Back to results
US 9,603,687 B2Granted
Oral care implement
AssigneeColgate-Palmolive Company
InventorDonghui Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is an oral care implement (1), comprising: a body (100); a carrier (130) connected to the body (100) and movable relative to the body (100), the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements (134); a carrier drive mechanism (200) operable to drive movement of the carrier (130) relative to the body (100); an auxiliary device (400); and an auxiliary device drive mechanism (600) that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism (200) during operation of the carrier drive mechanism, so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device (400) during movement of the carrier (130) relative to the body (100). Also provided is a method of operating the oral care implement (1), and a kit of parts for an oral care implement.
Claims25
An oral care implement, comprising:
- a body;
- a carrier connected to the body and movable relative to the body, the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements;
- a carrier drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- an auxiliary device comprising a pump;
- an auxiliary device drive mechanism that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism during operation of the carrier drive mechanism, so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device during movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- a timer configured to measure a predetermined period of time from engagement of the auxiliary device drive mechanism with the carrier drive mechanism;
- and
- wherein the implement is configured such that, when the timer has measured elapse of the predetermined period of time, the auxiliary device drive mechanism is disengaged from the carrier drive mechanism.
5 more elements
An oral care implement comprising;
- a body;
- a carrier connected to the body and movable relative to the body, the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements;
- a carrier drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- an auxiliary device comprising a pump;
- an auxiliary device drive mechanism that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism during operation of the carrier drive mechanism so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device during movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- wherein the carrier drive mechanism comprises a first rotatable part and the auxiliary device drive mechanism comprises a second rotatable part;
- wherein the operation of the carrier drive mechanism causes rotation of the first rotatable part about a first axis;
- wherein the second rotatable part is selectively engagable with the first rotatable part during the rotation of the first rotatable part, the second rotatable part being rotatable about a second axis;
- and
- wherein the second rotatable part is selectively engagable with the first rotatable part by changing a distance between the first axis and the second axis.
7 more elements
An oral care implement comprising:
- a body;
- a carrier connected to the body and movable relative to the body, the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements;
- a carrier drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- an auxiliary device comprising a pump;
- an auxiliary device drive mechanism that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism during operation of the carrier drive mechanism so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device during movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- wherein the carrier drive mechanism comprises a first rotatable part and the auxiliary device drive mechanism comprises a second rotatable part;
- wherein the operation of the carrier drive mechanism causes rotation of the first rotatable part about a first axis;
- wherein the second rotatable part is selectively engagable with the first rotatable part during the rotation of the first rotatable part, the second rotatable part being rotatable about a second axis;
- and
- wherein the first and second axes are coaxial, and the first rotatable part is selectively engagable with the second rotatable part by changing a distance between the first and second rotatable parts in a direction parallel to the axes.
7 more elements
An oral care implement comprising:
- a body;
- a carrier connected to the body and movable relative to the body, the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements;
- a carrier drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- an auxiliary device comprising a pump;
- an auxiliary device drive mechanism that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism during operation of the carrier drive mechanism so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device during movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- wherein the carrier drive mechanism comprises a first rotatable part and the auxiliary device drive mechanism comprises a second rotatable part;
- wherein the operation of the carrier drive mechanism causes rotation of the first rotatable part about a first axis;
- wherein the second rotatable part is selectively engagable with the first rotatable part during the rotation of the first rotatable part, the second rotatable part being rotatable about a second axis;
- and
- wherein the first rotatable part comprises a first gear and the second rotatable part comprises a second gear.
7 more elements
An oral care implement comprising:
- a body;
- a carrier connected to the body and movable relative to the body, the carrier carrying one or more cleaning elements;
- a carrier drive mechanism operable to drive movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- an auxiliary device comprising a pump;
- an auxiliary device drive mechanism that is selectively engagable with the carrier drive mechanism during operation of the carrier drive mechanism, so as to selectively operate the auxiliary device during movement of the carrier relative to the body;
- and
- an electromagnet and a ferromagnetic member, wherein when the electromagnet is energized, the electromagnet and the ferromagnetic member move relative to one another to cause the auxiliary device drive mechanism to engage with the carrier drive mechanism.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.