Brush head for an oral cleansing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021289930-A1
Application number	US-202016822935-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2020
Publication date	Sep 23, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A brush head for an oral cleansing device is provided. The brush head may include a shaft and a cantilevered beam positioned within the shaft. The cantilevered beam may be configured to press against a drive shaft of the oral cleansing device to transfer a rotational motion of the drive shaft to the brush head. The cantilevered beam may be formed on an adapter secured within the shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A brush head for an oral cleansing device, the brush head comprising:
a shaft; and a cantilevered beam positioned within the shaft, the cantilevered beam configured to press against a drive shaft of the oral cleansing device to transfer a rotational motion of the drive shaft to the brush head.

2 . The brush head of claim 1 , wherein the cantilevered beam comprises:
a fixed end rigidly supported by the shaft; an opposite free end; and an intermediate portion between the fixed end and the free end for contact with the drive shaft, wherein contact of the drive shaft with the intermediate portion of the cantilevered beam causes the free end to engage the shaft.

3 . The brush head of claim 2 , wherein the cantilevered beam comprises an inward curvature defined by the intermediate portion extending inward from the fixed end and the free end extending outward from the intermediate portion.

4 . The brush head of claim 2 , wherein:
the fixed end of the cantilevered beam is positioned proximate a drive shaft opening of the shaft; and the free end of the cantilevered beam is positioned distal the drive shaft opening.

5 . The brush head of claim 2 , wherein:
the shaft comprises an interior surface defining an interior cavity; and the free end of the cantilevered beam engages the interior surface of the shaft when the drive shaft is inserted into the interior cavity of the shaft.

6 . The brush head of claim 5 , further comprising a gap defined between the intermediate portion of the cantilevered beam and the interior surface of the shaft, the gap providing clearance for outward flexing of the cantilevered beam during insertion of the drive shaft into the interior cavity of the shaft.

7 . The brush head of claim 1 , further comprising an adapter positioned within the shaft to couple the brush head to the drive shaft of the oral cleansing device, wherein the cantilevered beam is attached to the adapter.

8 . The brush head of claim 1 , wherein the cantilevered beam extends lengthwise along a longitudinal direction of the shaft.

9 . A brush head for an oral cleansing device, the brush head comprising:
a shaft; and an adapter received within the shaft and configured to rotationally couple the brush head to a drive shaft of the oral cleansing device, wherein the adapter includes a cantilevered beam configured to engage the drive shaft of the oral cleansing device to transfer a rotational motion of the drive shaft to the brush head.

10 . The brush head of claim 9 , wherein the cantilevered beam comprises:
a fixed end supported by the adapter; an opposite free end; and an intermediate portion between the fixed end and the free end, wherein contact of the drive shaft with the intermediate portion of the cantilevered beam causes the cantilevered beam to flex outward towards an interior surface of the shaft.

11 . The brush head of claim 10 , wherein the cantilevered beam is configured to apply a force to the drive shaft, the force concentrated midway between the fixed end and the free end.

12 . The brush head of claim 10 , wherein outward flexing of the cantilevered beam causes the free end of the cantilevered beam to contact the interior surface of the shaft before bending of the intermediate portion of the cantilevered beam.

13 . The brush head of claim 9 , wherein:
the adapter and the drive shaft each include a respective flat; and the cantilevered beam presses the flat of the drive shaft against the flat of the adapter such that rotational motion of the drive shaft is transferred to the brush head.

14 . The brush head of claim 13 , wherein the flat of the adapter extends to a leading edge of the adapter.

15 . The brush head of claim 9 , wherein the cantilevered beam includes an interior surface with a first segment that extends inward at a first angle and transitions into a second segment that extends inward at a second angle that is less than the first angle.

16 . A method comprising:
inserting a drive shaft of an oral cleansing device into a shaft of a brush head; and in response to inserting the drive shaft into the shaft of the brush head, causing a cantilevered beam inside the shaft to bend outward, creating a reactionary force that presses against the drive shaft.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising causing, in response to the cantilevered beam bending outward, a free end of the cantilevered beam to contact an interior surface of the shaft.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising causing, in response to the free end of the cantilevered beam contacting the interior surface of the shaft, an intermediate portion of the cantilevered beam to bend outward towards the interior surface, the intermediate portion pressing against the drive shaft.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the cantilevered beam is attached to an adapter disposed within the shaft of the brush head; and
further comprising pressing, via the reactionary force, a flat of the drive shaft against a flat of the adapter to transfer a rotational motion of the drive shaft to the brush head.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the force is concentrated midway between a fixed end of the cantilevered beam and a free end of the cantilevered beam.

Assignees

• Water Pik Inc

Inventors

• Wagner Robert D

Classifications

• A61C17/28

  with rinsing means · CPC title

• A61C17/222 Primary

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

• A61C17/26 Primary

  driven by electric motor · CPC title

• A61C17/3418

  Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle · CPC title

• A46B9/04

  {Arranged like in or} for toothbrushes · CPC title