CN115998477A

CN115998477A - Electric toothbrush

Info

Publication number: CN115998477A
Application number: CN202310080360.6A
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: 2023-04-25
Also published as: CN113693763A; CN116035748A; CN115969558A; 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; and controlling the brush head to move from the using position to the storage position according to the first signal. By adopting the method, the signal generator is arranged at the bottom of the toothbrush, and after the bottom of the toothbrush contacts the placement surface, the tooth cleaning work of a user is generally considered to be completed, and at the moment, the controller controls the toothbrush to retract automatically, so that the brush head is effectively prevented from being exposed to the air due to forgetting operation of the user.

Description

Electric toothbrush

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

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of electric toothbrushes, in particular to an electric toothbrush.

Background

With the improvement of the technology level, the electric toothbrush has stronger cleaning capability, and is more convenient to use and store, so that the electric toothbrush is favored by more people. Electric toothbrushes generally comprise a handle and a brush head provided on the handle, and it has been found that the brush head is easy to grow a large amount of bacteria in a moist environment after cleaning teeth if it is in contact with the outside for a long time, and therefore, the brush head needs to be replaced 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 toothbrush cover on the basis of the electric toothbrush, and the toothbrush cover can not only isolate the brush head from the outside, but also sterilize the brush head, but because the brush cover is a separate part, a user is likely to forget to operate the brush head, so that the toothbrush cover is in the same shape as a chicken rib.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the shortcomings in the art described above, the present invention provides a control method for controlling an electric toothbrush that automatically retracts the brush head of the electric toothbrush without requiring manual control by a user, thereby increasing 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;

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

Optionally, the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head from the stowed position to the use position in response to a second signal from the first signal generator when the bottom wall is clear of the placement surface.

Optionally, a second signal generator is provided 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 from 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 second signal sent by the second signal generator;

and controlling the brush head to move from the using position to the containing position according to the first signal and the second signal.

Optionally, the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head from the stowed position to the use position in response to a third signal from the first signal generator when the bottom wall is clear of the placement surface.

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

Optionally, the drive is controlled to drive the brush head from the stowed position to the use position in response to a signal from the electric toothbrush from a rest state to a non-rest state.

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

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 passes;

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

Optionally, the brush head is controlled to move from the use position to the storage position in response to a signal sent after the electric toothbrush is switched from a non-stationary state to a stationary state and remains in the stationary state for a first preset time.

The control method for the electric toothbrush comprises the following steps: receiving/acquiring a first signal from a first signal generator located at the bottom of the toothbrush; and controlling the brush head to move from the using position to the storage position according to the first signal. By adopting the method, the signal generator is arranged at the bottom of the toothbrush, and after the bottom of the toothbrush contacts the placement surface, the tooth cleaning work of a user is generally considered to be completed, and at the moment, the controller controls the toothbrush to retract automatically, so that the brush head is effectively prevented from being exposed to the air due to forgetting operation of the user.

Drawings

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

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

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

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

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

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the 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 a further embodiment of an electric toothbrush in a stowed position;

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

FIG. 10 is a view showing the change of the brush head from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush is placed on the base in yet another embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a view showing the change of the brush head from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush is separated from the base in yet another embodiment;

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

Description of the embodiments

The following description of the embodiments of the present invention will be made clearly and fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which it is evident that the embodiments described are only some, but not all embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments, which can be made by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without making any inventive effort, are intended to be within the scope of the invention.

In the case where a directional instruction is involved in the embodiment of the present invention, the directional instruction is merely used to explain the relative positional relationship, movement condition, etc. between the components in a specific posture, and if the specific posture is changed, the directional instruction is changed accordingly.

In addition, if there is a description of "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments 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 a relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defining "a first" or "a second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In addition, the meaning of "and/or" as it appears throughout includes three parallel schemes, for example "A and/or B", including the A scheme, or the B scheme, or the scheme where A and B are satisfied simultaneously. In addition, the technical solutions of the embodiments may be combined with each other, but it is necessary to base that the technical solutions can be realized by those skilled in the art, and when the technical solutions are contradictory or cannot be realized, the combination of the technical solutions should be considered to be absent and not within the scope of protection claimed in the present invention.

In the description of the present application, it should be noted that, unless explicitly specified and limited otherwise, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" are to be construed broadly, and may be either fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally connected, for example; can be mechanically or electrically connected; can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and can be communication between two elements. The specific meaning of the terms in this application can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in a specific context.

Examples

Referring to fig. 2-6, fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electric toothbrush in one 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 showing a change 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 change of the brush head 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 the structure of an electric toothbrush in another embodiment. The embodiment shown in the figures discloses an electric toothbrush 1. The toothbrush 1 includes, but is 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 hand grippable, and may be cylindrical or otherwise shaped for convenient gripping, without limitation. The housing 11 generally includes a bottom wall 112 and side walls 111. The side wall 111 generally refers to a wall that a user can grasp, the bottom wall 112 generally refers to a wall that the user does not frequently contact during normal use, the side wall 111 refers to the circumferential surface of the cylindrical housing 11 for the cylindrical housing 11, and the bottom wall 112 refers to the 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 provided, and it should be understood that the bottom wall 112 is not limited to use of the same material as the side wall 111, and the bottom wall 112 may have other functions or functions besides defining the accommodating space 113 with the side wall 111, such as mounting an electrical device or a mechanical device, such as a battery or a switch, without limitation.

An accommodating space 113 is defined between the bottom wall 112 and the side wall 111, and at least 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, and each structure may not be in the same plane, for example, a part of the bottom wall 112 may be recessed inward for mounting some components, so long as it is ensured that other parts can support the toothbrush 1. The placement surface may be a plane or a curved surface matching with the bottom wall 112, depending on the shape of the bottom wall 112 of the toothbrush 1, when the bottom wall 112 is a plane, the toothbrush 1 may be placed on any plane, any plane may be the placement surface, when the bottom wall 112 is a curved surface, a special base may be required to place the toothbrush 1, and the placement surface on the base is adapted to 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, although in other embodiments, the brush head 12 may be provided with no bristles, and the teeth may be cleaned entirely by fluid injection, without limitation. The brush head 12 has a storage position, which means that the brush head 12 is fully stored in the storage space 113 in order to keep the brush head 12 clean when the toothbrush 1 is not in use, and a sterilizing device, such as an ultraviolet lamp, a sterilizing gas generator, etc., may be further provided in the housing 11, and a use position, which means that after the brush head 12 is fully extended out of the housing 11, the user can clean the teeth using the electric toothbrush 1, and in another embodiment, the storage position means that a part of the brush head 12 is stored in the storage space 113, such as 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 required to cover the brush head 12 from the outside.

A driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 between a storage position and a use position; the driver 14 is generally a driving motor, 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 be other power-providing devices, which are not limited herein.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a controller configured for controlling the driver 14. The controller generally controls the activation and deactivation of the electric toothbrush 1 and may also control the frequency of the brush head 12 by controlling the vibration motor. The controller is disposed on the circuit board and may employ conventional electrical devices, which will not be described in detail herein. The controller may also control the drive 14 to move the brush head 12 between the use position and the stowed position.

To achieve automatic retraction of the brush head 12 when not in use, it is also possible to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the environment after use and at the same time is subjected to a further sterilization process.

In a specific embodiment, a first signal generator 19 is provided at the bottom wall 112. The arrangement referred to herein may be directly at the bottom wall 112 or may be indirectly at the bottom wall 112, depending on the specific construction of the toothbrush 1. The first signal generator 19 may be a mechanical switch, for example, a push switch, where when the bottom wall 112 does not contact any object, the switch protrudes from the bottom wall 112, and the switch is in a first state, and when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the switch moves from the first state to a second state after being stressed, that is, a signal is generated, and at this time, after receiving the signal, the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position, so as to realize an automatic storage function, without requiring an additional operation of a user. In other embodiments, the first signal generator 19 may also be a photosensitive sensor disposed at the bottom wall 112, and when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the photosensitive sensor emits a signal when it changes from a light state to a light-free state, and the controller controls the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position according to the signal.

Wherein the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position upon receiving or acquiring a first signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 approaches or contacts the placement surface. By bottom wall 112 approaching or contacting the placement surface is meant that the user will have infinite access to the placement surface while placing toothbrush 1 until bottom wall 112 contacts the placement surface, and then the user releases his hands and toothbrush 1 can stand on his own or her own or remain in a storage position. The proximity here may be between 1mm and 10mm, the above values being merely illustrative and not limiting in detail, the first signal generator 19 only needs to generate a signal when approaching the placement surface. For example; a mechanical switch or a light sensitive sensor or the like may have signaled when the bottom wall 112 is not in full contact.

The controller is further configured to control movement of the brush head 12 from the stowed position to the use position upon receiving or acquiring a second signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is clear of the placement surface. For example: the first signal generator 19 is a photoelectric switch such as a mechanical switch or a photo sensor, and when the bottom wall 112 leaves the placement surface, a second signal is emitted, and the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position in response to the second signal. By the arrangement, when a user needs to use the electric toothbrush 1, the user can directly pick up the toothbrush 1 without independently operating keys, 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 arranged 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 typically 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 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 the first signal generator 19 does not generate a signal or the controller is not responsive to a signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the first signal generator 19 is in the disabled state. With this arrangement, it is possible to adapt to special situations, such as the toothbrush 1 being fitted into a travel bag during an outgoing journey, the environment of which changes more than once, and to avoid the brush head 12 being switched between the use position and the storage position at will by disabling the first signal generator 19 from emitting a signal or disabling the controller from responding to the signal emitted by the first signal generator 19, although this arrangement may also meet the needs of different users, for example, some users may prefer to operate manually.

Referring to fig. 12, fig. 12 is a flowchart of a control method for an 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 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 movement of the brush head 12 from the stowed position to the use position in response to a second signal from the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 is clear of the placement 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 movement of the brush head 12 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 brush head 12, a brush bar 13 connecting the housing 11 and the brush head 12. The housing 11 is generally configured to be hand grippable, and may be cylindrical or otherwise shaped for convenient gripping, without limitation. The housing 11 generally includes a bottom wall 112 and side walls 111. The side wall 111 generally refers to a wall that a user can grasp, the bottom wall 112 generally refers to a wall that the user does not frequently contact during normal use, the side wall 111 refers to the circumferential surface of the cylindrical housing 11 for the cylindrical housing 11, and the bottom wall 112 refers to the 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 provided, and it should be understood that the bottom wall 112 is not limited to use of the same material as the side wall 111, and the bottom wall 112 may have other functions or functions besides defining the accommodating space 113 with the side wall 111, such as mounting an electrical device or a mechanical device, such as a battery or a switch, without limitation.

In the present embodiment, a first signal generator 19 is provided at the bottom wall 112. The arrangement referred to herein may be directly at the bottom wall 112 or may be indirectly at the bottom wall 112, depending on the specific construction of the toothbrush 1. Wherein 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 is not in contact with any object, and which is in a first state (i.e. the brush head 12 is in an extended state), and which is pressed when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, and which is moved from the first state to the second state, i.e. a signal is generated. Meanwhile, a second signal generator is further provided in the electric toothbrush 1, and the second signal generator may be an acceleration sensor or a vibration sensor, etc., and is not limited in detail herein, so long as it is capable of realizing that the first signal is emitted after the electric toothbrush 1 is changed from a moving state (typically, a state used by a user, such as shaking or vibration) to a stationary state (kept stationary when placed on a placement surface) for a first preset time. The first preset time may be a very short time, and the second signal may be sent immediately after the electric toothbrush 1 is stationary, or the first preset time may be several seconds, several tens of seconds or several minutes, and after the electric toothbrush 1 is kept stationary or in a state for a period of time, it is sufficient to indicate that the user has completed the cleaning operation, and send the second signal. 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 may be received without being sequenced, and the controller may control the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position. The two signals are adopted to simultaneously control the switching of the brush head 12 between the use position and the storage position, so that misoperation can be effectively avoided, for example, a user temporarily places the toothbrush 1 on one side in the tooth brushing process, but cleaning is not performed, and if the brush head 12 is retracted at the moment, the pollution to the cavity inside can be caused. Or when the user does not say that the toothbrush 1 is placed on the placement surface, but holds the toothbrush 1 by hand, but does not move the toothbrush 1, the toothbrush 1 is automatically retracted at this time, and the inner cavity is polluted. Therefore, by adopting the control mode of double signals, the brush head 12 can be automatically recovered after meeting the conditions, and false triggering of the conditions of automatic recovery can be effectively avoided, so that the customer experience is influenced.

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 leaves the placement surface. When the user needs to use the toothbrush 1 to clean teeth, the toothbrush 1 is taken down from the placement surface, at this time, the first signal generator 19 sends out a signal, and the controller responds to the signal to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position, so that the user does not need to perform additional operation in the whole process, and the toothbrush 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 from the storage position to the use position in response to a fourth signal from the second signal generator after the electric toothbrush 1 is in the stationary state to the non-stationary state. When the user needs to use the toothbrush 1 to clean teeth, the toothbrush 1 is taken down from the placement surface, at this time, the toothbrush 1 moves, at this time, the toothbrush 1 changes from a static state to a non-static state, the first signal generator 19 sends a signal, and the controller responds to the signal to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position, so that the user does not need to perform additional operation in the whole process, and the toothbrush is more convenient.

Further, on the basis of the second embodiment, the controller is configured to drive 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 away from the placement surface and in response to a fourth signal from the second signal generator when the electric toothbrush 1 is in a stationary state to a non-stationary state. By adopting the dual signal control mode, the automatic extension of the brush head 12 during misoperation (only the toothbrush 1 is moved, not used) can be effectively avoided.

On the basis of the second embodiment, the electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a second signal generator arranged 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 typically 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 first signal generator 19 can be prevented from manually correcting when an error signal occurs.

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 this arrangement, it is possible to adapt to special situations, such as the toothbrush 1 being fitted into a travel bag during an outgoing journey, the environment of which changes more than once, and to avoid the brush head 12 being switched between the use position and the storage position at will by disabling the first signal generator 19 from emitting a signal or disabling the controller from responding to the signal emitted by the first signal generator 19, although this arrangement may also meet the needs of different users, for example, some users may prefer to operate manually.

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

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 in response to the first signal and the second signal.

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

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

Further, in response to a signal issued after the electric toothbrush 1 is moved from the stationary state to the non-stationary state, the driver 14 is controlled to drive the brush head 12 to switch from the storage position to the use position.

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 the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that the electric toothbrush 1 is a telescopic electric toothbrush 1, and specifically includes: a housing 11 defining an accommodation space 113 having an opening 114; the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11 is used to support the electric toothbrush 1 to a resting surface to put the electric toothbrush 1 in an upright state. A brush head 12 for cleaning teeth, the brush 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. A first signal generator 19 disposed at the bottom wall 112; wherein the controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position upon receiving or acquiring a first signal generated by the first signal generator 19 when the bottom wall 112 approaches or contacts the placement surface. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator etc. in the present embodiment can be referred to the description in 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 one of the embodiments, 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, and specifically includes: a housing 11 defining an accommodation space 113 having an opening 114; the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11 is used to support the electric toothbrush 1 to a resting surface to bring the electric toothbrush 1 to rest. A brush head 12 for cleaning teeth, the brush 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. A first signal generator 19 (shown in fig. 6) is disposed at the bottom wall 112, and the controller is configured to respond to a first signal emitted by the first signal generator when the bottom wall 112 approaches or contacts 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 after receiving the first signal and the second signal. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator etc. in the present embodiment can be referred to the description in the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail here.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1-5, fig. 1 is a schematic view of an electric toothbrush according to an embodiment. The basic structure of the electric toothbrush 1 (the housing 11, the brush head 12, the driver 14, etc.) of the electric toothbrush 1 in the embodiment shown in the drawings is substantially the same as that in the first or second embodiment, and not described in detail herein, in order to achieve automatic retraction of the brush head 12 when not operated by a person, so as to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the outside after use, and further sterilization treatment is performed.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a first signal generator (not shown in the figures) configured to generate a first signal after the electric toothbrush 1 has been 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 after receiving or acquiring the first signal. The first signal generator may be an acceleration sensor, a vibration sensor, or the like, and is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of emitting the first signal while maintaining the first preset time after the electric toothbrush 1 is changed from a moving state (generally, a state used by a user, such as shaking or vibration) to a stationary state (kept stationary while being placed on a placement surface). The first preset time may be a very short time, and the first signal may be sent immediately after the electric toothbrush 1 is stationary, or may be several seconds, several tens of seconds, or several minutes, after the electric toothbrush 1 is kept stationary or in a state for a period of time, which indicates that the user has completed the cleaning operation, so that 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 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 shifted from the stationary state to the non-stationary state. When the user needs to use the toothbrush 1 to clean teeth, the toothbrush 1 is taken down from the placement surface, at this time, the first signal generator sends a signal, and the controller responds to the signal to control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position, so that the user does not need to perform additional operation in the whole process, and the toothbrush 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 movement of the brush head 12 between the storage position and the use position in response to a signal 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, so that convenience is improved.

Further, on the basis of the fifth embodiment, 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. With this arrangement, it is possible to adapt to special situations, such as the toothbrush 1 being fitted into a travel bag during an outgoing trip, the environment of which changes more than once, and to avoid the brush head 12 being switched between the use position and the storage position at will by disabling the first signal generator from emitting a signal or disabling the controller from responding to a signal emitted by the first signal generator, although this arrangement may also meet the needs of different users, for example, some users may prefer to operate manually.

Further, on the basis of the fifth embodiment, a second signal generator 15 is provided 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 generated by the second signal generator 15 when the bottom wall 112 leaves the placement surface. A second signal generator 15 is provided at the bottom wall 112; the arrangement referred to herein may be directly at the bottom wall 112 or may be indirectly at the bottom wall 112, depending on the specific construction of the toothbrush 1. The second signal generator 15 may be a mechanical switch, for example, a push switch, where when the bottom wall 112 is not in contact with any object, the switch protrudes from the bottom wall 112, 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, and moves from the first state to the second state, that is, a signal occurs, and at this time, after receiving the signal, the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position, so as to realize an automatic storage function, without requiring an additional operation of a user. In other embodiments, the second signal generator 15 may also be a photosensitive sensor disposed at the bottom wall 112, and when the bottom wall 112 is placed on the placement surface, the photosensitive sensor emits a signal when it changes from a light state to a light-free state, and the controller controls 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 arranged at the bottom wall 112 of the housing 11, which second signal generator 15 may be substantially identical to the one in the first embodiment, and which second signal generator 15 is configured to emit a third signal when the bottom wall 112 leaves the placement surface, which will not be described in detail here; the first signal generator is configured to emit a second signal after the electric toothbrush 1 is moved 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 the control mode of double signals, the brush head 12 can be automatically recovered after meeting the conditions, and false triggering of the conditions of automatic recovery can be effectively avoided, so that the customer experience is influenced.

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 placed substantially vertically on the resting surface for a first preset time. The preset time may be set by the user, and may be set to several tens of seconds or several minutes in order to avoid false triggering, which is not limited in detail herein.

Examples

Referring to fig. 1 to 5, the electric toothbrush 1 of the embodiment shown in the drawings, in this embodiment, the basic structure (the housing 11, the brush head 12, the driver 14, etc.) of the electric toothbrush 1 is substantially the same as that of the first or second embodiment, and the housing 11 of the electric toothbrush 1 of this embodiment defines a housing space 113 having an opening 114, which will not be described in detail herein. A brush head 12 for cleaning teeth, the brush 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 storage position and a use position; a controller configured to control the driver 14, in this embodiment, the electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a first signal generator (not shown in the figure) 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 after receiving or acquiring the first signal. The structure of the toothbrush 1 and the signal generator, etc. in this embodiment are described in the above embodiments, and will not be described in detail.

Examples

Referring to fig. 7-11, fig. 7 is a schematic structural view 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 diagram showing the change of the brush head from the use position to the storage position after placement of the toothbrush to the base in one embodiment. Fig. 11 is a view showing a change of the brush head from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush is separated from the base in one embodiment. The tooth cleaning system in this embodiment includes a toothbrush 1 and a base, and in this embodiment, 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 in the first or second embodiment, and will not be described in detail. The base is used for docking the toothbrush 1, the base can be used for placing the toothbrush 1 and charging the toothbrush 1, the shape and the placing position of the base are not limited in detail, the base can be placed on a horizontal plane to support the toothbrush 1 and can be placed on a wall to support the toothbrush 1 or charge the toothbrush 1, and a wireless charging mode can be adopted for charging. The base may have multiple storage or charging positions at the same time to facilitate the storage or charging of multiple toothbrushes 1 at the same time.

The toothbrush further includes a driver 14 for driving the brush head 12 between the stowed position and the use position; the driver 14 is generally a driving motor, 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 be other power-providing devices, which are not limited herein.

The electric toothbrush 1 further comprises a controller (not shown in the figures) configured for controlling the driver 14. The controller generally controls the activation and deactivation of the electric toothbrush 1 and may also control the frequency of the brush head 12 by controlling the vibration motor. The controller is disposed on the circuit board and may employ conventional electrical devices, which will not be described in detail herein. The controller may also control the drive 14 to move the brush head 12 between the use position and the stowed position.

The base 2 is used for docking the toothbrush 1, the base 2 can be used for placing the toothbrush 1 and charging the toothbrush 1, the shape and the placing position of the base 2 are not limited in detail, the base 2 can be placed on a horizontal plane to support the toothbrush 1 and can be placed on a wall to support the toothbrush 1 or charge the toothbrush 1, and a wireless charging mode can be adopted for charging. The base 2 may have multiple storage or charging positions at the same time to facilitate the storage or charging of multiple toothbrushes 1 at the same time.

Referring to Figs. 10-11, to achieve automatic retraction of the brush head 12 when not in use, to ensure that the toothbrush 1 is isolated from the environment after use, and to allow further sterilization.

The toothbrush 1 further comprises a driver 14 and a controller, the driver 14 being for driving the brush head 12 between a storage position and a use position; the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head 12 from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush 1 is docked to the base 2, or the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head 12 from the storage position to the use position after the toothbrush 1 is undocked from the base 2. With this control structure, the toothbrush 1 indicates that the user has completed cleaning when placed on the base 2 or the toothbrush 1 is charged near the base 2, at which time the brush head 12 can be automatically moved from the use position to the storage position. So set up, need the user to control the brush head 12 voluntarily, after using toothbrush 1, the brush head 12 can retract in the cavity automatically, can carry out work such as stoving disinfection. Alternatively, the brush head 12 may be moved away from the base 2, possibly indicating that the user is required to clean the teeth, so that the controller controls the brush head 12 to move from the stowed position to the use position. By adopting the control mode, the user is not required to actively control and control the brush head 12, so that the use is more convenient,

On the basis of the seventh embodiment, the toothbrush 1 is provided with a first detecting device 15 (as shown in fig. 7), the first detecting device 15 is configured to send 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, and the base 2 is provided with a magnet, and when the toothbrush 1 approaches the base 2, the hall sensor generates a signal, and the controller receives the signal to control the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position. Of course, the toothbrush 1 may be further provided with a mechanical switch, which is adapted to the structure of the base 2, and is triggered when the toothbrush 1 is placed on the base 2, so as to control the brush head 12 to move from the use position to the storage position. The controller may immediately control the brush head 12. The controller is configured to control the brush head 12 to switch from the use position to the storage position after the toothbrush 1 is docked with the base 2 for a preset time. That is, the brush head 12 may be controlled after a predetermined time, which may be several seconds or several minutes, and the user may set the predetermined time. It will also be appreciated that the first detection means 15 may be other structures or means for enabling the toothbrush 1 to generate a signal when placed on the base 2. The toothbrush 1 further comprises second detection means for detecting whether the brush head 12 is in the use position. The toothbrush 1 further comprises third detecting 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 at 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 storage position. When the brush head 12 is located between the use position and the storage position for a long time, the toothbrush 1 is indicated to be abnormal, and at the moment, the alarm device sends an alarm signal. The second detection device and the third detection device can be hall sensors as well, and of course, other structures are also possible.

Referring to fig. 11, on the basis of the seventh embodiment, the toothbrush 1 is provided with a first detecting device 15, the first detecting device 15 being configured to emit 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 means 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 use position. The toothbrush 1 further comprises third detecting 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 storage position. When the brush head 12 is located between the use position and the storage position for a long time, the toothbrush 1 is indicated to be abnormal, and at the moment, the alarm device sends 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 in the storage position when the rechargeable battery is in a charged state. Specifically, be provided with charging contact or wireless charging coil on the base 2, after toothbrush 1 is placed base 2, the base 2 of intercommunication commercial power begins to charge to the battery, and at this moment, the circuit board that links to each other with the battery can produce the charge signal, and the controller is according to charge signal control brush head 12 from using position removal to storage position. When the toothbrush 1 is removed from the base 2, the charging signal is removed, and the controller can control the brush head 12 to move from the storage position to the use position. It will be appreciated here that when the battery is fully charged, there is still a charge signal, except that the battery is not recharged, but as long as the toothbrush 1 is docked with the base 2, this charge signal is present until the toothbrush 1 is undocked 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 switching of the brush head 12 between the storage positions of the use positions.

The controller is configured to control switching of the brush head 12 from the use position to the storage position after the brush head 12 is in the use position and the brush head 12 is docked with the base 2. If toothbrush 1 is already in the stowed position prior to placement on base 2, then the controller at that time need not issue instructions to control driver 14 to drive head 12.

Examples

In the present embodiment, the structure of the electric toothbrush 1 is not described in detail, and a control method of the electric toothbrush 1 is described in detail herein. The following are provided:

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

receiving/acquiring a first signal emitted by the first signal generator 19, the first signal being 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 be switched between the use position and the storage position according to the first signal control.

In one embodiment, the first state may be a non-resting state of the entire toothbrush 1, the second state is a resting state of the entire toothbrush 1, and when the toothbrush 1 transitions from the non-resting state to the resting state and remains in the resting state for a period of time, indicating that the user has completed the cleaning operation, 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 the time of the toothbrush 1 in the resting state may be set longer, e.g., several minutes or more than ten minutes, to give the user sufficient time to ensure that it is not false triggered.

In another embodiment, the first state may be a vibration state of the brush head 12, the second state may be a non-vibration state, and when the brush head 12 is changed from the vibration state to the non-vibration state and maintained in the static state for a period of time, indicating that the user has completed the cleaning operation, 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 the brush head is not erroneously triggered, the time of the toothbrush 1 in the non-vibration state may be set longer, for example, several minutes or ten minutes, to give the user sufficient time.

In other embodiments, the first state may be other than a non-stationary state or a vibrating state, such as, for example, a state indicating that the user is using the toothbrush 1: the battery is not charged, the current is continuously output, or the pressure sensor on the handle of the toothbrush 1 is subjected to pressure, etc., which will not be described in detail herein.

In other embodiments, the first state may be a static state, or other states (e.g., a charging state, etc.) that may indicate that the toothbrush 1 is not being used, and the second state may be a non-static state, or other states (e.g., a non-charging state, etc.) that may indicate that the toothbrush 1 is to be used, where 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, so that the user does not need to perform additional operations during this process, and the use is more convenient.

Examples

receiving/acquiring the 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 may 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 is changed between a stationary state and a non-stationary state, etc.,

wherein the second signal may 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 is changed between a stationary state and a non-stationary state, etc.,

although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, it is not limited to the details and embodiments shown and described, it is well suited to various fields of use for which the invention would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and accordingly, the invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein, without departing from the general concepts defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a housing including a bottom wall, at least a portion of the bottom wall of the housing for supporting the electric toothbrush to a rest surface to place the electric toothbrush in an upright state;

a brush head for cleaning teeth, the brush head having a storage position and a use position;

a drive for driving the brush head to move between the storage position and the use position;

a controller configured to control the driver;

a first signal generator disposed at the bottom wall;

wherein the controller is configured to control the brush head to move from the use position to the storage position after receiving or acquiring a first signal generated by the first signal generator when the bottom wall approaches or contacts the placement surface.

2. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein,

the controller is further configured to control the brush head to move from the storage position to the use position after receiving or acquiring a second signal generated by the first signal generator when the bottom wall leaves the placement surface.

3. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

A control button disposed at a side wall of the housing, the controller configured to receive or acquire a signal generated by the control button to control movement of the brush head between the stowed position and the use position.

4. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that,

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 generate a signal or the controller does not respond to the signal generated by the first signal generator.

5. An electric toothbrush, comprising:

a housing including a bottom wall; the bottom wall of the shell is used for supporting the electric toothbrush to a placing surface so that the electric toothbrush is in a static state;

a controller configured to control the driver;

a first signal generator disposed at the bottom wall, the controller configured to respond to a first signal emitted by the first signal generator when the bottom wall approaches or contacts the placement surface;

A second signal generator configured to emit a second signal after the electric toothbrush is stationary for a first preset time;

wherein the controller is configured to control the driver to drive the brush head to switch from the use position to the storage position after receiving the first signal and the second signal.

6. The electric toothbrush according to claim 5, wherein,

the controller is configured to control movement of the brush head from the stowed position to the use position in response to a third signal generated by the first signal generator when the bottom wall is clear of the placement surface.

7. The electric toothbrush according to claim 5, wherein,

the controller is configured to control the driver to drive the brush head to move from the storage position to the use position in response to a fourth signal sent by the second signal generator after the electric toothbrush is in a static state to a non-static state.

8. The electric toothbrush according to claim 5, wherein,

the controller is configured to drive the brush head from the stowed position to the use position in response to a third signal from the first signal generator when the bottom wall is clear of the placement surface and in response to a fourth signal from the second signal generator when the electric toothbrush is from a resting state to a non-resting state.

9. The electric toothbrush of claim 5, further comprising:

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

10. The electric toothbrush according to claim 5, wherein,

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 respond to the signal emitted by the first signal generator.