Electric toothbrush and power supply assembly

By designing removable rotating components and conductive parts, the problem of difficult replacement of electric toothbrush rechargeable batteries is solved, and the function of consumers to facilitate replacement of batteries is realized, extending the life of the equipment and reducing environmental pollution.

WO2025124052A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-06-19DAI XIAOGUO +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/CN2024/131710
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-12-11
Filing Date
2024-11-13
Publication Date
2025-06-19

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Replacement of rechargeable batteries with existing electric toothbrushes is difficult, and it is difficult for ordinary consumers to easily replace damaged or attenuated rechargeable batteries, resulting in performance attenuation and environmental pollution.

Method used

An electric toothbrush is designed, which includes a handle housing, a back cover and a rack, with a battery receiving part in the rack, which enables simple disassembly and replacement of the battery through rotating components and conductive parts, eliminating the dependence on professional tools.

Benefits of technology

It allows ordinary consumers to easily replace rechargeable batteries without special tools, extending the service life of electric toothbrushes, reducing environmental pollution, and improving use safety.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are an electric toothbrush and a power supply assembly. The electric toothbrush comprises a handle housing, a rear cover, and a chassis, wherein the chassis is stationarily disposed in a handle accommodating cavity relative to the handle housing, and the chassis comprises a battery receiving portion. The electric toothbrush further comprises a rotating assembly arranged adjacent to the rear cover, wherein the rotating assembly comprises: a support; and a first conductive member, the first conductive member being held by the support; wherein when the support drives the first conductive member to rotate between a first position and a second position, when in the first position, the first conductive member is in contact with an electrode portion of a battery to form electrical communication, and when in the second position, the first conductive member rotates away from the electrode portion along with the support and a channel that allows the battery to be mounted and dismounted relative to the battery receiving portion is formed. According to the electric toothbrush of the present invention, after a rechargeable battery is damaged or decays, ordinary consumers can easily replace the rechargeable battery without special tools, so as to continue to use the electric toothbrush.
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Description

Electric toothbrushes and power supply components Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric toothbrush, and more particularly to an electric toothbrush with a replaceable battery. In addition, the present invention also relates to a power supply assembly suitable for the electric toothbrush. Background Art

[0002] Electric toothbrushes are widely used. Common electric toothbrushes on the market today have rechargeable batteries. However, the rechargeable batteries in most electric toothbrushes are inconvenient to replace. The conductive parts of existing electric toothbrush rechargeable batteries are electrically connected to the PCB board via welding. To replace the battery, one needs to use tools to remove the entire movement from the handle housing, then use a soldering iron to disconnect the battery from the PCBA, remove the battery, and then use a soldering iron to solder a new battery to the PCBA before reinstalling the entire movement back into the handle housing. This process is relatively complex, and the movement also includes a transducer and a switch. Removing the movement from the handle housing and reinstalling it is a complex process, making it difficult for ordinary consumers to easily complete the replacement. Professionals are usually required to perform the replacement to avoid degradation of the electric toothbrush's performance. In summary, the aforementioned drawbacks of disassembling and replacing batteries can cause consumers to forgo battery replacement, which is detrimental to environmental protection and low-carbon environmental protection.

[0003] Therefore, it is expected that there will be improvements to the electric toothbrush so that ordinary consumers can easily replace the rechargeable battery after the rechargeable battery is attenuated or damaged to continue using the electric toothbrush.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides an electric toothbrush, comprising: a handle shell, a handle accommodating cavity is formed inside the handle shell, and an opening is formed at the rear end of the handle accommodating cavity; a back cover, which is detachably attached to the opening of the handle accommodating cavity; and a frame, which is stationarily arranged in the handle accommodating cavity relative to the handle shell, and has a battery receiving portion; wherein, it also includes a rotating assembly arranged adjacent to the back cover, the rotating assembly is pivotally connected to one end of the frame adjacent to the back cover through a pivot portion, and the rotating assembly further includes: a bracket; and a first conductive member, which is held by the bracket; wherein, when the bracket drives the first conductive member to rotate between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the first conductive member rotates to one end of the battery receiving portion to form electrical connection, and in the second position, the first conductive member rotates with the bracket away from the battery receiving portion and forms a channel allowing the battery to be installed and removed relative to the battery receiving portion.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, the electric toothbrush further comprises a rechargeable battery, and the rotating assembly further comprises a charging coil, which is wound on the bracket and pivots relative to the frame as the bracket rotates. When the rear cover is attached to the handle housing, the charging coil is arranged adjacent to the rear cover.

[0007] According to another aspect of the present invention, the electric toothbrush further comprises a PCB board, and in the first position and the second position, the charging coil and the first conductive member are fixedly connected to the PCB board.

[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, the first conductive member is fixedly connected to the PCB board or the motor through a flexible connecting wire, so that the battery is electrically connected to the PCB board or the motor.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, when the rotating assembly is mounted to the frame, a portion or all of the rotating assembly protrudes from the opening of the handle housing along the longitudinal axis direction, and the rear cover forms a rear cover accommodating cavity. After the rear cover is mounted on the handle housing, a portion or all of the protruding opening of the rotating assembly is accommodated in the rear cover accommodating cavity.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, the rotating assembly also includes a conductive member upper cover, the first conductive member is clamped between the bracket and the conductive member upper cover, the first conductive member is stamped from sheet metal and forms a protrusion toward the direction of the battery, and the conductive member upper cover is provided with an opening, when the rear cover is locked to the handle housing, the protrusion of the first conductive member protrudes from the opening in the conductive member upper cover, contacts the electrode portion of the battery to form a conductive path.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, a second conductive member is provided at the other end of the battery receiving portion of the frame away from the rear cover, and the second conductive member is mounted to the frame.

[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, the second conductive member is a coil spring, which includes a main body and an extension portion for electrical connection, the main body including a first end portion abutting the electrode portion of the battery and a second end portion fixed to the frame, and the extension portion extends from the first end portion of the main body of the coil spring abutting the electrode portion.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, the pivot portion forms a rotation axis, which is located radially outside the battery receiving portion and is substantially perpendicular to or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle housing.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, the electric toothbrush further comprises a rechargeable battery and a charging coil, wherein the charging coil is wound on the frame, and the inner diameter of the charging coil is larger than the outer diameter of the battery.

[0015] When the rechargeable battery of the electric toothbrush according to the present invention is damaged or decayed, ordinary consumers can conveniently replace the rechargeable battery without special tools to continue using the electric toothbrush.

[0016] In addition, the present invention also provides a power supply component, which includes: a frame, which forms a battery receiving portion; and a first conductive member and a second conductive member, which are respectively arranged at both ends of the battery receiving portion, and at least one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member is a coil spring; wherein the coil spring includes a main body and an extension portion for electrical connection, the main body includes a first end portion adjacent to and for directly abutting the electrode portion of the battery and a second end portion opposite to the first end, and the extension portion extends from the first end portion of the main body of the coil spring that abuts the electrode portion.

[0017] Because the first end of the coil spring directly abuts the electrode portion of the battery and leads to an extension portion for electrical connection, the spring resistance between the power-consuming component and the electrode portion of the battery is greatly reduced, effectively solving the problem of damage to the frame due to excessive transient current, avoiding safety hazards, and improving circuit efficiency.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention, the main body of the coil spring is conical, with a first end having a smaller diameter and a second end having a larger diameter, and the second end of the coil spring is fixed to the frame. The end with the relatively larger diameter is more securely fixed to the frame and is easier to assemble.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, a power supply assembly is provided for an electric toothbrush, the electric toothbrush including a PCB mounted on a frame, wherein the extension extends to the PCB and is fixedly electrically connected to the PCB, and power from a battery mounted in a battery receiving portion is communicated from the first end portion through the extension portion to the PCB. Preferably, the extension portion of the coil spring extends in a straight line from the end portion to the PCB, thereby minimizing the length of the extension portion and improving circuit efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the following description of exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG1 shows a perspective view of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG2 shows a perspective view of a partial internal structure of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG3 shows another perspective view of a partial internal structure of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG4 shows a perspective view of a rotating assembly of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG5 shows a perspective view of an upper cover of a conductive member of a rotating assembly of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIG6 shows a partial perspective view of a frame assembly of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG7 shows a perspective view of the rear end of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] 8 shows a partially cutaway perspective view of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rotating assembly is in an open position and the battery slides out of the housing assembly.

[0029] FIG9 shows a perspective view of a power supply assembly of an electric toothbrush according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the spring in FIG. 9 .

[0031] FIG11 shows a perspective view of a conductive member in a power supply assembly of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG12 shows a perspective view of an end cap of an electric toothbrush according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIG13 shows a perspective view of a rotating assembly of an electric toothbrush according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG14 shows a partial perspective view of a frame of an electric toothbrush according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG15 shows a partial perspective view of an electric toothbrush according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG16 shows another partial perspective view of the electric toothbrush according to the third embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rotating assembly is in the open position.

[0037] LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 100 Electric toothbrush 3 Toothbrush head 1, 1" Handle housing 2 Back cover 21 Back cover protrusion 6, 6', 6" Rotating assembly 61, 61' Bracket 62, 62', 62" Charging coil 621 Lead wire 63 Conductive member 64 Conductive member upper cover 65 Upper cover rotation hole 66, 66' Cantilever 4, 4', 4" Frame 45' Frame rotation hole 65" Protruding shaft 41 Frame protrusion 52, 52' Spring 54, 54' Extension 7 Rechargeable battery 8, 8' PCB board 9 Switch device 51 Flexible connecting wire L Longitudinal axis L L1, L2 Rotation axis w1, w2 Rotation direction DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present invention is further described below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. More details are set forth in the following description to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can obviously be implemented in a variety of other ways different from the description herein. Those skilled in the art can make similar generalizations and deductions based on actual application situations without violating the connotation of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should not be limited by the content of this specific embodiment.

[0039] In the following description, "front" generally refers to a side or direction of an electric toothbrush close to the toothbrush head, and "rear" generally refers to a side or direction of an electric toothbrush far from the toothbrush head.

[0040] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an electric toothbrush 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1 , electric toothbrush 100 comprises a handle and a toothbrush head 3, which is replaceably connected to a drive shaft within the handle. The handle houses a drive mechanism for driving the toothbrush head 3, a power supply for supplying power to the drive mechanism, and a control device. The drive mechanism typically includes a motor, a transducer, and other components.

[0041] The handle portion has an elongated cylindrical outer profile. From the outside, the handle portion includes a handle housing 1 and a back cover 2, both of which are detachably attached together. A handle accommodating chamber is formed within the handle housing 1, and an opening is formed at the rear end of the handle accommodating chamber. The back cover 2 is detachably attached to the opening at the rear end of the handle housing 1, for example, by a threaded connection or a snap-on connection, forming a watertight sealed connection. In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, two protrusions 21 are provided on the cylindrical side wall of the back cover 2. The two protrusions 21 are preferably arranged diametrically opposite each other, and correspondingly, two grooves (not shown) are formed on the inner surface of the rear end of the handle housing 1. By rotating the back cover 2 relative to the handle housing 1, the protrusions 21 cooperate with the grooves, and the back cover 2 can be locked at the opening of the handle housing 1, so that the back cover 2 is constrained in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the handle housing 1 of the electric toothbrush 100. In addition, the handle housing 1 is also provided with a switch device 9 and several display components to facilitate switch operation and status indication.

[0042] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate different perspective views of the internal structure of an electric toothbrush according to a first embodiment of the present invention, particularly illustrating the power supply assembly disposed near the rear cover 2 of the electric toothbrush. In a preferred embodiment, the power supply assembly primarily comprises a frame having a battery receiving portion and a conductive member connecting two electrode portions of the battery, wherein a rechargeable battery can be placed in the battery receiving portion.

[0043] Specifically, the power supply assembly's conductive members include a plate-shaped conductive member 63 (first conductive member) located at the rear side and a spring (second conductive member) 52 located at the front side, as shown in FIG8 . These are used to connect the two electrodes of the rechargeable battery 7 to the PCB. The spring 52 is fixedly mounted on the frame 4 , and an extension 54 is formed at the end of the spring 52 near the frame 4 . The extension 54 extends toward and is soldered to the PCB.

[0044] The frame 4 is stationarily disposed within the handle housing 1 and within the handle cavity. In addition to having a battery receiving portion to hold the battery in place, the frame 4 is also configured to hold other components, such as a PCB, a motor, and an energy conversion device. In alternative embodiments, the rechargeable battery 7 may be replaced with a non-rechargeable battery.

[0045] According to the first embodiment, the electric toothbrush 100 specifically includes a rotating assembly 6 adjacent to its rear cover 2. This rotating assembly 6 participates in the electrical connection of the power supply assembly and can therefore serve as an integral part of the power supply assembly. The rotating assembly 6 is configured to rotate between two different positions: a first position being a connected position, in which the conductive member 61 of the rotating assembly 6 rotates to one end of the battery receiving portion to facilitate direct electrical contact with one electrode portion of the battery 7 therein; and a second position being an open position, in which the conductive member 63 of the rotating assembly 6 rotates away from the battery receiving portion along with the bracket 61, disconnecting the conductive member 63 from the electrode portion of the battery 7 and forming a passageway that allows the battery 7 to be installed and removed from the battery receiving portion.

[0046] Figure 4 shows a rotating assembly 6 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Rotating assembly 6 is pivotally connected to one end of frame 4 adjacent to rear cover 2 via a pivoting portion. Rotating assembly 6 includes a bracket 61, a conductive member 63 held by bracket 61, a charging coil 62 wound around bracket 61, and a conductive member cover 64.

[0047] Preferably, as shown in Figure 5, the conductive part upper cover 64 of the rotating assembly 6 is provided with two cantilevers 66, which extend in the radial direction of the handle housing 1 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L and are respectively provided with upper cover rotation holes 65. The line connecting the center points of the two upper cover rotation holes 65 constitutes the rotation axis L1 of the pivot portion, and the rotation axis L1 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L. On the other hand, referring to Figure 6, two cylindrical frame protrusions 41 are provided on the frame 4 at positions and sizes corresponding to the upper cover rotation holes 65. When the rotating assembly 6 and the frame 4 are assembled together, the upper cover rotation holes 65 accommodate the frame protrusions 41. When the frame 4 is fixed in the handle housing 1 and the opening of the handle housing 1 is in an open state, the rotating assembly 6 can rotate around the rotation axis L1. It should be understood that in order to form a channel sufficient to allow the battery 7 to leave the battery receiving portion after the rotating assembly 6 rotates, the pivot portion formed by the upper cover rotation hole 65 and the frame protrusion 41 and the rotation axis L1 formed thereby should be arranged radially outside the battery receiving portion of the frame 4, that is, on the side of the frame 4 directly facing the inner surface of the handle housing 1.

[0048] As shown in Figure 4, the conductive member 63 is clamped between the bracket 61 and the conductive member cover 64. As shown in Figure 11, the conductive member 63 is stamped from a sheet of conductive metal and has a protrusion formed approximately in the middle, pointing toward the rechargeable battery 7. Corresponding to the location of the protrusion, an opening is provided in the middle of the conductive member cover 64, and the protrusion of the conductive member 63 is maintained so as to protrude from the opening in the conductive member cover 64. When the rotating assembly 6 is rotated to the connected position and the rear cover 2 is locked into the opening of the handle housing 1, the protrusion directly contacts the electrode portion of the rechargeable battery 7, forming a conductive path. The conductive member 63 also has a connecting portion extending from its edge. This portion extends perpendicular to the plane of the protrusion and is fixedly connected to the PCB of the frame via a flexible connecting cable 51, enabling the rechargeable battery 7 to power the various energy-consuming devices within the handle. The flexible connecting cable 51 can be, for example, an electrical wire, and the connection between the flexible connecting cable 51 and the conductive member 63 can be welded. When the battery needs to be replaced, conductive member 63 rotates with bracket 61 between a connected position and an open position. In the connected position, the protrusion of conductive member 63 contacts the electrode portion of the rechargeable battery. In the open position, conductive member 63 rotates away from the electrode portion along with the bracket, breaking the current path. However, whether in the connected position or the open position, conductive member 63 is fixed to the PCB by a fixed connection method. Here, "fixed connection method" refers to a reliable electrical connection method that is not easily disassembled, such as welding.

[0049] As shown in Figure 4, a charging coil 62 for charging the rechargeable battery 7 is wound around one end of the bracket 61, proximate to the rear cover 2, to facilitate the generation of an induced current. The bracket 61 is integrally formed with two flanges, between which the charging coil 62 is held. Two leads 621 extend from the charging coil 62, which are electrically connected to the PCB 8. In a preferred embodiment, the ends of the coil leads 621 are soldered to the PCB 8. The leads 621 of the charging coil 62 should be sufficiently long to allow rotation of the rotating assembly 6. Specifically, during rotation, the soldered ends of the coil leads 621 are not subjected to negative forces, ensuring a secure electrical connection between the coil 62 and the PCB 8. Furthermore, the flange of the charging coil 62, proximate to the PCB 8, preferably has two spaced-apart recesses. The two coil leads 621 are held in each recess, which facilitates the protection and positioning of the coil leads 621. When the battery 7 needs to be replaced, the coil 62 rotates with the bracket 61 between the connected position and the open position. Regardless of whether it is in the connected position or the open position, the lead 621 of the coil is electrically connected to the PCB board 8 by means of a fixed connection means.

[0050] To facilitate rotation of the rotating assembly 6, a pivot portion is positioned adjacent to or within the opening of the handle housing 1, as shown in Figure 8 . This allows the rotating assembly 6 to protrude substantially from the opening of the handle housing 1 when mounted to the frame 4. To this end, the sidewalls of the rear cover 2 extend along the longitudinal axis L to form a rear cover accommodating cavity. Thus, when the rear cover 2 is mounted on the handle housing 1, at least a portion of the rotating assembly 6 is accommodated within the rear cover accommodating cavity. Preferably, at least a portion of the rotating assembly 6, including the coil, is accommodated within the rear cover accommodating cavity, as shown in Figure 3 . In an alternative embodiment, the entire rotating assembly 6 is accommodated within the rear cover accommodating cavity. The length of the rear cover accommodating cavity of the rear cover 2 along the longitudinal axis L is approximately equal to or slightly less than the length of the rotating assembly 6 along the longitudinal axis L. This allows the rotating assembly 6 to rotate with ample space when the rear cover 2 is opened, allowing access to one end of the battery receiving portion for insertion and removal of the rechargeable battery 7 after rotation. As shown in FIG8 , the pivot portion is adjacent to the opening but does not protrude from the opening. This arrangement is preferred because the rotation angle of the rotating assembly 6 will be limited by the edge of the opening, thereby preventing the coil 62 and the connecting wire of the first conductive member 63 from being damaged due to excessive rotation angle.

[0051] According to the first embodiment, the disassembly process of the rechargeable battery 7 is as follows.

[0052] First, rotate the rear cover 2 so that its protrusion 21 disengages the recess in the handle housing 1. Pull out the rear cover 2, revealing the rear opening of the handle housing 1. Then, rotate the rotating assembly 6 about the rotation axis L1 in the direction w1, as shown in Figure 8, until a passage is created to allow the entire battery 7 to be removed. This allows the rechargeable battery 7 to be removed along the longitudinal axis L of the electric toothbrush 100. After inserting the rechargeable battery 7, simply rotate the rotating assembly 6 in the opposite direction and then lock the rear cover 2 to complete the battery replacement. Because the charging coil 62 soldered to the PCB 8 is provided with leads 621 of sufficient length, the charging coil 62 maintains an electrical connection to the PCB 8 during rotation of the rotating assembly 6 and when it is rotated to its open position. Simultaneously, the conductive member 63 also maintains an electrical connection to the PCB 8. Therefore, the existing fixed electrical connection is not disrupted, making replacement of the rechargeable battery 7 in the electric toothbrush simple and reliable.

[0053] According to another aspect of the present invention, in particular, Figures 9 and 10 show an improved spring 52' suitable for the electric toothbrush according to the present invention. Compared with the spring 52 shown in Figure 8, the extensions 54 and 54' of the two are arranged at different positions on the spring.

[0054] With the miniaturization of electric toothbrushes and the increasing requirements of users for battery life, electric toothbrushes have put forward higher requirements for the energy-to-volume ratio of batteries. Currently, 3.6V 750mAh lithium batteries are commonly used in electric toothbrushes. Due to the inevitable circuit short circuit phenomenon during the production process or during user use, when a short circuit occurs, the energy of the battery is released instantly. When a short circuit occurs, the current can usually reach about 10A. In this case, the spring 52 shown in Figure 8 needs to flow through the entire spring, and the resistance of the spring 52 itself is usually around 0.1 ohms. In this way, the resistance power generated on the spring 52 will reach 10 watts, and the spring 52 will show high temperature. When the high temperature of the spring 52 is severe, it will burn through the frame 4, and even cause the frame 4 to catch fire, posing a safety hazard.

[0055] The spring 52' shown in Figures 9 and 10 effectively addresses the aforementioned issues. In the embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10, the main body of the spring 52' is spirally coiled into a conical shape, with the smaller end contacting an electrode of the rechargeable battery 7 and the larger end attached to the chassis 4. The smaller end of the spring 52' extends toward the PCB 8 to form an extension 54', which is soldered to the PCB 8 for electrical connection. Specifically, the end of the spring 52' that is closer to and in contact with the battery 7 includes an extension 54' extending straight to the PCB 8. The distal end of the extension 54' is soldered to the PCB 8. This ensures that the current output from the rechargeable battery 7 does not flow through the spiral main body of the spring 52' but instead flows directly from the end of the spring 52' that contacts the battery 7 to the PCB 8, along the extension 54'. In other words, only the resistance of the extension 54' of the spring 52' consumes energy, and the resistance of the spring 52' in the current path is reduced by 5 to 10 times. Therefore, the problem of the spring suddenly becoming hot during a short circuit is solved, thereby improving the safety of the electric toothbrush and not significantly reducing the electrical efficiency of the circuit.

[0056] It should be understood that in order to reduce the influence of the extension portion 54', the length of the extension portion 54' should be as short as possible. In this embodiment, the extension portion 54' extends tangentially from the last coil at the end of the spring 52' and extends in a straight line perpendicular to the axis of the spring body to the PCB board 8.

[0057] Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a rotating assembly 6' according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Unlike the first embodiment, the rotating assembly 6' of the second embodiment omits the conductive member cover. In other words, the rotating assembly 6' consists of a bracket 61', a charging coil 62', and a conductive member 63'. The plate-shaped conductive member 63' is directly secured to the bracket 61', for example, through a form-fitting mechanism.

[0058] On the other hand, the pivoting portion allowing rotation of the rotating assembly 6' in the second embodiment includes a frame rotation hole 45' provided on the frame 4' and a cantilever 66' formed on the bracket 61' of the rotating assembly 6', extending toward the frame 4'. The cantilever 66' is provided with a protruding shaft. The protruding shaft is coupled to the frame rotation hole 45', thereby enabling relative rotation between the rotating assembly 6' and the frame 4'. The pivoting portion formed by the protruding shaft and the frame rotation hole 45' is located near the rear cover and radially outward of the battery receiving portion relative to the rear end of the battery receiving portion in the direction of the longitudinal axis L.

[0059] 15 and 16 show a third embodiment according to the present invention. The difference from the first and second embodiments is that the rotation axis L2 of the pivot portion in the third embodiment is parallel to the longitudinal axis L.

[0060] Specifically, in the third embodiment, the bracket 61" of the rotating assembly 6" is integrally formed with a protruding shaft 65", which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L. Correspondingly, the rear end of the frame 4" is provided with a hole that can pivotally receive the protruding shaft 65". The pivot portion formed by the pivotal engagement between the protruding shaft 65" and the hole allows the rotating assembly 6" to rotate relative to the frame 4" between two positions.

[0061] In the third embodiment, except for the protruding shaft 65", the other parts of the rotating assembly 6" are arranged outside the opening of the handle housing 1", and these parts will be accommodated in the rear cover accommodating cavity. The other structures of the rotating assembly 6" can be similar to those of the first embodiment or the second embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0062] When disassembly is required, the rear cover is first rotated and removed to expose the rear end opening of the handle housing 1". Next, the rotating assembly 6" is rotated around the rotation axis L2 in the direction w2 until it reaches the position shown in Figure 16, leaving a channel for removing the battery 7. In this way, the rechargeable battery 7 can be removed along the longitudinal axis L of the electric toothbrush.

[0063] There are other variations of the present invention. In an alternative embodiment, the rotating assembly does not include a charging coil. The charging coil can be wound on the frame, typically adjacent to the rear cover, and the inner diameter of the charging coil (i.e., the diameter of the hollow portion) is larger than the outer diameter of the rechargeable battery. The rotating assembly includes a bracket and a first conductive member for abutting against the electrode portion of the rechargeable battery. The rotating assembly is pivotally mounted on the rear end of the frame, such that rotating the rotating assembly to an open position exposes a battery installation and removal channel, allowing the rechargeable battery to pass through the hollow portion of the charging coil and be removed from the handle housing.

[0064] The above embodiments are all described in conjunction with rechargeable batteries. It should be understood that the above solutions can also be applied to non-rechargeable batteries. When non-rechargeable batteries are used, the charging coil can be omitted.

[0065] In the above embodiments, a PCB board is provided on the frame, for example, by means of a threaded connection, and the conductive members at both ends of the battery are welded to the PCB board. However, in other alternative embodiments, the conductive members may also be directly electrically connected to the motor provided in the handle portion.

[0066] Although the present invention is disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, this is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make possible changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent variations, and modifications made to the above embodiments in accordance with the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention shall fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising: A handle housing, wherein a handle accommodating cavity is formed inside the handle housing, and an opening is formed at the rear end of the handle accommodating cavity; a rear cover detachably attached to the opening of the handle receiving cavity; as well as A frame, the frame being statically arranged in the handle accommodating cavity relative to the handle housing, the frame having a battery receiving portion; It is characterized in that The invention also includes a rotating assembly arranged adjacent to the rear cover, wherein the rotating assembly is pivotally connected to one end of the frame adjacent to the rear cover through a pivoting portion, and the rotating assembly includes: Braces; and a first conductive member, the first conductive member being held by the bracket; When the bracket drives the first conductive member to rotate between the first position and the second position, In the first position, the first conductive member rotates to one end of the battery receiving portion to form electrical connection. In the second position, the first conductive member rotates away from the battery receiving portion with the bracket and forms a channel allowing the battery to be installed and removed relative to the battery receiving portion.

2. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric toothbrush comprises a rechargeable battery, The rotating assembly further includes a charging coil, which is wound around the bracket and pivots relative to the frame as the bracket pivots. When the rear cover is attached to the handle housing, the charging coil is arranged adjacent to the rear cover.

3. The electric toothbrush according to claim 2, characterized in that The electric toothbrush further comprises a PCB board, and in the first position and the second position, the charging coil and the first conductive member are both fixedly connected to the PCB board.

4. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that The first conductive member is fixedly connected to the PCB board or the motor through a flexible connecting wire.

5. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that When the rotating assembly is mounted on the frame, part or all of the rotating assembly is longitudinally The opening of the handle housing is protruded in the axial direction. The rear cover forms a rear cover accommodating cavity. When the rear cover is mounted on the handle housing, a part or all of the rotating assembly protruding from the opening is accommodated in the rear cover accommodating cavity.

6. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that The rotating assembly further includes a conductive member upper cover, wherein the first conductive member is clamped between the bracket and the conductive member upper cover. The first conductive member is formed by stamping a sheet metal and is convex toward the battery receiving portion, and an opening is formed on the upper cover of the conductive member. When the rear cover is locked to the handle housing, the protrusion of the first conductive member protrudes from the opening in the conductive member upper cover to contact the electrode portion of the battery accommodated in the battery receiving portion to form a conductive path.

7. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that A second conductive member is provided at the other end of the battery receiving portion of the frame away from the rear cover, and the second conductive member is mounted on the frame.

8. The electric toothbrush according to claim 7, characterized in that The second conductive member is a coil spring, the coil spring includes a main body and an extension portion for electrical connection, the main body includes a first end portion abutting against an electrode portion of the battery and a second end portion fixed to the frame, The extending portion extends from a first end portion of the main body portion of the coil spring that abuts against the electrode portion.

9. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that The pivot portion forms a rotation axis, and the rotation axis is located radially outside the battery receiving portion, The rotation axis is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle housing or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the handle housing.

10. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electric toothbrush also includes a rechargeable battery and a charging coil. The charging coil is wound on the frame, and the inner diameter of the charging coil is larger than the outer diameter of the battery.

11. A power supply component, comprising: a frame forming a battery receiving portion; as well as a first conductive member and a second conductive member, wherein the first conductive member and the second conductive member are respectively arranged at two ends of the battery receiving portion, and at least one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member is a coil spring; It is characterized in that The coil spring includes a main body and an extension for electrical connection, wherein the main body includes a first end adjacent to and directly abutting against the electrode of the battery and a second end opposite to the first end. The extending portion extends from a first end portion of the main body portion of the coil spring that abuts against the electrode portion.

12. The power supply assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that: The main body of the coil spring is conical, the first end portion has a smaller diameter, and the second end portion has a larger diameter. The second end portion of the coil spring is fixed to the frame.

13. The power supply assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that: The power supply assembly is used for an electric toothbrush, and the electric toothbrush includes a PCB board, and the PCB board is installed on the frame. The extending portion extends to the PCB board and is fixedly and electrically connected to the PCB board, and power from a battery installed in the battery receiving portion is communicated from the first end portion to the PCB board through the extending portion.

14. The power supply assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that: The extension portion extends from the first end portion to the PCB board along a straight line.

Citation Information

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