WO2010134051A1

WO2010134051A1 - Personal body cleaning device

Info

Publication number: WO2010134051A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/052259
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Schmid; Rory Mcgarry; Wofgang Stegmann; Duy Phong Vu; Benedikt Heil; Martin Stratmann; Norbert Schaefer; Ivo Kunath; Ingo Vetter; Vladimir Fischer
Original assignee: Braun Gmbh
Priority date: 2009-05-20
Filing date: 2010-05-20
Publication date: 2010-11-25
Also published as: CA2762842A1; EP2253359A1; JP2012526598A; CN102427862A

Abstract

The present invention concerns a personal hygiene device for personal use, in particular in the form of a toothbrush, with a hand-held hygiene tool (in particular a toothbrush), a base station for storing and/or charging the hygiene tool, and a display device to display interactive presentations that can be interactively controlled from the hygiene tool by means of a control device. According to the invention, the display device forms a module fashioned separately and separately positionable from the base station and the hygiene tool and possesses a communication interface for communication with the base station and/or with the hygiene tool, even when separated from these. By fashioning the display device as a standalone module, the display device can be positioned independently of the position of the base station at a place that is easily visible for a child or for adults as well, such that the visibility is also easily visible [sic] even given proper back-and-forth movement of the hygiene tool (corresponding to cleaning motions in the mouth in the case of a toothbrush). In spite of this, the screen presentation (advantageously in the form of a video game) can be controlled interactively from the hygiene tool via the communication interface of the display.

Description

PERSONAL BODY CLEANING DEVICE

The present invention concerns a personal hygiene device - in particular in the form of a toothbrush - with a hand-held hygiene tool (in particular a toothbrush), a base station for storage and/or charging the hygiene tool, and a display device to display interactive presentations that can be interactively controlled from the hygiene tool by means of a control device.

In order to increase the incentive for regular teeth cleaning, screens or displays have by now been provided on teeth cleaning devices, on which displays video games are presented that can be interactively controlled from the toothbrush. Due to the additionally provided entertainment value, children in particular are motivated to regularly brush their teeth. As an alternative or in addition to mere entertainment games, inducements for efficient and effective cleaning of the teeth can also be shown, for example such that the toothbrush user finishes the displayed image sequences.

For example, WO 2007/112112 Al describes a dental cleaning device in which a screen is provided at the base station for charging the toothbrush, on which display video games are shown during the teeth cleaning. The video game is hereby controllable from the toothbrush. On the one hand, the toothbrush possesses manually operable input buttons to input control commands for the video game. On the other hand, cleaning parameters such as contact pressure and accelerations occurring during the cleaning motions are detected at the toothbrush by means of various sensors, wherein the video game on the screen is controlled using these detected parameters. In order to show a respective suitable video game for a respective user, the attachment part of the toothbrush is identified using an identification code, depending on which the video game or its rules of play are selected. Even if a certain adaptation to the individual user is hereby ensured, the degree of personalization and the adaptability to the respective requirements is limited. From US 2008/0102953 Al a toothbrush is likewise known that is fashioned as an input device to control a game console in order to control a video game on said game console. A sensor mounted on the brush detects brush movements, wherein the movement of a virtual game object of the video game is controlled using the movement signals of the toothbrush.

US 2006/0040246 Al describes an electric toothbrush that can be stored and charged at a base station. The base station contains a display on which is shown an interactive game (for example PAC-MAN^®). The toothbrush communicates wirelessly with the control device to control the game, which is activated by removing the toothbrush from the base station or via a start button mounted on the toothbrush. Sensors at the toothbrush detect its movements, which are used to control movements of game characters or game pieces on the screen. Different memory modules can be used in order to be able to execute different games. The more skillfully that the game shown on the screen is played, the more points are awarded to the user.

From DE 10153863 Al a toothbrush is known at whose shaft end a spherical display part can be mounted, on which display part brushing results detected by means of sensors can be displayed or a game for children can be presented after a successful cleaning procedure. However, an interactive control of the game shown on the display from the toothbrush is not provided; rather, a control of the program shown on the display occurs via input buttons arranged on the display part itself, such that the entertainment value and the educational effect are limited. The actual display at the display part is hereby integrated into the spherical shape of the display part and is covered with a dome- shaped, transparent cover made of scratch- and acid-resistant plastic.

The documents US 2008/0141478 and US 2008/0141476 show additional dental cleaning devices with a display on which interactively controllable games are displayed, wherein multiple toothbrushes can communicate with one another in order to be able to play games (for example "Rock, Paper, Scissors") in competition with one another. However, the displays are hereby mounted on the handle of the toothbrush itself, such that a game supporting the correct brushing of the teeth cannot be played while brushing.

The present invention is based on the object to achieve an improved personal hygiene device of the aforementioned type that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and advantageously develops said prior art. In particular the interactive control capability of the game presented on the display should be improved in terms of its ease of use, and the interaction between different device users and the display device should be facilitated.

This object is achieved according to the invention via a personal hygiene device according to Claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent Claims.

In spite of its ability to be controlled from the hygiene tool, it is proposed to arrange the display device fixed neither to the base station nor to the hygiene tool, but instead to fashion it so as to be freely placeable, so to speak, so that it can be set down at the respective advantageous position. According to the invention, the display device forms a module that is fashioned separately from the base station and the hygiene tool and can be positioned separately, which module has a communication interface for communication with the base station and/or with the hygiene tool even in a separated state. By fashioning the display device as a stand-alone module, the display device can be positioned at the location that is easily visible for a child or even an adult, independent of the position of the base station, so that the visibility is well visible [sic] even given proper back-and-forth movement of the hygiene tool (corresponding to the cleaning motions in the mouth in the case of a toothbrush). In spite of this, the screen display in the form of a video game can be interactively controlled from the hygiene tool via the communication interface of the display. For this the hygiene tool can possess a communication connection direct to the display module or can communicate indirectly with this via the base station. In order to achieve a simple and efficient power supply of the display device in spite of arbitrary placement of the display device without action radius dependent on the base station, in an advantageous development of the invention the display device is provided with a chargeable power store that can be charged by docking the display device at the base station. For this the display device advantageously possesses a power- transferring coupling device that can be brought into effective connection with a coupling device provided at the base station. The display device and the base station possess charging connectors [terminals] that are compatible with one another, via which the power store in the display device can be charged from the base station.

The cited power-transferring coupling device to charge the power store of the display device advantageously operates without contact, although in principle mechanically connectable charging connectors can also be provided. In particular, in a development of the invention the display device can possess an inductive charging contact for inductive charging from the base station, wherein the latter likewise possesses an inductive charging contact that is compatible with the inductive charging contact at the display. By providing charge coils communicating with one another at the display and at the base station, no mechanical connectors need to be connected to charge the display. The inductive charging connector at the display device and/or at the base station can additionally be protected moisture-tight via a seal (in particular be arranged under a device housing) so that an operation is possible without problems even in spaces with moisture (such as baths and showers).

In a development of the invention, both the display device and the hygiene tool can be charged at the base station. In principle, it can also be sufficient if the base station possesses only one charging connector for this if the charging connectors at the display device and the hygiene tool that communicate with this are fashioned in an accordingly similar design, such that the hygiene tool or the display device can be charged in alternation. However, the base station advantageously possesses two separate charging connectors, of which one can be brought into an effective connection with the display device and another with the hygiene tool so that the display device and the hygiene tool can be charged simultaneously.

Both the charging connector for the display device and the charging connector for the hygiene tool are advantageously fashioned to operate via induction, in particular are provided with a charging coil that can be brought into a current-transmitting connection with a matching charging part at the display device or, respectively, the hygiene tool.

Both the display device and the hygiene tool can hereby be stored or, respectively, placed on the base station when in the idle state or, respectively, when not operated, such that they are charged in the idle state. For operation the hygiene tool (for example a toothbrush) and the display can be removed from the base station in order to be able to operate independent of the base station. The display device can advantageously be operated and/or communicate with the hygiene tool even when it is docked at the base station, such that the display device can alternatively be operated at the base station or independent of this. For example, an operation at the base can be advantageous when the energy storage of the display device has only a weak charge.

In a development of the invention, on the one hand the display device possesses support means for placement on a flat surface, and on the other hand said display device possesses a bearing means for a custom-fit bearing of the display at the base station. The display device can advantageously be docked at the base station with positive fit via the bearing means precisely adapted in terms of its shape. In a development of the invention, the aforementioned support means for placement on a flat surface and the bearing means for docking at the base station can hereby be integrated into one another and/or be fashioned in a mutually supplementary manner. For example, projecting stabilizing feet can be inserted into complementary receptacle cavities fashioned at the base station. In order to be able to keep the transmission power low and so that a large amount of data traffic is not required, in an advantageous development of the invention a game controller to control a video game that can be displayed on the display device can be integrated into the display device, such that only control commands for interactive control of the game must be transmitted via the communication interface. The transmitted control commands that come from the hygiene tool are immediately processed by the game controller at the display device, even if this is mounted at a distance from the base station.

However, in an alternative development of the invention it can also be provided that the base station and/or the hygiene tool contains a game controller that executes a least a portion of the control commands generated at the hygiene tool and transforms these into graphic commands that are transmitted directly to the display device or indirectly to the display device via the base station.

The games that can be depicted on the display of the display device can hereby be of fundamentally different design. In particular, games with controllable avatars can be used that can be interactively controlled from the hygiene tool, in particular with regard to the movements of said avatars. In principle, different functions and presentation modes can hereby be of varied design. According to an advantageous development of the invention, navigation control means can be mounted on the hygiene tool, by means of which an avatar on the display of the display device can be navigated and directed across the screen or, respectively, the background shown there. The navigation control means can hereby be fashioned in the form of a manually operated switch on the hygiene tool and/or can comprise detection means to detect an operating parameter of the hygiene tool, depending on which the avatar on the display is navigated. For example, a movement sensor, an inclination sensor and/or an acceleration sensor can be integrated into the hygiene tool, the signal of which sensor(s) is transformed into a navigation signal for the avatar of the game shown on the display device. In order to achieve a good visibility of the screen content that is to be interactively controlled, it is advantageous if the display device possesses a display element (in particular a display panel) that is covered by an at least partially transparent covering cap extending across the display element. Such a covering bubble cap can protect the separately positionable display element (which is therefore at risk in the event of a fall) from damage, even if this is dropped by a child, for example. At the same time a good visibility from different sides and a removal capability of the display element is achieved that offers advantages even without a free positioning capability and separate formation of the display. By covering the actual display element by means of a curved covering bubble cap in the manner of a universally known "snow globe", in particular an interesting optical effect drawing the attention of children can be achieved that, in its artfulness, enables even less developed children to handle the interactive control of the screen content.

In a development of the invention, the cited covering cap under which the display element is embedded and by which the display element is enclosed can be convexly curved over the display element, and can in particular form an at least approximately dome-shaped covering bubble cap that is seated over the display element. A complete visibility is achieved from different viewing angles in spite of coverage of the display element.

In a development of the invention, the display element can possibly possess multiple display segments that are aligned towards different viewing directions in order to enable a multi-axis visibility of the interactively controllable presentation. For example, display segments arranged on opposite sides can be provided so that the display ball can be observed from both sides, wherein different presentations can possibly be displayed (for example in order to enable a competition between two players).

The cited covering cap is advantageously seated on a base that is advantageously essentially flat on its underside, with which base the display device can be set down. In addition to the cited, separately fashioned display device, the hygiene tool can comprise a display device mounted on the hygiene tool itself, for example in order to indicate particular events or transport other information as a supplement to the separately fashioned display device. In a development of the invention, the hygiene tool can comprise a display that can be controlled by a control device depending on the game progress on the separate display device and/or be controlled depending on an operating parameter of the hygiene tool itself. For example, the display provided at the hygiene tool itself can be used in order to indicate particularly interesting or important game situations on the separate display device.

The display device at the tool can be of a fundamentally different design, wherein in a development of the invention simpler display means are provided at the hygiene tool itself than at the separate display device. In an advantageous development of the invention, the hygiene tool can possess an illuminatable housing segment and/or an illumination element that can be placed on the tool housing. Given a hygiene tool in the form of a toothbrush, in a development of the invention an illumination ring can be provided on the front end of the handle, which illumination ring can be brought into various illumination states (for example blinking and/or different colors).

If, in a development of the invention, the display on the tool is controlled depending on the game progress on the separate display device, a signal (for example in the form of a blinking) can be provided at the display on the tool, for example when the game on the separate display device expects or requires a control command as an input.

However, the display element of the separate display device is advantageously fashioned to be more complex. In particular, an electronic display panel is provided, for example in the form of an LCD screen. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the hygiene tool and/or the separate display device can be borne stationary on the base station but can be moved. The bearing device that is provided for this can in principle be of varied design; for example, it can comprise a spring hanger that, by changing its shape, allows a rocking or shaking or other movement of the display device and/or of the hygiene tool on the base station while in the supported state.

In a development of the invention, the movable bearing device for movable bearing of the display device and/or of the hygiene tool at the base station comprises bearing surfaces that are conformed on the one hand to the display device or the hygiene tool and on the other hand to the base station, and advantageously comprises magnetic retention means to magnetically hold the display device and/or the hygiene tool on the base station.

In particular, the conformed bearing surfaces can comprise oppositely curved bearing surface pairs, wherein advantageously at least one conformed bearing surface is fashioned as a rocking surface that is curved on multiple axes (in particular is ovoid) to rock the hygiene tool and/or the display device in different placement positions, wherein advantageously the cited magnetic retention means form a centering device for centering the display device resting on the rocking surface or, respectively, the hygiene tool resting on the rocking surface and/or form a resetting device to reset into a neutral position after deflections from this.

In particular, a hygiene tool fashioned as a toothbrush can possess a front side that is dome-shaped or curved as an ovoid at its handle end, which handle end can be placed in a receptacle cavity at the base station. The magnetic retention means hold the toothbrushes in an upright idle position centered in the support shell.

In a development of the invention, the magnetic retention means can hereby be arranged coaxial to the inductive charging coils described above. Alternatively or additionally, the magnetic retention means can also be formed by the charging coil itself, such that the inductively transferred charge current simultaneously induces magnetic forces in the hygiene tool that act in a centering or retaining manner on the hygiene tool in order to hold this in an advantageously upright charging position. The charging connectors hereby simultaneously act as display means that indicate a correct placement on the base station. If the hygiene tool has been put down incorrectly so that no charging current flows, the hygiene tool falls over or is not held in its proper idle position. Inasmuch the placement of the hygiene tool can also serve as a part or, respectively, extension and continuation of the interactive game that is played on the screen of the display device.

According to a further advantageous aspect of the present invention, the display device can fulfill a dual function and form an electronic picture frame in which images can be imported from a connectable image source and displayed, independent of the dental cleaning device.

In addition to arising from the Claims, these and additional features also arise from the drawings and the following description by means of which preferred embodiments of the invention are explained using said drawings, wherein the features can form the subject matter of the present invention either independently or in sub- combination, independent of their combination in the Claims. Shown in the drawings are:

Fig. 1 : a schematic representation of a personal hygiene device in the form of a dental cleaning device that comprises a toothbrush as well as a display device to display an interactively controllable dental cleaning game, both of which can be charged at a base station,

Fig. 2: a schematic representation of the progression of the interactively controllable dental cleaning game on the screen of the display device, wherein the cited display device is shown in multiple representations at different chronological points of the game,

Fig. 3: a schematic view of the toothbrush placed on the base station, which view shows its rocking capability on the base station to clarify the magnetically operating retention means, and

Fig. 4: a per-section representation of a manually operable navigation switch on the toothbrush to control the avatar of the interactively controllable game.

The dental cleaning device 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises an electrical toothbrush 2 that comprises a handle 3 (forming a grip part) and an attachment part 4 that can be fastened in a detachable manner to said handle 3; in the shown embodiment the attachment part is an attachment brush with a bristle field 5, but can possibly also exhibit other cleaning elements such as plastic bands, interdental cleaners or the like.

Inside the handle 3 a drive motor is housed that can drive the bristle field 5 of the attachment part 4 via a suitably fashioned drive train. Furthermore, an energy storage in the form of a battery (which can be charged via a charging connector 6) are [sic] provided inside the handle 3. The cited charging connector 6 is advantageously located at a rear end segment of the handle 3 with which this can be placed or, respectively, set down on a base station 7 in order to be put away when not in operation on the one hand and so as to be able to charge on the other hand.

As Fig. 3 shows, the toothbrush 3 stands upright on the station body 8 of the base station 7 (which station body 8 is fashioned essentially in the manner of a flat plate), wherein according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the upright stand is achieved without a positive fit (in particular a locking or, respectively, enclosing positive fit) or the like, such that the toothbrush 2 standing upright is borne such that it can move and in particular can rock back and forth (like a tumbler toy), as Fig. 3 clarifies. On the one hand, a conformed bearing surface pair 10 is provided for this as a bearing means 9 that forms a respective rocking surface pair curved on multiple axes whose surface parts nestle against one another. In the drawn embodiment, the bearing surface 10a of the station body 8 is tangibly fashioned in the form of a rotationally symmetrical cavity while the front-side end of the handle 3 of the toothbrush 2 forms an ovoid or, respectively, dome-shaped surface part (or a surface part convexly curved in another rotationally symmetrical manner) that nestles into the cited bearing cavity 10a. One of the bearing surfaces 10a or, respectively, 10b or even both can advantageously exhibit a flat area in order to enable a centered state.

In order to keep the placed toothbrush 2 in its upright state, magnetic retention means 11 acting between the toothbrush 2 and the base station 7 are provided in the region of the bearing means 9, which magnetic retention means 11 act in a centering manner and hold the cited toothbrush 2 in its vertical standing idle position. The cited magnetic retention means 11 can hereby contain a permanent magnet in the base station 7 that acts on a metallic bearing element, for example in the form of a bearing ring in the end piece of the handle 3. The magnetic retention means 11 are thereby advantageously fashioned such that a resetting moment acts on the handle 3 if the handle 3 is or will be deflected from its centered desired position. In the shown embodiment this resetting device is formed by the magnetic retention means 11.

The toothbrush 2is thereby advantageously charged inductively by the base part 7. The charging connector 6 of the handle 3 is thereby fashioned so as to work inductively, just like a charging connector 12 provided (and therefore interacting) at the base station 7. Both charging connectors 6 and 12 are advantageously covered or encapsulated from the environment. In particular, they can be arranged under the housing of the handle 3 or, respectively, the base station 7 so that a contactless transfer of the charging current takes place. Both devices can be arranged "nested" with one another so that the magnetic fields of the stand device do not overlap in a mutually weakening manner with the alternating electromagnetic field. For example, in a variant the stand magnet is fashioned so that this encloses the induction coils for the electromagnetic coupling (to transfer the charging current). A reverse arrangement with coil surrounding the stand magnet is also provided in an additional variant. The stand magnet is arranged in the base station and/or in the lower segment of the handle grip. This subject matter of the inductive energy transfer with stand magnet can be arbitrarily combined with other embodiments and can also be an independent subject matter of the invention.

Furthermore, the base station 7 serves as a storage area for a display device 13 that advantageously comprises an electronic display element 14 in the form of a screen or, respectively, display that can, for example, be fashioned as an LCD screen.

The cited display device 13 is hereby fashioned separate from the base station 7 as a standalone unit that can be docked at the base station 7 in order to be charged by the latter, but can also be operated separately when removed from the base station 7.

In the drawn embodiment, the display device 13 hereby comprises a base body 15 that forms the floor of the display device 13 and bears the cited display element 14. In an advantageous design of the invention, a transparent covering bubble cap 16 is placed over the cited display element 14, which covering bubble cap 16 covers or, respectively, encapsulates the display element 12 and advantageously is connected fluid-tight with the cited base body 15 so that the display element 12 is embedded under the covering bubble cap.

To supply power to the display element 14, an energy storage in the form of a battery is integrated into the base body 15, which battery can be charged via a charging connector 17 from the base station 7. Here the charging connector 17 at the display device 13 and the charging connector 18 of the base station 7 that interacts with this are advantageously fashioned to operate inductively so that the charging current is transferred without contact and the charging connectors 17 or, respectively, 18 can be embedded [sic] against moisture, in particular can be covered under the housing of the respective part. As Fig. 1 shows, the underside of the base body 15 of the display device 13 forms a contact surface with which the display device 13 can be set down on an arbitrary flat surface.

The display device 13 can communicate with the toothbrush 2 by means of a communication interface 19 (not separately shown). For wireless communication, a transmitter/receiver module is hereby provided at the display device 13 with which a corresponding transmitter/receiver module at the handle 3 of the toothbrush can communicate, wherein data can advantageously be transferred in both directions. For example, a Bluetooth interface can be provided at the display device 13 and the toothbrush 2 in order to establish a Bluetooth connection between the two parts.

The display device 13 furthermore possesses a control device 20 that controls the presentations on the display element 12 and translates control commands received from the handle 3 of the toothbrush 2 into corresponding graphic commands for the screen presentation.

In particular, the cited control device 21 can present and interactively control a video game on the display element 14, as this is shown by way of example in Fig. 2.

At least one avatar 22 and/or a virtual element that can be moved or, respectively, directed across the screen and/or across the screen background is advantageously shown on the display element 14. In the drawn embodiment, the avatar 22 of a child figure is formed that can be moved across an island and into the underwater world in front of the island in order to clean a reef lying underwater, which reef symbolizes the teeth of a mouth to be cleaned.

The cited avatar 22 can hereby be navigated across the screen presentation or, respectively, the display element 14 via the toothbrush 2. For this the handle 3 of the toothbrush 2 comprises navigation control means to generate navigation commands that are transferred via the cited communication interface 19 or, respectively, 20 to the control device 21 and control the movement of the avatar 22 on the display element 14. In the drawn embodiment according to Fig. 4, the cited navigation control means hereby comprise a manually operable navigation switch 23 that can in principle be of varying design and, for example, can be designed in the manner of a mouse ball (known from laptops) that detects actuations or, respectively, force admissions in different directions and translates these into navigation control signals of different directions.

In order to simplify the navigation of the avatar 22 for children, the navigation switch 23 on the handle 3 is advantageously fashioned as a four-way pressure switch that possesses pressure segments oriented in four directions that are advantageously positioned relative to one another in the manner of a cross. By pressing down on one or even two pressure segments situated near to one another, a navigation control signal moving (possibly also overlaid) in the corresponding direction can be generated that is translated into a movement of the avatar in the corresponding direction. A fixed direction association between the pressure segments and the screen can hereby be provided, for example such that depressing the pressure segment directed towards the attachment part 4 always produces a movement of the avatar 22 upward towards the upper edge of the screen etc. Alternatively, the direction association can also depend on the alignment of the brush shown in the virtual presentation, such that the virtual presentation of the brush is, for example, always moved to the right transversal to the longitudinal axis of the virtual brush presentation, regardless of its rotation position in the screen, when the pressure segment situated to the right on the real toothbrush is depressed. However, this is a more complicated control method that is less suitable for children, although it can increase the game's appeal for adults. Alternatively, the navigation switch 23 is a pushbutton that is to be operated as soon as specific positions/configurations on the display are recognized. A further alternative is to also design the navigation switch 23 as an on/off switch of the electrical toothbrush, for example with longer pressure time in order to turn the toothbrush on and off than to operate the display functions. In a further alternative, the on/off switch of the electrical toothbrush and the navigation switch 23 are fashioned separately, advantageously on two opposing sides or other sides of the toothbrush handle.

As an alternative or in addition to the cited manually operable navigation switch 23, navigation control signals at the handle 3 can also be derived from operating parameters of the toothbrush 2. In particular, movement or, respectively, acceleration signals that correspond to the movements (in particular cleaning motions) of the toothbrush 2 can be generated by means of suitable detection devices, for example in the form of movement and/or acceleration sensors, such that the virtual presentation of the avatar 22 and/or of the virtual brush part held by said avatar 22 is navigated corresponding to the actual movements of the toothbrush 2. An inclination sensor that detects the inclination or, respectively, orientation of the toothbrush 2 in space can also advantageously be integrated into the toothbrush 2 so that the avatar can not only be moved back and forth but also can be tilted. The screen presentation of the avatar 22 is advantageously moved synchronously with the movements and/or pressure switch activations at the toothbrush 2.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. Personal hygiene device for personal use, in particular a dental cleaning device, with a hand-held hygiene tool - In particular a toothbrush (2), a base station (7) for storing and/or charging the hygiene tool, and a display device (13) to display interactive presentations that can be interactively controlled from the hygiene tool by means of a control device (21), characterized in that the display device (13) forms a module fashioned separately and separately positionable from the base station (7) and the hygiene tool and possesses a communication interface (19) for communication with the base station (7) and/or with the hygiene tool, even when separated from these.

2. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein the display device (13) possesses a chargeable power store, wherein charging connectors (17, 18) to charge the display device (13) are provided at the display device (13) and the base station (8), which charging connectors (17, 18) can be brought into an effective connection, advantageously without contact.

3. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein both the display device (13) and the personal hygiene device (7) are chargeable, wherein advantageously the base station (7) possesses at least two charging connectors (12, 18) for simultaneous charging of the display device (13) and the hygiene tool.

4. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the display device (13) possesses an inductive charging connector (17) for inductive charging via the base station (7).

5. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the hygiene tool possesses a chargeable power storage as well as an inductive charging connector (12) for inductive charging of the power storage via the base station (7).

6. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the display device (13) possesses support means for placement on a flat surface as well as bearing means conformed to the base station (7) to bear the display device

(13) at the base station (7).

7. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the display device (13) contains a game controller to control a video game that can be displayed on the display device (13), to which game controller game control commands that can be processed by said game controller can be sent via the communication interface (19).

8. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein a game controller to control a video game that can be displayed on the display device (13) is provided at the base station (7) and/or the hygiene tool, from which game controller graphic control commands can be sent to the display device (13) via the communication interface.

9. Personal hygiene device according to the preamble of Claim 1 or any of the preceding Claims, wherein the display device (13) possesses a display element

(14) (in particular a display panel) that is covered by a partially transparent covering cap (16).

10. Personal hygiene device according the preceding Claim, wherein the covering cap (16) is a convexly curved (advantageously in a dome shape) over the display element (14), in particular forms a covering bubble cap under which the display element (14) is embedded and encapsulated.

11. Personal hygiene device according to any of the two preceding Claims, wherein the display element (14) possesses multiple segments aligned towards different viewing directions.

12. Personal hygiene device according to the preamble of Claim 1 or any of the preceding Claims, wherein the hygiene tool and/or the display device (13) [sic] a bearing surface (10b) conformed to the base station (7) for mobile placement of the hygiene tool and/or the display device (13) on the base station (7), as well as resetting means to reset the deposited hygiene tool and/or the deposited display device back into the desired position on the base station (7) after a deflection out of the desired position.

13. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein the resetting means are formed by magnetic retention means (11) to hold the hygiene tool and/or the display device (13) on the base station (7).

14. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the conformed bearing surface (10b) is fashioned as a rocking surface - advantageously a rocking surface that is curved on multiple axes, in particular in a rotationally symmetrical manner, advantageously is approximately ovoid - to rock the hygiene tool and/or the display device (13) in different placement positions, and the resetting device is fashioned such that a resetting moment is generated at the hygiene tool and/or the display device (13) given deflection of said hygiene tool and/or said display device (13) out of the rocking means position.

15. Personal hygiene device according to one of the two preceding Claims, wherein the inductive charging connector (6) and the magnetically active retention means (11) are arranged coaxial to one another on a front-side end of a handle (3) of the hygiene tool.

16. Personal hygiene device according to the preamble of Claim 1 or any of the preceding Claims, wherein the display device (13) forms an electronic picture frame that possesses a separate image data connector for connection to an external image data source.

17. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein the display device (13) possesses a sequence controller module to automatically switch the the respective displayed image (which can be imported from the image data source) forward.

18. Personal hygiene device according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the hygiene tool possesses an additional display device (24) that is controlled depending on an event - in particular a game progression on the separately fashioned display device (13) - and/or depending on an operating parameter of the hygiene tool.

19. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein the display device (24) provided at the hygiene tool possesses an illuminatable display element - in particular an illuminatable indicator ring - on the handle (3), advantageously on the front end of the handle (3) of the hygiene tool.

20. Personal hygiene device according to the preamble of Claim 1 or any of the preceding Claims, wherein the hygiene tool possesses navigation control means for navigation of a virtual screen element and/or avatar (22) across the display device (13) and/or across the background image shown on said display device (13).

21. Personal hygiene device according to the preceding Claim, wherein the navigation control means comprise a manually operable navigation switch (23) that advantageously possesses multiple pressure segments arranged in different directions to generate navigation control signals pointing in different directions.

22. Personal hygiene device according to one of the two preceding Claims, wherein the navigation control means possesses displacement means for translational displacement of the avatar (22) and rotation means to rotate the avatar (22), wherein the displacement means and the rotation means are advantageously fashioned such that they can be operated independently of one another but simultaneously if necessary.