Apparatus for converting side-to-side driving motion to rotational motion with a spring assembly and system for tuning the spring assembly

Abstract

The apparatus for converting side-to-side to rotational motion for a workpiece includes a spring assembly with a movable base mounting element which is driven in a slightly arcuate reciprocal side-to-side motion and a fixed mounting element spaced apart from the base element and mounted in the appliance so that it does not rotate or move in operation of the apparatus. A spring member, such as two planar leaf springs positioned at an angle to each other, is mounted between the movable base element and the fixed mounting element. A drive shaft member extends from the movable base element through the fixed mounting element and beyond. A workpiece such as a brushhead is mounted on the distal end of the drive shaft. The spring member is configured so that it is substantially less resistant to twisting action than bending action, such that the side-to-side motion of the base element results in rotation of the workpiece. A method for tuning resonant spring assembly systems used in appliances such as power toothbrushes, particularly leaf spring systems, includes the step of measuring the frequency-dependent amplitude of the appliance workpiece, and then removing a portion of the spring member so as to decrease its spring rate sufficiently that the resonant frequency of the spring member closely approximates the drive frequency of the appliance.

1 . An apparatus for converting side-to-side drive motion to rotational motion for a workpiece portion of an appliance, comprising: 
 a movable base mounting element, capable of being driven in a side-to-side reciprocal motion;    a fixed position mounting element spaced apart from the base element, wherein the fixed mounting element is held in position so that it does not move during operation of the apparatus;    a spring member connected to the movable base element and fixedly connected to the fixed mounting element; and    a drive shaft member connected to the base element and rotatable relative to the fixed mounting element, the drive shaft having a workpiece mounted thereto;    wherein the spring member is so configured and arranged that it is substantially less resistant to twisting action than to bending action, the twisting action producing workpiece rotation at a preselected frequency.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring member comprises two separate, flat planar springs.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring member is a single planar spring.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring member is two orthogonal wire form springs.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring member comprises a plurality of planar spring members spaced at regular intervals between the base mounting element and the fixed mounting element.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the side-to-side motion of the base mounting element is accomplished by a magnetic driver arrangement which includes permanent magnets positioned on the movable base mounting element and an electromagnetic driver spaced apart from the permanent magnets in a base portion of the appliance.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a toothbrush.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a shaver.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the two planar springs are separated by a selected angle along the length thereof.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the angle is approximately 90°±40°.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the drive shaft member is located at an intersection of the respective planes of the two springs.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft member extends for a distance beyond the fixed mounting element and wherein the workpiece is a brushhead.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spring member and the drive shaft member are both metal.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft member and the spring member are both positioned at a selected angle away from the longitudinal axis of the appliance.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , including a positioning member which maintains the fixed mounting element from moving during operation of the appliance, and wherein the positioning member includes extending portions which mate with receiving portions in a handle portion of the appliance, preventing the positioning assembly from rotating.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the selected angle is within the range of 5-15°.  
   
   
       17 . An apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft member extends from the movable base element in one direction approximately to the fixed mounting element and in the opposing direction to the rear of the base element a selected distance, wherein the workpiece extends for substantially the length of the drive shaft member.  
   
   
       18 . An appliance which includes a workpiece mounted on a drive shaft, comprising: 
 a handle portion which houses a drive system for the appliance;    an assembly for converting side-to-side drive action of the drive system to rotational motion for the workpiece, which includes a movable base mounting element which is driven by the drive system in a side-to-side reciprocal motion;    a fixed mounting element spaced apart from the base element, wherein the fixed mounting element is held in position so that it does not move during operation of the apparatus;    a spring member connected to the movable base element and fixedly connected to the fixed mounting element;    a drive shaft member connected to the base element and rotatable relative to the fixed mounting element; and    a workpiece attached to the drive shaft member, wherein the spring member is so configured that it is substantially less resistant to twisting action than to bending action, the twisting action producing workpiece rotation at a preselected frequency.    
   
   
       19 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the spring member comprises two separate, flat planar springs.  
   
   
       20 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the spring member is a single planar spring.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the side-to-side motion of the movable base mounting element is accomplished by a magnetic driver arrangement comprising permanent magnets positioned on the movable base element and an electromagnetic driver spaced apart from the permanent magnets in a handle portion of the appliance.  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the appliance is a toothbrush.  
   
   
       23 . An apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the two planar springs are separated by a selected angle along the length thereof.  
   
   
       24 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the drive shaft member and the spring member are both positioned at a selected angle away from the longitudinal axis of the appliance.  
   
   
       25 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the drive shaft element extends from the movable base element in one direction approximately to the fixed mounting element and in the other direction to the rear of the base element a selected distance, wherein the workpiece extends for substantially the length of the drive shaft member, and wherein the appliance is a shaver.  
   
   
       26 . An apparatus of  claim 18 , including a positioning member which maintains the fixed mounting element from moving during operation of the appliance, and wherein the positioning member includes extending portions which mate with receiving portions in the handle portion of the appliance, and further including a cover element, wherein one end of the cover element is threadably connected to the handle and the other end mates with a proximal end of a housing for the drive shaft member and wherein the positioning member is mounted to an inside surface of the cover element.  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus for converting side-to-side drive motion to rotational motion for a workpiece portion of an appliance, comprising: 
 a movable base mounting element, capable of being driven in a side-to-side reciprocal motion;    a fixed position mounting element, wherein the fixed mounting element is held in position so that it does not move during operation of the apparatus;    a spring assembly connected to the movable base element and fixedly connected to the fixed mounting element; and    a drive shaft member connected to the base element and extending away from the movable base element and the fixed mounting element, the drive shaft having a workpiece connected thereto;    wherein the spring member is so configured and arranged that it is substantially less resistant to twisting action than to bending action, the twisting action producing workpiece rotation at a preselected frequency.    
   
   
       28 . A power toothbrush, comprising: 
 a handle portion;    a driving assembly for the toothbrush located in the handle, wherein the handle has a longitudinal axis; and    a drive shaft assembly which includes an arm portion on which a brushhead is mounted, wherein the drive shaft assembly is responsive to the driving assembly to produce a movement of the workpiece and wherein the drive shaft is tilted relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle at an angle within such a range that the moment of inertia of the toothbrush relative to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft is sufficiently large that vibration of a handle portion of the toothbrush is noticeably reduced as compared to an arrangement where the axis of rotation of the drive shaft is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the handle.    
   
   
       29 . An apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the angle is within a range or 5-15°.  
   
   
       30 . A method for tuning a spring member used in a resonant driving system for an appliance which includes a workpiece and which has a driving frequency, comprising the steps of: 
 measuring the frequency dependent amplitude of the workpiece, which vibrates by means of operation of the spring member, wherein the measured frequency of the appliance is either above or below a driving frequency; and    changing the spring rate of the spring member, and hence its resonant frequency, sufficiently that it closely approximates the driving frequency of the appliance.    
   
   
       31 . A method of  claim 30 , including the step of removing a portion of the spring member to decrease its spring rate.  
   
   
       32 . A method of  claim 30 , including the step of adding material to the spring member to increase its spring rate.  
   
   
       33 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the spring assembly is a leaf spring assembly and wherein said portion of the spring member is removed by cutting a part of the leaf spring away from one edge thereof.  
   
   
       34 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the configuration of the removed portion defines a gradual reduction of the spring width over the length of the cut, with the maximum extent of the cut approximately at the midpoint of the cut, the cut being located approximately midway between the two ends of the leaf spring.  
   
   
       35 . A method of  claim 34 , wherein the removed portion is a cut which is curved between the respective ends thereof.  
   
   
       36 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the spring element comprises two leaf springs positioned at a selected angle to each other, including the step of removing a portion of each leaf spring.  
   
   
       37 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the appliance is a toothbrush having a rotatable workpiece action.  
   
   
       38 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the step of cutting includes the steps of controlling the width of the cut, the length of the cut, the curvature of the cut and the position of the cut along the length of the leaf spring member to provide the required change in spring rate.  
   
   
       39 . A method of  claim 31 , wherein the portion is removed from an interior portion of at least one of the leaf springs, the removed portion being football shaped.