Oral hygiene implement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9603686-B2
Application number	US-201414333776-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure is concerned with an oral hygiene implement having a neck section extending along a longitudinal direction and having a neck section housing surrounding a neck section cavity, a head section having a through hole therein extending through the head section along a through hole direction having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and having a head section housing surrounding the through hole, wherein the through hole defines a first and a second opening in the head section housing, and wherein a cap element separately made from the head section housing is connected with the head section housing to essentially cover the first opening and a carrier element separately made from the head section housing is arranged to cover the second opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral hygiene implement comprising:
a neck section extending along a longitudinal direction and having a neck section housing surrounding a neck section cavity;
a head section having a through hole therein extending through the head section along a through hole direction having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and having a head section housing surrounding the through hole;
wherein the through hole defines a first opening and a second opening in the head section housing; and
wherein a cap element separately made from the head section housing is connected with the head section housing to essentially cover the first opening and a carrier element separately made from the head section housing is arranged to essentially cover the second opening,
wherein the cap element is sized and configured to be inserted into the through hole from the second opening and towards the first opening, wherein the cap element has at least a first connector structure configured to engage a corresponding structure inside the through hole of the head section housing when the cap element is fixed from the inside to the head section housing to cover the second opening,
wherein at least a first projection being integral with the head section housing extends from an inner side of the head section housing into the through hole and at least a second projection being integral with the head section housing extends from an inner side of the head section housing into the through hole, the first and the second projections being arranged on top of each other and with a distance with respect to the through hole direction.

2. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap element has been made in an injection molding process by which the cap element became connected with the head section housing.

3. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a circumferential gap extends between an edge of the first opening and an edge of the cap element.

4. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap element is made from a material that is different to the material from which the head section housing is made.

5. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap element has a circumferential flange for structurally strengthening the cap element.

6. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the carrier element is movably mounted at the head section.

7. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a fixation element that interlocks the cap element with respect to the head section housing.

8. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 7 , wherein the fixation element engages around at least one projection extending from an inner side of the head section housing into the through hole.

9. The oral hygiene implement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cap element has an at least partly structured or textured outer surface.

10. An oral hygiene device comprising an oral hygiene implement detachably attached to a handle section, the oral hygiene implement comprising:
a neck section extending along a longitudinal direction and having a neck section housing surrounding a neck section cavity;
a head section having a through hole therein extending through the head section along a through hole direction having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and having a head section housing surrounding the through hole;
wherein the through hole defines a first opening and a second opening in the head section housing;
wherein a cap element is connected with the head section housing to essentially cover the first opening and a carrier element is arranged to essentially cover the second opening;
wherein the cap element is sized and configured to be inserted into the through hole from the second opening and towards the first opening, wherein the cap element has at least a first connector structure configured to engage a corresponding structure inside the through hole of the head section housing when the cap element is fixed from the inside to the head section housing to cover the second opening; and
wherein at least a first projection being integral with the head section housing extends from an inner side of the head section housing into the through hole and at least a second projection being integral with the head section housing extends from an inner side of the head section housing into the through hole, the first and the second projections being arranged on top of each other and with a distance with respect to the through hole direction.

11. The oral hygiene device according to claim 10 , wherein the device is an electric toothbrush.

12. The oral hygiene device according to claim 10 , wherein the carrier element is movably mounted on an axle such that the carrier element is adapted to rotate around a rotation axis defined by the axle.

13. The oral hygiene device according to claim 10 , wherein the cap element is separably made from the head section housing.

14. The oral hygiene device according to claim 10 , wherein the cap element is connected to the head section housing by injection molding.

15. An oral hygiene implement, comprising:
a neck section extending along a longitudinal direction and having a neck section housing surrounding a neck section cavity;
a head section having a through hole therein extending through the head section along a through hole direction having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and having a head section housing surrounding the through hole;
wherein the through hole defines a first opening and a second opening in the head section housing; and
wherein a cap element separately made from the head section housing is connected with the head section housing to essentially cover the first opening and a carrier element separately made from the head section housing is arranged to essentially cover the second opening,
wherein the cap element is sized and configured to be inserted into the through hole from the second opening and towards the first opening, wherein the cap element has at least a first connector structure configured to engage a corresponding structure inside the through hole of the head section housing when the cap element is fixed from the inside to the head section housing to cover the second opening,
wherein the at least a first connector structure comprises an outwardly extending projection structured and configured for a snapping engagement with a corresponding structure of the head section housing.

Assignees

• Braun Gmbh

Inventors

• Schaefer Norbert
• Fritsch Thomas
• Utsch Joern
• Stegmann Wolfgang

Classifications

• A46B5/0095

  Removable or interchangeable brush heads · CPC title

• A61C17/222 Primary

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

• A46B2200/1066

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

• A61C17/3436

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

• B29C45/261

  having tubular mould cavities · CPC title