Connector for a manual oral care implement
A connector for repeatedly attaching and detaching a head to and from a handle of a manual oral care implement comprises a first substantially cylindrical section, a second substantially cylindrical section, and an at least partially conically shaped section connecting the first and second cylindrical sections. The first and second substantially cylindrical sections and the at least partially conically section define a longitudinal length extension of the connector, wherein the first substantially cylindrical section and the second substantially cylindrical section are placed off-center with respect to the longitudinal length extension.
1. A handle for an oral-care implement, the handle having a longitudinal length extension and comprising a connector for repeatedly attaching and detaching a head to and from the handle of the oral-care implement, the connector having an outer surface and comprising:
a first substantially cylindrical section having a first longitudinal symmetry axis, a second substantially cylindrical section having a second longitudinal symmetry axis parallel to the first longitudinal symmetry axis, and an at least partially conical section interconnecting the first and second substantially cylindrical sections, wherein there is a distance between the first and second longitudinal symmetry axes, the first substantially cylindrical section, the second substantially cylindrical section, and the at least partially conically shaped section defining a longitudinal length extension of the connector, wherein the longitudinal length extension of the handle, the longitudinal length extension of the connector, and the first and second longitudinal symmetry axes are parallel to one another;
wherein the first substantially cylindrical section has a first substantially cylindrical outer surface and the second substantially cylindrical section has a second substantially cylindrical outer surface, and wherein at least a portion of the first substantially cylindrical outer surface and at least a portion of the second substantially cylindrical outer surface are disposed in a substantially straight alignment along the longitudinal length extension of the connector;
wherein at least one of the first and second substantially cylindrical sections comprises a flattening portion having a substantially flat surface extending along the longitudinal length extension of the connector and disposed adjacent to the at least partially conically shaped section and substantially opposite to the portions of the first and second substantially cylindrical outer surfaces that are disposed in the substantially straight alignment;
wherein at least one of the first and second substantially cylindrical sections includes a spring-loaded ball element comprising a ball and a spring, the ball slightly extending from and beyond the flat surface of the flattening portion in a direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the flattening portion, and the spring applies a radial force onto the ball in the direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface of the flattening portion, so that repeatedly attaching and detaching the head to and from the handle is accomplished solely by pushing-in and pulling-out the head in the direction of the longitudinal length extension of the connector, whereby the ball engages and disengages a recess provided in an inner wall of the head.
2. The handle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second substantially cylindrical sections has a cross-sectional area extending substantially perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal symmetry axes, respectively, and wherein at least one of said cross-sectional areas is substantially circular.
3. The handle of claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first substantially cylindrical section is greater than the cross-sectional area of the second substantially cylindrical section.
4. The handle of claim 1 , wherein the handle has a distal end and a proximal end adjacent to the connector and opposite to the distal end, wherein the proximal end comprises a hollow portion into which a portion of the first substantially cylindrical section is fixed.
5. The handle of claim 4 , wherein the proximal end comprises a surface that is chamfered relative to the longitudinal length extension of the connector.
6. The handle of claim 5 , wherein the handle has a front surface and a back surface opposite to the front surface, and wherein the chamfered surface causes the front surface to be shorter than the back surface as measured along the longitudinal length extension of the handle.
7. The handle of claim 6 , wherein the handle has a cross-sectional area extending perpendicular to the longitudinal length extension of the handle, and wherein the chamfered surface and said cross-sectional area of the handle define therebetween an angle α from 15° to 30°.
8. The handle of claim 7 , wherein the angle α is from 18° to 28°.
9. The handle of claim 8 , wherein the angle α is 25°.
10. A manual oral-care implement comprising the handle and the head of claim 1 , wherein the manual oral-care implement is devoid of a power source.
11. The manual oral-care implement of claim 8 , wherein the head comprises a hollow portion for receiving at least a part of the connector comprising the second substantially cylindrical section, the at least partially conically shaped section, and a portion of the first substantially cylindrical section.
12. The manual oral-care implement of claim 9 , wherein the hollow portion of the head is defined by the inner wall comprising the recess for receiving the ball of the spring-loaded ball element.
13. The manual oral-care implement of claim 12 , wherein the inner wall comprises at least one rib for adjusting the head on the connector.
14. The manual oral-care implement of claim 12 , wherein the inner wall comprises at least two ribs.
15. The manual oral-care implement of claim 14 , wherein the at least two ribs are arranged opposite to each other.