Abstract:
A powered operating device such as a powered toothbrush includes a test button for momentarily testing the operability of the device. The test button simultaneously presses against both the on portion and the off portion of the switch which controls the operation of the device. While pressure is applied to the test button, the device is placed in its operative condition and when the pressure is released, the geometric structure of the test button held by the package releases the on portion of the switch at the same time or just before the off portion. Thus, assuring that the switch turns off.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     For some powered items, such as a powered toothbrush, it is preferable for the consumer to be able to try to experience the function of the item before a purchase is made. Many powered items use a spring switch to provide the item with the ability to be turned on and off. In normal use of such items the user will press the “on” portion of the switch to activate and set the switch in the on position. Once in the on position the switch remains in this position until the “off” position is depressed to set the spring switch in the off position. Various attempts have been made to provide test structure, frequently referred to as “try me”, in order to permit the user to test the operation of the item.  
         [0002]     Some attempts have been made in the field of power toothbrushes to permit a prospective purchaser of a powered toothbrush to test the operability of the toothbrush. One of the concerns is that the testing should be of a momentary nature so that a tested toothbrush will not remain in its on or operating condition after the test. One approach that has been taken is to use a pressing movement of the switch for the momentary actuation and a sliding movement for the continuous operation. Examples of this approach are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,000,083, 6,189,693, 6,311,837, 6,371,294 and 6,564,940 and U.S. Published Patent Application Nos. 2001/0004781, 2001/0022277, 2002/0020645, 2002/0032941, 2002/0038772 and 2002/0078514. A disadvantage with this type of approach is that the user is required to use different motions for either testing or continuously operating the toothbrush.  
         [0003]     A further approach at providing only momentary actuation for test purposes of a power toothbrush is to provide separate switches, one switch being for the test purposes giving momentary actuation and the other switch being for continuous operation. Examples of this approach are found in U.S. Published Application Nos. 2002/0017474 and 2002/0029988. A disadvantage with this approach is that the user must be careful as to which switch is being actuated. Other examples of providing power testing of toothbrushes and the like are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,025, 5,118,222 and 5,494,252 and in U.S. Published Application Nos. 2003/0000031, 2003/0066145, 2003/0135940 and 2003/0205492. Other examples include European Patent Application EP 0 587 406 and Japanese Application JP 402109226.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     An object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush which includes a test button for permitting a user to confirm the operability of the device.  
         [0005]     A further object of this invention is to provide such a device having switch structure which includes an on position for continuously operating the device and an off position for inactivating the device.  
         [0006]     A further object of this invention is to apply such techniques for the testing of the operation of a powered toothbrush.  
         [0007]     In accordance with this invention a powered operating device has a movable section which is moved in response to power transmitting structure from a power source. The device includes a switch structure having an on position for activating the power transmitting structure so that the movable section is in continuous operation until inactivated by actuation of the switch structure at an off position. A test button is provided for simultaneously contacting both the on position and the off position of the switch structure when pressure is applied to the test button. This is accomplished in such a manner that while such pressure is being applied, the switch structure on position is activated to permit operation of the powered operating device. However, upon the release of pressure because the test button had also been in contact with the switch structure at the off position the device is immediately inactivated.  
         [0008]     In a preferred practice of this invention the switch structure is a spring of a rocker type nature wherein one portion of the spring would be pushed into contact with an electrical contact pin when in the on position and would remain in that position until another portion of the spring is depressed at the off position to move the on position portion of the spring away from the contact pin. The test button functions in such a manner than when it is pressed against the spring the spring tends to flatten while the pressure is being applied which causes contact between the on position portion of the spring and the contact pin while still applying pressure at the off position. Upon release of the test button the spring resumes only its off position condition wherein the on position portion no longer contacts the contact pin.  
         [0009]     In a preferred practice of the invention the powered operating device is a powered toothbrush having cleaning elements such as bristles on a movable section of the cleaning head. The toothbrush could be packaged in a bubble container which is flexible in at least the portion of the bubble having the test button so that the test button could be pressed and moved into contact with the switch structure by the application of pressure from the outside of the package. 
     
    
     THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a powered operating device in the form of a toothbrush housed in a package in accordance with this invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a fragmental front elevational view of the toothbrush shown in  FIGS. 1-2  illustrating the external portion of the switch structure;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view of the test button shown in  FIGS. 1-2 ;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are fragmental partial cross-sections showing the toothbrush of  FIGS. 1-2  in different modes of test operation;  
         [0015]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view showing the internal switch structure used in the toothbrush of  FIGS. 1-2 ; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 8  is a front elevational view showing a modified form of cleaning head for a toothbrush in accordance with this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]      FIGS. 1-2  illustrate an assembly  10  in accordance with this invention wherein a powered operating device  12  is provided with a test button  14  so that a potential purchaser of the device or other user may confirm the operability of the device  12 . In the illustrated form the device  12  is a toothbrush. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be practiced with other types of powered operating devices. In general, such powered operating devices would include a movable section which for the toothbrush  12  is located in the cleaning head  16  having outwardly extending cleaning elements such as bristles  18 . The toothbrush  12  also includes a hollow handle  20 . Mounted within the handle  20  is a suitable power source such as a battery  22  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The battery operates the movable section of the cleaning head  16  through any suitable power transmitting structure which includes electrical contact pin  24 . In the illustrated version of the toothbrush  12  shown in  FIGS. 1-2  the movable section is a vibratory type of movement of the bristles. An example of such type of motion is described in U.S. Published Application 2002/0124333 all of the details of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. Any other type of movement, however, may be used in accordance with this invention. Thus,  FIG. 8  illustrates a cleaning head  16 A which includes a disk-like movable section  26  which could, for example, be oscillated back and forth in a rotational manner by a drive mechanism, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916, all of the details of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.  
         [0018]     The power transmitting structure for operating the movable section is controlled by a switch structure  28 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the outer portion of the hollow handle  20  to have a flexible wall  30 . One location of the wall  30  has an outward protrusion  32  which is at the on position of the switch structure. Another smaller outward protrusion  34  is at the off position of the switch structure.  FIGS. 5-7  illustrate the details of the main portion of the switch structure which is a spring switch  36  of a rocker type construction. As shown in  FIG. 7  the spring switch  36  has a pair of slits  38 , 38  creating a movable central portion  60  and a pair of side portions  62 , 62 . Spring  36  also includes an outer movable free end  40 . When the outer end  40  of spring  36  is pressed, the outer end  40  contacts electrical contact pin  24  to activate the power transmitting structure for moving the movable section of the powered operated device such as the movable section of the cleaning head  16 . In this condition central portion  60  is rocked outwardly of side portions  62 . When the off location portion  40  of spring  36  is activated, the on portion  40  is moved away from and out of contact with electrical contact pin  24  thereby inactivating the power transmitting structure. Central portion  60  is rocked inwardly of side portions  62 . This position is shown in  FIG. 6 . Ordinarily, in the normal operation of toothbrush  12  the on button  32  would be pressed to push spring portion  40  to bend the spring  36  so that its on location portion  40  makes electrical contact with contact pin  24  and remains in contact with contact pin  24  thereby resulting in continuous operation of the movable section of toothbrush  12 . The continuous operation is halted when the off button portion  34  is pressed to push portion  42  of central portion  60  back to the position shown in  FIG. 6 . The end  40  of spring  36  flexes away from and out of contact with contact pin  24  to inactivate the power transmitting structure so that the movable section no longer moves.  
         [0019]     Advantageously the test procedure will work regardless of what portion of test button  14  is pressed. As long as pressure is applied to any location of the outer surface  52  of test button  14 , the entire rigid test button  14  will move inwardly pressing against both on and off buttons  32 , 34 . Spring  36  is flattened to result in on portion  40  contacting pin  24 . In this flattened condition of spring  36 , the tendency for spring  36  to return to its off position is overcome by the inward pressing of test button  14 . Spring  36 , then returns to its off position shown in  FIG. 6  upon the removal of the pressure.  
         [0020]     The toothbrush  12  may be packaged in any suitable manner. In the embodiment illustrated herein the package includes a generally stiff backing member  44  which could be made of cardboard, stiff plastic or any other suitable material. A transparent plastic blister  46  is mounted to backing  44  to completely enclose the toothbrush  12  yet permit the toothbrush to be visible. The backing and bubble laminate at the upper end of the package may include a cut-out  48  so that the package could be hung for display purposes. One portion of the bubble  46  has an outward offset  50  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The outward offset  50  is located at the switch structure. Also located in this offset portion is the test button  14 . Test button  14  may be made of any suitable material and may be of any suitable shape. In the illustrated embodiment test button  14  is a stiff plate or block having a generally convex outer surface  52  and a generally concave inner surface  54 . A pair of activating posts  56 , 58  extend outwardly from inner surface  54 . Activating pin  58  is longer than activating pin  56 . As a result, when in the normal packaged condition activating pin  56  makes slight non-pressure contact with the on location button  32  while activating pin or post  58  makes slight non-pressure contact with the off location button  34 . This condition is also illustrated in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0021]     When it is desired to test the operability of the toothbrush  12 , pressure is applied against test or activation button  14  as shown in  FIG. 5 . This results in the pressure being applied simultaneously to both the on and off buttons  32 , 34  and to the on and off position  40 , 42  of the switch structure which flattens the spring  36  so that contact is made between the on position  40  and electrical contact pin  24  to activate the power transmitting structure thus causing operation of the movable section. When the pressure is released, because central portion  60  at its off location  42  had also been under pressure, the spring  36  snaps back to the position shown in  FIG. 6  with the on position  40  out of contact with electrical contact pin  24 . As a result, the device or toothbrush  12  can be momentarily operated, when in the condition of  FIG. 5 , assuring that the device is restored to the “off” position by the consumer simply letting go of the package. Battery life will thereby be preserved without the consumer consciously having to turn the device off.  
         [0022]     Once the device is purchased the device is removed from the package and the test button  14  can be discarded. Thereafter the switch structure would be activated, as previously discussed, by either selectively pressing the on button  32  or the off button  34 . When the on button  32  is pressed the outer portion  40  of spring  36  is moved into contact with the electrical contact pin  24  and the operation of the movable section is initiated and remains continuously on. When it is desired to inactivate the operation the off button  34  is pressed. This causes the central portion  60  of the spring to flex so that the on location portion  40  is moved out of contact with the electrical contact pin  24 . The spring  36  remains in this off condition until the on button  32  is again pressed.  
         [0023]     Because the on activating button  32  and the off activating button  34  are integral parts of the resilient wall  30 ; the buttons may be depressed inwardly from their normal position shown in  FIG. 2 a  sufficient distance to contact the spring  36 . Upon release the buttons  32 , 34  then return to their normal position. In the meantime, however, by pressing either button  32  or  34  the contact made with the spring  36  cause the spring to rock to its appropriate on or off position.  
         [0024]     The present invention has distinct advantages over various approaches taken in the prior art to provide test structure. The present invention is based on the recognition that the primary need for such test structure is in conjunction with a prospective purchaser wishing to either see the operation of a proposed purchased device and/or to be sure that the device does, in fact, operate. As such, once the item or device is purchased there is no longer such a need for the test structure. Bearing this recognition in mind, the present invention provides a test button which is separate and distinct from the device itself. As a result, it is not necessary to have the device itself incorporate its own test switch as is done in one of the prior art approaches and it is not necessary to have the on switch capable of two different types of actuating movements such as a pressing inward or a sliding as is done in other prior art approaches. Instead, the test button of the present invention could be utilized with devices such as powered toothbrushes particularly of the rocker switch type devices without requiring any modification of the device itself. Instead, the modification is made in the packaging of the device wherein the separate test button is located in a package compartment that would place the test button juxtaposed both the on switch and the off switch so that by pressing against the compartment the test button would be pressed against the on and off switch providing for only momentary actuation of the device while the test button remains pressed and assuring that the device is inactivated upon release of the pressure. Accordingly, the prospective purchaser would use the same pressing motion for test purposes as would be used for both turning the device on and turning the device off. Once the device has been purchased and removed from the package the test button could be discarded since it would have achieved its intended purpose.