Abstract: The personal care appliance (10) comprises a handle/housing (20), a workpiece assembly (12), a motor assembly (18) which is mounted to the handle for driving the workpiece assembly and a secondary resonator (30) connected to the motor assembly or the handle, the secondary resonator comprising a spring mass assembly characterized in that at resonant operation thereof, vibrations produced by action of the motor assembly which would otherwise be transmitted to the handle, are significantly reduced/cancelled.

Abstract: The brushhead (14) includes a neck portion (15) which connects at a proximal end thereof to a handle portion (12) of a power toothbrush (10). At the distal end of the neck portion is a brush member (16, 28) which includes a bristle base plate (18, 34) and a bristle field (20, 36) mounted thereon. An eccentric (30) is mounted for spinning action on the bristle base plate, positioned in the midst of the bristle field. An eccentric bristle field (38) is mounted on the eccentric. The motion of the brush member produced by a toothbrush drive assembly creates a spinning motion of the eccentric and the eccentric bristle field mounted thereon, resulting in additional oral cleaning action.

Abstract: An article and method for an oral care appliance which generates successive bursts of liquid adapted to provide cleansing of the teeth. The appliance includes a housing and a system for providing successive bursts of liquid, comprising a source of liquid, a nozzle with a spray exit opening and a system for generating and delivering successive bursts of liquid through the spray exit opening. The appliance includes a controller which includes a learning mode initiated by the user. The appliance is operated by the user in a desired sequence when the controller is in the learning mode. The learned desired sequence is stored in memory of the controller, so that future operation of the appliance proceeds with the sequence of operation established by the user.

Abstract: The brushhead (14) includes a neck portion (15) which connects at a proximal end thereof to a handle portion (12) of a power toothbrush (10). At the distal end of the neck portion is a brush member (16, 28) which includes a bristle base plate (18, 34) and a bristle field (20, 36) mounted thereon. An eccentric (30) is mounted for spinning action on the bristle base plate, positioned in the midst of the bristle field. An eccentric bristle field (38) is mounted on the eccentric. The motion of the brush member produced by a toothbrush drive assembly creates a spinning motion of the eccentric and the eccentric bristle field mounted thereon, resulting in additional oral cleaning action.

Abstract: The personal care appliance (10) comprises a handle/housing (20), a workpiece assembly (12), a motor assembly (18) which is mounted to the handle for driving the workpiece assembly and a secondary resonator (30) connected to the motor assembly or the handle, the secondary resonator comprising a spring mass assembly characterized in that at resonant operation thereof, vibrations produced by action of the motor assembly which would otherwise be transmitted to the handle, are significantly reduced/cancelled.

Abstract: A nodal-mounted spring arrangement for an electronic toothbrush includes a V-shaped spring member secured at both ends so that it can operate in out-of-phase torsion mode along the axial dimension thereof. A mounting plate is connected between a node point along the V-shaped spring member and the housing of the toothbrush. In one embodiment, the V-shaped spring member includes opposing slots on opposite sides of the node point, the slots extending in an axial direction, creating an integrated torsion bar node spring, while reducing stress in the vicinity of the nodal point.