IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,624,726
Granted Patent B2
US 10,624,726 · App. 15/821,695 · Granted Apr 21, 2020

Oral care implement

Inventors: Norbert Schaefer (Frankfurt, DE); Joern Utsch (Eschborn, DE)
Assignee: BRAUN GMBH
A61C17/222A46B13/02A61C17/22A61C17/225A61C17/34A46B2200/1066
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,624,726
App. No.
15/821,695
Granted
Apr 21, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An oral-care implement having a housing extending along a longitudinal-extension direction, a functional element mounted at the housing for driven motion relative to the housing, a motion-transmitter element disposed within the housing and extending along the longitudinal-extension direction. The motion-transmitter element has a first coupling portion coupled with the functional element. The motion-transmitter element has a metal-sheet portion made from a punched and bent metal sheet. The metal-sheet portion can have at least one section having a non-flat cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal-extension direction, such as an L-shape, or U-shape, or S-shape.

Claims (18)

1. An oral-care implement comprising a replacement brush head of an electric toothbrush, comprising:

a housing extending along a longitudinal-extension direction;

a functional element mounted at the housing for driven motion relative to the housing;

a motion-transmitter element disposed within the housing and extending along the longitudinal-extension direction, the motion-transmitter element having a first coupling portion coupled with the functional element;

wherein the motion-transmitter element has a metal-sheet portion made from a punched and bent metal sheet, wherein the metal-sheet portion has at least one section having a non-flat cross-sectional shape in a plane essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal-extension direction, said cross-sectional shape being selected from the group consisting of an L-shape, U-shape, and S-shape.

2. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling portion is essentially L-shaped or T-shaped.

3. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the motion transmitter element comprises a second coupling portion arranged at a second end of the motion-transmitter element.

4. The oral-care implement of claim 3 , wherein the second coupling portion comprises a massive metal element comprising a permanent magnet or a magnetizable metal block accommodated in a receptacle formed by the metal-sheet portion, wherein the receptacle comprises at least a top receptacle portion and a sheath portion that has an opening extending along the full length of the sheath portion.

5. The oral-care implement of claim 4 , wherein the receptacle has a bottom receptacle portion comprising projections extending from a circumference of the bottom receptacle portion, said projections being suitable for centering a coupling partner with respect to the massive metal element.

6. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the metal sheet portion comprises a hinge section defining a pivot axis that extends essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal-extension direction, wherein the hinge section comprises a flat metal-sheet hinge that extends parallel to the pivot axis.

7. The oral-care implement of claim 6 , wherein the flat metal-sheet hinge is waisted with respect to the longitudinal-extension direction.

8. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the metal sheet has a thickness between 0.10 mm and 0.30 mm.

9. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling section comprises a massive metal coupling element comprising a metal-rod element connected with the metal-sheet portion, wherein the massive metal coupling element is T-shaped rod, wherein a leg of the T-shaped rod element is accommodated in a receptacle formed by the metal-sheet portion having a U-shaped cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal-extension direction, and wherein the massive metal coupling element has a thickness or diameter in the range from 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm.

10. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling portion comprises a coupling cylinder made from the punched and bent metal sheet and that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal-extension direction.

11. The oral-care implement of claim 10 , wherein the coupling cylinder comprises two essentially semi-cylindrical sections arranged with a gap extending along a length direction of the coupling cylinder, wherein the semi-cylindrical sections have meshing projections alternately arranged in the length direction of the coupling cylinder.

12. The oral-care implement of claim 10 , wherein the coupling cylinder has a chamfered front section.

13. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the metal sheet has a thickness between 0.15 mm to 0.25 mm.

14. The oral-care implement of claim 1 , wherein the metal sheet has a thickness of about 0.20 mm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 20, 2018
From: SCHAEFER, NORBERT; UTSCH, JOEM
To: BRAUN GMBH
Reel/Frame 047552/0225 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 16200171 · Nov 23, 2016 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180140404A1 · May 24, 2018