Abstract:
A powered toothbrush head that, in one embodiment, includes a head portion including a first movable tuft block configured for holding tooth cleaning elements. The first movable tuft block is operably connected to a motor-driven drift shaft for movement. An eccentric cam formed on the shaft drives the first movable tuft block via engagement with a slot formed in the body of the first movable tuft block. The first movable tuft block is movable in a combination oscillating motion comprising vertical motion and lateral pivoting or tilting motion upon rotation of the drive shaft. A related method for oscillating the first movable tuft block is disclosed.
Abstract:
An oral care implement including a handle and a replacement head that is detachably coupled to the handle. The handle may include a gripping portion extending from a proximal end to a distal end and a stem extending from the distal end of the gripping portion. The stem may have an inner cavity. A vibratory element including a motor and an eccentric may be partially located in the stem. The eccentric may have a first end that is operably coupled to the motor and a second end opposite the first end, the second end having an aperture therein. A guide pin may be fixed to the stem such that a first portion of the guide pin protrudes into the inner cavity of the stem. The first portion of the guide pin may extend through the aperture in the second end of the eccentric.
Abstract:
A powered toothbrush apparatus with capacitive touch control, which includes a head portion having an oscillating tuft block driven by a motor, a handle portion, and an elastically deformable capacitive touch control panel mounted in the handle portion. In one embodiment, the control panel includes movable sensor targets each paired with a corresponding capacitance sensor electrically connected to a programmable microprocessor. Applying finger pressure on the control panel adjacent a sensor target operates to change the capacitance of the respective sensor target-sensor pair. The microprocessor detects the change in capacitance, which may be used to control the motor speed for changing the oscillation rate of the tuft block. In one embodiment, a linear array of sensor targets-sensors is provided which is activated by a sliding finger or thumb motion across the array. A related operating method is disclosed.
Abstract:
A toothbrush having a pressure sensor. In one embodiment, the invention can be a toothbrush comprising: a handle; a head; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements mounted to and extending from a front surface of the head; a printed circuit board located within the head, the printed circuit board having a front surface and a rear surface; a pressure sensor operably coupled to a front surface of the printed circuit board, wherein pressure applied to the plurality of tooth cleaning elements is transmitted to the pressure sensor; and a light source attached to a rear surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the light source is illuminated upon the pressure sensor being subjected to a pressure that exceeds a predetermined threshold.
Abstract:
An oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, that comprises a mirror and a light pipe adjacent the mirror. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising a body comprising a handle portion and a head portion; a mirror coupled to the body; a light source coupled to the body, and a light pipe coupled to the body and surrounding at least a portion of the mirror, the light pipe operably coupled to the light source to distribute light emitted by the light source through the light pipe.