Electric toothbrushes

Abstract

In a first embodiment an electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor and adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head. In a second embodiment a packaged electric toothbrush including a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip such as aluminium foil, separated by a dielectric material, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts used to operate the electric toothbrush and the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto which is a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . An electric toothbrush having a housing containing an electric motor, the motor being drivingly connected to a first brush head rotatably mounted on an end of the toothbrush remote from the motor adjacent to at least one other rotatable brush head, wherein the first brush head includes a drive pin extending therefrom substantially at right angles from the axis of rotation, the free end of the drive pin being received within a guide slot in a brush head to be driven thereby, the arrangement being such that the drive pin bears against respectively opposite sides of the guide slot to thereby drive a driven brush head clockwise and anti-clockwise about its axis of rotation as the first brush head is also being oscillated.  
     
     
         2 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 1  having first and second brush heads, the second brush head having a plane of rotation which is angled relative to the plane of rotation of the first brush head.  
     
     
         3 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 2  wherein the second brush head is angled inwardly towards the first brush head.  
     
     
         4 . An electric toothbrush according to any preceding claim wherein the means by which the motor is drivingly connected to the first brush head and the means by which the drive pin is received within a guide slot in a brush head to be driven thereby includes a part-spherical ball joint.  
     
     
         5 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 4  wherein the ball joint is made of nylon.  
     
     
         6 . A detachable brush head holder for an electric toothbrush body housing a motor, a battery and associated electrical circuitry, the detachable brush head holder including at the free end thereof when connected at the other end to the body portion, a first partly rotatable brush head and a second partly rotatable brush head, the first brush head in said position being drivingly connected to the motor and including a drive pin extending therefrom substantially at right angles from the axis of rotation of the first brush head, the free end of the drive pin being received within a guide slot in the second brush head, the arrangement being such that the drive pin bears against respectively opposite sides of the guide slot to thereby drive the second brush head clockwise and anti-clockwise about its axis of rotation as the first brush head is also being oscillated.  
     
     
         7 . A packaged electric toothbrush including a body portion for containing a battery operated motor drivingly connected or connectable to a brush head holder including at least one brush head, wherein the toothbrush includes a “try me” facility for remotely testing the operation of the toothbrush, such as by a prospective purchaser of the toothbrush whilst the toothbrush is still in its protective sales packaging, which “try me” feature comprises a two-sided metal strip, such as aluminium foil, separated by a dielectric material such as paper or plastics, respective sides of the strip being connected at one end to respective parts of an electric circuit used to operate the electric toothbrush and, in particular, to energise the electric motor thereof, the other end of the strip being folded over and including a centrally disposed aperture onto or over which is disposed a bendable metal connector such that upon bending or pressing of the connector the two sides of the strip or foil are electrically connected together to temporarily operate the toothbrush whilst still in its packaging.  
     
     
         8 . A toothbrush according to  claim 7  in which the “try me” feature may be permanently disconnected from the toothbrush by being pulled away from the electrical circuit to which it is attached.