The present disclosure is directed to a low-cost toothbrush with a simple-to-manufacture design that provides a tapping motion of the brush head. In an embodiment, a dental cleaning device includes an eccentric rotating mass motor and a drive shaft mechanically coupled to the motor. A spring element is mounted to the drive shaft in a configuration in which it acts in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft. The spring element and drive shaft form an assembly having a resonant frequency. A power source supplies to the motor power sufficient to cause the motor to operate near the resonant frequency of the assembly.

An oral care implement handle (200) having a gripping portion (210) and an oral care refill head (300) that is detachably coupled thereto. The oral care implement handle (200) may include the gripping portion (210) and a rocker unit (400) which includes a stem (250), a motor (224), and a motor chassis (410). The rocker unit (400) may be pivotably mounted within the gripping portion (210) so that upon pressure being applied an oral care refill head (300) which is coupled to the stem (250) that exceeds a pressure threshold, the rocker unit (400) may be altered from a normal position to an excessive pressure position. When in the excessive pressure position, the rocker unit (400) may actuate an actuator element (265) of a control unit (260) to initiate generation of a user perceptible signal.

An electrically driven device includes a housing, an electric motor with a drive shaft having a first rotary axis and a drive pin connected to the drive shaft eccentrically with respect to the rotary axis, and a driven shaft having a second rotary axis and mounted in the housing for performing a pivoting about the second rotary axis. The driven shaft is coupled to the drive shaft by a gear mechanism including a scotch yoke mechanism converting a rotary motion of the drive shaft into a reciprocating motion of the driven shaft. The scotch yoke mechanism includes a cross slider having a sliding support extending perpendicular to the first rotary axis and receiving the drive pin either directly or through a sliding block with a bearing receiving the drive pin. The cross slider is guided in the housing by at least two pivotable links. The driven shaft is coupled to the cross slider by an arm, converting a rotary motion of the drive shaft into a reciprocating of the driven shaft.

A drive train assembly (22) for a personal care device (10), the drive train assembly including a shaft (24) with a central axis and a plurality of pivot bearing notches (122); a motor (130) encircling at least a portion of the shaft and configured to oscillate the shaft about the shaft's central axis; and a plurality of stationary pivot bearings (120), where at least an apex of each of the plurality of stationary pivot bearings is positioned within a respective one of the plurality of pivot bearing notches.

Disclosed herein is an electric toothbrush with a toothpaste cartridge. The electric toothbrush may include a main body with a top end adapted to engage with a removable brush attachment. The main body may be configured to accommodate the toothpaste cartridge, one or more conduits, a servo mechanism, a controller, and an energy storage device. The removable brush attachment having an elongated structure configured to be removably attached to the main body. The elongated structure may include a first end including a brush head with a front surface. The front surface may include one or more openings configured to dispense a fluid flowing through a passage within the removable brush attachment. The toothpaste cartridge having a flexible cylindrical tank configured for storing the fluid, and to release the fluid into the one or more conduits when a pressure may be applied to the toothpaste cartridge by the servo mechanism.

The invention is directed in particular to a drive unit (10) for an electric toothbrush handpiece (2) having a gear unit (11) and an electric motor (16). The gear unit (11) comprises an eccentric (15), a connecting rod (14), a drive shaft (12), and an articulation piece (13) that is securely connected to the drive shaft (12). The electric motor (16) has a motor shaft (16a). Furthermore, the eccentric (15) has a main part (15a) with a main part axis (X.sub.G) and an eccentric pin (15b) which is arranged on the main part (15a) and extends from the main part (15a) in parallel with the main part axis (X.sub.G). The connecting rod (14) has a first bearing (14a), a second bearing (14b), and a rod element (14c) which connects the first bearing (14a) to the second bearing (14b). The articulation piece (13) is secured to the drive shaft (12) and has an articulation pin (13a) which extends in parallel with the drive shaft (12) and counter to the eccentric pin (15b). The main part (15a) of the eccentric (15) is attached along the main part axis (X.sub.G) to the motor shaft (16a) of the electric motor (16) and the eccentric pin (15b) is received by the first bearing (14a) of the connecting rod (14). The articulation pin (13a) of the articulation piece (13) secured to the drive shaft (12) is received by the second bearing (14b) of the connecting rod (14). The invention is additionally directed to an electric toothbrush handpiece (2), a method for producing an electric toothbrush handpiece (2), to an attachment brush head (3) for an electric toothbrush handpiece (2) and to an electric toothbrush (1).

A powered toothbrush head that, in one embodiment, includes a head portion including a first movable tuft block configured for holding tooth cleaning elements. The first movable tuft block is operably connected to a motor-driven drift shaft for movement. An eccentric cam formed on the shaft drives the first movable tuft block via engagement with a slot formed in the body of the first movable tuft block. The first movable tuft block is movable in a combination oscillating motion comprising vertical motion and lateral pivoting or tilting motion upon rotation of the drive shaft. A related method for oscillating the first movable tuft block is disclosed.

A brushing device including a motor having an eccentric drive shaft, an output shaft operably connected to the motor, and a power train assembly coupled between the eccentric drive shaft and the output shaft. The power train converts rotation of the eccentric drive shaft into an oscillating movement of the output shaft. The power train includes one or more conservation features that absorb energy when the output shaft rotates in a first direction and reapply energy to the output shaft when it rotates in a second direction.

Oral care implement that can be detachably coupled to a handle having a motor. The oral care implement includes a drive assembly to operably engage the motor, a head portion that includes a body, a first carrier comprising a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the first carrier, the first carrier comprising a central passageway; and a second carrier disposed within the central passageway of the first carrier, the second carrier comprising an elastomeric cleaning element extending from the second carrier. The drive assembly may be operably coupled to each of the first and second carriers and configured to: (1) produce a first oscillatory motion of the first carrier about a first rotational axis; and (2) produce a second oscillatory motion of the second carrier, the second oscillatory motion being counter to the first oscillatory motion.