Electrically powered toothbrush
OwnerRobert O. Whitefieldinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable electrically powered toothbrush which includes a brush head having at least one tuft holding assembly mounted for rotation about its central axis. Pulsating direct current is supplied through control circuitry to a DC motor in the brush handles by a pair of rechargeable batteries also mounted in the handle. Power from the motor is transmitted through a reduction gear and belt drive assembly to the tuft holding assembly, resulting in a unidirectional intermittent rotation of the assembly about its axis and a simultaneous reciprocation of the assembly along that axis. Alternately, continuous power may be supplied to the motor, resulting in a unidirectional continuous rotation and reciprocation of the tuft holding assembly.
Claims19
A device for cleaning teeth comprising:
- a brush head;
- at least one tuft holding assembly mounted in the head for rotation about its central axis;
- means for automatically rotating the assembly in both an intermittent and a unidirectional manner about the central axis;
- and,
- means for reciprocating the holding assembly with respect to the brush head along the central axis simultaneously with the rotation.
A device for cleaning teeth comprising:
- a brush head;
- a plurality of tuft holding assemblies each mounted in the head for rotation about its central axis;
- a plurality of gears each connected to one of the holding assemblies and also connected to one of the other gears;
- means for rotating each holding assembly in an intermittent, unidirectional manner including an electric motor and electronic control means for supplying a pulsating electric current to the motor, and
- means for reciprocating each assembly along its central axis simultaneously with the rotation.
A device for cleaning teeth comprising:
- a brush head;
- a plurality of tuft holding assemblies each mounted in the head for rotation about its central axis;
- a plurality of gears each connected to one of the holding assemblies and also connected to one of the other gears;
- means for rotating each holding assembly in an intermittent, unidirectional manner including an electric motor and electronic control means for supplying a pulsating electric current to the motor;
- and,
- means for reciprocating each assembly along its central axis simultaneously with the rotation including a face cam connected to the holding assembly, a cam follower connected to the brush head, and means for biasing the cam and cam follower into engagement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.