JP3298752B2 - electric toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush which transmits the driving force of a motor to a tooth brush and reciprocates the brush to brush the tooth. Of which a rolling type brush is used for brushing the tooth by reciprocating the tooth brush by a predetermined angle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of electric toothbrush includes:
There is a type in which a toothbrush unit is detachably attached to a toothbrush body.

[0003] The toothbrush body usually contains a motor, a battery and the like in a cylindrical case. On the other hand, the toothbrush unit is provided with a rack gear portion at the distal end, and has a base end detachably connected to the toothbrush main body, for example, an elongated slide member indicated by reference numeral 1 in FIG. 5, a pinion 2 meshing with the rack gear portion, A rotating brush 3 that rotates integrally with the pinion 2 around a central axis S; a case member 4 that exposes and supports the rotating brush 3 and that accommodates the slide member 1 and the pinion 2; And a cap member 5 to be put on.

In use, when a switch (not shown) is turned on while holding the toothbrush main body with one hand and the motor is operated, the rack gear portion of the slide member 1 reciprocates by receiving the driving force, and the reciprocating motion accompanies the reciprocation. The pinion 2 is reciprocated in a predetermined angle range, and the rotating brush 3 is rotated integrally therewith. Then, the rotating brush 3 is pressed against the teeth to brush the teeth.

[0005] The slide member 1 is provided with an elongated hole 6 at the tip 1a as shown in FIG. Then, when the toothbrush unit is pulled out from the toothbrush main body for replacement, the center shaft S is engaged with the elongated hole 6 and the slide member 1 is removed.
The rack gear of the slide member 1 and the pinion 2 are prevented from being disengaged.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional electric toothbrush, when the toothbrush unit is pulled out from the toothbrush main body, the central axis S abuts on the hole edge 6a of the long hole 6, and the central axis S is deformed. I will. When the center axis S is deformed in this way, when the toothbrush unit is attached to the toothbrush body again and used, the smooth rotation of the pinion 2 and the rotating brush 3 is hindered, or the pinion 2
And the gears of the rack gears become poorly meshed with each other, causing a load on the motor.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the smooth rotation of the pinion and the rotating brush and to deteriorate the meshing between the pinion and the rack gear due to the deformation of the center axis of the pinion and the rotating brush. The purpose of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of inconveniences, such as inconveniences.

[0008]

For this purpose, the electric toothbrush of the present invention is provided with a rack gear portion 15d at the longitudinal end thereof, as shown in the following embodiment, and is detachably attached to the toothbrush body 10. An elongated slide member 15 reciprocating in the length direction, and the slide member 15
A pinion 20 which meshes with the rack gear portion 15d and reciprocates within a predetermined angle range around a central axis 25 with the reciprocation thereof; a rotating brush 16 which rotates integrally with the pinion 20; To expose and support the slide member 15 and the pinion 2
0 is provided, and one of the slide member 15 and the case member 13 is provided with an engaging projection 17b separate from the center shaft 25, and the other is provided with a toothbrush body 10 from the toothbrush body 10. When the case member 13 is pulled out, the slide member 1 is engaged with the engagement convex portion 17b.
It is characterized in that an engaging concave portion such as an elongated hole 21 for pulling out both of them 5 is provided.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the case member 13 is pulled out from the toothbrush body 10, the central shaft 25 is inserted into the engagement recess.
Is engaged with the engagement projection 17b separate from the slide member 15.
Pull out both.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the electric toothbrush according to one embodiment of the present invention in an unused state.

The electric toothbrush comprises a toothbrush main body indicated by reference numeral 10 in the figure, and a toothbrush unit 11 attached to the toothbrush main body 10.

The toothbrush body 10 has a cylindrical case 10
Although not shown, a motor driving power source such as a rechargeable battery and a motor driven by the power source are provided in a, and a driving shaft 12 reciprocating up and down in FIG. 2 by the driving force of the motor is provided. The drive shaft 12 has a thin shaft portion 12a formed at the end in the longitudinal direction, and the circumferential groove 1a is formed near the thin shaft portion 12a.
2b, and the narrow shaft portion 12a is projected upward from the cylindrical case 10a in the figure.

The toothbrush unit 11 is denoted by a reference numeral 13 in FIG.
, A slide member 15 housed by the case member 13, and a rotating brush 16 supported by the case member 13. The case member 13 includes a base case member 14 and a cap case member 17 attached thereto.

The base case member 14 is made of resin, for example, and is formed to be elongated as shown in FIG. 1, but has a slightly curved shape as a whole. Then, the base end side in the length direction is formed in a divergent cylindrical shape, and a fitting cylinder portion 14a of one step smaller diameter is provided at one end edge through a step portion, and the drawing extends from the other end edge to the front end side in the length direction. The back side of the middle upper half is largely cut out to form a spoon shape. Also, a round hole 18 is formed at the end in the length direction, and a projection 14b is provided in the middle in the width direction. Further, a pair of hooking feet 14c is extended upward in FIG. 1 on both sides of the projection 14b, and claws are provided outward at the tips of the hooking feet 14c. In addition, a small hole 19 is provided between the round hole 18 and the latching foot 14 c near the round hole 18.

The slide member 15 is formed in a slender shape, for example, with a resin, and has a mounting cylinder 15a at a base end in the length direction.
And the claw part 15b is provided inward at the edge of the mounting cylinder part 15a, and a plurality of positioning ribs 15c are provided outward on the outer periphery. Also, the tip in the length direction is formed almost U-shaped,
Rack gear part 15 with teeth inward on one side of the U-shaped part
d, and a retaining rib 15e is provided inward on the other side. The retaining rib 15e is connected to the rack gear 15
It is provided slightly below the position facing d. Further, the slide member 15 is provided with a thin portion 15f substantially in the middle of the length direction to have elasticity in a direction perpendicular to the length direction.
An elongated hole 21 as an engagement concave portion is provided near the U-shaped portion at a position corresponding to the small hole 19.

The rotating brush 16 has a disk portion 16a,
A brush 22 is provided on one surface of the disk portion 16a. Further, in the center of the other surface, together with a circular fitting projection 16b corresponding to the round hole 18 of the base case member 14, a pinion 20 is integrally provided on the fitting projection 16b via a gap s. Become. The pinion 20 is provided with a tooth portion 20a at substantially half of its circumference, a retaining rib 20b at the other half, and a shaft hole 23 at the center.

Then, one end of the central shaft 25 shown in the upper part of FIG. 1 is inserted into the shaft hole 23, and the fitting protrusion 16 b of the rotating brush 16 is fitted into the round hole 18 of the base case member 14. . On the other hand, the slide member 15 is put into the base case member 14 through the fitting tube portion 14a and placed thereon. Then, the retaining rib 15e is passed through the gap d to engage with the retaining rib 20b thereon to prevent the rotating brush 16 from coming off, and the rack gear portion 15d is connected to the tooth portion 2 of the pinion 20.
0a.

The cap case member 17 is made of resin and is formed in a slightly curved spoon shape corresponding to the spoon-shaped portion of the base case member 14, as shown in FIG. The fitting hole 17 of the center shaft 25 is formed at the center of the longitudinal end.
c, and an engaging projection 17b corresponding to the small hole 19 of the base case member 14 is provided in the vicinity of the fitting hole 17c and separately downward from the center shaft 25 as shown by a dotted line in the figure. Also, at a position facing the thin portion 15f in the middle of the length direction,
As shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion 14b of the base case member 14 is provided.
Is provided. Further, the projection 17
As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of hook holes 2 corresponding to each hook foot portion 14c of the base case member 14, respectively,
6 is provided.

Then, the cap case member 17 is put on the spoon-shaped portion of the base case member 14, and the other end of the center shaft 25 is fitted into the fitting hole 17c of the cap case member 17. Then, the hooking foot 14c is inserted into the hooking hole 26 to hook each claw, and the cap case member 17 is attached to the base case member 14. Then, the case member 13 is formed, and the rotating brush 16 is rotatably supported around the central shaft 25 by exposing the brush 22 with the case member 13, and the pinion 20 and the slide member 15 are stored. When the cap case member 17 is attached, as shown in FIG.
b through the elongated hole 21 of the slide member 15
It fits in.

Thus, this toothbrush unit 11
As shown in FIG. 2, the fitting cylindrical portion 14a of the case member 13 is fitted into the cylindrical case 10a, and the thin shaft portion 12a of the drive shaft 12 is fitted into the mounting cylindrical portion 15a of the slide member 15 to form the claw portion 15b. Is attached to the toothbrush main body 10 by engaging with the circumferential groove 12b. Then, when the toothbrush unit 11 is attached to the toothbrush main body 10 in this manner, the toothbrush unit 11 is inclined about x degrees to the right front side in FIG. 2 with respect to the center line of the toothbrush main body 10. In this state, the slide member 15 is also in a state of being elastically deformed and curved in a direction perpendicular to the length direction with the thin portion 15f as a fulcrum.

In use, the switch (not shown) is turned on while holding the toothbrush body 10 with one hand, the motor is operated to drive the drive shaft 12, and the rack gear 15d of the slide member 15 is received by the drive force. Reciprocate linearly. At that time, the stroke of the movement in the length direction is regulated by the long hole 21. The reciprocating motion causes the pinion 20 to reciprocate in a range of about 90 degrees, and the revolving brush 16 to rotate integrally with the pinion 20. Then, the brush 22 of the rotating brush 16 is pressed against the teeth. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the case member 13 warps against the bending due to the reaction force, but the slide member 15 also follows this and is elastically deformed with the thin portion 15f as a fulcrum. At this time, the projections 14b and 17a opposed to the thin portion 15f restrict the thin portion 15f from moving in a direction perpendicular to the length direction,
The flapping of the thin portion 15f is suppressed.

In the illustrated embodiment, for example, when the toothbrush unit 11 is pulled out from the toothbrush body 10 for replacement, the center shaft 2
The engagement projection 17 b separate from the slide member 5 abuts, and the slide member 15 is pulled out together with the case member 13 without being left.
At this time, the rack gear 1 of the slide member 15
5d is prevented from being disengaged from the pinion 20.

In the illustrated embodiment described above, the case member 13 is provided with the engaging projection 17b and the other slide member 1 is provided.
Although the long hole 21 which is the engagement concave portion is provided in the case 5, it is also possible to provide an appropriate engagement concave portion in the case member 13 and provide an appropriate engagement convex portion in the slide member 15.

[0024]

Therefore, according to the present invention, in the rolling type electric toothbrush, either one of the slide member and the case member is provided with a pinion and a center axis of the rotating brush which rotates integrally therewith. An engaging projection is provided, and on the other hand, when the case member is pulled out from the toothbrush main body, an engaging recess is provided to engage with the engaging projection and pull out the slide member together. Can be prevented from being deformed, and the deformation of the center axis thereof can prevent problems such as deterioration of meshing between the pinion and the rack gear portion, and inhibition of smooth rotation of the pinion and the rotating brush. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a toothbrush unit of an electric toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing the toothbrush unit side of the electric toothbrush when not in use.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the toothbrush unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the toothbrush unit side of the electric toothbrush in a used state.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a toothbrush unit of a conventional electric toothbrush.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Toothbrush main body 13 Case member 15 Slide member 15d Rack gear part 16 Rotating brush 17b Engagement convex part 20 Pinion 21 Slot (engagement concave part) 25 Central axis

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshio Makino Ricoh Elemex Co., Ltd. (28), 24-28 Izumi 2-chome, Higashi-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture (56) Reference JP-A-6-121710 (JP, A) Hei 5-93255 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A46B 13/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A rack gear portion is provided at a longitudinal end.
An elongate slide member removably attached to the toothbrush body and reciprocating in the length direction; a pinion meshing with the rack gear portion of the slide member, and reciprocating within a predetermined angle range around a central axis with the reciprocation; A rotating brush that rotates integrally with the pinion; and a case member that exposes and supports the rotating brush and that houses the slide member and the pinion, wherein one of the slide member and the case member is provided. On the other hand,
An engagement projection separate from the central shaft is provided, and an engagement recess is provided on the other side, which engages with the engagement projection and pulls out the slide member together when the case member is pulled out from the toothbrush body. , electric toothbrush.