CN115969558A

CN115969558A - Tooth cleaning system

Info

Publication number: CN115969558A
Application number: CN202310076605.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 戴逢焱; 杨永波
Original assignee: Suzhou Simple Youwei Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Suzhou Simple Youwei Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-24
Filing date: 2021-08-24
Publication date: 2023-04-18
Also published as: CN113693763A; CN115998477A; CN116035748A; CN113693763B

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method for an electric toothbrush, which comprises the following steps: receiving/acquiring a first signal from a first signal generator located at the bottom of the toothbrush; controlling the brush head to move from a use position to a storage position according to the first signal. By adopting the method, the signal generator is arranged at the bottom of the toothbrush, when the bottom of the toothbrush is contacted with the placing surface, the tooth cleaning work of a user is generally considered to be finished, at the moment, the controller controls the toothbrush to retract automatically, and the condition that the brush head is exposed to the air due to forgetting to operate by the user can be effectively avoided.

Description

Tooth cleaning system

The present application is a divisional application of an invention patent application having an application date of 2021, 08 and 24 months, and an application number of 202110977536.9, entitled "a control method for an electric toothbrush".

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of electric toothbrushes, in particular to a tooth cleaning system.

Background

Along with the improvement of science and technology level, electric toothbrush's cleaning ability is stronger more, and it is also more convenient more and more to use and accomodate in addition, consequently receives more and more people's favor. The electric toothbrush generally comprises a handle and a brush head arranged on the handle, and researches show that a large amount of bacteria are easy to grow in a moist environment if the brush head is contacted with the outside for a long time after teeth are cleaned, so that the brush head needs to be replaced in about three to five months, and the brush head of the electric toothbrush is relatively expensive.

In order to prolong the service time of the brush head, some manufacturers add a brush cover on the basis of the electric toothbrush, the brush cover not only can isolate the brush head from the outside, but also can sterilize and disinfect the brush head, however, because the brush cover is a separate part, a user may forget to operate the toothbrush cover, and the brush cover is like a chicken rib.

Disclosure of Invention

Aiming at the defects in the prior art, the invention provides a control method for controlling an electric toothbrush, which can enable the brush head of the electric toothbrush to automatically retract without manual control of a user, thereby increasing the convenience.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a control method for an electric toothbrush comprising

Receiving/acquiring a first signal from a first signal generator located at the bottom of the toothbrush;

controlling the brush head to move from a use position to a storage position according to the first signal.

Optionally, the controller is configured to control the brush head to move from the stowed position to the use position in response to a second signal emitted by the first signal generator when the bottom wall is spaced from the resting surface.

Optionally, a second signal generator disposed at a side wall of the housing, the controller being configured to control movement of the brush head between the stowed position and the use position in response to a signal emitted by the second signal generator.

Optionally, the first signal generator has an enabled state and a disabled state, and when the first signal generator is in the disabled state, the first signal generator does not emit a signal or the controller does not receive a signal emitted by the first signal generator.

In another aspect, the present invention also provides a control method for an electric toothbrush comprising

Receiving/acquiring a first signal emitted by a first signal generator located at the bottom of the toothbrush;

receiving/acquiring a second signal sent by the second signal generator;

controlling the brush head to move from the use position to the storage position according to the first signal and the second signal.

Optionally, the controller is configured to control the brush head to move from the stowed position to the use position in response to a third signal emitted by the first signal generator when the bottom wall is spaced from the resting surface.

Optionally, the second signal is a signal generated by the second signal generator after the toothbrush is in a static state for a preset time.

Optionally, the driver is controlled to drive the brushhead to switch from the storage position to the use position in response to a signal issued by the electric toothbrush after it has passed from a rest condition to a non-rest condition.

In yet another aspect, the present invention also provides a control method for an electric toothbrush, including:

receiving/acquiring a first signal sent by a first signal generator, wherein the first signal is a signal generated by the first signal generator after the electric toothbrush is switched from a first state to a second state and a first preset time elapses;

controlling the brush head of the electric toothbrush to switch between a use position and a storage position according to the first signal.

Optionally, the power toothbrush is controlled to move from the use position to the storage position in response to a signal sent by the power toothbrush after being switched from a non-rest state to a rest state and being kept in the rest state for a first preset time.

The control method for the electric toothbrush of the present invention comprises: receiving/acquiring a first signal from a first signal generator located at the bottom of the toothbrush; controlling the brush head to move from a use position to a storage position according to the first signal. By adopting the method, the signal generator is arranged at the bottom of the toothbrush, when the bottom of the toothbrush is contacted with the placing surface, the tooth cleaning work of a user is generally considered to be finished, at the moment, the controller controls the toothbrush to retract automatically, and the condition that the brush head is exposed to the air due to forgetting to operate by the user can be effectively avoided.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a structure of an electric toothbrush according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a stowed position;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a use position;

FIG. 4 is a view of the changing position of the brush head from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush is placed on the placement surface in one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing a state of the brush head changed from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush is separated from the placement surface in one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a structure of an electric toothbrush in another embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a tooth cleaning system according to yet another embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in a further embodiment in a stowed position;

FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in a further embodiment in a use position;

FIG. 10 is a view of a further embodiment of a toothbrush in a changing position from a use position to a storage position after placement in a base;

FIG. 11 is a view of a further embodiment of a toothbrush shown in a changed state with the head separated from the base from a storage position to a use position;

fig. 12 is a flowchart of a control method for an electric toothbrush in still another embodiment.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that, if directional indication is involved in the embodiment of the present invention, the directional indication is only used for explaining the relative positional relationship, the motion situation, and the like between the components in a certain posture, and if the certain posture is changed, the directional indication is changed accordingly.

In addition, if there is a description of "first", "second", etc. in an embodiment of the present invention, the description of "first", "second", etc. is for descriptive purposes only and is not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, the meaning of "and/or" appearing throughout includes three juxtapositions, exemplified by "A and/or B", including either A or B or both A and B. In addition, technical solutions between various embodiments may be combined with each other, but must be realized by a person skilled in the art, and when the technical solutions are contradictory or cannot be realized, such a combination should not be considered to exist, and is not within the protection scope of the present invention.

In the description of the present application, it is to be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning either a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral connection; can be mechanically or electrically connected; they may be connected directly or indirectly through intervening media, or they may be interconnected between two elements. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art through specific situations.

Examples

Referring to fig. 2-6, fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a stowed position. Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a use position. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the changing position of the brush head from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush is placed on the placement surface in one embodiment. FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the brush head is changed from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush is separated from the mounting surface in one embodiment. Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing the construction of an electric toothbrush according to another embodiment. The embodiment shown in the figures discloses an electric toothbrush 1, the toothbrush 1 comprising but not limited to a housing 11, a brush head 12, a brush bar 13 connecting the housing 11 and the brush head 12. The housing 11 is generally configured to be held by hand and may be cylindrical or other convenient shape for grasping, without limitation. The housing 11 generally includes a bottom wall 112 and a side wall 111. The side wall 111 generally refers to a wall that can be grasped by a user, the bottom wall 112 generally refers to a wall that is not frequently touched by a user during normal use, and for a cylindrical housing 11, the side wall 111 refers to a circumferential surface of the cylindrical housing 11, and the bottom wall 112 refers to a bottom surface of the housing 11. In some embodiments, the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 may be integrally formed, and in other embodiments, the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 may be separately formed, it is understood that the bottom wall 112 is not limited to be made of the same material as the side wall 111, and the bottom wall 112 may have other functions or functions, such as installing electrical devices or mechanical elements, such as a battery or a switch, besides the bottom wall 112 and the side wall 111 defining the accommodating space 113, and the like, without limitation.

A receiving space 113 is defined between the bottom wall 112 and the side wall 111, and at least a part of the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11 is used for supporting the electric toothbrush 1 to a placement surface so that the electric toothbrush 1 is in an upright state; the bottom wall 112 may be formed of a plurality of different structures, each of which may not be in the same plane, for example, some of the bottom wall 112 may be recessed for mounting some components, so long as it is ensured that other parts can support the toothbrush 1. The placement surface may be a flat surface or a curved surface matching the bottom wall 112, depending on what shape the bottom wall 112 of the toothbrush 1 is, when the bottom wall 112 is a flat surface, the toothbrush 1 may be placed on any flat surface, at this time, any flat surface may be the placement surface, when the bottom wall 112 is a curved surface, a special base may be needed to place the toothbrush 1, and at this time, the placement surface on the base is matched with the curved surface of the bottom wall 112, so as to ensure that the toothbrush 1 can be stored on the base.

The brush head 12 is provided with bristles for cleaning teeth, however, in other embodiments, the brush head 12 may be provided without bristles, and the teeth may be cleaned by means of a fluid jet, which is not limited in detail herein. The brush head 12 has a storage position and a use position, wherein the storage position refers to that the brush head 12 is completely stored in the storage space 113 to keep the brush head 12 clean when the toothbrush 1 is not used, a disinfection and sterilization device such as an ultraviolet lamp, a disinfection gas generator and the like can be further arranged in the housing 11, the use position refers to that a user can use the electric toothbrush 1 to clean teeth after the brush head 12 is completely extended out of the housing 11, and in another embodiment, the storage position refers to that a part of the brush head 12 is stored in the storage space 113, for example, a bristle part is stored in the storage space 113, and other places are outside. In other embodiments, the brush head 12 may be completely outside the accommodating space 113 in the storage position, and an additional cover is needed to cover the brush head 12 to isolate the outside.

A driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 to move between a storage position and a use position; the driver 14 is generally a driving motor, and drives the brush rod 13 through a transmission structure to drive the brush head 12 to move, and the transmission structure can be any structure and only needs to realize a transmission function. In other embodiments, the driver 14 may also be other devices that can provide power, and is not limited herein.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a controller configured to control the driver 14. The controller typically controls the power of the electric toothbrush 1 on and off, and may also control the frequency of the brushhead 12 by controlling the vibration motor. The controller is arranged on the circuit board, and conventional electric devices can be adopted, so that the detailed description is omitted. The controller may also control the drive 14 to drive the brush head 12 between the use position and the stowed position.

In order to achieve that the brush head 12 can also be automatically retracted when it is not being operated, in order to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the environment after use, while at the same time being further sterilized.

In a specific embodiment, a first signal generator 19 is provided at the bottom wall 112. The arrangement at the bottom wall 112 may be directly or indirectly arranged at the bottom wall 112, depending on the specific structure of the toothbrush 1. The first signal generator 19 can be a mechanical switch, such as a push switch, when the bottom wall 112 does not contact any object, the switch protrudes from the bottom wall 112, the switch is in a first state, when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the switch is forced to move from the first state to a second state, that is, a signal is generated, and at this time, after the controller receives the signal, the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position, so that the function of automatic storage is realized, and no additional operation is required by a user. In other embodiments, the first signal generator 19 may also be a light-sensitive sensor disposed at the bottom wall 112, and when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placing surface, the light-sensitive sensor will send a signal when the light-sensitive sensor is changed from the light state to the non-light state, and the controller will control the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position according to the signal.

Wherein the controller is configured to receive or acquire a first signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 approaches or contacts the placement surface and then control the movement of the brush head 12 from the use position to the storage position. The proximity or contact of the bottom wall 112 with the placement surface means that when the user places the toothbrush 1, the toothbrush 1 will approach the placement surface indefinitely until the bottom wall 112 contacts the placement surface, and then the user releases his or her hand and the toothbrush 1 can stand on its own or remain in a stored position. The proximity here may be between 1mm and 10mm, the above values being given by way of example only and not in any particular limitation, the first signal generator 19 only needing the product signal when in proximity to the resting surface. For example; a mechanical switch or a light sensitive sensor or the like may already signal when the bottom wall 112 is not fully contacted.

The controller is further configured to receive or acquire a second signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is away from the resting surface and to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the storage position to the use position. For example: the first signal generator 19 is a mechanical switch or an opto-electronic switch such as a light sensor that emits a second signal when the bottom wall 112 is spaced from the resting surface, and the controller is configured to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the storage position to the use position in response to the second signal. With the arrangement, when a user needs to use the electric toothbrush 1, the user can directly take up the electric toothbrush 1 without operating a key independently, so that the electric toothbrush is more convenient.

On the basis of the first embodiment, the electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a second signal generator disposed at the side wall 111 of the housing 11, and the controller is configured to receive or acquire a signal generated by the second signal generator to control the brush head 12 to move between the storage position and the use position. The second signal generator is generally a manual control switch, that is, the user can control the brush head 12 to switch between the storage position and the use position by controlling the second signal generator, so that the operation experience can be increased, and the user can also manually operate when the first signal generator 19 generates an error signal.

In a further embodiment, the first signal generator 19 has an enabled state and a disabled state, and when the first signal generator 19 is in the disabled state, the first signal generator 19 does not generate a signal or the controller does not respond to a signal generated by the first signal generator 19. With the arrangement, special scenes can be adapted, for example, during traveling, the toothbrush 1 is loaded in a traveling bag, the environment is changed in multiple sides, the first signal generator 19 is forbidden to send out a signal or the controller is forbidden to respond to the signal sent by the first signal generator 19, the brush head 12 is prevented from being switched between the use position and the storage position, and of course, the arrangement can also meet the requirements of different users, for example, some users tend to operate manually.

Referring to fig. 12, fig. 12 is a flowchart of a control method for the electric toothbrush in one embodiment. In the present embodiment, the control method for the electric toothbrush 1 includes

Receiving/acquiring a first signal emitted by a first signal generator 19 located at the bottom of the toothbrush 1;

the control brush head 12 is controlled to move from the use position to the storage position according to the first signal.

Further, the controller is configured to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the storage position to the use position in response to a second signal from the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is away from the resting surface.

Further, a second signal generator is provided at the side wall 111 of the housing 11, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move between the storage position and the use position in response to a signal from the second signal generator.

Further, the first signal generator 19 has an enabled state and a disabled state, and when the first signal generator 19 is in the disabled state, the first signal generator 19 does not emit a signal or the controller does not receive a signal emitted by the first signal generator 19.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1-6, the present embodiment discloses an electric toothbrush 1, the toothbrush 1 including but not limited to a housing 11, a head 12, a stem 13 connecting the housing 11 and the head 12. The housing 11 is generally configured to be hand-grippable, and may be cylindrical or other convenient gripping shape, without limitation. The housing 11 generally includes a bottom wall 112 and a side wall 111. The side wall 111 generally refers to a wall that can be grasped by a user, the bottom wall 112 generally refers to a wall that is not frequently touched by a user during normal use, and for a cylindrical housing 11, the side wall 111 refers to a circumferential surface of the cylindrical housing 11, and the bottom wall 112 refers to a bottom surface of the housing 11. In some embodiments, the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 may be integrally formed, and in other embodiments, the side wall 111 and the bottom wall 112 may be separately formed, it is understood that the bottom wall 112 is not limited to be made of the same material as the side wall 111, and the bottom wall 112 may have other functions or functions, such as installing electrical devices or mechanical elements, such as a battery or a switch, besides the bottom wall 112 and the side wall 111 defining the accommodating space 113, and the like, without limitation.

The brush head 12 is provided with bristles for cleaning teeth, however, in other embodiments, the brush head 12 may be provided without bristles, and the teeth are cleaned by means of a fluid jet, which is not limited in detail herein. The brush head 12 has a storage position and a use position, in one embodiment, the storage position means that the brush head 12 is completely stored in the storage space 113 to keep the brush head 12 clean when the toothbrush 1 is not used, a disinfection and sterilization device such as an ultraviolet lamp, a disinfection gas generator and the like can be further arranged in the housing 11, in the use position means that a user can use the electric toothbrush 1 to clean teeth after the brush head 12 is completely extended out of the housing 11, in another embodiment, the storage position means that a part of the brush head 12 is stored in the storage space 113, for example, a bristle part is stored in the storage space 113, and other places are outside. In other embodiments, the brush head 12 may be completely outside the accommodating space 113 in the storage position, and an additional cover body is required to cover the brush head 12 to isolate the outside.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a controller configured to control the driver 14. The controller typically controls the power of the electric toothbrush 1 on and off, and may also control the frequency of the brushhead 12 by controlling the vibration motor. The controller is disposed on the circuit board, and conventional electric devices can be used, which are not described in detail herein. The controller may also control the drive 14 to drive the brush head 12 between the use position and the stowed position.

In the present embodiment, a first signal generator 19 is provided at the bottom wall 112. The arrangement at the bottom wall 112 as referred to herein may be directly at the bottom wall 112 or indirectly at the bottom wall 112, depending on the particular construction of the toothbrush 1. The first signal generator 19 may be a mechanical switch, such as a push switch, which protrudes from the bottom wall 112 when the bottom wall 112 does not contact any object, and is in a first state (i.e. the brush head 12 is in an extended state), and when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the switch is pressed to move from the first state to a second state, i.e. a signal is generated. Meanwhile, the electric toothbrush 1 is further provided with a second signal generator, which may be an acceleration sensor or a vibration sensor, and the second signal generator is not limited in detail herein, as long as the electric toothbrush 1 keeps a first preset time after changing from a motion state (generally, a state used by a user, such as left-right shaking or vibration) to a static state (keeps static when being placed on the placement surface), and then sends out the first signal. The first preset time may be a very short time, and the second signal is immediately sent out after the electric toothbrush 1 is still, and the first preset time may also be several seconds, several tens of seconds or several minutes, and when the electric toothbrush 1 is still or in a state for a while, it indicates that the user has finished cleaning, the second signal is sent out. The controller is configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position upon receiving the first signal and the second signal. After the controller receives the two signals, the two signals can be out of sequence, only the two signals need to be received, and then the controller can control the brush head 12 to be switched from the using position to the containing position. Adopt two signals simultaneous control brush head 12 in the switching of using position and storage position, can effectively avoid the maloperation, for example, the user puts toothbrush 1 on one side temporarily in the process of brushing teeth, but does not clear up, if withdraw brush head 12 this moment, can cause the pollution to the cavity of inside. Or the user does not put the toothbrush 1 on the placing surface, but holds the toothbrush 1 by hand, but does not move the toothbrush 1, so that the toothbrush 1 is automatically retracted at the moment, and the cavity inside is polluted. Therefore, a double-signal control mode is adopted, so that the brush head 12 can be automatically recovered after meeting the conditions, and the condition that the brush head is automatically recovered is effectively prevented from being mistakenly triggered to influence the customer experience.

Further, on the basis of the second embodiment, the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position in response to a third signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is away from the placing surface. When the user need use toothbrush 1 to clean teeth, when taking off toothbrush 1 from the surface of placing, at this moment, first signal generator 19 signals, and the controller responds to this signal, and control brush head 12 removes to the position of use from accomodating, and at whole in-process, the user need not be carrying out extra operation, and is more convenient.

Further, on the basis of the second embodiment, the controller is configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position in response to a fourth signal emitted by the second signal generator after the electric toothbrush 1 is in the non-stationary state from the stationary state. When the user need use toothbrush 1 to clean teeth, when taking off toothbrush 1 from the face of placing, this moment, toothbrush 1 takes place to remove, and at this moment, toothbrush 1 becomes non-quiescent condition from quiescent condition, and first signal generator 19 signals, and the controller responds to this signal, and control brush head 12 moves to the position of use from the storage position, and at whole in-process, the user need not carry out extra operation, and is more convenient.

Further, on the basis of the second embodiment, the controller is configured to drive the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position in response to a third signal from the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is away from the placement surface and in response to a fourth signal from the second signal generator when the electric toothbrush 1 is from the rest state to the non-rest state. By adopting a double-signal control mode, the automatic extension of the brush head 12 during misoperation (only moving the toothbrush 1 instead of using) can be effectively avoided.

On the basis of the second embodiment, the electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a second signal generator disposed at the side wall 111 of the housing 11, and the controller is configured to receive or acquire a signal generated by the second signal generator to control the brush head 12 to move between the storage position and the use position. The second signal generator is generally a manual control switch, that is, the user can control the brush head 12 to switch between the storage position and the use position by controlling the second signal generator, so that the operation experience can be increased, and the artificial correction can be avoided when the first signal generator 19 generates an error signal.

On the basis of the second embodiment, the first signal generator 19 has an enabled state and a disabled state, and when the first signal generator 19 is in the disabled state, the first signal generator 19 does not emit a signal or the controller does not respond to the signal emitted by the first signal generator 19. With the arrangement, special scenes can be adapted, for example, during traveling, the toothbrush 1 is loaded in a traveling bag, the environment is changed in multiple sides, the first signal generator 19 is forbidden to send out a signal or the controller is forbidden to respond to the signal sent by the first signal generator 19, the brush head 12 is prevented from being switched between the use position and the storage position, and of course, the arrangement can also meet the requirements of different users, for example, some users tend to operate manually.

In the second embodiment, there is also provided a control method for the electric toothbrush 1, including:

receiving/acquiring a second signal sent by a second signal generator;

the brush head 12 is controlled to move from the use position to the storage position according to the first signal and the second signal.

Further, the controller is configured to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the storage position to the use position in response to a third signal from the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is spaced from the resting surface.

Further, the second signal is a signal generated by the second signal generator after the toothbrush 1 is in a static state for a preset time.

Further, in response to a signal from the electric toothbrush 1 after the static state to the non-static state, the control driver 14 drives the brush head 12 to switch from the storage position to the use position.

Examples

Referring to fig. 6 and also to fig. 2 to 5, in this embodiment, the basic structure of the electric toothbrush 1 is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein, and the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the electric toothbrush 1 in this embodiment is a telescopic electric toothbrush 1, which specifically includes: a housing 11 defining an accommodating space 113 having an opening 114; the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11 is used to support the electric toothbrush 1 to a placement surface so that the electric toothbrush 1 is in an upright state. A head 12 for cleaning teeth, the head 12 having a storage position and a use position. A driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 through the opening 114 to move between a stowed position and a use position. A controller configured to control the driver 14. A first signal generator 19 disposed at the bottom wall 112; wherein the controller is configured to receive or acquire a first signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 approaches or contacts the placement surface and then control the movement of the brush head 12 from the use position to the storage position. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator and the like in the present embodiment can be referred to the description of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

Examples

Referring to fig. 6, and also referring to fig. 2 to 5, in this embodiment, the basic structure of the electric toothbrush 1 is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and details are not described herein, and the electric toothbrush 1 in this embodiment is a telescopic electric toothbrush 1, and specifically includes: a housing 11 defining an accommodating space 113 having an opening 114; the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11 is used to support the electric toothbrush 1 to a placement surface so that the electric toothbrush 1 is in a stationary state. A head 12 for cleaning teeth, the head 12 having a storage position and a use position. A driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 through the opening 114 to move between a stowed position and a use position. A controller configured to control the driver 14. A first signal generator 19 (shown in fig. 6) disposed at the bottom wall 112, the controller being configured to respond to a first signal emitted by the first signal generator when the bottom wall 112 is proximate to or in contact with the placement surface. A second signal generator (not shown) configured to emit a second signal after the electric toothbrush 1 is stationary for a first preset time; wherein the controller is configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position upon receiving the first signal and the second signal. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator and the like in the present embodiment can be referred to the description of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a structure of an electric toothbrush according to an embodiment. The electric toothbrush 1 of the embodiment shown in the figures has the same basic structure (the housing 11, the brush head 12, the driver 14, etc.) as that of the first or second embodiment, and the details are omitted here, so that the brush head 12 can be automatically retracted when the toothbrush is not operated, so as to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the outside after use, and further sterilization is performed.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a first signal generator (not shown) configured to generate a first signal after the electric toothbrush 1 is stationary for a first preset time; wherein the controller is configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position upon receiving or acquiring the first signal. The first signal generator may be an acceleration sensor or a vibration sensor, etc., and is not limited in detail herein, as long as the electric toothbrush 1 is capable of generating the first signal after changing from a motion state (generally, a state used by a user, such as left-right shaking or vibration) to a rest state (being placed on the placement surface and kept still) for a first preset time. The first preset time may be a very short time and the first signal is immediately sent out after the electric toothbrush 1 is still, and the first preset time may be several seconds, several tens of seconds or several minutes, which indicates that the user has finished cleaning when the electric toothbrush 1 is still or in a state for a while, and thus, the brush head 12 may be retracted.

On the basis of the fifth embodiment, the controller is further configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position after receiving or acquiring the second signal generated by the first signal generator when the electric toothbrush 1 is switched from the static state to the non-static state. When the user need use toothbrush 1 to clean tooth, when taking off toothbrush 1 from the surface of placing, at this moment, first signal generator signals, and the controller responds to this signal, and control brush head 12 removes to the position of use from accomodating, and at whole in-process, the user need not be carrying out extra operation, and is more convenient.

Further, a control button 16 is provided at a side wall 111 of the housing 11, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move between the storage position and the use position in response to a signal emitted from the control button 16. The second signal generator 15 is an active control switch, i.e. the user is required to actively control the switching of the position of the brush head 12, which improves convenience.

On the basis of the fifth embodiment, further, the first signal generator has an enabled state and a disabled state, and when the first signal generator is in the disabled state, the first signal generator does not emit a signal or the controller does not receive a signal emitted by the first signal generator. By adopting the arrangement, special scenes can be adapted, for example, during traveling, the toothbrush 1 is loaded in a traveling bag, the environment is changed in multiple sides, the first signal generator is forbidden to send out a signal or the controller is forbidden to respond to the signal sent by the first signal generator, the brush head 12 is prevented from being switched between the use position and the storage position at will, of course, the arrangement can also meet the requirements of different users, for example, some users tend to operate manually.

On the basis of the fifth embodiment, further, a second signal generator 15 is arranged at the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position in response to a third signal emitted by the second signal generator 15 when the bottom wall 112 leaves the placing surface. A second signal generator 15 is provided at the bottom wall 112; the arrangement at the bottom wall 112 may be directly or indirectly arranged at the bottom wall 112, depending on the specific structure of the toothbrush 1. The second signal generator 15 can be a mechanical switch, such as a push switch, when the bottom wall 112 does not contact any object, the switch protrudes from the bottom wall 112, the switch is in a first state (i.e. the brush head 12 is in the protruding state), when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the switch is pressed, the switch moves from the first state to a second state, i.e. a signal is generated, at this time, after the controller receives the signal, the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position, so that the function of automatic storage is realized, and no additional operation is required by a user. In other embodiments, the second signal generator 15 can also be a light-sensitive sensor disposed at the bottom wall 112, when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placing surface, the light-sensitive sensor will send a signal when the light-sensitive sensor changes from the light state to the non-light state, and the controller will control the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position according to the signal.

On the basis of the fifth embodiment, the toothbrush further comprises a second signal generator 15 disposed at the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11, the second signal generator 15 may be substantially the same as the generator in the first embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein, and the second signal generator 15 is configured to emit a third signal when the bottom wall 112 is away from the placement surface; the first signal generator is configured to emit a second signal after the electric toothbrush 1 goes from a rest state to a non-rest state, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position after receiving or acquiring the third signal and the second signal. By adopting a double-signal control mode, the brush head 12 can be automatically recovered after meeting the conditions, and the condition error triggering of automatic recovery can be effectively avoided to influence the customer experience.

In a further embodiment, the first signal generator is configured to emit the first signal after the electric toothbrush 1 is in a resting state and is placed substantially vertically on the placement surface for a first predetermined time. The preset time may be set by the user, and may be set to tens of seconds or minutes to avoid false triggering, which is not limited in detail herein.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, in the electric toothbrush 1 of the embodiment shown in the drawings, the basic structure of the electric toothbrush 1 (the housing 11, the brush head 12, the driver 14, etc.) is substantially the same as that of the first or second embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein, and the housing 11 of the electric toothbrush 1 in this embodiment defines a receiving space 113 having an opening 114. A head 12 for cleaning teeth, the head 12 having a storage position and a use position; a driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 through the opening 114 for movement between a stowed position and a use position; a controller configured to control the driver 14, wherein the electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a first signal generator (not shown) configured to generate a first signal after the electric toothbrush 1 is stationary for a first preset time; wherein the controller is configured to control the driver 14 to drive the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position upon receiving or acquiring the first signal. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator, etc. in this embodiment can be referred to the description of the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

Examples

Referring to fig. 7-11, fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a tooth cleaning system according to an embodiment. Fig. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a stowed position. Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in an embodiment in a use position. Figure 10 is a view of the toothbrush head from a use position to a stowed position after placement in the base according to one embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the change in position of the brush head from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush is separated from the base according to one embodiment. The tooth cleaning system of this embodiment comprises a toothbrush 1 and a base, and in this embodiment, the basic structure of the electric toothbrush 1 (housing 11, head 12, driver 14, etc.) is substantially the same as that of the first or second embodiment, and will not be described in detail herein. The base is used for butt joint toothbrush 1, and the base both can be used for placing toothbrush 1, can also be used for charging toothbrush 1, and the shape and the placing position of base do not do the detailed restriction, and the base both can be placed on the horizontal plane and support toothbrush 1, can also be placed on the wall, is used for supporting toothbrush 1 or charges toothbrush 1, and the mode of charging can adopt wireless charging's mode. The base may have multiple storage or charging locations at the same time to facilitate storage or charging of multiple toothbrushes 1 at the same time.

The toothbrush further includes a drive 14 for driving the head 12 between the storage position and the use position; the driver 14 is generally a driving motor, and drives the brush rod 13 through a transmission structure to drive the brush head 12 to move, and the transmission structure can be any structure and only needs to realize a transmission function. In other embodiments, the driver 14 may also be other devices that can provide power, and is not limited herein.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a controller (not shown in the figures) configured to control the driver 14. The controller generally controls the activation and deactivation of the power toothbrush 1 and may also control the frequency of the brushhead 12 by controlling the vibration motor. The controller is arranged on the circuit board, and conventional electric devices can be adopted, so that the detailed description is omitted. The controller may also control the drive 14 to drive the brush head 12 between the use position and the stowed position.

Base 2 is used for butt joint toothbrush 1, and base 2 both can be used for placing toothbrush 1, can also be used for charging toothbrush 1, and the shape and the position of placing of base 2 do not do detailed limitation, and base 2 both can be placed on the horizontal plane and support toothbrush 1, can also be placed on the wall, is used for supporting toothbrush 1 or charges toothbrush 1, and the mode of charging can adopt wireless charging's mode. The base 2 may be used in a plurality of storage or charging positions at the same time to facilitate storage or charging of a plurality of toothbrushes 1 at the same time.

Referring to figures 10-11, the head 12 may also be automatically retracted when not in use to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the environment after use and is further sterilized.

Toothbrush 1 further includes a driver 14 and a controller, driver 14 for driving head 12 between a storage position and a use position; the controller is configured to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the use position to the stowed position after the toothbrush 1 is docked to the base 2, or the controller is configured to control the movement of the brush head 12 from the stowed position to the use position after the toothbrush 1 is undocked from the base 2. With this control structure, when the toothbrush 1 is placed on the base 2 or the toothbrush 1 is charged close to the base 2, indicating that the user has completed the cleaning operation, the brush head 12 can be automatically moved from the use position to the storage position. So set up, need the user to go actively to control and control brush head 12, after using up toothbrush 1, brush head 12 can be automatic retraction in the cavity, can carry out work such as stoving disinfection. Alternatively, the removal of the head 12 from the base 2 is likely to indicate the need for a user to clean their teeth, and the controller therefore controls the movement of the head 12 from the stowed position to the use position. By adopting the control mode, the user is not required to actively control the control brush head 12, so that the use is more convenient,

on the basis of the seventh embodiment, a first detection device 15 (shown in fig. 7) is arranged on the toothbrush 1, the first detection device 15 is configured to send out a first signal after the toothbrush 1 is docked to the base 2, and the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position in response to the first signal. Specifically, the first detecting device 15 may be a hall sensor, a magnet is disposed on the base 2, the hall sensor generates a signal when the toothbrush 1 approaches the base 2, and the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position after receiving the signal. Of course, the toothbrush 1 may also be provided with a mechanical switch adapted to the structure of the base 2, and when the toothbrush 1 is placed on the base 2, the mechanical switch is triggered to control the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position. The controller can immediately control the brush head 12. The controller is configured to control the switching of the brush head 12 from the use position to the storage position after a preset time of docking the toothbrush 1 to the base 2. That is, the brush head 12 may be controlled after a preset time, which may be several seconds or minutes, and the user may set the preset time. It will also be appreciated that the first sensing device 15 may be any other structure or device that enables the toothbrush 1 to generate a signal when placed in the base 2. The toothbrush 1 further comprises second detection means for detecting whether the brush head 12 is in the position of use. The toothbrush 1 further comprises third detection means for detecting whether the brush head 12 is in the stowed position. When the third detecting means detects that the brush head 12 is in the storage position, the controller controls the driver 14 to stop. In one embodiment, toothbrush 1 further comprises an alarm device configured to signal an alarm when head 12 is not in the use position and the stowed position. When the brush head 12 is located between the use position and the storage position for a long time, the abnormity of the toothbrush 1 is shown, and at the moment, the alarm device can send out an alarm signal. The second detection device and the third detection device may be hall sensors, but may have other structures.

Referring to fig. 11, on the basis of the seventh embodiment, the toothbrush 1 is provided with a first detection device 15, the first detection device 15 is configured to send out a second signal after the toothbrush 1 is separated from the base 2, and the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position in response to the second signal. The first detecting device 15 may be a hall sensor, which sends a signal when the toothbrush 1 leaves the base 2, and the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position according to the signal. The toothbrush 1 further comprises second detection means for detecting whether the brush head 12 is in the position of use. The toothbrush 1 further comprises third detection means for detecting whether the brush head 12 is in the stowed position. When the second detection means detects that the brush head 12 is in the use position, the controller controls the driver 14 to stop. In one embodiment, toothbrush 1 further comprises an alarm device configured to signal an alarm when head 12 is not in the use position and the stowed position. When the brush head 12 is located between the use position and the storage position for a long time, the abnormity of the toothbrush 1 is shown, and at the moment, the alarm device can send out an alarm signal.

On the basis of the seventh embodiment, the toothbrush 1 is provided with a rechargeable battery, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to be located at the storage position when the rechargeable battery is in a charged state. Specifically, be provided with charging contact or wireless charging coil on base 2, after toothbrush 1 placed base 2, the base 2 of intercommunication commercial power began to charge the battery, and at this moment, the circuit board that links to each other with the battery can produce the signal of charging, and the controller removes to the position of accomodating from the user position according to the signal of charging control brush head 12. When the toothbrush 1 is removed from the base 2, the charging signal disappears, and at this time, the controller can control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position. It will be appreciated that the charging signal will still be present when the batteries are fully charged, except that the batteries will not be recharged, but will be present as long as the toothbrush 1 is docked with the base 2 until the toothbrush 1 is removed from the base 2.

On the basis of the seventh embodiment, the toothbrush 1 further comprises a control button 16, the control button 16 being configured to control the brush head 12 to switch between the storage position of the use position.

The controller is configured to control the switching of the brush head 12 from the use position to the stowed position after the brush head 12 is in the use position and the brush head 12 is docked with the base 2. If the toothbrush 1 is already in the stowed position prior to placement in the base 2, the controller need not command the drive 14 to drive the head 12.

Examples

In the present embodiment, the structure of the electric toothbrush 1 will not be described in detail, and the control method of the electric toothbrush 1 will be described in detail. The following were used:

the invention discloses a control method for an electric toothbrush 1, comprising the following steps:

receiving/acquiring a first signal sent by the first signal generator 19, wherein the first signal is a signal generated by the first signal generator 19 after the electric toothbrush 1 is switched from the first state to the second state and a first preset time elapses; the brush head 12 of the electric toothbrush 1 is controlled to switch between the use position movement and the storage position according to the first signal control.

In one embodiment, the first state may be that the entire toothbrush 1 is in a non-stationary state, the second state may be that the entire toothbrush 1 is in a stationary state, when the toothbrush 1 is switched from the non-stationary state to the stationary state and maintained in the stationary state for a period of time, indicating that the user has finished cleaning, at which time the first signal generator 19 generates a signal, the controller may control the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position, and in order to ensure that it is not triggered by mistake, the time that the toothbrush 1 is in the stationary state may be set longer, for example, several minutes or ten and several minutes, giving the user sufficient time.

In another embodiment, the first state may be a vibration state of the toothbrush head 12, the second state may be a non-vibration state, when the toothbrush head 12 is changed from the vibration state to the non-vibration state and maintained in the static state for a period of time, which indicates that the user has finished cleaning, the first signal generator 19 generates a signal, the controller may control the toothbrush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position, and in order to ensure that the toothbrush head 12 is not triggered by mistake, the time of the non-vibration state of the toothbrush 1 may be set to be longer, for example, several minutes or ten and several minutes, which gives the user sufficient time.

In other embodiments, the first state may be other states indicating that the user is using the toothbrush 1 besides a non-stationary state or a vibrating state, such as: a non-charged state of the battery, a continuous output of current, or a state of pressure on a pressure sensor on the handle of the toothbrush 1, etc., and will not be described in detail herein.

In other embodiments, the first state may be a static state or may represent a state (e.g., a charging state, etc.) in which the toothbrush 1 is not used, and the second state may be a non-static state or may represent a state (e.g., a non-charging state, etc.) in which the toothbrush 1 is to be used, at which time the first signal generator 19 sends a signal and the controller controls the brush head 12 to switch from the storage position to the use position, and in this process, the user does not need to perform any additional operation, which is more convenient for the user.

Examples

receiving/acquiring a first signal from the first signal generator 19;

receiving/acquiring a second signal sent by a second signal generator;

the movement of the brush head 12 of the electric toothbrush 1 between the use position and the storage position is controlled in response to the first signal and the second signal.

Wherein the first signal can be one of a charging signal of a rechargeable battery, a Hall signal of a Hall sensor, a signal generated by a mechanical switch, a signal generated when the toothbrush 1 changes between a static state and a non-static state, and the like,

wherein the second signal can be another one of a charging signal of a rechargeable battery, a Hall signal of a Hall sensor, a signal generated by a mechanical switch, a signal generated when the toothbrush 1 changes between a static state and a non-static state, and the like,

while embodiments of the invention have been described above, it is not limited to the applications set forth in the description and the embodiments, which are fully applicable in various fields of endeavor to which the invention pertains, and further modifications may readily be made by those skilled in the art, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein without departing from the general concept defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tooth cleaning system, comprising:

a toothbrush comprising a housing defining an accommodation space and a head for cleaning teeth, the head having a stowed position in which at least part of the head is located within the accommodation space and a use position in which the head is located outside the accommodation space;

a base for docking the toothbrush;

wherein the toothbrush further comprises a drive for driving the brush head to move between the stowed position and the use position; the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head from the use position to the stowed position upon docking of the toothbrush to the base, or the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head from the stowed position to the use position upon exiting the base.

2. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1,

a first detection device is disposed on the toothbrush and configured to emit a first signal upon docking of the toothbrush to the base, the controller controlling movement of the brush head from the use position to the stowed position in response to the first signal.

3. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1 or 2,

a first detection device is disposed on the toothbrush and configured to emit a second signal upon removal of the toothbrush from the base, the controller controlling movement of the brushhead from the use position to the stowed position in response to the second signal.

4. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1,

the toothbrush is provided with a rechargeable battery, and the controller is configured to control the brush head to be located in the storage position when the rechargeable battery is in a charging state.

5. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1,

the toothbrush further comprises a control button configured to control the brush head to switch between the stowed position of the use position.

6. The tooth cleaning system of claim 1,

the toothbrush further comprises second detection means for detecting whether the brushhead is in the use position.

7. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 6,

the toothbrush further comprises a third detection device for detecting whether the brush head is in the storage position.

8. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1,

the controller is configured to control the brush head to switch from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush is docked to the base for a preset time.

9. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 1,

the controller is configured to control the brush head to switch from the use position to the stowed position after the brush head is in the use position and the brush head is docked with the base.

10. A tooth-cleaning system as claimed in claim 7,

the toothbrush further comprises an alarm device configured to send an alarm signal when the brush head is not in the use position and the storage position.