Abstract:
Magnetic levitation technology is incorporated in a toothbrush to supply power useable to power movable cleaning elements, emit light or sound and other functions. Power is generated by merely shaking the toothbrush.

Description:
[0001]     This application is a continuation of application PCT/US2003/029493, filed Sep. 17, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/412,510 filed Sep. 20, 2002, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Toothbrushes containing, or linked to, power sources are known. Power supplied to, or in, a toothbrush is used for many purposes. Principal among those uses is the powering of movable cleaning elements. Some examples of powered cleaning elements are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,625,916 and 6,347,452B1. In these patents a battery is used to drive a motor that imparts reciprocating, vibrating motion to tooth cleaning elements. Other patents, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,795, describe a toothbrush where a motor imparts rotational movement to cleaning elements. Still others, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,197 describe a toothbrush utilizing ultrasonic cleaning which is powered by conventional 60 cycle house current.  
         [0003]     Other patents describe lighted toothbrushes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,294 discloses a battery powered light emitting device (LED). A motion switch reacts to movement of the toothbrush to activate circuitry connecting multiple LEDs to a battery power source. This produces a novelty “twinkle” effect in the toothbrush. U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,734 discloses a battery powered toothbrush with audible signals emanating from the brush timed to correspond with optimum lengths of tooth brushing. Still other powered features associated with toothbrushes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,294 (See column 1, line 11 to column 2, line 10).  
         [0004]     Most of these powered toothbrushes suffer the disadvantage of relying on batteries for power. Battery power poses the problem of sudden loss of power after extended use. Replacement of batteries depends upon ready availability of a fresh battery. Batteries add considerable bulk to the handle for a toothbrush. Batteries can also corrode and destroy the toothbrush.  
         [0005]     For sanitary and electrical reasons (avoidance of short circuits), the battery must be sealed in the toothbrush handle. This complicates battery replacement efforts, especially for elderly and juvenile users.  
         [0006]     Thus, there is a need for a powered toothbrush that can operate for long periods without need to replace batteries and eliminates the need for access to house current to power the toothbrush (either directly or through a rechargeable power pack).  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A powered toothbrush is disclosed which contains a self-contained power source that needs no replacement or external power supply. More specifically, the toothbrush of the invention is powered by magnetic levitation technology. In this approach kinetic energy is transformed into electrical energy by repeatedly passing a high field strength magnet through a coil of wire. Resultant electrical energy is stored in a capacitor. Energy is created by simply shaking the toothbrush so that the magnet is moved through the coiled wire.  
         [0008]     Magnetic levitation technology has been used to power flashlights. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,719B1 describes such a flashlight which is powered when the user shakes the flashlight to move a magnet through a coil. The electricity so generated is used to charge a capacitor that in turn powers a light emitting diode (see column 1, lines 43-46). Use of such levitation technology to power a toothbrush is disclosed herein. The use of this approach avoids many of the abovementioned pitfalls of other energy sources used to power toothbrushes.  
         [0009]     The ready availability of continuous energy within the toothbrush offers multiple possibilities for toothbrush enhancements. The power generated by simply shaking the toothbrush can, in addition to powering movable cleaning elements, be used to emit light or sound from the toothbrush, provide energy to catalyze special synergistically formulated toothpaste, provide energy for piezoelectric functions or generate UV light for self sanitizing functions. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]     This invention is capable of use to provide a broad array of powered features in a toothbrush. The drawing illustrates one use of the invention and is not to be construed as the only embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows the powered toothbrush of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates one application of magnetic levitation technology in a toothbrush, more particularly, to power a light source (LED) in the toothbrush. As described above, the power generated by the toothbrush can be used for other applications including rotation, reciprocation or other movement of cleaning elements; to emit music; sanitize the toothbrush or other enhancements.  
         [0013]     As illustrated, the toothbrush  10  includes a handle  12  with cleaning elements  14  (shown in phantom) at one end. The handle  12  preferably contains a hollowed bore  16 . Concentrically arranged within the bore  16  is a wire coil  18  which surrounds a magnet  20 . The magnet  20  is free to move in both directions relative to coil  18  as indicated by the arrows in  FIG. 1 . At either end of travel within the bore  16  springs or repelling magnets (not shown) may be placed to prevent bottoming of the magnet  20  in its travels through the hollowed bore. Wire leads  21  and  22  attached to the wire coil  18  lead to capacitor  24 . A bridge rectifier (not shown) may be used in this circuit between coil  18  and capacitor  24  to convert AC input into DC output to the capacitor  24 .  
         [0014]     The capacitor  24  is electrically connected to LED  28 . An LED protection zener diode  26  can be arranged in one lead to capacitor  24  to prevent excessive forward voltage that could damage the LED.  
         [0015]     To enhance the effect of light emitted by light emitting diode  28  a portion or all of handle  12  can be transparent or translucent.  
         [0016]     To operate toothbrush  10 , the user need only shake the handle  12  in a manner that causes the magnet  20  to move back and forth within the hollow bore  16  in handle  12 . The energy thus generated is stored in capacitor  24  and discharged as needed to light the toothbrush or operate one or more alternative powered components such as cleaning elements, UV sanitizing element, music or the like. A switch (not shown) may be inserted in the wiring circuit to control the release of power being stored in capacitor  24 .  
         [0017]     Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used as the cleaning elements  14  in the broad practice of this invention. The term “cleaning elements” is intended to be used in a generic sense which could include conventional fiber bristles or massage elements or other forms of cleaning elements such as elastomeric fingers or walls arranged in a circular cross-sectional shape or any type of desired shape including straight portions or sinusoidal portions. Where bristles are used, the bristles could be mounted to tuft blocks or sections by extending through suitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the base of the bristles is mounted within or below the tuft block.