Vibrating Toothbrush
AssigneeColgate-Palmolive Company
InventorAlan Vincent SORRENTINO
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vibrating toothbrush is provided with vibration-isolating zones that substantially isolate vibrations in the head and reduce vibrations transmitted to the handle without sacrificing structural integrity around the vibration-isolation zones. Such zones may generally comprise neck material that is reduced in cross-section, thinned, replaced by dampening material, or removed altogether to create transmission-inhibiting voids. The vibration-isolating zones may be further supported by the housing of the vibratory element to maintain the structural integrity around the zones and to thereby alleviate weakness conditions that might subject the toothbrush to fatigue and breakage.
Claims12
An oral care implement comprising:
- a body extending along an axis, the body comprising a head having cleaning elements extending therefrom;
- a mechanical vibratory device located in the body, the mechanical vibratory device including a motor and an eccentric weight that is configured to generate vibrations;
- and
- the body comprising an axial portion that is aligned with the mechanical vibratory device and a vibration-reducing section that is at least partially located on the axial portion of the body.
An oral care implement comprising:
- a body extending along a longitudinal axis, the body comprising a head having bristles extending therefrom, an axial portion of the body comprising a cylindrical wall that circumferentially surrounds the longitudinal axis so as to form a cavity;
- a vibration-generating device positioned within the cavity;
- and
- the cylindrical wall having a section of reduced thickness for reducing transmission of vibrations in a first axial direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.