Generating a chemical agent in situ
First Claim
1. An oral care device for generating a chemical agent in situ outside of the oral care device, comprising:
- a head portion comprising a field of cleaning elements;
a voltage source;
a first set of electrodes disposed on the head portion within the field of cleaning elements and electrically connected to the voltage source, the first set of electrodes comprising a first cathode and a first anode, the first cathode and the first anode having a first electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source; and
a second set of electrodes disposed on the head portion and electrically connected to the voltage source, the second set of electrodes comprising a second cathode and a second anode, the second cathode and the second anode having a second electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source, the second set of electrodes being disposed about the first anode;
wherein the chemical agent is formed in situ upon contact with an aqueous electrolyte when the first electrical potential is appliedwherein the first electrical potential is different from the second electrical potential.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for generating a chemical agent in situ on an as-needed basis via the application of an electrical potential across a pair of conductors in communication with an electrolyte. The device may be a toothbrush that generates chemical agents in a user'"'"'s mouth by applying an electrical potential to an electrolyte such as saliva and/or a dentifrice located therein. The chemical agents may include ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxide, chlorine and/or hypochlorite. The toothbrush may include a voltage source and a first set of electrodes for applying an electrical potential to the electrolyte. The toothbrush may also include a second set of electrodes disposed about an anode of the first set of electrodes. The first and second sets of anodes cooperate to produce ions, peroxides, ozone and/or other chemical agents via the application of electrical potential to the electrolyte.
50 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An oral care device for generating a chemical agent in situ outside of the oral care device, comprising:
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a head portion comprising a field of cleaning elements;
a voltage source;a first set of electrodes disposed on the head portion within the field of cleaning elements and electrically connected to the voltage source, the first set of electrodes comprising a first cathode and a first anode, the first cathode and the first anode having a first electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source; and a second set of electrodes disposed on the head portion and electrically connected to the voltage source, the second set of electrodes comprising a second cathode and a second anode, the second cathode and the second anode having a second electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source, the second set of electrodes being disposed about the first anode; wherein the chemical agent is formed in situ upon contact with an aqueous electrolyte when the first electrical potential is applied wherein the first electrical potential is different from the second electrical potential. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A toothbrush for generating an oxidizing agent in situ, the toothbrush comprising:
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a voltage source configured to provide an electrical potential; a head; a field of cleaning elements on a face of the head; a first set of electrodes having a first anode and a first cathode extending outwardly from the face of the head and disposed within the field of cleaning elements, the first set of electrodes being configured to generate a localized electric field between the first anode and the first cathode while receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source and to generate an oxidizer in situ when an electrolyte contacts the electric field; and a second set of electrodes disposed on the head and electrically connected to the voltage source, the second set of electrodes comprising a second cathode and a second anode, the second cathode and the second anode having a second electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source, the second set of electrodes being disposed about the first anode wherein the first electrical potential is different from the second electrical potential. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An oxidizing agent generator for generating an oxidizing agent in situ, the oxidizing agent generator comprising:
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a first portion arranged to contact an electrolyte disposed outside of the oxidizing agent generator and proximate the application site for the oxidizing agent; a voltage source for providing an electrical potential; a first set of electrodes having a first electrical potential therebetween disposed on the first portion and electrically connected to the voltage source for generating an oxidizing agent when receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source, the oxidizing agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ozone; a second set of electrodes having a second electrical potential therebetween disposed about an anode of the first set of electrodes, the second set of electrodes arranged to generate an oxidizer when receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source; and wherein the first electrical potential is different from the second electrical potential. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An oral care device for generating a chemical agent in situ outside of the oral care device, comprising:
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a head portion comprising a field of cleaning elements;
a voltage source;a first set of electrodes disposed on the head portion within the field of cleaning elements and electrically connected to the voltage source, the first set of electrodes comprising a first cathode and a first anode, the first cathode and the first anode having a first electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source;
wherein the chemical agent is formed in situ upon contact with an aqueous electrolyte when the first electrical potential is applied; anda second set of electrodes disposed on the head portion and electrically connected to the voltage source, the second set of electrodes comprising a second cathode and a second anode, the second cathode and the second anode having a second electrical potential therebetween when receiving an electric charge from the voltage source, the second set of electrodes being disposed about the first anode;
wherein the first anode produces oxygen in situ while the first set of electrodes is in contact with the aqueous electrolyte and is receiving an electric charge from the voltage source, and the second set of electrodes produces an oxidizing agent from the oxygen. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A toothbrush for generating an oxidizing agent in situ, the toothbrush comprising:
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a voltage source configured to provide an electrical potential; a head; a field of cleaning elements on a face of the head; and a first set of electrodes having an anode and a cathode extending outwardly from the face of the head and disposed within the field of cleaning elements, the first set of electrodes being configured to generate a localized electric field between the anode and the cathode while receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source and to generate an oxidizer in situ when an electrolyte contacts the electric field; wherein the electrolyte comprises water and the toothbrush further comprises a second set of electrodes disposed about the anode of the first set of electrodes, the second set of electrodes arranged to generate an oxidizer in situ using oxygen produced at the anode of the first set of electrodes when receiving an electrical potential. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. An oxidizing agent generator for generating an oxidizing agent in situ, the oxidizing agent generator comprising:
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a first portion arranged to contact an electrolyte disposed outside of the oxidizing agent generator and proximate the application site for the oxidizing agent; a voltage source for providing an electrical potential; and a first set of electrodes disposed on the first portion and electrically connected to the voltage source for generating an oxidizing agent when receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source, the oxidizing agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide and ozone; wherein the electrolyte comprises water and the oxidizing agent generator further comprises a second set of electrodes disposed about an anode of the first set of electrodes, the second set of electrodes arranged to generate an oxidizer when receiving an electrical potential from the voltage source using oxygen produced at the anode of the first set of electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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Specification