US 12,257,118 B2
Bristle driven pulsation
Karen Lynn Claire-Zimmet, Kronberg (DE); Niclas Altmann, Niddatal (DE); Thomas Fritsch, Eppstein (DE); and Norbert Schaefer, Frankfurt am Main (DE)
Assigned to Braun GmbH, Kronberg (DE)
Filed by Braun GmbH, Kronberg (DE)
Filed on May 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/878,407.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/850,303, filed on May 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0368003 A1, Nov. 26, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61C 17/34 (2006.01); A46B 9/02 (2006.01); A46B 13/02 (2006.01); A46B 15/00 (2006.01); A61C 17/26 (2006.01); A46B 7/04 (2006.01); A46B 9/04 (2006.01); A46B 13/00 (2006.01); A61C 17/22 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 17/3481 (2013.01) [A46B 9/025 (2013.01); A46B 13/023 (2013.01); A46B 15/0012 (2013.01); A61C 17/26 (2013.01); A61C 17/3436 (2013.01); A46B 7/044 (2013.01); A46B 9/04 (2013.01); A46B 13/008 (2013.01); A46B 13/026 (2013.01); A46B 15/0008 (2013.01); A46B 15/0036 (2013.01); A46B 2200/1066 (2013.01); A61C 17/225 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric toothbrush comprising:
a brush head having a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of bristles attached to the brush head at a non-perpendicular angle with respect to the brush head; and
a handle removably attached to the brush head and including:
a linear motor configured to rotatably drive the plurality of bristles attached to the brush head clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to the brush head at a rotation frequency which is at or above a frequency threshold and to cause the brush head to vibrate, and
a gearing structure coupled to and driven by the linear motor to transform a linear movement of the linear motor along the longitudinal axis into rotation of the plurality of bristles,
wherein, due solely to bristle driven pulsation, wherein the bristle driven pulsation is due at least in part to the bristles being attached to the brush head at the non-perpendicular angle, the brush head vibrates in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis when the bristles move in contact with a contact surface, and
wherein an amount of vibration of the brush head increases as a load applied to the contact surface increases above a threshold amount.