Abstract:
In one embodiment of the present invention, an electric oral cleaning device is provided and includes a handle and a power supply contained therein. The device has a motor that drives a motor linkage, which includes a push rod that has one end that engages and moves a dental cleaning head about a center pin to cause an oscillation motion of the head. The entire head assembly is also interchangeable such that a flossing tool and various brushing tools may be utilized by the same device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to oral cleaning devices used to clean a user&#39;s mouth. 
   CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application, Serial number to be assigned, entitled “Electric Oral Cleaning Device,” and filed on Jun. 25, 2004. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Oral cleaning devices, both electric and non-electric, are known in the industry and in the prior art. Numerous patents have issued throughout the years to cover various improvements and novel features in the oral cleaning industry. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,809 requires a dental floss to be reciprocated along an axis substantially parallel to the axis of a handle (if the dental floss apparatus is positioned upright, the floss would be moving in an up and down motion). Alternatively, the motor mechanism moves a shaft in the handle only along the handle&#39;s longitudinal axis, which would impart the same movement in the dental floss attached to the shaft (again, the motion would be an up and down motion if the apparatus is standing in an upright position). U.S. Pat. No. Re. 35,712 discloses a sonic dental device that includes a flossing head that stores extra dental floss such that a user may exchange used dental floss with new floss. U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,796 is directed to an automated dental flosser that includes a twine of floss held in the body of the device for which a user may dispense unused floss. 
   A common way to move oral cleaning heads (including flossing heads and brush heads) is done by vibrating the end of the neck of the device, such that the head vibrates or moves with the movement of the neck. The present invention provides for a different movement that may be beneficial to the user. The present invention also provides, in one embodiment, an electric oral cleaning device that includes interchangeable heads and provides for an oscillating head that may include a flossing tool or various brush head designs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an electric oral cleaning device is provided that includes various interchangeable heads. In one aspect, the interchangeable head is a flossing head with a removable flossing tool, such that when used the flossing tool may be removed, discarded, and replaced with a new flossing tool. The electric oral cleaning device has a motor that drives a cam. Engaged to the cam is a carrier, which transposes rotational motion of the cam to a side-to-side motion. The carrier engages a rod that includes a fulcrum secured at a point along the length thereof. The other end of the rod is in communication with one of the interchangeable heads. The head includes a section that is moveably connected thereto. As the cam rotates, the second end of the rod moves in a side-to-side direction that pushes against walls secured on the moveable section of the head. As the rod contacts the walls, the moveable section oscillates counterclockwise and clockwise about a pin. 
   In other aspects of the present invention, the interchangeable heads may include sections utilized to clean other parts of the user&#39;s mouth, such as but not limited to the teeth and tongue. 
   Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof and from the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A fuller understanding of the foregoing may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view that also illustrates the internal components of a first electric oral cleaning device; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the activation button of the device illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the motor mechanism and rotary to linear motion linkage utilized in the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the motion linkage and a flossing head in the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5   a  is a perspective view of another flossing head with an opened retaining cap; 
       FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view of the flossing head of  FIG. 5   a  with the retaining cap closed; 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are front and back perspective views of another brush head assembly interchangeable with the head assemblies of the device of  FIG. 1  and having oscillating bristles and non-oscillating but movable bristles; 
       FIG. 6   c  is a perspective view of the brush head assembly from  FIG. 6   a  illustrating the movement of the non-oscillating but movable bristles; 
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are front and back perspective views of another brush head assembly with an oval oscillating brush head with the oval brush head being attached with its longitudinal axis being aligned perpendicular with axis of the brush head assembly; 
       FIG. 7   c  is a front view of the oval brush head assembly of  FIG. 7   a , illustrating the movement of the brush head; 
       FIG. 8   a  is a front perspective view of another flossing head assembly with a side-to-side movement of the flossing tool; 
       FIG. 8   b  is a back perspective view of the flossing head assembly from  FIG. 8   a;    
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a motion linkage in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a flossing head; 
       FIGS. 10   a – 10   d  are top views illustrating the movement of the second end of the rod of  FIG. 9  and its contact with the walls that may be secured to a head; and 
       FIGS. 11   a – 11   d  are side views corresponding to  10   a – 10   d  illustrating movement of the second end of the push rod and its effect on a flossing tool. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
   While the invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described herein, in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the spirit or scope of the invention to the embodiments illustrated. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1 through 4  and in accordance to a first embodiment, an electric oral cleaning device is illustrated and generally referenced to as  100 . The first device  100  includes a handle section  102  that a user grasps during use of the device  100 . The handle section  102  houses a power supply  104  (such as a battery), which is in electrical communication with an activation button  106  and a motor  108 . The motor  108  drives a linkage mechanism  110  that converts the rotational movement of the motor  108  to a back and forth (“oscillating”) motion of a cleaning tool  112  (discussed in detail below). 
   The linkage mechanism  110  includes a cam  116  secured to the drive shaft  114  of the motor  108 . A carrier  118  is slidably attached on a pin  120  to the handle  102 . The carrier includes apertures on the bottom portion (not shown) and on the top portion (aperture  122 ). The aperture on the bottom portion is sized such that the carrier  118  sits directly on the cam  116 . The aperture  122  on the top portion of the carrier  118  is sized to receive a first end  124  of a rod  126 . The linkage mechanism  110  further includes a fulcrum  128  secured along the length of the rod  126 . Preferably, the fulcrum is a pair of bushings  130 . The rod  126  extends through a neck  132  of the device  100  and has a second end  134  that extends into a head support  136 . As the cam  116  rotates (arrows  117 ), the carrier  118  slides side-to-side (arrows  119 ); as such the rotational motion is converted to a side-to-side motion. The side-to-side motion on the first end  124  of the rod  126  is moved along the length of the rod  126  through the fulcrum  128  to the second end  134 . Thus, when the motor  108  is activated, the second end  134  of the rod  126  will move side-to-side, preferably at very high speeds. 
   As illustrated more closely in  FIG. 2 , activation of the motor  108  is achieved when the button  106  is pushed inwardly by the user. When the button  106  is pushed, the button  106  pushes a circuit contact  143  towards a battery contact  140  and a motor contact  142  such that an electrical circuit between the two is completed. The button  106  and/or the circuit contact  143  are normally biased outwardly (either by the use of a spring or resilient material [not shown]) such that when the button  106  is released the electrical circuit between the battery contact  140  and the motor contact  142  is broken causing the motor to automatically turn off. The device may have separate on/off buttons. 
   Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the head support  136  may be designed to receive removable head assemblies, such that various oral cleaning instruments may be employed, such as, but not limited to, various brushing head assemblies (described in detail below) and/or various flossing head assemblies. 
   In one aspect of the present invention, the head support  136  receives a removable flossing head assembly  150 . The flossing head assembly  150  includes a flossing head housing  152  with a locking flange  154  that slides into engagement with an aperture  138  on the head support  136 . To disengage the flossing head assembly  150 , the user presses the locking flange  154  while pulling the flossing head assembly  150  away from the head support  136 . 
   The flossing head assembly  150  further includes a flossing head  156  that is rotatably secured about a pin  158  on the flossing head housing  152 . A tension spring  160  may be placed between the flossing head  156  and the flossing head housing  152 . Engaged or secured to the flossing head  156  are walls  162 . The second end  134  of the rod  126  is placed between the walls  162  in order to assist in transposing the side-to-side motion of the second end  134  of the rod  126  into a counterclockwise and clockwise oscillating motion of the flossing head  156 . As the second end  134  of the rod  126  moves side-to-side, the second end  134  alternately contacts and pushes the walls  162  outwardly from its center axis of rotation (the pin  158 ). The force against the walls  162  will cause the flossing head  156  to oscillate about the pin  158 . The oscillating motion will also cause a flossing tool  164  attached to the flossing head  156  to oscillate counterclockwise and clockwise. The flossing head  156  is retained in the flossing head housing by one or more retainer pins  166 . 
   The flossing tool  164  has a section of flossing material  168  stretched over a cavity  170  that is created between two opposable arms  172 , which extend from a support region  174 . The support region  174  frictionally fits into a channel  176  on the flossing head  156 , thereby permitting a used flossing tool  164  to be replaceable. 
   The flossing head  156  is also secured perpendicularly to the device  100  such that the flossing tool  164  extends perpendicularly away from the device  100 . However, the flossing head or flossing tool  164  may be secured at various angles offset from the axis of the device  100 . 
   In another aspect of the present invention, the flossing head  156  may include a locking cap  180 , illustrated in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b . The locking cap  180  is hinged  184  on one side to the face  182  of the flossing head  156 . The locking cap  182  would also include a tab  186  that frictionally fits into a corresponding detent  188  on the face  182  of the flossing head  156 . The locking cap  180  prevents the flossing tool  164  from separating from the flossing head  156 . In addition, the locking cap  180  also includes side grooves  190  that receive the opposing arms  172  of flossing tool  164  and presses the arms  172  outwardly from each other to maintain a taut flossing material  168 . 
   In another aspect of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 6   a  through  6   c , a brush head assembly  210  may employ oscillating bristles  206  movably controlled by the motor described herein above. The brush head assembly  210  also includes nonoscillating but movable bristles  212 . The non-oscillating but movable bristles  212  are secured to a secondary brush head  214  that includes a protrusion  216  on the backside  218  thereof. The protrusion  216  fits into a slot  220  positioned on the brush head assembly  210  that permits the secondary brush head  214  to freely slide within the slot  220 . During use, the secondary brush head  214  will move along the slot  220  towards and away from the oscillating bristles  206  (illustrated by arrows  222  in  FIG. 6   c ) when the user presses the secondary brush head  214  onto its teeth and moves the device  100 . 
   In yet another aspect of the invention ( FIGS. 7   a  through  7   c ), a brush head assembly  230  may include oscillating bristles  232  attached to an oval brush head  234 . The oval brush head  234  is secured to the brush head assembly  230  similarly to that which has been previously described. In addition the oval brush head  234  is orientated such that the longitudinal axis λ (its long axis) is aligned to be perpendicular to the axis (referenced as α in  FIG. 7   c ) of the brush head assembly  230 . As such, the orientation and oscillation of the oval brush head  234  would allow for a good cleaning of the user&#39;s tongue. 
   In yet another aspect of the invention ( FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b ) a flossing head assembly  250  may include side-to-side motion, rather than the oscillating motion. The flossing head assembly  250  includes a moveable section  252 , which has a bracket  254  on the backside thereof. The bracket  254  slides within a groove  256  defined by the flossing head assembly  250 . A disposable flossing tool  164  is in removable engagement with the moveable section  252 , as previously described. As shown in  FIG. 8   b , the second end  134  of the rod  126  is inserted into an opening  258  defined by the bracket  254  on the backside  254  of the moveable section  252 . When the second end  134  is moving in the side-to-side motion, the moveable section  252  will also move in a back and forth or side-to-side motion, causing the same movement in the flossing tool  164 . Moreover, the moveable section  252  will also be secured within the groove  256  by virtue of the second end  134  being inserted into the bracket  254 ; as movement of the moveable section will be limited to the movement of the second end. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9 , in a second embodiment, an electric oral cleaning device is illustrated and generally referenced to as  300 . The device  300  is similar to the first embodiment  100  except that the motor  308  drives a differently configured linkage mechanism  309 . In the second embodiment device  300 , the motor  308  drives a cam  310  that has secured thereto at an offset position the first end of a rod  312 . Secured along the length of the rod is a fulcrum  314 . The rod  312  extends through a neck  318  of the device  300  and has a second end  320  that extends into the head support (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). This configuration tends to transpose the rotational motion of the motor  308  to a circular motion in the second end  320  of the rod  312 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 10   a  through  10   d  and corresponding  FIGS. 11   a  through  11   d , as the second end  320  of the rod  312  moves in a circular direction and as the second end  320  approaches point A on its circular motion ( FIGS. 10   a  and  11   a ) it contacts walls  324  secured to the flossing head  156  (or other head attached thereto). Once the second end  320  contacts one of the walls  324 , the flossing head  156  will move about the pin  158  in the direction the second end  320  is traveling ( FIGS. 10   b  and  11   b ). This causes one of the flossing arms  172  to be in a higher position then the other arm. Similarly, as the second end  320  continues to move to the opposite point B on its circular motion ( FIGS. 10   c  and  11   c ), the second end  320  contacts the walls  324  causing the flossing head  156  to move in an opposite direction, ( FIGS. 10   d  and  11   d ). The back and forth oscillating motion of the flossing head  156  acts to move the flossing tool  164  (and thus the flossing material  168 ) in a fluttering like motion. 
   From the foregoing and as mentioned above, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concept of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.