Oral care implement and oral care device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016166366-A1
Application number	US-201514965609-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An oral care implement having a housing, a functional element mounted at the housing for driven oscillatory rotation relative to the housing around a rotation axis, at least one rocking lever that is on a first end pivotably supported at the housing at an essentially fixed position that is eccentric with respect to the rotation axis and the rocking lever is on a second end coupled with the functional element at a position eccentric with respect to the rotation axis such that the functional element carries the second end of the rocking lever along when it is driven into oscillatory rotation around the rotation axis, while the first end of the rocking lever is kept at its fixed position at the housing.

First claim

1 . An oral care implement comprising:
a housing; a functional element mounted at the housing for driven oscillatory rotation relative to the housing around a rotation axis; at least one rocking lever that is on a first end pivotably supported at the housing at an essentially fixed position that is eccentric with respect to the rotation axis and the rocking lever is on a second end coupled with the functional element at a position eccentric with respect to the rotation axis such that the functional element carries the second end of the rocking lever along when it is driven into oscillatory rotation around the rotation axis, while the first end of the rocking lever is kept at its fixed position at the housing.

2 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rocking lever extends essentially parallel to the rotation axis or has its maximum length in the direction of the rotation axis when the functional element is in a center oscillation position between the maximum elongations in positive and negative oscillation direction.

3 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rocking lever extends essentially parallel to the rotation axis or has its maximum length in the direction of the rotation axis when the functional element is in an oscillation position of maximum elongation in a condition where no load is applied at the functional element.

4 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a spring element is arranged between the housing and the functional element that has at least a spring force component acting in a direction parallel to the rotation axis.

5 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first end or the second end of the rocking lever has an essentially spherical thickening.

6 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first end or the second end of the rocking lever is essentially hemispherically rounded.

7 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the rounded end of the rocking lever is supported in a tapered bearing hole.

8 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second end of the rocking lever comprises a crossbeam arm.

9 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the crossbeam arm extends to or crosses the rotation axis, which crossbeam arm in particular extends at a right angle with respect to a main leg of the rocking lever.

10 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the crossbeam arm is connected with an active part of the functional element, which active part is arranged for movement relative to a static part of the functional element, which active part is positively connected with the crossbeam arm, in particular wherein the location of the positive connection lies on the rotation axis.

11 . The oral care implement in accordance with the claim 10 , wherein the crossbeam arm comprises an undercut portion by which the positive connection with the active part of the functional element is established.

12 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the second end of the rocking lever is integrally connected with the functional element and is realized as a hinge, in particular as a living hinge.

13 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 12 , comprising two rocking levers that are each integrally connected with the functional element.

14 . The oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rocking lever is an injection molded part, in particular wherein the functional element and the injection molded rocking lever are only destructively separable.

15 . An oral care device comprising an oral care implement in accordance with claim 1 and a handle to which the oral care implement is either integrally or detachably connected.

Assignees

• Braun Gmbh

Inventors

• Fritsch Thomas

Classifications

• A61C17/3472

  with combined movements of the brush body · CPC title

• A61C17/222 Primary

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

• A61C17/3436 Primary

  Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder · CPC title

• A61C17/3463

  Translation along the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder · CPC title