KR-20260064595-A - ATTACHMENT PORTION OF A REPLACMENT BRUSH HEAD

Abstract

A replacement brush head is provided for a secure snap-fit attachment to an electric toothbrush handle. The replacement brush head comprises a tubular body having a bristle carrier disposed at a first end. The second end comprises a structure for attaching the tubular body to an attachment portion of the handle. This attachment structure may comprise a pair of spaced elastic retaining bars extending parallel to a longitudinal axis, each of which comprises first and second ends connected to the tubular body, and each of which comprises a clamp portion disposed between the first and second ends and capable of bending with respect to the first and second ends.

Inventors

• 디숀 브라이언 제이.

Assignees

• 래니르, 엘엘씨

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251029

Priority Date

20241030

Claims (20)

1. It is a replacement brush head attached to an electric toothbrush handle, the handle having an attachment stem having a side wall and a pin extending outward from the side wall, and the replacement brush head, An outer sleeve having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the outer sleeve forms a longitudinal axis; A bristle carrier disposed at a first end of an outer sleeve, wherein the bristle carrier has a bristle surface, the bristle surface supports a plurality of bristles extending outwardly from the bristle surface, and the bristle carrier is configured to rotate with respect to the outer sleeve around a cleaning axis extending at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis; and A replacement brush head comprising a coupling insert disposed within a second end of an outer sleeve, wherein the coupling insert includes an upper end and a lower end, and the coupling insert includes a pair of spaced-apart elastic retaining bars, each retaining bar including a first and second end connected to the coupling insert, and a clamp portion positioned between the first and second end and capable of bending with respect to the first and second end, and the retaining bars are spaced apart from each other so as to engage with and receive the pin when the attachment stem of a handle is inserted into the coupling insert with the pin aligned radially between the retaining bars.
2. In paragraph 1, The coupling insert includes an upper section adjacent to the upper end and a lower section adjacent to the lower end, and the retaining bar is a replacement brush head extending between the upper section and the lower section.
3. In paragraph 1, Each retaining bar comprises an upper portion, a clamp portion, and a guide portion, wherein the upper portion extends from a first end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, and the guide portion extends from a second end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, forming a replacement brush head.
4. In paragraph 3, The clamp portion of the retaining bar is a replacement brush head shaped to match the shape of the coupling pin.
5. In paragraph 4, A replacement brush head in which the guide portion of the retaining bar converges toward each other from the second end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, and the guide portion of the retaining bar acts to guide a coupling pin into the clamp portion when the replacement head is attached to the electric toothbrush handle.
6. In paragraph 5, The upper part of the retaining bar consists of interchangeable brush heads that are generally parallel to each other.
7. In paragraph 6, The clamp portion is a replacement brush head, which is a concave section facing each other.
8. In Paragraph 7, A replacement brush head comprising a clamp portion including an upper end adjacent to an upper portion and a lower end adjacent to a guide portion, wherein a portion of the clamp portion is spaced apart from each other by a first distance, and the lower end of the clamp portion is spaced apart from each other by a second distance, and the first distance is greater than the second distance, and accordingly, a coupling pin is snap-fitted into the clamp portion.
9. In paragraph 8, A retaining bar includes an inner coupling surface facing each other and an outer surface facing the inner surface, and a coupling insert defines a first and second bending channel, and the bending channel is a replacement brush head extending along the outer surface.
10. In Paragraph 9, A replacement brush head comprising a structure for connecting a coupling insert to an external sleeve and retaining the coupling insert within the external sleeve.
11. In Paragraph 10, A structure for connecting a coupling insert includes a pair of protrusions extending from the coupling insert, wherein the protrusions are aligned with an opening in the outer sleeve upon insertion of the insert into the outer sleeve and extend into the opening, and a replacement brush head.
12. It is the attachment part of the replacement brush head, and A tubular body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the tubular body forms a longitudinal axis extending through the first and second ends; and It includes a toothbrush bristle carrier movably mounted at a first end of a tubular body for rotation around a carrier axis extending at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, and A second end of the tubular body is configured to be attached to an electric toothbrush handle, and the second end of the tubular body includes a pair of spaced elastic retaining bars, each of which includes a first and second end and a clamp portion between the first end and the second end, the first and second ends are directly connected to the tubular body, and the clamp portion is an attachment portion that can be bent with respect to the first and second ends.
13. In Paragraph 12, A retaining bar is an attachment part inserted between retaining bars and spaced apart from each other by a distance corresponding to the width of a coupling pin held by the retaining bar.
14. In Paragraph 13, Each retaining bar comprises an upper portion, a clamp portion, and a guide portion, wherein the upper portion extends from a first end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, and the guide portion extends from a second end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, and the retaining bar comprises an internal coupling surface extending through each of the upper portion, the clamp portion, and the guide portion, and the contour of the internal coupling surface changes from the upper portion to the clamp portion and from the clamp portion to the guide portion, forming an attachment portion.
15. In Paragraph 14, The clamp portion is an attachment portion that is a concave section facing each other.
16. In paragraph 15, The guide portion of the retaining bar is spaced apart and converges toward each other from the second end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, so that the guide portion of the retaining bar can act as a guide to guide the coupling pin into the clamp portion when the replacement brush head is attached to the electric toothbrush handle.
17. In Paragraph 16, A retaining bar includes an outer surface facing an inner surface, and a coupling insert forms first and second bending channels, and the bending channels are attachment portions extending along the outer surface.
18. In Paragraph 17, The tubular body includes an outer sleeve and a coupling insert disposed within the outer sleeve, and the retaining bar is an attachment portion formed on the coupling insert.
19. In Paragraph 18, A structure for connecting a coupling insert to an outer sleeve, wherein the structure includes a pair of protrusions extending from the coupling insert, and the protrusions are an attachment portion that aligns with the opening of the outer sleeve and extends into the opening when the insert is inserted into the outer sleeve.
20. It is a system for attaching a replacement brush head to the handle of an electric toothbrush, and An attachment stem extending from a handle, wherein the attachment stem includes a side wall, a rib extending outwardly from the side wall, and the middle portion of the rib having a cylindrical shape and forming a coupling pin; An outer sleeve having a tubular body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, wherein the tubular body forms a longitudinal axis; A toothbrush bristle carrier movably mounted on a first end of an outer sleeve, wherein the toothbrush bristle carrier has a toothbrush bristle surface, the toothbrush bristle surface supports a plurality of toothbrush bristles extending outwardly from the toothbrush bristle surface, and the toothbrush bristle carrier is configured to rotate with respect to the outer sleeve about a cleaning axis extending at a predetermined angle with respect to a longitudinal axis; and A system comprising a coupling insert disposed within a second end of a tubular body of an outer sleeve, wherein the coupling insert has an upper end located within the tubular body and a lower end located adjacent to the second end of the tubular body, and the coupling insert comprises a pair of spaced elastic retaining bars extending parallel to a longitudinal axis, each of the elastic retaining bars comprising a first and second end connected to the coupling insert, each of the elastic retaining bars comprising a clamp portion located between the first and second end and capable of bending with respect to the first and second end, and the clamp portions of the retaining bars each having an inwardly facing concave surface, and are spaced apart from each other so as to receive the coupling pin when an attachment stem is inserted into the coupling insert with the pin radially aligned between the retaining bars.

Description

Attachment portion of a replacement brush head The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush, and more specifically, to a replaceable brush head attachable to an electric toothbrush drive unit, and a structure for connecting an external sleeve portion of the replaceable brush head to a stationary portion of the electric toothbrush drive unit. Recognizing that toothbrush bristles require periodic replacement, the manufacturer has designed the replacement brush head to fit onto the individual drive unit of the electric toothbrush. The drive unit typically includes a power source, a switch, and a drive shaft. The replacement brush head can typically be removedly attached to the drive unit by screwing or snap-fitting a portion of the replacement head onto a portion of the drive unit. A replacement brush head typically comprises an elongated neck having an internal brush shaft connected to a bristle bearing head or a bristle carrier. The brush shaft is arranged to transmit power from a drive shaft to the brush head to move the brush head in a desired manner. One specific style of brush head is configured to convert the alternating linear movement of the drive shaft along a longitudinal axis into rotational or angular oscillating movement of the bristle head around an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. These brush heads generally include a fixed outer sleeve having a bristle bearing head at one end and an attachment portion at the opposite end. The brush head contains internal components within the outer sleeve to align with the drive shaft, convert motion, and drive the bristle carrier. The outer sleeve typically includes a structure at the attachment end for connecting to a fixed portion of the drive unit in a manner that reliably holds the brush head in place on the drive unit during use, while also allowing for relatively easy removal and replacement by the user. An example of such an attachment is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 10869743 granted to Fritsch. In this example, the drive unit comprises a generally cylindrical coupling stem having a side wall and a free end. A linearly alternating drive shaft extends from the free end. A coupling pin extends outwardly from the side wall to form a structure for mutual fitting with the outer sleeve of the brush head. The outer sleeve of the brush head includes a coupling insert configured to snap-fit with the coupling pin via a pair of curved, laterally extending, opposing cantilevered arms. These arms may be curved to provide a reliable snap-fit connection with the drive unit, but due to their curved, elongated nature, they may break and be difficult to manufacture. The present invention provides a replacement brush head for a rigid snap-fit attachment to an electric toothbrush handle of a style comprising an attachment portion having a side wall and a pin extending outwardly from the side wall. In one embodiment, the replacement brush head comprises a tubular body having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and the tubular body forms a longitudinal axis. A bristle carrier is disposed on the first end, and the bristle carrier has a bristle surface that supports a plurality of bristles, and the bristle carrier is configured to rotate about an outer sleeve around a cleaning axis that extends at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. The second end of the tubular body may include a structure for attaching the tubular body to the attachment portion of the handle. Such an attachment structure may include a pair of spaced-apart elastic retaining bars, each of which includes a first and second end connected to the tubular body, and each of which includes a clamp portion positioned between the first and second end and capable of bending with respect to the first and second end. The retaining bars are spaced apart from each other to accommodate a coupling pin by engaging with the coupling pin when the attachment portion of the handle is inserted into the second end of the tubular body with the pin radially aligned between the retaining bars. In one embodiment, the tubular body includes an outer sleeve and a coupling insert disposed within a second end of the outer sleeve, and the coupling insert includes an attachment structure. The coupling insert may include an upper end located within the outer sleeve and a lower end located adjacent to the second end of the outer sleeve, and the coupling insert includes an upper section adjacent to the upper end and a lower section adjacent to the lower end. The retaining bar may include an upper portion, a clamp portion, and a guide portion, the upper portion extending from a first end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion, and the guide portion extending from a second end of the retaining bar to the clamp portion. In one embodiment, the clamp portion of the retaining bar is shaped to match the shape of the coupling pin, and the clamp portion may have con