Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Koninklijkle Philips N.v.

Wolter F Benning

Tyler G Kloster

Kevin Arnold Miller

Joseph W Grez

Simon J Lamason

Patrick A Headstrom

Dainia Edwards

Craig Kortick Black

Charles B Cook

Gregg Heard

Christopher Dabrowski

Rick Peterson

Martyn Gray Darnbrough Beedham

Hanne Lindholt Caspersen

Martinus Bernardus Stapelbroek

Scott E Hall

Gregory Russ Goddard

Michiel Allan Aurelius Schallig

Jan Willem Bruggers

John W Pace

Nathan Farrell

Stijn Willem Boere

Hendrik Richard Jousma

Ari Lumbantobing

Ahren Karl Johnson

Evert Alle Helfrich

Paul Leonard

Paulus Cornelis Duineveld

Bart Johannes Massee

Jozef Johannes Maria Janssen

Yu-Wen Chang

Petrus Henricus De Leeuw

Donald Charles Baumgarten

Jerry Wood

Garrett Kotlarchik

Brian Johanski

Dave Ahlman

Paul Bas

Peter Alexander Wachters

Katrina Rockey

Jeffrey Garrigues

Patrick Headstrom

Martyn Beedham

Joe Grez

Hanne Caspersen

Bart J Massee

Craig Black

Katrina Rocket

Piet De Leeuw

According to an aspect there is provided a motor () for a personal care device (). The motor () comprises: a stator () comprising a stator surface; a rotor () comprising a rotor surface disposed opposite the stator surface; and a spacer () projecting between the stator surface and the rotor surface so as to define a minimum airgap between the stator () and the rotor (). The spacer () is disposed on or at one of the rotor surface and the stator surface, and has a contact surface configured to engage with the other one of the rotor surface and the stator surface.

Motor for a personal care device

An actuator () for a personal care appliance () having an eccentric core () to preload the actuator () to prevent rattling caused by detrimental reactionary forces. The eccentric core () includes a pole assembly () radially extending from a spindlehaving at least a first set (-) and a second set (-) of pole members. The first set (-) has a greater length as measured from the center of the spindlethan the second set (-), reducing the magnet gap on one side of the spindle () to create an eccentric core and preload the actuator (). Alternatively, the preload can be mechanically created by a set of bearings () disposed within housing () of the actuator, where the bearings () have a centerline (A) offset from the principal axis (A) of the housing ().

Personal care device actuator with rattle mitigation

Various operational mode arrangements of an electric toothbrush () include pre-programming a controller portion () of the electric toothbrush such that a single brushing event of approximately two minutes comprises automatically at least two different operating modes and specified times for each mode. Another operational mode includes the capability of operating the on/off button () of the toothbrush within a specified short time following termination of a normal brushing event to provide the user a specified additional time, e.g. 30 seconds of toothbrush action. A special toothbrush interface arrangement includes a display () which encourages children to maintain brushing for the full brushing period. This is accomplished through sequential illustration of the progress of an article from an initial state to a final desired state as the toothbrush is used for increasing portions of a full brushing time period. In another embodiment, a toothbrush () includes a capability of adjusting the performance/operating characteristics in accordance with the age of a child user.

System for operating modes for an electric toothbrush

An oral care device () with a pump assembly () including: a plunger assembly () having a rack assembly (); a compressible spring () configured to exert a forward force on the plunger assembly; and a rack and pinion assembly () configured to exert a force on the plunger assembly opposite the forward force, wherein the rack assembly includes a plurality of rack teeth () and the pinion assembly () includes a plurality of teeth () arranged around a portion of the pinion; where the plurality of rack teeth include an angled front surface () and an angled rear surface (), the front surface of at least some of the plurality of rack teeth including a different angle than the rear surface, and further where at least some of the plurality of rack teeth include a pointed or rounded tip ().

Spring-driven pump for dispensing discrete bursts of liquid

A drive train assembly () for a personal care device (), the drive train assembly including a shaft () with a central axis and a plurality of pivot bearing notches (); a motor () 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 (), 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.

Drive train assembly for a personal care device

A flossing appliance with a body portion which includes a system for generating bursts of liquid and/or a liquid/gas mixture. A neck portion extends from the body portion through which the bursts are delivered to a nozzle, which is shaped and adapted to fit into the interproximal spaces of the user's teeth. A use reminder system which includes a reminder timer which begins to time following the activation cycle of the appliance. An indicator is responsive to the timer, providing an indication to the user that the timer has exceeded a predetermined time, such as 24 hours, without use.

System for reminding use of an oral care appliance

An actuator () for a personal care appliance () having an eccentric core () to preload the actuator () to prevent rattling caused by detrimental reactionary forces. The eccentric core () includes a pole assembly () radially extending from a spindle () having at least a first set (-) and a second set (-) of pole members. The first set (-) has a greater length as measured from the center of the spindle () than the second set (-), reducing the magnet gap on one side of the spindle () to create an eccentric core and preload the actuator (). Alternatively, the preload can be mechanically created by a set of bearings () disposed within housing () of the actuator (), where the bearings () have a centerline (A) offset from the principal axis (A) of the housing ().

The appliance (, FIG.) includes a body portion () and a nozzle portion () through which a spray of liquid droplets exits from a distal end thereof for cleaning of dental regions. The nozzle includes an orifice () at a proximal end thereof adjacent the body portion, as well as a pump () for moving liquid into an area of the nozzle just forward of the orifice. A mechanical system () is provided for moving a plunger or piston element () first away from the orifice under tension, such as a compression spring (), and then controllably releasing the plunger or piston toward the orifice, the plunger/piston moving with sufficient force that atmospheric air which has been drawn into the appliance between the plunger or piston is forced through the orifice at a sufficiently high rate of speed to produce a spray of fluid droplets for dental cleaning when the moving air comes into contact with the liquid in the nozzle.

Non-pressurized system for creating liquid droplets in a dental cleaning appliance

The guidance assembly is used for precise cleaning of interproximal spaces of teeth. The guidance assembly includes a base portion () for contacting the surfaces of teeth and gum region, adjacent the interproximal space, the base portion being approximately 12 mm in diameter to provide stable contact with the teeth and gum region. The guidance assembly also includes a tip portion () which extends forward of the base portion and includes an opening () through which the droplet spray is directed coincident with the plane of the interproximal space.

Guidance assembly tip for a liquid droplet spray teeth cleaning appliance

A nodal-mounted spring arrangement for an electronic toothbrush includes a V-shaped spring member secured at both ends so that it can operate in out-of-phase torsion mode along the axial dimension thereof. In one embodiment, the V-shaped spring member includes two extended end regions, which extend below a longitudinal edge of the middle portion of the V-spring. The free ends of the extended portions are joined by a flat cross-piece. This 'closed end' region is present at both ends of the V-spring.

Nodal spring assembly for an electronic toothbrush

The personal care appliance () comprises a handle/housing (), a workpiece assembly (), a motor assembly () which is mounted to the handle for driving the workpiece assembly and a secondary resonator () connected to the motor assembly or the handle, the secondary resonator comprising a spring mass assembly characterized in that at resonant operation thereof, vibrations produced by action of the motor assembly which would otherwise be transmitted to the handle, are significantly reduced/cancelled.

Vibration-canceling secondary resonator for use in a personal care appliance

The spray assembly for a droplet spray teeth cleaning system includes a guidance member at the end thereof. The spray assembly includes a nozzle through which a spray of liquid is directed to the teeth for cleaning. The guidance member is configured and mounted relative to the nozzle to provide a selected standoff distance between the nozzle and the teeth and includes a portion which is configured to fit in the interproximal space between adjacent teeth and gums, or against the frontal portions of the teeth, so that the user knows the location of the spray relative to the teeth.

Locating/guidance tip assembly for a liquid droplet spray teeth cleaning system

A V-spring member () for use in a driving system for a personal care appliance has regions () at the ends of the spring which are large enough to support a contact with an end clamping assembly, the spring member including a cross-piece () extending between the longitudinal edges of the spring at the end regions, such that the ends of the spring member define a closed line. End clamping assemblies () provided for such a V-spring member include a body portion () having a lower support portion () on which the V-spring is supported and a mating clamping member () positioned in registry with the support portion on top of the V-spring. The support portion and the clamping member include peripheral edges () which have a curved cross-sectional configuration, and which are in registry, making contact with the spring member in the end regions in such a manner as to reduce stress concentrations in the end regions of the spring, thereby reducing fretting fatigue and fretting damage in the spring.

V-spring configuration and end attachment assemblies therefor for use in a personal care appliance

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Wolter F Benning