Multimedia toothbrush (toothpix)

• US 7,748,069 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 07/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cynthia A. Dawley
• Original Assignee: Cynthia A. Dawley
• Inventors: Dawley, Cynthia A
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/300,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 151/05, 434/263
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/221 Control arrangements therefor

Abstract

Disclosed is an electric toothbrush for use with wireless devices. A pressure sensor coupled to a wireless transmitting device determines whether the electric toothbrush is being utilized correctly. When the toothbrush is utilized correctly, the wireless transmitter sends a signal to a receiving device which displays an appropriate output. When the toothbrush is not utilized correctly, the transmitter ceases transmitting a signal and the output from the receiver ceases to be displayed.

Claims

1. A tooth cleaning system, comprising:

a toothbrush having a brush head, a pressure sensor and a transmitter, said pressure sensor being positioned on said brush head so as to measure the amount of pressure applied by a user to user'"'"'s teeth, said transmitter being coupled to said pressure sensor for transmitting a signal when the pressure measured by said pressure sensor is within a predetermined range;

an output device having a receiver for receiving the signal from said transmitter, said output device being configured to play back a pre-recorded multimedia recording in response to the receipt of the signal by said receiver, said transmitter being configured to cease the transmission of the signal to said receiver and to thereby cause said output device to cease the playback of said pre-recorded multimedia recording when the pressure measured by said pressure sensor is outside said predetermined range, whereby said pre-recorded multimedia recording is played back only when the measured pressure is within said predetermined range so as to motivate the user to use said toothbrush properly, and said transmitter being configured to resume the transmission of the signal to said receiver and to thereby cause said output device to resume the playback of said pre-recorded multimedia recording when the pressure measured by said pressure sensor falls within said predetermined range; and

a remote database including a plurality of pre-recorded multimedia recordings, said remote database being configured to communicate with said output device so as to transmit one of said plurality of pre-recorded multimedia recordings to said output device, said pre-recorded multimedia recording played back by said output device being said one of said plurality of pre-recorded multimedia recordings.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said output device includes a second transmitter;

and wherein said remote database includes a third receiver and a third transmitter.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said second transmitter of said output device is configured to transmit a second signal to said third receiver of said remote database in response to the receipt of said signal transmitted from said transmitter of said toothbrush by said receiver of said output device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said third transmitter of said remote database is configured to transmit said one of said plurality of pre-recorded multimedia recordings to said output device in response to the receipt of said second signal by said third receiver of said remote database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said toothbrush has a motor and a power source, said brush head being coupled to said motor, said transmitter being electrically coupled to said power source.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said power source includes a rechargeable battery.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a charging station connectable to a second power source, said toothbrush being configured to be coupled to said charging station so as to charge said rechargeable battery of said toothbrush.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said toothbrush includes a housing, said transmitter being disposed within said housing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said output device is one of a cellular telephone, a portable digital assistant, a digital media storage device, a digital media playback device, a digital media transmitting device, a digital media receiving device, a television and a computer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes one of an SM transmitter, an ISDN transmitter, an Ethernet transmitter, a CATV transmitter, a WiFi transmitter, a LAN transmitter and a Bluetooth transmitter.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said transmitter includes a wireless transmitter.