Apparatus for converting side-to-side driving motion to rotational motion with a spring assembly and system for tuning the spring assembly

US8813330B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Joseph W. Grez · North Bend, US
• Jeffrey R. Gueble · Seattle, US
• Jerry C. Wood · Fall City, US
• Devin M. Nelson · Seattle, US
• Kevin A. Miller · Bellevue, US
• Craig D. Hanela · North Bend, US
• Bruce E. Taber · Bothell, US
• Richard K. Taylor · Fall City, US
• William E. Bryant · Everett, US
• Scott E. Hall · Kirkland, US
• Andreas Lolbneggar · Bellevue, US
• Piet van Rens · Eindhoven, NL
• Kurt Sadek · Klagenfurt, AT
• Paul L. W. M. Barten · Horn, NL
• D. I. Stephan Leitner · Althofen, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 2, 2012
• Grant date: Aug 26, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 2, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T29/49718
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for tuning resonant spring assembly systems used in appliances such as power toothbrushes, particularly leaf spring systems, includes the step of measuring the frequency-dependent amplitude of the appliance workpiece, and then removing a portion of the spring member so as to decrease its spring rate sufficiently that the resonant frequency of the spring member closely approximates the drive frequency of the appliance.