Automatic electric toothbrush

• US 20030135940A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Homedics (Lifetime Brands Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ferber, Roman S., Lev, Mordechai, Nemazi, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,952,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/221 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/225 Handles or details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder

Abstract

An motorized electric toothbrush (10) includes a removable brush head (16) and a switch (12) that allows the toothbrush (10) to be used in an “automatic” mode. The “automatic” mode provides for intermittent motorized operation, such that when the brush head (16) contacts the operator'"'"'s teeth, a second switch (20) is automatically actuated and the motor (14) engaged. The brush head (16) is easily removed for replacement when the bristles become worn or allow use of the toothbrush (10) by multiple users.

Claims

1. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor; and

a switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a third position for automatically stopping motorized operation of the toothbrush, the switch being placed in the second position when a force is exerted on the bristle head in response to contact with an operator'"'"'s teeth, and the switch being placed in the third position when the force on the bristle head exceeds a predetermined level.

2. The electric toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising an electronic controller configured to facilitate operation of the motor for a finite time after the switch is moved from the second position to the first position.

13. The electric toothbrush as in any of the preceding claims, wherein the head portion is removable from the handle portion.

3. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion including a compressible portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor; and

a switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush, the switch being disposed in relation to the compressible portion such that compressing the compressible portion places the switch in the second position.

4. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush, the switch including a sensing device at least partially disposed on an exterior portion of the handle portion, the switch being placed in the second position by the presence of an operator'"'"'s hand on the sensing device; and

an electronic controller configured to facilitate operation of the motor for a finite time after the switch is moved from the second position to the first position.

5. The electric toothbrush of claim 4, wherein the sensing device includes a capacitive sensor.

6. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush, the switch including first and second contact plates; and

a rocker element disposed in the handle portion and pivotally supported on at least one trunnion, the rocker element being configured to selectively bring the first and second contact plates into contact with each other, to place the switch in the second position when a force is applied to the bristle head in response to contact with an operator'"'"'s teeth.

7. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a first switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the first switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush and a second position for facilitating automatic operation of the toothbrush; and

a second switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush when the first switch is in the second position, and a third position for automatically stopping motorized operation of the toothbrush, the second switch being placed in the second position when a force is exerted on the bristle head in response to contact with an operator'"'"'s teeth, and the second switch being placed in the third position when the force on the bristle head exceeds a predetermined force.

8. The electric toothbrush of claim 7, further comprising an electronic controller configured to facilitate operation of the motor for a finite time after the second switch is moved from the second position to the first position.

9. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion including a compressible portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a first switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the first switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush and a second position for facilitating automatic operation of the toothbrush; and

p1 a second switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush when the first switch is in the second position, the second switch being disposed in relation to the compressible portion such that compressing the compressible portion places the second switch in the second position.

10. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a first switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the first switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush and a second position for facilitating automatic operation of the toothbrush;

a second switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush when the first switch is in the second position, the second switch including a sensing device at least partially disposed on an exterior portion of the handle portion, the second switch being placed in the second position by the presence of an operator'"'"'s hand on the sensing device; and

an electronic controller configured to facilitate operation of the motor for a finite time after the second switch is moved from the second position to the first position.

25. The electric toothbrush of claim 10 or 24, wherein the sensing device includes a capacitive sensor.

11. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion;

an electric motor disposed within the handle portion;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a first switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the first switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush and a second position for facilitating automatic operation of the toothbrush;

a second switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush when the first switch is in the second position, the second switch including first and second contact plates; and

a rocker element disposed in the handle portion and pivotally supported on at least one trunnion, the rocker element being configured to selectively bring the first and second contact plates into contact with each other, to place the switch in the second position when a force is applied to the bristle head in response to contact with an operator'"'"'s teeth.

26. The electric toothbrush as in any one of claims 7, 9, 11, or 12, further comprising an electronic controller configured to facilitate operation of the motor for a finite time after the switch is moved from the second position to the first position.

12. A motorized electric toothbrush, comprising:

a handle portion including an electric motor;

a head portion attached to the handle portion, the head portion including a bristle head driven by the motor;

a first switch for connecting the motor to an electric source, the first switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, a second position for facilitating automatic operation of the toothbrush, and a third position for continuous motorized operation of the toothbrush; and

a second switch having a first position for preventing motorized operation of the toothbrush, and a second position for effecting motorized operation of the toothbrush when the first switch is in the second position, the second switch being automatically placed in the second position when the toothbrush is used by an operator.

14. The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the second switch is placed in the second position by exerting force on the bristle head in response to contact with the operator'"'"'s teeth.

15. The electric toothbrush of claim 14, wherein the second switch has a third position for automatically stopping motorized operation of the toothbrush when the force on the bristle head in response to contact with the operators teeth exceeds a predetermined level.

16. The electric toothbrush of claim 7 or 12, wherein the second switch comprises first and second contact plates disposed to electrically connect, thereby placing the second switch in the second position when the bristle head sufficiently contacts the operator'"'"'s teeth.

17. The electric toothbrush of claim 16, further comprising a rocker element disposed in the handle portion and pivotally supported on at least one trunnion, the rocker element being configured to selectively bring the first and second contact plates into contact with each other, to place the switch in the second position when a force is applied to the bristle head in response to contact with an operator'"'"'s teeth.

18. The electric toothbrush of claim 16, wherein the head portion pivots in relation to the handle portion, and the head portion further comprises a third contact plate for selectively electrically connecting the first and second contact plates.

19. The electric toothbrush of claim 7 or 12, wherein the second switch comprises a contact plate and a contact rod disposed to electrically connect, thereby placing the second switch in the second position when the bristle head sufficiently contacts the operator'"'"'s teeth.

20. The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the handle portion includes a compressible portion, and the second switch is disposed in relation to the compressible portion such that compressing the compressible portion places the second switch in the second position.

21. The electric toothbrush of claim 9 or 20, wherein the second switch comprises a magnet, a magnetic plate, and a non-magnetic plate, and wherein compressing the compressible portion moves the magnet in close proximity to the magnetic plate, thereby effecting an electrical connection between the magnetic plate and the non-magnetic plate.

22. The electric toothbrush of claim 9 or 20, wherein the second switch comprises a magnet and a Hall effect sensor, and wherein compressing the compressible portion moves the magnet in close proximity to the Hall effect sensor, thereby effecting a flow of current through the Hall effect sensor.

23. The electric toothbrush of claim 9 or 20, wherein the second switch comprises a pair of contact plates, and wherein compressing the compressible portion causes the contact plates to contact each other, thereby effecting an electrical connection between the contact plates.

24. The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the second switch comprises a sensing device, at least a portion of which is disposed on an exterior portion of the handle, and wherein the second switch is placed in the second position by the presence of the operator'"'"'s hand on the handle portion.