# US 7,743,447 B2 · Toothbrush assembly having an environmentally safe polymer battery > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,447 B2 - Document ID: US7743447B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/117,622 - Filed: 2005-04-28 - Published: 2005-08-25 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2002-11-08 - Assignees: Colgate-Palmolive Company - Inventors: James Kemp; James G. Masters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743447B2 ## CPC - A46B 15/0044: {with light signalling means (A46B15/0034, A46B15/0036 takes precedence)} - A46B 15/0002: {Arrangements for enhancing monitoring or controlling the brushing process} - A61C 17/22: with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like (brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B) - A61C 17/224: {Electrical recharging arrangements} - A61C 17/349: {with multiple brush bodies} - A46B 2200/1066: Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures (A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04) - A61C 17/3436: {Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder} - A61C 2204/002: using batteries - A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G) - 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) ## Abstract The present invention discloses a powered or manual toothbrush having a polymer battery as a power source. The polymer battery contains no heavy metals, making it environmentally safe, and contains no alkaline, making it physically safe. The polymer battery is inexpensive and rechargeable, making it an economical power source for the toothbrush. The small size of the polymer battery saves space in the toothbrush housing, enabling the housing to be smaller and saving on materials of construction. The flexible nature of the polymer battery enables it to be shaped to fit into or around the periphery of the toothbrush housing design. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toothbrush assembly, comprising: a head connected to a handle, said head having at least one cleaning element extending outwardly therefrom; said handle having an opaque outer covering, said handle further having an inner body comprising a transparent or translucent material; a drive mechanism provided in said handle configured for oscillating said at least one cleaning element; a powered element provided in at least one of said head and said handle; and a polymer battery electrically coupled to said powered element to provide power thereto; wherein the powered element comprises a light source, and light from said light source is reflected along an inner surface of the inner body by reflection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said light source further comprises a light-emitting diode (LED). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said polymer battery is rechargeable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein said polymer battery is rechargeable mechanically, chemically, or photochemically. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said polymer battery comprises at least one electrode made of an electrically conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(3(2-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(2,4-fluorophenyl)-thiophene), poly(3(3,4-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4-difluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,5-difluoro-phenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)thiophene), lithium alloy/polypyrrole, tetramethyl/-ethyl/propyl/butylammonium trifluoromethane sulphonate, tetraalkyl ammonium salts, alcoholic hydroxy groups, polyaniline, polyacetylene, polyparaphenylene, poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), and poly(2,5-thienylene vinylene). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said polymer battery is flexible. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer battery is provided in the handle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said powered element further comprises is a drive mechanism provided in the handle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A toothbrush assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein the at least one cleaning element is movable and is driven by the drive mechanism. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The toothbrush assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer covering has a plurality of openings, each of which exposes the inner surface of the inner body through the covering. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The toothbrush assembly of claim 10, wherein the exposed surfaces of the inner body are roughened to provide diffused light through the handle at the openings. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The toothbrush assembly of claim 10, wherein reflective particles are dispersed in an inner surface of the opaque outer covering. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The toothbrush assembly of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a plurality of light transmitting bristles, and reflected light from the light source enters the head and exits through a base portion of said bristles. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The toothbrush assembly of claim 1, wherein a plurality of optical fibers are molded into the handle, input ends of the fibers are located adjacent the light source, and output ends of the fibers terminate adjacent to selected areas of a surface the handle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The toothbrush assembly of claim 14, wherein the output ends of the fibers are roughened to provide diffused light at the selected areas of the surface of the handle. ### Claim 16 A personal care device, comprising: a head having at least one cleaning element extending outwardly therefrom; a handle connected to the head; said handle having an opaque outer covering and an inner body comprising a transparent or translucent material; a drive mechanism provided in said handle configured for moving said at least one cleaning element; a powered element provided in at least one of the head and the handle; wherein the powered element comprises a light source, and light from said light source is reflected along a length of the inner body by internal reflection; and wherein a polymer battery is electrically coupled to the powered element to provide power thereto. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A personal care device as recited in claim 16, wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode (LED). ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A personal care device as recited in claim 16, wherein the polymer battery is rechargeable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A personal care device as recited in claim 16, wherein the polymer battery comprises at least one electrode made of an electrically conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(3(2-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(2,4-fluorophenyl)-thiophene), poly(3(3,4-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4-difluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,5-difluoro-phenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)thiophene), lithium alloy/polypyrrole, tetramethyl/-ethyl/propyl/butylammonium trifluoromethane sulphonate, tetraalkyl ammonium salts, alcoholic hydroxy groups, polyaniline, polyacetylene, polyparaphenylene, poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), and poly(2,5-thienylene vinylene). ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) A personal care device as recited in claim 16, wherein the powered element further comprises a drive mechanism provided in the handle, and wherein the at least one cleaning element is movable and is driven by the drive mechanism. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) A personal care device as recited in claim 16, wherein the personal care device is a toothbrush. ### Claim 22 A personal care device, comprising: a head having at least one consumer-beneficial element; a handle connected to said head; said handle having an opaque outer covering, said handle further having an inner body comprising a transparent or translucent material; a drive mechanism provided in said handle configured for oscillating said at least one consumer-beneficial element; a powered element provided in at least one of said head and said handle, said powered element comprising a light; and a battery electrically coupled to said powered element to provide power thereto; wherein the battery is an environmentally safe polymer battery; wherein light from said light source is reflected along a length of the inner body by internal reflection. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A personal care device as recited in claim 22, wherein the personal care device is a toothbrush and the at least one consumer-beneficial element is at least one cleaning element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A personal care device as recited in claim 23, wherein the at least one cleaning element is a toothbrush bristle. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) A personal care device as recited in claim 23, wherein said polymer battery is rechargeable. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) A personal care device as recited in claim 22, wherein said polymer battery comprises at least one electrode made of an electrically conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(3(2-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(2,4-fluorophenyl)-thiophene), poly(3(3,4-fluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4-difluorophenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,5-difluoro-phenyl)thiophene), poly(3(3,4,5-trifluorophenyl)thiophene), lithium alloy/polypyrrole, tetramethyl/-ethyl/propyl/butylammonium trifluoromethane sulphonate, tetraalkyl ammonium salts, alcoholic hydroxy groups, polyaniline, polyacetylene, polyparaphenylene, poly(p-phenylene sulfide), poly(p-phenylene vinylene), and poly(2,5-thienylene vinylene). ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) A personal care device as recited in claim 22, wherein the powered element is a light-emitting diode (LED).