Electric Toothbrush with an Illumination Ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019082819-A1
Application number	US-201716084796-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 21, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric toothbrush includes a grip portion, a brush portion on which a replaceable toothbrush is mounted, and an illumination ring between the grip portion and the brush portion. The brush portion is inclined with respect to the grip portion. The illumination ring is provided around the toothbrush, so that a user can view the illumination ring no matter what angle he/she is holding the toothbrush.

First claim

1 . An electric toothbrush having an elongated grip portion ( 2 ) and an elongated brush portion ( 4 ), said electric toothbrush comprising:
an illumination ring body ( 30 ) having an illumination ring ( 30 b ); a light emitting element ( 56 a, 56 b, 56 c, 56 d ) for emitting light rays; a circuit board ( 50 ) provided in the grip portion ( 2 ), said circuit board ( 50 ) having a controller which is configured to control ON and OFF states of the light emitting element.

2 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said illumination ring body ( 30 ) includes a cylindrical body ( 30 a ) and an internal plate ( 30 c ) located inside the cylindrical body ( 30 a ) with an opening ( 30 e ) formed therein, wherein a portion of the cylindrical body ( 30 a ) located below the internal plate ( 30 c ) defines a skirt ( 30 d ), and the illumination ring ( 30 b ) is provided on the outside of the cylindrical body ( 30 a ) in a form of a ring.

3 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said circuit board ( 50 ) includes an elongated board ( 52 ) and a light emitting element holding plate ( 54 ) connected to the elongated board ( 52 ), and wherein the light emitting element ( 56 a, 56 b, 56 c, 56 d ) is provided on the light emitting element holding plate ( 54 ) such that the light rays emitted from the light emitting element direct in an axial direction of the elongated grip portion.

4 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:
a slanted surface ( 28 b, 28 c, 29 b, 29 c ) slanted in a direction of light rays from the light emitting element ( 56 a, 56 b, 56 c, 56 d ) such that the light rays reflected on the slanted surface enter into the cylindrical body ( 30 a ) through the skirt ( 30 d ) of the illumination ring body ( 30 ) and emit out from the illumination ring ( 30 b ).

5 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising:
a chassis ( 20 ) which is provided in the grip portion ( 4 ) and supports the circuit board ( 50 ).

6 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the slanted surface ( 28 b, 28 c , 29 b, 29 c ) is formed on the chassis ( 20 ).

7 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the slanted surface ( 28 b, 28 c , 29 b, 29 c ) is formed on the illumination ring body ( 30 ).

8 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller controls the light emitting element to emit light rays when a bristle of the electric toothbrush is held at about 45 degrees above or below a plane level.

9 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the circuit board further having an acceleration sensor which is configured to detect an angle of the electric toothbrush held by a user, whereby the controller controls the light emitting element based on a signal produced from the acceleration sensor.

10 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the illumination ring ( 30 b ) is located between the grip portion ( 2 ) and the elongated brush portion ( 4 ).

11 . The electric toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light emitting element ( 56 a, 56 b, 56 c, 56 d ) is located in the grip portion ( 2 ).

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co
• Omron Healthcare Co Ltd

Inventors

• Katano Mamoru
• Nakamori Hiroshi

Classifications

• A61C17/221

  Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• A61C17/225

  Handles or details thereof · CPC title

• A46B2200/1066

  Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) · CPC title

• A46B15/0044 Primary

  with light signalling means (A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A46B15/0036

  with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb (A46B15/0034 takes precedence) · CPC title