Handle for an electrically operated personal care tool and personal care tool

Abstract

The present invention relates to a handle for an electrically operated personal care tool, the handle comprising: a shell, the shell comprising an inner cavity, the shell having a proximal end closest to a head and having a distal end, the head being capable of being repeatedly attached to and detached from the handle, the distal end being opposite to the proximal end; a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor comprising a pivot lever, the pressure sensor being accommodated in the inner cavity; a motor, the motor comprising an eccentric weight for operating the personal care tool, wherein the pivot lever is attached to the proximal end of the shell via a pivot axis, the pivot lever extends with a distal end toward the distal end of the shell, and the motor including the eccentric weight is attached to the distal end of the pivot lever.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a handle for an electrically operated personal care tool, the handle comprising a pressure sensor. The present disclosure also relates to a personal care tool comprising such a handle. Background Art

[0002] Personal care tools such as toothbrushes are well known in the art. Generally speaking, a tuft of bristles for cleaning teeth is attached to a bristle carrier or mounting surface of a brush head intended for insertion into a user's oral cavity. A handle is typically attached to the head, which is held by the user during brushing.

[0003] Power-operated toothbrushes present the advantage that they assist the user during brushing and can promote improved cleaning of the teeth and gums, particularly hard to reach areas in the oral cavity.

[0004] Toothbrushes that perform a vibrating action typically have a motor located in the handle housing close to the head to allow most of the vibration to be transferred to the head. The motor causes the entire handle to vibrate, while also vibrating the brush head attached to the handle. However, the amplitude of the vibration at the brush head depends on how the user holds the handle: with a softer grip, the handle can vibrate more widely, so the user feels more vibration on the teeth. However, if the user holds the handle tightly, the vibration will be significantly dampened and the brush head will vibrate less during use. Therefore, the performance of a vibrating toothbrush, including the in-mouth feel during use, is highly dependent on the user's behavior.

[0005] Moreover, it is well known that many users often apply too much force to the toothbrush during brushing, especially if they feel that not enough vibration is transmitted to the head, thus possibly reducing the cleaning efficacy. However, if the cleaning elements of the toothbrush apply too much pressure to the teeth and gums, health problems may occur. Negative health consequences include gum irritation or prolonged use, gum recession, or tooth enamel wear. Unfortunately, the presence of these problems may worsen the health status in the oral cavity. Because some users may feel that these problems are caused by poor cleaning, in order to correct these problems, the user may apply even more force during brushing, which in turn may cause more gum irritation and / or gum recession or tooth enamel wear.

[0006] To avoid or mitigate these problems, dental professionals may recommend the use of soft-bristled toothbrushes. However, the use of soft-bristled toothbrushes does not preclude the application of high brushing forces to the oral cavity. Furthermore, it is very difficult for individuals to determine the optimal force required for cleaning when brushing their teeth. Although users can apply a minimum level of force to clean, it is difficult to sense when the force is too high. Furthermore, studies have shown that if the brushing force is increased to a level that is too high, the cleaning ability of the toothbrush may actually decrease.

[0007] The object of the present disclosure is to provide a handle for an electrically operated personal care tool, such as a handle for a toothbrush, which overcomes at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages, in particular it provides a reliable vibration pattern during use, regardless of the user's gripping behavior. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a personal care tool comprising such a handle. Summary of the invention

[0008] According to one aspect, there is provided a handle for an electrically operated personal care tool, the handle comprising:

[0009] - a housing including an inner cavity, the housing having a proximal end closest to the head, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle, and having a distal end opposite the proximal end,

[0010] a pressure sensor comprising a pivoting lever, the pressure sensor being housed in the inner cavity,

[0011] - a motor comprising an eccentric weight for operating the personal care tool, wherein the pivot lever is attached to the proximal end of the shell via a pivot axis, the pivot lever extends with the distal end toward the distal end of the shell, and the motor including the eccentric weight is attached to the distal end of the pivot lever.

[0012] According to one aspect, a personal care implement is provided, the personal care implement comprising a head and such a handle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present invention is described in more detail below with reference to various embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a handle for a power-operated personal care tool according to the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 2 Shows the insertion into Figure 1 A perspective view of a base structure in a handle of the invention, the base structure comprising an annular structure;

[0016] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A perspective view of a base structure having an annular structure filled with a soft elastomeric material;

[0017] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of a filled annular structure;

[0018] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 an enlarged view of a proximal end of the handle of ; and

[0019] Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 An enlarged cross-section of the proximal end structure of the handle is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] A handle suitable for use in conjunction with an electrically operated personal care tool comprises a housing having an inner cavity defined by an inner surface of the housing. The handle may be made of a hard plastic material, or of a metal material, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Such materials are highly durable and allow for slender product designs.

[0021] As used herein, "personal care implement" refers to any implement that can be used for personal hygiene purposes. Some suitable examples include toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpicks, razors, shavers, and trimmers. For example, the personal care implement can be battery-powered and can include a battery located in an inner cavity of a handle housing. An electrically operated personal care implement including a head and such a handle can be an electrically operated toothbrush. The head can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the handle, such as via a snap-fit ​​locking mechanism, thereby providing a sufficiently strong connection and stability between the head and the handle to enable a user to perform, for example, a brushing action.

[0022] While the high-quality handle of a personal care implement may be suitable for use over a longer period of time, the relatively inexpensive head / brush replacements may be replaced periodically, e.g., after about three months, compared to common implements such as manual toothbrushes that are discarded after about three months of use. This provides a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable personal care implement, providing a high-quality handle solution and an opportunity for cost savings, since only the head must be replaced / repurchased and not the handle.

[0023] The housing has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end is defined as the end closest to the head, and the head can be repeatedly attached to and detached from the handle. The distal end is opposite to the proximal end.

[0024] A motor with an eccentric weight for operating the personal care tool and a pressure sensor including a pivoting lever are housed in the inner cavity of the housing. The inner cavity may also house an energy source (eg, a battery) and / or other devices for operating the personal care tool.

[0025] The pressure sensor comprises a pivot lever. The pivot lever is attached to the proximal end of the housing via a pivot axis and extends with its distal end towards the distal end of the housing.

[0026] A motor including an eccentric weight for operating the personal care tool is attached to the distal end of the pivot lever.

[0027] Since the pivot lever is attached to the proximal end of the housing via a pivot axis so that the pivot lever can move independently of the housing, and the motor including the eccentric weight is attached to the distal end of the pivot lever, the vibration generated by the motor can be directly directed to the brush head. Even if the housing is tightly fixed, the pivot lever will swing freely and transmit the vibration to the brush head.

[0028] The in-mouth feel and cleaning performance during brushing are enhanced. Compared to conventional toothbrush embodiments with a vibration function (the motor vibrates the entire handle and head), the handle according to the present disclosure allows vibration independent of the way the user holds the handle; since the pivot lever can move independently of the housing, the amplitude of the vibration is less suppressed.

[0029] The pivot lever is connected to the housing via a pivot axis at the upper end of the housing. When the brush head is to be attached to the connector geometry of the pivot lever outside the housing, the vibration motor is located at the other end of the pivot lever inside the housing. The pivot lever and / or the connector may be molded from a hard plastic material.

[0030] The housing may include an opening at its proximal end, and the pivot lever may include a connector for repeatedly attaching and removing the head to and from the handle. The connector may extend through the opening. The pivot lever may be integrally formed with the connector. In other words, when the pivot lever is connected to the housing via a pivot axis at the proximal end of the housing, the brush head is attached to the connector geometry of the pivot lever outside the housing. A motor including an eccentric weight is located at the other end of the pivot lever within the housing to allow maximum generation of vibrations that can be transmitted to the brush head via the pivot lever without being significantly absorbed by the housing.

[0031] The pivot lever can activate a pressure sensor switch, for example, arranged on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). If a predetermined level of force, such as 5N or more, is applied to the head of the personal care tool, the pivot lever pivots within the inner cavity of the handle; the pressure sensor switch contacts the PCBA to trigger a light signal visible to the user. The PCBA mechanically supports and electrically connects electrical or electronic components using conductive traces. If the pressure sensor switch contacts the PCBA, electrical communication between the energy source and the light emitting element (e.g., LED) can be provided via the PCBA.

[0032] The light guide can transmit light from the light emitting element to a light indicating element disposed at the proximal end of the handle. The light indicating element can be a light ring extending 360° around the handle to form an outer surface of the handle. The light guide can be made of glass, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, copolyester, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof (e.g., polyester and polycarbonate).

[0033] The light guide can transmit electromagnetic energy (e.g., visible light) to the light indicating element via internal reflection or external reflection. External reflection is defined as the reflection of light from a material with a low refractive index (e.g., air) and from a material with a higher refractive index (e.g., aluminum or silver). Reflectors act on external reflection.

[0034] Internal reflection is defined as the reflection of light from a material with a higher refractive index (such as polycarbonate) and reflected from a material with a lower refractive index (such as air or vacuum or water). Fiber optic technology works on the principle of internal reflection.

[0035] The refractive index is defined as an optical property of any material that measures the tendency of light to refract or bend as it passes through the material. Even materials that do not conduct light (such as aluminum) have a refractive index. In general, external reflection is most efficient when the angle of incidence of the light is close to vertical (i.e., the light is close to perpendicular to the surface), and as the angle of incidence increases (approaching the surface at a steep angle), external reflection decreases. In contrast, internal reflection is most efficient at high angles of incidence and cannot reflect at shallow angles, such as perpendicular to the surface. In order to achieve internal reflection, the angle of incidence should be greater than the critical angle. The critical angle is the angle at which light no longer reflects between a pair of materials.

[0036] If external reflection is utilized, a foil or some other highly reflective material may be used. A highly reflective material, such as a foil, may be disposed on the inner surface of the inner cavity. If internal reflection is utilized, the light guide / light path may be made of a material having a high refractive index (e.g., greater than 1.0). For example, the material selected for the light guide may include a refractive index greater than about 1.4, greater than about 1.5, greater than about 1.6, and / or less than about 1.7, less than about 1.6, or less than about 1.5. The material selected for the light guide may have a refractive index between about 1.4 and about 1.6 to provide excellent light transmission characteristics.

[0037] The handle can also include an annular structure connected to the housing at the proximal end by two flexible hinges, thereby leaving a circular gap between the annular structure and the housing. The annular structure can be injection molded by a hard plastic material. For example, if the housing is made of, for example, PP, ABS or ASA, the annular structure can also be molded integrally with the housing. Alternatively, the annular structure can be arranged as a separate infrastructure component, for example, if the housing is made of stainless steel or aluminum, the infrastructure is inserted into the housing at the proximal end. The flexible hinge can be positioned close to the pivot axis of the pivot lever, and the annular structure can be provided with the same degree of freedom as the pivot lever. The pivot lever can be connected to the annular structure, for example, by gluing.

[0038] The annular structure may be integrally formed with the light guide to provide one component, thereby providing greater simplicity during manufacture of the handle.The light guide may be transparent.

[0039] The gap between the housing and the annular structure can be filled with a soft elastomeric material (e.g., TPE), for example, by overmolding. The elastomeric material can be transparent and / or translucent to emit and transmit light signals. The transparent and / or translucent soft elastomeric material can form a light indicating element as described above. The soft elastomeric material can seal the gap between the handle, i.e., the annular structure, and the housing in a substantially watertight manner.

[0040] If the soft elastomeric material is transparent / translucent, the elastic portion can be used as a seal and light indicating element to transmit certain signals from the personal care tool to the user. The elastomeric material can be illuminated, for example, by an LED via a light guide. If the transparent / translucent soft elastomeric material surrounds the entire circumference of the handle, the signal can be seen from any direction. This is particularly advantageous for products like oral care tools that will be maintained in different orientations during use. For example, the user can get feedback on the pressure applied during brushing, timer information, or information about the battery charge status.

[0041] In other words, during assembly of the handle, the pivot lever can be connected to the annular structure in a watertight manner. The movement of the pivot lever is allowed by using a soft elastomeric material, which defines the elastic part in the handle. A watertight connection can be achieved between the annular structure and the pivot lever, for example by gluing. The elastomeric material allows free movement of the pivot lever while providing a watertight seal between the housing and the pivot lever.

[0042] Current structures for handles of electrically operated personal care tools allow for constant vibration regardless of how the user holds the handle and actual consumer use. The handle is solid and the soft elastomeric material allows the pivot lever to vibrate substantially independently of the housing. In addition, the handle design according to the present disclosure does not create any dead volume where water, toothpaste and saliva can accumulate. In the past, these problems have been observed in connection with the need for internal sealing elements that allow for some movement of the component parts.

[0043] Furthermore, the handle structure according to the present disclosure may be provided by conventional manufacturing techniques such as hard / soft overmolding.

[0044] The outer wall of the housing may include another opening (e.g., a cutout) disposed along the longitudinal extension of the handle to accommodate a switch assembly for activating the energy source (e.g., switching the electrically operated personal care tool to an on / off state). The switch assembly may be attached to the inner surface of the wall, thereby sealing the opening disposed in the wall.

[0045] The switch assembly for operating the tool may include a hard switch component and a soft switch component; the hard switch component includes a frame with a recessed portion. The frame of the hard switch component may be attached to the inner surface of the metal wall and surround the opening, while the recessed portion of the frame provides / forms an undercut portion open to the opening to accommodate a portion of the soft switch component. The soft switch component may be positioned in the undercut portion provided by the recessed portion and may be arranged in a manner to at least partially cover the opening.

[0046] Typical housings for electrical handheld devices according to the prior art are usually made of plastic materials. While the housing itself is molded from a hard plastic material such as PP or ABS, such devices usually include a switch area molded from a soft elastomeric material such as TPE to form a membrane that allows actuation of a switch located inside the housing. By overmolding a soft component on a hard plastic housing, a waterproof housing assembly can be achieved if the right material combination and geometry are chosen; sufficient bonding properties between the hard component and the soft component are crucial.

[0047] However, if a slender integral product design with a housing made of metal with small wall dimensions is to be provided, a watertight assembly cannot be ensured by simply overmolding the soft component onto the metal housing, since the bonding area is not large enough (due to the low wall thickness and the reduced freedom in designing such a metal tube housing and the freely formed plastic parts).

[0048] In order to be able to provide a waterproof switch assembly (i.e., a durable and waterproof seal / bonding between the switch assembly and the metal material) in combination with a metal tube housing having a small wall size (e.g., between 0.4 mm and about 1.2 mm) without the need to use a separate sealing element, the present disclosure proposes a switch assembly including a hard switch component and a soft switch component as described above. The hard switch component may include a frame with a recessed portion, which in turn forms an undercut when attached to the inner surface of the housing. The frame surrounds the opening, and the undercut disposed between the recessed portion and the inner wall surface is open toward the opening. The soft switch component is positioned in the undercut portion so as to be supported by the relative walls and the inner wall surface of the recessed portion, respectively. The hard switch component can be fixed in the housing by gluing and / or by other means, including but not limited to material-material bonding, mechanical interlocking or friction connection. The soft switch component can be provided by overmolding. The hard switch component can be further supported by a base structure inserted into the inner cavity of the housing. The base structure may include a carrier holding component for electrically operated personal care tools, such as a motor, an electronic device, and an energy source, such as a battery.

[0049] The recessed portion of the frame of the hard switch component forms an undercut portion allowing solid anchoring of the soft switch component. With the frame providing a reaction force and holding the soft switch component in place, neither the force applied to the switch component from outside the housing nor the force applied from inside the housing will form significant peeling stress on the bonding area. The switch assembly according to the present disclosure can be seamlessly integrated into the opening in the housing, and the opening can be sealed in a substantially waterproof manner. Such a design prevents water, toothpaste, and saliva from entering the housing; a hygienic, electrically operated personal care tool can be provided.

[0050] In contrast to the present disclosure, simply overmolding the soft switch component onto the metal tube housing does not provide a durable, waterproof handle housing because the bonding force between the soft switch component and the metal tube housing is not strong enough; the bonding area between the two components (the soft switch component and the metal tube housing) is not large enough, and no reaction force is provided to hold the soft switch component in place. If a force is applied to the switch component to activate the electrically operated tool, peeling stress occurs in the bonding area, which significantly weakens the bonded connection. The weakened bonded connection may result in fine cracks or fissures, allowing water to enter the inner cavity of the handle metal tube housing.

[0051] The hard switch component of the present disclosure can be made of a hard plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and / or acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), while the soft switch component can be made of a soft elastomeric material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

[0052] The opening accommodating the switch assembly in the housing may be a cutout provided in the metal wall, for example by laser cutting. The metal wall surrounding the opening may define an angle α between its outer surface and the adjacent surface / side wall of 90° or less. If the angle α is less than 90°, the bonding area between the metal wall and the soft switch component is slightly increased, which results in even better bonding properties.

[0053] The frame of the hard switch component may include at least two protrusions for accurately positioning the hard switch component onto the inner surface of the metal wall / accurately centering the hard switch component during assembly. Such protrusions may help define the position of the hard switch component relative to the metal tube housing, thereby facilitating manufacturing.

[0054] The handle may comprise a magnetic / ferromagnetic material which may allow hygienic storage of the oral care implement by magnetically attaching the handle to a magnetic holder, for example, provided at a wall. If the personal care implement is a toothbrush, residual water, toothpaste slurry and saliva may be drained from the brush. The implement may dry relatively quickly. Thus, bacterial growth may be significantly reduced, making the oral care implement more hygienic. Compared to a conventional toothbrush stored in a toothbrush cup, where the drained fluid is collected and accumulated at the bottom of the cup, the brush according to the present disclosure is exposed to humid conditions for a significantly shorter period of time.

[0055] The magnetic holder may have the form of a flat disc that can be attached to a wall. Such a flat disc may represent an easy to clean surface. Furthermore, the user only needs to bring the oral care implement close to the magnetic holder, which then automatically attaches. No precise positioning or threaded connection is required as with conventional toothbrush holders. If the magnetic properties are provided only in the handle and not in the head, the head portion cannot be accidentally attached to the magnetic holder, thereby reducing the risk of the magnetic holder becoming dirty.

[0056] The handle or a portion of the handle may be plated to add an improved appearance and a comfortable feel.Thermoplastic elastomers are well suited for electroplating because they allow both hard and soft composite components to be formed to be selectively plated in one operation.

[0057] For example, the handle may include a thumb rest made of a thermoplastic elastomer material and / or a polypropylene material. Such thumb rests may provide improved gripping properties for the handle, such as anti-slip properties to improve the manipulability of personal care tools under wet conditions, such as when the user is brushing their teeth. The thumb rest may be made of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the thermoplastic elastomer material has a Shore A hardness of about 30 to about 60, or about 40, so as to prevent the oral care tool from being too slippery when used under wet conditions. At least a portion of the thumb rest may have a concave shape, and the concave shape has an angle α of about 20° to about 25° or about 24° relative to the area of ​​the rest of the thumb rest. The thumb rest or gripping area may be attached to the front surface of the handle in an area near the proximal end (i.e., closest to the head). The thumb rest may include, for example, a plurality of ribs extending substantially perpendicular to, parallel to, or diagonally to the longitudinal axis of the oral care tool. Such ribs may allow the user / consumer to use the oral care tool by even more control. The user / consumer can better grip and manipulate the handle of the oral care implement during brushing.Such a handle can provide further improved control and greater comfort during brushing, especially under wet conditions.

[0058] The thermoplastic elastomer material can form a thumb rest on the front surface of the oral care implement and / or a palm grip on the rear surface opposite the front surface for the user / consumer's fingers and thumb to grasp. This handle configuration can even further resist slipping during use.

[0059] If the personal care tool is a toothbrush, the tooth cleaning element, such as a filament bundle forming one or more clusters, can be attached to the toothbrush head by a hot tufting process. A method for manufacturing a head with a filament cluster embedded in a head may include the following steps: in a first step, a cluster is formed by providing a desired amount of filaments. In a second step, the cluster is placed in a mold cavity so that the end of the filament that should be attached to the head extends into the cavity. The opposite end of the filament that does not extend into the cavity can be an end rounding or a non-end rounding. For example, in the case where the filament is a tapered filament with a sharp top, the filament can be a non-end rounding. In the third step, a head is formed around the end of the filament extending into the mold cavity by an injection molding process, so that the cluster is anchored in the head. Alternatively, the cluster can be anchored by forming the first part of the head (so-called "sealing plate") around the end of the filament extending into the mold cavity by an injection molding process before the rest of the oral care tool is formed. Before starting the injection molding process, the ends of the tufts extending into the mold cavity may be optionally melted or fused to bond the filaments together in a melt or molten ball so that the melt or molten ball is located in the cavity. The tufts may be held in the mold cavity by a molding rod having a blind hole corresponding to the desired position of the tufts on the finished head of the oral care tool. In other words, the tufts attached to the head by the hot tufting process are not superimposed on the middle portion along their length and are not installed in the head using anchors / pins. Tufting processes without anchors may be used to install the tufts on the head.

[0060] Alternatively, the head of the oral care tool may be provided with a bristle carrier having at least one tuft hole (e.g., a blind hole). A tuft comprising a plurality of filaments may be fixed / anchored in the tuft hole by a binding process / anchoring tufting method. This means that the filaments of the tuft are bent / folded in a substantially U-shaped manner around an anchor, such as one made of metal, such as an anchor cable or an anchor plate. The filaments are pushed into the tuft hole together with the anchor so that the anchor penetrates into the opposite side walls of the tuft hole, thereby anchoring / fixing / fastening the filaments to the bristle carrier. The anchor may be fixed in the opposite side walls by positive friction engagement. In the case where the tuft hole is a blind hole, the anchor holds the filament against the bottom of the hole. In other words, the anchor may be located above the U-shaped bend in a substantially vertical manner. Since the filaments of the tuft are bent around the anchor in a substantially U-shaped configuration, the first branch and the second branch of each filament extend from the bristle carrier in the direction of the filament. The type of filaments that can be used / suitable for use in a binding process is also referred to as “double-sided filaments.” Heads for oral care implements manufactured by a binding process can be provided in a relatively low cost and time-efficient manner.

[0061] The following is a non-limiting discussion of exemplary embodiments of oral care implements and components thereof according to the present disclosure, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] Figure 1 A personal care implement 10 is shown, in this particular embodiment, an electrically operated oral care implement, namely a toothbrush 10. The toothbrush 10 includes a handle 12 and a head (not shown) that is repeatedly connectable to and detachable from the handle 12 via a connector 16. The connector 16 may include a spring-loaded ball element having a ball and a spring that applies a radial force to the ball in a direction toward the outer side surface of the connector. The ball may be inserted into a groove provided in a hollow portion of the head to securely secure the head to the handle.

[0063] The handle 12 includes a housing 20 defining an inner cavity 18. The housing 20 has a proximal end 22 closest to the head and has a distal end 24. The distal end 24 is opposite the proximal end 22.

[0064] A pressure sensor 26 including a pivot lever 28 is housed within the interior cavity 18 of the housing 20. The pivot lever 28 is integrally formed with the connector 18. When the connector 18 extends through an opening 30 provided at the proximal end 22 of the housing 20, a distal end 32 of the pivot lever 28 extends in the direction of the distal end 24 of the housing 20. The pivot lever 20 and the connector 16 may be integrally molded from a hard plastic material.

[0065] Attached to the distal end 32 of the pivot lever 28 is a motor 34 including an eccentric weight for operating the personal-care tool 10 .

[0066] A battery for operating the personal-care implement 10 is also housed within the interior cavity 18 of the housing 20 .

[0067] The pivot lever 28 activates a pressure sensor switch 40, for example, arranged on a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 42. If a predetermined level of force, for example 5N or more, is applied to the head of the personal care tool 10, the pivot lever 28 pivots and contacts the PCBA 42 to trigger a light signal visible to the user. Via the PCBA 42, electrical communication is provided between a battery 38, as an example of an energy source, and a light emitting element, for example an LED.

[0068] The light guide 44 can transmit light from the light emitting element to a light indicating element 46 disposed at the proximal end 22 of the handle 12 (see Figure 3 ). The light indicating element 46 may be a light ring 46 extending 360° around the handle 12 and forming an outer surface of the handle 12.

[0069] Figure 2 Insertion into the handle at the proximal end 22 via the opening 30 provided in the housing 20 is shown (see Figure 1 ) is a perspective view of the base structure 48 in FIG. The base structure 48 includes a light guide 44 and an annular structure 50, which are integrally molded from a hard plastic material. The pivot lever 32 is connected to the annular structure 50 to provide a certain degree of movement.

[0070] The annular structure 50 itself is connected to the housing 20 at the proximal end 22 by two flexible hinges 52 , leaving a circular gap 54 between the annular structure 50 and the housing 20 .

[0071] like Figure 3 As shown, the gap 54 between the annular structure 50 and the housing 20 is filled (e.g., overmolded) with a transparent or translucent soft elastomeric material 56, preferably TPE, to provide a light indicating element 56 for transmitting the light signal received from the light guide 44. The soft elastomeric material 56 seals the housing 20 in a substantially watertight manner while still providing sufficient freedom of movement to allow the pivot lever 28 uniformly molded with the connector 16 to flex.

[0072] Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an annular structure 50 filled (eg, overmolded) with a transparent material 56 is shown.

[0073] Figure 5 and Figure 6 An enlarged view of the proximal end 22 of the handle 12 is shown with the pressure sensor 26 including the pivot lever 28 and connector 16 inserted into the housing 20 .

[0074] In other words, during assembly of the handle, the pivot lever 28 can be connected to the ring structure 50 in a watertight manner. The movement of the pivot lever 28 is allowed by using a soft elastomeric material 56, which defines a resilient portion 56 in the handle 12. The watertight connection 58 between the ring structure 50 and the pivot lever 28 can be achieved, for example, by gluing. The elastomeric material 56 allows free movement of the pivot lever 28 while providing a watertight seal between the housing 20 and the pivot lever 28.

[0075] like Figure 1 As shown, the handle also includes a switch assembly 60 located in the housing 20 for activating the energy source / battery 38, so that the electric toothbrush 10 operates. The electric toothbrush 10 can be switched in an on / off state by actuating the switch assembly 60.

[0076] The switch assembly 60 for activating the energy source / battery 38 includes a hard switch component 62 and a soft switch component 64. The hard switch component 62 and the soft switch component 64 are both located within an opening 66 provided in the housing 20. The hard switch component 62 and the soft switch component 64 are arranged in a manner that the switch assembly 60 seals the opening 66 in a substantially waterproof manner.

[0077] While the hard switch component 62 can be molded from a hard plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and / or acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), the soft switch component 64 can be made from a soft elastomeric material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). TPE adheres well to metal materials as well as ABS and ASA.

[0078] The hard switch component 62 comprises a frame with a recessed portion, which is attached to the inner surface of the housing 20 so as to surround / encircle the opening 66. The recessed portion forms an undercut portion, in which the soft switch component 64 is positioned and securely fixed. The hard switch component 62 can be connected to the inner surface of the housing 20 by gluing. The fixation of the hard switch component 62 on the inner surface can alternatively be provided by material-to-material bonding, mechanical interlocking or friction connection.

[0079] The frame of the hard switch component 62 may include protrusions that help position the hard switch component 62 on the inner surface of the housing 20; to this end, the inner surface may include corresponding recessed portions for receiving the protrusions.

[0080] The hard switch component 62 may also include a lever arm including a button element at a distal end of the lever arm. The lever arm and the button element may extend into the opening 66.

[0081] The material forming the soft switch component 64 can be overmolded over the lever arm and partially over the button element, thereby leaving a portion of the button element exposed to provide an indication of where the user should place their finger to activate the switch assembly 60. To this end, the color of the material of the hard switch component 62 and the color of the material of the soft switch component 64 can be different to provide a clear and easily visible indication. The material of the soft switch component 64 covers any remaining open area of ​​the opening 66 and is secured in the undercut portion provided between the recessed portion and the inner surface of the housing 20. By overmolding the soft switch component 64, a substantially waterproof and durable seal can be provided that can prevent water, toothpaste and / or saliva from entering the interior cavity 18 of the housing 20.

[0082] In the context of this disclosure, the term "substantially" refers to an arrangement of elements or features that, while theoretically expected to exhibit exact uniformity or behavior, may in practice render something somewhat less precise. Likewise, the term represents the degree to which a quantitative value, measurement, or other related representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.

[0083] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values ​​cited. Instead, unless otherwise indicated, each such dimension is intended to represent the stated value and a functionally equivalent range around that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is intended to mean "about 40 mm".

Claims

1. A handle (12) for an electrically operated personal care tool (10), the handle (12) comprising: - a housing (20) comprising an inner cavity (18), the housing (20) having a proximal end (22) closest to the head, the head being reproducibly attachable to and detachable from the handle (12), and having a distal end (24) opposite the proximal end (22), a pressure sensor (26) comprising a pivoting lever (28) housed in the inner cavity (18), - a motor (34), the motor (34) including an eccentric weight for operating the personal care tool (10), wherein the pivot lever (28) is attached to the proximal end (22) of the housing (20) via a pivot axis (36), the pivot lever (28) extends with a distal end (32) toward the distal end (24) of the housing (20), and the motor (34) including the eccentric weight is attached to the distal end (32) of the pivot lever (28), wherein the housing (20) includes an opening (30) at the proximal end (22), and the pivot lever (28) includes a connector (16) for repeatedly attaching and detaching the head to and from the handle (12), the connector (16) extending through the opening (30), wherein the pivot lever (28) is integrally formed with the connector (16).

2. The handle (12) of claim 1, wherein the pivot lever (28) is molded from a hard plastic material.

3. The handle (12) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner cavity (18) of the housing (20) includes an energy source (38) for operating the personal care tool (10).

4. The handle (12) of claim 3, wherein the energy source (38) is a battery.

5. A handle (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shell (20) includes an annular structure (50), which is connected to the shell (20) at the proximal end (22) by two flexible hinges (52), thereby leaving a circular gap (54) between the annular structure (50) and the shell (20).

6. The handle (12) according to claim 5, wherein the annular structure (50) is formed integrally with the housing (20) or is provided as a separate base structure component, which is inserted into the housing (20) at the proximal end (22).

7. The handle (12) of claim 5, wherein the gap (54) between the annular structure (50) and the housing (20) is filled with a soft elastomeric material (56).

8. The handle (12) of claim 7, wherein the gap (54) between the annular structure (50) and the housing (20) is overmolded with a soft elastomeric material (56).

9. The handle (12) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the soft elastomeric material (56) is TPE.

10. The handle (12) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the annular structure (50) is integrally formed with the transparent light guide member (44).

11. The handle (12) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the soft elastomeric material (56) is transparent and / or translucent to transmit optical signals.

12. The handle (12) of claim 5, wherein the pivot lever (28) is connected to the annular structure (50).

13. The handle (12) according to claim 12, wherein the pivot lever (28) is connected to the annular structure (50) by gluing.

14. The handle (12) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the soft elastomeric material (56) seals the housing (20) in a substantially watertight manner.

15. A personal care implement (10) comprising a head and a handle (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The personal care implement (10) according to claim 15, wherein the implement (10) is an electrically operated toothbrush (10).

17. The personal care implement (10) according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the head is repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle (12).

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