U.S. patent application number 16/891248 was filed with the patent office on 2020-09-17 for light emitting oral care implement.
This patent application is currently assigned to Colgate-Palmolive Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Colgate Palmolive Company. Invention is credited to Guang Sheng GUO, Wen Jin XI, Fan Gang XIE, Bo ZHANG, Jian Rong ZHOU.
Application Number | 20200288858 16/891248 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004870091 |
Filed Date | 2020-09-17 |
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00000.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00001.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00002.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00003.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00004.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00005.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00006.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00007.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00008.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00009.png)
![](/patent/app/20200288858/US20200288858A1-20200917-D00010.png)
United States Patent
Application |
20200288858 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
XI; Wen Jin ; et
al. |
September 17, 2020 |
Light Emitting Oral Care Implement
Abstract
An oral care product array includes a handle component and
multiple refill components therefor. The handle component includes
a power source. A first refill component includes a first light
generating module which emits light in a first spectrum from the
first refill component. A second refill component includes a second
light generating module which emits light in a second spectrum from
the second refill component. Each refill component has a coupled
state, when coupled to the handle component, and a decoupled state,
when decoupled from the handle component. When the first refill
component is in the coupled state, the first light generating
module is powered by the power source to emit light in the first
spectrum. When the second refill component is in the coupled state,
the second light generating module is powered by the power source
to emit light in the second spectrum.
Inventors: |
XI; Wen Jin; (Shanghai,
CN) ; GUO; Guang Sheng; (Yangzhou, CN) ;
ZHANG; Bo; (Yangzhou, CN) ; XIE; Fan Gang;
(Shanghai, CN) ; ZHOU; Jian Rong; (Yangzhou,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Colgate Palmolive Company |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Colgate-Palmolive Company
New York
NY
|
Family ID: |
1000004870091 |
Appl. No.: |
16/891248 |
Filed: |
June 3, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
16066753 |
Jun 28, 2018 |
10702055 |
|
|
PCT/US2016/068262 |
Dec 22, 2016 |
|
|
|
16891248 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 17/222 20130101;
A61N 2005/0644 20130101; A61N 2005/0606 20130101; A61N 5/0603
20130101; A61N 2005/063 20130101; A46B 5/0095 20130101; A46B
2200/1066 20130101; A46B 15/0034 20130101; A61N 2005/0661 20130101;
A61N 2005/0662 20130101; A61N 2005/0667 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A46B 15/00 20060101
A46B015/00; A46B 5/00 20060101 A46B005/00; A61N 5/06 20060101
A61N005/06; A61C 17/22 20060101 A61C017/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2015 |
CN |
201510994722.8 |
Dec 28, 2015 |
CN |
201510994741.0 |
Claims
1. An oral care product array comprising: a handle component
comprising: a power source; and a light generating module operably
coupled to the power source and configured to generate light across
a spectral range; a first refill component comprising: a first
light guide having a light receiving end and a light emitting end;
and a first light filter operatively coupled to the first light
guide to spectrally limit light emitted from the light emitting end
of the first light guide to a first spectrum; and a second refill
component comprising: a second light guide having a light receiving
end and a light emitting end; and a second light filter operatively
coupled to the second light guide to spectrally limit light emitted
from the light emitting end of the second light guide to a second
spectrum, the second spectrum being different than the first
spectrum; wherein the spectral range comprises both the first and
second spectrums; the first refill component alterable between: (1)
a decoupled state in which the first refill component is separated
from the handle component; and (2) a coupled state in which the
first refill component is mounted to the handle component and the
receiving end of the first light guide receives light generated by
the light generating module; and the second refill component
alterable between: (1) a decoupled state in which the second refill
component is separated from the handle component; and (2) a coupled
state in which the second refill component is mounted to the handle
component and the receiving end of the second light guide receives
light generated by the light generating module.
2. The oral care product array according to claim 1, further
comprising a package, each of the handle component, the first
refill component, and the second refill component disposed in the
package.
3. The oral care product array according to claim 1, wherein: the
handle component comprises a gripping section; and each of the
first and second refill components being a toothbrush refill head
comprising a head portion and a plurality of tooth cleaning element
extending from a front surface of the head portion.
4. The oral care product array according to claim 3, wherein the
handle component further comprises a stem portion extending from a
distal end of the gripping section, the stem portion terminating in
a sealed distal end; and each of the first and second refill
components further comprises a sleeve portion having an inner
surface defining a sleeve cavity, the head portion coupled to a
distal end of the sleeve portion.
5. The oral care product array according to claim 4 wherein the
sleeve cavity extends along a longitudinal axis from a blind top
end to an open bottom end located at a proximal end of the sleeve
portion; and wherein in the coupled state, the stem portion of the
handle component is disposed within the sleeve cavity.
6. The oral care product array according to claim 3, wherein the
light emitting end of the first light guide emits light from the
head portion of the first refill component; and wherein the light
emitting end of the second light guide emits light from the head
portion of the second refill component.
7. The oral care product array according to claim 3, wherein for
the first refill component, at least one of the plurality of tooth
cleaning elements forms a portion of the first light guide and
comprises the light emitting end of the first light guide; and
wherein for the second refill component, at least one of the
plurality of tooth cleaning elements forms a portion of the second
light guide and comprises the light emitting end of the second
light guide.
8. The oral care product array according to claim 1, wherein the
light generating module comprises a light emitting diode emitting
light across the spectral range.
9. The oral care product array according to claim 1, wherein the
light generating module comprises a plurality of light emitting
diodes, each of the light emitting diodes emitting light in a
different spectrum than the other ones of the light emitting
diodes, the spectral range comprising the combined spectrums of the
plurality of light emitting diodes.
10. An oral care implement comprising: a handle component
comprising: a gripping section; a power source; a light generating
module operably coupled to the power source and configured to
generate light across a spectral range; and an actuator operably
coupled to the light generating module, the actuator configured to
spectrally limit light generated by the light generating module to
a selected spectrum within the spectral range; and a refill head
comprising: a head portion; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements
extending from a front surface of the head portion; and a light
guide having a light receiving end and a light emitting end; the
refill head alterable between: (1) a decoupled state in which the
refill head is separated from the handle component; and (2) a
coupled state in which the refill head is mounted to the handle
component and the receiving end of the light guide receives the
selected spectrum of light for emission from the refill head.
11. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
handle component comprises a stem portion extending from a distal
end of the gripping section, the stem portion terminating in a
sealed distal end; and the refill head comprising a sleeve portion
having an inner surface defining a sleeve cavity, the head portion
coupled to a distal end of the sleeve portion.
12. The oral care implement according to claim 11, wherein the
sleeve cavity extends along a longitudinal axis from a blind top
end to an open bottom end located at a proximal end of the sleeve
portion; and wherein in the coupled state, the stem portion of the
handle component is disposed within the sleeve cavity.
13. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
light emitting end of the light guide emits light from the head
portion of the refill head.
14. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein at least
one of the plurality of tooth cleaning elements forms a portion of
the light guide and comprises the light emitting end of the light
guide.
15. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
light generating module comprises a light source configured to
generate light across the spectral range and a light filter module
comprising a plurality of light filters, each of the plurality of
light filters configured to spectrally limit light generated by the
light generating module when activated; and wherein the actuator is
operably coupled to the light filter module to selectively activate
a selected light filter from among the plurality of light
filters.
16. The oral care implement according to claim 15, wherein the
light filter module comprises a rotatable filter plate comprising a
plurality of sections, each of the sections comprising one of the
plurality of light filters.
17. The oral care implement according to claim 16, further
comprising: wherein the actuator comprises a programmable
controller operably coupled to a servo motor, the servo motor
configured to rotate the rotatable filter plate; wherein the
programmable controller is configured to actuate the servo motor to
selectively activate the selected light filter; and wherein the
actuator comprises a user input device operably coupled to the
programmable controller; wherein the programmable controller is
configured to actuate the servo motor based on a user input
received from the user input device to selectively activate the
selected light filter.
18. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
refill head comprises a selection indicator feature and the handle
component comprises a selection identifier which interact with the
selection indicator feature when the refill head is in the coupled
state; wherein the actuator is configured to spectrally limit light
generated by the light generating module to the selected spectrum
within the spectral range based on an input received from the
selection identifier when the refill head is in the coupled
state.
19. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
light generating module comprises a light emitting diode emitting
light across the spectral range.
20. The oral care implement according to claim 10, wherein the
light generating module comprises a plurality of light emitting
diodes, each of the light emitting diodes emitting light in a
different spectrum than the other ones of the light emitting
diodes, the spectral range comprising the combined spectrums of the
plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein the actuator is
configured to spectrally limit light generated by the light
generating module to the selected spectrum within the spectral
range by activating fewer than all of the plurality of light
emitting diodes.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/066,753, filed Jun. 28, 2018, which is a
national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 371 of
PCT/US2016/068262, filed Dec. 22, 2016, the entireties of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] An oral care implement, such as a toothbrush, is used to
clean the teeth by removing plaque and debris from the tooth
surfaces. Toothbrushes may also emit light for purposes such as
whitening teeth, killing bacteria within the mouth, detecting the
presence of bacteria within the mouth, increasing blood circulation
for gum therapy, reducing the pain from gum inflammation, among
other potential uses. However, oral care implements that are
presently available on the market are single purpose implements, in
that they are designed to address only one purpose for which a
light emitting toothbrush may be useful. Thus, a need exists for an
oral care implement that can emit light that is useful for several
purposes, and particularly an oral care implement that uses refill
heads to provide the multi-purposed use.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0003] The present invention may be directed, in one aspect, to an
oral care product having a handle component and one or more refill
components configured to emit a selected spectrum of light. Each
refill component may be detachably coupled to the handle component
of the oral care product. A light emitting module may be included
in the handle component or in one or more of the refill components
and powered by a power source in the handle component. In
embodiments with light emitting modules included in multiple refill
components, each refill component may be configured to emit a
different spectrum of light. In embodiments with the light emitting
module included in the handle component, the emitted spectrum of
light may be selected by having different refill components include
different light filters or by the light emitting component being
configured to enable selection of the emitted spectrum of
light.
[0004] In one aspect, the invention may be an oral care product
array including: a handle component including a power source; a
first refill component comprising a first light generating module
configured to emit light in a first spectrum from the first refill
component; a second refill component including a second light
generating module configured to emit light in a second spectrum
from the second refill component, the second spectrum being
different than the first spectrum; the first refill component
alterable between: (1) a decoupled state in which the first refill
component is separated from the handle component; and (2) a coupled
state in which the first refill component is mounted to the handle
component and the first light generating module is powered by the
power source to emit light in the first spectrum from the first
refill component; and the second refill component alterable
between: (1) a decoupled state in which the second refill component
is separated from the handle component; and (2) a coupled state in
which the second refill component is mounted to the handle
component and the second light generating module is powered by the
power source to emit light in the second spectrum from the second
refill component.
[0005] In another aspect, the invention may be an oral care
implement including: a handle component including: a gripping
section; a power source; and an inductive power circuit operably
coupled to the power source; and a toothbrush refill head
including: a head portion; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements
extending from a front surface of the head portion; a light
generating module operably coupled to the power source and
configured to generate light across a spectral range; and an
inductive element operably coupled to the light generating module;
the toothbrush refill head alterable between: (1) a decoupled state
in which the toothbrush refill head is separated from the handle
component; and (2) a coupled state in which the toothbrush refill
head is mounted to the handle component and the inductive element
of the toothbrush refill head is inductively coupled to the
inductive power circuit of the handle component to supply power
from the power source to the light generating module.
[0006] In still another aspect, the invention may be an oral care
product array including: a handle component including: a power
source; and a light generating module operably coupled to the power
source and configured to generate light across a spectral range; a
first refill component including: a first light guide having a
light receiving end and a light emitting end; and a first light
filter operatively coupled to the first light guide to spectrally
limit light emitted from the emitting end of the first light guide
to a first spectrum; and a second refill component including: a
second light guide having a light receiving end and a light
emitting end; and a second light filter operatively coupled to the
second light guide to spectrally limit light emitted from the
emitting end of the second light guide to a second spectrum, the
second spectrum being different than the first spectrum; wherein
the spectral range comprises both the first and second spectrums;
the first refill component alterable between: (1) a decoupled state
in which the first refill component is separated from the handle
component; and (2) a coupled state in which the first refill
component is mounted to the handle component and the receiving end
of the first light guide receives light generated by the light
generating module; and the second refill component alterable
between: (1) a decoupled state in which the second refill component
is separated from the handle component; and (2) a coupled state in
which the second refill component is mounted to the handle
component and the receiving end of the second light guide receives
light generated by the light generating module.
[0007] In yet another aspect, the invention may be an oral care
implement including: a handle component including: a gripping
section; a power source; a light generating module operably coupled
to the power source and configured to generate light across a
spectral range; and an actuator operably coupled to the light
generating module, the actuator configured to spectrally limit
light generated by the light generating module to a selected
spectrum within the spectral range; and a refill head including: a
head portion; a plurality of tooth cleaning elements extending from
a front surface of the head portion; and a light guide having a
light receiving end and a light emitting end; the refill head
alterable between: (1) a decoupled state in which the refill head
is separated from the handle component; and (2) a coupled state in
which the refill head is mounted to the handle component and the
receiving end of the light guide receives the selected spectrum of
light for emission from the refill head.
[0008] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.
It should be understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the
invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description and the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is perspective view of an oral care implement having
a handle component and a refill component in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a gripping
section and a stem portion of the handle component of the oral care
implement of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of the refill component of the oral
care implement of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the refill component of
the oral care implement of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an oral care product array
including a handle component and a plurality of refill
components;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an oral care implement
having a handle component and a refill component in accordance with
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view of an oral care implement
having a handle component and a refill component in accordance with
still another embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 7B is a schematic view of a filter plate for the oral
care implement of FIG. 7A;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an oral care implement having
a handle component and a refill component in accordance with still
another embodiment of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a partial schematic view of the handle component
and a refill component of an oral care implement in accordance with
still another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is
merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the
invention, its application, or uses.
[0021] The description of illustrative embodiments according to
principles of the present invention is intended to be read in
connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be
considered part of the entire written description. In the
description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any
reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for
convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit
the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as "lower,"
"upper," "horizontal," "vertical," "above," "below," "up," "down,"
"top" and "bottom" as well as derivatives thereof (e.g.,
"horizontally," "downwardly," "upwardly," etc.) should be construed
to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the
drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience
of description only and do not require that the apparatus be
constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless
explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as "attached," "affixed,"
"connected," "coupled," "interconnected," and similar refer to a
relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one
another either directly or indirectly through intervening
structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or
relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the
features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference
to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention
expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments
illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features
that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the
scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended
hereto.
[0022] As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for
describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value
within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In
addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by
referenced in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a
definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference,
the present disclosure controls.
[0023] Turning in detail to the drawings, an oral care implement 1
is illustrated in FIG. 1. In this exemplified embodiment, the oral
care implement 1 is an electric or powered toothbrush which emits
light from the head. However, the invention is not to be so limited
in all embodiments. In certain other embodiments the device may be
a manual toothbrush having a replaceable head portion. Thus, the
invention is not to be limited to an electric or powered oral care
implement 1 unless so limited by the claims.
[0024] With reference to FIGS. 1-3, the oral care implement 1
includes a handle component 2 having a gripping section 10
extending from a proximal end 8 to a distal end 9, a stem portion
80 extending from the distal end 9 of the gripping section 10, and
a refill component 100. In the exemplified embodiment the gripping
section 10 of the handle component 2 includes an actuator button 3
which serves as a user input device and facilitates powering the
oral care implement 1 on and off when the oral care implement 1 is
a powered or electric toothbrush. Of course, the actuator button 3
may be positioned at other locations on the handle component 2 than
that which is shown in the drawings in other embodiments. In
certain embodiments, the actuator button 3 may be replaced by other
types of actuator devices. The refill component 100 is detachably
coupled to the stem portion 80 of the handle component 2 as
described in greater detail below. Different variations of refill
components may be used with and coupled to/decoupled from the
handle component 2 so that a user has options regarding the type of
refill component desired for use.
[0025] The refill component 100 includes a sleeve portion 110 and a
head portion 130. In certain embodiments, any refill component 100
described herein may be a toothbrush refill head, and as such, a
plurality of tooth cleaning elements 133 are mounted to the head
portion 130 and extend from a front surface 131 of the head portion
130 of the refill component 100. A soft tissue cleaner 122, which
may be formed of an elastomeric material, is coupled to or mounted
on a rear surface 132 of the head portion 130 of the refill
component 100.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the handle component
2 of the oral care implement 1. The handle component 2 includes the
gripping section 10, a chassis 20, a power source 44 (such as a
rechargeable battery, a non-rechargeable battery, battery cells,
printed batteries, super capacitors, a control circuit that stores
electrical energy, or the like), a control circuit 50, a motor 60
having a drive shaft 66, a vibratory source 70, and the stem
portion 80. The gripping section 10 is configured to be gripped or
grasped by a user to enable the user to manipulate the oral care
implement 1 during use. The gripping section 10 also houses the
electronic circuitry and components necessary for operation of the
oral care implement 1 as a powered or electric toothbrush which
emits light. In certain embodiments, the power source 44 may be
omitted and the device may be powered by a plug that is coupled to
a power supply, such as a wall socket.
[0027] The gripping section 10 of the handle component 2 has an
interior cavity for accommodating the chassis 20, the power source
44, and the control circuit 50. The interior cavity of the gripping
section 10 may be cylindrical in some embodiments although the
invention is not to be so limited in all embodiments.
[0028] In certain embodiments, the control circuit 50 may include a
programmable controller to enable greater functionality and control
over the electronic components within the oral care implement 1.
The control circuit 50 may be in operable communication with the
button 3, thereby enabling a user to provide input to the control
circuit 50 for controlling the oral care implement 1. User input to
the control circuit 50 may be used to control any one or more of
the electrical components included as part of the oral care
implement 1.
[0029] The stem portion 80 includes an open proximate end 81 which
is affixed to the chassis 20 of the gripping section 10 and
terminates in a sealed distal end 85. In certain embodiments, the
that stem portion 80 and the gripping section 10 may be integrally
formed. The body 83 of the stem portion 80 may be tapered and
generally cone-shaped, with a smaller cross-sectional profile at
the sealed distal end 85 as compared to the open proximate end 81.
The external surface of the body 83 of the stem portion 80 may
include a coupling element 91 which serves as an orientation key
when the refill component 100 is coupled to the handle component 2.
In certain embodiments, the coupling element 91 may also serve to
lock the refill component 100 onto the handle component 2.
[0030] The open proximate end 81 of the stem portion 80 provides a
passageway into a stem cavity 87 for receiving and/or retaining the
vibratory source 70 and the motor 60 in certain embodiments. The
sealed distal end 85 of the stem portion 80 forms an engagement
portion 98, which is configured to engage an inner surface of the
sleeve portion 110 of the refill component 100 when the refill
component 100 is coupled to the handle component 2. The engagement
portion 98 includes a stem tip 97 extending from an upper surface
96 of the stem portion 80, such that the upper surface 96 forms an
annular transverse shoulder that surrounds the stem tip 97.
[0031] The vibratory source 70 includes an extension shaft 72 that
may be formed of a synthetic resin and an eccentric shaft 73 that
may be formed of metal. The extension shaft 72 of the vibratory
source 70 is engaged with the drive shaft 66 of the motor 60 so
that the motor 60 can rotate the vibratory source 70 to impart a
desired movement to the refill component 100. The motor 60 is
electrically connected by 62a, 62b to the control circuit 50, which
controls operation of the motor 60 and is powered by the power
source 44. The eccentric shaft 73 of the vibratory source 70
includes an eccentric portion 77 and an axial shaft portion 78. The
bottom end of the eccentric portion 77 is connected to the
extension shaft 72.
[0032] A recessed hole 89 is formed at the end of the stem cavity
87 adjacent the distal end 85 of the stem portion 80. The recessed
hole 89 slidably receives the axial shaft portion 78 of the
eccentric shaft 73 of the vibratory source 70. Thus, an upper end
of the eccentric shaft 73 of the vibratory source 70 is mounted
within or adjacent to the stem tip 97. With this configuration, the
eccentric portion 77 of the vibratory device 70 is rotatably
mounted within the stem cavity 86. The recessed hole 89 serves as a
bearing for holding the axial shaft portion 78 of the eccentric
shaft 73 of the vibratory source 70. The vibratory source 70 is
freely rotated in the stem cavity 86 even under high frequency
vibration. In certain embodiments, because the recessed hole 89
serves as the bearing, it is not necessary to provide a separate
bearing arrangement for rotatably holding the axial shaft portion
78. Of course, a separate bearing assembly may be provided in some
embodiments.
[0033] As noted above, the motor 60 is operably coupled to the
power source 44 through the control circuit 50. The drive shaft 66
of the motor 60 is operably coupled to the eccentric portion 77 of
the vibratory source 70 to rotate the eccentric portion 77 to cause
vibrations in the refill component 100, or specifically to the head
portion 130 or the tooth cleaning elements 133 thereon.
Specifically, when the vibratory source 70 rotates about its axis
by the motor 60, the eccentric portion 77 generates a high
frequency vibration which is transmitted to the stem arrangement 80
and to the refill component 100 coupled thereto.
[0034] Two lead wires 93a, 93b, which serve to provide power to a
light generating module included in the refill component 100, are
also coupled to the control circuit 50. These lead wires 93a, 93b
extend from the control circuit 50 to the body 83 of the stem
portion 80, and up to the distal end 85 of the stem portion 80,
where they each terminate at electrical contacts 94a, 94b. As
depicted, the lead wires 93a, 93b are embedded within the body 83
of the stem portion 80 to prevent interference with the vibratory
source 70. In certain embodiments, the lead wires 93a, 93b may run
along the inside surface of the body 83 of the stem portion 80. In
still other embodiments, particularly those without vibratory
sources, the lead wires 93a, 93b may extend within the stem cavity
87 without being embedded within or running along the surface of
the body 83 of the stem portion.
[0035] The refill component 100, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, includes a
sleeve portion 110 and a head portion 130. The sleeve portion 110
of the refill component 100 slides over the stem portion 80 of the
handle component 2 to couple the refill component 100 to the stem
portion 80. The sleeve portion 110 extends from a proximal end 111
to a distal end 112. In certain embodiments, the head portion 130
and the sleeve portion 110 are formed of a rigid material, such as
a rigid plastic material including without limitation polymers and
copolymers of ethylene, propylene, butadiene, vinyl compounds and
polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate. The head portion 130
and the sleeve portion 110 may be integrally formed or separately
formed and later coupled together. In the exemplified embodiment
the head and sleeve portions 110, 130 are integrally formed in an
injection molding process.
[0036] The head portion 130 of the refill component 100 is located
at the distal end 112 of the sleeve portion 110 and includes a
front surface 131 and an opposing rear surface 132. As discussed
above, there are a plurality of tooth cleaning elements 133
extending from the front surface 131 of the head portion 130 of the
refill component 100. The plurality of tooth cleaning elements 133
include a plurality of bristle tufts 134 that are mounted to the
head portion 130 and extend from the front surface 131 of the head
portion 130. Each of the bristle tufts 134 may include a plurality
of bristles. The bristles may be filament bristles, fiber bristles,
spiral bristles, nylon bristles, or the like. Each of the
above-referenced types of bristles may be end-rounded or tapered.
The bristle tufts 134 may be coupled to the head portion 130 using
staple technology, anchor-free tufting technologies, or the like as
desired.
[0037] In addition to the bristle tufts 134, the tooth cleaning
elements 133 may include one or more elastomeric tooth contact
elements 135a, 135b extending from the front surface 131 of the
head portion 130. In certain embodiments the bristle tufts 134 form
a bristle field, and the elastomeric tooth contact elements 135a,
135b are located within the bristle field. In the exemplified
embodiment the bristle tufts 134 extend to a height above the front
surface 131 of the head portion 130 of the refill component 100
that is greater than a height that the elastomeric tooth contact
elements 135a, 135b extend above the front surface 131 of the head
portion 130 of the refill component 100.
[0038] In the embodiment shown, the bristle tufts 134 and the
elastomeric tooth contact elements 135a, 135b have a specific
pattern on the head portion 130 of the refill component 100.
However, in other embodiments, other patterns for the bristle tufts
134 and the elastomeric tooth cleaning contact elements 135a, 135b
may be used.
[0039] In this embodiment, the elastomeric tooth contact elements
135a, 135b include four peripheral contact elements 135a and two
central contact elements 135b. The peripheral contact elements 135a
include two peripheral contact elements 135a that are transversely
aligned near a proximal end of the head portion 130 and two
peripheral contact elements 135a that are transversely aligned near
a distal end of the head portion 130. The peripheral contact
elements 135a are linear wall-like segments having a rib 139
protruding from its inner surface. Thus, the ribs 139 of the
peripheral contact elements 135 face inwardly towards a center of
the head portion 130.
[0040] The two central contact elements 135b are arcuate shaped
contact elements positioned centrally on the head portion 130 of
the refill component 100. The central contact elements 135b are
arranged to form a loop having gaps that are aligned along a plane
that extends transverse to the longitudinal axis A-A. The central
contact elements 135b have concave surfaces that face one another
and convex surfaces facing away from one another and towards the
proximal and distal ends of the head portion 130 of the refill
component 100, respectively.
[0041] The bristle tufts 134 include three peripheral bristle tufts
on each opposing side of the head, the three peripheral bristle
tufts being positioned between two of the peripheral contact
elements 135a in the longitudinal direction of the head portion 130
of the refill component 100. The bristle tufts also include four
proximal bristle tufts located between the bottom one of the
central contact elements 135b and the proximal end of the head
portion 130 and six distal bristle tufts located between the top
one of the central contact elements 135b and the proximal end of
the head portion 130. The four proximal tufts are positioned
generally between two of the peripheral contact elements 135a
located near the proximal end of the head portion 130. The six
distal proximal tufts are positioned generally between two of the
peripheral contact elements 135a located near the distal end of
the.
[0042] In this exemplary embodiment, the refill component 100
includes a light generating module 200 located within a cavity 201
formed within the head portion 130. The light generating module 200
is configured to emit light in a first spectrum from the refill
component 100. To accomplish this, the light generating module 200
includes at least one light source 202, a light guide 203, and a
light filter 204. In the embodiment shown, the light generating
module 200 includes two light emitting diodes 206a, 206b as the
light source 202. Each light emitting diode 206a, 206b is
positioned within the cavity 201 to direct light into one of the
elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts elements 135b, both of which
serve as part of the light guide 203 for the light generating
module 200. As part of the light guide 203, the elastomeric tooth
cleaning contacts elements 135b form part of a light receiving end
207 of the light guide 203, which is located closest to the light
emitting diodes 206a, 206b, and form part of a light emitting end
208, which is distal from the front surface 131 of the head portion
130. Light generated by the light emitting diodes 206a, 206b is
received into the light receiving end 207 of the light guide 203
formed by the elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts elements 135b,
and the received light is guided down the length of each
elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts elements 135b to be emitted at
the light emitting end 208 of the light guide 203, which is at the
distal ends of the elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts elements
135b. In this manner, light generated by the light source 202 is
emitted from the refill component 100. Although the above describes
light as being emitted from the front surface 131 of the head
portion 130 and/or from the elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts
elements 135b, in certain embodiments, light may be emitted from
any part of the head portion 130, such as the rear surface 132 of
the head portion 130, or from the entirety of the head portion
130.
[0043] In embodiments in which the light emitting diodes 206a, 206b
generate light across a broad spectral range, generated light may
be passed through the light filter 204 in order to spectrally limit
light emitted from the head portion 130 of the refill component 100
to a desired spectrum. In embodiments in which the light emitting
diodes 206a, 206b generate light in a spectrum that is desired for
emission from the refill component 100, then the light filter 204
may be omitted. In certain embodiments, an alternative light guide
may be used that is positioned between the light source 202 and the
front surface 131 of the head portion 130, without extending beyond
the front surface 131, so that light is emitted directly from the
front surface 131 of the head portion 130. In such embodiments, it
is optional to also use the elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts
elements 135b as secondary light guides. In certain embodiments,
one or both of the light guide 203 and the light filter 204 may be
omitted from the light generating module 200.
[0044] In the exemplary embodiment, the refill component 100 also
includes electrical contacts 211a, 211b located within the sleeve
portion 110, and the electrical contacts 211a, 211b are operably
coupled to the light generating module 200 by wires 212a, 212b. The
location of the electrical contacts 211a, 211b within the sleeve
portion 110 is such that, when the refill component 100 is seated
on the stem portion 80 of the handle component 2, electrical
contact is made between the electrical contacts 211a, 211b within
the sleeve portion 110 and the electrical contacts 94a, 94b of the
stem portion 80 of the handle component 2. Electrical contact
between the electrical contacts 211a, 211b within the sleeve
portion 110 and the electrical contacts 94a, 94b of the stem
portion 80 of the handle component 2 serve to provide power to the
light generating module 200 from the power source 44 as controlled
by the control circuit 50. With power to the light generating
module 200 being controlled by the control circuit 50, the control
circuit 50 may be configured to provide power to the light
generating module 200 based upon user input from the button 3 (see
FIG. 1).
[0045] As indicated above, the light source may generate light in a
broad spectral range, with generated light limited to a narrower
spectrum before it is emitted from the refill component 100. The
broad spectral range may be generated, for example, by a light
source having a single light emitting diode, or by a light source
having a plurality of light emitting diodes. In embodiments in
which a plurality of light emitting diodes are utilized to generate
the broad spectral range, each of the light emitting diodes may
emit light in a different spectrum than the other ones of the light
emitting diodes, such that the combination of spectrums from the
plurality of light emitting diodes combine to create the broad
spectral range. In such embodiments, the spectrum of light
generated by each light emitting diode may be non-overlapping
and/or non-contiguous with the spectrum of light generated by any
of the other light emitting diodes. In certain embodiments in which
multiple light emitting diodes are utilized as a light source, the
spectrum of light emitted from the refill component 100 may be
selected by providing power to fewer than all of the plurality of
light emitting diodes or by filtering the broad spectral range to
select only the desired spectrum to be emitted. Some spectrums of
light that may be advantageously emitted by the refill component
100 include a 600 nm to 700 nm wavelength spectrum, a 385 nm to 520
nm wavelength spectrum, and a 200 nm to 300 nm wavelength spectrum.
Other spectrums of light may also be emitted from the refill
component 100. In certain embodiments, multiple spectrums of light
may be emitted simultaneously, with the multiple spectrums being
non-overlapping and/or non-contiguous.
[0046] Certain wavelength spectrum may be particularly useful. By
way of examples, light in the infra-red spectrum can increase blood
circulation for gum therapy; light in the blue spectrum can reduce
the pain from gum inflammation; light in another area of the blue
spectrum can be used to identify bacteria on teeth and gums; light
in the UV or purple spectrum can reduce the bacteria in the mouth;
and white light can be used to whiten teeth, particularly when
associated with light-sensitive chemicals in certain types of
toothpaste.
[0047] The sleeve portion 110 includes a sleeve cavity 113 that
extends along a longitudinal axis A-A from a blind top end 114 to
an open bottom end 115 that is located at the proximal end 111 of
the sleeve portion 110. The blind top end 114 of the sleeve cavity
113 is blind because it is not visible from the exterior of the
refill component 100. The sleeve cavity 113 accommodates the stem
portion 80 of the handle component 2 to permit coupling of the
refill component 100 to the handle component 2.
[0048] The sleeve cavity 113 includes an entry section 171 and an
engagement section 172. The entry section 171 of the sleeve cavity
113 has a first minimum diameter and includes the open bottom end
115 of the sleeve cavity 113. The engagement section 172 of the
sleeve cavity 113 has a second minimum diameter that is less than
the first minimum diameter. In certain embodiments the maximum
diameter of the engagement section 172 is less than the minimum
diameter of the entry section 171.
[0049] The sleeve portion 110 includes an outer surface 119 and an
inner surface 173, the inner surface 173 defining the sleeve cavity
113. The inner surface 173 of the sleeve portion 110 includes an
annular transverse shoulder 174 located between the entry section
171 of the sleeve cavity 113 and the engagement section 172 of the
sleeve cavity 113. The sleeve cavity 113 further includes an
uppermost section 175 located between the engagement section 172
and the blind top end 114 of the sleeve cavity 113. As shown, the
uppermost section 175 of the sleeve cavity 113 has a transverse
cross-sectional area that continually decreases with distance from
the engagement section 172 of the sleeve cavity 113 towards the
blind top end 114 of the sleeve cavity 113.
[0050] The refill component 100 includes a coupling element 140
located near the proximal end 111 of the sleeve portion 110. As
shown, the coupling element 140 is an opening formed into the
sleeve portion 110 that extends from the open bottom end 115 of the
sleeve portion 110 upwardly in the direction of the head portion
130 for a portion of the length of the refill component 100. The
coupling element 140 may have a specific structure or shape that
permits the coupling element 140 to mate with the coupling element
91 on the stem portion 80 to facilitate coupling and/or locking the
refill component 100 to the handle component 2.
[0051] The refill component 100 is alterable between a coupled
state, as illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the stem portion 80 of
the handle component 2 is disposed within the sleeve cavity 113 of
the refill component 100, and a decoupled state, in which the
refill component 100 is separated from the handle component 2. In
the decoupled state, the refill component 100 is separated from the
handle component 2. In the coupled state, the refill component 100
is mounted to the handle component 2 and the light generating
module 200 is powered by the power source 44 to emit light from the
refill component 100.
[0052] A package 220 is shown in FIG. 5 which contains an oral care
product array including one handle component 2, a first refill
component 100a, and a second refill component 100b. In certain
embodiments, the package 220 may include additional refill
components. The handle component 2 may have the features as shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each refill component 100a, 100b may have the
features as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Optionally, each refill
component 100a, 100b may have any one or more of the features
described for alternative embodiments above. The difference between
the refill components 100a, 100b is that the first refill component
100a is configured to emit light in a first spectrum, and the
second refill component 100b is configured to emit light in a
second spectrum, with the second spectrum being different from the
first spectrum. In certain embodiments, the first and second
spectrum may be overlapping spectrums. In certain other
embodiments, the first and second spectrum may be non-overlapping
and non-contiguous spectrums.
[0053] In alternative embodiments, the package may contain refill
components 100a, 100b having the features shown for the refill
components 100 of FIGS. 6 and 8. Optionally, each refill component
100a, 100b may have any one or more of the features described for
alternative embodiments described in conjunction with FIGS. 6 and
8.
[0054] In the package 220, each refill component 100a, 100b is
shown in the decoupled state. Each refill component 100a, 100b may
be separately placed in the coupled state on the handle component 2
(i.e., with the one handle component 2, both refill components
100a, 100b may not be simultaneously placed in the coupled state).
When the first refill component 100a is mounted to the handle
component 2 in the coupled state, the light generating module of
the first refill component 100a is powered by the power source of
the handle component 2 to emit light in the first spectrum from the
first refill component 100a. Similarly, when the second refill
component 100b is mounted to the handle component 2 in the coupled
state, the light generating module of the second refill component
100b is powered by the power source of the handle component 2 to
emit light in the second spectrum from the second refill component
100b.
[0055] An alternative embodiment of an oral care implement 1 is
shown in FIG. 6 having a refill component 100 mounted on a handle
component 2. The handle component 2 includes most of the same
structural features as shown for the handle component 2 of FIGS. 1
and 2. The handle component 2 includes the gripping section 10, a
chassis 20, a power source (not shown in FIG. 6), a control circuit
50, a motor 60 having a drive shaft 66, a vibratory source 70, and
a stem portion 80.
[0056] The stem portion 80 includes an open proximate end 81 which
is affixed to the chassis 20 of the gripping section 10 and
terminates in a sealed distal end 85. The open proximate end 81 of
the stem portion 80 provides a passageway into a stem cavity 87 for
receiving and/or retaining the vibratory source 70 and the motor 60
in certain embodiments. The sealed distal end 85 of the stem
portion 80 forms an engagement portion 98, which is configured to
engage an inner surface of the sleeve portion 110 of the refill
component 100 when the refill component 100 is coupled to the
handle component 2. The engagement portion 98 includes a stem tip
97 extending from an upper surface 96 of the stem portion 80, such
that the upper surface 96 forms an annular transverse shoulder that
surrounds the stem tip 97.
[0057] A light generating module 230 is located within the handle
component 2 at the stem tip 97. The light generating module 230 is
configured to emit light across a spectral range, and to that end,
the light generating module 230 includes at least one light source
232. As shown, the light generating module 230 includes a light
emitting diode 236 as the light source 232. In alternative
embodiments, the light generating module 230 may include a
plurality of light emitting diodes as the light source 232. The
light emitting diode 236 is coupled to the control circuit 50 by
lead wires 242a, 242b, so that the control circuit 50 may control
power supplied to the light emitting diode 236 from the power
source.
[0058] The refill component 100 also includes a light guide 233 for
guiding light from the light generating module 230 of the handle
component 2 to the head portion 130 of the refill component 100.
The light guide 233 includes a light receiving end 237, located
between the blind top end 114 of the sleeve cavity 113 and the
distal end 112 of the sleeve portion 110, and a light emitting end
238, which directs light out of the front surface 131 of the head
portion 130. The light emitting end 238 of the light guide 233 also
directs light into the elastomeric tooth contact elements 135b,
such that the elastomeric tooth contact elements 135b form part of
the light emitting end 238 of the light guide 233. A light filter
234 is located at the light receiving end 237 of the light guide
233 to in order to spectrally limit light emitted from the head
portion 130 of the refill component 100 to a desired spectrum. In
embodiments in which the light emitting diode 236 generates light
in a spectrum that is desired for emission from the refill
component 100, then the light filter 234 may be omitted.
[0059] With the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the handle component 2
and a plurality of the refill components 100 may be incorporated
into an oral care package in the same manner as shown and described
for FIG. 5.
[0060] An alternative embodiment of an oral care implement 1 is
shown in FIG. 7A having a refill component 100 mounted on a handle
component 2. The handle component 2 includes some of the same
structural features as shown for the handle component 2 of FIGS. 1
and 2. The handle component 2 includes the gripping section 10, a
chassis 20, a power source (not shown in FIG. 7A), a control
circuit 50, and a stem portion 80. The handle component 2 of the
embodiment depicted does not include a vibratory source 70,
however, in alternative embodiments a vibratory source 70 could be
included.
[0061] The stem portion 80 includes an open proximate end 81 which
is affixed to the chassis 20 of the gripping section 10 and
terminates in a sealed distal end 85. The open proximate end 81 of
the stem portion 80 provides a passageway into a stem cavity 87 for
receiving and/or retaining the vibratory source 70 and the motor 60
in certain embodiments. The sealed distal end 85 of the stem
portion 80 forms an engagement portion 98, which is configured to
engage an inner surface of the sleeve portion 110 of the refill
component 100 when the refill component 100 is coupled to the
handle component 2. The engagement portion 98 includes a stem tip
97 extending from an upper surface 96 of the stem portion 80, such
that the upper surface 96 forms an annular transverse shoulder that
surrounds the stem tip 97.
[0062] A light generating module 250 is located within the chassis
20 of the handle component 2. The light generating module 250 is
configured to emit light in a desired spectrum. To that end, the
light generating module 250 includes at least one light source 252
which emits light across a spectral range. As shown, the light
generating module 250 includes a light emitting diode 256 as the
light source 252. In alternative embodiments, the light generating
module 250 may include a plurality of light emitting diodes as the
light source 252. The light emitting diode 256 is coupled to the
control circuit 50 by lead wires 262a, 262b, so that the control
circuit 50 may control power supplied to the light emitting diode
236 from the power source.
[0063] The light generating module 250 includes a light filter
module 254. The light filter module 254 includes a plurality of
light filters, each of which may be activated, one at a time, with
each configured to spectrally limit light generated by the light
generating module when activated. The control circuit 50 is
operably coupled to a servo motor 259, which is located within the
chassis 20 of the handle component 2, through lead wires 263a,
263b. The servo motor 259 is operably coupled to a drive shaft 260,
which is in turn operably coupled to a rotatable filter plate 255,
which includes the plurality of light filters. The control circuit
50 serves as an actuator for the servo motor 259 and controls
rotation of the servo motor 259 to rotate the rotatable filter
plate 255. In certain embodiments, the control circuit 50 may be
actuated by the actuator button 3 included as part of the handle
component 2. FIG. 7B shows a schematic view of the rotatable filter
plate 255, which includes three filter sections, F0, F1, and F2.
More or fewer light filters may be included as part of the filter
plate 255. The handle component 2 includes a light guide 265 having
a receiving end 266 positioned to receive light passing through the
selected filter (one of F0, F1, or F2) of the rotatable filter
plate 255 and guide the received light to the emitting end 267,
which directs light out through the stem tip 97 of the stem portion
80. Each filter section, F0, F1, and F2, when activated by optical
coupling between the light source 252 and the receiving end 266 of
the light guide 265, serves to spectrally limit light generated by
the light generating module to the selected spectrum within the
spectral range, such that light in the selected spectrum is
received by the light guide 265 and emitted at the emitting end 267
of the light guide 265.
[0064] The refill component 100 includes a light guide 253 for
guiding light from the emitting end 267 of the light guide 265 of
the handle component 2 to the head portion 130 of the refill
component 100. The light guide 253 includes a light receiving end
257, which is located between the blind top end 114 of the sleeve
cavity 113 and the distal end 112 of the sleeve portion 110, and a
light emitting end 258, which directs light out of the front
surface 131 of the head portion 130. In alternative embodiments,
the light emitting end 258 of the light guide 253 may also direct
light into one or more elastomeric tooth contact elements which are
included as part of the refill component 100.
[0065] The broad spectral range may be generated, for example, by a
light source having a single light emitting diode, or by a light
source having a plurality of light emitting diodes. In embodiments
in which a plurality of light emitting diodes are utilized to
generate the broad spectral range, each of the light emitting
diodes may emit light in a different spectrum than the other ones
of the light emitting diodes, such that the combination of
spectrums from the multiple light emitting diodes combine to create
the broad spectral range. In such embodiments, the spectrum of
light generated by each light emitting diode may be non-overlapping
and/or non-contiguous with the spectrum of light generated by any
of the other light emitting diodes. In certain embodiments in which
multiple light sources are utilized, the spectrum of light emitted
from the refill component 100 may be selected by providing power to
fewer than all of the plurality of light emitting diodes instead
of, or in addition to, filtering light from the light source 252
using the light filter module 254.
[0066] Yet another alternative embodiment of an oral care implement
1 is shown in FIG. 8 having a refill component 100 mounted on a
handle component 2. In the depiction of this embodiment, the
features which serve to enable mounting the refill component 100
onto the handle component 2 have been omitted for purposes of
simplicity. It is to be understood that the handle component 2 may
still include a stem portion 80 and the refill component 100 may
still include a sleeve portion 110 for coupling the refill
component 100 to the handle component 2. Moreover, features of one
or more of the previously discussed embodiments, particularly those
which include a light generating module within the refill component
100, may be incorporated into the embodiment of FIG. 8.
[0067] The refill component 100 includes a light generating module
280 located within a cavity 281 formed within the head portion 130.
The light generating module 280 is configured to emit light in a
first spectrum from the refill component 100. To accomplish this,
the light generating module 280 includes at least one light source
282 and a light guide 283. In certain embodiments, the light
generating module 280 may also include a light filter 204. In the
embodiment shown, the light generating module 280 includes a light
emitting diode 286 as the light source 282. The light emitting
diode 286 is positioned within the cavity 201 to direct light into
the elastomeric tooth cleaning contacts elements 135b, both of
which serve as part of the light guide 283 for the light generating
module 280 to emit light generated by the light source 282 from the
refill component 100.
[0068] In this embodiment, the handle component 2 includes control
circuit 50 which is operably coupled to a handle coil 290 through
wire leads 291a, 291b. The handle coil 290 is located within the
handle component 2 to be in close proximity to a refill coil 292
located within the refill component 100. Each of the two coils 290,
292 are wire coils, each including several loops of wire to create
an electrical inductor. The two coils 290, 292 are in sufficiently
close proximity to be inductively coupled, i.e., when the handle
coil 290 is powered by the control circuit 50 with an appropriate
oscillating power signal, an induction field is established by the
handle coil 290, and this induction field is coupled to the refill
coil 292 to induce a current to be generated within the refill coil
292. The refill coil 292 is operably coupled to the light
generating module 280 through lead wires 293a, 293b, such that the
current generated by the inductively coupled refill coil 292
provides power to the light generating module 280.
[0069] Portions of a refill component 100 coupled to a handle
component 2 are illustrated in FIG. 9. The combination of the
refill component 100 coupled to the handle component 2 provides a
selection mechanism which may be used in combination with any of
the embodiments described above which may make use of a selection
input made to the control circuit 50 to function as an actuator in
response to the selection input. As part of the selection
mechanism, the refill head 100 includes a plurality of selection
indicator features 302, which are shown as a plurality of teeth,
and the handle component 2 includes a plurality of selection
identifiers 301, which are shown as a plurality of switches. Each
selection identifier 301 is located within one of a plurality of
receptacles 300, each of which is formed to receive one of the
teeth. Each selection identifier 301 is operably coupled to the
control circuit 50 within the handle component 2, such that the
control circuit 50 may determine which, if any, of the selection
identifiers 301 of the handle component 2 are interacting with one
of the selection indicator features 302 of the refill component 100
when the refill component 100 is mounted to the handle component 2.
By identifying which of the selection identifiers 301 are
interacting with one of the selection indicator features 302, the
control circuit 50 can identify the type of refill component 100
that has been mounted onto the handle component 2, and use that
information as a selection input to determine which of a plurality
of light emitting diodes are to be powered and/or which light
filter on a rotatable filter plate is to be used to filter a broad
spectral range. Such a selection mechanism may also be used for
other purposes in connection with an oral care implement when a
selection input is required.
[0070] While the invention has been described with respect to
specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying
out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
there are numerous variations and permutations of the above
described systems and techniques. It is to be understood that other
embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
present invention. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention
should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended
claims.
* * * * *