Electronic toothbrush

• US 4,944,296 A
• Filed: 08/10/1988
• Issued: 07/31/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hideo Suyama
• Original Assignee: Hideo Suyama
• Inventors: Suyama, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/230,752
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 128/393, 128/62 A, 128/24.1, 128/24.5, 15/167.1, 15/167.2, 15/110, 604/20, 310/317
• US Class Current: 607/79
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0022 with an electrical means
• 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: A61N 1/22 Electromedical belts , e.g. neck chains, armbands

Abstract

An electronic toothbrush has a piezo-electric element with electrodes on both sides mounted in a handle of a toothbrush. Electrons generated due to vibration of a handle effectively remove dental plaque having a tendency to be charged with positive electricity. A diode is electricity connected to electrodes on both sides of the piezo-electric element to rectify the electric current to neutralize positive and negative charges generated on both electrodes when positive charges are generated on an electrode in close vicinity to a brushing portion of a handle.

Claims

1. An electronic toothbrush comprising:

a piezo-electric element with piezo-electric characteristic mounted in a handle between a gripped portion and a brushing portion of said electronic toothbrush for producing an electrical potential upon deformation due to use of the toothbrush by a user;

an exposed electrode disposed in close vicinity to said brushing portion and an opposite exposed electrode disposed on said gripped portion of said handle formed on both sides of said piezo-electric element, said electrodes disposed such that said exposed electrode is in electrical contact with mouth of user during use of toothbrush by user and said opposite exposed electrode is in electrical contact with hand of user during use of toothbrush by user; and

a diode with a rectifying action electrically connected to said electrodes formed on both sides of said piezo-electric element so as to cause an essentially unidirectional potential to be produced by said piezo-electric element.

2. An electronic toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piezo-electric element is composed of a thin and flexible piezo-electric material.

3. An electronic toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said piezo-electric element is composed of a bimorph structure.

4. An electronic toothbrush comprising:

a piezo-electric element with piezo-electric characteristic mounted in a handle between a gripped portion and a brushing portion of said electronic toothbrush for producing an electrical potential upon deformation due to use of the toothbrush by a user;

an exposed electrode disposed in close vicinity to said brushing portion and an opposite exposed electrode disposed on said gripped portion of said handle formed on both sides of said piezo-electric element, said electrodes disposed such that said exposed electrode is in electrical contact with mouth of user during use of toothbrush by user and said opposite exposed electrode is in electrical contact with hand of user during use of toothbrush by user;

wherein said handle is composed of a plastic material having compartments for covering upper and lower portions of said piezo-electric element formed such that thicknesses of said plastic compartments for covering said piezo-electric element are different at upper and lower portions of said piezo-electric element.

5. An electronic toothbrush as claimed in claim 4, wherein said piezo-electric element is composed of a thin and flexible piezo-electric material.

6. An electronic toothbrush comprising:

a piezo-electric element with piezo-electric characteristic mounted in a handle between a gripped portion and a brushing portion of said electronic toothbrush for producing an electrical potential upon deformation due to use of the toothbrush by a user;

an exposed electrode disposed in close vicinity to said brushing portion and an opposite exposed electrode disposed on said gripped portion of said handle formed on both sides of said piezo-electric element, said electrodes disposed such that said exposed electrode is in electrical contact with mouth of user during use of toothbrush by user and said opposite exposed electrode is in electrical contact with hand of user during use of toothbrush by user; and

a metal plate electrically connected to said opposite exposed electrode and a diode, said diode being electrically connected between said exposed electrode and said opposite exposed electrode of said piezo-electric element, and said metal plate being disposed around said gripped portion of said handle.