Abstract:
A personal hygiene article, such as a toothbrush, includes a handle configured to accommodate an electric power source, a head carrying a treatment tool, and a neck between the handle and the head. The head or neck includes a mechanical motorized vibratory device, including a drive that causes the head to vibrate. Electrical connections are operably connected to the mechanical vibratory device and the electric power source to power the mechanical vibratory device via the electrical connections. In various embodiments, a vibration-damping structure dampens vibration transmission from the head to the handle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 10/913,465 filed Aug. 9, 2004, which is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 10/093,699 filed Mar. 11, 2002, which is a Continuation of PCT/CH00/00563 filed Oct. 18, 2000, which claims priority from German Patent Application No. 199 50 204.8 filed Oct. 19, 1999 and German Patent Application No. 299 19 053.6 filed Nov. 3, 1999. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     The invention relates to a personal hygiene article that includes an electrically powered vibrating head.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     For teeth-cleaning purposes nowadays use is made either of conventional manual toothbrushes or of electric toothbrushes, in the case of which a movable brush head can be motor-driven from the handle. Electric toothbrushes usually achieve a more intensive cleaning action than the manual toothbrushes, but they have the disadvantage that they are relatively bulky and expensive and may damage the gums and subject the tooth enamel to pronounced abrasion.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     An object of the present invention is to provide a cost-effective vibrating toothbrush which corresponds, in size, approximately to the conventional manual toothbrushes and nevertheless allows a better cleaning action than the latter.  
         [0007]     This object is achieved according to the invention by a toothbrush including a vibrating head part, a mechanical vibratory device in at least one of the head and a neck, and a power supply, preferably in the handle.  
         [0008]     Since a mechanical vibratory device which causes the head part to vibrate is accommodated in a front head part of the toothbrush, or in a neck-part region adjacent to the head part, the neck part connecting the head part to the handle, and is operatively connected to a power source, preferably accommodated in the handle, via electrical connections running in the neck part, vibration-damping means preferably being provided in order to prevent vibration transmission to the handle, this achieves the situation where the vibrations which effect the improved cleaning action are produced predominantly in the head part and can only be felt to a slight extent in the handle, as a result of which comfortable handling of the toothbrush is achieved. A further advantage of the toothbrush according to the invention is that there is no need for any mechanical drive means to be led through the flexible neck part to the vibratory device. It is merely the electrical connections, designed as wires, cables or electrically conductive plastic tracks, which run through the neck part.  
         [0009]     Preferred developments of the toothbrush according to the invention form the subject matter of the dependent claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, in which, purely schematically:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a side view, partially in section, of a first exemplary embodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention and of a handle-closure part separated from one another (without a battery);  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom view, partially in section, of a second exemplary embodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention in the assembled state;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a side view, partially in section, of the toothbrush according to  FIG. 2  and the closure part separated from one another (without a battery);  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of a third exemplary embodiment of a toothbrush according to the invention in the assembled state;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5A  shows a front part of the toothbrush according to  FIG. 4  with different embodiments of exchangeable interdental treatment heads; and  
         [0016]     FIGS.  5 B-D show different embodiments of exchangeable interdental treatment heads. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]     Both the toothbrush illustrated in  FIG. 1  and that according to  FIGS. 2 and 3  each have a handle  1 , a front bristle-carrying head part  3  and a neck part  4 , which connects the head part  3  to the handle  1 . The bristles combined to form clusters of bristles  6  are anchored in a bristle carrier  5  and form a possibly profiled brushing surface with their free ends. In the embodiment illustrated, the bristle carrier  5  with the clusters of bristles  6  is positioned, in a manner which is known per se and thus is not described in any more detail, on a retaining part  2  of the head part  3  such that it can be exchanged.  
         [0018]     The neck part  4  is provided with neck-part zones  7  which are made of an elastically relatively compliant material component and provide for, or additionally increase, the elasticity of the neck part  4 , with the result that, during use of the interdental treatment device, the head part  3  can be forced back resiliently in the case of forces acting in the direction of the brushing surface. If appropriate, the neck-part zones  7  are designed as notches which extend over part of the neck circumference and are filled with elastically compliant material (e.g. with thermoplastic elastomer). Of course, it would also be quite conceivable for the form and number of neck-part zones to be different. It is also conceivable to have a flexible neck zone without using elastic material components, e.g. by providing constrictions or by way of a bellows.  
         [0019]     Integrated in the front head part  3 , or in that region of the neck part  4  which is adjacent to the head part  3 , is a mechanical vibratory device  10 , by means of which vibrations which effect or enhance the teeth-cleaning action may be imparted to the head part  3 . The vibratory device  10  can be connected to an electric power source, accommodated in the handle  1 , via electrical connections running in the neck part  4 , as is described herein below. The already mentioned neck-part zones  7  made of an elastically compliant material act here as means which damp the vibration between the vibrating head part  3  and the handle  1 , with the result that the vibratory action is produced, in particular, in the head part and is only transmitted to the handle  1  to a slight extent. This means that only slight vibrations can be felt in the handle  1  during the teeth-cleaning operation, and the toothbrush is thus comfortable to handle. Conversely, however, it is also advantageous that the vibration produced is not damped by the handle  1  and can act to full effect in the head part  3 . Instead of the neck-part zones  7  consisting of elastically compliant material, however, other vibration-damping means would also be conceivable; it is not absolutely necessary to use an elastic material. The damping may also be achieved, using a basic material, by the neck part being configured in a particular form, for example by the presence of a bellows/accordion part, etc.  
         [0020]     Accommodated in the handle  1  is a sheath or sleeve  20  which extends in the longitudinal direction of said handle and is made of electrically conductive material. Both the handle  1  and the sleeve  20  are open to the rear, this forming a cavity  21  which can be closed from the rear by a closure part  22  and into which it is possible to insert a battery  25 , in the exemplary embodiment illustrated a commercially available, non-rechargeable cylindrical battery, with a defined power (e.g. 1.5 V) as the power source for the vibratory device  10 . It would also be possible, however, for a button cell or for a rechargeable storage battery to be used as the power source.  
         [0021]     A spring contact  29  for the positive pole  30  of the battery  25  (see  FIG. 2 ) is fitted in the sleeve  20 , on a transverse wall  28 , and is connected to the vibratory device  10  via an electric line  31 , a switch  32 , which is installed in the sleeve  20  and can be actuated from the outside of the handle  1 , and an electric line  33  running in the neck part  4 . The electrical connection can be interrupted by means of the switch  32 .  
         [0022]     The closure part  22  is provided with a threaded stub  22   a  made of an electrically conductive material and can be screwed into the handle  1  and/or into the sleeve  20  by way of said threaded stub. The threaded stub  22   a  is provided with a contact surface  22   b  which, with the closure part  22  screwed in, comes into abutment against the negative pole  35  of the battery  25  inserted into the sleeve  20 . The negative pole  35  is electrically connected to the vibratory device  10  via the threaded stub  22   a,  the sleeve  20  itself and a line  34 , which connects the sleeve  20  to the vibratory device  10  and runs in the neck part  4 .  
         [0023]     Instead of being transmitted via the electrically conductive sleeve  20 , it would also be possible for the power from the negative pole  35  to be transmitted in some other way, for example using wires or an electrically conductive plastic.  
         [0024]     In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the vibratory device  10  comprises a vibratory element  11 ′ which functions preferably in the manner of a vibratory armature, can be electrically connected directly to the power source via the lines  33 ,  34  and, with the power source connected, is made to vibrate.  
         [0025]     In the case of the toothbrush variants illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the vibratory device  10  comprises a vibratory element  11  in the form of an eccentric, which produces mechanical vibrations and can be rotated about an axis located in the longitudinal direction of the toothbrush, and also comprises a drive which is arranged directly adjacent and is designed as a micromotor  15 . The vibratory element  11  is connected to the shaft  15   a  of the micromotor  15 , which can be electrically connected to the power source via the lines  33 ,  34 . The micromotor  15  and the eccentric may be accommodated as a structural unit in a housing  12 .  
         [0026]     Instead of an eccentric which can be driven in rotation, it would also be possible to have a vibratory element  11  which can be driven in a translatory manner.  
         [0027]     It would be possible, in the case of the toothbrush according to the invention, to arrange the bristle-carrying head part  3  such that it can be moved in relation to the neck part  4  in order for the latter, in the case of vibrations produced by means of the vibratory device  10 , to be made to move in relation to the rest of the toothbrush.  
         [0028]     The electric lines  31 ,  33 ,  34  could also be realized by electricity-conducting plastic tracks.  
         [0029]     The switch  32 , which connects or interrupts the lines  31 ,  33 , may also be, for example, a magnetic switch.  
         [0030]     The preferred configuration of the switch  32 , however, contains a pulse switch arranged on a printed circuit board as well as further electronic components which store the switching state.  
         [0031]     It is also possible, however, for the electrical connection between the battery  25  and the vibratory element  11 ′ ( FIG. 1 ) or the drive  15  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) to be produced or interrupted not by the switch  32 , but by the closure part  22 , which can be screwed into the handle  1  and/or into the sleeve  20  or connected to the same in a bayonet-like manner, being turned (i.e. the switch  32  is dispensed with in the case of such a configuration).  
         [0032]     Instead of the rear closure part  22  being screwed to the handle  1 , it would, of course, also be possible to have some other type of releasable connection (e.g. plug-in connection, bayonet connection, etc.) and a corresponding configuration of the contact part interacting with the negative pole  35 .  
         [0033]     It would also be possible for the closure part  22  to be in a form which is quite different to that illustrated in the drawing. For example, the closure part could be provided with a set-down surface or a foot part and thus serve as an element on which the toothbrush can be set down.  
         [0034]     The toothbrush illustrated in  FIG. 4  corresponds essentially to that according to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; the same parts, once again, have the same designations. According to  FIG. 4 , the vibratory device  10  is arranged directly in the front head part  3 . In this exemplary embodiment, the sleeve  20  is dispensed with; the battery  25  is connected directly to the vibratory device  10  via the lines  33 ,  34 . It is also the case with this device that use is preferably made of an exchangeable carrier  5  which can be positioned on a retaining part  2  of the head part  3 , e.g. in the manner of a snap-in connection. The capacity for changing the bristle carrier  5  provided with the clusters of bristles  6  is particularly advantageous since the interdental treatment device provided with the vibratory device  10  can be used irrespective of the service life of the bristles, which is usually even shorter than the service life of the battery  25 .  
         [0035]     As can be seen from  FIG. 5 , it is possible, instead of the bristle carrier  5  or  5   a,  which forms part of a conventional brush head and is provided with respective clusters of bristles  6  or  6   a,  to position other, optionally different carriers or adapters  5   b  to  5   d  on the retaining part  2 , these being provided with different interdental brushes  6   b,    6   c  or interdental treatment parts  6   d  for effective cleaning of the spaces between the teeth. The interdental brush  6   b  may be designed, for example, as a helical brush made of coated wire with plastic filaments twisted in. The interdental brush  6   c  comprises bristles which, together, form a cluster tip. The treatment part  6   d  may be designed, for example, as a plastic element which has a tip and may preferably be provided with an abrasive coating for removing plaque and tartar from the spaces between the teeth. Of course, it would also be possible to use any other desired treatment heads.  
         [0036]     It is also the case with the variant according to  FIGS. 4 and 5  that the bristle carrier  5  could be configured such that a vibration-induced movement in relation to the retaining part  2  were possible.  
         [0037]     For the introduction of the vibratory device  10 , the connecting lines  33 ,  34  and further electronic components, it is possible for the toothbrush according to the invention, or the housing thereof, to be produced in two parts and for the two parts to be welded in a water-tight manner once the abovementioned parts have been positioned therein.  
         [0038]     It is also possible, however, for the toothbrush according to the invention to be produced by injection molding preferably involving two or more components. The abovementioned parts are advantageously positioned as a unit in an injection molding made of a first material component and then encapsulated in the second material component (or in the further material component) by injection molding. It is not necessary here for full encapsulation to take place. Certain parts may be exposed, as a result of which it is possible to achieve an esthetic effect.  
         [0039]     It would also be possible, however, for the abovementioned electronic components to be inserted into a ready molded handle  1 .  
         [0040]     Since it is not only the vibratory element  11 ,  11 ′ itself but also the drive, i.e. the micromotor  15 , which are arranged in the front head part  3 , or in the directly adjacent front region of the neck part  4 , it is not necessary for any mechanical drive means to be led through the flexible neck part  4  in order to connect the micromotor to the vibratory element  11 . It is only the electric lines  33 ,  34  (wires, cables or electrically conductive plastic tracks) which run through the neck part  4 .  
         [0041]     According to the invention, use is made of a mechanical vibratory device  10  which has a diameter of less than 15 mm, preferably less than 6 mm, and is less than 35 mm, preferably less than 20 mm, in length. This ensures that the toothbrush may be of ergonomic configuration and is easy to handle. The toothbrush according to the invention may correspond, in size, more or less to the conventional manual toothbrushes, which makes them more straightforward to handle in comparison with the commercially available, considerably larger electric toothbrushes, even though this toothbrush achieves a cleaning action which is comparable with that of the known electric toothbrushes, but is gentler than the latter. Moreover, the toothbrush according to the invention is straightforward and cost-effective to produce.  
         [0042]     It is nevertheless also possible for the vibratory device according to the invention to be integrated in conventional electric toothbrushes.