Powered oral care implement
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2025/084922
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-01
Smart Images
Figure CN2025084922_01102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
POWERED ORAL CARE IMPLEMENTBACKGROUND
[0001] Toothbrushes are used daily to clean a user’s teeth, gums, and other oral surfaces. Toothbrushes have evolved over the years to improve cleaning efficacy while also enhancing user comfort and minimizing damage to the user’s soft tissue surfaces during use. Powered toothbrushes that create a vibration or oscillatory movement of the tooth cleaning elements are favored by many dentists. There remains a need for additional improvements in powered oral care implements related to the movement patterns of the tooth cleaning elements to optimize the effectiveness and comfort of these products. BRIEF SUMMARY
[0002] The present invention is directed to a powered oral care implement includes a handle, a refill head that is detachably coupled to the handle, and a drive system. A driven member is operably coupled to the drive system and includes an eccentric connection feature that moves in a first orbital path when the driven member is rotated. An elongated shaft has a first end that is coupled to the eccentric connection feature and a second end that is coupled to a stem of the handle. The elongated shaft may have a fulcrum between the first and second ends that is in contact with an inner surface of the stem of the handle. When the driven member is rotated by the drive system, the first end of the elongated shaft moves along the first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft moves along a second orbital path and imparts movement to the refill head.
[0003] In one aspect, the invention may be a powered oral care implement comprising: a handle comprising a gripping portion, a stem portion, and a handle cavity, the stem portion comprising an inner stem surface and an internal connection feature; a refill head comprising a refill cavity that is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem portion of the handle to detachably couple the refill head to the handle; a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising a motor and a gear system that is operably coupled to the motor; a driven member operably coupled to the gear system and configured to be rotated about a rotational axis, the driven member comprising an eccentric connection feature that is configured to move in a first orbital path when the driven member is rotated by the drive system; an elongated shaft comprising a first end having a first connector that is coupled to the eccentric connection feature of the driven member, a second end having a second connector that is coupled to the internal connection feature of the stem portion of the handle, and an intermediate portion located between the first and second connectors, the intermediate portion extending through the handle cavity and comprising a fulcrum member that is in surface contact with the inner stem surface of the stem portion of the handle; and wherein rotating the driven member by the drive system causes the first end of the elongated shaft to move along the first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft to move along a second orbital path, thereby generating movement at the refill head.
[0004] In another aspect, the invention may be a powered oral care implement comprising: a handle comprising a gripping portion and a stem portion, the handle comprising a handle cavity; a refill head that is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem portion to detachably coupled the refill head to the handle; a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising: a motor having a motor shaft that is configured to rotate about a rotational axis when activated; and a planetary gear system comprising: a sun gear that is operably coupled to the motor shaft; a ring gear comprising interior gear teeth; and a plurality of planetary gears that are coupled to the sun gear and to the interior gear teeth of the ring gear, wherein when the motor is activated the motor shaft rotates the sun gear about the rotational axis which causes each of the plurality of planetary gears to move along an annular path that surrounds the rotational axis; an elongated shaft having a first end that is operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of planetary gears and a second end that is operably coupled to the stem portion of the handle, the first end of the elongated shaft moving in a first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft moving in a second orbital path to generate motion at the refill head when the motor is activated.
[0005] In yet another aspect, the invention may be a powered oral care implement comprising: a handle comprising a handle cavity; a refill head that is configured to be detachably coupled to the handle; a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising: a motor having a motor shaft; and a planetary gear system comprising: a sun gear that is operably coupled to the motor shaft; a ring gear comprising: an outer annular portion; an inner annular portion comprising interior gear teeth, the inner annular portion being spaced apart from the outer annular portion by an annular gap; and a plurality of flexible connection portions coupling the outer annular portion to the inner annular portion; and a plurality of planetary gears that are coupled to the sun gear and to the interior gear teeth of the ring gear, the plurality of planetary gears configured to move along an annular path when the motor is activated; and an elongated shaft coupled to the planetary gear system, wherein the elongated shaft is configured to generate motion at the refill head when the motor is activated.
[0006] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a powered oral care implement in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, with a refill head thereof detached from a handle thereof;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front view of the powered oral care implement of FIG. 1;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an exploded front perspective view of the powered oral care implement of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a drive system, a driven member, and an elongated shaft of the powered oral care implement of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the drive system, the driven member, and the elongated shaft of the powered oral care implement of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 6A is a top perspective view of the driven member;
[0014] FIG. 6B is a bottom perspective view of the driven member;
[0015] FIG. 6C is a top plan view of the driven member;
[0016] FIG. 6D is a bottom perspective view illustrating the driven member coupled to a set of planetary gears of a gear system of the drive system;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a front view of the elongated shaft;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the driven member coupled to the elongated shaft and to the set of planetary gears of the gear system of the drive system;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a ring gear of the gear system of the drive system;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the gear system, taken along line X-X in FIG. 2.
[0021] FIG. 11 is a view of a top part of the handle including a top part of a gripping portion and a stem portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIGS. 12A-12C are cross-sectional views taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 2, with FIGS. 12B and 12C illustrating movement of the drive system and the refill head relative to FIG. 12A and to each other;
[0023] FIG. 13 is a close-up of area XIII of FIG. 12A;
[0024] FIG. 14A is a top perspective view of a ring gear of the gear system in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 14B is a top plan view of the ring gear of FIG. 15A; and
[0026] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the gear system of the powered oral care implement which includes the gear ring shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, a sun gear, and a plurality of planetary gears.DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] The following description of the preferred embodiment (s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
[0028] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower, ” “upper, ” “horizontal, ” “vertical, ” “above, ” “below, ” “up, ” “down, ” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., “horizontally, ” “downwardly, ” “upwardly, ” etc. ) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached, ” “affixed, ” “connected, ” “coupled, ” “interconnected, ” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a powered oral care implement 1000 is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The powered oral care implement 100 is a powered toothbrush in the exemplified embodiment. The concepts disclosed herein may be applicable to other types of powered oral care implements, such as flossers, tongue cleaners, or the like. In still other embodiments, the concepts and techniques disclosed herein may be applicable to personal care implements with intended uses unrelated to oral care, such as shaving devices, skin care devices, or the like.
[0030] The powered oral care implement 1000 may comprise a handle 100 and a refill head 50. The refill head 50 may be detachably coupled to the handle 100. Thus, the refill head 50 may be capable of being replaced so that a new refill head 50 may be used with the handle 100, which may contain the electronic circuitry of the personal care implement 1000 as described further herein. The refill head 50 may comprise a sleeve portion 51 and a head portion 52. The refill head 50 may further comprise a refill cavity 53 that is configured to receive a portion of the handle 100 to facilitate the attachment of the refill head 50 to the handle 100. In an embodiment, the sleeve portion 51 of the refill head 50 may define the refill cavity 53 that is configured to receive a stem portion 120 of the handle 100 when the refill head 50 is coupled to the handle 100. The refill head 50 may be formed from a hard plastic material, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, or the like. In other embodiments, the refill head 50 may be formed from other rigid materials, such as wood or metal.
[0031] The head portion 52 of the refill head 50 may have a front surface 54 and a rear surface 55. The head portion 52 of the refill head 50 may have a plurality of tooth cleaning elements 56 coupled to and extending from the front surface 54. The tooth cleaning elements 56 may comprise any combination of bristles, nylon bristles, spiral bristles, tapered bristles, end-rounded bristles, lamella, elastomeric elements, or the like. The tooth cleaning elements 56 may be coupled to the head portion 52 of the refill head 50 and may be used to clean a user’s teeth and oral cavity surfaces such as gums and tongue. The head portion 52 may further comprise a tongue cleaner 57 located on the rear surface 55. The tongue cleaner 57 may be formed from an elastomeric material. The tongue cleaner 57 may have various nubs, ridges, ribs, or the like to facilitate the cleaning of a user’s tongue during use. In some embodiments, the tongue cleaner 57 may be omitted.
[0032] The handle 100 may comprise a gripping portion 110 and the stem portion 120. The gripping portion 110 may be the portion of the handle 100 that is gripped by a user during use of the powered oral care implement 1000. The gripping portion 110 may also house the electronic components of the powered oral care system 1000, such as a power source, a motor, gears, and the like, as described in greater detail below. The gripping portion 110 may comprise a bottom end 111 and a distal end 112. The stem portion 120 of the handle 100 may be coupled to the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 and may extend from the distal end 112 of the gripping portion 110. The stem portion 120 may have a distal end 121 that is located furthest from the gripping portion 110. The stem portion 120 may comprise various alignment and locking features 122 to facilitate the proper alignment and attachment of the refill head 50 to the handle 100. The specific structure and arrangement of the alignment and locking features 122 are exemplary only and are not intended to be limiting of the invention unless explicitly claimed as such.
[0033] To attach the refill head 50 to the handle 100, the sleeve portion 51 of the refill head 50 is slid over the stem portion 120 of the handle 100 so that the stem portion 120 of the handle 100 enters into the refill cavity 53. The interior surface of the sleeve portion 51 of the refill head 50 may have grooves or channels that are configured to receive ribs of the alignment and locking features 122 of the stem portion 120 to properly orient the refill head 50 relative to the handle 100 and to facilitate locking the refill head 50 to the handle 100. In other embodiments, the interior surface of the sleeve portion 51 may have ribs and the stem portion 120 may have channels that receive those ribs. The refill head 50 continues to be slid downwardly onto the handle 100 until the bottom end of the refill head 50 is adjacent to and possibly in contact with the distal end 112 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. After the refill head 50 is used for oral cleaning activities over the course of several months (i.e., three months, for example, which is the dentist recommended time period between toothbrush replacement) , the refill head 50 may be detached from the handle 100 and replaced with a new refill head 50.
[0034] Referring to FIG. 3, the powered oral care implement 1000 will be described in more detail, including a brief description of some additional components thereof. The oral care implement 1000 comprises the gripping portion 110, the stem portion 120 and the refill head 50 as described previously. The handle 100, and more specifically the gripping portion 110 thereof, may comprise a handle cavity 113. The gripping portion 110 may have an opening 114 in the distal end 112 that provides a passageway into the handle cavity 113. The stem portion 120 may be coupled to the gripping portion 110 with a lower part of the stem portion 120 located within the handle cavity 113 and an upper part of the stem portion 120 protruding from the distal end 112 of the gripping portion 110. The powered oral care implement 1000 may include a stem coupler 105 that is configured to be located within the handle cavity 113 and to be attached to the lower part of the stem portion 120 to facilitate the attachment of the stem portion 120 to the handle portion 110 (see, for example, FIG. 13) .
[0035] The powered oral care implement 1000 may further comprise a drive system 200, a driven member 300, and an elongated shaft 400 that may cooperate to generate movement at the refill head 50 when the powered oral care implement 100 is assembled and activated. The drive system 200 may comprise a motor 210 having a motor shaft 211 and a gear system 220 that is operably coupled to the motor shaft 211. The motor shaft 211 may be configured to rotate about a rotational axis R-R when the motor 210 is activated (see FIG. 5 for representation of rotational axis R-R) . In an embodiment, the gear system 220 may be a planetary gear system comprising a sun gear 230, a plurality of planet gears 240, and a ring gear 250. In an embodiment, the sun gear 230 may be coupled directly to the motor shaft 211 so that the sun gear 230 is configured to rotate along with the motor shaft 211 when the motor 210 is activated. Thus, the sun gear 230 may be fixed to the motor shaft 211 so that the sun gear 230 rotates along with the motor shaft 211. The planet gears 240 may be positioned between and in intermeshing contact with the sun gear 230 and gear teeth of the ring gear 250. The planet gears 240 may move along an annular path when the sun gear 230 is rotated by the motor 210.
[0036] The powered oral care implement 1000 may further comprise a power source 500, such as one or more batteries, to provide power to the motor 210. In an alternative embodiment, the powered oral care implement 1000 may not comprise its own power source 500, but may instead be configured to be coupled to a mains power supply via a power cable to supply power to the motor 210. A power switch, such as a button, a slide switch, a conductive switch, or the like may be located on an exterior surface of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 to activate and deactivate the motor 210.
[0037] The motor 210 may be a DC rotation motor. Thus, the motor 210 may comprise a casing, an armature with windings, permanent magnet (s) , a commutator, and brushes.
[0038] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the motor 210, the gear subsystem 220, the driven member 300, and the elongated shaft 400 are illustrated in an assembled state and an exploded state, respectively. FIG. 5 also illustrates a disc member 201 which may be coupled to the motor shaft 211 between the sun gear 230 and the motor 210. The disc member 201 may have a top surface 202, a bottom surface, 203, at least one central aperture 204, and at least one peripheral aperture 205. In the exemplified embodiment, the at least one central aperture 204 and the at least one peripheral aperture 205 extend through the disc member 201 from the top surface 202 to the bottom surface 203. In the exemplified embodiment, there is just one of the central aperture 204 and three of the peripheral apertures 205 positioned in a circumferentially spaced apart manner.
[0039] When the powered oral care implement 1000 is assembled, the motor shaft 211 may extend through the central aperture 204 to couple the disc member 201 to the motor shaft 211 of the motor 210. The sun gear 230 may be coupled to the motor shaft 211 after the disc member 201 such that the disc member 201 is located between the sun gear 230 and a body of the motor 210. The disc member 201 may be configured to rotate about the rotational axis R-R due to its attachment to the motor shaft 211.
[0040] The ring gear 250 may have a top end 251, a bottom end 252, and an inner surface 253 that defines a cavity 254. The cavity 254 may have a lower cavity portion and an upper cavity portion. The lower cavity portion may extend from the bottom end 252 to the upper cavity portion, and the upper cavity portion may extend from the top end 251 to the lower cavity portion. The inner surface 253 of the ring gear 250 along the lower cavity portion may have gear teeth 255. The inner surface 253 of the gear ring 250 along the upper cavity portion may be free of gear teeth.
[0041] The ring gear 250 may be positioned so that its bottom end 252 is adjacent to a top end of the body of the motor 210. The sun gear 230, the planet gears 240, and the driven member 300 may be located within the cavity 254 of the ring gear 250. In one embodiment, the sun gear 230 and the planet gears 240 may be located within the lower cavity portion of the cavity 254 so that the planet gears 240 are in intermeshing contact with the gear teeth 255 of the ring gear 250. Furthermore, the driven member 300 may be located within the upper cavity portion of the cavity 254 where there are no gear teeth. In an embodiment, the sun gear 230, the planet gears 240, and the driven member 300 may be configured to rotate or move along an annular path relative to the ring gear 250, which may be fixed in place within the cavity 113 of the handle 100.
[0042] Each of the planet gears 240 may have a top surface 241, a bottom surface 242, and an opening 243 in the top surface 241. In one embodiment, the opening 241 may be a through-hole that extends from the top surface 241 of the planet gear 240 to the bottom surface 242 of the planet gear 242. In other embodiments, the opening 241 may be a blind hole or recess rather than being a through-hole.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 6A-6C, the driven member 300 will be described in greater detail. The driven member 300 comprises a main body 301 having a top surface 302 and a bottom surface 303 opposite the top surface 302. The driven member 300 further comprises a plurality of posts 304 protruding from the bottom surface 303. In the exemplified embodiment, there are three of the posts 304, but the exact number of posts 304 included is not to be limiting of the invention in all embodiments. The posts 304 may be cylindrical as shown in the exemplified embodiment, although this is not to be limiting and the posts 304 may have non-circular cross-sectional shapes in other embodiments. The posts 304 may be arranged in a circumferentially spaced apart manner.
[0044] The driven member 300 may also comprise an eccentric connection feature 310. Specifically, the driven member 300 has a longitudinal axis A-A that is aligned / coincident with the rotational axis R-R of the motor shaft 211 of the motor 210 when the personal care implement 1000 is assembled. The eccentric connection feature 310 is configured to be the point of attachment between a first end of the elongated shaft 400 and the driven member 300, as described in more detail below. Furthermore, the eccentric connection feature 310 is offset from the longitudinal axis A-A and the rotational axis R-R so that the eccentric connection feature 310 (and the first end of the elongated shaft 400) moves in an annular path when rotated by the motor 210.
[0045] In the exemplified embodiment, the eccentric connection feature 310 comprises a recess or hole 311 in the top surface 302 of the main body 301 of the driven member 300. The recess or hole 311 may also be referred to herein as a socket. The recess or hole 311 has a centerpoint CP that is offset from the longitudinal axis A-A of the driven member 300, and hence also from the rotational axis of the driven member 300. Thus, when the driven member 300 rotates about the longitudinal axis A-A, the centerpoint CP of the recess or hole 311 may move along an annular path that surrounds the longitudinal axis A-A, such as the annular path AP1 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6C.
[0046] While the exemplified embodiment discloses the eccentric connection feature 310 as a recess or hole or socket, the invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments. The specific structural configuration of the eccentric connection feature 310 may be different from that shown. For example, in the exemplified embodiment the first end of the elongated shaft 400 may comprise a ball or sphere that snap-fit connects to the socket of the eccentric connection feature 310. In an alternative embodiment, the first end of the elongated shaft 400 may comprise a socket and the eccentric connection feature 310 may comprise a ball or sphere that snap-fit connects to the socket. Other attachment / connection features may be used, such as tabs / detents, friction fit, adhesives, screw threads, or the like.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 6D, the driven member 300 may be coupled to each of the planet gears 240. Specifically, each of the three posts 304 of the driven member 300 may be inserted into and through the opening 243 of one of the planet gears 240. Thus, as the planet gears 240 move along an annular or orbital path (described below with reference to FIG. 10) , the driven member 300 is made to rotate about the longitudinal axis A-A due to the attachment the driven member 300 to each of the planet gears 240. In the exemplified embodiment, each of the three posts 304 has a length which is greater than a height of the planet gear 240 (measured between the top and bottom surfaces 241, 242 of the planet gear 240) . As such, the posts 304 may be inserted into the openings 243 via the front surface 241 of the planet gear 240 until a distal portion 306 of the posts 304 protrude from the bottom end 242 of the planet gear 240. Referring briefly to FIG. 5, the distal portions 306 of the posts 304 may be inserted into the peripheral apertures 205 of the disc member 201 to couple the driven member 300 to the disc member 201.
[0048] The driven member 300 may comprise an annular flange 319 that protrudes from the top surface 302 of the main body 301. When the main body 301 of the driven member 300 is located within the upper cavity portion of the cavity 254 of the ring gear 250, the annular flange 319 may protrude into and through an opening 25 in the top end 251 of the ring gear 250 (see FIG. 4, for example) . This may help to maintain the driven member 300 in position as it rotates about the longitudinal axis A-A (and the rotational axis R-R) .
[0049] Referring to FIG. 7, the elongated shaft 400 will be described. The elongated shaft 400 extends from a first end 401 to a second end 402 along a longitudinal axis B-B. The elongated shaft 400 may be a cylindrical, bar-like member, although the cross-sectional shape of the elongated shaft 400 is not required to be circular in all embodiments. The elongated shaft 400 may comprise a first connector 410 located at the first end 401 and a second connector 420 located at the second end 402. The first connector 410 may be configured to engage with the eccentric connection feature 310 of the driven member 300 to couple the elongated shaft 400 to the driven member 300. In the exemplified embodiment, the first connector 410 may be a ball or a sphere. As such, and as shown in FIG. 8, the first connector 410 is configured to connect with the recess or socket 311 of the eccentric connection feature 310 of the driven member 300 to couple the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 to the driven member 300. The first connector 401 may be press-fit or snap-fit connected to the eccentric connection feature 310. As noted, the specific structure of the first connector 410 and the eccentric connection feature 310 may differ from that which is shown in the exemplified embodiment. However, the attachment between the first connector 410 and the eccentric connection feature 310 should be a fixed connection so that as the driven member 300 is made to rotate about the rotational axis R-R as described herein, the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 will follow the same annular path AP1 as the centerpoint CP of the eccentric connection feature 310.
[0050] In the exemplified embodiment, the second connector 420 also comprises a ball or sphere. The second connector 420 is configured to be connected to an internal connection feature of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100. This is best shown in FIG. 13, and will be described in greater detail below with reference thereto. The specific structure of the second connector 420 may differ from that which is shown in the exemplified embodiment so long as the second connector 420 is configured to engage with the internal connection feature of the stem portion 120 to achieve the attachment of the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 to the stem portion 120 of the handle 100.
[0051] The elongated shaft 400 comprises an intermediate portion 415 that is located between the first and second connectors 410, 420. The intermediate portion 415 of the elongated shaft 400 may comprise a fulcrum member 430. The fulcrum member 430 may comprise a protrusion that extends radially outward from the intermediate portion 415 of the elongated shaft 400. More specifically, the fulcrum member 430 may comprise a spherical shaped feature located along the intermediate portion 415 of the elongated shaft 400. The first connector 410 may have a first width or diameter, the second connector 420 may have a second width or diameter, and the fulcrum member 430 may have a third width or diameter. In an embodiment, the third width or diameter of the fulcrum member 430 may be greater than the first and second widths or diameters of the first and second connectors 410, 420. Furthermore, in the exemplified embodiment, the elongated shaft 400 may have a length L1 measured from the first end 401 to the second end 402. Furthermore, the fulcrum member 430 may be located a first distance from the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 and a second distance D2 from the second end 402 of the elongated shaft. The first distance D1 may be greater than the second distance D2. Thus, the fulcrum member 430 may be located closer to the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 than to the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400. In one embodiment, a ratio of the first distance D1 to the second distance D2 may be between 1.5: 1 and 2.5: 1, and more specifically between 1.7: 1 and 2.3: 1, and more specifically between 1.9: 1 and 2.1: 1.
[0052] The elongated shaft 400 may be a machined metal shaft. The elongated shaft 400 may alternatively be a metal shaft with three plastic balls overmolded thereon or otherwise adhered thereto to form the first and second connectors 410, 420 and the fulcrum member 430. Alternatively, the elongated shaft 400 may be formed from plastic via an injection molding process.
[0053] FIG. 9 illustrates the ring gear 250. As noted previously, the ring gear 250 has a top end 251, a bottom end 252, and an inner surface 253. The inner surface 253 of the ring gear 250 defines a cavity 254. The ring gear 250 has the opening 256 in the top end 251 and an opening 257 in the bottom end 252. FIG. 9 provides a suitable illustration of the gear teeth 255 formed along the inner surface 253 of the lower cavity portion of the cavity 254. The gear teeth 255 of the ring gear 250 are configured to intermesh with the gear teeth of the planet gears 240 during operation of the motor 210.
[0054] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken through the handle 100 at the location of the gear system 220. As described previously, the motor shaft 211 is coupled directly to the sun gear 230. The planet gears 240 are located between the sun gear 230 and the inner surface 253 of the ring gear 250 such that the planet gears 240 are intermeshed with the sun gear 230 and with the gear teeth 255 of the ring gear 250. When the motor 210 is activated, the motor shaft 211 rotates about the rotational axis R-R, which in turn rotates the sun gear 230 about the rotational axis R-R. The rotation of the sun gear 230 about the rotational axis R-R causes each of the planet gears 240 to move along an annular path AP2. Although FIG. 10 depicts a small gap between the chassis or handle inner surface and the ring gear 250, it should be appreciated that the ring gear 250 may be fixed on the chassis / handle. Thus, in the final product the gap between the ring gear 250 and the inner surface of the chassis / handle may be eliminated, and the ring gear 250 may be fixed against movement in either an axial direction or a rotational direction.
[0055] As noted above, each of the posts 304 of the driven member 300 is coupled to one of the planet gears 240. Thus, as the planet gears 240 move along the annular path AP2, the driven member 300 is made to rotate about the rotational axis R-R. Furthermore, because the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 is coupled to the eccentric connection feature 310 of the driven member 300, the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 moves along the first annular path AP1 as the driven member 300 rotates about the rotational axis R-R.
[0056] Referring to FIG. 11, a close-up view is provided of an upper portion of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 and the stem portion 120 of the handle 100. As noted previously, the stem portion 120 protrudes from the distal end 112 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. In one embodiment, the stem portion 120 may comprise a first axial stem portion (or lower stem portion) 123, a second axial stem portion (or upper stem portion) 124, and a third axial stem portion 125 that is located between the first and second axial stem portions 123, 124. The first axial stem portion 123 may be located adjacent to the distal end 112 of the gripping portion 110. The second axial stem portion 124 may comprise the distal end 121 of the stem portion 120. The third axial stem portion 125 may be coupled to and may extend between both of the first and second axial stem portions 123, 124.
[0057] In an embodiment, the first and second axial stem portions 123, 124 may be formed from a rigid material. The rigid material may be a hard plastic such as polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or the like. The rigid material may alternatively be metal. In an embodiment, the third axial stem portion 125 may be a flexible or elastomeric material, such as a thermoplastic elastomer, a thermoplastic polyurethane, rubber, silicone, or the like. As will be described in greater detail below, with reference to FIG. 13, the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 may be coupled to the second axial stem portion 124 of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100. Furthermore, as the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 moves in a first orbital path, the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 may move in a second orbital path. The movement of the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 in the second orbital path may be transmitted to the second axial stem portion 124, thereby causing the second axial stem portion 124 to pivot relative to the first axial stem portion 123. The third axial stem portion 125 being formed from an elastomeric material may provide some flexibility which allows the second axial stem portion 124 to pivot and move relative to the first axial stem portion 123. Specifically, since the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 is coupled / fixed to the second axial stem portion 124 and moves in a second orbital path, the second axial stem portion 124 is made to move relative to the first axial stem portion 123. The movement of the second axial stem portion 124 may then be transmitted to the refill head 50.
[0058] It should be appreciated that forming the third axial stem portion 125 out of an elastomeric material is one of several ways to allow for the stem portion 120 to transmit movement to the refill head 50. For example, in an alternative embodiment the entire stem portion 120 may be configured to pivot relative to the gripping portion 110 as the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 moves in the orbital path. This can be achieved by creating some flexibility at the point of attachment between the stem portion 120 and the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100.
[0059] FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate the movement of the refill head 50 in response to activation of the motor 210 as described herein. Before discussing FIGS. 12A-12C, reference is made to FIG. 13 to describe the relative positions of the various components and the attachment of the elongated shaft 400 to the stem portion 120. In the exemplified embodiment, the stem portion 120 comprises an inner surface 130 that defines a stem cavity 131. The stem cavity 131 may be considered to form part of the handle cavity 113. The inner surface 130 of the stem portion 120 may comprise an end wall 132 that defines a top end of the stem cavity 131 (and a top end of the handle cavity 113, considering that the stem cavity 131 forms a part of the handle cavity 113) .
[0060] As noted above, the stem portion 120 may comprise an internal connection feature 140. In the exemplified embodiment, the end wall 132 comprises the internal connection feature 140. The internal connection feature 140 may comprise a recess or socket 141 formed into the end wall 132. Furthermore, the second connection feature 420 of the elongated shaft 400 may comprise a spherical member or ball-shaped member that is coupled to the stem 120 within the socket 141 of the internal connection feature 140. The second connection feature 420 of the elongated shaft 400 may fit tightly within the recess or socket 141 of the internal connection feature 140 of the stem portion 120 so that movement of the second connection feature 420 is transmitted to the stem portion 120.
[0061] The fulcrum member 430 of the elongated shaft 400 is located between the first and second ends 401, 402 of the elongated shaft 400. In the exemplified embodiment, the fulcrum member 430 is located closer to the second end 402 than to the first end 401. The fulcrum member 430 may be in surface contact with the interior surface 130 of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100. In an embodiment, the fulcrum member 430 may be in intimate surface contact with the interior surface 130 of the stem portion 120 for a full 360 degree circumference of the fulcrum member 430. As a result of having the fulcrum member 430 so positioned, the movement of the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400 in the first orbital path results in the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 moving in a second orbital path. Furthermore, because the fulcrum member 430 is located closer to the second end 402 than to the first end 401 of the elongated shaft 400, the second orbital path may have a smaller maximum diameter than the first orbital path. The closer the fulcrum member 430 is located to the second end 401 of the elongated shaft 400, the smaller the diameter of the second orbital path of the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400.
[0062] Because the second connection feature 420 at the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 is coupled to the interior connection feature 140 of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100 in a fixed manner, the movement of the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 may be transmitted to a distal portion (i.e., the second axial portion 124) of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100. As the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 moves in the second orbital path, at least the distal portion (i.e., the second axial portion) 124 of the stem portion 120 also moves in the second orbital path. This occurs because the second connection feature 420 at the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400 is fixed to the stem portion 120 at the interior connection feature 140 such that the second connection feature 420 cannot move relative to the stem portion 120. Instead, the stem portion 120 must move along with the second connection feature 420 and the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400.
[0063] Moreover, FIG. 13 also illustrates the tight positioning of the refill head 50 relative to the stem portion 120. Specifically, the refill head 50 has an inner surface 59 that defines the refill cavity 53. The stem portion 120 of the handle 100 has an outer surface 129. Portions of the outer surface 129 of the stem portion 120 are in surface contact with the inner surface 59 of the refill head 50. In particular, portions of the outer surface 129 of the stem portion 120 that are axially very close in position to the internal connection feature 140 of the stem portion 120 may be in surface contact with the inner surface 59 of the refill head 50. Stated another way, portion of the outer surface 129 of the stem portion 120 located along the second axial portion or the distal portion 124 of the stem portion 120 may be in surface contact with the inner surface 59 of the refill head 50. As a result, the movement of the second axial portion or distal portion 124 of the stem portion 120 in the second orbital path causes the refill head 50 to also move in the second orbital path. It should be noted that the first and second orbital paths as described herein may be annular paths with a circular or oval shape in some exemplary embodiments.
[0064] Turning now to FIGS. 12A-12B, the movement of the refill head 50 as a result of the activation of the motor 210 is illustrated. FIG. 12A illustrates the powered oral care implement 1000 prior to activation of the motor 210. Upon activating the motor 210, such as by pressing a button switch, sliding a slide switch, or the like, the motor shaft 211 will rotate about the rotational axis R-R, which in turn causes the sun gear 230 to rotate about the rotational axis R-R< which in turn causes the planet gears 240 to move along the annular path as described, which in torn causes the driven member 300 to rotate about the rotational axis R-R, which in turn causes the first end 201 of the elongated shaft 400 to move along the first orbital path, which in turn causes the second end 202 of the elongated shaft 400 to move along the second orbital path, which in turn causes movement of at least the second axial portion 124 of the stem portion 120 of the handle 100, which in turn causes movement of the refill head 50. The refill head 120 may move forwardly and rearwardly as illustrated in FIGS. 12B and 12C. The refill head 120 may also move side-to-side. Specifically, the refill head 50 may move in an orbital or annular path that closely matches the orbital or annular path taken by the second end 402 of the elongated shaft 400.
[0065] Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, a ring gear 600 is illustrated in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The ring gear 600 may replace the ring gear 250 in the powered oral care implement 1000. Additional modifications to the powered oral care implement 1000 which uses the ring gear 600 may be made, but this may not be required.
[0066] In accordance with this embodiment, the ring gear 600 comprises an outer annular portion 610, an inner annular portion 620, and a plurality of flexible connection portions 630. The outer annular portion 610 surrounds the inner annular portion 620 and the plurality of flexible connection portions 630. The outer annular portion 610 may comprise an outer surface 611 and an inner surface 612. The outer surface 611 of the outer annular portion 610 may form the outer surface of the ring gear 600 which faces and / or is in contact with the inner surface of the handle when assembled. The inner annular portion 620 may comprise an outer surface 621 and an inner surface 622. The outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620 may be spaced apart from the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610 by a gap 605. The gap 605 may be an annular gap. The gap 605 may have a constant width measured between the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620 and the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610 for the full circumference of the gap 605 when no inward or outward force is applied onto the ring gear 600.
[0067] Although FIG. 15 depicts a small gap between the chassis or handle inner surface and the ring gear 600, it should be appreciated that the ring gear 600 may be fixed on the chassis / handle. Thus, in the final product the gap between the ring gear 600 and the inner surface of the chassis / handle may be eliminated, and the ring gear 600 may be fixed against movement in either an axial direction or a rotational direction.
[0068] In the exemplified embodiment, the inner and outer surfaces 611, 612 of the outer annular portion 610 are smooth surfaces. Similarly, the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620 may also be a smooth surface. The inner surface 622 of the inner annular portion 620 comprises gear teeth 623 that are configured to intermesh with the planet gears as described above. The specific pitch and spacing of the gear teeth 623 may be modified for different gear sizes and speeds of rotation.
[0069] The plurality of flexible connection portions 630 are each connected to the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610 and to the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620. The plurality of flexible connection portions 630 may be located within the gap 605 between the inner and outer annular portions 610, 620. In the exemplified embodiment, there are six of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630, although there could be greater or fewer than six of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630 in other embodiments.
[0070] Each of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630 comprises a first end 631 that is coupled to the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610, a second end 632 that is coupled to the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620, and a third portion (or central portion) 633 extending between the first and second ends 631, 632. The first and second ends 631, 632 of each of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630 may be circumferentially offset from one another. Stated another way, the first and second ends 631, 632 of each of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630 are not in radial alignment with one another. Each of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630 may be S-shaped. The third portion or central portion 633 has an outer surface 634 that faces the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610 and an inner surface 635 that faces the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 620. The outer surface 634 of the third portion 633 of the flexible connection portion 630 is spaced from the inner surface 612 of the outer annular portion 610. The inner surface 635 of the third portion 633 of the flexible connection portion 630 is spaced from the outer surface 621 of the inner annular portion 610.
[0071] The ring gear 600 may be a monolithic part such that the inner annular portion 610, the outer annular portion 620, and the flexible connection portions 630 are integrally formed as a single, unitary construction. The ring gear 600 may be formed by injection molding or extrusion. The ring gear 600 may be formed from a hard plastic material or from metal.
[0072] In an alternative embodiment, the inner and outer annular portions 610, 620 could be formed separately from one another and could be attached with one or more flexible connection portions formed from an elastomeric material such as rubber, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, or the like. In such an embodiment, the flexible connection portions formed from an elastomeric material may absorb any external forces applied onto the outer annular portion 610 as described herein.
[0073] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the ring gear 600 located inside of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 of the powered oral care implement 1000. The outer surface 611 of the outer annular portion 610 of the ring gear 600 faces or perhaps abuts an inner surface 118 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. The sun gear 230 is coupled to the motor shaft 211 of the motor 210. The planet gears 240 are located in the annular space between the sun gear 230 and the inner surface 622 of the inner annular portion 620 of the ring gear 600. When the sun gear 230 is made to rotate by the motor shaft 211, the planet gears 240 move along an annular path between the sun gear 230 and the ring gear 600.
[0074] Due to the spacing of the outer and inner annular portions 610, 620 from one another and the configuration of the plurality of flexible connection portions 630, the outer annular portion 610 may flex radially inwardly into the gap 605 towards the inner annular portion 620 in response to an external force being applied onto the outer annular portion 610. Specifically, in the assembled powered oral care implement 1000, the outer annular portion 610 may abut against the inner surface 118 of the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100. Thus, as a user squeezes the gripping portion 110 of the handle 100 during use, this squeezing force may be applied onto the outer annular portion 610 of the ring gear 600. Due to the existence of the outer and inner annular portions 610, 620 and the gap 605 therebetween, this squeezing force will not cause any deformation of the inner annular portion 620 and the gear teeth 623. Instead, the outer annular portion 610 will flex inwardly towards the inner annular portion 620, but the inner annular portion 620 will not flex at all. This can be important because if the inner annular portion 620 were to flex in response to a force applied thereto, it could change the shape of the space where the planet gears 240 are located and possibly reduce the speed of movement of the planet gears 240, or stop their movement entirely. By forming the ring gear 600 as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, deformation of the inner annular portion 620 can be eliminated or substantially reduced, thereby ensuring that the movement of the planet gears 240 is not affected.
[0075] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.
[0076] While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1.A powered oral care implement comprising:a handle comprising a gripping portion, a stem portion, and a handle cavity, the stem portion comprising an inner stem surface and an internal connection feature;a refill head comprising a refill cavity that is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem portion of the handle to detachably couple the refill head to the handle;a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising a motor and a gear system that is operably coupled to the motor;a driven member operably coupled to the gear system and configured to be rotated about a rotational axis, the driven member comprising an eccentric connection feature that is configured to move in a first orbital path when the driven member is rotated by the drive system;an elongated shaft comprising a first end having a first connector that is coupled to the eccentric connection feature of the driven member, a second end having a second connector that is coupled to the internal connection feature of the stem portion of the handle, and an intermediate portion located between the first and second connectors, the intermediate portion extending through the handle cavity and comprising a fulcrum member that is in surface contact with the inner stem surface of the stem portion of the handle; andwherein rotating the driven member by the drive system causes the first end of the elongated shaft to move along the first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft to move along a second orbital path, thereby generating movement at the refill head.2.The powered oral care implement according to claim 1 further comprising:the fulcrum member of the elongated shaft being a bulbous member having an outer surface, wherein a 360° portion of the outer surface of the bulbous member is in continuous surface contact with the inner stem surface of the stem portion of the handle during rotation of the driven member by the drive system.3.The powered oral care implement according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising:the fulcrum member of the intermediate portion of the elongated shaft being located closer to the second end of the elongated shaft than to the first end of the elongated shaft such that the first orbital path has a first diameter and the second orbital path has a second diameter, the first diameter being greater than the second diameter.4.[Corrected under Rule 26, 30.04.2025]The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the gear system further comprises:a sun gear that is operably coupled to a shaft of the motor;a ring gear comprising interior gear teeth; anda plurality of planet gears that are coupled to the sun gear and to the interior gear teeth of the ring gear; andwherein the motor is configured to rotate the sun gear about the rotational axis which causes each of the plurality of planet gears to move along an annular path.5.The powered oral care implement according to claim 4 further comprising:each of the plurality of planet gears comprising a top surface having an opening;the driven member comprising a main body having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of posts extending from the bottom surface, each of the plurality of posts extending into the opening of one of the plurality of planet gears so that as the plurality of planet gears move along the annular path, the driven member is rotated about the rotational axis.6.The powered oral care implement according to claim 5 wherein the eccentric connection feature of the driven member comprises a recess or hole formed into the top surface of the main body that is offset from the rotational axis.7.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 4 to 6 further comprising:the ring gear comprising:an outer annular portion;an inner annular portion comprising the interior gear teeth, the inner annular portion being spaced apart from the outer annular portion by an annular gap; anda plurality of flexible connection portions located within the annular gap and coupling the outer annular portion to the inner annular portion so that deformation of the outer annular portion due to external forces applied onto the outer annular portion is absorbed by the flexible connection portions to reduce or eliminate deformation to the inner annular portion.8.The powered oral care implement according to claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of flexible connection portions comprises a first end that is coupled to an inner surface of the outer annular portion, a second end that is coupled to an outer surface of the inner annular portion and that is circumferentially offset from the first end, and an central portion extending between the first and second ends, the central portion comprising an outer surface that faces and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer annular portion and an inner surface that faces and is spaced apart from the outer surface of the inner annular portion.9.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising:the stem portion of the handle comprising:a first axial stem portion formed from a rigid material and located adjacent to a distal end of the gripping portion of the handle;a second axial stem portion formed from the rigid material and comprising a distal end of the stem portion; anda third axial stem portion formed from an elastomeric material and located between the first and second axial stem portions; andwherein the second end of the elongated shaft is coupled to the second axial stem portion so that the movement of the second end of the elongated shaft along the second orbital path causes the second axial stem portion to pivot relative to the first axial stem portion to generate the movement at the refill head.10.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 9 further comprising:the refill head comprising a sleeve portion that comprises the refill cavity that is configured to receive the portion of the stem portion of the handle and a head portion extending from the sleeve portion, the head portion comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements; andwherein an inner surface of the refill head is in contact with an outer surface of the stem portion of the handle so that movement of the stem portion by the elongated shaft is transmitted to the refill head.11.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 10 further comprising a power source located in the handle cavity, the power source being operably coupled to the drive system to power the motor when activated.12.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the first connector of the elongated shaft is a first ball and the eccentric connection feature of the driven member is a first socket, and wherein the second connector of the elongated shaft is a second ball and the internal connection feature of the stem portion of the handle is a second socket.13.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 12 further comprising:the gear system comprising a ring gear having a top end, a bottom end, and an inner surface that defines a cavity comprising a lower cavity portion and an upper cavity portion, a first portion of the inner surface that defines the lower cavity portion comprising gear teeth and a second portion of the inner surface that defines the upper cavity portion being free of gear teeth;the gear system comprising a sun gear and a plurality of planet gears that are located within the lower cavity portion of the ring gear; andthe driven member comprising a main body that is located within the upper cavity portion of the ring gear.14.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 13 further comprising:the stem portion of the handle comprising a lower stem portion that is adjacent to a distal end of the gripping portion of the handle and an upper stem portion that comprises a distal end of the stem portion, the upper stem portion comprising the internal connection feature, the upper stem portion being configured to pivot relative to the lower stem portion as the second end of the elongated shaft moves along the second orbital path.15.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 1 to 14 further comprising:the stem portion of the handle comprising an end wall that defines a top end of the handle cavity, the end wall comprising a socket that forms the internal connection feature of the stem portion; andthe second connector at the second end of the elongated shaft comprising a spherical member that nests within the socket in the end wall of the stem portion.16.A powered oral care implement comprising:a handle comprising a gripping portion and a stem portion, the handle comprising a handle cavity;a refill head that is configured to receive at least a portion of the stem portion to detachably coupled the refill head to the handle;a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising:a motor having a motor shaft that is configured to rotate about a rotational axis when activated; anda planetary gear system comprising:a sun gear that is operably coupled to the motor shaft;a ring gear comprising interior gear teeth; anda plurality of planet gears that are coupled to the sun gear and to the interior gear teeth of the ring gear, wherein when the motor is activated the motor shaft rotates the sun gear about the rotational axis which causes each of the plurality of planet gears to move along an annular path that surrounds the rotational axis;an elongated shaft having a first end that is operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of planet gears and a second end that is operably coupled to the stem portion of the handle, the first end of the elongated shaft moving in a first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft moving in a second orbital path to generate motion at the refill head when the motor is activated.17.The powered oral care implement according to claim 16 further comprising:a driven member comprising a main body having a bottom end and a plurality of posts protruding from the bottom end, each of the plurality of posts coupled to one of the plurality of planet gears so that the driven member rotates about the rotational axis as the plurality of planet gears move along the annular path;the driven member comprising an eccentric connection feature that is offset from the rotational axis; andwherein the first end of the elongated shaft is coupled to the eccentric connection feature of the driven member to drive the first end of the elongated shaft along the first orbital path.18.The powered oral care implement according to claim 17 further comprising:the stem portion of the handle comprising an end wall at a top end of the handle cavity, the end wall comprising a socket;wherein the second end of the elongated shaft comprises a ball that nests within the socket in the end wall of the stem portion of the handle to couple the second end of the elongated shaft to the stem portion of the handle; andwherein movement of the second end of the elongated shaft in the second orbital path generates movement at a distal portion of the stem and a head portion of the refill head.19.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 16 to 18 further comprising:the elongated shaft comprising a fulcrum member located between the first and second ends of the elongated shaft, the fulcrum member being in surface contact with an interior surface of the stem portion of the handle.20.The powered oral care implement according to claim 19, wherein the first end of the elongated shaft is spaced a first distance from the fulcrum member and the second end of the elongated shaft is spaced a second distance from the fulcrum member, the first distance being greater than the second distance.21.The powered oral care implement according to any one of claims 16 to 19 further comprising:the ring gear comprising:an outer annular portion;an inner annular portion comprising the interior gear teeth; anda plurality of flexible connection portions coupling the outer annular portion to the inner annular portion so that deformation of the outer annular portion due to external forces applied onto the outer annular portion is absorbed by the flexible connection portions to reduce or eliminate deformation to the inner annular portion.22.The powered oral care implement according to claim 21 wherein each of the plurality of flexible connection portions comprises a first end that is coupled to an inner surface of the outer annular portion, a second end that is coupled to an outer surface of the inner annular portion and that is circumferentially offset from the first end, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portion, the central portion comprising an outer surface that faces and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer annular portion and an inner surface that faces and is spaced apart from the outer surface of the inner annular portion.23.A powered oral care implement comprising:a handle comprising a handle cavity;a refill head that is configured to be detachably coupled to the handle;a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising:a motor having a motor shaft; anda planetary gear system comprising:a sun gear that is operably coupled to the motor shaft;a ring gear comprising:an outer annular portion;an inner annular portion comprising interior gear teeth, the inner annular portion being spaced apart from the outer annular portion by an annular gap; anda plurality of flexible connection portions coupling the outer annular portion to the inner annular portion; anda plurality of planet gears that are coupled to the sun gear and to the interior gear teeth of the ring gear, the plurality of planet gears configured to move along an annular path when the motor is activated; andan elongated shaft coupled to the planetary gear system, wherein the elongated shaft is configured to generate motion at the refill head when the motor is activated.24.The powered oral care implement according to claim 23 wherein each of the plurality of flexible connection portions comprises a first end that is coupled to an inner surface of the outer annular portion, a second end that is coupled to an outer surface of the inner annular portion and that is circumferentially offset from the first end, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portion, the central portion comprising an outer surface that faces and is spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer annular portion and an inner surface that faces and is spaced apart from the outer surface of the inner annular portion.25.The powered oral care implement according to claim 23 or claim 24 wherein upon application of an external force onto the outer annular portion of the ring gear, the outer annular portion is configured to flex into the annular gap.26.A powered oral care implement comprising:a handle comprising a gripping portion, a stem portion, and a handle cavity, the stem portion comprising an inner stem surface and an internal connection feature;a drive system located in the handle cavity, the drive system comprising a motor and a gear system that is operably coupled to the motor;a driven member operably coupled to the gear system and configured to be rotated about a rotational axis, the driven member comprising an eccentric connection feature that is configured to move in a first orbital path when the driven member is rotated by the drive system;an elongated shaft comprising a first end having a first connector that is coupled to the eccentric connection feature of the driven member, a second end having a second connector that is coupled to the internal connection feature of the stem portion of the handle, and an intermediate portion located between the first and second connectors, the intermediate portion extending through the handle cavity and comprising a fulcrum member that is in surface contact with the inner stem surface of the stem portion of the handle; andwherein rotating the driven member by the drive system causes the first end of the elongated shaft to move along the first orbital path and the second end of the elongated shaft to move along a second orbital path.27.The powered oral care implement according to claim 26 wherein the stem is configured to be coupled to a refill head having tooth cleaning elements, and wherein the movement of the second end of the elongated shaft along the second orbital path generates movement of the refill head when the refill head is coupled to the stem.