Abstract: An electric toothbrush is disclosed. The electric toothbrush includes a body having an interior hollow region for retaining a motor, one or more batteries, and a drive mechanism. The toothbrush includes multiple bristle carriers. Each of the bristle carriers undergoes some type of movement and is driven by the motor. Various combinations of movement of the bristle carriers are described.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush is provided. The electric toothbrush includes a handle having a motor disposed therein, a head having a longitudinal axis, and a neck disposed between the handle and the head. First and second bristle holders are associated with the head. The first bristle holder oscillates or rotates. The second bristle holder is reciprocates in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the head but does not rotate or oscillate. The motor is operatively connected to the first and second bristle holders.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush is disclosed. The electric toothbrush includes a body having an interior hollow region for retaining one or more motors, batteries, and drive mechanisms. The toothbrush includes multiple bristle carriers. Each of the bristle carriers undergoes some type of movement and is driven by the one or more motors and drive mechanisms. Various combinations of movement of the bristle carriers are described. And, numerous drive train mechanisms are disclosed for achieving the noted motions.

Abstract: An electrically driven toothbrush has a rotatable shaft with a cam preferably at a remote end of the shaft, which fits into a slot in a bristle holder. The holder is mounted for rotation in a toothbrush head. When the shaft rotates cam describes a circle and drivingly engages the slot to cause the holder to vibrate in a first brushing motion. A second bristle holder is also driven by the shaft, for a second kind of brushing motion. The second bristle holder is driven through and engagement with a portion of the remote end and/or with one or more additional cams or cam portions included on the shaft.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a moving portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The portion of the toothbrush containing the head is detachably connected to the portion of the toothbrush containing the handle. A shaft within the head is selectively connectable to a mating shaft within the handle by a cooperating notch and peg assembly biased into a locking position by a spring member disposed to bias the head shaft into the desired position.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a moving portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The moving portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The moving portion can include stiff bristles and massaging tips and the static portion can include soft bristles and massaging tips. The elongated body portion is hollow and further includes a motor in the hollow portion, which is operatively connected to the moving portion for rotating or oscillating or reciprocating the moving portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A switch is operatively connected to the motor to provide momentary and continuous operation of the toothbrush. A worm gear and a pair of step gears are located in the hollow portion. The motor is operatively connected to the worm gear and the step gears are operatively connected to the worm gear and to each other.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a circular portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The circular portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The circular portion includes stiff bristles and the static portion includes soft bristles. The elongated body portion is hollow and further includes a motor in the hollow portion, which is operatively connected to the circular portion for rotating or oscillating or reciprocating the circular portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A switch is operatively connected to the motor to provide momentary and continuous operation of the toothbrush. A worm gear and a pair of step gears are located in the hollow portion. The motor is operatively connected to the worm gear and the step gears are operatively connected to the worm gear and to each other.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a moving portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The moving portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The moving portion can include stiff bristles and massaging tips and the static portion can include soft bristles and massaging tips.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush having an elongated body having a handle portion, a head portion, and an elongated intermediate portion disposed between the handle portion and the head portion. The head portion includes a static bristle portion and a moving bristle portion. The static bristle portion and the moving bristle portion are disposed along a common longitudinal axis relative to the head portion. The head portion and intermediate portion are dimensioned for disposition in a human user's mouth for brushing of teeth. A motor is disposed in the handle portion and operatively connected to the moving bristles for moving the moving bristles.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprising an elongated body portion and a head including a static portion and a circular portion, a handle, and an angled shaft between the head and the handle. The circular portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The circular portion includes stiff bristles and the static portion includes soft bristles. The elongated body portion is hollow and further includes a motor in the hollow portion, which is operatively connected to the circular portion for rotating or oscillating or reciprocating the circular portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A switch is operatively connected to the motor to provide momentary and continuous operation of the toothbrush. A worm gear and a pair of step gears are located in the hollow portion. The motor is operatively connected to the worm gear and the step gears are operatively connected to the worm gear and to each other.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a head having a moving portion, a handle, and shaft between the head and the handle. An body portion is hollow and further includes a motor operative to generate motion for driving the moving portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A First switch, operatively connected to the motor provides momentary operation of the toothbrush. Optionally, a second switch provides for continuous operation of the toothbrush. The first switch can be operated while the toothbrush is in a toothbrush package, such as, for example, a plastic blister pack. A consumer can momentarily observe the operation of the toothbrush before purchasing the toothbrush. The consumer cannot operate the second switch and is thereby prevented from leaving the toothbrush in a battery draining operational mode for extended periods of time.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a body portion and a head. The head includes a static portion and a moving portion. The moving portion rotates or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The elongated body portion is hollow and further includes a motor and a gear arrangement, which is operatively connected between the motor and the moving portion for rotating or oscillating or reciprocating the moving portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A switch connected to the motor and battery provides momentary and continuous operation of the toothbrush. In one embodiment the toothbrush comprises a plurality of gears and swivel arms which move the brush head moving portion in a rotating, oscillating or reciprocating manner.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a head having a moving portion, a handle, and shaft between the head and the handle. An body portion is hollow and further includes a motor operative to generate motion for driving the moving portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A First switch, operatively connected to the motor provides momentary operation of the toothbrush. Optionally, a second switch provides for continuous operation of the toothbrush. The first switch can be operated while the toothbrush is in a toothbrush package, such as, for example, a plastic blister pack. A consumer can momentarily observe the operation of the toothbrush before purchasing the toothbrush. The consumer cannot operate the second switch and is thereby prevented from leaving the toothbrush in a battery draining operational mode for extended periods of time.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a head having a moving portion, a handle, and shaft between the head and the handle. An body portion is hollow and further includes a motor operative to generate motion for driving the moving portion. A battery is located within the hollow section for powering the motor. A First switch, operatively connected to the motor provides momentary operation of the toothbrush. Optionally, a second switch provides for continuous operation of the toothbrush. The first switch can be operated while the toothbrush is in a toothbrush package, such as, for example, a plastic blister pack. A consumer can momentarily observe the operation of the toothbrush before purchasing the toothbrush. The consumer cannot operate the second switch and is thereby prevented from leaving the toothbrush in a battery draining operational mode for extended periods of time.

Abstract: A machine for making ice cream bars is provided with a receptacle for holding a refrigerant, preferably an ice and brine bath, a lower lid movably mountable over the receptacle, and an upper lid mountable over the lower lid, the lower and upper lids rotatable together about a vertical axis. The machine further includes four containers for receiving and holding an ice cream bar mix, the containers configured to be coupled to the upper lid and the lower lid with a portion of the container immerged in the bath. A user can turn a handle on the receptacle to rotate the lids, and thus the containers relative to the bath in order to promote freezing of the ice cream mix into an ice cream bar.

Abstract: A candy dispensing apparatus is provided with a housing having an opening formed therein, a reservoir disposed in the housing and shaped to hold a plurality of pieces of candy, and an animated figure having a hand that is shaped to hold a piece of candy. The animated figure is movable relative to the housing between a first position and a second position, and a dispensing mechanism disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the animated figure. The hand of the animated figure is movable from a retracted position in which the hand is positioned within the housing to an extended position in which the hand extends out of the housing through the opening in the housing. The hand moves from the retracted position to the extended position upon the animated figure being moved from its first position to its second position.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush comprises a body portion and a head including a motor, a moving portion, a handle, and a gear arrangement between the moving portion and the motor. The moving portion rotates, oscillates and/or reciprocates about an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the head. The moving portion can include stiff bristles and massaging tips and the static portion can include soft bristles and massaging tips. The body portion houses the motor. A switch is operatively connected to the motor to provide momentary or continuous operation of the toothbrush. In one embodiment the gear arrangement includes a shaft, a worm gear and a pair of step gears. In another embodiment the gear arrangement includes a plurality of gears and at least one swivel arm for drive the moving portion in a rotating, oscillating or reciprocating manner.

Abstract: A coin handling and sorting device includes a plurality of coin handling modules which are interconnectable by a user, as desired, to define a coin travel path. Each module is easily assembled by a user without use of tools. To facilitate assembly, bases, gears, retaining clips, and other components of different coin handling modules are interchangeable. The housing and other components of each module are assembled using a plurality of C-clips. Each module is typically manually operated to increase a user's interaction with the device. A clutch mechanism prevents accidental reverse operation of each module by a user. To facilitate interconnection of coin handling modules in any desired order, each has an inlet at a common height with other coin module inlets and an outlet at a common height with other coin module outlets. Each module also utilizes identical interchangeable modified spur/bevel gears that are shaped to accommodate co-planar engagement or angular displacement between engaged pairs.

Abstract: A coin handling and sorting device includes a plurality of coin handling modules which are interconnectable by a user, as desired, to define a coin travel path. Each module is easily assembled by a user without use of tools. To facilitate assembly, bases, gears, retaining clips, and other components of different coin handling modules are interchangeable. The housing and other components of each module are assembled using a plurality of C-clips. Each module is typically manually operated to increase a user's interaction with the device. A clutch mechanism prevents accidental reverse operation of each module by a user. To facilitate interconnection of coin handling modules in any desired order, each has an inlet at a common height with other coin module inlets and an outlet at a common height with other coin module outlets. Each module also utilizes identical interchangeable modified spur/bevel gears that are shaped to accommodate co-planar engagement or angular displacement between engaged pairs.