# US 2013/0239342 A1 · Dental Cleaning Device

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- Number: US 2013/0239342 A1
- Document ID: US20130239342A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/875,310
- Filed: 2013-05-02
- Published: 2013-09-19
- Earliest claimed: 2001-12-04
- Assignees: Braun GmbH
- Applicants: Braun GmbH
- Inventors: Alexander Hilscher; Hansjorg Reick; Martin Stratmann; Peter Trawinski; Wolfgang Vorbeck; Armin Schwarz-Hartmann; Christian Neyer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130239342A1

## CPC

- A61C 17/16: Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61B 18/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00)
- A61B 18/1402: {Probes for open surgery}
- A61C 17/221: {Control arrangements therefor}
- A61C 17/225: {Handles or details thereof}
- A61C 17/32: reciprocating or oscillating
- A61C 17/3436: {Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder}
- A61B 2018/00595: {Cauterization}
- A61B 2218/007: Aspiration
- A61B 2218/008: for smoke evacuation
- A61C 2204/005: using chip tag or any electronic identification mean, e.g. RFID
- A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00)
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An electric toothbrush with a removable brush section having a transponder communicating with a handle portion of the toothbrush via a non-contacting inductive coupling.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electric toothbrush, comprising:
a handle;
a first coil arranged within or on the handle, wherein when energized the first coil emits electromagnetic wave energy;
a brush attachment that couples to the handle, the brush attachment including a bristle section;
a second coil arranged within or on the brush attachment, wherein the second coil can receive electromagnetic wave energy emitted by the first coil when the brush attachment is coupled to the handle;
an electric motor operatively coupled to the brush attachment to move the bristle section when the brush attachment is coupled to the handle; and
a battery that powers the electric motor;
wherein the first coil and the second coil are in the shape of a ring having a hole therethrough.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the motor oscillates the bristle section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electric toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the motor oscillates the bristle section at a frequency between about 100 to about 400 Hz.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The electric toothbrush of claim 2, wherein the motor oscillates the bristle section about an axis of rotation through an angle between about plus or minus 10 degrees to about plus or minus 60 degrees.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a shaft having a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end that operatively connects to the brush attachment when the brush attachment is coupled to the handle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electric toothbrush of claim 5, wherein the shaft extends through the hole in the first coil.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The electric toothbrush of claim 5, wherein the shaft extends through the hole in the second coil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the handle further comprises a first annular body arranged to improve a coupling factor of the first coil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electric toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the first annular body comprises ferrite.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The electric toothbrush of claim 8, wherein the brush attachment further comprises a second annular body arranged to improve a coupling factor of the second coil.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The electric toothbrush of claim 10, wherein the second annular body comprises ferrite.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The electric toothbrush of claim 1, wherein the brush attachment further comprises an electric element that is powered by the second coil.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the electric element is connected to the second coil by a connecting line.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the electric element comprises at least one of a capacitor, a diode, a micro-controller, a rectifier, a resistor, and a transponder.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the electric element transmits a signal to the first coil and modulates the signal to transmit information to the first coil.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The electric toothbrush of claim 12, wherein the electric element comprises a resistor.