US4326314A — Electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 123 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis, a motor, a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, an eccentric pin which is secured to the support, an inner part of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which slot extends substantially radially in respect of the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder and in which the eccentric pin engages in a freely displaceable manner, and means for varying the distance between the axis of rotation of said support and the location of engagement of said eccentric pin in the longitudinal slot.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 123 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis, a motor, a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, an eccentric pin which is secured to the support, an inner part of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which slot extends substantially radially in respect of the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder and in which the eccentric pin engages in a freely displaceable manner, and means for varying the distance between the axis of rotation of said support and the location of engagement of said eccentric pin in the longitudinal slot.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 40 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the eccentric pin is orientated on its support and inclined to the axis of rotation of the latter, the support being mounted for displacement in the direction of its axis of rotation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 2, in which the support for the eccentric pin is rotatably and axially displaceably mounted on a stub which is parallel to a shaft of the motor and comprises peripheral teeth which mesh with the teeth of a pinion which is fastened on the motor shaft.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

An apparatus according to claim 3, in which a guide member for the eccentric pin is freely displaceably mounted within the longitudinal slot and comprises a ball joint with a ball which possesses a diametrical bore penetrated by the eccentric pin.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 57 words

An apparatus according to claim 3, in which a guide member for the eccentric pin is freely displaceably mounted within the longitudinal slot and comprises a bush with a double-conical inner peripheral wall which widens towards both ends of the bush and the cone angle of which is adjusted to the inclined orientation of the eccentric pin.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus according to claim 3, in which the walls of the holder defining the longitudinal slot are profiled in a double-conical manner corresponding to the inclination of the eccentric pin engaging them.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, in which the eccentric pin comprises sections which are radially offset in a stepwise manner in respect of its longitudinal axis and its support is displaceable in a stepwise manner in the direction of its axis of rotation.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 7, in which the support for the eccentric pin is rotatably and axially displaceably mounted on a stub which is parallel to a shaft of the motor and comprises peripheral teeth which mesh with the teeth of a pinion which is fastened on the motor shaft.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 45 words

An apparatus according to claim 7, in which a guide member for the eccentric pin is mounted within the longitudinal slot in a freely displaceable manner, the said guide member being in the form of a bush having a convexly inwardly curved inner peripheral wall.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus as defined in claim 7 including a guide member positioned within said slot, said eccentric pin extending through said guide member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of the support in the direction of its axis of rotation.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 161 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care, such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the push-on attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable to oscillate about its longitudinal axis, a motor, a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, an eccentric pin which is secured to the support, and an inner member of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which slot extends substantially radially in respect of the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder and in which the eccentric pin engages in a freely displaceable manner, the instrument holder being mounted for tipping movement about an axis which is orientated perpendicular to its longitudinal axis as well as also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot, so that when the instrument holder is tipped the radial spacing between the longitudinal axis thereof and the axis of rotation of the support for the eccentric pin is variable.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 161 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care, such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the push-on attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable to oscillate about its longitudinal axis, a motor, a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, an eccentric pin which is secured to the support, and an inner member of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which slot extends substantially radially in respect of the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder and in which the eccentric pin engages in a freely displaceable manner, the instrument holder being mounted for tipping movement about an axis which is orientated perpendicular to its longitudinal axis as well as also substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal slot, so that when the instrument holder is tipped the radial spacing between the longitudinal axis thereof and the axis of rotation of the support for the eccentric pin is variable.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 46 words

An apparatus according to claim 12, in which a substantially cylindrical section of the instrument holder is mounted in a diametrical bore of a cylindrical pivot pin which in turn is rotatable about its axis of rotation which forms the tipping axis for the instrument holder.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

An apparatus according to claim 12 including means for tipping said instrument holder about said axis perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

An apparatus according to claim 14 including a casing; a pivot pin pivotally mounted within said casing, said pivot pin having a bore therein, said instrument holder mounted within said bore, and an operating element secured to said pivot pin, said operating element located external to said casing.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus according to claim 12 including a return spring urging said instrument holder to a position corresponding to the largest oscillation amplitude of said instrument holder.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 40 words

An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said return spring and instrument holder are positioned such that a force exerted in a particular direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said instrument holder opposes the force of said return spring.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 141 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis; a motor; a rotatably mounted support driven by said motor; a pair of eccentric pins mounted at the ends of a rocker member which is mounted to said support, the rocker member being tiltable about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said support; an inner part of said instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot extending substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said instrument holder, one of said eccentric pins engaging said slot when said rocker member is tilted to a first position, the other of said eccentric pins engaging said slot when said rocker member is tilted to a second position.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 141 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care, comprising an instrument holder which is adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis; a motor; a rotatably mounted support driven by said motor; a pair of eccentric pins mounted at the ends of a rocker member which is mounted to said support, the rocker member being tiltable about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said support; an inner part of said instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot extending substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of said instrument holder, one of said eccentric pins engaging said slot when said rocker member is tilted to a first position, the other of said eccentric pins engaging said slot when said rocker member is tilted to a second position.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 204 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising: an instrument holder adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis; a motor; a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, said support mounted for displacement along its axis of rotation; an eccentric pin secured to the support, said pin inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of said support; an inner part of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which extends substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder, said eccentric pin engaging said slot; and a return spring urging said support to a position along its axis of rotation which corresponds to the largest oscillation amplitude of the instrument holder, said instrument holder, support, eccentric pin, and inner part arranged such that when a force perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said instrument holder is applied in a particular direction, a reaction force is exerted by a wall of said inner part defining said slot, said reaction force being exerted upon said eccentric pin which, in turn, exerts a force on said support opposing the force exerted by said spring.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 204 words

An electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care such as a toothbrush or massage apparatus, comprising: an instrument holder adapted for the attachment of a treatment instrument and which is drivable for oscillation about its longitudinal axis; a motor; a rotatably mounted support driven by the motor, said support mounted for displacement along its axis of rotation; an eccentric pin secured to the support, said pin inclined with respect to the axis of rotation of said support; an inner part of the instrument holder defining a longitudinal slot which extends substantially radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the instrument holder, said eccentric pin engaging said slot; and a return spring urging said support to a position along its axis of rotation which corresponds to the largest oscillation amplitude of the instrument holder, said instrument holder, support, eccentric pin, and inner part arranged such that when a force perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said instrument holder is applied in a particular direction, a reaction force is exerted by a wall of said inner part defining said slot, said reaction force being exerted upon said eccentric pin which, in turn, exerts a force on said support opposing the force exerted by said spring.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1985-04-26	1985-10-26	1986-04-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1989-04-26	1989-10-26	1990-04-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1993-04-26	1993-10-26	1994-04-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Electrically driven hand-held apparatus for body care, in particular a toothbrush or massage apparatus

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