Multi-motion toothbrush

Abstract

An electric toothbrush is disclosed. The electric toothbrush includes a body having an interior hollow region for retaining a motor, one or more batteries, and a drive mechanism. The toothbrush includes multiple bristle carriers. Each of the bristle carriers undergoes some type of movement and is driven by the motor. Various combinations of movement of the bristle carriers are described.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A multi-motion toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated body having a first end and a second head end opposite from said first end, said body defining an interior hollow region accessible from said first end;    a first moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed proximate said second end of said body;    a second moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed between said first bristle carrier and said first end of said body;    an electrically powered motor disposed in said elongated body, said motor providing a rotating powered output;    a positionable switch for selectively activating said motor, said switch accessible along said elongated body;    a drive mechanism disposed in said elongated body and engaging said output of said motor to said first bristle carrier and said second bristle carrier; and    a battery disposed in said hollow region of said elongated body for providing electrical power to said motor upon positioning of said switch;    wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes one dimensional periodic linear movement and said second bristle carrier undergoes two or three dimensional periodic primarily linear movement upon activating said motor by use of said switch.    
     
     
         2 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said first bristle carrier reciprocates along an axis that is generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         3 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said first bristle carrier reciprocates along an axis (i) extending within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head and (ii) generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         4 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said first bristle carrier reciprocates along an axis (i) extending within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head and (ii) at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         5 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said first bristle carrier reciprocates along an axis (i) extending within a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head and (ii) generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         6 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said first bristle carrier reciprocates along an axis extending within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         7 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         8 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         9 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         10 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 1  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.  
     
     
         11 . A multi-motion toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated body having a first end and a second head end opposite from said first end, said body defining an interior hollow region accessible from said first end;    a first moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed proximate said second end of said body;    a second moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed between said first bristle carrier and said first end of said body;    an electrically powered motor disposed in said elongated body, said motor providing a rotating powered output;    a positionable switch for selectively activating said motor, said switch accessible along said elongated body;    a drive mechanism disposed in said elongated body and engaging said output of said motor to said first and said second bristle carriers; and    a battery disposed in said hollow region of said elongated body for providing electrical power to said motor upon positioning of said switch;    wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional periodic primarily linear movement and said second bristle carrier undergoes two or three dimensional periodic primarily linear movement upon activating said motor by use of said switch.    
     
     
         12 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         13 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement in a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         14 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement in a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         15 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.  
     
     
         16 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         17 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         18 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         19 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 11  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.  
     
     
         20 . A multi-motion toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated body having a first end and a second head end opposite from said first end, said body defining an interior hollow region accessible from said first end;    a first moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed proximate said second end of said body;    a second moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed between said first bristle carrier and said first end of said body;    an electrically powered motor disposed in said elongated body, said motor providing a rotating powered output;    a positionable switch for selectively activating said motor, said switch accessible along said elongated body;    a drive mechanism disposed in said elongated body and engaging said output of said motor to said first and said second bristle carriers; and    a battery disposed in said hollow region of said elongated body for providing electrical power to said motor upon positioning of said switch;    wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear periodic movement and said second bristle carrier undergoes two or three dimensional periodic primarily linear movement upon activating said motor by use of said switch.    
     
     
         21 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 20  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         22 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 20  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         23 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 20  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         24 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 20  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.  
     
     
         25 . A multi-motion toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated body having a first end and a second head end opposite from said first end, said body defining an interior hollow region accessible from said first end;    a first moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed proximate said second end of said body;    a second moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed between said first bristle carrier and said first end of said body;    an electrically powered motor disposed in said elongated body, said motor providing a rotating powered output;    a positionable switch for selectively activating said motor, said switch accessible along said elongated body;    a drive mechanism disposed in said elongated body and engaging said output of said motor to said first and said second bristle carriers; and    a battery disposed in said hollow region of said elongated body for providing electrical power to said motor upon positioning of said switch;    wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional periodic curvilinear movement and said second bristle carrier undergoes two or three dimensional periodic primarily linear movement upon activating said motor by use of said switch.    
     
     
         26 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional curvilinear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         27 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional curvilinear movement within a plane that is generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         28 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional curvilinear movement within a plane other than a plane perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head or within the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         29 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         30 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         31 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         32 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 25  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.  
     
     
         33 . A multi-motion toothbrush comprising: 
 an elongated body having a first end and a second head end opposite from said first end, said body defining an interior hollow region accessible from said first end;    a first moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed proximate said second end of said body;    a second moveable bristle carrier secured to said body and disposed between said first bristle carrier and said first end of said body;    an electrically powered motor disposed in said elongated body, said motor providing a rotating powered output;    a positionable switch for selectively activating said motor, said switch accessible along said elongated body;    a drive mechanism disposed in said elongated body and engaging said output of said motor to said first and said second bristle carriers; and    a battery disposed in said hollow region of said elongated body for providing electrical power to said motor upon positioning of said switch;    wherein said first bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional periodic curvilinear movement and said second bristle carrier undergoes two or three dimensional periodic primarily linear movement upon activating said motor by use of said switch.    
     
     
         34 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 33  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane that is generally parallel to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         35 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 33  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane generally perpendicular to a plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         36 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 33  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes two dimensional primarily linear movement within a plane other than a plane of the toothbrush head or a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toothbrush head.  
     
     
         37 . The multi-motion toothbrush of  claim 33  wherein said second bristle carrier undergoes three dimensional primarily linear movement.