Electric toothbrush

US8397332B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Braun Corporation · DE

Inventors

• Bernhard Kraus · Solms, DE
• Frank Ziegler · Karben, DE
• Uwe Schober · Königstein, DE
• Robert Schäfer · Frankfurt, DE
• Christian Neyer · Eschborn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 11, 2008
• Grant date: Mar 19, 2013
• Expiry date: Nov 7, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61C17/3472
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush, specifically the toothbrush handle of an electric toothbrush, with a handle housing, with a preferably rod-shaped drive transmitter which protrudes from a first side of the handle housing and on which a brush attachment can be secured, and with a drive motor for moving the drive transmitter, wherein the drive transmitter is mounted, by means of a bearing device in the interior of the handle housing, in the manner of a rocker arm such that the drive transmitter can be pivoted to-and-fro transverse to its longitudinal axis by the drive motor. The invention further relates to the whole toothbrush, comprising such a toothbrush handle part and a brush attachment secured to the drive transmitter thereof. According to the invention, the bearing device holds the drive transmitter so as to pivot about a rotation point lying outside the handle housing. Said rotation point is offset particularly far out from the handle housing, such that it comes to lie between the bristle array of the brush attachment and the front end of the handle in the area of the lips. In this way, an efficient cleaning movement with a large cleaning amplitude in …