Dual motor oral hygiene device

US6821119B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Water Pik, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Robert A. Shortt · Baltimore, US
• Kenneth A. Hair · Fort Collins, US
• Kurt M. Taylor · Fort Collins, US
• Daniel E. Julian · Athens, US
• Edmund D. D'Silva · Vernon Hills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 12, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 23, 2004
• Expiry date: Jul 12, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61C17/3481
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An oral hygiene device (2) is disclosed having at least two motors (30, 36) to simultaneously vibrate and impart motion upon the head portion of the oral hygiene device (2), most beneficially at the tip (12). A first motor (30) is positioned in the handle housing (3) of the device (2) to impart a first frequency of movement to the tip (12). A second motor (36) is located in a head portion, generally in a shaft (8) of or an oral hygiene attachment to the device (2), to impart at least a second frequency of movement onto the tip (12). When both the first and second motors (30, 36) are activated, the resulting movement of the tip (12) of the device (2) may include complex, substantially random movements, depending in part on the frequencies at which the motors (30, 36) are operating.