Handle Mount Patents (Class 15/22.1)
  • Patent number: 11116615
    Abstract: A multi-purpose molar lift oral insertion and double level panorama form designed bristle brush tilter provides a thorough oral cleaning for dental and gums. Described is a small mechanism apparatus designed to assist with brushing teeth and other oral operations, and works especially well for persons that have difficulty with brushing their teeth. The device includes a molar gap tilt lift platform set between the upper molars and the lower molars to cause a gap or space between to upper and bottom jaw. The oral insertion can be enclosed in the mouth. A pivot axle attached to a double level bristle brush can swivels on a shaft pin allowing a user to oscillate or maneuver in left or right directions and up and down with just a touch of the fingertip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Inventor: Maluki Takumah
  • Patent number: 11109950
    Abstract: A combination electric toothbrush and water irrigation device that combines a battery powered water irrigation device with a vibrating electric toothbrush, both of which are housed in a self-contained compact hand-held device. The pump for the water irrigation device and the DC motor with an off-center weight are contained within the handle of the toothbrush. A slide out water reservoir allows the user to fill the extended handle portion with water. A flexible water inlet tube is capable of compressing when the water reservoir is in the storage position. A weight fixed to the end of the inlet tube causes the tube to bend via gravity enabling it to be in constant contact with water while the handle is held at various angles. An LED at the underside of the pump housing illuminates the water contained within the transparent water housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventors: Robert Wood, Jason Bland, Kenneth A. Tarlow
  • Patent number: 11103054
    Abstract: A brush head for an oral care implement includes at least one (first) group of tufts extending from a mounting surface of a tuft carrier having a rotation axis. The tufts have a base end and a free end. The tufts of the first group are tufts having an extension in a circumferential direction about the rotation axis exceeding an extension in a radial direction. The tufts of the first group may be inclined with respect to the mounting surface in at least one direction. Each of the first-group tufts may comprise a first group of filaments and a second group of filaments, wherein the second-group filaments' free ends protrude beyond the first-group filaments' free ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Niclas Altmann, Ulrich Störkel, Bianka Becker-Salzsäuler, Siegfried Bauernfeind
  • Patent number: 11096476
    Abstract: A personal care appliance 10 comprises an actuator 14, a current sensor 28 for monitoring a driving current, and a controller 24. The actuator 14, operable according to a non-linear response characteristic 58 of amplitude versus frequency, includes a movable shaft 18 configured for resonant movement 38 in response to a drive signal 25, further for being coupled with a workpiece 20. The controller 24 (i) detects at least one of a plurality of different characteristic load states (100,102,104,106,108,110) in response to a perturbation in the monitored driving current 29 and (ii) actively delivers the drive signal 25 to the actuator 14 selected from at least two different drive signals (66,70) as a function of a detected characteristic load state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Meng Peng, Scott Robert Wills, Sungsoo Lee
  • Patent number: 11071613
    Abstract: This document also discloses a coupling member for mounting a toothbrush head to an electric toothbrush includes a base having a first end with an opening for receiving a drive shaft of an electric toothbrush, and a coupling section that extends from a second end of the base. The coupling section includes a cylindrical sidewall that surrounds a cavity for receiving the drive shaft, an aperture in the cylindrical sidewall that provides an opening to the cavity, and a resilient spring member that is sized to be positioned within the aperture and touch the drive shaft while being held by the aperture. This document also discloses a brush head incorporating such a coupling member, and an electric toothbrush to which such a brush head is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: JS Holding Inc.
    Inventor: Xin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11071612
    Abstract: This document discloses a coupling member for mounting a toothbrush head to an electric toothbrush. The coupling member includes a base having a first end with an opening for receiving a drive shaft of an electric toothbrush. The coupling member also includes a coupling section that extends from a second end of the base. The coupling section comprises a cylindrical sidewall that surrounds a cavity for receiving the drive shaft, and a set of teeth that extend into the cavity from the cylindrical sidewall along a longitudinal axis of the coupling section. This document also discloses a brush head incorporating such a coupling member, and an electric toothbrush to which such a brush head is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: JS Holding Inc.
    Inventor: Xin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11065091
    Abstract: A powered toothbrush includes a handle, a power source disposed in the handle, a head including a cavity disposed at a distal end of the handle, an electrically conducting element disposed in the cavity and electrically connected to the power source, and a movable cleaning element connected to the head and movable relative to the cavity. The movable cleaning element includes a tooth cleaning support member, a tooth cleaning element mounted on the support member, and a ferromagnetic member. Application of an electrical current to the electrically conducting element generates a magnetic field at the electrically conducting element. The magnetic field selectively at least one of attracts and repels the ferromagnetic member to move the movable cleaning element relative to the electrically conducting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Patrik Johansson, Guofeng Xu, Gerald Gontarz, Robert Moskovich, Daniel Wainless
  • Patent number: 11058526
    Abstract: This invention relates to a drive system which automatically disengages when a loading above a certain threshold limit is applied to the driven component, thus preventing damage to the drive system and foremost to the gearing between the drive system and the driven component when such a load is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (UK) IP Limited;
    Inventors: David Diamond, Jean Diamond
  • Patent number: 11058525
    Abstract: A drivetrain assembly (100, 200) for a personal care device (10), the drivetrain assembly including a resonator (110) connected to a transmission component (24) configured to transmit oscillations to the removable attachment; and a drive coil (120) configured to oscillate the resonator in a first direction; where the drive coil is configured to generate an installation or removal signal in response to installation or removal of the removable attachment, the installation or removal of the removable attachment generating movement of the resonator in a second direction; and where the drivetrain assembly is configured to communicate the generated signal to a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Meng Peng
  • Patent number: 11051919
    Abstract: Tooth brushing monitoring system is disclosed that includes a toothbrush with sensors and a base station. The sensors record data regarding the quality, quantity and location of brushing and the system can analyze the data to provide feedback on the quality of brushing. This feedback provides motivation for users to increase their brushing habits, leading to a decrease in plaque, tooth decay and gingivitis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Kolibree
    Inventors: Thomas Serval, Samuel Landau
  • Patent number: 11051610
    Abstract: A toothbrush including a handle extending in a longitudinal direction and including an upper portion and a base. The upper portion includes an insert portion. The base is made of a flexible material and overlaps the insert portion and includes an interior cavity. A light is configured to emit light visible from outside the handle. An activation device is positioned in the interior cavity and is configured to be pressed in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction to activate the light upon a user pressing the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Ranir, LLC
    Inventors: Huy Kha Nguyen, Geoff Carroll, Aaron Onglingswan
  • Patent number: 11051921
    Abstract: A vibrating toothbrush is provided with vibration-isolating zones that substantially isolate vibrations in the head and reduce vibrations transmitted to the handle without sacrificing structural integrity around the vibration-isolation zones. Such zones may generally comprise neck material that is reduced in cross-section, thinned, replaced by dampening material, or removed altogether to create transmission-inhibiting voids. The vibration-isolating zones may be further supported by the housing of the vibratory element to maintain the structural integrity around the zones and to thereby alleviate weakness conditions that might subject the toothbrush to fatigue and breakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventor: Alan Vincent Sorrentino
  • Patent number: 11026772
    Abstract: A drive train assembly (22) for an oral care device (10) having a housing (12), comprising: a plurality of elongated leaf springs (50) symmetrically disposed around the circumference of the drive train assembly, each of the plurality of elongated leaf springs secured at both ends; and a ring (46) encircling the plurality of elongated leaf springs, wherein the ring is fixedly connected to each of the plurality of elongated leaf spring assemblies and fixedly connected to the housing of the oral care device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Arnold Buijs, Jan Willem Bruggers, Johannes Antonius Van Rooij
  • Patent number: 11013315
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an oral cleansing device with illumination features. In one example, a diffuser for diffusing light is disclosed. The diffuser includes a first membrane configured to be positioned over a first light source, a second membrane coupled to the first membrane and configured to be positioned over a second light source; and a bridge coupling the first membrane to the second membrane, where the bridge extends from an edge of the first membrane to an edge of the second membrane in an indirect manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: WATER PIK, INC.
    Inventors: Robert D. Wagner, Brian J. Woodard
  • Patent number: 10986914
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an electric utility brush having a flexible drive shaft, and in particular an electric toothbrush having a substantially spherical head mounted on the flexible drive shaft and which can be driven rotationally in at least two different orientations in order to provide comprehensive brushing capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (UK) IP Limited
    Inventors: David Diamond, Jean Diamond
  • Patent number: 10978881
    Abstract: A charging device includes a charging assembly for imparting a charge on a mobile device, a housing for receiving the mobile device to be charged, and for defining a cavity therein for housing the charging assembly. There is at least one air intake port in the housing for allowing air to be drawn into the cavity and at least one air exhaust port in the housing for allowing air to be exhausted from the cavity. There is an ionic wind generator, for generating an airstream to draw air into the housing through the at least one air intake port, through the cavity, and push air out of the housing through the at least one air exhaust port. The ionic wind generator comprises an emitter and a collector, such that when a voltage is applied to the emitter, air ionizes around the emitter and is drawn toward the collector, thereby creating the airstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Ventiva, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl P. Schlachte, Rudy Vadillo, Gary Alfred Oliverio
  • Patent number: 10968899
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pump unit applied to a high-pressure cleaning machine, including: a water inlet chamber, a water outlet chamber, and a central chamber connected to the water inlet chamber and the water outlet chamber. The pump unit further includes a plunger disposed in the central chamber and an eccentric mechanism connected to the plunger. The eccentric mechanism drives the plunger to perform reciprocating motion in the central chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Positec Power Tools (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pinghua Wu, Yong Qiao, Haijun Zhang
  • Patent number: 10959821
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method for a U-shaped teeth brush device having a conformable shape adjusting U-shaped teethbrush module and one or more individual tooth brushes coupled to the power drive mechanism, each brush having a sensor, piezoelectric crystal and transducer and each tooth brush having a block anchor coupled to the power drive, under smart controls, an electronic control system for sensing individual tooth pressure and controlling motor transmission of vibration to prior positioned brushes, whereby a users unique mouth features can be accounted for by adjusting U-shape distal ends to fit through the users mouth and align with users teeth arch for programmatically brushing more than one tooth simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: NELUVA, INC.
    Inventor: Aaron Silverberg
  • Patent number: 10952924
    Abstract: A lip augmentation assembly and method of selectively plumping the lips provides a housing having a first end forming a grip, and a second end. The housing encases a motor and a vibrating member. A vibrating head snugly couples to the second end of the housing. The head engages the inner surface of the lips. The head has an irregular oval shape, opposing wide sidewalls, opposing narrow sidewalls, and a concave-shaped terminus. Vibration nodules are arranged in a grid-like pattern on the wide and narrow sidewalls of the head. The vibration nodules receive vibrations from the vibrating member. An epidermal cell growth serum is topically applied to the lips before, and after, engagement with the vibration nodules. Pressing the wide sidewall of the head against the inner surface of lips, applies a deeply focused pressure on the lip. Pressing the narrow sidewall against the lips augments selected segments of lips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Indiga Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Lilita Infante, Jonathan Osborne
  • Patent number: 10952833
    Abstract: A spring mechanism for attaching to a power device drive unit includes a housing connectable to a portion of the power device and a shaft extending through the housing. One end of the shaft is coupled to a workpiece and a bottom member extends from the other end and is positioned adjacent the drive unit. The bottom member includes at least one of a ferromagnetic material and a permanent magnet. The bottom member, shaft and workpiece move upon actuation of the drive unit, and a spring extends laterally outwardly from the shaft between the shaft and the housing. The spring is affixed to one of the shaft and the housing, wherein the spring bends between a deformed position and a return position upon the movement of the bottom member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Ranir, LLC
    Inventors: Scott P. Crossman, Kevin J. Kollar, Kevin G. Yost, Dai Xiaoguo, Michael A. Andrew, Thomas P. Blandino, Stephen J. Dieter, John C. Mehnert, Andrew P. Wilke, Mark A. Penrod
  • Patent number: 10941553
    Abstract: A robotic cleaning apparatus for cleaning a dirty object includes a cleaning head and an articulated body. The articulated body is coupled to the cleaning head and mountable to the dirty object. The body has one or more actuators that collectively move the cleaning head into contact with surfaces of the dirty object. The one or more actuators, when activated, collectively rotate the cleaning head relative to the dirty object about first and second axes, and translate the cleaning head relative to the dirty object along an extension axis. A method of robotically cleaning a dirty object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: ALTAN ROBOTECH INC.
    Inventors: David D'Souza, Mina Bassalious, Zhenqiang Mi, Pritam Kumar Sarkar
  • Patent number: 10918469
    Abstract: A toothbrush with fluid directing drive assembly is provided. The toothbrush may include a handle including an end surface, a brush shaft extending from the end surface of the handle, a drive assembly positioned within the handle and causing the brush shaft to oscillate upon actuation of a motor, a brush tip removably coupled to the brush shaft and positioned adjacent to the end surface of the handle, and a fluid passage defined within the drive assembly within the handle. The brush tip may include a fluid conduit therein. Oscillation of the brush shaft may cause the entire brush tip to oscillate correspondingly. Fluid may be transported through the drive assembly and to the fluid conduit of the brush tip by the fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: WATER PIK, INC.
    Inventors: Gary L. Sokol, Harold A. Luettgen
  • Patent number: 10912377
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a brush head of an electric toothbrush, which is detachably attached to a handle of the electric toothbrush, and the handle includes a drive shaft. The brush head includes a brush head main body, and the brush head main body has a receiving cavity along a first direction. The receiving cavity accommodates at least a part of the drive shaft. The brush head main body includes a cavity wall forming the receiving cavity and an abutment wall. The cavity wall and the abutment wall are integrally formed. When the electric toothbrush brush head is in an assembled state, the abutment wall abuts against the drive shaft under an external force. The brush head includes an elastic member. The elastic member is arranged at a position corresponding to the abutment wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Inventor: Juan-Yun Kuang
  • Patent number: 10898304
    Abstract: An oral care implement body to which a replacement head can be detachably coupled. In one embodiment, the oral care implement body includes a gripping portion having a shoulder, a stem extending from the shoulder along a longitudinal axis, and a boss protruding from an outer surface of the stem. The boss may have a locking rib section having an undercut surface that is axially spaced from the shoulder and a positioning rib section extending from the locking rib section to the shoulder. The undercut surface may circumferentially protrude from a first side surface of the positioning rib section. The locking rib section may extend along a first rib axis and the positioning rib section may extend along a second rib axis, the first rib axis oriented obliquely to the second rib axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company, Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshida, Takashi Torihama, Thomas Mintel, Joseph Fattori
  • Patent number: 10869743
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush, including a refill connectable to a handle via a coupling device. The handle has a drive mechanism, and the refill has a brush head and a motion transmitter functionally connected to the brush head for driving it. The handle has a coupling stem terminating with a free end and including a coupling pin extending from the stem. The refill includes a generally tubular portion formed by refill walls defining an interior space for accepting the coupling stem of the handle. The coupling device comprises a pair of mutually opposite and resiliently deformable cantilevered arms disposed adjacent to the refill walls in the interior space of the refill. Each of the cantilevered arms terminates with a coupling surface for engaging the stem's coupling pin for secure and disengageable connection between the handle and the refill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Fritsch, Irina Neusser, Joern Utsch
  • Patent number: 10869741
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush that detects plaque on the teeth, ensures accurate plaque detection, and performs cleaning of plaque. The electric toothbrush may include a body having a gripping part and a stem with a brush unit detachably coupled to the body. The electric toothbrush may include a light emitting element for emitting light onto the tooth and a light receiving element for receiving light that reflects off of the tooth. A controller may be included to determine an amount of plaque on the tooth based on the amount of reflected light detected. The electric toothbrush may also include a fluid dispensing system that dispenses fluid based on the amount of reflected light detected. In some aspects, the electric toothbrush may operate in multiple oscillation modes, and it may only dispense fluid in some of the modes but not all of the modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company, Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshida, Mamoru Katano, Masashi Kitamura, Sakae Morikawa
  • Patent number: 10869742
    Abstract: A coupling mechanism for an electric toothbrush includes a handle coupling portion and a refill coupling portion structured and configured to engage one another, thereby providing a secure connection between the handle and the refill. The handle coupling portion has a coupling stem disposed at one end of the handle and a coupling pin protruding from the stem. The coupling stem has outer walls terminating at a free end thereof. The refill coupling portion has a tubular structure having refill walls and an interior space for receiving therein the coupling stem, and a pair of mutually opposite and resiliently deformable cantilevered arms disposed in the interior space, each of the arms terminating with a coupling surface for engaging the coupling pin of the handle coupling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Fritsch, Irina Neusser, Joern Utsch
  • Patent number: 10869543
    Abstract: A pet grooming tool includes a handle, a comb member, a push button, a gear rack, and a removal assembly. The removal assembly is rotatably connected to the handle and is movable between an original position and a removal position. The comb member has multiple claws, each has a distal end. A first slit is defined between every two adjacent claws. The removal assembly has a pinion section and multiple removing sections. The pinion section engages with the gear rack. The removing sections are corresponding to the first slits, respectively. when the removal assembly revolves from the original position to the removal position, the multiple removing sections pass through the first slits towards the distal ends of the multiple claws, so as to remove any hair from the claws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: EVERSHARP-PRO COMPANY
    Inventor: Shao-Peng Chang
  • Patent number: 10864065
    Abstract: A refill for an electric toothbrush comprises a generally tubular structure formed by refill walls defining an interior space for accepting thereinto a coupling stem of a toothbrush handle. The refill includes a motion transmitter functionally connected to the brush head for driving it. The refill has a coupling device including a pair of mutually opposite and resiliently deformable cantilevered arms disposed in the interior space of the refill and adjacent to the refill walls. Each of the arms terminates with a coupling surface for engaging a coupling pin extending from the handle's coupling stem for secure and disengageable connection therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Braun GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Fritsch, Irina Neusser, Joern Utsch
  • Patent number: 10856649
    Abstract: A toothbrush includes a main body that includes a head portion with a bristle raising surface on which bristles are provided in a standing manner, a grip portion, and a neck portion. A light emission portion that emits light through a specific region of the bristle raising surface toward a tooth surface and a light reception portion that receives radiated light from the tooth surface resulting from the light, through the specific region, are provided inside of the main body. It is determined whether or not there is dental plaque on the tooth surface based on the output of the light reception portion. A light reception and condensing portion that condenses the radiated light from the tooth surface toward the light reception surface of the light reception portion is arranged in the housing portion forming the specific region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kawabata, Hideyuki Yamashita, Kotaro Kitajo, Hideaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10856648
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring and indicating brush head life are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a brush head that moves with respect to a brush handle; an energy harvester that generates electrical signals based on movements of the brush head; a controller in electrical communication with the energy harvester; and an indicator in electrical communication with the controller. The indicator is energized based on a signal from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventors: Iranpour Khormaei, Robert Paul Callaway
  • Patent number: 10849728
    Abstract: A personal care appliance (10) comprises a handle (12), an attachment (14), and a controller (16). The handle (12) includes an actuator (20) and drive shaft (22). The attachment (14) has a body (30) with a principal axis (32) extending between a proximal end and a distal end thereof, wherein the proximal end couples to the drive shaft. The attachment (14) further includes a mass-spring identifiable assembly (40) having at least one identifiable resonant frequency in response to a given excitation, wherein the at least one identifiable resonant frequency comprises a resonant frequency selected from at least two different resonant frequencies. The controller (16) is configured to control the attachment (14), via the actuator (20), over a predefined range of frequencies that includes the given excitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Johannes Bax, Gertrude Riette Van Der Kamp
  • Patent number: 10842254
    Abstract: The present application relates to a system (10, 60) for treating a part of a body of a person to be treated. The system includes a treating device (20, 70) having a treating unit (22, 72) and a reference member (40, 80) adapted to be mountable to a person in fixed relationship to a part of the body. The treating device (20, 70) has a first motion identifier (28) configured to generate information indicative of the acceleration and/or angular orientation of the treating device (20, 70). The reference member (40, 80) has a second motion identifier (48) configured to generate information indicative of the acceleration and/or angular orientation of the reference member (40, 80). A controller (27, 47) is adapted to produce information indicative of the trajectory and/or orientation of the treating unit (22, 72) relative to the part of the body to be treated based on the information provided by the first and second motion identifiers (28, 48).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Stephanus Jacob Gerardus Tamminga, Sven Woldberg
  • Patent number: 10835029
    Abstract: A toothbrush including a main body having a shape which is narrow and long in one direction; and a brush member which has a cylindrical shape and which is mounted to an end section in the lengthwise direction of the main body. The brush member includes: a head part which has a raised surface, on which bristles are erected, along the lengthwise direction of the main body to which the brush member is mounted; and a neck part which is mounted by engaging with the periphery of the end section of the main body. In the head part, a back surface on the opposite side of the raised surface is opened, and the neck part is provided with a detachment prevention mechanism that prevents the end of the main body to which the brush member is mounted from detaching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kotaro Kitajo, Hideyuki Yamashita, Yasuhiro Kawabata, Katsunori Kondo, Hideaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10835028
    Abstract: An oral care system may include: an oral care device including: at least one teeth cleaning element; and at least one sensor configured to detect motion of the oral care device during a brushing routine of a user and to generate sensor data corresponding to the detected motion; and a programmable processor configured to: receive the sensor data generated by the at least one sensor; and determine a target brushing time based on the sensor data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: John Gatzemeyer, Andrew Brent Lintott, Ian Joseph Smallman
  • Patent number: 10828136
    Abstract: A personal care appliance (10), or power toothbrush, comprises a handle (16) including a drive train (20), a motor controller (18), and an attachment (12) that includes a resonant structure (14). The motor controller (18) controls an operation of the drive train (20) to produce at least one of a first mechanical stimulus and a second mechanical stimulus, the first mechanical stimulus comprising a first cleaning motion (42) having a first resonant frequency, the second mechanical stimulus comprising a second movement having a second resonant frequency. The resonant structure (14) implements the first cleaning motion (42) and an additional resonant motion (44,46,48,50,52,60) as well as the cleaning motion (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventor: Evan Dak Wah Dengler
  • Patent number: 10828137
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a toothbrush including a handle, a brush shaft, and a brush tip releasably connected to the brush shaft. The brush shaft includes a fluid outlet in fluid communication with a fluid source. The brush tip includes a tip outlet, one or more bristles, and one or more engagement structures to secure the brush tip to the brush shaft. The engagement structure acts to transfer motion from the brush shaft to the brush tip and defines, in part, a tip fluid passageway through the brush tip and in fluid communication with the shaft lumen of the brush shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: WATER PIK, INC.
    Inventors: Gary L. Sokol, Harold A. Luettgen
  • Patent number: 10825355
    Abstract: A system for determining the orientation of a toothbrush (4), the system comprising an orientation sensor (27) configured for attachment to a toothbrush (4) and one or more processors (29) configured to receive orientation information from the orientation sensor (27). The one or more processors (29) are further configured to determine whether the sensor (27) is in a first orientation (41) or a second orientation (33). The first orientation (41) corresponds to use of the toothbrush (4) on a surface of teeth on the left (42) of a user's mouth. The second orientation (33) corresponds to use of the toothbrush (4) on a surface of teeth on the right (40) of a user's mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: PLAYBRUSH LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Varga, Matthaus Ittner, Tolulope Ogunsina, Wiktor Grajkowski, Patrick Diem
  • Patent number: 10820975
    Abstract: A mouth-containing toothbrush includes a housing, a first tooth-brushing module assembly and a rotary drive assembly. The housing has a groove for containing teeth. The groove has a first inner groove face, a second inner groove face, and a bottom face connected between the first inner groove face and the second inner groove face. The first tooth-brushing component is used for cleaning surfaces of the teeth, and the first tooth-brushing component includes a brush body shaft and bristles arranged on an outer circumference of the brush body shaft. The brush body shaft is rotatably arranged between at least one of the first inner groove face and the second inner groove face and the teeth, and the brush body shaft extends along an extension direction of the groove. The rotary drive assembly is used to drive rotation of the brush body shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Weixiang Zhao
  • Patent number: 10813733
    Abstract: A drivetrain assembly (100) for a personal care device (10), the drivetrain assembly including a primary resonator (110); a secondary resonator (140) configured to reduce vibrations transmitted from the motor to a body (12) of the personal care device; a fixed point (130) positioned between the primary resonator and the secondary resonator; a first spring member (120) connected at a first end to the primary resonator and at a second end to the fixed point; a second spring member (150) connected at a first end to the secondary resonator and at a second end to the fixed point; a coupling spring (160) connected at a first end to the primary resonator and at a second end to the secondary resonator; and an actuator (170) configured to exert force on at least one of the primary resonator and the secondary resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Stijn Willem Boere, Hermanus Mathias Joannes Rene Soemers, Jan Willem Bruggers, Aditya Mehendale
  • Patent number: 10786338
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fixing structure for use in a driver apparatus of an electric cleaning appliance. The driver apparatus comprises a transducer assembly and a drive coil assembly within a handle housing. The transducer assembly comprises a transducer, a transducer frame and a transducer assembly fixing member. The drive coil assembly comprises a drive coil, a drive coil frame and a drive coil assembly fixing member. The transducer frame and the drive coil frame respectively comprise left and right frames disposed separate from each other. The handle housing is respectively fastened with the transducer assembly or the drive coil assembly via a first or second structural feature part in a way that one cannot move relative to the other. The transducer assembly and the drive coil assembly are connected via a third structural feature part in a way that one can move relative to the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Shanghai Shift Electrics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xiaoguo Dai, Zhenwu Xu
  • Patent number: 10765323
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention can be an electric toothbrush including a trajectory detecting module configured to detect a trajectory of movement of a brush, the trajectory including a plurality of positions; an attitude detecting module configured to detect an attitude of the brush; a site estimating module configured to estimate a brushing site for each of the plurality of positions of the trajectory, each estimated brushing site being based on the trajectory detected by the trajectory detecting module; and a back most tooth detecting module configured to detect a back most tooth based on a change of the attitude detected by the attitude detecting module; wherein the site estimating module is further configured to correct the estimated brushing site for each of the plurality of positions of the trajectory based on the estimated site of the detected back most tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company, Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Yoshida, Mamoru Katano, Masashi Kitamura
  • Patent number: 10743650
    Abstract: An electric toothbrush includes a grip portion, a brush portion on which a replaceable toothbrush is mounted, and an illumination ring between the grip portion and the brush portion. The brush portion is inclined with respect to the grip portion. The illumination ring is provided around the toothbrush, so that a user can view the illumination ring no matter what angle he/she is holding the toothbrush.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company, Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Katano, Hiroshi Nakamori
  • Patent number: 10729231
    Abstract: The present invention provides a template for a tufted curved surface such as a hemispherical brush head for an electric toothbrush or the like, the template comprising a substrate having an upper surface adapted to carry one or more tufts of bristles such as to project outwardly from the upper surface, the substrate being shaped to be deformable between an expanded state in which the upper surface is substantially flat, and a collapsed state in which the upper surface is curved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (UK) IP Limited
    Inventors: David Diamond, Jean Diamond
  • Patent number: 10695153
    Abstract: A motor device includes a motor housing, a stator core having at least two poles fixedly installed in the stator housing symmetrically, a coil winding wound around the stator core, and an insulating coil holder for insulating the stator core from the coil winding, and the motor device further includes at least two pairs of magnetic steel structures cooperating with the stator core. All of the magnetic steel structures are fixedly connected to the periphery of the shaft coupling, and the shaft coupling is fixedly connected to the motor shaft. An electric toothbrush having the above motor device is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: JINLONG MACHINERY & ELECTRONICS (DONGGUAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Andian Huang, Junjie Huang, Min Deng, Zhu Wang, Yong Yue
  • Patent number: 10687610
    Abstract: An oral care implement that includes a conical tuft of bristles. In one embodiment, the invention is an oral care implement that includes a handle and a head coupled to the handle, the head having a front surface. A plurality of tooth cleaning elements extend from the front surface of the head. The plurality of tooth cleaning elements include a conical tuft that has a continuous bristle wall having an inner surface defining a cavity, the cavity having a transverse cross-sectional area that increases with distance from the front surface of the head. The plurality of tooth cleaning elements may also include a central cleaning element located within the cavity. The conical tuft may terminate in an annular top surface that undulates in height relative to the head. The plurality of tooth cleaning elements may include arcuate cleaning elements arranged in a loop about the conical tuft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventors: Eduardo Jimenez, Robert Moskovich
  • Patent number: 10681975
    Abstract: A personal care appliance is provided that includes a brushhead for use in skincare; an appliance body having a motor assembly for oscillating the brushhead, wherein the brushhead or a portion of the motor assembly that is configured to oscillate includes a marking; and a brush encoder configured to detect the marking, and determine the oscillation of the brushhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: L'OREAL
    Inventors: Scott Straka, Ryan Rutledge, Jeff Alexander
  • Patent number: 10675132
    Abstract: An oral hygiene implement has a neck section extending along a longitudinal direction and a head section having a through hole therein extending through the head section along a through hole direction having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction and having a head section housing surrounding the through hole. The neck section has a neck section housing surrounding a neck section cavity. The through hole defines a first and a second opening in the head section housing. A cap element, separately made from the head section housing, is connected with the head section housing to essentially cover the first opening. A carrier element, separately made from the head section housing, is arranged to cover the second opening. Between an edge of the first opening and an edge of the cap there is a circumferential gap that allows water, saliva, or toothpaste to escape an interior of the head section during use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: BRAUN GMBH
    Inventors: Norbert Schaefer, Thomas Fritsch, Joern Utsch, Wolfgang Stegmann
  • Patent number: 10667892
    Abstract: An electrical appliance for personal care includes a handle with a longitudinal axis, and a plug-on part which can be attached to the handle, wherein a vibration unit having an electric motor and an eccentric element is arranged in the handle, wherein a plug-like coupling structure protrudes from the handle, which plug-like coupling structure forms an interface with a substantially mirror-inverted socket-like coupling structure of the plug-on part, wherein the interface has at least two stages with different circumferential geometry, wherein at least one of the stages has a rotation-preventing means between the handle and the plug-on part, and wherein a stop surface of the handle for the plug-on part extends obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TRISA HOLDING AG
    Inventors: Armin Bärtschi, Herbert Fischer, Michael Schär
  • Patent number: 10667891
    Abstract: A brushhead assembly (10) for a power toothbrush (1), which includes a bristle plate (12) and a set of bristles (14) mounted to the bristle plate (12). The set of bristles (14) is characterized such that some or all of the bristles have a dipole whip motion during operation at a selected drive frequency, including arrangements where the bristles in a first portion (32) have a different motion than the bristles at a at least a second portion (34) of the brushhead assembly (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Gregory Russ Goddard, Kip Shirey, Lisa Bethany Schmalhurst