Patent ID: 8601630

Claim:
A resonant drive power toothbrush using linear bearings, comprising: a center member assembly ( 14 ) having a brushhead assembly ( 16 , 18 ) for the power toothbrush mounted thereto; one set of four equally spaced leaf springs ( 24 ), one end of each leaf spring being connected to the center member assembly in the vicinity of one end thereof, the other end of each leaf spring assembly being connected to a fixed-position member ( 26 ), wherein the leaf springs are arranged such that there is approximately a 180° bend between the two ends thereof; and another set of four equally spaced leaf springs ( 38 ) connected to the other end of the center member assembly or supporting the other end of the center member, and connected to said fixed-position member, or to another fixed-position member ( 40 ), wherein in operation, the two sets of leaf springs are configured and mounted and arranged to have a range of axial motion and sufficient lateral stiffness and are driven so as to move back and forth in a reciprocal linear motion, suitable for a power toothbrush, along with the center member assembly and the brushhead assembly wherein the two sets of leaf springs are arranged and configured so that the theoretical net energy required for reciprocal motion of the brushhead assembly is zero, resulting in a zero spring rate.