JP4762451B2 - Power driven toothbrush - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a power-driven toothbrush, and more particularly to a toothbrush that vibrates a brush by ultrasonic vibration generated by a piezoelectric vibrator and mechanical vibration generated by a rotary motor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In order to effectively cleanse the oral cavity and massage the gums simultaneously with the removal of plaque, toothbrushes having a power mechanism that vibrates the brush are widely known. One of the power mechanisms generates ultrasonic vibrations, and the other generates mechanical vibrations.
[0003]
The ultrasonic vibration of the brush transmits ultrasonic energy generated by the vibration caused by the strain generated by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric vibrator. The brush mainly vibrates at a high frequency in the direction of strain generation. Do. For mechanically vibrating the brush, the radial vibration generated by the rotation of the rotating motor provided with an eccentric load is utilized over the entire circumference, or the axial reciprocating direction generated by the axial reciprocating motion of the linear motor is used. The brush uses vibration, and the brush vibrates at a low frequency in the vibration generating direction.
[0004]
That is, the brush mainly vibrates in the direction of the force applied by the power mechanism, and this vibration is repeated in one direction or in the radial direction with the same amplitude, so it is inevitable that the vibration of the brush is monotonous. In addition, mechanical vibration by an electric motor can be expected to have the effect of acting on the inside of the gingiva to make it easy to peel and remove dirt in the oral cavity such as dental plaque with ultrasonic energy. Can not.
[0005]
For this reason, in order to sufficiently achieve the objectives of oral hygiene using these conventional toothbrushes, the position and orientation of the brush in the oral cavity must be changed frequently by ultrasonic vibration or mechanical vibration in the motor shaft direction. is required. Further, in the case of using mechanical vibrations of the electric motor, it is necessary to remove and remove the dirt only by the rubbing action of the brush, and a gingival massage effect cannot be expected. Therefore, when a general person uses it on a daily basis, dental plaque removal, oral cleaning, and gingival massage cannot be performed evenly, and there is a concern that brushing will end in an insufficient state.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem that there is a concern that the objective of oral hygiene may not be sufficiently achieved, which has a power-driven toothbrush in which the brush is vibrated by a conventional piezoelectric vibrator or electric motor. Therefore, it is intended to provide a power-driven toothbrush that can sufficiently vibrate the brush in multiple directions to widen the range of the effect, and thus satisfy the purpose of oral hygiene.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention includes an ultrasonic transmitter that causes a piezoelectric vibrator to perform ultrasonic vibration, and a rotary electric motor having an eccentric load attached to an output shaft, which is incorporated in a handle having a head with a brush at the tip. It is assumed that at least the tip portion of the handle that moves to the head has a cross-sectional shape with a shorter dimension in the direction perpendicular to the direction of strain generation of the piezoelectric vibrator.
[0008]
More specifically and specifically, an ultrasonic transmitter that causes the piezoelectric vibrator to perform ultrasonic vibration and a rotary motor with an eccentric load attached to the output shaft are incorporated in a hollow handle with the former as the proximal end and the latter as the distal end. The rotary electric motor is held in contact with the handle, and the piezoelectric vibrator emits ultrasonic vibration in the length of the brush hair inside the head having a brush provided in front of the tip of the handle. It is assumed that at least the rotary electric motor of the handle has a cross-sectional shape with a shorter dimension in the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the brush hair than in the length direction of the brush hair.
[0009]
When the output shaft is rotated, the rotary electric motor vibrates due to the eccentric load, and this vibration is transmitted to the handle and vibrates greatly in the shorter direction than the longer length direction. The entire body including the brush vibrates in the three-dimensional direction due to the ultrasonic vibration generated by the piezoelectric vibrator and the large mechanical vibration applied in the direction perpendicular to it, resulting in a very wide range of effects. The purpose of oral hygiene can be fully achieved.
[0010]
In addition, if the cross-sectional area gradually decreases toward the tip from the rotary electric motor of the handle toward the tip, and the cross-sectional shape is shorter in the direction perpendicular to the direction of strain generation of the piezoelectric vibrator, The mechanical vibration by the rotary motor is amplified, and the brush can be vibrated further.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 1, a handle 1 is a hard synthetic resin product, which is made hollow as a whole, and includes a base handle portion 1A and a tip handle portion 1B. And are separated from each other by being fitted together. The power source can be obtained from a commercial power source for general households, but in the present embodiment, the battery 3 is used so that it can be put in and out of the hollow portion 2A of the base handle 1A along with the ultrasonic transmitter 4 from the front end side. It is stored.
[0012]
The distal handle portion 1B has a hollow portion 2B that is continuous with the hollow portion 2A of the proximal handle portion 1A, and several ridges 5 extending in the longitudinal direction of the handle 1 are formed in the inner peripheral surface proximal end region. They are formed at appropriate intervals in the circumferential direction. In addition, a flat protrusion 6 is integrally formed at the tip of the tip handle 1B, and is a hollow body having a flat attachment hole 9 open to the base end, and a large number of hair bundles are implanted. A hard synthetic resin head 8 having a brush 10 is removably coupled by closely fitting the mounting hole 9 into the protrusion 6.
[0013]
A piezoelectric vibrator 11 composed of a plate-like piezoelectric element elongated in the longitudinal direction is embedded in the projecting portion 6, and a conducting wire 12 for applying a voltage to the electrode connects the ultrasonic transmitter 4 and the piezoelectric vibrator 11. And it is extended to the hollow part 2B. A voltage is applied to the piezoelectric vibrator 11 to cause electric polarization to cause distortion in the thickness direction, and ultrasonic energy generated by vibration due to this distortion is transmitted to the brush 10 via the wall of the protrusion 6 and the wall of the head body 8. The ultrasonic vibration of the head 8 including the brush 10 mainly in the hair length direction is the same as the conventional one.
[0014]
The battery 3 and the ultrasonic transmitter 4 are housed and held in a hard synthetic resin holder 14, and the holder 14 wraps and holds the rotary motor 15 in front of the ultrasonic transmitter 4. The rotary motor 15 is housed in the hollow portion 2B of the tip handle portion 1B, and the holder 14 is held in contact with the handle 1 without rattling against the protrusion 5.
[0015]
The ultrasonic transmitter 4 and the rotary motor 15 are simultaneously activated and stopped simultaneously by a switch (not shown).
[0016]
The output shaft 16 of the rotary motor 15 protrudes into the hollow portion 2B toward the tip of the handle 1, and a weight is eccentrically attached to the output shaft 16, and this weight acts as an eccentric load 17.
[0017]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A to 2D, from the proximal end portion housing the rotary motor 15 of the distal handle portion 1B to the distal end portion equipped with the head body 8. The cross-sectional dimension of the region to be reached is smaller in the direction of strain generation of the piezoelectric vibrator 11, that is, in the direction perpendicular to the dimension in the length direction of the bristles of the brush 10, and the tip portion of the rotary motor 15 The cross-sectional area was gradually reduced from the tip toward the tip.
[0018]
When the output shaft 16 rotates, the rotary motor 15 vibrates in the radial direction over the entire circumference due to the eccentric load 17, whereby the handle 1 vibrates. This vibration is caused by causing the short side direction perpendicular to the bristle length direction of the brush 10, which is the long side direction, to vibrate more greatly in the tip handle 1B and reducing the cross-sectional area toward the tip. Amplifies vibration.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the head body 8 vibrates with the amplitude Y ₁ in the hair length direction of the brush 10 and vibrates with the amplitude X _{1 in} a direction orthogonal to the head body 8 as shown in FIG. ₁ is considerably smaller than the _{Y 1.} On the other hand, the tip portion of the distal handle portion 1B performs a vibration amplitude Y ₂ to bristle length direction of the brush 10, as shown in FIG. 3 (B) by rotating the motor 15, the amplitude X ₂ in the direction perpendicular thereto X ₂ is considerably larger than Y ₂ . As a result, the head body 8 vibrates greatly in a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the hair of the brush 10.
[0020]
Then, the vibrations of the amplitudes Y ₂ and X ₂ that are mechanical vibrations are added to the vibrations of the amplitudes Y ₁ and X ₁ that are ultrasonic vibrations, so that the entire head body 8 including the brush 10 vibrates in a three-dimensional direction. This vibration changes in a complicated manner depending on the amplitude difference and phase between Y ₁ and Y ₂ and X ₁ and X ₂ .
[0021]
For this reason, when the head body 8 is placed in a certain position in the oral cavity in a certain posture, the range in which the brush 10 of teeth or gums contacts and slides is widened, and the vibration of the brush 10 is complicated, thereby causing plaque. In addition, the ultrasonic energy promotes the removal and removal of dirt in the oral cavity by ultrasonic energy, so that cleaning for removing dirt in the oral cavity can be performed satisfactorily. Moreover, it cannot be overemphasized that the gingival massage effect by ultrasonic energy is acquired collectively.
[0022]
Needless to say, the thinnest portion of the tip handle 1B has a cross-sectional area and a cross-sectional shape that do not impair the mechanical strength, and the dimensional ratio in the orthogonal direction is one pair in consideration of the mechanical strength and the vibration effect. It is suitable to set it as about 0.7-0.3.
[0023]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention in which vibration in a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction of ultrasonic vibration is mechanically added, the brush is vibrated greatly in multiple directions, and the range of effect is greatly expanded. The purpose can be fully satisfied.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the lines AA, BB, CC, and DD in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the magnitude of vibration.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 handle, 4 ultrasonic transmitters, 8 heads, 10 brushes, 11 piezoelectric vibrators,
15 rotary motor, 16 output shaft, 17 eccentric load

Claims (3)

An ultrasonic transmitter for performing ultrasonic vibration on a piezoelectric vibrator, and a rotary electric motor having an eccentric load attached to an output shaft are incorporated in a handle having a head having a brush at the tip, and at least the head of the handle The power-driven brush is characterized in that the tip portion that shifts to a cross-sectional shape is shorter in the direction orthogonal to the direction of strain generation of the piezoelectric vibrator. An ultrasonic transmitter for performing ultrasonic vibration on the piezoelectric vibrator and a rotary motor with an eccentric load attached to the output shaft are built in a hollow handle with the former as the base end and the latter as the tip side, and the rotary motor is the handle The piezoelectric vibrator is installed inside a head body having a brush provided in front of the tip of the handle so as to emit ultrasonic vibration in the length direction of the hair of the brush. A power-driven toothbrush characterized in that at least a tip side portion of the handle has a shorter cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the brush hair length direction than the brush hair length direction. . The region from the rotary electric motor to the tip portion of the handle has a cross-sectional shape that gradually decreases in cross-sectional area toward the tip and that has a shorter dimension in a direction perpendicular to the direction of strain generation of the piezoelectric vibrator. The power drive toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

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