Personal care products and methods

• US 20080109973A1
• Filed: 11/08/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Stratmann, Martin, Hilscher, Alexander, De Castro, Jose Tadeo, Schrempel, Bert, Sagel, Paul, Farrell, Mark, Trawinski, Peter, Chenvainu, Alexander, Ortins, Marc, Denishenko, Vadim, Braun, Phillip
• Application Number:
  US11/983,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/4
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/00 Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0006 with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0008 with means for controlling duration, e.g. time of brushing
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/001 with means indicating the remaining useful life of brush
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0022 with an electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0028 with an acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/004 with an acoustic signalling means, e.g. noise
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0044 with light signalling means A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0085 Brushes provided with an identification, marking device or design
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0093 Magazins or sets of brushes components, e.g. plurality of brushes linked as a package
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• 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 17/224 : Electrical recharging arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 : with combined movements of the brush body

Abstract

In one embodiment, an oral-care system is provided. The oral-care system includes an electric toothbrush having a motor, a power source in electrical communication with the motor, and a bristle holder operatively connected to the motor. A display is in data communication with the electric toothbrush.

Claims

1. A oral-care system, comprising:

an electric toothbrush; and

a display in data communication with the electric toothbrush, wherein the display is structured to display information associated with a plurality of functional characteristics of the electric toothbrush and information associated with a plurality of characteristics of an oral-care regimen, wherein the display is separate from the electric toothbrush.

2. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the electric toothbrush comprises a motor, a power source in electrical communication with the motor, and a bristle holder operatively connected to the motor.

3. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the data communication is continuous during a brushing cycle.

4. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the data communication is intermittent during a brushing cycle.

5. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the plurality of functions is displayed simultaneously.

6. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the visual information is selected from the group consisting of icons, graphics, text, numerals, video, and images.

7. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of functional characteristics are selected from the group consisting of brush-head speed, the type of cleaning elements, brush-head pressure, and power-source status, and combinations thereof.

8. The oral-care system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of oral-care products, wherein the plurality of oral-care products can transmit data to the oral-care system.

9. The oral-care system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of oral-care products comprises at least one electric toothbrush.

10. The oral-care system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of oral-care products comprises at least one manual toothbrush.

11. The oral-care system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of oral-care products is selected from the group consisting of at least one packaged dentifrice product, at least one packaged rinse product, and any combination thereof.

12. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the timer is structured to be activated when the electric toothbrush is being removed from a base.

13. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the timer is structured to be activated when the electric toothbrush is being energized.

14. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display is structured to be slideably received within a mounting structure for mounting the display to a hard surface.

15. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a plurality of light sources for illuminating an oral cavity.

16. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a night light.

17. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display is structured to display a reward after the timer has expired.

18. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display is structured to display visual information associated with four quadrants of an oral cavity.

56. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display is structured to display visual information associated with at least two segments of an oral cavity.

57. The oral-care system of claim 1, wherein the display is structured to display visual information associated with six segments of an oral cavity.

19. An oral-care system, comprising:

a plurality of oral-care products; and

a display capable of data communication with each of the plurality of oral-care products, wherein the display is structured to display information associated with one or more functional characteristics associated with each of the plurality of oral-care products.

20. A personal-care system, comprising:

a plurality of personal-care products; and

a display in data communication with the plurality of personal-care products, wherein the display is structured to display information associated with at least one functional characteristic associated with at least one of the plurality of personal-care products.

21. A display for use with a personal-care product, comprising:

a screen; and

at least one light source for illuminating an oral cavity, wherein the display is structured to communicate data with the personal-care product.

22. An oral-care device for illuminating an oral cavity, comprising:

a mirror; and

at least one light source structured to emit light having a wavelength between about 400 nm and about 800 nm.

23. An oral-care system, comprising:

a packaged oral-care product having an RFID tag; and

a display structured to communicate data with the RFID tag.

24. A kit, comprising:

a plurality of personal-care products; and

a display structured to communicate data with at least some of the plurality of personal-care products.

25. An oral-care system, comprising

a display;

a first oral-care product having a first data transmitter and data associated with a first reward that can be displayed on the display; and

a second oral-care product having a second data transmitter and data associated with a second reward that can be displayed on the display,

wherein the display is structured to communicate data with the first data transmitter and the second data transmitter.

26. The oral-care system of claim 25, wherein the first and second data transmitters are of the same type.

27. The oral-care system of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first data transmitter and the second data transmitter comprises a bar code.

28. An oral-care product, comprising:

a package;

a product for use in an oral cavity; and

a data transmitter structured to transmit data associated with a reward that can be displayed on a display.

29. An oral-care system, comprising:

an electric toothbrush;

a data reader associated with the electric toothbrush; and

at least one oral-care product comprising a data transmitter, wherein the data reader and the data transmitter are structured to communicate data.

30. The oral-care system of claim 29, wherein the at least one oral-care product is selected from the group consisting of a dentifrice product, a floss product, a rinse product, a tooth-whitening product, a denture product, and any combination thereof.

31. The oral-care system of claim 29, wherein the data reader comprises a hall-effect sensor and the data transmitter comprises a magnet.

32. The oral-care system of claim 29, wherein the data transmitter comprises a RFID tag.

33. The oral-care system of claim 29, wherein the data reader is structured to transmit the data from the data transmitter to at least one processor.

34. The oral-care system of claim 29, wherein the electric toothbrush further comprises at least one processor.

35. The oral-care system of claim 34, wherein the at least one processor is structured to process the data communicated by the data transmitter to the data reader.

36. The oral-care system of claim 34, wherein a characteristic of the electric toothbrush is at least partially determined through the data processed by the at least one processor.

37. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the characteristic is a frequency of a toothbrush head.

38. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the characteristic is a speed of a toothbrush head.

39. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the characteristic is a position of a bristle field of a toothbrush head.

40. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the characteristic is a pressure-sensor limit.

41. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the characteristic is a timer limit.

42. The oral-care system of claim 36, wherein the at least one processor is structured to determine a value of the characteristic at least in part from the data transmitted by the data transmitter to the data reader.

52. The oral-care system of claim 42, wherein the at least one processor is located in a handle of the electric toothbrush.

43. An oral-care system, comprising:

an electric toothbrush;

at least one processor; and

an interactive display in data communication with the electric toothbrush, wherein the interactive display is structured to display at least one question selectable by a user.

44. The oral-care system of claim 43, wherein the interactive display is structured to display at least one user-selectable answer to the at least one question selected by a user.

45. The oral-care system of claim 44, wherein a characteristic of the electric toothbrush is determined at least in part by the at least one processor processing the at least one answer.

46. The oral-care system of claim 45, wherein a characteristic of an oral-care regimen is determined at least in part by the at least one processor processing the at least answer.

47. The oral-care system of claim 46, wherein the characteristic of the oral-care regimen is a length of time for the oral-care regimen.

48. The oral-care system of claim 46, wherein the characteristic of the oral-care regimen comprises steps of the oral-care regimen.

49. The oral-care system of claim 46, wherein the characteristic of the oral-care regimen comprises products used in the oral-care regimen.

50. The oral-care system of claim 46, wherein the characteristic of the oral-care regimen comprises a reward.

51. The oral-care system of claim 50, wherein the reward comprises a coupon.

53. The oral-care system of claim 43, wherein the at least one answer is selected by a button.

54. The oral-care system of claim 43, wherein the display comprises a touch-screen and the at least one answer is selected by touching the screen.

55. An oral-care system, comprising:

at least one manual toothbrush having a data communicator; and

at least one display structured to communicate data with the data communicator.

58. An oral-care system, comprising

a display;

at least a first oral-care product; and

at least a first data transmitter associated with the at least a first oral-care product and structured to transmit data associated with at least a first reward displayable on the display, wherein the display is structured to communicate data with the at least a first data transmitter, and wherein the at least the first data transmitter is selected from the group consisting of a bar code, a magnetic device, an electromagnetic device, an optical device, and any combination thereof.

59. The oral-care system of claim 58, wherein the at least a first oral-care product comprises a plurality of oral-care products selected from the group consisting of a manual toothbrush, an electric toothbrushes, a tooth paste, a mouth rinse, a floss, and any combination thereof.