Abstract: An oral hygiene device includes a handle, a head coupled to the handle, a substantially planar base disposed on the head, and a plurality of cleaning elements projecting from the base. The plurality of cleaning elements are characterized by at least two different geometries, and at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are generally oblong cleaning bars. Adjacent cleaning elements define at least one channel that extends in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal direction of at least some of the oblong cleaning bars.

Abstract: A pressure relief valve for a hydraulic system for controlling a belt-driven conical-pulley transmission. The valve includes an orifice having an opening to admit a stream of a hydraulic medium, and a valve cone to block the opening in the orifice. A spring is carried by the valve cone to apply a restoring force to press the valve cone against the orifice in sealing contact with the opening. A hydraulic plate having a valve bore is provided to receive and guide the valve cone and the spring. A lateral force support is carried by the valve cone to align the axis of the valve cone relative to the axis of the orifice opening.

Abstract: A battery-operated toothbrush includes a drive unit, a housing defining an accommodation chamber configured to receive the drive unit, and a thermoplastic elastomer seal disposed on an outer surface of the housing. The housing includes a front end configured to receive a toothbrush head, an open end, opposite the front end, that provides access to the accommodation chamber, and a pass-through aperture, which extends from an outer surface of the housing to the accommodation chamber. The drive unit includes an engagement element configured to engage the pass-through aperture to retain the drive unit in the accommodation chamber. The thermoplastic elastomer seal extends into the pass-through aperture. A potion of the thermoplastic elastomer seal is elastically displaced by the engagement element when the engagement element engages the aperture.

Abstract: A handheld toothbrush with a brush head having a forward free end and a rearward portion. Provided at the forward free end of the brush head is at least one bristle tuft of a first set. Adjoining the first set in rearward direction is a second set of tufts comprised of several bristle tufts arranged serially on a ring and extending in the circumferential direction of the ring at an angle of inclination relative to the surface of the brush head. A third set of tufts adjoins the second set of bristle tufts in the direction towards the rearward portion. The tufts of the third set are inclined in the circumferential direction in opposition to the direction of the bristle tufts of the second set. As a result, these tufts are capable of penetrating optimally between the user's teeth, hence ensuring a better cleaning result.

Abstract: A battery-operated toothbrush includes a drive unit, a housing defining an accommodation chamber configured to receive the drive unit, and a thermoplastic elastomer seal disposed on an outer surface of the housing. The housing includes a front end configured to receive a toothbrush head, an open end, opposite the front end, that provides access to the accommodation chamber, and a pass-through aperture, which extends from an outer surface of the housing to the accommodation chamber. The drive unit includes an engagement element configured to engage the pass-through aperture to retain the drive unit in the accommodation chamber. The thermoplastic elastomer seal extends into the pass-through aperture. A potion of the thermoplastic elastomer seal is elastically displaced by the engagement element when the engagement element engages the aperture.

Abstract: A handheld toothbrush with a brush head having a forward free end and a rearward portion. Provided at the forward free end of the brush head is at least one bristle tuft of a first set. Adjoining the first set in rearward direction is a second set of tufts comprised of several bristle tufts arranged serially on a ring and extending in the circumferential direction of the ring at an angle of inclination relative to the surface of the brush head. A third set of tufts adjoins the second set of bristle tufts in the direction towards the rearward portion. The tufts of the third set are inclined in the circumferential direction in opposition to the direction of the bristle tufts of the second set. As a result, these tufts are capable of penetrating optimally between the user's teeth, hence ensuring a better cleaning result.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a protective device for a heating unit, in particular for a flow-through heater (22), which is equipped with a current-carrying conductor (1) having a first end thereof mechanically biased into contact with a first fixed point of connection (40) and a second end (23) thereof soldered to a second point of connection (10). In the event of an error condition due to overheating, the bias operates to move the conductor (1) away from the second point of connection (10), severing the soldered joint in the process, whereby the circuit is opened. According to the present invention, the point of connection (10) is formed by a terminal stud (12), and the end (23) of the conductor (1) needing to be soldered to the terminal stud (12) is shaped in such manner that a sufficiently large soldered joint (16) requiring wetting by the solder (15) is developed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electic coffee machine and a filter element (1) therefor. The coffee machine includes a filter element (1) for taking up ground coffee (12) that is supported by a filter housing. A brewing head (2) is provided above the filter element (1) and has one or a plurality of outlet openings (3) from which water (14) heated by an electric water heater flows into the element (1) in order to extract the coffee. According to the present invention, the filter element (1) includes on its outside top edge (9) an annular collar (10) which extends at an angle relative to the edge (9). The filter element (1) is made of filter paper. Disposed below the annular collar (9) is a securing device (28) which bears the filter element (1) and on which the filter element (1) is supported in a substantially cantilevered manner. In this way, the filter element and the coffee machine are easier to handle. In addition, brewing results are improved and the dripping time is reduced.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a tea filter assembly (10) adapted to be fitted to a coffee maker (18) in place of a coffee filter in order to be able to make tea with the coffee maker (18). It is known in the art to provide such a tea filter assembly (10) with a first valve (36) for closing an outlet (44) from the tea filter assembly (10) while the tea is steeping. It is a disadvantage in such a type of tea filter assembly (10) that upon termination of the steeping time hot water continues to be discharged from the coffee maker (18), flowing over the tea leaves and extracting bitter principle in the process. To avoid this drawback, provision is made in the invention for a water conduit (14) through which hot water exiting the coffee maker flows straight into a carafe after the steeping time has ended, without coming into contact with tea leaves contained in a tea basket (16).

Abstract: In a first embodiment, a beverage brewing machine has a reservoir in which water is heated, which is arranged upstream of a brewing unit and heatable by an electric heating device. At the bottom is an outlet valve which opens only on reaching a given water temperature so that the hot water flows through an outlet pipe downstream of the outlet valve from the reservoir over the upper surface of a product, preferably ground coffee or tea-leaves, contained in a brewing unit, from which it goes to a receptacle as a beverage after extraction of the product. Hot water from the reservoir can also be taken via a pipe along paths other than over the upper surface of the product into the receptacle. The pipe takes a siphon-like path, the vertex of which is far enough above the bottom of the reservoir so that hot water also flows via the pipe to the other path and not only over the upper surface of the product only when a certain level is reached in the reservoir.