US 8,522,797 B2Granted

Accessory head for a powered toothbrush and toothbrush incorporating the same

AssigneeBrushpoint Innovations Inc

InventorRobert G. Dickie

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Abstract

A replaceable accessory head for a powered toothbrush. The user selects one of a plurality of dental care accessory assemblies for flossing, brushing teeth, or for stimulating the gums. That assembly is engaged with the head which in turn is engaged with the handle and is locked thereto. This locking motion also causes the assembly to become locked to the head and the assembly may then be used for its intended purpose. A vibratory mechanism in the handle is activated causing vibration in the accessory assembly and thus improving the flossing, brushing or gum stimulation motions. When the assembly is worn out or when a different dental hygiene task is to be undertaken, the user detaches the head from the handle, thereby simultaneously unlocking the accessory assembly from the head. The assembly is then disengaged and is replaced by a different accessory assembly.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A head for a sonic toothbrush comprising:

an exterior wall having a top end, a bottom end, a front face and a rear face;
a bore defined by an interior wall of the head, said bore originating in a bottom face of the head and extending inwardly toward the top end thereof;
and wherein the bore is adapted to receive a bayonet mount extending from a handle of the sonic toothbrush;
and wherein the bottom end of the exterior wall is adapted to be releasably locked to the handle;
a recess defined in an interior surface of the interior wall of the head;
a dental accessory assembly detachably engageable with the exterior wall of the head;
an aperture defined in the dental accessory assembly;
and
a locking assembly disposed within the bore, wherein a locking pin extends outwardly from the locking assembly, through the aperture in the dental accessory assembly and into the recess in the interior surface of the interior wall of the head when the aperture and recess are aligned, and wherein the locking pin is selectively received within the aperture and recess to selectively lock the dental accessory assembly to the exterior wall of the head;
the locking assembly is movable between a locked position where the locking pin engages in the aperture in the dental accessory assembly;
and an unlocked position where the locking pin is disengaged from the aperture in the dental accessory assembly, and wherein the locking assembly is in the locked position only when the head is locked to the handle;
the locking assembly further includes a mechanism for locking the locking assembly against longitudinal movement within the bore, and the mechanism is movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and when the mechanism is in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is movable in the bore, and when the mechanism is in the locked position, the locking assembly is fixed in position within the bore.

9 more elements

A head for a sonic toothbrush comprising:

an exterior wall having a top end, a bottom end, a front face and a rear face, and a bore defined by an interior wall of the head, said bore originating in a bottom face of the head and extending inwardly toward the top end thereof;
and wherein the bore is adapted to receive a bayonet mount extending from a handle of the sonic toothbrush;
and wherein the bottom end is adapted to be releasably locked to the handle;
and
a dental accessory assembly that is detachably engaged with the wall;
and
a locking assembly that locks the dental accessory assembly to the wall, wherein the locking assembly is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locking assembly is in the locked position only when the head is locked to the handle;
and wherein the locking assembly includes a mechanism for locking the locking assembly against longitudinal movement within the bore, and the mechanism is movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and when the mechanism is in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is movable in the bore, and when the mechanism is in the locked position, the locking assembly is fixed in position within the bore.

5 more elements

A toothbrush comprising:

a handle;
a head that is detachably lockable with the handle;
and
a dental accessory assembly that is detachably engageable with the head, and wherein the dental accessory assembly is only fixedly secured to the head when the head is locked to the handle, and is removable from the head when the head is unlocked from the handle;
and wherein the dental accessory assembly includes:
a base;
a dental accessory extending outwardly from the base in a first direction;
a locking assembly that engages both the head and the base of the dental accessory assembly and releasably secures the same together;
and wherein the head defines a bore therein and the locking assembly is disposed within the bore, and the locking assembly includes a locking pin which extends outwardly therefrom and engages in an aperture in the base of the dental accessory assembly and is received into a recess defined in an interior wall of the head;
and wherein the locking assembly is movable between a first position where the locking pin is engaged in the aperture in the base of the dental accessory assembly and the recess;
and a second position where the locking pin is disengaged from the aperture in the base of the dental accessory assembly;
the locking assembly further includes a mechanism for locking the locking assembly against longitudinal movement within the bore, and the mechanism is movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and when the mechanism is in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is movable in the bore, and when the mechanism is in the locked position, the locking assembly is fixed in position within the bore.

9 more elements

A dental care kit comprising:

a handle;
a head configured to engage the handle and to be selectively lockable thereto;
wherein the head comprises:
an exterior wall having a top end, a bottom end, a front face and a rear face, and a bore defined by an interior wall of the head, said bore originating in a bottom face of the head and extending inwardly toward the top end thereof;
and wherein the bore receives a bayonet mount extending outwardly from the handle;
and wherein the bottom end of the head releasably locks to the handle;
a plurality of dental care accessory assemblies;
a connector port provided on the wall of the head, wherein each one of the dental accessory assemblies is selectively separately and individually engageable with the port;
and
a locking assembly is disposed within the bore, wherein a locking pin extends outwardly from the locking assembly and is selectively engageable within an aperture defined in a selected individual dental care accessory assembly and is received into a recess defined in an interior wall of the head, when the aperture is aligned with the recess to lock the accessory to the head;
and wherein each of said individual accessory assemblies is only locked to the head when the head is locked to the handle;
the locking assembly further includes a mechanism for locking the locking assembly against longitudinal movement within the bore, and the mechanism is movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and when the mechanism is in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is movable in the bore, and when the mechanism is in the locked position, the locking assembly is fixed in position within the bore.

9 more elements

A method of using a toothbrush for performing more than one dental hygiene tasks,

said toothbrush comprising a head comprising:
an exterior wall having a top end, a bottom end, a front face and a rear face, and a bore defined by an interior wall of the head, said bore originating in a bottom face of the head and extending inwardly toward the top end thereof;
and wherein the bore is adapted to receive a bayonet mount extending from a handle of the sonic toothbrush;
and wherein the bottom end is adapted to be releasably locked to the handle;
and
a plurality of dental accessory assemblies, that is detachably engaged with the wall;
and
a locking assembly that locks one of the dental accessory assemblies to the wall, wherein the locking assembly is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and wherein the locking assembly is in the locked position only when the head is locked to the handle;
and wherein the locking assembly includes a mechanism for locking the locking assembly against longitudinal movement within the bore, and the mechanism is movable between a locked and an unlocked position, and when the mechanism is in the unlocked position, the locking assembly is movable in the bore, and when the mechanism is in the locked position, the locking assembly is fixed in position within the bore, and
said method including the steps of:
selecting one of said plurality of dental accessory assemblies based on a first one of the dental hygiene tasks;
engaging the selected accessory assembly with the head of the powered toothbrush;
engaging the head with the handle that includes a power source and a vibratory mechanism;
locking the head to the handle and thereby moving a locking pin on the locking assembly disposed within the bore in the head into an aperture defined in the selected accessory assembly and subsequently into a recess defined in the interior wall of the head;
and thereby locking the selected accessory assembly to the head;
positioning the selected accessory assembly adjacent a user's teeth and gums;
and
activating the vibratory mechanism to impart vibratory motion to the selected accessory assembly.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/842,097Filed 23 Jul 2010
Published: US 2012/0021382 A126 Jan 2012
Granted: 3 Sep 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A61C 15/047
Flossing tools: power-driven
A61C 15/048
Flossing tools: with heads removable from handle, e.g. interchangeable heads
A61C 17/222
With brushes, cushions, cups, or the like: brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
A46B 2200/108
Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures: inter-dental toothbrush, i.e. for cleaning interdental spaces specifically