Patent ID: 8448287
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: A46B,A61C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A replaceable toothbrush head for connection with a toothbrush main unit comprising a handle, a neck, and a head receiver extending along a longitudinal axis, the head receiver having a toothbrush-head-receiving surface with a first connector and a first alignment element, wherein said replaceable toothbrush head comprises: a plurality of bristles; a plate-like bristle carrier having a first surface from which said plurality of bristles extend, a second surface opposite said first surface and having a head-receiver-engaging surface for engaging and laying over the toothbrush-head-receiving surface in a substantially coplanar manner, and a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to said first surface and said second surface; a second connector extending on said head-receiver-engaging surface and shaped to engage the first connector; and a second alignment element associated with said head-receiver-engaging surface and shaped to engage the first alignment element axially along a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to said head-receiver-engaging surface and said bristle-carrier longitudinal axis to align said replaceable toothbrush head with respect to the head receiver for locking engagement of said second connector with the first connector; wherein: engagement of said second alignment element with the first alignment element stabilizes and aligns said replaceable toothbrush head with respect to the head receiver to permit rotation of said replaceable toothbrush head about said rotation axis to rotate said second connector between (i) a first position out of alignment with the first connector in which said replaceable toothbrush head is freely movable axially along said rotation axis and away from the head receiver, and (ii) a second position engaged with the first connector and locked against movement with respect to the first connector axially along said rotation axis to prevent removal of said replaceable toothbrush head from the head receiver axially along said rotation axis; said second connector is shaped and configured for entering into engagement with the first connector upon engagement of the first alignment element and said second alignment element with each other with said bristle carrier longitudinal axis transverse to the toothbrush main unit longitudinal axis, and for interlocking engagement with the first connector upon contacting said head-receiver-engaging surface with the toothbrush-head-receiving surface and upon rotation of said bristle carrier to align said bristle carrier longitudinal axis to be substantially parallel to the toothbrush main unit longitudinal axis and to place said second connector into a locked position in which said second connector is locked against axial movement along said rotation axis with respect to the first connector; and said replaceable toothbrush head is freely removable from the head receiver manually in an axial direction along said rotation axis without the use of a tool when said replaceable toothbrush head is rotated about said rotation axis from said locked position to said unlocked position.