Switching mechanism of electric toothbrush and working method of switching mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to a switching mechanism of an electric toothbrush and a working method thereof.The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush comprises a toothbrush body (3) internally provided with a servo motor (1) and a motor shaft (2), a plurality of brush heads are detachably connected to the toothbrush body (3), and the outer end of the motor shaft extends out of the toothbrush body; the toothbrush head is arranged on the periphery, extending out of the toothbrush body (3), of the motor shaft in a sleeved mode, a core shaft (6) capable of sliding relative to the axial direction is arranged in the center of the motor shaft (2) in a penetrating mode, protruding parts (9) of different lengths are arranged in different kinds of toothbrush heads, and the protruding parts (9) can abut against the core shaft (6) to move by different lengths in the axial direction. And a sensing trigger device for controlling the servo motor (1) to output different working modes according to different displacements of the mandrel (6) is arranged in the toothbrush main body (3). The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush is reasonable in design and convenient to use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a mechanism in a two-in-one or three-in-one electric toothbrush, and in particular to a switching mechanism for an electric toothbrush and its working method. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, electric toothbrushes on the market use technologies such as sonic vibration brush heads, oscillating brush heads, or polishing brush heads. Sonic and oscillating modes each have the following advantages and disadvantages:

[0003] Advantages of Sonic Mode: 1. Excellent fluid cleaning effect: This is its biggest advantage. Through high-frequency vibrations of over 31,000 times per minute, it drives toothpaste and water in the mouth, forming a high-speed micro-flow that effectively cleans "blind spots" such as between teeth and gingival sulcus that are difficult for brush bristles to reach. This is significant for preventing interproximal caries (tooth decay) and periodontal disease. 2. Gentle on gums and enamel: When used correctly (without forceful pressing), its physical friction is relatively small, theoretically causing less irritation to the gums and less wear on the enamel than rotary brushes. It is more suitable for people with sensitive gums, those undergoing orthodontic treatment (wearing braces), and those with enamel hypoplasia or wedge-shaped defects. 3. Easier to adapt to the user experience: Primarily characterized by high-frequency vibration, there is no noticeable mechanical pulling sensation, making it acceptable to most people on their first use.

[0004] Disadvantages of Sonic Mode: 1. Slightly lower plaque removal efficiency: For large areas of highly adhesive plaque on the tooth surface, the "water flow cleaning" may not be as fast and efficient as the direct "mechanical friction" of a rotary brush. More careful brushing is required to cover each tooth surface. 2. Requires certain brushing techniques: The brush head needs to be held at a 45-degree angle to the gingival sulcus and moved slowly along the teeth to fully utilize the "water flow effect." Simply vibrating the brush haphazardly on the tooth surface will significantly reduce cleaning effectiveness. 3. The noise level is usually high-frequency and harsh.

[0005] Advantages of Oscillating-Rotating Mode: 1. Powerful physical friction cleaning: This is its core advantage. The brush head oscillates back and forth thousands to tens of thousands of times per minute along its length, generating direct and efficient friction on the tooth surface. It is highly effective and efficient at removing plaque, soft deposits, and surface stains (such as tea and coffee stains). 2. More noticeable brushing sensation: The precise mechanical motion provides users with the psychological and physical feedback of "being powerfully cleaned," which is great for those who enjoy this thorough cleaning. 3. Round brush head design: The small, round head makes it easier to brush each tooth individually, especially the molars. It offers high operational flexibility and may better align with the "tooth-by-tooth brushing" concept of the Bass brushing technique.

[0006] Disadvantages of Oscillating-Rotating Mode: 1.

[0007] 1. Greater potential irritation to gums and teeth: If users habitually press hard, the oscillating motion can cause significant scraping and impact on the gums, potentially leading to gum recession. It is also not gentle enough on exposed tooth roots or worn tooth necks. 2. Interdental cleaning relies on the bristles themselves: Its cleaning effect mainly occurs in the area directly in contact with the bristles. For cleaning deep between teeth, it mainly relies on the bristles to penetrate, lacking the auxiliary effect of the "water flow impact" of sonic cleaning. 3. Initial use may require adaptation: Some people may experience a "tractor-like" or "numb" sensation in the mouth at first.

[0008] The core mechanism of the polishing mode brush head is that the bristle assembly rotates continuously in a certain direction. Its advantages are higher whitening efficiency and less damage to the tooth surface. Its disadvantage is that it is only effective for extrinsic pigments such as coffee stains and tea stains, and has limited effect on improving intrinsic tooth yellowing such as tetracycline staining and fluorosis.

[0009] To integrate two or three modes, allowing customers to choose different modes to brush their teeth according to their needs.

[0010] For sonic toothbrushes, the motor drives the entire brush head to oscillate, while for rotary toothbrushes, the motor drives the internal mechanism of the brush head to rotate the bristles. The polishing mode brush head has a motor that drives the bristle assembly to rotate continuously in a certain direction. Therefore, to switch between the three modes, three different brush heads are usually made, and customers can switch between different usage modes by changing the brush head.

[0011] The technical challenge of two-in-one or multi-in-one electric toothbrushes is how to inform the toothbrush body which brush head the user has switched to after the brush head is changed, and then output the corresponding application for the brush head.

[0012] Currently, there are two solutions for switching modes: one is that the machine defaults to using the vibrating sweeping brush head's operating program, and after switching to the oscillating brush head, it needs to be rotated at an angle. After rotating at this angle, the different signals from the Hall sensor of the servo motor can be used to identify whether the customer has installed the oscillating brush head. This solution has a fatal flaw: when installing the oscillating sweeping brush head, the customer needs to rotate the brush head at an angle, which results in a very poor customer experience.

[0013] Another approach involves mounting a magnet on the oscillating brush head and a Hall sensor on the main unit. Obviously, when the oscillating brush head is attached, the machine can determine which brush head is being used based on the signal from the Hall sensor. The disadvantages of this approach are: the brush head needs a magnet, making the structure complex and inconvenient; additionally, installing a Hall sensor close to the brush head on the main body presents a technical challenge. Summary of the Invention

[0014] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a switching mechanism for an electric toothbrush and its working method. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush is reasonably designed and convenient to use.

[0015] This invention relates to a switching mechanism for an electric toothbrush, characterized in that: it includes a toothbrush body with an internal servo motor and a motor shaft, several brush heads are detachably connected to the toothbrush body, the outer end of the motor shaft extends out of the toothbrush body, the brush heads are fitted onto the outer periphery of the motor shaft extending out of the toothbrush body, a spindle capable of relative axial sliding is inserted through the center of the motor shaft, different types of brush heads have protrusions of different lengths inside, the protrusions can push the spindle to move axially by different lengths, and a sensing trigger device is provided inside the toothbrush body to control the servo motor to output different working modes based on the different displacements of the spindle.

[0016] Preferably, the brush head is at least two of the following: a gyratory brush head, a sonic sweeping brush head, and a rotary brush head.

[0017] Preferably, the aforementioned sensing triggering device is a touch switch installed inside the toothbrush body and triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle. The oscillating brush head is sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft. The oscillating brush head is provided with a oscillating mechanism driven by the motor shaft. The oscillating mechanism drives the oscillating bristles on the oscillating brush head to move. The oscillating mechanism is provided with a protrusion that can push the spindle to move axially to conduct the touch switch. The sonic sweeping brush head is sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft. The protrusion provided in the sonic sweeping brush head drives the spindle to have zero axial displacement.

[0018] Preferably, the aforementioned touch switch is mounted on a support plate, and a spring-loaded component is provided above the support plate, with the middle part of the spring-loaded component mounted on the inner end of the spindle.

[0019] Preferably, the aforementioned sensing triggering device is a pressure sensor installed inside the toothbrush body and triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle. The inside of the brush head is provided with a protrusion that can push the spindle to move axially by different lengths. A spring is installed at the inner end of the spindle. When the spindle moves axially, the spring contacts the pressure sensor. The installed brush head is identified by the pressure sensor receiving different pressures. The controller controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0020] Preferably, the pressure sensor is mounted on the support plate, and a soft rubber body is mounted above the spring. The soft rubber body contacts the pressure sensor when the spindle moves axially, and the installed brush head is identified by the pressure sensor receiving different pressures.

[0021] Preferably, the above-mentioned sensing triggering device includes a magnet and a Hall sensor installed inside the toothbrush body. The magnet is installed at the inner end of the spindle, and the Hall sensor is installed inside the toothbrush body at a position corresponding to the magnet. The inside of the brush head is provided with the protrusion that can push the spindle to move axially by different lengths. The installed brush head is identified by the induced current generated by the magnet at the inner end of the spindle and the Hall sensor. The controller controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0022] Preferably, the toothbrush body has a D-shaped protrusion, and the inner circumference of the outer shell end of the oscillating brush head and the rotating brush head matches the shape of the D-shaped protrusion so that the outer shell of the oscillating brush head or the rotating brush head will not rotate with the rotation of the motor shaft; the inner circumference of the end of the sonic sweeping brush head is circular so that when it is fitted with the D-shaped protrusion, the outer shell of the sonic sweeping brush head can vibrate at the same frequency as the motor shaft and rotate back and forth around the motor shaft in a small amplitude.

[0023] Preferably, the motor shaft is provided with a limiting groove, and the interior of the oscillating brush head, the sonic sweeping brush head and the rotating brush head are all provided with a protruding key that cooperates with the limiting groove. Through the cooperation of the protruding key and the limiting groove, the oscillating brush head, the sonic sweeping brush head and the rotating brush head cannot move axially.

[0024] The working method of the switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush of the present invention is characterized by:

[0025] When a certain type of brush head is installed on the toothbrush body, the protrusion in the brush head can push the spindle to generate axial displacement. The spindle triggers the sensor triggering device, which in turn controls the servo motor to output different working modes through the controller. In other words, different brush heads will generate different working modes.

[0026] The convex part pushes the spindle to move axially to turn on the touch switch, so as to realize the servo motor outputs the oscillating mode to drive the oscillating brush head to work. However, when the sonic sweeping brush head is installed, the spindle is not driven to move axially and the touch switch is not turned on, so the servo motor outputs the sonic sweeping mode to drive the sonic sweeping brush head to work at high frequency vibration and to rotate back and forth around the motor shaft in a small amplitude.

[0027] Alternatively, different brush heads with protrusions of different lengths can cause the spindle on the toothbrush body to move axially by different lengths. Different brush heads cause the spring to compress by different lengths, which in turn causes the spring to exert different pressures on the pressure sensor. The controller senses the different pressures on the pressure sensor and controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0028] Alternatively, by using protrusions of different lengths on different brush heads, the spindle can be moved axially by different lengths, resulting in different distances between the magnet and the Hall sensor on different brush heads. The controller senses different current values ​​from the Hall sensor to identify the different brush heads installed, and controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0029] The electric toothbrush of this invention has a reasonable switching mechanism. After the user attaches the brush head, the controller can control the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work, which is convenient to use. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the installation of the acoustic sweeping brush head in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the present invention with the acoustic sweeping brush head installed;

[0032] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A partial view;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the present invention with the rotating brush head installed;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the present invention with the rotating brush head installed;

[0035] Figure 6 , 7 yes Figure 5 A partial view;

[0036] Figure 8 It is a 3D view of the toothbrush body;

[0037] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A partial view;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of Example 2;

[0039] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A partial view;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a partial view of Embodiment 3. Detailed Implementation

[0041] To make the above features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0042] Example 1 (e.g.) Figure 1-9The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush in this embodiment includes a toothbrush body 3 with a servo motor 1 and a motor shaft 2 inside. A swivel brush head 4 and a sonic sweeping brush head 5 are detachably connected to the toothbrush body 3. A spindle 6 passes through the center of the motor shaft 2 and can slide in the central channel of the motor shaft 2. A touch switch 7 that can be triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle is provided inside the toothbrush body. The outer end of the motor shaft 2 extends out of the toothbrush body. The swivel brush head 4 can be detachably sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft 3. A swivel mechanism 8 driven by the motor shaft 3 is provided inside the swivel brush head 4. The swivel mechanism 8 drives the swivel bristles 01 on the swivel brush head to move, so as to clean the teeth. A protrusion 9 that can push the spindle 6 to move axially to conduct the touch switch is provided inside the swivel mechanism.

[0043] The sonic sweeping brush head 5 can be sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft. The sonic sweeping brush head 5 does not have a protrusion that can drive the spindle to move axially. Therefore, after the sonic sweeping brush head 5 is installed on the motor shaft 2, the sonic sweeping brush head 5 will not drive the spindle to move axially, and thus will not trigger the contact switch 7 to conduct. The servo motor 1 drives the sonic sweeping brush head 5 to generate high-frequency vibration to achieve sonic sweeping cleaning of teeth.

[0044] The aforementioned touch switch 7 is mounted on the support plate 10. A spring-loaded component 11 (which can be a spring or a bow-shaped elastic cup) is provided above the support plate 10. The middle part of the spring-loaded component 11 is mounted on the inner end of the spindle 6. After the spindle is driven to move axially by the protrusion 9, the spring-loaded component 11 deforms and the spindle abuts against the touch switch 7. When the pendulum brush head is removed (i.e., the protrusion 9 no longer drives the spindle to move axially), the spring-loaded component 11 returns to its original shape, driving the spindle back to its initial position.

[0045] For a reasonable design, such as Figure 8 As shown, the toothbrush body 3 has a D-shaped protrusion 12. The inner circumference of the outer shell end of the oscillating brush head 4 matches the shape of the D-shaped protrusion, so that the outer shell of the oscillating brush head will not rotate with the rotation of the motor shaft. Thus, the rotation of the motor shaft drives the oscillating mechanism to operate (the outer shell of the oscillating brush head does not rotate). The oscillating mechanism may include an intermediate shaft 15 coaxially connected to the motor shaft, a first gear 16 connected to the first end of the intermediate shaft 15, and a second gear 17 eccentrically connected to the rear of the oscillating bristles 4, meshing with the first gear 16. The protrusion 9 is provided in the countersunk hole 18 at the second end of the intermediate shaft 15 (e.g., Figure 6As shown), the countersunk hole is fitted around the outer periphery of the motor shaft. After the motor shaft rotates, it drives the intermediate shaft 15, the first gear 16, and the second gear 17 to rotate, which in turn drives the oscillating brush bristles 4 to perform a oscillating motion (that is, the oscillating brush bristles 4 rotate around the axis of rotation of the second gear 17, which is usually perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the motor shaft). The motor shaft 2 and the intermediate shaft 15 are coaxially connected. Specifically, the cross-section of the countersunk hole 18 of the intermediate shaft 15 can be D-shaped. The upper end of the motor shaft 2 is clearance-fitted with the D-shaped countersunk hole 18 (that is, the upper end of the cylindrical motor shaft 2 is flattened to form a D-shaped cross-section). When the motor shaft 2 rotates, the intermediate shaft 15 also rotates synchronously.

[0046] The inner circumference of the end of the sonic sweeping brush head 5, which is detachably connected to the toothbrush body, is circular (this circular inner circumference is fitted with the D-shaped protrusion 12 with a clearance). Because the inner circumference of the end of the sonic sweeping brush head is circular, the outer shell of the sonic sweeping brush head can vibrate at the same frequency as the motor shaft.

[0047] To ensure the rotary brush head and the sonic sweeping brush head are relatively fixed on the motor shaft, the motor shaft 2 has a limiting groove 13 (which can be V-shaped or W-shaped). Both the rotary brush head and the sonic sweeping brush head have protruding keys 14 that mate with the limiting groove (for the rotary brush head, the protruding key 14 is located within the countersunk hole 18). The engagement of the protruding key 14 with the limiting groove 13 prevents the rotary brush head and the sonic sweeping brush head from moving axially relative to the motor shaft. After the rotary brush head 4 is fitted onto the motor shaft and the protruding key 14 is embedded in the limiting groove 13, the protrusion 9 pushes the spindle axially to activate the touch switch. Similarly, the sonic sweeping brush head 5 has a channel inside, within which the protruding key 14 mates with the limiting groove 13.

[0048] The aforementioned motors and other components are powered by the storage battery 20.

[0049] The working principle of the switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush in this embodiment is as follows: When the oscillating brush head is needed, it is placed on the motor shaft (the protruding key 14 is matched with the limiting groove). The protrusion 9 inside the oscillating brush head pushes the spindle to move axially, thereby triggering the contact switch to be turned on. When the toothbrush body starts the main switch, the servo motor inside the toothbrush body drives the motor shaft to rotate, and drives the oscillating brush bristles to reciprocate through the oscillating mechanism, realizing the operation of the electric toothbrush in oscillating mode. When the sonic sweeping brush head is needed, it is placed on the motor shaft. The sonic sweeping brush head does not push the spindle to move axially, thereby not triggering the contact switch to be turned on. When the toothbrush body starts the main switch, the servo motor inside the toothbrush body drives the motor shaft to vibrate at high frequency, realizing the operation of the electric toothbrush in sonic mode.

[0050] Example 2 (e.g.) Figure 10 , 11As shown), the switching mechanism of this embodiment of the electric toothbrush includes a toothbrush body 3 with an internal servo motor 1 and a motor shaft 2. A swivel brush head 4, a sonic sweeping brush head 5, and a rotating brush head 19 are detachably connected to the toothbrush body 3. The swivel brush head 4 and the sonic sweeping brush head 5 are the same as in embodiment 1. The rotating brush head 19 has the same internal structure as the swivel brush head 4, differing only in the bristles. A spindle 6, capable of relative axial sliding, is inserted through the center of the motor shaft 2 (i.e., the spindle 6 can slide relative to the motor shaft 2). The toothbrush body has a pressure sensor 20 (which can be a model RH153N-V1 manufactured by Shenzhen Ruihu Technology Co., Ltd.) that can be triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle. The motor shaft extends out of the toothbrush body. The oscillating brush head 4, the sonic sweeping brush head 5, and the rotating brush head 19 are sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft 2. The oscillating brush head 4, the sonic sweeping brush head 5, and the rotating brush head 19 have protrusions 9 inside that can push the spindle 6 to move axially by different lengths (such as...). The protrusion of the oscillating brush head 4 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 1 mm, the protrusion of the sonic sweeping brush head 5 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 2 mm, and the protrusion of the rotating brush head 19 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 3 mm. A spring 21 is installed at the inner end of the spindle 6. The spring 21 contacts the pressure sensor 20 when the spindle 6 moves axially. The installed brush head is identified by the different pressures received by the pressure sensor 20, so as to control the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work. (For the oscillating brush head 4, the sonic sweeping brush head 5 and the rotating brush head 19, the servo motor can output the corresponding working mode. In the oscillating mode, the servo motor drives the motor shaft to output repeated 10-60 degree circular rotations; in the sonic sweeping mode, the servo motor drives the motor shaft to output high-frequency vibrations; in the rotating mode, the servo motor drives the motor shaft to output continuous circular rotations. The above output motion modes of the servo motor are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here. The specific servo motor can be the SV660 series servo motor produced by Huichuan Technology Co., Ltd.)

[0051] The above-mentioned springs can adopt the following technical parameters and compression amounts:

[0052]

[0053] The working principle of the switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush in this embodiment is that the different brush heads have protrusions of different lengths, which causes the spindle on the toothbrush body to move axially by different lengths. Since the pressure sensor is fixed, the different brush heads cause the spring 21 to be compressed by different lengths, which in turn causes the spring to exert different pressures on the pressure sensor 20. The controller senses the different pressures on the pressure sensor 20 (as described in the previous table), and the controller controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0054] Example 3 (e.g.) Figure 12 The switching mechanism of this embodiment of the electric toothbrush includes a toothbrush body 3 with a servo motor 1 and a motor shaft 2 internally. A swivel brush head 4, a sonic sweeping brush head 5, and a rotating brush head 19 are detachably connected to the toothbrush body 3. A spindle 6, capable of sliding relative to the axial direction, passes through the center of the motor shaft 2 (i.e., the spindle 6 can slide within the central channel of the motor shaft 2). A magnet 23 is provided at the inner end of the spindle 6. A Hall sensor 24 capable of sensing the magnet is provided inside the toothbrush body. The motor shaft extends outside the toothbrush body. The swivel brush head 4, the sonic sweeping brush head 5, and the rotating brush head 19... Sleeve onto the outer periphery of the motor shaft 2, the pendulum brush head 4, the sonic sweep brush head 5, and the rotating brush head 19 are internally provided with protrusions 9 that can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by different lengths (e.g., the protrusion of the pendulum brush head 4 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 1 mm, the protrusion of the sonic sweep brush head 5 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 2 mm, and the protrusion of the rotating brush head 19 can drive the spindle 6 to move axially by 3 mm). The installed brush head is identified by the induced current generated by the magnet 23 at the inner end of the spindle 6 and the Hall sensor 24, so as to control the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

[0055] The working principle of the switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush in this embodiment is as follows: the protrusions of different lengths on different brush heads drive the spindle to move axially by different lengths, resulting in different distances between the magnet 23 and the Hall sensor 24 on different brush heads. The controller senses different current values ​​of the Hall sensor 24 to identify the different brush heads installed, and controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work. (Specifically, the Hall sensor realizes non-contact displacement measurement based on the Hall effect. The core principle is to indirectly calculate the relative position of the magnet and the sensor by detecting changes in magnetic field strength. The Hall sensor can be the HX63 series linear Hall sensor produced by Wuxi Huaxinsheng.)

[0056] In this embodiment 2, the pressure sensor 20 is mounted on the support plate 10, and a soft rubber body 22 is mounted above the spring 21 (in order to reduce the damage caused by direct contact between the spring 21 and the pressure sensor 20, and to improve the service life of the pressure sensor 20). The soft rubber body 22 contacts the pressure sensor 20 when the spindle 6 moves axially, and the installed brush head is identified by the different pressures applied to the pressure sensor 20.

[0057] The other structures on the toothbrush body 3 are the same as those in the aforementioned embodiment 1, and will not be described again here.

[0058] The structures not mentioned in the oscillating brush head 4, the sonic sweeping brush head 5, and the rotating brush head 19 are existing technologies. In the oscillating brush head 4, the oscillating bristles 01 (here, the oscillating bristle 01 does not refer to a single bristle, but rather the entire bristle assembly on which the bristles are installed) reciprocate around the axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation, with the amplitude of the reciprocating rotation being ±20-30 degrees in the circumferential direction of the axis of rotation (i.e., oscillating mode). In the sonic sweeping brush head 5, the brush head, driven by a servo motor, can perform small-amplitude (which can be ±10-20 degrees in the circumferential direction) reciprocating rotation and high-frequency vibration around the axis of rotation of the motor (i.e., sonic sweeping mode). In the rotating brush head 19, the internal structure is the same as that of the oscillating brush head 4, and the bristle assembly of this brush head continuously rotates in one direction around the axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the motor (i.e., rotating mode).

[0059] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, designing different forms of electric toothbrush switching mechanisms according to the teachings of the present invention does not require creative labor. All equivalent changes, modifications, substitutions and variations made in accordance with the scope of the patent application of the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention shall be covered by the present invention.

Claims

1. A switching mechanism for an electric toothbrush, characterized in that: The toothbrush body (3) includes a servo motor (1) and a motor shaft (2) inside. Several brush heads are detachably connected to the toothbrush body (3). The outer end of the motor shaft extends out of the toothbrush body. The brush head is fitted on the outer periphery of the motor shaft extending out of the toothbrush body (3). A spindle (6) that can slide relative to the axis is provided through the center of the motor shaft (2). Different types of brush heads have protrusions (9) of different lengths inside. The protrusions (9) can push the spindle (6) to move axially by different lengths. A sensing trigger device is provided inside the toothbrush body (3) to control the servo motor (1) to output different working modes by the different displacements of the spindle (6).

2. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that: The brush head is at least two of the following: a gyratory brush head (4), an acoustic sweeping brush head (5), and a rotary brush head (19).

3. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensing triggering device is a touch switch (7) installed inside the toothbrush body (3) and triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle. The oscillating brush head (4) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft (2). The oscillating brush head is provided with a oscillating mechanism (8) driven by the motor shaft. The oscillating mechanism drives the oscillating bristles (9) on the oscillating brush head to move. The oscillating mechanism (8) is provided with a protrusion (9) that can push the spindle to move axially to conduct the touch switch (7). The sonic sweeping brush head (5) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the motor shaft. The protrusion provided in the sonic sweeping brush head (5) drives the spindle to have zero axial displacement.

4. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 3, characterized in that: The touch switch (7) is mounted on the support plate (10), and a spring-loaded component (11) is provided above the support plate. The middle part of the spring-loaded component is mounted on the inner end of the spindle.

5. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The sensing triggering device is a pressure sensor (20) installed inside the toothbrush body (3) and triggered by pressing the inner end of the spindle. The inside of the brush head is provided with a protrusion (9) that can push the spindle (6) to move axially by different lengths. A spring (21) is installed at the inner end of the spindle (6). When the spindle (6) moves axially, the spring (21) contacts the pressure sensor (20). The installed brush head is identified by the pressure sensor (20) receiving different pressures. The controller controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

6. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pressure sensor (20) is mounted on the support plate (10), and a soft rubber body (22) is mounted above the spring (21). The soft rubber body (22) contacts the pressure sensor (20) when the spindle (6) moves axially. The installed brush head is identified by the pressure sensor (20) being subjected to different pressures.

7. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The sensing triggering device includes a magnet (23) and a Hall sensor (24) installed inside the toothbrush body (3). The magnet (23) is installed at the inner end of the spindle (6), and the Hall sensor (24) is installed inside the toothbrush body (3) at a position corresponding to the magnet (23). The inside of the brush head is provided with a protrusion (9) that can push the spindle (6) to move axially by different lengths. The installed brush head is identified by the induced current generated by the magnet (23) at the inner end of the spindle (6) and the Hall sensor (24). The controller controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

8. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 3, characterized in that: The toothbrush body is provided with a D-shaped protrusion (12). The inner circumference of the outer shell end of the oscillating brush head (4) and the rotating brush head (19) matches the shape of the D-shaped protrusion so that the outer shell of the oscillating brush head (4) or the rotating brush head (19) will not rotate with the rotation of the motor shaft. The inner circumference of the end of the sonic sweeping brush head is circular so that when it is fitted with the D-shaped protrusion, the outer shell of the sonic sweeping brush head can vibrate at the same frequency as the motor shaft and rotate back and forth around the motor shaft in a small amplitude.

9. The switching mechanism of the electric toothbrush according to claim 3, characterized in that: The motor shaft is provided with a limiting groove (13). The inside of the oscillating brush head (4), the sonic sweeping brush head (5) and the rotating brush head (19) are all provided with a protruding key (14) that cooperates with the limiting groove. Through the cooperation of the protruding key and the limiting groove, the oscillating brush head (4), the sonic sweeping brush head (5) and the rotating brush head (19) cannot move axially.

10. A method for operating the switching mechanism of an electric toothbrush as described in claims 1-9, characterized in that: When a certain type of brush head is installed on the toothbrush body (3), the protrusion (9) in the brush head can push the spindle (6) to generate displacement along the axial direction. The spindle (6) triggers the sensing trigger device, and the sensing trigger device controls the servo motor (1) to output different working modes through the controller, that is, different working modes are generated by different installed brush heads. The convex part pushes the spindle to move axially to turn on the touch switch, so as to realize the servo motor outputs the oscillating mode to drive the oscillating brush head to work. However, when the sonic sweeping brush head is installed, the spindle is not driven to move axially and the touch switch is not turned on, so the servo motor outputs the sonic sweeping mode to drive the sonic sweeping brush head to work at high frequency vibration and to rotate back and forth around the motor shaft in a small amplitude. Alternatively, different brush heads with protrusions of different lengths can cause the spindle on the toothbrush body to move axially by different lengths. Different brush heads cause the spring to compress by different lengths, which in turn causes the spring to exert different pressures on the pressure sensor. The controller senses the different pressures on the pressure sensor and controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work. Alternatively, by using protrusions of different lengths on different brush heads, the spindle can be moved axially by different lengths, resulting in different distances between the magnet and the Hall sensor on different brush heads. The controller senses different current values ​​from the Hall sensor to identify the different brush heads installed, and controls the servo motor to output different working modes to drive the corresponding brush head to work.

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