Refill head for an oral care implement handle

Abstract

A refill head, and an oral care implement including the same, wherein the refill head comprises a tubular sleeve having a cavity. First and second upper cam surfaces are provided in the cavity that form transverse shoulders within the cavity. The first and second upper cam surfaces are separated by first and second axial slots through which first and second bosses of a stem of a handle of the oral care implement can be passed.

1 . A toothbrush comprising:
 a handle comprising:
 a gripping portion; and 
 a stem extending from the gripping portion, the stem extending along an axis; and 
 first and second bosses extending radially from an outer surface of the stem, the first and second bosses located on a distal portion of the stem and arranged in a circumferentially spaced apart manner; and 
   a refill head detachably coupled to the handle, the refill head comprising:
 a head portion comprising a plurality of tooth cleaning elements; 
 a tubular sleeve coupled to the head portion, the tubular sleeve having a cavity in which the stem is disposed; and 
 first and second upper cam surfaces that form transverse shoulders in the cavity, the first boss in surface contact with the first upper cam surface and the second boss in surface contact with the second upper cam surface to axially retain the stem within the cavity, the first and second upper cam surfaces circumferentially separated from one another by first and second axial slots, the first and second axial slots configured to allow the first boss to be axially slid through the first axial slot and the second boss to be axially slid through the second axial slot when the refill head is in a rotational orientation in which the first boss is axially aligned with the first axial slot and the second boss is axially aligned with the second axial slot. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the first upper cam surface comprises a first depression, the first boss nesting in the first depression, and wherein the second upper cam surface comprises a second depression, the second boss nesting in the second depression. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush according to  claim 2  wherein the first upper cam surface comprises a first ramp portion and a first stopper portion, the first ramp portion extending from the first axial slot to the first depression and configured to allow the first boss to be rotated between the first axial slot and the first depression, the first stopper portion located between the first depression and the second axial slot and configured to prohibit the first boss from being rotated from the first depression into axial alignment with the second axial slot, and wherein the second upper cam surface comprises a second ramp portion and a second stopper portion, the second ramp portion extending from the second axial slot to the second depression and configured to allow the second boss to be rotated between the second axial slot and the second depression, the second stopper portion located between the second depression and the first axial slot and configured to prohibit the second boss from being rotated from the second depression into axial alignment with the first axial slot. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second bosses are of the same size and shape. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the refill head further comprises a cam collar disposed within the cavity, the cam collar comprising the first and second upper cam surfaces. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein the cam collar is axially retained within the cavity of the tubular sleeve by a retaining flange protruding from an inner surface of the tubular sleeve and rotationally retained via interlock tabs of the cam collar that extend into slots on the inner surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush according to  claim 6  wherein the slots extend axially into a transverse shoulder formed in the inner surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush according to  claim 5  wherein the cam collar comprises an outer annular wall and first and second steps protruding radially inward from an inner surface of the outer annular wall, the first and second cam upper surfaces located on the first and second steps respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the first and second upper cam surfaces are formed integrally into the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein free ends of the first and second bosses are located within a perimeter of a shoulder portion of a distal portion of the stem. 
     
     
         11 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein a proximal portion of the cavity of the tubular sleeve is tapered. 
     
     
         12 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the distal portion of the stem comprises a plug portion and a shoulder portion, the plug portion extending from the shoulder portion and comprising the first and second bosses, and wherein the first and second bosses do not extend radially beyond an outer surface of the shoulder portion. 
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush according to  claim 1  wherein the handle comprises a power source and a vibratory element operably coupled to the power source. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush according to  claim 13  wherein the vibratory element is located within the stem. 
     
     
         15 . The toothbrush according to  claim 14  wherein only the outer surface of the shoulder portion of the stem is in intimate surface contact with an inner surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . A refill head for an oral care implement comprising:
 a head portion;   a tubular sleeve coupled to the head portion, the tubular sleeve having a cavity for receiving a stem of a handle of the oral care implement; and   first and second upper cam surfaces that form transverse shoulders in the cavity, the first and second upper cam surfaces circumferentially separated from one another by first and second axial slots.   
     
     
         17 . The refill head according to  claim 16  wherein the first upper cam surface comprises a first depression and the second upper cam surface comprises a second depression. 
     
     
         18 . The refill head according to  claim 17  wherein the first upper cam surface comprises a first ramp portion and a first stopper portion, the first ramp portion extending from the first axial slot to the first depression, the first stopper portion located between the first depression and the second axial slot, and wherein the second upper cam surface comprises a second ramp portion and a second stopper portion, the second ramp portion extending from the second axial slot to the second depression, the second stopper portion located between the second depression and the first axial slot. 
     
     
         19 . The refill head according to  claim 16  wherein the refill head further comprises a cam collar disposed within the cavity, the cam collar comprising the first and second upper cam surfaces. 
     
     
         20 . refill head according to  claim 19  wherein the cam collar is axially retained within the cavity of the tubular sleeve by a retaining flange protruding from an inner surface of the tubular sleeve and rotationally retained via interlock tabs of the cam collar that extend into slots on the inner surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         21 . The refill head according to  claim 20  wherein the slots extend axially into a transverse shoulder formed in the inner surface of the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         22 . The refill head according to any one of  claims 19  to  21   claim 19  wherein the cam collar comprises an outer annular wall and first and second steps protruding radially inward from an inner surface of the outer annular wall, the first and second cam upper surfaces located on the first and second steps respectively. 
     
     
         23 . The refill head according to  claim 19  wherein the cam collar is non-unitary structure relative to the tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         24 . The refill head according to  claim 16  wherein the first and second upper cam surfaces are formed integrally into the tubular sleeve.