CLEANING APPLIANCE

• US 20180110601A1
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Published: 04/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: MIGHALL, Scott James, VINCENT, Christopher Graham, MARSH, Jonathan George, HARRIS, Sammantha Stephanie, ZUKINA, Boris, PROBERT, Michael Graham, WILKINSON, Christopher Daniel Currer
• Granted Patent: US 11,284,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0062 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/04 with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0004 with a controlling means
• 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: A46B 15/0036 with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb A46B15/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0044 with light signalling means A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence
• 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: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/227 with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/28 with rinsing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/36 with rinsing means

Abstract

A dental cleaning appliance includes a fluid reservoir for storing working fluid, a nozzle for delivering working fluid to the teeth of a user, a light source for illuminating the fluid reservoir and a control circuit for activating the light source to generate an alert which is conveyed to the user through the illumination of the fluid reservoir.

Claims

1. A dental cleaning appliance comprising:

a fluid reservoir for storing working fluid;

a nozzle for delivering working fluid to the teeth of a user;

a light source for illuminating at least part of the fluid reservoir; and

a control circuit for activating the light source.

2. The appliance of claim 1, comprising a handle and a stem extending between the handle and the nozzle, and wherein the fluid reservoir is connected to the stem.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the light source is located in the handle.

4. The appliance of claim 3, comprising a light pipe located within the handle for conveying light emitted from the light source towards the fluid reservoir.

5. The appliance of claim 3, wherein the handle comprises a light emitting surface located on an end surface of the handle which faces the fluid reservoir.

6. The appliance of claim 5, wherein the fluid reservoir covers the light emitting surface of the handle.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the end surface of the handle is concave in shape.

8. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the stem is detachably connected to the handle.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the control circuit is configured to inhibit the activation of the light source when the stem is detached from the handle.

10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a light emitting surface for emitting light received from the light source.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the light emitting surface is an external surface of the fluid reservoir.

12. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the light emitting surface forms part of an external wall of the fluid reservoir.

13. The appliance of claim 12, wherein said part of the external wall of the fluid reservoir is formed from translucent material.

14. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the light emitting surface has one of a curved shape, a convex shape, and a faceted shape.

15. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the light emitting surface has a curvature which is one of ellipsoidal, spheroidal and spherical.

16. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the light emitting surface is annular in shape.

17. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a light incident surface which is illuminated by the light source.

18. The appliance of claim 17, wherein the light incident surface is an external surface of the reservoir.

19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the light incident surface forms part of an external wall of the fluid reservoir.

20. The appliance of claim 17, wherein a bottom wall of the fluid reservoir comprises the light incident surface.

21. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the fluid reservoir comprises a light incident surface which is illuminated by the light source, and wherein a translucent housing part of the fluid reservoir comprises the light incident surface and the light emitting surface.

22. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises at least one LED.

23. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to emit light having a selected one of a plurality of different wavelengths, and wherein the control circuit is arranged to activate the light source to generate light of the selected wavelength to generate a selected one of a plurality of different user alerts.