Germicidal UV-C Toothbrush Method and Apparatus

• US 20110162155A1
• Filed: 01/01/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: King C. Wai
• Original Assignee: King C. Wai
• Inventors: Wai, King C.
• Application Number:
  US12/651,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20110162155A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/4
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0034 with a source of radiation, e.g. UV, IR, LASER, X-ray for irradiating the teeth and associated surfaces
• 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 19/06 Implements for therapeutic treatment radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0606 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0644 Handheld applicators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0655 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body

Abstract

A toothbrush for providing germicidal UV-C radiation to a users mouth. The tooth brush has a main body portion arranged along a longitudinally aligned axis. The main body portion includes a power source, a controller board, a power switch mechanism; and is interoperability attached to a longitudinally aligned neck/head portion. The longitudinally aligned neck/head portion has a replaceable/detachable brush head and a medial neck portion. The neck/head portion further includes a neck cavity for operably receiving a germicidal UV-C lamp. The germicidal UV-C lamp is arranged along a longitudinally aligned axis to provide ultraviolet radiation in 360° radiating illumination about the longitudinally aligned axis. The germicidal UV-C lamp provides ultraviolet radiation between the range of about just less than 100 nm to about just greater than 280 nm. The replaceable/detachable brush head includes a transparent base and a plurality of vertically aligned bristles. The germicidal UV-C lamp receives power from the power source and radiates the ultraviolet radiation through the transparent base of the brush head to provide germicidal disinfection of the replaceable/detachable brush head, and to provide whitening of the users teeth and germicidal disinfection of the users mouth.

Claims

1. A toothbrush for providing germicidal UV-C radiation, said toothbrush comprising:

a. a main body portion arranged along a longitudinally aligned axis and comprising;

a power source, a controller board, a power switch mechanism;

said main body portion interoperability attached to a longitudinally aligned neck/head portion;

b. said longitudinally aligned neck/head portion comprising a replaceable/detachable brush head and a medial neck portion and said neck/head portion further comprising a neck cavity for operably receiving a germicidal UV-C lamp;

c. said germicidal UV-C lamp arranged along said longitudinally aligned axis to provide ultraviolet radiation in 360°

radiating illumination about said longitudinally aligned axis;

d. said germicidal UV-C lamp providing said ultraviolet radiation between the range of about just less than 100 nm to about just greater than 280 nm;

e. said replaceable/detachable brush head comprised of a transparent base and a plurality of vertically aligned bristles, said germicidal UV-C lamp receiving power from said power source and radiating said ultraviolet radiation through said transparent base providing germicidal disinfection of said replaceable/detachable brush head, and providing whitening of a users teeth and germicidal disinfection of said users mouth.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said main body portion further comprises:

a battery housing to receive said power source, said power source comprising two AAA batteries;

said battery housing encased by a battery cover arranged at an aft end of the main body portion.

3. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said main body portion further comprises:

said power switch mechanism comprising an on switch;

said on switch operably configured to send an on signal to said programmable control board, said programmable control board sending said power from the power source to the germicidal UV-C lamp.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 3 wherein said main body portion further comprises:

an off switch operably configured to send an off signal to said programmable control board to stop the power from the power source and turn off said germicidal UV-C lamp.

5. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck/head portion further comprises a brush housing for operably receiving said replaceable/detachable brush head, said brush housing forming a portion of said neck cavity.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 5 wherein said brush housing further comprises a brush housing outer wall arranged cylindrically, said outer wall comprising two equal but opposite connection locations for operably receiving matching fixedly attached brush head connectors for operably attaching said brush head to said brush housing.

7. The toothbrush according to claim 5 wherein said germicidal UV-C lamp comprises a UV lamp length approximately equal to or just greater than a head length of said brush housing.

8. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said germicidal UV-C lamp further comprises:

a UV lamp length approximately equal to or just greater than a neck head length of said neck/head portion.

9. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said germicidal UV-C lamp further comprises a UV lamp length ranging from just less than about 25 mm to just greater than about 60 mm.

10. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said germicidal UV-C lamp further comprises a UV lamp length approximately about 50 mm in longitudinal length.

11. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck/head portion comprises a medial neck portion comprising a neck outer diameter and a neck inner diameter, said neck outer diameter comprising a width to provide flexure, said neck inner diameter providing a flexure distance between an inner surface of said neck cavity and an outer surface of said germicidal UV-C lamp to provide flexural movement between said inner surface and said outer surface.

12. The toothbrush according to claim 5 wherein said neck/head portion further comprises a transparent mirror arranged within said brush housing, said transparent mirror configured to allow said ultraviolet radiation to radiate out of said brush housing, through said replaceable/detachable brush head and to prevent UV radiation from reentering into said brush housing.

13. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said neck/head portion further comprises a neck head length comprising approximately one third of a body length distance of said toothbrush.

14. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said transparent mirror acts as a dispersion lens to disperse said UV radiation into said user mouth.

15. The toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein said transparent mirror acts as a focus lens to focus said UV radiation onto a target area in said user mouth.

16. A method to provide germicidal UV-C radiation through a toothbrush said method comprising:

a. sending a power on signal to a control board maintained within a main housing of said toothbrush, said toothbrush comprising said main housing and a neck/head portion;

b. sending power from a power source to terminals arranged on said control board;

c. illuminating a germicidal UV-C light source located within the next/head portion of said toothbrush, said germicidal UV-C light source interoperating with said terminals on said control board to receive said power;

d. radiating germicidal UV-C radiation from said germicidal UV-C light source between the range of just less than about 100 nm to just greater than about 280 nm;

e. irradiating said germicidal UV-C radiation through a removable brush head arranged upon said neck/head portion of said toothbrush;

f. disinfecting said removable brush head with said germicidal UV-C radiation;

g. whitening a users teeth by using said germicidal UV-C radiation radiating through said removable brush head and into a mouth of said user.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a switch arranged on said main housing of said toothbrush to send a power on signal to said control board sending said power from said power source to said germicidal UV-C light source.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a switch arranged on said main housing of said toothbrush to send a power off signal to said control board stopping said power from being sent from said power source to said germicidal UV-C light source.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a timer arranged within said control board to send a power off signal to said control board stopping said power from being sent from said power source to said germicidal UV-C light source.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein and said method further comprises:

utilizing a switch arranged on said main housing to send a low power on signal to said control board sending a low power amount from said power source to said germicidal UV-C light source.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a switch arranged on said main housing to send a high power on signal to said control board sending a high power amount from said power source to said germicidal UV-C light source.

22. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing two AAA batteries as said power source to provide said power to said control board.

23. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a power amplifier on said control board to amplify said power source.

24. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a germicidal micro-UV-C lamp in the neck/head portion of said toothbrush to illuminate said germicidal UV-C radiation within said neck/head portion.

25. The method according to claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing a germicidal micro-UV-C lamp in a head casing of said neck/head portion to illuminate said germicidal UV-C radiation within said neck/head portion.

26. The method according to the claim 16 wherein said method further comprises:

irradiating said germicidal UV-C radiation through a transparent mirror arranged below said removable brush head.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein said method further comprises:

said transparent mirror focusing said germicidal UV-C radiation onto a target area within said users mouth.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein said method further comprises:

said transparent mirror dispersing said germicidal UV-C radiation into said users mouth.

29. A toothbrush to provide germicidal UV-C radiation to a users mouth said toothbrush comprising:

a. means for sending a power on signal to a control board maintained within a main housing of said toothbrush, said toothbrush comprising said main housing and a neck/head portion;

b. means for sending power from a power source to terminals arranged on said control board;

c. means for illuminating a germicidal UV-C light source located within the next/head portion of said toothbrush, said germicidal UV-C light source interoperating with said terminals on said control board to receive said power;

d. means for radiating germicidal UV-C radiation from said germicidal UV-C light source between the range of just less than about 100 nm to just greater than about 280 nm;

e. means for irradiating said germicidal UV-C radiation through a removable brush head arranged upon said neck/head portion of said toothbrush;

f. means for disinfecting said removable brush head with said germicidal UV-C radiation;

g. means for whitening a users teeth by using said germicidal UV-C radiation radiating through said removable brush head and into a mouth of said user.