Short-life power toothbrush for trial use
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsWilliam G. Lundell, Daniel Bayeh, Jane M. Mueller, John W. Pace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trial (test) power toothbrush designed to emulate the performance of a corresponding commercial toothbrush, powered by a non-rechargeable battery. The power to drive the toothbrush is controlled by a control circuit which is responsive to the battery to maintain the drive power at approximately the level of the commercial unit and a short “trial use” period, i.e. one month/30 days, and then to terminate operation of the power toothbrush. The trial toothbrush may then be readily disposed of by the user, including the battery therein.
Claims10
A trial-use power toothbrush, comprising:
- a trial power toothbrush designed to emulate the performance of a corresponding commercially available power toothbrush;
- a power system, including a battery, to provide power for the trial power toothbrush for only a selected short trial use period time which is long enough, approximately sixty brushings, for approximately one month of use, that the user becomes accommodated to the operation of the trial power toothbrush and can evaluate the performance thereof, but is substantially less than a normal period of use, wherein the trial power toothbrush approximates the operation of the corresponding commercial toothbrush for said selected period of time;
- and
- a control circuit, separate from the battery, preventing further operation of the power toothbrush at the end of said selected period of time.
A trial-use power personal care appliance, comprising:
- a trial power personal care appliance designed to emulate the performance of a corresponding commercially available personal care appliance;
- a power system, including a battery, to provide power for the trial power appliance for only a selected short period of time which is long enough, approximately sixty uses, for approximately one month of use, that the user becomes accommodated to the operation of the trial power appliance and can evaluate the performance thereof, but substantially less than a normal period of use, wherein the trial power appliance approximates the operation of the corresponding commercial appliance for said selected period of time;
- and
- means, separate from the battery, preventing further operation of the personal care appliance at the end of said selected period of time.
A trial-use power toothbrush, comprising:
- a trial power toothbrush designed to emulate the performance of a corresponding commercially available power toothbrush;
- a power system, including a battery, to provide power for the power toothbrush for only a selected trial use period of time which is long enough that the user becomes accommodated to the operation of the trial power toothbrush and can evaluate the performance thereof, but is substantially less than a normal period of use, wherein the power trial toothbrush approximates the operation of the corresponding commercial toothbrush for a selected period of time;
- and
- a control circuit, separate from the battery, preventing further operation of the power toothbrush at the end of said selected trial use period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.