Oral Care Implement

Abstract

An oral care implement is disclosed. The oral care implement includes a housing; a carrier element mounted for movement relative to the housing; and a locking assembly for preventing separation of the carrier element from the housing. The locking assembly includes a first locking element being supported at the housing at a first support location and a second support location and engaging into a first aperture or recess of the carrier element. The first and second support location lie offset to a rotation axis (R) of the carrier element.

1 . An oral care implement comprising:
 a housing;   a carrier element mounted for movement relative to the housing; and   a locking assembly for preventing separation of the carrier element from the housing;   wherein the locking assembly includes a first locking element being supported at the housing at a first support location and a second support location and engaging into a first aperture or recess of the carrier element; and further wherein the first and second support location lie offset to a rotation axis (R) of the carrier element.   
     
     
         2 . An oral care implement comprising:
 a housing;   a carrier element mounted for movement relative to the housing;   a locking assembly for preventing separation of the carrier element from the housing;   wherein the locking assembly includes a first locking element being supported at the housing at a first support location and engaging into a first aperture or recess of the carrier element; and a second locking element, the first and second locking elements arranged for locking the carrier element and the housing.   
     
     
         3 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the second locking element is supported at the housing at a second support location and engages either into the first aperture or recess or into a second aperture or recess. 
     
     
         4 . The oral care implement according to  claim 3 , wherein the second locking element is an integral part of the carrier element and engages into the second aperture or recess provided at the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the carrier element is mounted for rotational or oscillating rotational movement around a rotation axis (R), wherein the rotation axis is arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the oral care implement. 
     
     
         6 . The oral care implement according to  claim 5 , wherein the first support location and the second support location are arranged at an angular distance of at least 30 degrees with respect to the rotation axis (R). 
     
     
         7 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the material of the housing is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, and acrylonitrile-styrene-acrylate and has an E-module of below about 2500 N/mm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the first locking element is realized as a metal pin. 
     
     
         9 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the first locking element is fixedly supported at the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the oral care implement exhibits a threshold pull-off force (F) of at least about 35 Newton. 
     
     
         11 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the oral care implement exhibits a threshold pull-off force (F) of at least about 90 Newton. 
     
     
         12 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the carrier element at least partly extends beyond the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the first locking element is press fitted into the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The oral care implement according to  claim 2 , wherein the housing is reinforced where the first locking element is supported at the housing.