Personal care products and methods

• US 9,427,078 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Gillette Company LLC (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Braun GmbH (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Hilscher, Alexander, Farrell, Mark Edward, Chenvainu, Alexander Timothy, Ortins, Marc Philip, Denishenko, Vadim, de Castro, Jose Tadeo Vergara, Trawinski, Hans Rolf, Schrempel, Bert, Stratmann, Martin, Sagel, Paul Albert, Braun, Phillip Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): GUIDOTTI, LAURA COLE
• Application Number:
  US14/048,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20140096331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 15 211- 28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/00 Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0002 Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0006 with a controlling brush technique device, e.g. stroke movement measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0008 with means for controlling duration, e.g. time of brushing
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/001 with means indicating the remaining useful life of brush
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0012 with a pressure controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0022 with an electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0028 with an acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/004 with an acoustic signalling means, e.g. noise
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0044 with light signalling means A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0085 Brushes provided with an identification, marking device or design
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0093 Magazins or sets of brushes components, e.g. plurality of brushes linked as a package
• 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: A46B 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 7/04 interchangeably removable bristle carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• 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 17/221 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/224 : Electrical recharging arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 : with combined movements of the brush body

Abstract

In one embodiment, an oral-care system is provided. The oral-care system includes an electric toothbrush having a motor, a power source in electrical communication with the motor, and a bristle holder operatively connected to the motor. A display is in data communication with the electric toothbrush.

Claims

1. An oral care system, comprising:

an electric toothbrush;

a base for receiving the electric toothbrush, wherein the base includes a charger used for recharging a power source located within the electric toothbrush; and

a display in continuous wireless data communication with the toothbrush during a brushing cycle wherein the brushing cycle expires at the end of a time period or when brushing of the last section of an oral cavity is complete;

wherein the display is separate from the electric toothbrush and the base;

wherein the display is structured to display information associated with a plurality of functional characteristics of an oral care regimen;

wherein the display displays a schematic image of four or more segments of a user'"'"'s dentition and a count-up or count-down timer for displaying the amount of time remaining in the brushing cycle, such that at various periods of time during the brushing cycle, the display signals the user to change the segment of the dentition that the user is brushing until brushing of the last segment of the user'"'"'s dentition is complete and a reward is automatically displayed on the display to indicate successful completion of the brushing cycle;

wherein the display comprises buttons or switches to provide data input to the display and the display is arranged such that the data input can control functions or operations of the electric toothbrush.

2. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the data communication is continuous during a brushing cycle.

3. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the data communication is intermittent during a brushing cycle.

4. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the display displays a reward after a timer has expired.

5. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the display can further display information selected from the group consisting of coupon codes, weather, news, sports scores, stock quotes and music.

6. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the display includes a user interface in the form of a touch screen.

7. The oral care system of claim 1, wherein the display includes a user interface in the form of buttons.

8. An oral care system, comprising:

an electric toothbrush;

a base for receiving the electric toothbrush, wherein the base includes a charger used for recharging a power source located within the electric toothbrush; and

a display in continuous wireless data communication with the toothbrush during a brushing cycle wherein the brushing cycle expires at the end of a time period or when brushing of the last section of an oral cavity is complete;

wherein the display is separate from the electric toothbrush and the base;

wherein the display is structured to display information associated with a plurality of functional characteristics of an oral care regimen;

wherein the display displays a schematic image of four or more segments of a user'"'"'s dentition and a count-up or count-down timer for displaying the amount of time remaining in the brushing cycle, such that at various periods of time during the brushing cycle, the display signals the user to change the segment of the dentition that the user is brushing until brushing of the last segment of the user'"'"'s dentition is complete and a reward is automatically displayed on the display to indicate successful completion of the brushing cycle;

wherein the display incorporates a touch screen to provide data input to the display and the display is arranged such that the data input can control functions or operations of the electric toothbrush.

9. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the data communication is continuous during a brushing cycle.

10. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the data communication is intermittent during a brushing cycle.

11. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the display displays a reward after a timer has expired.

12. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the display can further display information selected from the group consisting of coupon codes, weather, news, sports scores, stock quotes and music.

13. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the display includes a user interface in the form of a touch screen.

14. The oral care system of claim 8, wherein the display includes a user interface in the form of buttons.