LOAD SENSING FOR ORAL DEVICES

• US 20170319311A1
• Filed: 05/08/2017
• Published: 11/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Luettgen, Harold A., Fiers, John, Williams, Brian R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,561,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/221 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/24 rotating continuously A61C17/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3418 Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/22 for measuring the force applied to control members, e.g. control members of vehicles, triggers

Abstract

A toothbrush is disclosed. The toothbrush includes a handle, a brush tip connected to the handle, wherein the brush tip includes a plurality of bristles operably connected thereto, a power source, a direct current motor in selective electrical communication with the power source, wherein the motor includes a drive shaft, a drive assembly connected between the brush tip and the drive shaft, wherein the drive assembly converts rotation of the drive shaft into movement of the plurality of bristles, and a control assembly in electrical communication with the motor and the power source; wherein during operation of the motor, the control assembly monitors a current draw by the motor and adjusts a current applied to the direct current motor based on the current draw.

Claims

1. A toothbrush comprising:

a handle;

a brush tip connected to the handle, wherein the brush tip includes a plurality of bristles operably connected thereto;

a power source;

a direct current motor in selective electrical communication with the power source, wherein the motor includes a drive shaft;

a drive assembly connected between the brush tip and the drive shaft, wherein the drive assembly converts rotation of the drive shaft into movement of the plurality of bristles; and

a control assembly in electrical communication with the motor and the power source;

wherein

during operation of the motor, the control assembly monitors a current draw by the motor and adjusts a current applied to the direct current motor based on the current draw.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising an output element in communication with the control assembly.

3. The toothbrush of claim 2, wherein when the current draw exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output element provides an output to the user.

4. The toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the predetermined threshold is current change threshold.

5. The toothbrush of claim 3, wherein the control assembly converts the current draw to a pressure exerted on the plurality of bristles and the predetermined threshold is a pressure threshold.

6. The toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the control assembly comprises one or more sensing modules that detect a current provided to the direct drive motor.

7. The toothbrush of claim 6, further comprising a field effect transistor coupled to the control assembly and the direct drive motor that modulates the current provided to the direct drive motor based on the detected current.

8. A toothbrush comprising:

a brush tip comprising a plurality of bristles operably coupled thereto;

a motor that actuates movement of the brush tip, the plurality of bristles, or a combination thereof;

a power source that provides current to the motor;

a sensing module that detects a current provided to the motor; and

a motor control coupled to the motor and the sensing module, wherein the motor control dynamically adjusts a provided current to the motor based on the detected current.

9. The toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the detected current is proportional to a pressure applied to the plurality of bristles.

10. The toothbrush of claim 8, further comprising a transistor coupled between the power source and the motor, wherein the sensing module comprises a signal amplifier that detects a drain-source voltage of the transistor.

11. The toothbrush of claim 10, wherein the motor control adjusts the provided current to the motor by dynamically adjusting a gate condition or a channel condition of the transistor.

12. The toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the motor control compares the detected current to a current threshold to determine an adjustment to the current provided to the motor.

13. The toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the motor control provides an alert to a user responsive to the detected current exceeding the current threshold.

14. A method of operating a toothbrush comprising:

determining an initial current provided to a motor driving a plurality of bristles on a brush tip wherein the initial current is determined prior to applying any pressure to the plurality of bristles;

detecting, by a sensing module, a current provided to the motor, wherein the detected current is proportional to a pressure applied to the plurality of bristles and the detected current is determined relative to the initial current;

determining, by a processor, whether the detected current exceeds a threshold current; and

responsive to determining that the detected current exceeds the threshold current, providing an alert to a user responsive to determining that the detected current exceeds the threshold or dynamically adjusting one of a current or a voltage provided to the motor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the initial current is determined within 50 ms of activating the motor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein dynamically adjusting the current or the voltage provided to the motor comprises adjusting a .rheostat coupled between a power source and the motor.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein dynamically adjusting one of a current or a voltage provided to the motor comprises modulating a transistor coupled between the motor and a power source providing current to the motor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein detecting the current provided to the motor comprises amplifying a signal detected across the transistor to provide an output signal to the processor.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein dynamically adjusting one of the current or the voltage provided to the motor further comprises reducing the one of the current or the voltage provided to the motor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein reducing the one of the current or the voltage provided to the motor further reduces the pressure applied to the plurality of bristles.