Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Scott Robert Wills

Pieter Johannes Bax

Franciscus Jozef Bosman

Lane Kleppen

Meng Peng

Alexandra Kulas

Sungsoo Lee

Tyler G Kloster

Ahren Karl Johnson

An added inertia resonant system () for a power toothbrush () comprises a drive shaft (), a drive system (), and at least one inertial weight member (). The drive shaft () has a principal axis () that defines a center of rotation. The drive system () imparts a reciprocating motion to the drive shaft () about the principal axis (). The at least one inertial weight member () couples to the drive shaft () and comprises a planar material having a complex shape balanced along an x-, y- and z-axis to enable the drive system () to achieve low power, high amplitude motion of the drive shaft () when placed under user loading. A method for providing added inertia in a resonant system for a power toothbrush is also disclosed.

Power toothbrush with added inertia resonant system

A personal care appliancecomprises an actuator, a current sensorfor monitoring a driving current, and a controller. The actuator, operable according to a non-linear response characteristicof amplitude versus frequency, includes a movable shaftconfigured for resonant movementin response to a drive signal, further for being coupled with a workpiece. The controller(i) detects at least one of a plurality of different characteristic load states () in response to a perturbation in the monitored driving currentand (ii) actively delivers the drive signalto the actuatorselected from at least two different drive signals () as a function of a detected characteristic load state. In this manner, the controllerimplements self-adaptive amplitude regulation of the movable shaft's resonant movementamong the plurality of difference characteristic load states that include additional loads of force, spring, mass, and/or damping to a given load state of a resonant spring mass system of actuatorcoupled with workpiece

Personal care appliance with self-adaptive amplitude regulation via actuator non-linearity and active driving adjustment and method thereof

A power toothbrush apparatus may include a body having a cavity and an opening leading to the cavity. An electric motor may be situated within the cavity and may include first and second biasing members; a stator casing situated between, and linearly biased by, the first and second biasing members, the stator casing may further include at least one opening and at least one electromagnet to generate a magnetic field; and a rotor which may have opposed ends and which may extend through the at least one opening of the stator casing, the rotor may further include an output shaft. The power toothbrush may further include a workpiece having a brush head coupled thereto and which may be coupled to one of the opposed ends of the output shaft.

Drive system for personal-care appliance and method of operation thereof

An added inertia resonant system () for a power toothbrush () comprises a drive shaft (), a drive system (), and at least one inertial weight member (). The drive shaft () has a principal axis () that defines a center of rotation. The drive system () imparts a reciprocating motion to the drive shaft () about the principal axis(). The at least one inertial weight member () couples to the drive shaft () and comprises a planar material having a complex shape balanced along an x-, y-and z-axis to enable the drive system () to achieve low power, high amplitude motion of the drive shaft () when placed under user loading. A method for providing added inertia in a resonant system for a power toothbrush is also disclosed.

An oral care appliance (), such as an electric toothbrush, utilizing non-linear resonant systems is described herein. In one exemplary embodiment, the oral care appliance includes a longitudinal shaft (), a brush head (), and a handle (). The handle includes a motor () that generates a first amplitude () for the brush head based on the brush head being outside of the user's mouth, when no mass is applied to the brush head. In response to the brush head being inside of the user's mouth, when mass is applied, such as by pressing the brush head against the teeth, the motor causes a second amplitude () to be generated for the brush head that is larger than the first amplitude.

Use of resonant systems to automatically modify power (amplitude) of an oral care appliance upon use in-mouth

A power toothbrush appliance () and a method for tuning a brushhead assembly system () thereof. The appliance includes a handle portion (), a drive assembly and a brushhead assembly system (). The drive assembly includes a DC motor () and an eccentric coupling () which drives the brushhead assembly system by means of a yoke mechanism. The brushhead assembly system includes a beam portion () which moves laterally about a pivot (). A brushhead () is attachable to and removable from a distal end of the beam. The beam is tunable by changing the stiffness thereof, or the length thereof, or the cross-sectional moment thereof, in order to control the resonant frequency of the brushhead assembly system relative to the drive frequency of the appliance to maintain the amplitude of the brush member within a range of 1.0-2.5 mm, preferably 1.75 mm.

Growing community of inventors

Shoreline, WA, United States of America

Scott Robert Wills