Electric toothbrush, accessory therefor, charging stand, and charging case

Abstract

To provide an electric toothbrush that hardly falls down at the time of charging using a charging stand.SOLUTION: A motor 5 for vibrating a brush body 2, a secondary battery 6 for supplying electric power to the motor 5, and a power receiving part 8 for charging the secondary battery 6 are housed in a casing 1 of an electric toothbrush. The power receiving part 8 includes a power receiving coil 89 capable of electromagnetic induction coupling with a power supply coil 107 of a charging stand. The power receiving coil 89 is arranged along an inner surface of a cylinder wall extending in a vertical direction of the casing 1. In the charging stand corresponding to the electric toothbrush, the power supply coil 107 is arranged in a portion supporting an outer surface of the cylinder wall of the casing 1. In other words, when the electric toothbrush is charged by making the power receiving coil 89 face the power supply coil 107, the cylinder wall of the casing 1 is supported by the charging stand.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush capable of non-contact charging, its accessories, a charging stand and a charging case corresponding to non-contact charging of electric devices such as electric toothbrushes.

Background Art

[0002] An electric toothbrush, which is one of the electric devices targeted by the present invention, includes, for example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a vertically long casing that also serves as a grip, and a brush body (replaceable brush) detachably connected to the upper surface side of the casing. Inside the casing, a motor (vibration generating means) for vibrating the brush body and a secondary battery as a power source for the motor are accommodated. A charger for charging this secondary battery is formed in a substantially disk shape as a whole, and has a fitting recess at the center of the upper surface for receiving the bottom of the casing of the electric toothbrush, and a power supply coil (primary coil) built in the back side of the fitting recess.

[0003] A power receiving coil (secondary coil) that pairs with the power supply coil is accommodated at the bottom of the casing of the electric toothbrush. When the bottom is inserted into the fitting recess of the charger, the power receiving coil and the power supply coil are vertically close to each other with the bottom wall of the fitting recess in between. When an electric current is passed through the power supply coil in this state, an electric current flowing through the power receiving coil is generated by electromagnetic induction, and the electric current is charged to the secondary battery via a circuit board. When the charging method for the secondary battery is non-contact like this electric toothbrush, the surface connection terminals and the waterproof structure around them, which are essential in the case of contact type, can be omitted. Also, the unevenness on the surface of the electric toothbrush can be reduced, and the cleaning of the surface can be facilitated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, in Patent Document 1, by inserting the bottom of the electric toothbrush into the fitting recess on the upper surface of the charger, the coils of the electric toothbrush and the charger are brought close to each other and opposed, and the secondary battery of the electric toothbrush can be charged. That is, the charger also serves as a stand for supporting the electric toothbrush in an upright posture during charging. However, generally, an electric toothbrush is slender in the vertical direction and the width of the bottom surface is small compared to its height. Therefore, when the electric toothbrush is erected on the upper surface of the charger as in Patent Document 1, the electric toothbrush is likely to fall when an external impact or shaking in the horizontal direction acts.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric toothbrush and its accessories that are difficult to fall during charging using a charging stand. Another object of the present invention is to provide a charging stand that can make the electric device to be charged difficult to fall. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a charging case that can charge the electric device while accommodating it.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The electric toothbrush according to the present invention includes a vertically long casing 1 that also serves as a grip, and a brush body 2 connected to the upper surface side of the casing 1. Inside the casing 1, a motor 5 for vibrating the brush body 2, a secondary battery 6 for supplying power to the motor 5, and a power receiving unit 8 for charging the secondary battery 6 are accommodated. The power receiving unit 8 includes a power receiving coil 89 that can be electromagnetically inductively coupled to the power supply coil 107 of the charging stand, and is characterized in that the power receiving coil 89 is arranged along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall extending in the vertical direction of the casing 1.

[0008] The power receiving unit 8 is a power receiving substrate in which the power receiving coil 89 is printed in a wound shape on one surface of the substrate body 88.

[0009] The control board 7 for controlling the motor 5 is located on the opposite side of the power receiving unit 8 across the vertical axis of the casing 1 and faces the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the casing 1.

[0010] It includes a power receiving unit holder 44 that supports the power receiving unit 8 inside the casing 1. A power receiving coil 89 is provided on the surface of the substrate body 88, and the back surface of the substrate body 88 is adhesively fixed to the power receiving unit holder 44 via an adhesive layer 90. The power receiving unit holder 44 has holding claws 91 that press the edge of the substrate body 88 from the surface side.

[0011] It includes a main frame 43 that supports the motor 5 and the secondary battery 6 inside the casing 1, and a power receiving unit holder 44 that supports the power receiving unit 8, and the power receiving unit holder 44 is fixed to the main frame 43.

[0012] It includes a power receiving unit holder 44 that supports the power receiving unit 8 inside the casing 1. The power receiving coil 89 of the power receiving unit 8 is electrically connected to the control board 7 via a lead wire 94. A guide ring 95 protrudes from the back side of the power receiving unit 8 in the power receiving unit holder 44, and the lead wire 94 is inserted into a guide hole 96 surrounded by the guide ring 95.

[0013] The motor 5 and the secondary battery 6 are dispersedly accommodated above and below the casing 1, and the power receiving unit 8 is accommodated between the motor 5 and the secondary battery 6.

[0014] The casing 1 is formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape with a plurality of tops, and the power receiving coil 89 of the power receiving unit 8 faces a flat surface portion connecting adjacent tops of the casing 1.

[0015] The accessory of the electric toothbrush according to the present invention includes a support stand 120 that supports the electric toothbrush in an upright posture, a storage case 150 that stores the electric toothbrush, and a single power supply unit 100 provided with a power supply coil 107, and the power supply unit 100 is detachably configured with respect to each of the support stand 120 and the storage case 150.

[0016] The charging stand according to the present invention includes a support stand 120 that supports an electric device in an upright posture, and a power supply unit 100 that supplies power to the electric device. The power supply unit 100 includes a power supply coil 107 that can be electromagnetically inductively coupled with a power receiving coil 89 of the electric device. The support stand 120 includes a side support 122 that supports the electric device from the side, and is characterized in that the power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to the side support 122.

[0017] A loading portion 126 is provided on the side support 122 of the support stand 120, into which the power supply unit 100 is detachably inserted.

[0018] The inner surface of the side support 122 that supports the electric device is inclined in a direction away from the electric device as it goes upward.

[0019] In a front view, the power supply unit 100 is disposed within the projection plane of the electric device.

[0020] A clip 145 is provided on the outer surface of the loading portion 126.

[0021] A pedestal 136 larger than the bottom is detachably connected to the bottom of the support stand 120.

[0022] The loading portion 126 is provided at the upper part of the side support 122 and protrudes in a direction away from the electric device more than the lower part of the side support 122.

[0023] The side support 122 includes a lower support portion 132 that supports the lower part of the electric device and an upper support portion 131 that supports the electric device above the lower support portion 132. In a plan view, the lower support portion 132 is formed longer along the outer surface of the electric device than the upper support portion 131.

[0024] The power supply unit 100 is provided with a secondary connector 111 that can be connected to a primary connector 114 at the tip of the energization cable 113. The power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to the side support 122 in a forward posture with the secondary connector 111 facing downward or in a reverse posture with the secondary connector 111 facing upward.

[0025] The power supply unit 100 includes a power supply wall 105 that faces the electrical device within the loading section 126, and the power supply coil 107 is arranged along the inner surface of the power supply wall 105. An anti-misloading structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the loading section 126 to prevent the power supply unit 100 from being misloaded in a posture where the power supply wall 105 does not face the electrical device.

[0026] A winding section 170 is provided on the outer surface of the lower part of the side support 122, which can wind the middle part of the energization cable 113 connected to the power supply unit 100 within the loading section 126.

[0027] A switch button 14 for switching the drive state of the electrical device is provided on the outer surface of the electrical device supported by the support stand 120. The upper end of the support stand 120 is located between the upper and lower ends of the switch button 14 of the electrical device.

[0028] The electrical device is an electric toothbrush including an upper and lower long casing 1 that also serves as a grip and a brush body 2 connected to the upper surface side of the casing 1, and the upper end of the support stand 120 is located below the connection part of the casing 1 and the brush body 2.

[0029] The charging case according to the present invention includes a storage case 150 for storing the electrical device and a power supply unit 100 responsible for supplying power to the electrical device. The power supply unit 100 includes a power supply coil 107 that can be electromagnetically inductively coupled with the power receiving coil 89 of the electrical device. The storage case 150 includes a storage recess 161 for receiving and positioning the electrical device, and is characterized in that the power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to the storage case 150 so as to face the storage recess 161.

[0030] The storage recess 161 opens upward, and the power supply unit 100 is disposed below the storage recess 161.

[0031] An upward power supply recess 165 for accommodating the power supply unit 100 is recessed in the bottom wall of the storage recess 161.

[0032] In the longitudinal direction of the power supply recess 165, the power supply recess 165 is formed longer than the power supply unit 100.

[0033] The power supply unit 100 includes a power supply wall 105 facing the storage recess 161 within the power supply recess 165, and the power supply coil 107 is disposed along the inner surface of the power supply wall 105. An incorrect loading prevention structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the power supply recess 165 to prevent incorrect loading of the power supply unit 100 in a posture where the power supply wall 105 does not face the storage recess 161.

[0034] An introduction hole 167 for introducing the energization cable 113 is provided in the wall surface of the storage case 150. The power supply unit 100 is provided with a secondary connector 111 connectable to the primary connector 114 at the tip of the energization cable 113. The power supply unit 100 is accommodated near one end in the longitudinal direction of the power supply recess 165 with the secondary connector 111 facing the other end in the same direction.

[0035] A clamping portion 176 for clamping the energization cable 113 from the width direction of the power supply recess 165 is provided within the power supply recess 165.

[0036] A winding portion 173 capable of winding the intermediate portion of the energization cable 113 is provided within the power supply recess 165.

Advantages of the Invention

[0037] When the power receiving coil 89 is arranged along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall extending in the vertical direction of the casing 1 as in the electric toothbrush according to the present invention, in the corresponding charging stand, the power supply coil 107 is arranged at a portion that supports the outer surface of the cylindrical wall. From the above, according to the present invention, when charging the electric toothbrush with the power receiving coil 89 facing the power supply coil 107, the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 can be supported by the charging stand. Therefore, an electric toothbrush that is difficult to fall even when an external impact or shaking in the horizontal direction acts can be obtained.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0038]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0039] (First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 17 show a first embodiment of an electric toothbrush and its accessories (support stand (charging stand), storage case (charging case), power supply unit) according to the present invention. In this embodiment, front and rear, left and right, and up and down follow the cross arrows shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the front and rear, left and right, and up and down indications marked in the vicinity of each arrow.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 2, the electric toothbrush includes a vertically elongated casing 1 that also serves as a grip, and a brush body 2 that is detachably connected to the upper surface side of the casing 1. The brush body 2 is composed of a tuft 3 of innumerable brush bristles and a brush shaft 4 that supports the tuft 3. The lower part of the brush shaft 4 is formed in a downwardly expanding frustum shape, and the upper part of the brush shaft 4 is formed in a vertical plate shape with the front-rear direction as the plate thickness direction, and the tuft 3 of brush bristles is implanted on the front side thereof. When the tuft 3 of brush bristles deteriorates due to use, the brush body 2 can be removed from the casing 1 and replaced with a new one.

[0041] A motor 5 is housed in the upper part of the hollow casing 1, and a rechargeable secondary battery 6 is housed in the lower part. By dispersing and arranging the relatively heavy motor 5 and secondary battery 6 on the upper and lower sides of the casing 1, the center of gravity of the electric toothbrush can be positioned at or near the center of the casing 1, avoiding the burden when the user grips the center of the casing 1. As shown in FIG. 3, a control board 7 for controlling the entire electric toothbrush is housed in the front part of the casing 1, and a power receiving board (power receiving part) 8 for charging the secondary battery 6 is housed in the rear part. Details of this charging will be described later.

[0042] At the upper part of the front surface of the control board 7, a momentary power switch 10 is disposed, and below it, a display part 12 composed of three LEDs (light emitting diodes) 11 arranged vertically is disposed. As shown in FIG. 4, a vertically long switch window 13 facing the power switch 10 is opened in the front wall of the casing 1, and a switch button 14 and a switch packing 15 are disposed in the switch window 13 in order from the front side (outer side). The switch packing 15 seals the switch window 13 in a watertight manner from the inside to prevent water from entering the casing 1.

[0043] The user of the electric toothbrush can switch the driving state of the motor 5 and the like by pressing the power switch 10 via the switch button 14 and the switch packing 15. In this embodiment, every time the power switch 10 is pressed, the output of the motor 5 is switched in the order of weak → medium → strong → off, and the display content of the display part 12 is switched accordingly. At least the part of the front wall of the casing 1 facing the display part 12 has a light transmissivity that allows the light emission of the LED 11 to pass through. When the secondary battery 6 is being charged, the display part 12 emits light in a color different from the normal time, for example, orange.

[0044] The motor 5 is composed of an ultrasonic linear motor that vibrates its output shaft 18 in the left - right direction. The output shaft 18 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the casing 1 and also serves as a connecting shaft for connecting the brush body 2 to the casing 1. A vertically long connecting hole 19 is recessed on the lower surface of the brush shaft 4. By inserting the output shaft 18 into this connecting hole 19, the brush body 2 can be connected to the casing 1, and the left - right vibration of the output shaft 18 can be transmitted to the brush body 2. The center of gravity G of the motor 5 is located at the center of the main body of the motor 5 (the part excluding the output shaft 18). Note that the vibration direction of the output shaft 18 and the brush body 2 is not limited to the left - right direction and may be, for example, the up - down direction.

[0045] On the upper wall of the casing 1, a shaft through - hole 20 that allows the insertion of the output shaft 18 is provided, and the diameter of the shaft through - hole 20 is formed to be sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the output shaft 18. To prevent water from entering the casing 1 from the shaft through - hole 20, the space between the output shaft 18 and the opening edge of the shaft through - hole 20 is sealed in a watertight manner by a shaft packing 21. The peripheral edge of the shaft packing 21 is clamped from above and below by the upper wall of the casing 1 and an annular packing ring 22 fixed to its outer surface.

[0046] Inside the casing 1, the motor 5 is supported by a motor holder 25. The motor holder 25 integrally includes a case portion 26 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open upper surface and an arm portion 27 extending downward from the bottom surface of the case portion 26. The motor 5 is housed in the case portion 26 from above and is held in a non - removable manner from the case portion 26 by a pressing frame 28 that presses the motor 5 from above. The pressing frame 28 is formed in a U - shape in side view, and the lower parts of its front and rear walls are engaged and fixed to the outer surface of the case portion 26 of the motor holder 25. The significance of providing the arm portion 27 will be described later.

[0047] The motor unit 31 is composed of a motor 5, a motor holder 25, and a pressing frame 28. This motor unit 31 is supported by an internal frame 32 disposed within the casing 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the internal frame 32 includes a pair of motor support walls 33 that sandwich the motor unit 31 from the left and right. On the outer surface of the motor holder 25, a pair of tilting shafts 34 project in the left - right direction, and shaft holes 35 for pivotally supporting the tilting shafts 34 are formed in each motor support wall 33. That is, the motor unit 31 is supported so as to be tiltable back and forth around the tilting shafts 34 with respect to the internal frame 32. The tilting shafts 34 are disposed near the lower end of the rear half of the case portion 26 of the motor holder 25 (see FIG. 4).

[0048] Around each tilting shaft 34, an annular washer 38 sandwiched between the outer surface of the motor holder 25 and the inner surface of the motor support wall 33 is provided. On the outer side of each tilting shaft 34, a flange body 39 having a larger diameter than the shaft hole 35 is provided. A screw 40 is screwed into the tilting shaft 34 through a through - hole formed in the flange body 39, and thereby the flange body 39 is fixed to the tilting shaft 34. The flange body 39 fixed to the tilting shaft 34 can prevent the tilting shaft 34 from coming out of the shaft hole 35. The opening edge of the shaft hole 35 in the motor support wall 33 is sandwiched from the left and right by the motor holder 25 and the flange body 39. According to this, deformation in the thickness direction of the motor support wall 33 can be restricted by the motor holder 25 and the flange body 39, and the overall rigidity of the internal frame 32 can be enhanced.

[0049] The flange body 39 constitutes the left and right ends of the internal structure accommodated in the casing 1. The outer surface of the flange body 39 consists of a flat surface orthogonal to the axis of the tilting shaft 34, and the screw 40 is a flat head screw whose operating head does not protrude from the outer surface of the flange body 39. According to the above configuration, the left and right widths of the internal structure in the casing 1 can be made as small as possible, contributing to the thinning of the casing 1 that houses the internal structure. The casing 1 is formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape with rounded tops, and each of the left and right flange bodies 39 faces the inner surface of the flat surface portion connecting adjacent tops of the casing 1. A U-shaped accommodation groove 41 for receiving the flange body 39 is provided on the inner surface, and its bottom surface is composed of a flat surface parallel to the outer surface of the flange body 39. By providing such an accommodation groove 41, it is possible to thin the casing 1 while ensuring sufficient wall thickness of the casing 1 at the portion adjacent to the accommodation groove 41.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 7, the internal frame 32 is formed by connecting a main frame 43 made of a plastic molded product and a sub-frame (power receiving part holder) 44 in the front-rear direction, and is formed vertically long as a whole, similar to the casing 1. The main frame 43, which occupies most of the internal frame 32, is formed in a substantially U-shaped cross-section with a vertically long front wall and left and right walls, and the upper halves of the left and right walls constitute the motor support walls 33. The motor unit 31 is assembled to the motor support walls 33 of the main frame 43 from the rear. Specifically, the motor unit 31 with a washer 38 mounted around the tilting shaft 34 in advance is pushed in from the rear while elastically deforming the main frame 43 to expand the opposing interval between the motor support walls 33, so that each tilting shaft 34 can be inserted into the shaft hole 35. Then, the flange body 39 is fixed to the outside of each tilting shaft 34 with screws 40, whereby the motor unit 31 can be assembled to the main frame 43.

[0051] After the motor unit 31 is assembled to the main frame 43, a sub-frame 44 is fixed between the rear end portions of the pair of motor support walls 33. The sub-frame 44 has an up-and-down dimension approximately half that of the main frame 43, is formed in a substantially square block shape with the front-to-rear direction as the thickness direction, and is fixed to the main frame 43 with a plurality of frame screws 45. The arm portion 27 of the motor holder 25 is disposed within a space surrounded on four sides by the main frame 43 and the sub-frame 44.

[0052] In addition to the motor unit 31, a control board 7, a power receiving board 8, and a battery pack 47 are assembled to the internal frame 32. The control board 7 is mounted on the outer surface side of the front wall of the main frame 43, and the power receiving board 8 is mounted on the rear surface side of the sub-frame 44. The battery pack 47 is composed of a secondary battery 6 and a protection board 48, and a battery cover 49 that holds them, and is assembled to the lower part of the main frame 43 from the rear.

[0053] The internal frame 32 is inserted into the casing 1 through an insertion port 52 provided on the lower surface of the casing 1. At the lower end of the main frame 43, a fixing ring 53 for fixing it within the casing 1 is integrally provided. An engaging convex portion 54 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of this fixing ring 53 engages with an engaging concave portion 55 recessed in the inner peripheral surface of the casing 1, whereby the internal frame 32 is held within the casing 1 so as not to come out.

[0054] After the internal frame 32 is inserted, the insertion port 52 of the casing 1 is closed with a bottom cover 58. This bottom cover 58 is fixed to the internal frame 32 with a bottom screw 59. At the lower end of the main frame 43, a screw boss 60 surrounded by the fixing ring 53 is integrally provided, and the bottom screw 59 is screwed into the screw boss 60 through a through hole opened at the center of the bottom cover 58. A rubber O-ring 61 is disposed on the inner surface side of the bottom cover 58, and when this O-ring 61 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the casing 1, the opening edge of the insertion port 52 and the bottom cover 58 are sealed in a watertight manner.

[0055] In addition to the fixed ring 53, the inner frame 32 contacts the casing 1 via a vibration isolation sheet 62 disposed on the outer surface of each motor support wall 33 (see FIG. 6). The vibration isolation sheet 62 is formed of a material such as rubber with a high vibration absorption rate, thereby suppressing the transmission of vibrations from the motor unit 31 to the inner frame 32 to the casing 1 and reducing the discomfort of the user gripping the casing 1. Further, by providing the vibration isolation sheet 62, when the casing 1 receives an external impact due to dropping or the like, it is possible to suppress the transmission of the impact to the inner frame 32 and thus to the control board 7 and the power receiving board 8 supported thereby.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 8, the brush body 2 can tilt back and forth around the tilt axis 34 with respect to the casing 1 together with the motor unit 31 between the operating posture indicated by the virtual line and the retracted posture indicated by the solid line. In the operating posture of the brush body 2, the brush shaft 4 stands upright and the vertical axis of the brush shaft 4 coincides with (becomes parallel to) the axis of the casing 1. In the retracted posture of the brush body 2, the axis of the brush shaft 4 tilts backward with respect to the axis of the casing 1. Further, when the brush body 2 is in the operating posture, a regulated body 65 provided on the rear surface of the arm portion 27, specifically, below the tilt axis 34 in the motor holder 25, is received by a regulating body 66 provided on the front surface (inner surface) of the sub-frame 44 (inner frame 32) (see FIG. 4), thereby regulating the brush body 2 from tilting forward beyond the operating posture.

[0057] Above and below the motor unit 31, holding bodies 68 and 69 are provided which bias it in the direction in which the brush body 2 tilts forward (counterclockwise in Fig. 8). The upper holding body 68, which is located above the tilting axis 34, consists of a leaf spring provided integrally with the pressing frame 28 and slopes downward and rearward from the lower end of the rear wall of the pressing frame 28. When the upper holding body 68 elastically contacts the inner surface of the rear wall of the casing 1, the upper part of the motor unit 31 (above the tilting axis 34) is biased forward. The lower holding body 69, which is located below the tilting axis 34, consists of a coil-type tension spring. One end thereof is connected to the tip (lower end) of the arm portion 27 of the motor holder 25, and the other end is connected to the sub-frame 44 (inner frame 32) (see Fig. 4). When the lower holding body 69 pulls the tip of the arm portion 27 toward the sub-frame 44, the lower part of the motor unit 31 (below the tilting axis 34) is biased rearward.

[0058] The biasing forces exerted by the upper and lower holding bodies 68 and 69 act in the direction of holding the brush body 2 in the operating position. That is, a holding force that attempts to hold the brush body 2 in the operating position acts on the brush body 2. Therefore, the brush body 2 is held in the operating position when the electric toothbrush is not in use. Also, when the user properly uses the electric toothbrush, that is, when the tuft 3 is gently pressed against the teeth, the backward reaction force F received by the tuft 3 from the teeth does not exceed the above-mentioned holding force. Therefore, the brush body 2 is held in the operating position. However, when the tuft 3 is pressed against the teeth with an excessive force and the reaction force F acting on the tuft 3 exceeds the above-mentioned holding force, resulting in an overload state, the brush body 2 is displaced from the operating position to the retracted position integrally with the motor unit 31.

[0059] As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, one end of the lower holding body 69 is connected to a movable rod 71 provided on the arm portion 27, and the other end is connected to a fixed rod 72 provided on the sub-frame 44 (inner frame 32). The movable rod 71 and the fixed rod 72 are each formed in a round bar shape extending in the left-right direction, and hook portions that are hooked on the movable rod 71 or the fixed rod 72 are provided at both ends of the lower holding body 69, respectively.

[0060] Specifically, the movable rod 71 is supported by a pair of left and right movable plate portions 73 provided at the tip of the arm portion 27. In the center of each movable plate portion 73, a round hole into which the end of the movable rod 71 is fitted is provided. The pair of movable plate portions 73 face each other left and right with a gap therebetween, and one end of the lower holder 69 is hooked on the movable rod 71 between these pair of movable plate portions 73. Similarly, the fixed rod 72 is also supported by a pair of left and right fixed plate portions 74 provided on the sub-frame 44. In the center of each fixed plate portion 74, a round hole into which the end of the fixed rod 72 is fitted is provided respectively. The pair of fixed plate portions 74 face each other left and right with a gap therebetween, and the other end of the lower holder 69 is hooked on the fixed rod 72 between these pair of fixed plate portions 74. A spring opening 75 that permits the insertion of the lower holder 69 is provided in the front wall of the sub-frame 44, and the fixed plate portion 74 projects rearward from the opening edge of the spring opening 75.

[0061] As described above, it is desirable for the user of the electric toothbrush to gently press the tuft 3 of the brush body 2 against the teeth. Pressing the tuft 3 against the teeth with a force stronger than necessary is not preferable for both the electric toothbrush and the user's teeth. The electric toothbrush of the present embodiment is configured such that when the tuft 3 is in an overload state where it is pressed against the teeth with a force stronger than necessary, the brush body 2 is displaced from the operating posture to the retracted posture. If the tilting angle at this time is sufficiently large, the user can notice that the brush body 2 is tilted, that is, in an overload state. However, the tilting angle of the brush body 2 in the present embodiment is as small as 1 to 2°, and the user cannot easily notice that the brush body 2 is tilted. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a detection means for detecting that the brush body 2 has been displaced to the retracted posture, and a notification means for notifying the user that the displacement has been detected are provided.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 8, the detection means is composed of a detection switch 78 mounted on the inner surface (rear surface) side of the control board 7 and a pressing body 79 projecting forward from the tip (lower end) of the arm portion 27 of the motor holder 25 toward the control board 7. The detection switch 78 is composed of a momentary tactile switch (tact switch) and is arranged on the back side of the display portion 12 composed of three LEDs 11. When the brush body 2 is in the operating posture, the pressing body 79 faces the detection switch 78 with a slight gap in the front-rear direction. When the brush body 2 is displaced to the retracted posture and the arm portion 27 tilts forward, the pressing body 79 contacts the detection switch 78 and presses it.

[0063] The notification means is composed of a display portion 12 mounted on the control board 7, a buzzer (not shown), and a motor 5 whose vibration frequency can be controlled. When the detection switch 78 is pressed by the pressing body 79, the control board 7, that is, the control portion of the electric toothbrush, causes the display portion 12 to emit light in a color different from the normal color, for example, red, sounds the buzzer, and further reduces the output of the motor 5 to be even smaller than the three levels of strong, medium, and weak, to notify the user that the brush body 2 is in an overload state where it is tilted. Note that the notification means in the present invention is not limited to the above three combinations, and for example, the notification means may be constituted by one or two of these three.

[0064] A spacer 82 is disposed on the back side of the detection switch 78 on the outer surface (front surface) of the control board 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the front surface of the spacer 82 abuts against the inner surface of the casing 1, and the rear surface of the spacer 82 abuts against the outer surface of the control board 7. The rear surface of the spacer 82 is flat, while the front surface of the spacer 82 is curved in a convex shape and is in surface contact with the inner surface of the top portion of the casing 1 formed in a polygonal tube shape. By providing such a spacer 82, when the detection switch 78 is pressed by the pressing body 79, the pressing force acting on the control board 7 can be received by the spacer 82, preventing the control board 7 from being deflected, and thereby preventing a load from being applied to the elements on the control board 7.

[0065] The spacer 82 is made of a plastic molded product formed in a substantially "eye" shape when viewed from the front. As shown enlarged in Fig. 8, it has three upper and lower window holes 83 corresponding to the three LEDs 11 that make up the display unit 12. One LED 11 is accommodated in each window hole 83, and each LED 11 is surrounded by the spacer 82 on the top, bottom, left, and right. Also, the spacer 82 is fixed to the control board 7 by press-fitting the fixing protrusions 84 protruding vertically on the rear surface thereof into the fixing holes 85 provided in the control board 7.

[0066] As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the power receiving board 8 includes a vertically long rectangular plate-shaped board body 88 and a power receiving coil 89 printed in a wound shape on one surface of the board body 88. The power receiving board 8 is mounted on the rear surface side of the sub-frame (power receiving unit holder) 44 with the printed surface of the power receiving coil 89 facing the surface. Specifically, the back surface of the power receiving board 8 is adhesively fixed to the rear surface of the sub-frame 44 via an adhesive layer 90 made of double-sided tape. Also, a pair of left and right holding claws 91 for receiving the lower edge portion of the surface of the power receiving board 8 are provided at the lower part of the rear surface of the sub-frame 44. These holding claws 91 prevent the power receiving board 8 from lifting off the sub-frame 44 in cooperation with the adhesive layer 90 by pressing the power receiving board 8 from the surface side.

[0067] The power receiving coil 89 on the surface of the power receiving board 8 faces the inner surface of the cylindrical wall extending in the vertical direction of the casing 1. Specifically, the casing 1 is formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape with rounded tops, and the power receiving coil 89 faces the inner surface of the flat portion (rear wall) connecting adjacent tops of the casing 1. According to this arrangement, compared with the case where the power receiving coil 89 faces the top of the casing 1, the lateral width of the power receiving board 8 can be increased to sufficiently secure the area of the power receiving coil 89. Also, a gap is formed between the power receiving board 8 and the sub-frame 44 and the casing 1 to suppress the transmission of an external impact such as a drop of the casing 1 to the power receiving board 8 and the sub-frame 44.

[0068] The power receiving coil 89 is electrically connected to the control board 7 via a pair of left and right lead wires 94. Each lead wire 94 is led out from the end of the power receiving coil 89 to the front side of the sub-frame 44 through a through hole (not shown) that penetrates the sub-frame 44 back and forth, extends upward along the front surface, and further bends forward to be connected to the control board 7. On the left and right of the front surface of the sub-frame 44, guide rings 95 for guiding the lead wire 94 along the front surface are respectively protruding, and the lead wire 94 is inserted into a guide hole 96 surrounded by the guide ring 95. As shown in FIG. 1, the control board 7 is connected to a protection board 48 adjacent to the secondary battery 6 via a power connector 97 and a power line 98 provided on its inner surface (rear surface). The protection board 48 includes a protection circuit that controls the magnitude of the current for charging the secondary battery 6.

[0069] The power supply unit 100 responsible for power supply to the power receiving board 8 is configured by housing a power supply board 102, a current-carrying board 103, etc. in a hollow power supply case 101. The power supply case 101 is formed by joining a square dish-shaped container body 104 that opens forward and a square plate-shaped lid body (power supply wall) 105 that closes the opening, into a vertically long square box shape that is thin front and back. The power supply board 102 includes a vertically long rectangular plate-shaped board body 106 and a power supply coil 107 printed in a wound shape on one surface of the board body 106, and is arranged such that the printed surface of the power supply coil 107 is in close contact with the inner surface of the lid body 105. The current-carrying board 103 is formed in a rectangular plate shape that is substantially the same shape as the power supply board 102 when viewed from the front, and is fixed to the opening edge of the container body 104. The power supply board 102 is adhesively fixed to the outer surface (front surface) of the current-carrying board 103 via an elastic adhesive layer 108.

[0070] At the lower end of the inner surface (rear surface) of the energized substrate 103, a female secondary connector 111 is provided. The secondary connector 111 is exposed on the outer surface of the power supply case 101 through a connector hole 112 opened in the lower wall of the container body 104. At the tip of a power supply cable 113 extending from a power adapter (not shown) outside the figure, a male primary connector 114 that mates with the secondary connector 111 is provided. When the terminal portion of the primary connector 114 is inserted into the secondary connector 111, the power adapter and the power supply unit 100 can be electrically connected, and a current can be passed through the power supply coil 107. When the power supply unit 100 with the power supply coil 107 in an energized state is brought close to the power receiving substrate 8 located at the rear part of the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush, a current flowing through the power receiving coil 89 is generated by electromagnetic induction, and the current is charged to the secondary battery 6 via the control substrate 7 and the like.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 11, the power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to a support stand 120 that supports the electric toothbrush in an upright posture, and together with the support stand 120, it constitutes a charging stand. The support stand 120 is composed of a plastic molded product integrally provided with a substantially disk-shaped lower support body 121 that supports the bottom surface of the electric toothbrush from below and a vertically long side support body 122 that supports the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 from the side. The electric toothbrush is inserted into and removed from the accommodation space 123 of the electric toothbrush surrounded by the lower support body 121 and the side support body 122 from above and below the upper edge of the side support body 122. The vertical dimension of the side support body 122 is set to approximately 80% of the vertical dimension of the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush, and substantially coincides with the height from the bottom surface of the electric toothbrush to the center of the power switch button 14.

[0072] The power supply unit 100 is detachably inserted into a loading portion 126 provided at the upper part of the side support 122. The loading portion 126 is open upward, and the opening constitutes a loading port 127 through which the power supply unit 100 is inserted and removed with respect to the loading portion 126. The vertical position of the power supply substrate 102 (power supply coil 107) of the power supply unit 100 inserted to the inner bottom surface of the loading portion 126 coincides with the vertical position of the power receiving substrate 8 (power receiving coil 89) of the electric toothbrush accommodated in the accommodation space 123. In a front view, the loading portion 126 is located within the projection plane of the accommodation space 123. Therefore, the entire power supply unit 100 inserted into the loading portion 126 is covered from the front by the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush accommodated in the accommodation space 123. A power supply window 128 for exposing the power supply unit 100 to the accommodation space 123, that is, the electric toothbrush, is provided on the front surface of the loading portion 126. In a front view, the power supply window 128 is formed smaller than the lid 105 of the power supply case 101 of the power supply unit 100 and larger than the power supply substrate 102.

[0073] The side support 122 includes a loading portion 126 to which the power supply unit 100 is attached, an upper support portion 131 continuous with the front end of the loading portion 126, and a lower support portion 132 continuous with the lower ends of the loading portion 126 and the upper support portion 131. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper support portion 131 and the lower support portion 132 each extend left and right along the edge of the accommodation space 123, and in a plan view, the lower support portion 132 is formed longer in the circumferential direction than the upper support portion 131. When the electric toothbrush is accommodated in the accommodation space 123, the loading portion 126 and the upper support portion 131 support only the rear surface of the casing 1, while the lower support portion 132 holds the rear half from the rear surface of the lower end portion of the casing 1 to the left and right surfaces. That is, the lower support portion 132 supports the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 from three sides: the rear, left, and right.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 12, the loading portion 126 protrudes rearward from the lower support portion 132. At the center of the bottom wall of the loading portion 126, an insertion hole 133 through which the primary connector 114 at the tip of the energizing cable 113 can be inserted is provided. When the power supply unit 100 is inserted into the loading portion 126 in the upright posture with the secondary connector 111 facing downward, the secondary connector 111 faces the insertion hole 133, and the primary connector 114 is inserted into the secondary connector 111 through the insertion hole 133. The space below the loading portion 126 and behind the lower support portion 132 functions as a wiring space where the energizing cable 113 and the primary connector 114 are arranged.

[0075] Note that the power supply case 101 of the power supply unit 100 is formed symmetrically up and down except for the presence or absence of the connector hole 112 for the secondary connector 111. That is, the outer contour of the power supply unit 100 is formed symmetrically up and down. Therefore, even when the connector hole 112 and the secondary connector 111 face upward in the reverse posture, the power supply unit 100 can be inserted into the loading portion 126. In this case, as shown by the phantom line, the primary connector 114 is inserted into the secondary connector 111 from above through the loading port 127. Since the power supply coil 107 is arranged at the vertical center of the power supply case 101, the vertical position of the power supply coil 107 in the loading portion 126 is constant regardless of the posture (upright posture or reverse posture) of the power supply unit 100.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 13, the power supply unit 100 is inserted into the loading portion 126 with the lid 105 facing the accommodation space 123 of the electric toothbrush. The outer surface of the lid 105 abuts against and supports the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush accommodated in the accommodation space 123. The power supply substrate 102 in close contact with the inner surface of the lid 105 faces the power receiving substrate 8 with the lid 105 and the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 in between. When a current is passed through the power supply coil 107 of the power supply substrate 102 in this state, a current flowing through the power receiving coil 89 of the power receiving substrate 8 is generated by electromagnetic induction, and the secondary battery 6 is charged.

[0077] In addition, when the power supply unit 100 is inserted into the loading portion 126 in the reverse front-back direction, the distance between the power supply substrate 102 and the power receiving substrate 8 becomes larger than when the orientation is correct, and there is a possibility that electromagnetic induction coupling between the power supply coil 107 and the power receiving coil 89 becomes impossible. In order to surely prevent such misloading, a misloading prevention structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the loading portion 126. Specifically, the cross section of the power supply case 101 is formed in an isosceles trapezoid shape, and the left and right outer surfaces of the container body 104 are formed in a tapered shape that expands toward the opening side (the lid body 105 side). Correspondingly, the left and right inner surfaces of the loading portion 126 are also formed in a tapered shape that expands toward the accommodation space 123 side of the electric toothbrush. In the correct posture where the lid body 105 faces the accommodation space 123, the power supply unit 100 is inserted into the loading portion 126 without a gap. Conversely, in the incorrect posture where the bottom surface of the container body 104 faces the accommodation space 123, the power supply unit 100 is caught by the edge of the loading port 127, and it is impossible to insert it into the loading portion 126.

[0078] A disk-shaped pedestal 136 is detachably connected to the lower support 121 of the support stand 120. In plan view, the pedestal 136 is formed to be sufficiently larger than the lower support 121. By connecting the support stand 120 on this pedestal 136, it can be stably erected on a horizontal plane. Specifically, a cylindrical engaging convex portion 137 protrudes from the center of the upper surface of the pedestal 136, and an engaging concave portion 138 for receiving the engaging convex portion 137 is recessed from the center of the lower surface of the lower support 121. A locking structure for maintaining the engaged state between the engaging convex portion 137 and the engaging concave portion 138 is provided. As shown in FIG. 14, the locking structure is composed of two bayonet protrusions 139 and an inner locking body 140 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the engaging convex portion 137, and two bayonet grooves 141 and an outer locking body 142 provided on the inner peripheral surface of the engaging concave portion 138.

[0079] To connect the pedestal 136 to the support stand 120, first insert each bayonet projection 139 provided on the engaging convex portion 137 into the bayonet groove 141 provided in the engaging concave portion 138 from below. Next, rotate the pedestal 136 counterclockwise about 30° with respect to the support stand 120 to move each bayonet projection 139 to the bottom of the bayonet groove 141. During this rotation, each inner locking body 140 elastically overrides the outer locking body 142. The bayonet projection 139 that has moved to the bottom of the bayonet groove 141 restricts the engaging convex portion 137 from coming out downward from the engaging concave portion 138, that is, restricts the pedestal 136 from separating from the support stand 120, and the inner locking body 140 and the outer locking body 142 restrict the relative rotation of the engaging convex portion 137 (pedestal 136) and the engaging concave portion 138 (support stand 120) in the direction in which the bayonet projection 139 comes out of the bottom of the bayonet groove 141.

[0080] The support stand 120 is also provided with a clip 145 for connecting it to a plate-like body or the like. As shown in FIG. 12, the clip 145 includes a clip plate 146 disposed on the outer surface side of the rear wall of the loading portion 126, a left-right clip shaft 147 that pivotally supports the clip plate 146 so as to be swingable back and forth with respect to the loading portion 126, and a clip spring 148 that biases the lower end of the clip plate 146 in a direction to be in close contact with the rear wall of the loading portion 126. In an environment where there is no space for placing the pedestal 136, after separating the pedestal 136 from the support stand 120 as needed, for example, the upper edge of the vertical plate can be sandwiched between the loading portion 126 and the clip plate 146, and the support stand 120 can be connected to the vertical plate. The clip plate 146 is formed to be slightly smaller than the rear wall of the loading portion 126, and therefore the clip 145 cannot be seen from the front of the support stand 120.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 15, the power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to a storage case 150 that houses an electric toothbrush, and together with the storage case 150, forms a charging case. The storage case 150 is formed by joining an upper case 151 that is long in the front-rear direction and a lower case 152 in a lid-closed state, and the long side portions of both cases 151 and 152 are connected via a hinge 153. That is, the upper case 151 is connected to the lower case 152 via the hinge 153 so as to be openable and closable. The front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction of the storage case 150 follow the cross arrows shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 and the front-rear, left-right, and up-down indications written near each arrow.

[0082] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the upper case 151 is composed of an upper interior body 155 and an upper exterior body 156 having a cross-sectional arch shape that overlap each other inside and outside. The lower case 152 is composed of a tray-shaped lower interior body 157 that supports the electric toothbrush and a lower exterior body 158 having a cross-sectional arch shape that surrounds the outer surface side of the lower interior body 157. The hinge 153 connects the upper interior body 155 and the lower interior body 157, and these three are integrally formed. A lock structure consisting of a concave portion and a convex portion is provided at the opposing side portions of the hinge 153 in the upper exterior body 156 and the lower interior body 157 to hold the upper case 151 in a closed position.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 15, a first storage portion (storage recess) 161 and a second storage portion 162 that extend in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the storage case 150 are recessed on the inner surface (upper surface) of the lower interior body 157. In the left first storage portion 161, the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush is stored in a lying posture, and in the right second storage portion 162, the brush body 2 separated from the casing 1 is stored in a lying posture. The first storage portion 161 receives approximately the lower half of the casing 1 in a lying posture and positions it in the horizontal direction so that it cannot move freely. Similarly, the second storage portion 162 also receives approximately the lower half of the brush body 2 in a lying posture and positions it in the horizontal direction so that it cannot move freely. On the upper side of the first storage portion 161 on the inner surface of the lower interior body 157, a pair of left and right protection protrusions 163 that are long in the front-rear direction are protrudingly formed, and between these protection protrusions 163, the output shaft 18 extending from the casing 1 stored in the first storage portion 161 in a lying posture is accommodated (see FIG. 17).

[0084] As shown in FIG. 16, a power supply recess 165 for accommodating the power supply unit 100 and the tip of the energization cable 113 is recessed in the bottom wall of the first storage portion 161. The dimension in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the power supply recess 165 is set to be larger than the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the power supply unit 100, and the power supply unit 100 is arranged close to the front end of the power supply recess 165 in a lying posture with the secondary connector 111 facing rearward. On the left and right inner surfaces of the power supply recess 165, restricting protrusions 166 are provided to restrict the power supply unit 100 accommodated near the front end of the power supply recess 165 from shifting rearward.

[0085] The tip of the energization cable 113 is introduced into the storage case 150 through a slit-shaped introduction hole 167 provided in the rear wall of the lower case 152 (the lower interior body 157 and the lower exterior body 158), and the primary connector 114 is inserted into the secondary connector 111 at the rear portion of the power supply recess 165. That is, the rear portion of the power supply recess 165 functions as a wiring space where the energization cable 113 and the primary connector 114 are arranged. Also, the rear portion of the power supply recess 165 functions as a finger-hooking space for the user to hook a fingertip at the rear end when removing the power supply unit 100 from the power supply recess 165.

[0086] The front-rear position of the power supply substrate 102 (power supply coil 107) of the power supply unit 100 accommodated near the front end of the power supply recess 165 coincides with the front-rear position of the power receiving substrate 8 (power receiving coil 89) of the casing 1 accommodated in the first storage portion 161 in a lying posture. Also, the casing 1 is stored in the first storage portion 161 with the switch button 14 facing upward, and the lower power supply unit 100 is attached to the power supply recess 165 with the lid body 105 facing upward. The power supply substrate 102 in close contact with the inner surface of the lid body 105 faces the power receiving substrate 8 with the lid body 105 and the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 in between. When a current is passed through the power supply coil 107 of the power supply substrate 102 in this state, a current flowing through the power receiving coil 89 of the power receiving substrate 8 is generated by electromagnetic induction, and the secondary battery 6 is charged.

[0087] Note that when the power supply unit 100 is housed upside down in the power supply recess 165, the distance between the power supply substrate 102 and the power receiving substrate 8 becomes larger than when it is in the correct orientation, and there is a possibility that electromagnetic induction coupling between the power supply coil 107 and the power receiving coil 89 becomes impossible. To reliably prevent such misloading, a misloading prevention structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the power supply recess 165. Specifically, the structure on the power supply unit 100 side is as described above. Corresponding to the tapered left and right outer surfaces of the container body 104, the left and right inner surfaces of the power supply recess 165 are also formed in a tapered shape that expands toward the first storage portion 161 side (see FIG. 17). In the correct posture where the lid body 105 faces the first storage portion 161, the power supply unit 100 is housed in the power supply recess 165 without a gap. Conversely, in the incorrect posture where the bottom surface of the container body 104 faces the first storage portion 161, the power supply unit 100 is caught on the opening edge of the power supply recess 165 and it is impossible to house it in the power supply recess 165.

[0088] As described above, in the present embodiment, the power receiving coil 89 is arranged along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush. Further, a side support 122 for supporting the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 from the side is provided on the charging stand, and a power supply unit 100 including a power supply coil 107 is detachably attached thereto. That is, when charging the electric toothbrush with the power receiving coil 89 facing the power supply coil 107, the cylindrical wall of the casing 1 is supported by the charging stand from the side, so that even if a horizontal external impact or shaking acts on the electric toothbrush or the charging stand, it is possible to make it difficult for the electric toothbrush to fall from the charging stand.

[0089] (Second Embodiment) Figure 18 shows the second embodiment of the charging stand according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the side support 122 of the support stand 120 is gently inclined rearward, i.e., in a direction away from the electric toothbrush as it goes upward. Therefore, the electric toothbrush is supported in an upright posture leaning against the inner surface (front surface) of the side support 122. The upper surface of the lower support 121 gently slopes upward forward so as to be perpendicular to the inner surface of the rearward-inclined side support 122. Further, a bobbin-shaped winding portion 170 around which a middle portion of the energization cable 113 can be wound is provided on the outer surface (rear surface) of the lower support portion 132 of the side support 122. By winding a part of the energization cable 113 around this winding portion 170, the energization cable 113 can be neatly bundled so as not to be scattered around the charging stand. Since the rest is the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0090] (Third Embodiment) Figure 19 shows the third embodiment of the charging case according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a pin-shaped winding portion 173 around which a middle portion of the energization cable 113 can be wound projects from the bottom surface of the rear portion of the power supply recess 165. By adjusting the winding amount of the energization cable 113 around this winding portion 173, the length of the energization cable 113 outside the charging case can be adjusted. Since the rest is the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0091] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 20 shows the fourth embodiment of the charging case according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a clamping portion 176 that clamps the energization cable 113 in the left-right direction (the width direction of the power supply recess 165) is provided at the rear portion of the power supply recess 165. According to this, it is possible to prevent the energization cable 113 from rattling within the power supply recess 165 and damage such as disconnection of the energization cable 113 at the connection portion with the primary connector 114. Since the rest is the same as in the first embodiment, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0092] In the present invention, the power receiving unit 8 is not limited to a power receiving substrate on which a power receiving coil 89 is printed on the substrate body 88, and may be composed of, for example, a coil formed by winding a conducting wire. The electric device to be charged by the charging stand and the charging case is not limited to an electric toothbrush, and may be, for example, a beauty appliance such as a shaver or a facial beauty device, a controller such as a smartphone or a game device, a wearable device such as a smartwatch or smart glasses, a pedometer, a vacuum cleaner, or the like. The electric toothbrush, its accessories, the charging stand, and the charging case according to the present invention can contribute to Goal 9 (Build the infrastructure for industry and innovation) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations.

[0093] If the power receiving unit 8 is a power receiving substrate in which the power receiving coil 89 is wound and printed on one surface of the substrate body 88, the thickness of the power receiving unit 8 can be reduced, contributing to the thinning of the casing 1 that houses it.

[0094] When the control board 7 that controls the motor 5 is located on the opposite side of the power receiving unit 8 across the vertical axis of the casing 1 and faces the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the casing 1, a relatively large space can be secured in the central portion of the casing 1 sandwiched between the control board 7 and the power receiving unit 8. By accommodating the components of the electric toothbrush in this space, the thinning of the casing 1 can be achieved.

[0095] If a power receiving unit holder 44 for supporting the power receiving unit 8 is provided within the casing 1, the movement of the power receiving unit 8 within the casing 1 can be restricted, and when the electric toothbrush is mounted on the charging stand, the power receiving coil 89 can always be accurately aligned with the power supply coil 107. Further, by adhesively fixing the back surface of the substrate body 88 to the power receiving unit holder 44 and providing holding claws 91 that press the edge of the substrate body 88 from the surface side, it is possible to reliably prevent the power receiving unit 8 from separating from the power receiving unit holder 44 and maintain the state in which the power receiving unit 8 is supported by the power receiving unit holder 44 over a long period.

[0096] When the power receiving part holder 44 is fixed to the main frame 43, which is a relatively large member that supports the motor 5 and the secondary battery 6, even when the casing 1 is subjected to a large external impact such as a drop, the play between the power receiving part holder 44 and the power receiving part 8 supported thereby in the casing 1 can be restricted.

[0097] When a guide ring 95 is provided protruding on the back side of the power receiving part 8 in the power receiving part holder 44 and the lead wire 94 is inserted through a guide hole 96 surrounded by the guide ring 95, the middle part of the lead wire 94 can be arranged along the power receiving part holder 44 to prevent interference with other parts due to sagging of the middle part.

[0098] When the relatively heavy motor 5 and secondary battery 6 are accommodated dispersedly above and below the casing 1, the center of gravity of the electric toothbrush can be positioned at or near the central part of the casing 1 to avoid the burden when the user grips the central part of the casing 1. In addition, a space for accommodating the power receiving part 8 and the like can be secured at the central part of the casing 1.

[0099] When the casing 1 is formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape and the power receiving coil 89 of the power receiving part 8 is made to face a flat surface part connecting adjacent tops thereof, compared with the case where the power receiving coil 89 faces the top of the casing 1, the lateral width of the power receiving part 8 can be increased to sufficiently secure the area of the power receiving coil 89.

[0100] When a single power feeding unit 100 provided with a power feeding coil 107 is configured to be detachable from each of the support stand 120 and the storage case 150 of the electric toothbrush so that the power feeding unit 100 is selectively attached to the support stand 120 or the storage case 150, compared with the case where the support stand 120 and the storage case 150 each have a power feeding structure, the power feeding structure can be reduced and the overall cost of the accessories can be lowered.

[0101] When a standing electrical device is supported laterally by a lateral support 122 as in the charging stand according to the present invention, even if a horizontal external impact or shaking acts on the charging stand or the electrical device, it is possible to make the electrical device difficult to fall from the charging stand. Further, when a power supply unit 100 responsible for power supply to the electrical device is detachably attached to the lateral support 122, the user can easily clean and maintain the power supply unit 100 after separating it from the lateral support 122.

[0102] If a loading portion 126 into which the power supply unit 100 is detachably inserted is provided on the lateral support 122 of the support stand 120, the mounting structure of the power supply unit 100 can be simplified and it can be easily attached to and detached from the support stand 120.

[0103] If the inner surface of the lateral support 122 that supports the electrical device is inclined in a direction away from the electrical device as it goes upward, the electrical device can be leaned against the lateral support 122, and it can be made more difficult to fall even if an external impact or shaking acts. Further, due to the weight of the electrical device, it can be brought into close contact with the lateral support 122, and the power receiving coil 89 of the electrical device can be surely brought close to the power supply coil 107 of the power supply unit 100 attached to the lateral support 122.

[0104] When the power supply unit 100 is arranged within the projection plane of the electrical device in a front view, the entire power supply unit 100 can be hidden behind the electrical device, making the electrical device and the charging stand appear slender and integrated.

[0105] If a clip 145 is provided on the outer surface of the loading portion 126, the user can use the clip 145 to connect the charging stand to a vertical plate-like body or the like. That is, it can be made into a charging stand that can be used even in a situation where there is no horizontal plane on which the charging stand can be placed.

[0106] When a pedestal 136 larger than the bottom is connected to the bottom of the support stand 120, the entire charging stand including the pedestal 136 can be made to stand upright more stably on a horizontal plane. Also, if the pedestal 136 is detachable from the support stand 120, the user can easily clean each of them after separating the two.

[0107] When the loading part 126 is provided at the upper part of the side support 122 and protrudes in a direction away from the electrical device from the lower part of the side support 122, a space can be formed below the loading part 126 and utilized as a wiring space for the energization cable 113 connected to, for example, the power supply unit 100.

[0108] When the lower support part 132 of the side support 122 is formed longer along the outer surface of the electrical device than the upper support part 131, the lower part of the electrical device can be firmly supported by the lower support part 132, and the electrical device can be made to stand upright stably. Also, around the upper support part 131, it is easier for the user to grip the electrical device supported by the support stand 120, that is, it is easier to take out the electrical device.

[0109] If the power supply unit 100 is detachably attached to the side support 122 in the forward posture where the secondary connector 111 faces downward or the reverse posture where the secondary connector 111 faces upward, the user can select the posture of the power supply unit 100 according to the position of the power outlet as seen from the charging stand. Specifically, for example, when the power outlet is relatively close to the charging stand, the power supply unit 100 can be set in the forward posture, and when the power outlet is greatly separated upward from the charging stand, the power supply unit 100 can be set in the reverse posture.

[0110] If an anti-misloading structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the loading part 126, the power supply wall 105 of the power supply unit 100 can always be surely made to face the electrical device directly. Thereby, the power supply coil 107 along the inner surface of the power supply wall 105 can always be made to face the power receiving coil 89 of the electrical device at the same distance, and the power supply coil 107 and the power receiving coil 89 can be surely electromagnetically inductively coupled.

[0111] If a winding portion 170 capable of winding a middle portion of the energization cable 113 is provided on the outer surface of the lower portion of the side support 122, when the energization cable 113 is longer than necessary, it can be neatly bundled so as not to be scattered around the charging stand.

[0112] When the upper end of the support stand 120 is located between the upper and lower ends of the switch button 14 of the electric device, when the user takes out the electric device from the support stand 120, the user can grasp near the switch button 14. That is, the user can smoothly perform a series of operations from taking out the electric device from the support stand 120 for use to operating the switch button 14.

[0113] When the upper end of the support stand 120 is located below the connecting portion between the casing 1 of the electric toothbrush (electric device) and the brush body 2, the brush body 2 is not surrounded by the support stand 120, promoting the drying of the brush body 2 after use and enabling the upper part of the brush body 2, that is, the upper part of the electric toothbrush, to be clearly visible during charging.

[0114] When the power supply unit 100 is mounted so as to face the storage recess 161 of the electric device as in the charging case according to the present invention, the power supply coil 107 of the power supply unit 100 is electromagnetically inductively coupled to the power receiving coil 89 of the electric device in the charging case, and the electric device can be charged while being stored in the charging case. Further, when the power supply unit 100 is detachably mounted on the storage case 150, the user can easily clean and maintain the power supply unit 100 after separating it from the storage case 150.

[0115] When the power supply unit 100 is disposed below the storage recess 161, the electric device stored in the storage recess 161 can be brought close to the power supply unit 100 by its own weight, and the power receiving coil 89 of the electric device can be surely brought close to the power supply coil 107 of the power supply unit 100.

[0116] When an upward power supply recess 165 for accommodating the power supply unit 100 is recessed and formed in the bottom wall of the storage recess 161, the entire power supply unit 100 can be hidden behind the electrical device accommodated in the storage recess 161 in a plan view, so that the periphery of the electrical device in the charging case can be made neat and tidy.

[0117] When the power supply recess 165 is formed longer than the power supply unit 100, a space that is not filled by the power supply unit 100 can be formed at the end of the power supply recess 165. The user can easily remove the power supply unit 100 from the power supply recess 165 by hanging the fingertip on the end of the power supply unit 100 using the space.

[0118] When an anti-misloading structure is provided between the power supply unit 100 and the power supply recess 165, the power supply wall 105 of the power supply unit 100 can always be reliably faced toward the storage recess 161, that is, the electrical device. Thereby, the power supply coil 107 along the inner surface of the power supply wall 105 can always be directly opposed to the power receiving coil 89 of the electrical device at the same distance, and the power supply coil 107 and the power receiving coil 89 can be reliably electromagnetically inductively coupled.

[0119] When the power supply unit 100 is accommodated near one end in the longitudinal direction of the power supply recess 165 with the secondary connector 111 facing the other end in the same direction, the primary connector 114 at the tip of the energization cable 113 introduced into the charging case can be connected to the secondary connector 111 in the power supply recess 165. That is, the primary connector 114 can be prevented from being exposed outside the charging case, and damage such as dirt on the primary connector 114 and damage due to external impact can be prevented.

[0120] When a clamping portion 176 for clamping the energization cable 113 from the width direction is provided in the power supply recess 165, the energization cable 113 can be prevented from rattling when the user grips the charging case, and damage such as disconnection of the energization cable 113 at the connection portion with the primary connector 114 can be prevented.

[0121] If a winding portion 173 capable of winding a middle portion of the energization cable 113 is provided in the power supply recess 165, the length of the energization cable 113 on the outside of the charging case can be easily adjusted according to the distance from the charging case to the power outlet.

Explanation of Signs

[0122] 1 Casing 2 Brush body 5 Motor 6 Secondary battery 7 Control board 8 Power receiving part (power receiving board) 14 Switch button 43 Main frame 44 Power receiving part holder (sub-frame) 88 Board body 89 Power receiving coil 90 Adhesive layer 91 Holding claw 94 Lead wire 95 Guide ring 96 Guide hole 100 Power supply unit 105 Power supply wall (lid body) 107 Power supply coil 111 Secondary connector 113 Energization cable 114 Primary connector 120 Support stand 122 Side support 126 Loading part 131 Upper support part 132 Lower support part 136 Pedestal 145 Clip 150 Storage case 161 Storage recess (first storage part) 165 Power supply recess 167 Introduction hole 170 Winding part 173 Winding part 176 Clamping part

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising a vertically long casing (1) that also serves as a grip, and a brush body (2) connected to the upper surface side of the casing (1). Inside the casing (1), a motor (5) for vibrating the brush body (2), a secondary battery (6) for supplying power to the motor (5), and a power receiving unit (8) for charging the secondary battery (6) are accommodated. The power receiving unit (8) includes a power receiving coil (89) that can be electromagnetically inductively coupled with a power supply coil (107) of a charging stand, and the power receiving coil (89) is arranged along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the casing (1) extending in the vertical direction.

2. The electric toothbrush according to Claim 1, wherein the power receiving unit (8) is a power receiving substrate in which a power receiving coil (89) is printed in a wound shape on one surface of a substrate body (88).

3. The electric toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein a control board (7) for controlling the motor (5) is located on the opposite side of the power receiving unit (8) across the vertical axis of the casing (1) and faces the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the casing (1).

4. It includes a power receiving unit holder (44) for supporting the power receiving unit (8) inside the casing (1). A power receiving coil (89) is provided on the surface of the substrate body (88), and the back surface of the substrate body (88) is adhesively fixed to the power receiving unit holder (44) via an adhesive layer (90). The electric toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the power receiving unit holder (44) has holding claws (91) for pressing the edge of the substrate body (88) from the surface side.

5. It includes a main frame (43) for supporting the motor (5) and the secondary battery (6) inside the casing (1), and a power receiving unit holder (44) for supporting the power receiving unit (8). The electric toothbrush according to Claim 2, wherein the power receiving unit holder (44) is fixed to the main frame (43).

6. It includes a power receiving unit holder (44) for supporting the power receiving unit (8) inside the casing (1). The power receiving coil (89) of the power receiving unit (8) is electrically connected to the control board (7) via a lead wire (94). The electric toothbrush according to Claim 3, wherein a guide ring (95) protrudes from the back side of the power receiving unit (8) in the power receiving unit holder (44), and the lead wire (94) is inserted into a guide hole (96) surrounded by the guide ring (95).

7. The motor (5) and the secondary battery (6) are accommodated dispersedly above and below the casing (1). The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein a power receiving part (8) is accommodated between the motor (5) and the secondary battery (6).

8. The casing (1) is formed in a polygonal cylindrical shape having a plurality of tops, The electric toothbrush according to claim 2, wherein the power receiving coil (89) of the power receiving part (8) faces a flat surface part connecting adjacent tops of the casing (1).

9. An accessory for the electric toothbrush according to any one of claims 1 to 8, Including a support stand (120) for supporting the electric toothbrush in an upright posture, a storage case (150) for storing the electric toothbrush, and a single power supply unit (100) provided with a power supply coil (107), An accessory for an electric toothbrush, characterized in that the power supply unit (100) is detachably configured with respect to each of the support stand (120) and the storage case (150).

10. Comprising a support stand (120) for supporting an electric device in an upright posture and a power supply unit (100) responsible for power supply to the electric device, The power supply unit (100) includes a power supply coil (107) capable of electromagnetic induction coupling with the power receiving coil (89) of the electric device, The support stand (120) includes a side support (122) for supporting the electric device from the side, A charging stand, characterized in that the power supply unit (100) is detachably mounted on the side support (122).

11. The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein a loading part (126) into which the power supply unit (100) is detachably inserted is provided on the side support (122) of the support stand (120).

12. The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein the inner surface of the side support (122) for supporting the electric device is inclined in a direction away from the electric device as it goes upward.

13. The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein the power supply unit (100) is arranged within the projection plane of the electric device in a front view.

14. The charging stand according to claim 11, wherein a clip (145) is provided on the outer surface of the loading part (126).

15. The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein a pedestal (136) larger than the bottom is detachably connected to the bottom of the support stand (120).

16. The charging stand according to claim 11, wherein the loading part (126) is provided at the upper part of the side support (122) and protrudes in a direction away from the electric device more than the lower part of the side support (122).

17. The side support body (122) includes a lower support portion (132) that supports the lower part of the electrical device, and an upper support portion (131) that supports the electrical device above the lower support portion (132). The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein in a plan view, the lower support portion (132) is formed longer along the outer surface of the electrical device than the upper support portion (131).

18. The power supply unit (100) is provided with a secondary connector (111) that can connect a primary connector (114) at the tip of the energization cable (113). The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein the power supply unit (100) is detachably attached to the side support body (122) in a forward posture where the secondary connector (111) faces downward, or in a reverse posture where the secondary connector (111) faces upward.

19. The power supply unit (100) includes a power supply wall (105) that faces the electrical device within the loading portion (126). The power supply coil (107) is arranged along the inner surface of the power supply wall (105). The charging stand according to claim 11, wherein between the power supply unit (100) and the loading portion (126), a misloading prevention structure is provided to prevent misloading of the power supply unit (100) in a posture where the power supply wall (105) does not face the electrical device.

20. The charging stand according to claim 16, wherein a winding portion (170) capable of winding a middle portion of the energization cable (113) connected to the power supply unit (100) within the loading portion (126) is provided on the outer surface of the lower part of the side support body (122).

21. A switch button (14) for switching the driving state of the electrical device is provided on the outer surface of the electrical device supported by the support stand (120). The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein the upper end of the support stand (120) is located between the upper and lower ends of the switch button (14) of the electrical device.

22. The electrical device is an electric toothbrush including a vertically long casing (1) that also serves as a grip, and a brush body (2) connected to the upper surface side of the casing (1). The charging stand according to claim 10, wherein the upper end of the support stand (120) is located below the connection portion between the casing (1) and the brush body (2).

23. It includes a storage case (150) for storing the electrical device, and a power supply unit (100) responsible for supplying power to the electrical device. The power supply unit (100) includes a power supply coil (107) that can be electromagnetically inductively coupled with a power receiving coil (89) of the electrical device. The storage case (150) includes a storage recess (161) for receiving and positioning an electric device, The charging case is characterized in that the power supply unit (100) is detachably mounted on the storage case (150) so as to face the storage recess (161).

24. The storage recess (161) is open upward, The charging case according to claim 23, wherein the power supply unit (100) is disposed below the storage recess (161).

25. The charging case according to claim 24, wherein an upward power supply recess (165) for accommodating the power supply unit (100) is recessed in the bottom wall of the storage recess (161).

26. The charging case according to claim 25, wherein the power supply recess (165) is formed longer than the power supply unit (100) in the longitudinal direction of the power supply recess (165).

27. The power supply unit (100) includes a power supply wall (105) facing the storage recess (161) within the power supply recess (165), The power supply coil (107) is disposed along the inner surface of the power supply wall (105), The charging case according to claim 25, wherein a misloading prevention structure is provided between the power supply unit (100) and the power supply recess (165) to prevent misloading of the power supply unit (100) in a posture where the power supply wall (105) does not face the storage recess (161).

28. An introduction hole (167) for introducing the energization cable (113) is provided in the wall surface of the storage case (150), The power supply unit (100) is provided with a secondary connector (111) connectable to the primary connector (114) at the tip of the energization cable (113), The charging case according to claim 26, wherein the power supply unit (100) accommodates the secondary connector (111) toward the other end in the same direction near one end in the longitudinal direction of the power supply recess (165).

29. The charging case according to claim 28, wherein a clamping portion (176) for clamping the energization cable (113) from the width direction of the power supply recess (165) is provided in the power supply recess (165).

30. The charging case according to claim 28, wherein a winding portion (173) capable of winding the middle portion of the energization cable (113) is provided in the power supply recess (165).

Images