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 aluminum 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.

1 . An electric toothbrush comprising, an electric motor, a first brush head and a second brush head; said first brush head is connected by a driving structure to said motor; and a drive member extends from said first brush head and is received in a guide slot within said second brush head.  
   
   
       2 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein said electric toothbrush comprises a housing containing said motor and upon which housing said first and second brush heads are mounted for oscillation.  
   
   
       3 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 2  wherein said motor drives said first brush head in an oscillating manner, wherein as said first brush head oscillates the drive member extending therefrom bears against the respective sides of said guide slot to thereby drive said second head in an oscillating manner.  
   
   
       4 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein said drive member has a first end secured to said first head and a second end received in said guide slot, wherein said second end is a ball and said guide slot is formed to closely receive it therein.  
   
   
       5 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein said first brush head is located between said electric motor and said second brush head.  
   
   
       6 . An electric toothbrush comprising an electric motor, a first brush head capable of movement, a second brush head capable of movement, a drive shaft operatively connected to and driven by said electric motor, said drive shaft being connected to said first brush head for movably driving said first brush head, a drive member provided at a first end of one of said first brush head and said second brush head and extending toward the other of said first brush head and said second brush head, said other of said brush head and said second brush head having a guide slot, said drive member having a second end remote from said first end, said second end of said drive member extending into said guide slot whereby said drive member spans said first and said second brush heads without the need for other supporting structure, said drive member being located at said first brush head at a location displaced from the location of the drive connection of said drive shaft to said first brush head, said drive member being separate and distinct from said drive shaft, and movement of said first brush head by being driven by said drive shaft being transmitted to said second brush head through said drive member for joint simultaneous movement of both said first brush head and said second brush head.  
   
   
       7 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein said electric motor is mounted in a hollow housing at least part of said drive shaft being in said housing, said housing terminating in a brush head holder, and said first brush head and said second brush head being mounted in said brush head holder.  
   
   
       8 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 7  wherein each of said first brush head and said second brush head is mounted on pivot structure for rotational movement.  
   
   
       9 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 8  wherein each of said brush heads is of disc shape, said pivot structure being a pivot pin for each of said first brush head and said second brush head mounted to said brush head holder, and bristles extending outwardly from each of said brush heads.  
   
   
       10 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein said first end of said drive member is fixed to said first brush head.  
   
   
       11 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 10  wherein said drive member is mounted to said first brush head in a cantilevered manner.  
   
   
       12 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 10  wherein said first brush head is located between said second brush head and said motor.  
   
   
       13 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein each of said brush heads is movably mounted for rotational oscillation in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.  
   
   
       14 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein said second end of said drive member terminates in a ball closely received in said guide slot.  
   
   
       15 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  further comprising a third brush head, a guide slot in said third brush head and a further drive member mounted to one of said first brush head and said second brush head at one end thereof with a second end being mounted in said guide slot of said third brush head.  
   
   
       16 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein each of said brush heads is movably mounted in a rotational manner, and said drive member being perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said first brush head.  
   
   
       17 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein each of said brush heads is movable in a rotational manner, each of said brush heads having an outer surface rotatable in a plane, and said plane of said second brush head being at an angle to said plane of said first brush head.  
   
   
       18 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 17  wherein said plane of said second brush head is inclined inwardly toward said plane of said first brush head.  
   
   
       19 . An electric toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein said first brush head and said second brush head are mounted in a brush head holder, said electric motor being mounted in a hollow housing, and said brush head holder being detachably mounted to said housing.  
   
   
       20 - 23 . (canceled)