Sonic power toothbrush with multiple containers

• US 6,918,153 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Gruber, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Balsis, Shay L
• Application Number:
  US10/071,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20020108193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 152/21, 15/24, 15/29, 401/44, 401/45, 401/46, 401/47, 601/161, 601/162, 601/163, 601/164, 601/165, 601/166, 601/47, 601/46, 601/70, 601/72, 601/73, 601/75, 141/2, 141/18, 141/104, 141/98, 141/114, 320/114, 320/115, 433/80, 433/89, 433/216
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/063 by means of a supply pipe
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/066 with means for introducing an additive, e.g. soap
• 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 1/0084 Supply units, e.g. reservoir arrangements, specially adapted pumps
• 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 17/224 Electrical recharging arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/227 with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

An oral care system (1) comprising a sonic power toothbrush (2) which comprises a body (3), a brush member (4) mounted on the body (3), a brush head (5) which is supported by the brush member (4) at its end remote from the body (3) so as to be able to vibrate relative to the body (3) and which is provided with bristles (6) and an additive outlet (7), an additive container (8) connected to said additive outlet (7), driving means (9) for generating sonic frequency vibrations, and transmission means (29) for transmitting said sonic frequency vibrations to the brush head (5), wherein the toothbrush (2) comprises at least one further additive container (18). Instead of the user having to apply a first and a second additive manually to the brush head (5), these additives are already incorporated into the sonic-power toothbrush (2), which benefits the user-friendliness of the device. The application of the additives to the teeth is realized in an effective manner, while the sonic frequency vibrations enhance the effect of the additives.

Claims

1. An oral care system (1), comprising a sonic power toothbrush (2) which comprises:

a toothbrush body (3);

a brush member (4) mounted on the toothbrush body;

a brush head (5) which is supported by the brush member at its end remote from the toothbrush body, so as to be able to vibrate relative to the body, and which includes bristles (6) and an additive outlet (7);

a plurality of additive containers (8, 18) containing additives;

driving means (9) for generating sonic frequency vibrations and a transmission means (29) for transmitting said sonic frequency vibrations to the brushhead;

a manual selection means for selecting one additive container and means for moving the additive in said one container by manual action through the additive outlet; and

an automatic selection means for automatically selecting at least one additional additive container that automatically follows selection of the one additive container by said manual selection means, and means for moving the additive in the additional additive container, through the additive outlet.

2. An oral care system of claim 1, wherein said manual selection means includes a switch which is movable into a position corresponding to selection of the one container.

3. An oral care system of claim 1, wherein the automatic selection means includes a processor (19) for selecting and activating additive flow from the additional additive container.

4. An oral care system of claim 3, wherein the processor controls the selection and activation of additive flow after a selected period of time has elapsed since manual selection of the one additive container.

5. An oral care system of claim 1, further including a charging holder (15) in which the toothbrush can be placed for electrical charging, wherein the holder is provided with a refill unit (16) for refilling at least one of the containers when the toothbrush is placed in the holder.

6. An oral care system (1) comprising a sonic power toothbrush (2) which comprises:

a toothbrush body (3);

a brush member (4) mounted on the toothbrush body;

a brushhead (5) which is supported by the brush member at its end remote from the toothbrush body, so as to be able to vibrate relative to the body, and which includes bristles (6), an additive outlet (7);

a plurality of additive containers (8, 18) containing additives;

driving means for generating sonic frequency vibrations and a transmission means for transmitting said sonic frequency vibrations to the brushhead during use of one additive; and

means for applying another additive with non-sonic frequency vibrations, wherein the additive containers are manually or automatically selected during use of the toothbrush.

7. An oral care system of claim 6, including switch means (21) which is movable into a position corresponding to selection of an additive when the additive is manually selected.

8. An oral care system of claim 6, including a processor (19) for automatically selecting an additive.

9. An oral care system of claim 6, including a charging holder (15) in which the toothbrush can be placed for electrical charging, wherein the holder is provided with a refill unit (16) for refilling at least one of the containers (8, 18) when the toothbrush is placed in the holder.

10. An oral care system, comprising:

a sonic toothbrush (2), in turn comprising;

a toothbrush body (3);

a brush member (4) mounted on the toothbrush body;

a brushhead (5) which is supported by the brush member at its end remote from the body, so as to be able to vibrate relative to the body, and which is provided with bristles (6) and an additive outlet (7);

an additive container (8) connected to said additive outlet;

driving means (9) for generating sonic frequency vibrations and transmission means (29) for transmitting said sonic frequency vibrations to the brushhead, wherein the toothbrush includes at least two additive containers; and

an integrated container refill and battery charging base apparatus, including a refill pump unit, the base apparatus configured to both refill at least one of the containers and to charge at least one rechargeable battery of the toothbrush upon receiving the toothbrush within a holder portion thereof.