounds the stem and an annular rib protruding from the shoulder along the longitudinal axis, the annular rib located between first and second ring-shaped portions of the shoulder, the first ring-shaped portion of the shoulder surrounding the annular rib;

a replacement head comprising a sleeve portion having a cavity and an opening at a proximal edge of the sleeve portion, the replacement head comprising a first component formed of a rigid material and a second component formed of a resilient material, the proximal edge of the sleeve portion being formed from the resilient material; and
wherein the replacement head is detachably coupled to the handle with the stem of the handle located within the cavity of the sleeve portion and the annular rib of the shoulder and the proximal edge of the sleeve portion in contact with one another, the proximal edge of the sleeve portion in contact with an entirety of the first ring-shaped portion of the shoulder.

2. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the annular rib forms a continuous ring-shaped wall that is free of any gaps therein.

3. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the annular rib forms a discontinuous ring-shaped wall comprising a plurality of spaced apart rib segments.

4. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the proximal edge of the sleeve portion forms a surface that is free of any depressions or protrusions, and wherein the annular rib contacts and deforms the resilient material that forms the proximal edge of the sleeve portion.

5. The oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising an annular depression formed into the proximal edge of the sleeve portion, and wherein the annular rib protruding from the shoulder of the gripping portion nests within the annular depression formed into the proximal edge of the sleeve portion.

6. The oral care implement according to claim 1 wherein the replacement head comprises a head portion having tooth cleaning elements extending therefrom, and further comprising a power source and a motor that are operably coupled together, the motor operably coupled to an eccentric that is configured to vibrate the head portion of the replacement head.

7. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle having a longitudinal axis and comprising:
a gripping portion extending from a proximal end to a distal end; and
a stem extending from the distal end of the gripping portion, the stem having an inner cavity defined by an inner surface and an upper wall;

a vibratory element at least partially located in the stem and operably coupled to a power source, the vibratory element comprising a motor and an eccentric, the eccentric having a first end that is operably coupled to the motor and a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising an aperture;
a guide pin fixed to the stem, a first portion of the guide pin protruding from the upper wall and into the inner cavity of the stem and extending through the aperture in the second end of the eccentric; and
a replacement head comprising a sleeve portion having a cavity, wherein the replacement head is detachably coupled to the handle with the stem of the handle located within the cavity of the sleeve portion.

8. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the stem comprises an upper portion located between the upper wall of the stem and a distal end of the stem, the guide pin comprising a second portion that is embedded within the upper portion of the stem to fix the guide pin to the stem.

9. The oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein the eccentric comprises a main body extending along an axis from a first end to a second end and a first flange extending transversely from the second end of the main body, the first flange forming the second end of the eccentric.

10. The oral care implement according to claim 9 wherein the main body of the eccentric comprises an inner surface and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, a depression formed into the inner surface of the main body and extending axially from the second end of the main body towards the first end of the main body.

11. The oral care implement according to claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the guide pin nests within the depression in the inner surface of the main body of the eccentric.

12. The oral care implement according to claim 9 further comprising a second flange extending from the first end of the main body of the eccentric, each of the first and second flanges extending transversely from the inner surface of the eccentric in a direction away from the outer surface of the eccentric.

13. The oral care implement according to claim 12 further comprising a coupling member that is coupled directly to a shaft of the motor and the second flange of the eccentric.

14. The oral care implement according to claim 13 wherein the coupling member is formed of a plastic material, the coupling member having a central portion with a reduced thickness relative to a remainder of the coupling member.

15. The oral care implement according to claim 13 wherein the coupling member comprises a first portion and a second portion located on opposite sides of the central portion, the first portion comprising an internal cavity and forming a first end of the coupling member, the shaft of the motor positioned within the internal cavity of the first portion of the coupling member.

16. The oral care implement according to claim 15 wherein the second flange of the eccentric nests within a recess formed into the second portion of the coupling member so that a top of the second portion of the coupling member is located between the first and second flanges of the eccentric.

17. A replacement head for detachable coupling to a handle of an oral care implement, the replacement head comprising:
a head portion having a front surface with tooth cleaning elements extending therefrom;
a sleeve portion comprising a cavity configured to receive a stem of the handle and a proximal edge defining an opening into the cavity, the sleeve portion comprising a first component formed of a rigid material and a second component formed of a resilient material;
the first component of the sleeve portion comprising a locking element that is configured to mate with a locking feature of the stem to couple the replacement head to the handle, the locking element comprising a slot formed into the first component of the sleeve portion; and
wherein a portion of the second component covers the locking element so that no portion of the locking element is exposed at an outer surface of the sleeve portion and the resilient material forming a surface of the slot; and
wherein the resilient material comprises a first portion that forms an annular ring at a proximal end of the sleeve portion, the annular ring at least partially covering the slot, and wherein the resilient material covers the slot without penetrating into the slot so that no portion of the slot is exposed at an outer surface of the sleeve portion.

18. The replacement head according to claim 17 wherein the first component is a hard plastic and the second component is a thermoplastic elastomer.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Bloch Brian
• Okai Takahide
• Gatzemeyer John

Classifications

• A61C17/222 Primary

  Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle · CPC title

• A46B7/04

  interchangeably {removable bristle carriers} · CPC title

• A61C17/32

  reciprocating or oscillating · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title

• A46B5/0095 Primary

  Removable or interchangeable brush heads · CPC title