Patent EA-003107-B1 (EA)
Title: Toothbrush with eccentric drive
Inventor: KIENZLER GERHARD
IPC: A61C17/26
Filed: 2000-07-27
Abstract: 1. Toothbrush with a brush head (1, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 800, 900, 1000) with a brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) including a bristle carrier (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 820, 920, 1020) adapted to receive bristles (22, 122, 422, 922, 1022), which is rotatably supported on a housing section (30, 562, 662, 862, 962, 1062) for rotation about a rotation axis (G) and reversibly driveable by an eccentric drive (50, 52; 550, 552; 650, 652; 850, 852; 950, 952; 1050, 1052), characterized in that the brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) is also pivotally supported on the housing section (30, 562, 662, 862, 962, 1062). 2. Toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that for producing a pivoting motion that is superimposed to the rotation motion (R), a drive pin (52) of the eccentric drive (50, 52) is operatively connected with the brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) for urging in the circumferential direction (U) and in the axial direction (ax). 3. Toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that for producing a pivoting motion that is superimposed to the rotation motion (R), a bearing journal (564, 664, 964, 1064) disposed on a housing section (562, 662, 862, 962, 1062) is operatively connected with the brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) in the circumferential direction (U) and in the axial direction (ax). 4. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the eccentric drive (50, 52; 550, 552; 650, 652; 850, 852; 950, 952; 1050, 1052) has an eccentric shaft (50, 550, 650, 850, 950, 1050) that rotates in one direction, with the eccentric shaft arranged so as to be perpendicular to the rotation axis (G) of the bristle carrier (20, 120, 220, 320, 420, 820, 920, 1020) and aligned with the center of the brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) and supporting on its end face the drive pin (52, 552, 652, 852, 952, 1052). 5. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the brush body (10, 110, 210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) has a conical recess (14, 114, 214, 314, 414, 914, 1014) that is oriented axially inwardly and disposed on the end face (12, 112, 212, 312, 412) that faces away from the bristles (22, 122, 422, 922, 1022), said recess cooperating with a bearing journal (34, 568, 668, 768, 868, 968, 1068) which is attached to a housing section (30, 562, 662, 862, 962, 1062) and projects axially therefrom. 6. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to5, characterized in that the brush body (10) has a radially inwardly extending conical recess (18) in which the guide pin (52) is inserted. 7. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the brush body (110) has a guide channel (132) extending in the axial direction (ax), in which the drive pin (52) is guided. 8. Toothbrush according to claim 7, characterized in that the guide channel (232, 332, 432, 1032) is formed directly in the brush body (210, 310, 410, 1010). 9. Toothbrush according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the guide channel (132) is - alternatively or in addition - a component of a sliding block (130) which is inserted in the brush body (110). 10. Toothbrush according to claim 8, characterized in that the sliding block (130) is fixed on the brush body (110) in the axial direction. 11. Toothbrush according to claim9, characterized in that a sliding block (830, 930) is supported in the guide channel (832, 932) for axial displacement, and that the sliding block (830, 930) has a drive-pin bore (836, 936) adapter for engagement with the drive pin (852, 852, 952). 12. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the sliding block (830, 930) is shaped as a sphere or a cylinder. 13. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the brush body (110) has two opposing bearing channels of a first type extending in the circumferential direction (U) or a bearing channel (118) of the first type that extends at least over most of the circumference, wherein the bearing channels cooperate with corresponding bearing journals (38) which are attached to the housing section (30) and project radially therefrom. 14. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the brush body (210, 310, 410, 510, 1010) has a bearing channel of the second type (217, 317, 417) facing the eccentric shaft (850, 950, 1050), with the bearing channel (217, 317, 417) attached to the brush body (210, 310, 410, 910, 1010) along a circumferential section and formed in the shape of a V or U in the axial direction essentially mirror-symmetrically to the symmetry plane of the brush body, and - that at least one bearing journal (564, 664, 964, 1064) which is guided in the bearing channel of the second type (217, 317, 417), is disposed on the housing section (562, 662, 862, 962, 1062). 15. Toothbrush according to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the bristle carrier (220, 320, 420, 820, 920, 1020) is supported for axial displacement on the housing section (560, 660, 860, 960, 1060) and has at least the bearing channel of the third type (219, 319, 419) which is disposed on the bristle carrier (220, 320, 420, 820, 920, 1020) along a circumferential section and having pitch in the axial direction, and that at least one bearing journal (566) which is guided in the bearing channel of the third type (219, 319, 419), is disposed on the a housing section (562, 662, 862, 962, 1062). 16. Toothbrush according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an end face of the guide pin (52) is secured on a drive shaft (50) that can be driven with a rotation speed in a range of 15,000 to 25,000 rpm.