Replaceable brush head for toothbrush

Abstract

A replaceable brushhead includes an upper surface, an outer peripheral edge, and a plurality of tufts. The upper surface includes a plurality of bristle tufts. And the lower surface comprises a dismounting button which extends outwards. The outer peripheral edge includes at least one protrusion. The replaceable brushhead may be mounted in a toothbrush body, the toothbrush body including a head portion having a recess dimensioned to mate with the replaceable brushhead, the replaceable brushhead having a removal opening for removing the knob and at least one channel for coupling to the at least one protrusion. The replaceable brushhead can be removed from the toothbrush assembly by applying a force to the detachment button in the direction of the tuft plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush and a replaceable brush head for a toothbrush. Background Art

[0002] Replaceable brush heads are interchangeable brush heads that allow users to change the brush head of their toothbrush as needed without having to replace the entire toothbrush. They are generally made of plastic and are typically connected to the neck of the toothbrush. In many cases, these replacement brush heads include a head portion that carries bristles and a neck portion extending from the head portion. The neck portion includes an attachment structure such as a receptacle for receiving a portion of the toothbrush handle and attaching the brush head to the handle. These replaceable brush heads can be difficult to install and remove, and require the replacement of a relatively large amount of plastic material. Despite continued efforts to reduce waste, the amount of plastic material discarded after brush head replacement is often unsatisfactory. Summary of the invention

[0003] In one aspect, the present invention provides a replaceable brush head for removably attaching to a toothbrush body. The brush head includes a top surface, an outer peripheral edge, and a bottom surface. The top surface defines a plurality of openings, wherein at least one tuft of bristles extends from each of the openings. A plurality of protrusions are spaced apart from each other and extend from the outer peripheral edge, the protrusions being configured to secure the replaceable brush head to the toothbrush body. A knock-out button extends outwardly from the surface of the brush head for direct contact by a user when the brush head is disengaged from the toothbrush body.

[0004] In another aspect, the replaceable brush head can be part of a toothbrush assembly having a toothbrush body. The toothbrush body can include a housing having a handle portion, a neck portion, and a head portion. The head portion defines a brush head recess sized to fit and receive the brush head, wherein the brush head recess has a sidewall having a shape corresponding to the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the brush head. The brush head recess includes a base plate, the head portion defines a removal opening extending completely through the base plate of the brush head recess, the removal opening is sized and shaped to receive a removal button of the brush head, wherein a portion of the removal button is exposed through the removal opening for direct contact by a user, and the sidewall further defines a plurality of slots sized and positioned to align with at least one protrusion on the brush head.

[0005] The toothbrush body may additionally include a circuit board housed in the handle portion, the circuit board including a power button and a power source. The strain gauge may be housed in the neck portion, and the vibration motor may be housed in the neck portion. A grip portion may at least partially surround the handle portion, the grip portion defining a power button opening aligned with the power button contacts.

[0006] In yet another aspect, the brush head is formed by a cluster plate and a cluster plate cover, each of which has a stadium-shaped cross-section and a curved outer edge. The distal projection may extend from the curved outer edge at the distal end of the cluster plate. Pairs of proximal projections may each extend from the curved outer edge along a portion of the length of the stadium-shaped cross-section. Multiple clusters may terminate at at least two different planes above the cluster plate. The bottom surface of the receiving portion may define an opening toward the distal end of the cluster plate cover. The cluster plate and the cluster plate cover may be joined together by ultrasonic welding. The cluster plate and the receiving portion may have a first width, and the removal button may have a second width. The first width may be greater than the second width.

[0007] The neck portion of the top shell of the toothbrush body may include an indicator light. The head portion may be stadium-shaped and the peripheral wall may be curved to accommodate a replaceable brush head. The peripheral wall may define three channels sized and positioned to align with the distal protrusions and paired proximal protrusions on the cluster plate. The bottom shell may define two openings in the bottom surface of the bottom shell. Two ferrous metal pieces may be coupled to the bottom shell through the two openings in the bottom surface. The ferrous metal pieces may be configured to magnetically couple the toothbrush body to a charger. The charging plate may be housed in a handle portion of the component cavity below the circuit board and may direct an electromagnetic field to the charging coil. The grip portion may be overmolded on the bottom shell and the handle portion and neck portion of the bottom shell. The grip portion may define an indicator light opening aligned with the indicator light.

[0008] These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by referring to the description of the present aspects and the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Before explaining aspects of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details of the operation or the details of the construction and arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The present invention may be implemented in various other aspects and may be practiced or executed in alternative ways not explicitly disclosed herein. In addition, it should be understood that the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered restrictive. The use of "include" and "comprise" and its variations is intended to cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents as well as additional items and their equivalents. In addition, enumeration may be used in the description of various aspects. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be interpreted as limiting the present invention to any particular order or number of components. The use of enumeration should also not be interpreted as excluding from the scope of the present invention any additional steps or components that may be combined with or combined into the steps or components listed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1A to Figure 1B is a perspective view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0011] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0012] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are top, side, front and back views of a replaceable brush head without tufts according to one aspect.

[0013] Figure 4 is a bottom perspective view of a cluster plate according to one aspect.

[0014] Figure 5 is a top view of a replaceable brush head without tufts according to one aspect.

[0015] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of a replaceable brush head along line VV.

[0016] 7A to 7D is a perspective view of a replaceable brush head without tufts according to one aspect.

[0017] Figure 8 is a bottom view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0018] 9A to 9D are top, side, front and back views of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0019] Fig.10 is a top view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0020] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 A cross-sectional view of a replaceable brush head along line XX.

[0021] FIG. 12A to FIG. 12D is a perspective view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0022] Fig.13 is a top view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0023] Fig.14 yes Fig.13 A cross-sectional view of a replaceable brush head along line XIII-XIII.

[0024] Fig.15 is a side view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0025] Fig.16 yes Fig.15 Detail B of the replaceable brush head.

[0026] Fig.17 is a perspective view of a replaceable brush head according to one aspect.

[0027] FIG. 18A to FIG. 18B is a top view of cluster hole locations and cluster outline locations according to one aspect.

[0028] Fig.19 is an exploded view of a toothbrush body according to one aspect.

[0029] FIG. 20A to FIG. 20D are side, top, front and perspective views of a toothbrush body according to one aspect.

[0030] FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D is a perspective view of a toothbrush assembly according to one aspect.

[0031] FIG. 22A to FIG. 22E are top, side, bottom, front and back views of a toothbrush assembly according to one aspect.

[0032] Fig.23 is a top view of a toothbrush assembly according to one aspect.

[0033] Fig.24 yes Fig.23 A cross-sectional view of the toothbrush assembly along line XXIII-XXIII.

[0034] Fig.25 is a side view of a toothbrush assembly according to one aspect.

[0035] Fig.26 yes Fig.25 A cross-sectional view of a toothbrush assembly along line XXV-XXV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] According to one aspect, a replaceable brush head 100 is Figure 1A to Figure 1B . The replaceable brush head 100 is adapted to be removably coupled to a toothbrush body to form a toothbrush assembly. In one aspect, the replaceable brush head 100 is made of plastic. When viewed from the top, the replaceable brush head 100 shown throughout this disclosure is stadium-shaped (i.e., having generally linear, parallel sides with opposing U-shaped ends). In another aspect, the replaceable brush head 100 can be any other suitable shape, such as rectangular or oval. In one aspect, the replaceable brush head 100 described throughout can result in an 80% reduction in plastic waste compared to known replaceable brush heads. As Figure 2 As shown in , the replaceable brush head 100 may be composed of more than one component. Figure 2In the aspect shown in, replaceable brush head 100 comprises a plurality of clusters 110, cluster plate 120 and cluster plate cover 130. A plurality of clusters 110 may each comprise bundled individual bristles, such as nylon bristles, but one or more of the clusters may additionally comprise integral cleaning elements, such as elastomeric cleaning elements. Cluster plate 120 may comprise a top surface 122, an outer edge 124 and a bottom surface (not shown). In one aspect, outer edge 124 is curved. Curved outer edge 124 may have a straight portion to help cluster plate 120 be fixed to cluster plate cover 130.

[0037] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D The cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 are shown in more detail. When viewed from the top, the cluster plate 120 can be stadium-shaped. In other words, the cluster plate 120 can have a stadium-shaped cross-section. The cluster plate 120 can define a plurality of openings 126. Figure 3A As shown in , the plurality of openings 126 may be at least two shapes 126a, 126b to accommodate bristle tufts of different shapes. In alternative aspects, the plurality of openings 126 may all be one shape or three or more shapes. In one aspect, the plurality of openings 126 may be the same shape but different sizes to accommodate bristle tufts of different sizes. The plurality of openings 126 may be positioned toward the distal end 127 of the top surface 122. As shown in FIG. Figure 3A , the plurality of openings 126 may cover approximately 60% of the length of the cluster plate 120, wherein the length of the cluster plate 120 is defined as the length between the proximal end 125 and the distal end 127 of the cluster plate. In one aspect, the plurality of openings 126 may cover any other percentage of the top surface 122. In alternative aspects, the openings 126 may span all or substantially all of the top surface 122. In another aspect, the openings 126 may be positioned toward the proximal end 125 of the top surface 122. As depicted, at least some of the openings 126 are arranged in a stadium shape. In another aspect, the openings 126 may be arranged in any other suitable manner. 7A to 7D is a perspective view of the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 .

[0038] return Figure 2 , the plurality of clusters 110 may be coupled to the cluster plate 120 using the plurality of openings 126. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the plurality of clusters 110 may have two different shapes 110a, 110b to correspond to the plurality of openings 126 of different shapes 126a, 126b. In an alternative aspect, the plurality of clusters 110 may have a different shape than the plurality of openings 126. Figure 2, the number of clusters 110 is equal to the number of openings 126. In alternative aspects, the number of clusters 110 may not be equal to the number of openings 126. In one aspect, the plurality of clusters 110 may be coupled to the cluster plate 120 using a staple technique or an anchor-free clustering technique. In another aspect, the plurality of clusters 110 may be coupled to the cluster plate in any suitable manner.

[0039] The plurality of tufts 110 may terminate at at least two different planes above the tuft plate 120 . Fig.17 Termination planes 112, 114 are shown for a plurality of clusters 110 according to one aspect. As depicted, some of the clusters 110 terminate at termination plane 112, and some of the clusters 110 terminate at termination plane 114. Termination plane 114 is further from a top surface 122 of cluster plate 120 than termination plane 112. In alternative aspects, a plurality of clusters 110 can terminate at a plane above cluster plate 120. FIG. 18A to FIG. 18B is a top view of the tuft hole locations and tuft contour locations of a replaceable brush head 100 according to one aspect. In one aspect, Fig.18B The cluster outlines labeled A in FIG. terminate at termination plane 114, and the cluster outlines labeled B terminate at termination plane 112. In an alternative aspect, Fig.18B The cluster outline labeled B in FIG. 1 terminates at termination plane 114 , and the cluster outline labeled A terminates at termination plane 112 .

[0040] Fig.13 is a top view of a replaceable brush head 100 according to one aspect, and Fig.14 yes Fig.13 A cross-sectional view of a replaceable brush head along line XIII-XIII. Fig.14 In FIG. 1 , the distances D1 and D2 between two shapes of clusters 110 are shown. In one aspect, the distance D1 is 0.4 mm and the distance D2 is 0.4 mm. Fig.14 In one aspect, the clusters 110 terminate at three planes A, B, and C above the top surface 122 of the cluster plate 120. In one aspect, plane A is 10 mm with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.4 mm, plane B is 1 mm above plane A with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.2 mm, and plane B is 1 mm below plane A with a tolerance of plus or minus 0.2 mm.

[0041] Return to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D , at least one protrusion 140 may extend from the outer edge 124. At least one protrusion 140 may be used to secure the replaceable brush head 100 to the toothbrush body 1900, as described below with reference to FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D As described. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3DAs shown in , the cluster plate 120 may have three protrusions 140 extending from the outer edge 124: one protrusion 140 extends from the distal end 127, and two protrusions 140 extend along the length on the opposite lateral sides 131, 133 of the adjacent proximal end 125 of the cluster plate 120. In one aspect, the cluster plate 120 may have a length of 39.9 millimeters (mm) including the distal protrusions 140 and a width of 11.9 mm including the proximal protrusions 140. Throughout the disclosure, all dimensions have a tolerance of plus or minus 0.05 mm unless otherwise specified. In one aspect, the three protrusions 140 are spaced apart from each other around the periphery of the outer edge 124, but may be arranged in any other suitable position along the outer edge 124. In alternative aspects, the cluster plate 120 may have one, two or any other suitable number of protrusions to fix the replaceable brush head 100 to the toothbrush body 1900. In yet another alternative aspect, one or more of the protrusions 140 may be located on an outer edge 154 of the receiving portion 150 of the tuft plate cover 130 .

[0042] The tuft plate 120 may include a pair of cylindrical protrusions 123 extending from the top surface 122. The cylindrical protrusions 123 may be substantially aligned along the length axis L, such as Figure 3A . In one aspect, the cylindrical protrusion 123 can be any other suitable shape. In one aspect, the cluster plate 120 can have only one cylindrical protrusion 123. In another aspect, the cluster plate 120 can include three or more cylindrical protrusions 123. In one aspect, the cylindrical protrusion 123 can be located at different positions on the top surface 122 of the cluster plate 120. The cylindrical protrusion 123 can be used to position the cluster plate 120 in the hair planting device. The cylindrical protrusion 123 can provide alignment with the mold that sets the bristle morphology.

[0043] The cluster plate 120 may define an opening 121 in the top surface 122. Figure 4 As seen in FIG. 1 , the opening 121 does not extend through the bottom surface 128 of the cluster plate 120. The opening 121 can be the injection point of the plastic during molding of the cluster plate 120. The opening 121 can be below the flush plane to prevent any gate residue from protruding into the hair implant mold.

[0044] Go to Figure 4 In one embodiment, the ridges 129 may extend from the bottom surface 128 of the tuft plate 120 along the outer edge 124 of the tuft plate 120. In another aspect, the ridges 129 may extend around only a portion of the outer edge 124 of the tuft plate 120. A plurality of bonding protrusions 111 may extend from the bottom surface 128 of the tuft plate 120. In versions of the brush head in which the tufts 110 are attached via anchorless tufts, the bonding protrusions 111 are fused to the tufts 110 to create a mechanical bond between the two materials.

[0045] The cluster plate cover 130 may include a receiving portion 150 and a removal button 160. The removal button 160 may alternatively be referred to as a removal protrusion 160. When viewed from the top, the cluster plate cover 130 may be stadium-shaped. In other words, the cluster plate cover 130 may have a stadium-shaped cross-section that defines an outer edge 154 of the receiving portion. The receiving portion 150 may have a top surface 152 ( Figure 2 ), outer edge 154 and bottom surface 158. In one aspect, outer edge 154 is curved. Figure 2 As shown in , the receiving portion 150 can define a receiving groove 159 along the perimeter of the top surface 152. The receiving groove 159 is sized to receive a portion of the ridge 129 of the cluster plate 120 when the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 are coupled together, wherein the cluster plate outer edge 124 and the receiving portion outer edge 154 combine to form the outer peripheral edge 200 of the brush head 100. The receiving portion 150 can define a first opening 156 at the proximal end 141. As shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the first opening 156 is stadium-shaped. In alternative aspects, the first opening 156 can be any other suitable shape. In another aspect, the receiving portion 150 can include the first opening 156.

[0046] In one aspect, the tuft plate 120 and the tuft plate cover 130 may be joined together by ultrasonic welding to form the complete brush head 100 . Fig.15 A side view of a replaceable brush head 100 is shown according to one aspect. Fig.16 Show Fig.15 Details of B. Fig.16 1 and 2. The ultrasonic weld 132 is shown in FIG. In one aspect, the ultrasonic weld 132 may be 0.05 mm, with a maximum weld misalignment of plus or minus 0.05 mm. In one aspect, the ultrasonic weld strength may be greater than or equal to 50 Newtons. In alternative aspects, the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 may be joined together by any other suitable method. For example, the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 may be joined by friction fit or by using an adhesive. In one aspect, the distance or height of the outer peripheral edge 200 of the connection of the brush head 100 between the top surface 122 of the cluster plate 120 and the bottom surface 158 of the receiving portion 150 is 4.08 mm, and the distance from the top surface 122 of the cluster plate 120 to the termination edge 163 of the disassembly button 160 is 7.4 mm.

[0047] Return to FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D , the removal button 160 can extend from the bottom surface 158 of the receiving portion 150. FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D, the disassembly button 160 may extend from the receiving portion 150 at the proximal end 141 of the receiving portion 150. In alternative aspects, the disassembly button 160 may extend from different sections of the bottom surface 158 or from another surface of the brush head 100. For example, the disassembly button 160 may extend from the bottom surface 158 at the distal end 143 of the receiving portion 150. As depicted, the disassembly button 160 extends from the bottom surface 158 at the location of the first opening 156, wherein the first opening 156 forms the mouth of the disassembly button 160. As depicted, when viewed from the bottom, the disassembly button 160 is stadium-shaped. In alternative aspects, the disassembly button 160 may be any other suitable shape. In one aspect, the disassembly button 160 has the same shape as the receiving portion 150. In alternative aspects, the disassembly button 160 may have a different shape from the receiving portion 150. Figure 6 Show Figure 5 A cross section of the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 along line VV. Figure 6 , the removal button 160 defines a cavity 162 aligned with and extending from the first opening 156. The cavity 162 helps to reduce the amount of plastic required to manufacture the replaceable brush head. In another alternative aspect, the removal button 160 extends from the cluster plate 120 and forms a removal protrusion 160, which can be used to remove the brush head 100 by pulling the removal protrusion or with the help of a removal tool.

[0048] 9A to 9D 1 shows a top view, a side view, a front view, and a rear view of a replaceable brush head 100 according to one aspect. FIG. 9C to FIG. 9D As shown in , the cluster plate 120 and the receiving portion 150 have a first width W1, and the removal button 160 has a second width W2. The first width W1 is wider than the second width W2. In an alternative aspect, the first width W1 can be the same as the second width W2. In another aspect, the first width W1 can be less than the second width W2. FIG. 9C to FIG. 9D As depicted in FIG. 1 , the removal button 160 tapers to a width W2 via a tapered portion 164. In an alternative aspect, the removal button 160 can have a width W2 throughout without a tapered portion 164. Fig.10 is a top view of a replaceable brush head 100 according to one aspect, and Fig.11 yes Fig.10 A cross-sectional view of the replaceable brush head 100 along line XX.

[0049] Figure 8 A bottom view of a replaceable brush head 100 is shown according to one aspect. The bottom surface 158 of the receiving portion 150 can define an injection mold gate 151. The gate 151 can be used as a plastic injection point for manufacturing the replaceable brush head 100. The gate 151 can be below flush to prevent any gate residue from protruding beyond the main surface (bottom surface 158).

[0050] The replaceable brush head 100 can be part of a toothbrush assembly 2100. More particularly, the replaceable brush head 100 can be shaped to interfit with and be removable from the toothbrush assembly 2100. FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D A toothbrush assembly 2100 is depicted according to one aspect. The toothbrush assembly 2100 generally includes a toothbrush body 1900. Fig.19 An exploded view of a toothbrush body 1900 according to one aspect is shown. The toothbrush body 1900 may include a top shell 1910, a bottom shell 1930, a circuit board 1940, a strain gauge 1950, a vibration motor 1960, and a grip portion 1970. The top shell may include a handle portion 1912, a neck portion 1914, and a head portion 1920. As depicted, the handle portion 1912 is thicker than the neck portion 1914. The handle portion may include a power button contact 1913. The neck portion 1914 may optionally include an indicator light 1915. In one aspect, the indicator light 1915 may be used to indicate the charging status of the toothbrush assembly 2100 to the user.

[0051] The head portion 1920 defines a brush head recess 1922 that forms a receptacle 1922 that is sized to fit and receive the outer peripheral edge 200 of the brush head 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle 1922 is sized to fit and receive the outer edge 124 of the cluster plate 120. The head portion 1920 may also define a removal opening 1924 defined in the bottom plate 1923 of the brush head recess 1922. The removal opening 1924 may alternatively be referred to as a cutout 1924. The removal opening 1924 extends completely through the bottom plate 1923 and may be sized and shaped to match the outer surface 163 of the removal button 160 and to fit and receive the removal button 160. As depicted, the removal opening 1924 is located at the proximal end of the head portion 1920. In an alternative aspect, the removal opening 1924 may be located at the distal end of the head portion 1920. In another aspect, the removal opening 1924 can be located anywhere in the head portion 1920 to align with the removal button 160. The recess 1922 includes a peripheral wall 1926 having an upper edge 1929. In one aspect, the peripheral wall 1926 can have the same height as the outer peripheral edge 200 of the brush head 100 (i.e., the height of the cluster plate 120 and the receiving portion 1930 coupled together). The inner surface of the peripheral wall 1926 may include at least one channel or slot 1927, which is sized and positioned to align with at least one protrusion 140 on the cluster plate 120. In one aspect, the head portion 1920 is stadium-shaped. In one aspect, the peripheral wall 1926 is curved to align with and correspond in shape to the curve of the outer peripheral edge 200 of the replaceable brush head 100. In one aspect, the head portion 1920 can be made of hard plastic to create a suitable seal between the head portion 1920 and the removable brush head 100. In an alternative aspect, only the peripheral wall 1926 of the head portion 1920 can be made of a hard plastic. In yet another embodiment, at least one of the head 100 and the head portion 1920 can be formed of a resilient material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer.

[0052] The bottom housing 1930 may include a handle portion 1932 and a neck portion 1934. The bottom housing 1930 may define a component cavity 1936. The bottom housing 1930 can be coupled to the top housing 1910 by any suitable coupling method. A circuit board 1940 may be housed in the handle portion of the component cavity 1936. The circuit board 1940 may include a power button 1942 and a power source 1944. In one aspect, the power source 1944 is a battery. In one aspect, the power source 1944 is a supercapacitor. When the top housing 1910 is coupled to the bottom housing 1930, the power button contact 1913 may contact the power button 1942. The strain gauge 1950 may be housed in the neck portion 1934 of the component cavity 1936 proximal to the handle portion 1932. The strain gauge 1950 may alternatively be referred to as a pressure sensor. In one aspect, the strain gauge 1950 may be used to determine whether the user is brushing too hard. The vibration motor 1960 can be housed in the neck portion 1934 of the component cavity 1936 distal from the handle portion 1932. Positioning the vibration motor in the neck portion 1934 can allow the replaceable brush head 100 to vibrate while minimizing the vibration felt when the user grasps it.

[0053] The bottom housing 1930 may define two openings (not shown) in a bottom surface (not shown) of the bottom housing 1930. The charging plate 1938 may be housed in the handle portion 1932 of the component cavity 1936 below the circuit board 1940. In one aspect, the charging plate 1938 may be made of a ferrous material. Two ferrous metal pieces 1939 may be coupled to the bottom housing 1930 through the two openings in the bottom surface. In one aspect, the two ferrous metal pieces 1939 are permanent magnets. The two ferrous metal pieces 1939 may be configured to couple to a charger to charge the power source 1944. The charging plate 1938 may direct the electromagnetic field received through the ferrous metal pieces 1939 to a charging coil (not shown).

[0054] The grip portion 1970 may at least partially surround the handle portion 1912 and the neck portion 1914 of the top shell 1910 and the bottom shell 1930. In one aspect, the grip portion 1970 is overmolded on the handle portion 1912 and the neck portion 1914 of the bottom shell 1930 and the top shell 1910. In one embodiment, the top shell 1910 and the bottom shell 1930 may be formed of a more rigid plastic (such as polypropylene), and the grip portion 1970 may be formed of a resilient material (such as a thermoplastic elastomer). In another embodiment, these portions may be formed of the same polymer material. The grip portion 1970 may define a power button opening 1972 aligned with the power button contact 1913. The grip portion 1970 may optionally define an indicator light opening 1974 aligned with the indicator light 1915 on the top shell 1910. FIG. 20A to FIG. 20DAn assembled toothbrush body 1900 is shown according to one aspect. In one aspect, all exterior surfaces of the toothbrush body 1900 meet the YICK-SANG YS300001 texture standard. Fig. 20A As shown in FIG. 1 , the head portion 1920 has a thickness T1. In one aspect, the thickness T1 can be 6.36 mm. The toothbrush body 1900 can have a thickness of Fig. 20B The length L2 and width W4 shown in . In one aspect, the length L2 can be 219 mm and the width W4 can be 14 mm.

[0055] FIG. 21A to FIG. 21D 1 is a perspective view of a toothbrush assembly 2100 in various stages of coupling and disengagement of a removable / replaceable brush head 100 with a toothbrush body 1900 according to one aspect. The removable brush head 100 may be coupled to the toothbrush body 1900 by applying force to the tuft plate 120 until the removable brush head 100 and the toothbrush body 1900 are coupled together. Fig. 21C As shown in , in one aspect, the distal end of the removable brush head 100 can be first inserted into the toothbrush body 1900 so that the distal protrusion 140 is aligned with the distal channel 1927 (not shown). A force can then be applied to the proximal end of the removable brush head 100 so that the removal button 160 extends into or through the removal opening 1924, and the remaining protrusion 140 is aligned with and cooperates with the remaining channel or slot 1927. The connection between the protrusion 140 and the channel 1927 secures the replaceable brush head 100 to the toothbrush body 1900. Having the protrusion 140 fully formed on the cluster plate 120 ensures that the replaceable brush head 100 is fully retained in the toothbrush body 1900, even if the cluster plate 120 and the cluster plate cover 130 become disengaged. In this case, the cluster plate cover 130 is sandwiched between the toothbrush body 1900 and the cluster plate 1920, which reduces the risk of loose parts after the replaceable brush head 100 is installed. In one aspect, when the replaceable brush head 100 is installed in the toothbrush body 1900, the top surface 122 of the tuft plate is flush with the terminal edge of the perimeter wall 1926. FIG. 22A to FIG. 22E are top, side, bottom, front, and back views of a toothbrush assembly 2100 according to one aspect. Fig.23 is a top view of a toothbrush assembly 2100 according to one aspect, and Fig.24 yes Fig.23 A cross-sectional view of the toothbrush assembly 2100 taken along line XXIII-XXIII. Fig.25 is a side view of a toothbrush assembly 2100 according to one aspect, and Fig.26 yes Fig.25 A cross-sectional view of the toothbrush assembly 2100 taken along line XXV-XXV.

[0056] The design of the replaceable brush head 100 also provides a simple and efficient disengagement from the toothbrush body 1900. A force may be applied directly to the disassembly button 160 in the direction of the cluster plate 120 by the user by pushing (and in an alternative embodiment, pulling the disassembly button to remove the brush head 100). This force may disengage the replaceable brush head 100 from the toothbrush body 1900 so that the replaceable brush head 100 may be removed. This allows for convenient and easy replacement of the replaceable brush head 100. In this way, the disassembly button 160 is used as a "disassembly" button for simple and direct removal by the user, who can directly contact the lower surface 163 of the disassembly button 160 to overcome the holding force generated by the mutually cooperating protrusions 140 and the slots 1927 and remove the brush head 100. In yet another embodiment, the disassembly button 160 may be replaced or supplemented with an additional removal structure (such as a spring disposed between the brush head 100 and the toothbrush body 1900).

[0057] The above description is a description of the current aspects of the present invention. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the present invention as defined in the appended claims, which will be interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. The present disclosure is presented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as an exhaustive description of all embodiments of the present invention or limiting the scope of the claims to specific elements illustrated or described in conjunction with these aspects. For example, but not limited to, any (one or more) individual elements of the described invention may be replaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similar functions or otherwise provide sufficient operation. This includes, for example, currently known alternative elements (such as those currently known to those skilled in the art) and alternative elements that may be developed in the future (such as those elements that may be identified as alternatives when developed by those skilled in the art). In addition, the disclosed aspects include multiple features that are consistently described and can collaboratively provide a series of benefits. The present invention is not limited to those aspects that include all of these features or provide all of the benefits, unless otherwise explicitly stated in the published claims. Features of each aspect may be used in combination with features from other aspects. Directional terms such as "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "upper," "lower," "in," "inward," "outward," "outwardly," "forward," and "backward" are used to help describe the invention based on the orientation of the aspects shown in the diagrams. The use of directional terms should not be construed as limiting the invention to any particular orientation(s). For example, any reference to a claim element in the singular using the articles "a," "an," "the," or "said" should not be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

Claims

1. A replaceable brush head for removably attaching to a toothbrush body, the replaceable brush head comprising: The top surface, the outer peripheral edge and the bottom surface, the top surface defining a plurality of openings and having a plurality of bristle tufts, each of the bristle tufts extending from one of the openings; at least one protrusion extending from the outer peripheral edge, the protrusion being configured to secure the replaceable brush head to the toothbrush body; as well as A disassembly button extends outwardly from the bottom surface for contact associated with the disengagement of the brush head from the toothbrush body.

2. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of tufts terminate at at least two different planes above the tuft plate.

3. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The brush head is formed by a tuft plate and a tuft plate cover, wherein the tuft plate includes the top surface of the brush head, the tuft plate cover includes the bottom surface of the brush head, and at least a portion of the tuft plate and the tuft plate cover combine to form the outer peripheral edge of the brush head, and wherein the tuft plate and the tuft plate cover are connected together.

4. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, in, The removal button extends outwardly from a portion of the bottom surface, and wherein the removal button has an outer edge spaced inwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the brush head.

5. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of openings are disposed adjacent the distal end of the brush head, and the removal button is disposed adjacent the proximal end of the brush head.

6. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The outer peripheral edge of the brush head includes opposing lateral brush head sides, and wherein the at least one protrusion includes a plurality of the protrusions spaced apart from one another, wherein at least one of the protrusions is positioned on the outer edge of the brush head at the distal end, and wherein two additional protrusions are positioned on the outer edge of the brush head along the opposing lateral sides.

7. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The at least two additional protrusions are positioned on the lateral sides and adjacent the proximal end of the brush head.

8. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The tuft plate defines a tuft plate outer edge, and wherein the protrusion extends from the tuft plate outer edge.

9. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: The at least two additional protrusions are vertically aligned with the removal button.

10. The replaceable brush head according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the tuft plate and the tuft plate cover has a stadium-shaped cross-section defining a brush head cross-sectional area, and wherein the removal button has a stadium-shaped cross-section defining a removal button cross-sectional area, wherein the removal button cross-sectional area is smaller than the brush head cross-sectional area.

11. A toothbrush assembly comprising: a replaceable brush head comprising a top surface, an outer peripheral edge, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface defining a plurality of openings, wherein at least one tuft of bristles extends from each opening, the bottom surface comprising a removal button extending outwardly from the bottom surface, the outer peripheral edge comprising a plurality of protrusions spaced apart from one another about the outer peripheral edge; as well as A toothbrush body, the toothbrush body comprising: a housing having a handle portion, a neck portion, and a head portion, the handle portion including a power button contact; The head portion defines a brush head recess, the brush head recess being sized and designed to fit the brush head, wherein the brush head recess has a side wall, the side wall having a shape corresponding to the shape of the outer peripheral edge of the brush head, the brush head recess having a bottom plate, the head portion defining a removal opening extending completely through the bottom plate of the brush head recess, the removal opening being sized and shaped to receive the removal button of the brush head, wherein a portion of the removal button is exposed through the removal opening for direct contact by a user, and the side wall further defining a plurality of slots, at least one of the slots being sized and positioned to align with the at least one protrusion on the brush head; a circuit board housed in the handle portion, the circuit board including a power button and a power source, the power button being connected to the power button contacts; a strain gauge received in the neck portion; a vibration motor housed in one of the handle portion and the neck portion; and A grip portion at least partially surrounds the handle portion, the grip portion defining a power button opening aligned with the power button contact.

12. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: Both the outer peripheral edge of the brush head and the brush head recess are stadium-shaped.

13. The toothbrush assembly according to claim 11, in, The neck portion of the housing includes an indicator light, and Wherein, the holding portion defines an indicator light opening aligned with the indicator light.

14. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: The replaceable brush head is disengaged from the head portion when a force in the direction of the tuft plate is applied to the removal button, and wherein the removal opening exposes the removal button of the brush head for direct user contact.

15. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: The grip portion is overmolded over the handle portion and the neck portion of the housing.

16. The toothbrush assembly according to claim 11, in, The brush head has a first width and the removal button has a second width, and Wherein, the first width is greater than the second width.

17. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: The plurality of tufts terminate at at least two different planes above the brush head.

18. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: The plurality of openings spans approximately sixty percent of a length of the brush head defined between a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the plurality of openings are located adjacent the distal end, and wherein the removal button is located adjacent the proximal end.

19. The toothbrush assembly of claim 11, wherein: The protrusions include a first protrusion on the outer edge of the tuft plate at the distal end of the brush head and two protrusions on the outer edge of the tuft plate adjacent the proximal end.

20. A toothbrush assembly comprising: A replaceable brush head, the replaceable brush head comprising: A cluster plate having a stadium-shaped cross-section and a curved outer edge, the cluster plate comprising: a top surface defining a plurality of openings positioned toward a distal end of the top surface and spaced apart from a proximal end of the top surface; a distal protrusion extending from the curved outer edge at a distal end of the tuft plate; a pair of proximal projections, each extending from the curved outer edge along a portion of the length of the stadium-shaped cross-section; and a ridge extending from a bottom surface of the tuft plate along a perimeter of the tuft plate; a plurality of tufts coupled to the tuft plate through the plurality of openings in the tuft plate; and A cluster plate cover, the cluster plate cover comprising: a receiving portion having a stadium-shaped cross-section and a curved outer edge, the receiving portion defining a receiving groove along a perimeter of a top surface of the receiving portion, the receiving portion defining a stadium-shaped first opening at a proximal end, the receiving groove coupled to the ridge of the tuft plate; a removal button extending from a portion of the bottom surface of the receiving portion at a proximal end of the receiving portion, the removal button defining a cavity aligned with the first opening; and A toothbrush body, the toothbrush body comprising: a top housing, the top housing comprising a handle portion, a neck portion, and a head portion, the handle portion comprising a power button contact, the neck portion comprising an indicator light, the handle portion having a thickness greater than a thickness of the neck portion; The head portion has a stadium shape, the head portion includes an upper surface defining a brush head recess, the brush head recess is sized to fit the tuft plate and the receiving portion, the brush head recess has a bottom plate and sidewalls extending upward from the bottom plate, the head portion defines a removal opening in the bottom plate of the brush head recess, the removal opening is sized to fit the removal button; The sidewall of the head portion is curved to receive the replaceable brush head, the sidewall defining three slots sized and positioned to align with the distal protrusions and the paired proximal protrusions on the tuft plate; a bottom housing including a handle portion and a neck portion, the bottom housing defining a component cavity, the bottom housing being coupleable to the top housing, the bottom housing defining two openings in a bottom surface of the bottom housing; a circuit board received in the handle portion of the component cavity, the circuit board including a power button and a power source, the power button being connected to the power button contacts when the top housing is coupled to the bottom housing; a strain gauge received in the neck portion of the component cavity proximal to the handle portion; a vibration motor received in the neck portion of the component cavity distal to the handle portion; two ferrous metal pieces coupled to the bottom housing through the two openings in the bottom surface, the ferrous metal pieces configured to magnetically couple the toothbrush body to a charger; a charging plate received in the handle portion of the component cavity below the circuit board, the charging plate directing an electromagnetic field to a charging coil; and a grip portion overmolded over the handle portion and the neck portion of the bottom shell and the top shell, the grip portion defining a power button opening aligned with the power button contact, the grip portion defining an indicator light opening aligned with the indicator light, Wherein, the cluster plate and the cluster plate cover of the brush head are connected together, Wherein the tuft plate and the receiving portion have a first width, and the removal button has a second width, and wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

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