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US 5,133,102 AGranted
Electronic toothbrush
AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Sangi
InventorShuji Sakuma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic toothbrush has a handle accommodating a light-emitting diode and a sound-producing device as well as an electric circuit for actuating the diode and device. When a current is caused to flow through the toothbrush by grasping the brush and bringing it into contact with the teeth, light and sound are emitted to notify the user that the toothbrush is operating.
Claims1
An electronic toothbrush comprising:
- a bristle portion having a number of bristles implanted therein;
- a battery provided inside said handle portion and having first and second electrode;
- a first conductor provided inside said handle and connecting the first electrode of said battery to said bristle portion;
- a second conductor fixed to an outer surface of said handle portion and connected to the second electrode of said battery;
- an indicator means provided inside said handle portion for emitting light and sound;
- an electric circuit provided inside said handle and connected to each of said conductors for activating said indicator means to produce sound and light to a user of the toothbrush when a hand of the user contacts said second conductor and said bristles contact the teeth of the user and to enable an electric current to flow from the first to the second electrode of said battery, said indicating means serving to indicate the flow of electric current in said electric circuit;
- said electric circuit including (1) a transistor connected through the indicator means to the first electrode and also connected to the second electrode and (2) an amplifier circuit comprising first and second resistor means and an amplifier, the amplifier being connected through the first resistor means to the transistor and through the second resistor means to the second conductor and the second electrode;
- a battery cassette detachably attached to said handle portion, wherein said battery is accommodated, the first electrode of said battery being electrically connected through said electric circuit to said first conductor, whereby when said toothbrush is used electric current passes through the users hand and body via the dental tissue to the tooth surfaces so as to cause protein organic ions thereon to become affixed to the toothbrush.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.