Adapter for powered brush accessories

Abstract

An adapter for a powered brush includes a body portion, a plurality of leg members extending from the body portion and being configured to releasably retain the adapter on a drive hub of a powered brush, and an attachment hub on the body portion, the attachment hub being configured to releasably receive an accessory. The adapter is configured to transmit rotation and / or oscillation from the drive hub of the powered brush to the accessory.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adapter for a powered brush, comprising:
 a body portion;   a plurality of leg members extending from the body portion and being configured to releasably retain the adapter on a drive hub of a powered brush; and   an attachment hub on the body portion, the attachment hub being configured to releasably receive an accessory;   wherein the adapter is configured to transmit rotation and/or oscillation from the drive hub of the powered brush to the accessory.   
     
     
         2 . The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one clearance slot intermediate the attachment hub and at least one of the plurality of leg members, the at least one clearance slot being configured to receive a resilient retention leg of the accessory.   
     
     
         3 . The adapter of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least one clearance slot is three clearance slots each configured to receive a resilient retention leg of the accessory.   
     
     
         4 . The adapter of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the clearance slots are spaced from one another by 120 degrees.   
     
     
         5 . The adapter of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the clearance slots are rectangular in shape.   
     
     
         6 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the attachment hub is hexagonal in shape.   
     
     
         7 . The adapter of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the accessory is a brush head having a plurality of bristles.   
     
     
         8 . The adapter of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of drive legs extending from the body portion, in alternating arrangement with the plurality of leg members;   wherein the plurality of drive legs are configured to transfer rotational energy of the drive hub of the powered brush to the adapter.   
     
     
         9 . The adapter of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the drive legs are tapered.   
     
     
         10 . A powered brush, comprising:
 a housing containing a motor;   a drive hub driven by the motor in rotational and/or oscillatory fashion; and   an adapter configured for releasable attachment to the drive hub, the adapter being configured to facilitate attachment of an accessory to the powered brush.   
     
     
         11 . The powered brush of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the adapter includes a body portion, a plurality of leg members extending from the body portion and being configured to releasably retain the adapter on the drive hub of the powered brush, and an attachment hub on the body portion, the attachment hub being configured to releasably receive the accessory;   wherein the adapter is configured to transmit rotation and/or oscillation from the drive hub of the powered brush to the accessory.   
     
     
         12 . The powered brush of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the adapter further includes at least one clearance slot intermediate the attachment hub and at least one of the plurality of leg members, the at least one clearance slot being configured to receive a resilient retention leg of the accessory.   
     
     
         13 . The powered brush of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the at least one clearance slot is three clearance slots each configured to receive a resilient retention leg of the accessory.   
     
     
         14 . The powered brush of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the clearance slots are spaced from one another by 120 degrees.   
     
     
         15 . The powered brush of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the clearance slots are rectangular in shape.   
     
     
         16 . The powered brush of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the attachment hub is hexagonal in shape.   
     
     
         17 . The powered brush of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 the accessory;   wherein the accessory is a brush head or massage head.   
     
     
         18 . The powered brush of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the adapter includes a plurality of drive legs extending from the body portion, in alternating arrangement with the plurality of leg members;   wherein the plurality of drive legs are configured to transfer rotational energy of the drive hub of the powered brush to the adapter.   
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a powered brush, comprising the steps of:
 attaching an adapter to a drive hub of a powered brush in a manner such that rotational and / or oscillatory motion of the drive hub is transferred to the adapter; and   attaching a brush head to the adapter in a manner such that rotational and/or oscillatory motion of the adapter is transferred to the brush head.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the step of attaching the brush head to the adapter includes receiving a plurality of resilient leg members of the brush head in a corresponding plurality of slots in the adapter.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the step of attaching the brush head to the adapter further includes receiving a keyed attachment hub in a correspondingly shaped recess of the brush head.