Dental care apparatus and technique
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A toothbrush for automatically reminding a user of the time for a visit to the dentist, comprising:
- electronic circuit means housed inside the toothbrush for producing a visual or audible signal, said circuit means including a battery for energizing the circuit means, an electro-optical or electro-acoustic transducer, a microprocessor including means for preventing said transducer from being activated during a predetermined time interval following said energizing and for enabling said transducer to be activated after said predetermined interval, means responsive to use of the toothbrush by the user to cause the microprocessor to activate said transducer;
and means for initially preventing said battery from energizing said circuit means and operable to cause said battery to energize the circuit means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A toothbrush is equipped with electronic means for measuring the time interval between a visit to the dentist and the time when the next visit is to take place. The toothbrush remains "dormant" during that time interval. At the end of the interval, electronic means are activated to provide a visual and/or audible alerting signal to the user of the toothbrush. The signal is delivered during actual use of the brush. Preferably, it is repeated, at relatively short intervals, during subsequent uses of the brush.
1351 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A toothbrush for automatically reminding a user of the time for a visit to the dentist, comprising:
-
electronic circuit means housed inside the toothbrush for producing a visual or audible signal, said circuit means including a battery for energizing the circuit means, an electro-optical or electro-acoustic transducer, a microprocessor including means for preventing said transducer from being activated during a predetermined time interval following said energizing and for enabling said transducer to be activated after said predetermined interval, means responsive to use of the toothbrush by the user to cause the microprocessor to activate said transducer; and means for initially preventing said battery from energizing said circuit means and operable to cause said battery to energize the circuit means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
3. The toothbrush of claim I wherein said predetermined interval corresponds to the time interval between one dentist visit and the next scheduled dentist visit.
Specification