JPH08358A - Electric toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a structure for actuating a motor switch by using a pressing force required for pushing a brush against teeth. CONSTITUTION:A body 1 is detachably provided with a brush 2. In addition, a battery 10, a motor 3 and a switching means 4 are laid inside the body 1. Also, the body 1 has an eccentric cam 5 for converting the rotation of the motor 3 to reciprocating motion, a link member 6 and a drive shaft 7 continuous thereto for mounting the brush 2. A support roller 8 for bearing the drive shaft 7 in such state as capable of free motion is also provided, together with a holding roller 9 for retaining one end of the shaft 7 in such state as capable of oscillation about the support roller 8, in a direction orthogonal with a moving direction. One end of the shaft of the roller 9 is linked to the switching means 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush having a brush and a driving means for reciprocating the brush in a main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric toothbrush has a battery, a motor, a switch means, and an eccentric cam for converting the rotational movement of the motor into a reciprocating movement, a brush driving means including a connecting member, a driving shaft, and the like. It was

[0003]

However, the conventional electric toothbrush is constructed so that the switch means of the motor can be operated from the outside of the main body, and the switch is operated one by one during use. Therefore, after use, it is necessary to open the switch to stop the motor, and if the switch is forgotten to be turned off, the battery power will be exhausted, and there will be a drawback that reuse will be hindered. Further, since the switch can be operated from the outside of the main body, there is a drawback that the waterproofing of the operation portion is troublesome and the structure is complicated.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a structure in which a motor switch is operated by utilizing a pressing force when a toothbrush is pressed against a tooth. To do.

[0005]

The electric toothbrush of the present invention has the following requirements. (B) A brush should be detachably attached to the main body. (B) The main body must have a battery, a motor and a switch means. (C)
The main body should have an eccentric cam for converting the rotation of the motor into reciprocating motion, a linking member, and a drive shaft connected to the eccentric cam for mounting the brush. (D) A support roller that movably supports the drive shaft, and a holding roller that swingably holds one end of the drive shaft in a direction orthogonal to the movement with the support roller as a fulcrum. (E) One end of the shaft of the holding roller is linked to the switch means.

[0006]

The switch means connected to the battery of the motor is provided with a normally open contact which is normally open. It is provided at a position where one end of the shaft of the holding roller comes into contact with the switch means, and the normally open contact is operated by the movement of the holding roller. Therefore, if no pressing force is applied to the brush attached to the drive shaft, the switch means is in the off state and the motor is stopped.

When the brush is pressed against the teeth while holding the main body at the time of use, the holding roller side is pressed in the direction opposite to the brush side with the drive shaft connected to the brush shaft as the fulcrum. By the movement of the holding roller, the normally open contact of the switch means is closed and the motor is rotated. The rotation of the motor causes the drive shaft to reciprocate through the eccentric cam and the linking member, and the brush reciprocates integrally with the drive shaft while contacting the teeth. When the brush is released from the teeth, the holding roller returns and the motor stops immediately.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a main body of an electric razor, and the main body 1 is made of synthetic resin and is made of a front portion 1a and a rear portion 1b. It is divided into two parts. Rear part 1 to front part 1a
b also serves as a cover of the battery 10 and is detachably attached to the rear end of the front portion 1a by screwing or the like.

A frame body 11 also serving as a bearing is provided in the main body 1, a motor 3 is attached to the frame body 11, a storage portion for the battery 10 is provided at the rear side, and a drive shaft is provided at the front side. The bearing part for 7 is formed. A pinion 51 is provided on the rotating shaft of the motor 3, and a crown gear 52 meshing with the pinion 51 and an eccentric cam 5 are formed integrally with the pinion 51 near the pinion 51. An elongated hole 61 of a link member 6 is linked to the eccentric cam 5, and the drive shaft 7 is formed integrally with the link member 6.

A long groove is formed on the drive shaft 7, a support roller 8 is provided on the front side in the long groove, and a holding roller 9 movably supported by a long hole 12 is provided on the rear side. There is. A waterproof rubber 21 is attached to the front portion of the drive shaft 7 so as to be in close contact with the main body 1 to prevent water from entering inside, and the brush shaft 22 of the brush 2 is attached to the mounting shaft 71 protruding to the outside. It is detachably attached.

The terminal 31 of the motor 3 is provided with a contact piece 41 for connecting to one end of the battery 10, and the frame 11
A contact piece 42 that also serves as a contact point is provided through the bottom of the battery 10, and the front end thereof is led out to the bearing side of the holding roller 9 as one end of the switch means 4. The terminal 32 of the motor 3 is provided with a contact piece 43 facing the contact piece 42 at a predetermined interval.
The shaft 91 of the holding roller 9 is in contact with the top of the shaft 3.

With the above structure, the switch means 4 is provided.
Are normally open. By the movement of the shaft 91 of the holding roller 9 in contact with the contact piece 43 of the switch means 4,
The switch means 4 is configured to operate. Therefore, when the pressing force is not applied to the brush 2 attached to the drive shaft 7, the switch means 4 is in the off state and the motor 3 is stopped.

When the brush 2 is pressed against the teeth while holding the main body 1 in use, the drive shaft 7 connected to the brush shaft 22 uses the support roller 8 as a fulcrum, and the holding roller 9 side is formed in the slot 22 in the direction opposite to the brush 2 side. Pushed down along. By the movement of the holding roller 9, the contact piece 42 of the switch means 4 is moved.
And the contact piece 43 come into contact with each other, and the motor 3 rotates. The rotation of the motor 3 causes the pinion 51 and the crown gear 5 to rotate.
The drive shaft 7 reciprocates via the eccentric cam 5 and the eccentric cam 5 and the linking member 6, and the brush 2 reciprocates integrally with the drive shaft 7 while contacting the teeth.

When the brush 2 is separated from the teeth, the holding roller 9 returns, and the contact piece 42 and the contact piece 43 of the switch means 4 are returned.
, The motor 3 stops immediately. In this way, the brush 2 can be reciprocated only when the brush 2 is pressed against the teeth.

[0015]

As described above, the electric toothbrush of the present invention is configured so that when the brush attached to the drive shaft is pressed against the teeth during use, the pressing force is used to operate the switch means. There is. This switch means has the function of an automatic switch equipped with a pressure sensor that does not operate unless the brush is pressed properly against the teeth.Using this function, the infant is always given the correct brushing habit. You can Further, since the switch means can be configured inside the main body, it is not necessary to provide a waterproof structure on the switch operation portion for external operation unlike the conventional type, and the structure is simple.
In particular, the motor can be rotated only when necessary, and unlike the conventional model, the battery power can be used effectively without wasting power by forgetting to turn off the switch, etc. The period can be extended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cutaway perspective view of an essential part of an electric toothbrush showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway side view of an essential part of the electric toothbrush of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway plan view of an essential part of the electric toothbrush of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Body 2 Brush 3 Motor 4 Switch Means 5 Eccentric Cam 6 Linking Member 7 Drive Shaft 8 Support Roller 9 Holding Roller 10 Battery 11 Frame

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electric toothbrush having the following requirements. (B) A brush should be detachably attached to the main body. (B) The main body must have a battery, a motor and a switch means. (C) The main body should have an eccentric cam for converting the rotation of the motor into reciprocating motion, a linking member, and a drive shaft connected to the eccentric cam for mounting the brush. (D) A support roller that movably supports the drive shaft,
A holding roller that swingably holds one end of the drive shaft in the direction orthogonal to the movement should be provided with the support roller as a fulcrum. (E) One end of the shaft of the holding roller is linked to the switch means.