Hydraulic system for driving a membrane brushhead which includes bristles mounted thereon
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsMeindert Hendrik Boonstra, John Boersma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The toothbrush includes a handle portion which has a disc spring assembly driven by a solenoid coil. The upper end of a central shaft which extends from the solenoid is connected to a drive flexible membrane assembly which in operation moves back and forth under the positive action of the solenoid central shaft and the return action of the spring on the central shaft. The drive membrane acts on hydraulic fluid which extends through a stem portion of the toothbrush to the brushhead, which includes a movable brushhead membrane. The moving fluid acts on the brushhead membrane to move it.
Claims8
A power toothbrush, comprising:
- a handle portion which includes a drive flexible membrane assembly, a spring assembly acting on the drive flexible membrane assembly, a coil for moving the spring member and a driving/control system for driving the coil;
- and
- a stem/head portion which includes a brushhead at a remote end thereof, the stem/head portion extending from the handle portion, wherein the brushhead includes a brushhead membrane assembly, on which bristles are mounted, and wherein the stem/head portion includes a channel which is filled with fluid, the fluid extending between the drive membrane in the handle portion and the brushhead membrane assembly, transmitting in operation movement of the drive membrane to corresponding movement of movable portions of the brushhead membrane assembly, resulting in cleaning action for the teeth.
A power toothbrush, comprising:
- a handle portion which includes a drive flexible membrane assembly, a spring assembly acting on the drive flexible member assembly, a coil for moving the spring member and a driving control system for driving the coil;
- and
- a stem/head portion which includes a brushhead at a remote and thereof, the stem/head portion extending from the handle portion, wherein the brushhead includes a brushhead membrane assembly, and wherein the stem/head portion includes a channel which is filled with fluid, the fluid extending between the drive membrane in the handle portions and the brushhead membrane assembly, transmitting in operation movement of the drive membrane to corresponding movement of movable portions of the brushhead membrane assembly resulting in cleaning action for the teeth.
A power toothbrush comprising:
- a handle portion which includes a drive flexible membrane assembly, including a flexible sheath portion, an expandable element acting on the drive membrane assembly, a piezoelectric actuator assembly operating on the expandable element, and a driving control system for driving the piezoelectric actuator assembly;
- and
- a stem/head portion which includes a brushhead at a remote end thereof, the stem/head portion extending from the handle portion, wherein the brushhead includes a brushhead membrane assembly, and wherein the stem/head portion includes a channel which is filled with fluid, the fluid extending between the drive membrane in the handle portion and the brushhead membrane assembly, transmitting in operation movement of the drive membrane to corresponding movement of movable portions of the brushhead membrane assembly, resulting in cleaning action of the teeth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.