US20100043161A1 - System toothbrush with illumination - Google Patents

System toothbrush with illumination Download PDF

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Publication number
US20100043161A1
US20100043161A1 US12/612,307 US61230709A US2010043161A1 US 20100043161 A1 US20100043161 A1 US 20100043161A1 US 61230709 A US61230709 A US 61230709A US 2010043161 A1 US2010043161 A1 US 2010043161A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
toothbrush
gripping portion
light source
led light
gripping
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US12/612,307
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English (en)
Inventor
Masahiro Tanuma
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of US20100043161A1 publication Critical patent/US20100043161A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
    • A46B15/0002—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
    • A46B15/0002—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process
    • A46B15/0016—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with enhancing means
    • A46B15/0036—Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process with enhancing means with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
    • A46B15/0055—Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
    • A46B15/0055—Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
    • A46B15/0077—Brushes fitted with a mirror
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A46—BRUSHWARE
    • A46B—BRUSHES
    • A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
    • A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
    • A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures

Definitions

  • the present disclosure is directed to systemization of a dental mirror with illumination and a toothbrush, which may be used for example to promote improvements in oral health care within the home.
  • Removing dental plaque by brushing is important to prevent oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal diseases and so forth.
  • oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontal diseases and so forth.
  • medical experts such as dentists, that there are lots of positions where dental plaque is difficult to remove.
  • a method has been conventionally fulfilled, which is to dye the dental plaque with a dying material after usual brushing and then to remove the dyed dental plaque by brushing.
  • it is difficult to clearly remove the dental plaque since it is dark in the oral cavity and this makes it difficult for the user to directly view into molar teeth or backside of teeth.
  • oral diseases are generally found late, so that they often have a tendency to become serious. It is important to perform a self check in the house with a mirror with illumination in order to clearly remove the dental plaque and find the oral diseases earlier to prevent the oral diseases from being serious.
  • a mirror with illumination is not prevalent in general houses.
  • the conventional one for example, the dental mirror disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3066246 has a problem in that the gripping portion is thick and heavy since a general battery is stored in the gripping portion. Accordingly, it could not be considered appropriate for usual brushing in terms of operability or storage capability.
  • the toothbrush with mirror disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H 8-275826 has a difficulty in observing the inside of the oral cavity since there is not provided any illumination device. Moreover, it was impossible to replace the mirror and toothbrush head portion with bristles by a new one since they are integrated with the gripping portion, and this gave rise to problems in terms of economies and environments.
  • the head portion with bristles was integrated with the gripping portion and it was impossible to replace only the head portion with bristles by another one, and this gave rise to problems in terms of economies and environments.
  • the present disclosure provides a system toothbrush with illumination, which is composed of a gripping portion that stores an LED light source and a battery therein and attachment portions which are detachably connected to both ends of the gripping portion.
  • the attachment portion mounted at both ends of the gripping portion includes at least a mirror portion and a toothbrush portion, and may further include an auxiliary toothbrush portion. Furthermore, insertion holes are formed in the both ends of the gripping portion, which have the same shape. Accordingly, an insertion shaft formed in the attachment portion may be elastically fitted into the insertion hole, and this enables the mirror portion, the toothbrush portion, and the auxiliary toothbrush portion to be interchangeable to each other, thus allowing any combination to be made freely for use.
  • two thin, button-shaped lithium batteries each of which supplies a voltage of 3V, are overlappingly arranged and stored in the horizontal orientation in the center of the gripping portion, so that the gripping portion may be made thin and light. By doing so, operability and storage capability may be improved in use. Furthermore, these batteries supply a voltage of 6V to the LED light source stored in the gripping portion, thus allowing light emission with high illuminance.
  • the LED light source is arranged in one of both ends of the gripping portion, and the combination of the LED light source and the batteries makes it possible to supply necessary light to the attachment portion mounted at one end of the gripping portion where the LED light source is arranged. That is, the LED light source is arranged so that the light emitted from the LED light source is directed to the center of the mirror surface when the mirror portion is mounted as the attachment portion and the light is directed to the tip of bristles of the toothbrush head portion with bristles when the toothbrush head portion with bristles or the auxiliary toothbrush head portion with bristles is mounted as the attachment portion.
  • the gripping portion and the attachment portions for example, when the mirror portion is mounted at one end where the LED light source is arranged among both ends of the gripping portion, it may be used as a dental mirror with illumination, and when the toothbrush portion is mounted at one end where the LED light source is arranged among both ends of the gripping portion, it may be used as a toothbrush with illumination.
  • a user may observe the inside of his/her oral cavity with the dental mirror with illumination anytime he/she wants to without replacement of the equipment during usual brushing in a case where a toothbrush portion is additively mounted at the end of the gripping portion included in the constituent member as the dental mirror with illumination, and therefore, the user may use it without changing his/her usual brushing habit, thus it is expected the user conventionally performs a self check of his/her oral cavity without any difficulty.
  • the present invention may alleviate inconvenience of replacement of equipment during usual brushing and be advantageous in terms of user's economies and environments.
  • a storage insertion hole is formed in the inside of each of both ends of the gripping portion, which is used for storing the attachment portions.
  • the storage insertion hole is configured to insert and store the mirror portion or toothbrush portion detached from the end of the gripping portion. This enables the gripping portion to be stored in a toothbrush stand by detaching the attachment portion, which is mounted at one end of both ends of the gripping portion, and storing it in the storage insertion hole located at the opposite end.
  • the system toothbrush with illumination according to the present disclosure allows a user to easily observe the inside of the oral cavity with the dental mirror with illumination upon tooth brushing in the house, and thus enables the user to conventionally perform a self check of the oral cavity in daily life. This improves efficiency of tooth brushing and therefore contributes to prevention and early detection of oral diseases.
  • the system toothbrush with illumination according to the present disclosure may replace the attachment portion with another one, and this may lessen user's economical burdens and improve environmental problems.
  • the system toothbrush with illumination according to the present disclosure may save costs in development and production in terms of manufacturing aspects, compared with separately manufacturing each of the dental mirror with illumination, the toothbrush with mirror, the toothbrush with illumination, and the like.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of a system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a gripping portion of the system toothbrush with illumination as seen from the side.
  • FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (mirror portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (toothbrush portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 3C is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (auxiliary toothbrush portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 1 FIG. 2 , FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B , and FIG. 3C .
  • FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 , FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B , and FIG. 3C illustrate an implementation of a system toothbrush with illumination according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of the system toothbrush with illumination
  • FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a gripping portion of the system toothbrush with illumination as seen from the side
  • FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (mirror portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 3B is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (toothbrush portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • FIG. 3C is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an attachment portion (auxiliary toothbrush portion) of the system toothbrush with illumination.
  • the system toothbrush with illumination is composed of a gripping portion 100 and an attachment portion 200 shown in each of FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B , and FIG. 3C .
  • the attachment portion 200 includes at least a mirror portion 210 and a toothbrush portion 220 , and an auxiliary toothbrush portion 230 may be additively provided as the attachment portion 200 .
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a state where each of the mirror portion 210 and the toothbrush portion 220 is mounted at each of both ends of the gripping portion 100 as the attachment portion 200 .
  • the gripping portion 100 includes an elongated body portion 110 formed of a synthetic resin such as polypropylene, a battery 130 and an LED light source 120 stored in the body portion 110 , and a slide-type switch 140 .
  • insertion holes 151 , 152 into which insertion shafts 213 , 223 , 233 are elastically fitted, are formed in the both ends of the gripping portion 100 as shown in FIG. 2 , wherein the insertion holes 151 , 152 have the same shape.
  • each of the insertion shafts 213 , 223 , 233 has a width that gradually decreases as going toward the end, and its cross section has a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B , and FIG. 3C .
  • This structure of the insertion shafts 213 , 223 , 233 contributes to facilitate insertion into the insertion holes 151 , 152 , to control the insertion orientation and to prevent rotation.
  • the LED light source 120 is arranged in near the end of the body portion 110 .
  • the LED light source 120 is arranged so that in a case where the mirror portion 210 is mounted as the attachment portion 200 , light emitted from the LED light source 120 is directed to substantially the center of the mirror surface 211 , and in a case where the toothbrush portion 220 or the auxiliary toothbrush portion 230 is mounted as the attachment portion 200 , the light is directed to near the tip of bristles of the toothbrush head portion with bristles 221 or the auxiliary toothbrush head portion with bristles 231 .
  • the battery 130 is stored in substantially the center of the body portion 110 , and includes two manganese-lithium batteries, each of which overlaps the other in the horizontal orientation as shown in FIG. 2 .
  • Each battery has a voltage of 3V.
  • CR1616 battery which has a diameter of 16 mm and a thickness of 1.6 mm and is commercially available from Hitachi Maxell, Ltd., may be suitable for the battery 130 .
  • the slide-type switch 140 is arranged adjacent to the battery 130 , and the LED light source 120 emits light when the slide-type switch 140 slides toward the battery 130 .
  • a battery cover 180 is provided for replacement of batteries at the rear surface of the gripping portion body 110 storing the battery 130 .
  • the battery cover 180 and the slide-type switch 140 may be desirably subjected to a waterproof treatment with taking into consideration of use environments.
  • the storage insertion holes 161 , 162 are formed in the insides of both ends of the gripping portion 100 to store the attachment portion 200 as shown in FIG. 2 .
  • the insertion shafts 213 , 223 , 233 formed in the attachment portion 200 may be elastically fitted and stably fixed to the storage insertion holes 161 , 162 .
  • a toothbrush neck portion 222 of the toothbrush portion 220 of the attachment portion 200 is formed to be narrower in width and longer (about 35 mm in length) in the axial direction than the toothbrush insertion shaft 223 as shown in FIG. 3B . Accordingly, the toothbrush neck portion 222 is elastically deformed to alleviate the stress exerted against the body portion 110 around the insertion hole 151 (or 152 ) through the insertion shaft 223 when an excessive force is exerted against the toothbrush head portion with bristles 221 upon tooth brushing, thus preventing any damage to the body portion 110 .

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Brushes (AREA)
US12/612,307 2007-06-04 2009-11-04 System toothbrush with illumination Abandoned US20100043161A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2007-171183 2007-06-04
JP2007171183A JP4075004B1 (ja) 2007-06-04 2007-06-04 照明付きシステム歯ブラシ
PCT/JP2008/001303 WO2008149503A1 (fr) 2007-06-04 2008-05-26 Brosse à dents avec système lumineux

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/JP2008/001303 Continuation WO2008149503A1 (fr) 2007-06-04 2008-05-26 Brosse à dents avec système lumineux

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20100043161A1 true US20100043161A1 (en) 2010-02-25

Family

ID=39381783

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US12/612,307 Abandoned US20100043161A1 (en) 2007-06-04 2009-11-04 System toothbrush with illumination

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20100043161A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2156765B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP4075004B1 (fr)
CN (1) CN101541206A (fr)
AT (1) ATE518445T1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2008149503A1 (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140090197A1 (en) * 2009-12-23 2014-04-03 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Position sensing toothbrush
USD723282S1 (en) 2014-03-17 2015-03-03 Gosmile, Inc. Toothbrush head
US9038226B1 (en) * 2014-04-08 2015-05-26 Patrick Franklin Toothbrush having light emitters on a bottom side
USD776936S1 (en) 2015-06-23 2017-01-24 Gosmile, Llc Toothbrush head
USD778061S1 (en) 2015-06-23 2017-02-07 Gosmile, Llc. Toothbrush
USD787189S1 (en) 2014-03-17 2017-05-23 Gosmile, Llc Toothbrush
US10674810B2 (en) * 2012-12-21 2020-06-09 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement comprising mirror and light distributive element, and method of forming the same

Citations (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1473357A (en) * 1922-10-23 1923-11-06 Pletman Abraham Toothbrush
US1616104A (en) * 1924-05-02 1927-02-01 Bardera Jose Martinez Toilet article
US1695451A (en) * 1927-07-18 1928-12-18 Evan J Francis Dental mirror
US5044948A (en) * 1990-05-07 1991-09-03 Vance Sr Wilbur Searcher
US5163561A (en) * 1992-02-14 1992-11-17 Fitzgerald Linda M Dental cleaning kit
US5348028A (en) * 1993-10-05 1994-09-20 Gustavel Terry L Compact multi-use oral hygiene device
US5348470A (en) * 1993-01-29 1994-09-20 Mcgowan Nancy J Fiber-optic illuminated dental mirror
US5581838A (en) * 1995-04-07 1996-12-10 Rocco; Anthony C. Articulating toothbrush assembly
US5735298A (en) * 1996-05-22 1998-04-07 Mayne; Harlo Tri-fold multipurpose toothbrush
US5934295A (en) * 1998-04-08 1999-08-10 John O. Butler Company Dental hygiene system
US6247477B1 (en) * 2000-02-02 2001-06-19 Eugene C. Wagner Multifunction dental appliance
US6671919B2 (en) * 2001-09-11 2004-01-06 Colin G. Davis “Air cushion effect” soft oral care brush
US20040023184A1 (en) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-05 De Josselin De Jong Elbert Dental implement and method for tooth surface inspection
US6702577B2 (en) * 2002-05-01 2004-03-09 Carl Parker Associates, Inc. Dental or surgical illuminated mirror
US20060194164A1 (en) * 2004-12-09 2006-08-31 Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Oral appliance with heat transfer mechanism
US20070111168A1 (en) * 2005-09-26 2007-05-17 Ribal L Claudio In the invention is offered a toothbrush, improved, that offers an incorporate lamp, or led, and mirror in its header both in the opposite side of the bristles, which optimizes oral hygiene and dental verification
US20070224571A1 (en) * 2006-03-24 2007-09-27 Watson Jeffrey A Light mirror
US20080196184A1 (en) * 2007-02-15 2008-08-21 Mary T Dooley Toothbrush with light source for illuminating oral cavity
US7611256B2 (en) * 2006-10-15 2009-11-03 Medic.Nrg Ltd. Illuminator for medical use

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EP0095511A1 (fr) * 1982-05-27 1983-12-07 Dr. Hinz Labor, Fachlaboratorium für Kieferorthopädie GmbH Dispositif pour les soins des dents
JPH0237371Y2 (fr) * 1984-09-13 1990-10-09
JPH0321223U (fr) * 1989-07-12 1991-03-01
JPH0366246U (fr) 1989-10-24 1991-06-27
WO1994017691A2 (fr) * 1993-02-04 1994-08-18 Little Acorn Ventures, Inc. Dispositifs produisant un signal
JPH08275826A (ja) 1995-04-06 1996-10-22 Riyuu Kikaku Kk ミラー付き歯ブラシ
JP3039611U (ja) 1997-01-16 1997-07-31 有限会社 ミリオン商事 ブラシ部交換式歯ブラシ
US5813855A (en) 1997-09-23 1998-09-29 Crisio, Jr.; Raymond A. Illuminated toothbrush

Patent Citations (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1473357A (en) * 1922-10-23 1923-11-06 Pletman Abraham Toothbrush
US1616104A (en) * 1924-05-02 1927-02-01 Bardera Jose Martinez Toilet article
US1695451A (en) * 1927-07-18 1928-12-18 Evan J Francis Dental mirror
US5044948A (en) * 1990-05-07 1991-09-03 Vance Sr Wilbur Searcher
US5163561A (en) * 1992-02-14 1992-11-17 Fitzgerald Linda M Dental cleaning kit
US5348470A (en) * 1993-01-29 1994-09-20 Mcgowan Nancy J Fiber-optic illuminated dental mirror
US5348028A (en) * 1993-10-05 1994-09-20 Gustavel Terry L Compact multi-use oral hygiene device
US5581838A (en) * 1995-04-07 1996-12-10 Rocco; Anthony C. Articulating toothbrush assembly
US5735298A (en) * 1996-05-22 1998-04-07 Mayne; Harlo Tri-fold multipurpose toothbrush
US5934295A (en) * 1998-04-08 1999-08-10 John O. Butler Company Dental hygiene system
US6247477B1 (en) * 2000-02-02 2001-06-19 Eugene C. Wagner Multifunction dental appliance
US6671919B2 (en) * 2001-09-11 2004-01-06 Colin G. Davis “Air cushion effect” soft oral care brush
US6702577B2 (en) * 2002-05-01 2004-03-09 Carl Parker Associates, Inc. Dental or surgical illuminated mirror
US20040023184A1 (en) * 2002-07-31 2004-02-05 De Josselin De Jong Elbert Dental implement and method for tooth surface inspection
US20060240377A1 (en) * 2002-07-31 2006-10-26 Inspektor Research Systems Bv Dental implement and method for tooth surface inspection
US20060194164A1 (en) * 2004-12-09 2006-08-31 Palomar Medical Technologies, Inc. Oral appliance with heat transfer mechanism
US20070111168A1 (en) * 2005-09-26 2007-05-17 Ribal L Claudio In the invention is offered a toothbrush, improved, that offers an incorporate lamp, or led, and mirror in its header both in the opposite side of the bristles, which optimizes oral hygiene and dental verification
US20070224571A1 (en) * 2006-03-24 2007-09-27 Watson Jeffrey A Light mirror
US7611256B2 (en) * 2006-10-15 2009-11-03 Medic.Nrg Ltd. Illuminator for medical use
US20080196184A1 (en) * 2007-02-15 2008-08-21 Mary T Dooley Toothbrush with light source for illuminating oral cavity

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20140090197A1 (en) * 2009-12-23 2014-04-03 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Position sensing toothbrush
US9049920B2 (en) * 2009-12-23 2015-06-09 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Position sensing toothbrush
US9326594B2 (en) * 2009-12-23 2016-05-03 Koninklijke Philips N.V. Position sensing toothbrush
US10674810B2 (en) * 2012-12-21 2020-06-09 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement comprising mirror and light distributive element, and method of forming the same
USD723282S1 (en) 2014-03-17 2015-03-03 Gosmile, Inc. Toothbrush head
USD787189S1 (en) 2014-03-17 2017-05-23 Gosmile, Llc Toothbrush
US9038226B1 (en) * 2014-04-08 2015-05-26 Patrick Franklin Toothbrush having light emitters on a bottom side
USD776936S1 (en) 2015-06-23 2017-01-24 Gosmile, Llc Toothbrush head
USD778061S1 (en) 2015-06-23 2017-02-07 Gosmile, Llc. Toothbrush

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2008295994A (ja) 2008-12-11
ATE518445T1 (de) 2011-08-15
EP2156765A1 (fr) 2010-02-24
EP2156765B1 (fr) 2011-08-03
WO2008149503A1 (fr) 2008-12-11
EP2156765A4 (fr) 2010-03-03
JP4075004B1 (ja) 2008-04-16
CN101541206A (zh) 2009-09-23

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