Abstract:
A toothbrush that contains an imaging device being camera for seeing teeth on an image display monitor before, during and after cleaning them and for storing and transferring images and videos of teeth and oral tissues for better maintenance of oral hygiene and health. The toothbrush with camera comprises a brush head ( 1 ) with bristles ( 3 ) and a camera ( 4 ), and a hollow handle ( 2 ) containing camera assembly. Different embodiments of the toothbrush with camera are disclosed herein.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The disclosure herein relates to a toothbrush that includes an imaging device being camera. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Toothbrushes are used by people every day to clean their teeth by removing food remnants and dental plaque sticking on to the teeth. Dental plaque contains many bacteria that cause diseases of teeth and gums like dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis etc. When plaque is not removed from the surfaces of teeth it turns into calculus also known as tartar. Calculus cannot be removed by normal brushing as it is hard and sticks to the teeth firmly. Progression of dental diseases may lead to loss of teeth over a period of time if not treated by a dentist. Unhealthy teeth and gums have adverse effects on the general health also. 
         [0003]    Even though many varieties of toothbrushes are available in the markets, mainly two types of brushes are available, manual and motorised. Manual toothbrushes have rows of bristles placed on the brush head that is attached to a handle.  FIG. 1  shows a manual toothbrush. Motorised toothbrushes have bristles mounted on a head in a circular arrangement. The head is attached to a handle that contains the motor for moving the head. The head rotates or oscillates in a semi-circle when started.  FIG. 2  shows a motorised toothbrush. 
         [0004]    A person brushing teeth is not able to see clearly the food and plaque deposits on the rear side of the front teeth and on the teeth that are in the back side of the mouth. So it is not possible for the person to determine whether the brushing is effective in cleaning the teeth thoroughly. 
         [0005]    A person is not able to see if there is dental caries in the back teeth or swelling in the gums around the back teeth. Only a dentist would be able to tell the person during a regular dental check up if there is any dental disease present in the mouth. 
         [0006]    These problems presented due to inability to see the teeth clearly in the mouth are overcome by a toothbrush with an imaging device being camera. So far no attempts have been made to develop such a toothbrush. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In accordance with the principles herein, a toothbrush with a camera is set forth. The toothbrush with camera can be used for efficiently brushing teeth to maintain good oral hygiene and for detecting dental diseases easily. The toothbrush with camera can be used for sending images and videos of a person&#39;s teeth and mouth to a dentist&#39;s office for a consultation. The toothbrush with camera is very easy to manufacture and easy to operate. 
         [0008]    A toothbrush constructed in accordance with the principles herein has several novel aspects. In general, the toothbrush includes a head attached to a handle. The head has tufts of bristles arranged in rows. A camera lens is placed in the head to capture pictures and videos to transmit to a display unit. A light source can be placed near the camera lens to illuminate the field of the camera. The handle contains the camera body and a power source for operating the camera and the light source. The handle has a switch to put on and put off the camera and the light and to record and transmit images and videos to a display unit with or without a cable. 
         [0009]    Although many different embodiments of the toothbrush with a camera are described, the toothbrush with camera essentially works in the same manner in all the embodiments. 
         [0010]    The objects and advantages of the toothbrush with camera herein will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a typical prior art manual toothbrush. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a typical prior art motorised toothbrush. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a toothbrush with camera according to the present invention showing a light source and a cable port for data transfer. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 6  with the cover in open position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view another embodiment of a toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 8  showing the brush head in detached position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view another embodiment of a toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 11  showing the brush head in detached position. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a top view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is a top view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention showing the brush head in detached position. 
           [0029]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention showing a light source and a data cable port for data transfer. 
           [0031]      FIG. 21  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 20 . 
           [0032]      FIG. 22  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0033]      FIG. 23  is an exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 22  showing the brush head in detached position. 
           [0034]      FIG. 24  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 22 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 25  is a cross-sectional side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 22 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 26  is a top view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 22 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 27  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0038]      FIG. 28  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 27 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 29  is a partly exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 27  showing the brush head and the camera section detached from the handle. 
           [0040]      FIG. 30  is a fully exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 27  showing the brush head and the camera section detached from each other and the handle. 
           [0041]      FIG. 31  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a motorised toothbrush with camera according to the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 32  is an exploded view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 31  showing the camera section moved around a pivot and the brush head detached from the handle and the camera section. 
           [0043]      FIG. 33  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 31 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 34  is a side view of the toothbrush with camera of  FIG. 31  showing the camera section in open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0045]    The following describes exemplary embodiments constructed in accordance with the principles herein as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 to 34 . 
         [0046]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  show a toothbrush with camera of the invention. The toothbrush includes a head  1  that is attached to a handle  2  used for holding the toothbrush. The head  1  and the handle  2  of the toothbrush can be of plastic or of any other permissible material. The head  1  has tufts of bristles  3  arranged in rows. The tufts of bristles  3  can be of nylon or of any other permissible material. The bristles  3  are used to clean the teeth. The handle  2  has a hollow recess  6 A. A camera  4  is placed in a hollow recess  6 B in the head  1  of the toothbrush and is connected to other parts of the camera assembly placed in the recess  6 A of the handle  2  through a passage  6 C. The camera  4  is operated by a switch  5  on the handle  2 . The camera  4  can comprise a lens and an image sensor (such as a charge coupled device—CCD) coupled to an image processor of a printed circuit board. It can be of any suitable size, shape and construction. The camera  4  can comprise a wireless image transmitter for transmitting camera images to a display unit that is not hardwired to the camera. Any suitable type of wireless image transmitter can be used and the transmitter can be located within the handle  2  and hardwired to the camera. The camera  4  can be used to see the teeth before, during and after brushing on a display unit such as a display monitor in the mirror of a bathroom. The images can also be seen on hand held devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), hand held televisions, data/video-enabled cellular telephones, and other hand held wired or wireless video-enabled devices and on computer monitors. Although PDAs may be connected to a desktop personal computer or other PDAs via infrared, blue tooth, direct wire, or wireless communication links, PDAs and similar hand held devices can be linked to remote networks such as the Internet, or local wireless resources, such as RF broadcasts, through available wireless communications techniques. The recorded images and videos can be sent anywhere in the world through the internet for consulting health care professionals. The camera  4  can comprise other components such as a power supply (e.g. a rechargeable lithium battery), Typically, these are incorporated into the handle  2  of the toothbrush. The battery can be charged by induction charging. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show another embodiment of toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the head  1  contains a light source  8  placed near the camera  4  to illuminate the area captured by the camera  4 . Any suitable type of light source can be used. Preferably, the light source  8  comprises at least one light emitting diode (LED). The handle  2  has a data transfer port  7  to connect the toothbrush to a display unit with a data transfer cable such as a USB cable that can also charge the battery. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  show another embodiment of toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the bristles are contained within a detachable section  10  of the head  1 . Projections  11  of the detachable section  10  fit into cut out sections  12  of the brush head  1  when inserted sideways. This can allow changing of the bristles  3  after they get spoiled due to use, without changing the whole toothbrush with camera. It can also allow different users to use the toothbrush with camera after changing the bristles taking due measures to clean the head with camera. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 11 ,  12 ,  13  and  14  show another embodiment of toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the bristles  3  are contained within a detachable section  10  of the head  1  having extensions  13  that fit into projections  14  on either side of the head  1 . The detachable section  10  can be pulled up vertically to change the bristles  3 . 
         [0050]      FIGS. 15 ,  16  and  17  show a motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention. The toothbrush includes a head  1  that is attached to a handle  2  used for holding the toothbrush. The head  1  has tufts of bristles  3  arranged in a circular manner on a movable base section  10  that rotates or oscillates in a semi-circle when switched on. The handle  2  has a hollow recess  6 A. A camera  4  is placed in a hollow recess  6 B in the head  1  of the toothbrush and is connected to other parts of the camera assembly placed in the recess  6 A of the handle  2  through a passage  6 C. A motor assembly is placed in a recess  6 D of the head  1  and is connected to its other parts placed in the recess  6 A of the handle  2  through a passage  6 E. The base section  10  is connected to a part of the motor assembly (not shown in Figure) placed in recess  6 D. The camera  4  and the movable base section  10  are operated by switches  5  on the handle  2 . 
         [0051]      FIGS. 18 , and  19  show another embodiment of the motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the base section  10  containing bristles  3  is detachable. A projection  16  of a motor assembly fits into a recess  15  in the bristle-head section  10 . 
         [0052]      FIGS. 20 , and  21  show another embodiment of the motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein two light sources  8  are placed in the brush head  1  near camera  4 . The handle  2  has a data transfer port  7  to connect the toothbrush to a display unit with a data transfer cable such as a USB cable that can also charge the battery. The handle  2  has a cover  17  to access the inside of the tooth brush. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25  and  26  show another embodiment of the motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the head  1  can be separated from the handle  2  to replace the bristles  3 . A projection  18  of the handle  2  fits into a recess  19  of the head  1 . A camera  4  is placed in a hollow recess  6 B in the head  1  of the toothbrush and is connected to other parts of the camera assembly placed in the recess  6 A of the handle  2  through passages  6 C in the head  1  and  6 F in the projection  18  of the handle  2 . A motor assembly is placed in a recess  6 D of the head  1  and is connected to its other parts placed in the recess  6 A of the handle  2  through passages  6 E in the head  1  and  6 G in the projection  18  of the handle  2 . The bristle-head section  10  is connected to a part of the motor assembly (not shown in Figure) placed in recess  6 D. The camera  4  and the movable bristle-head section  10  are operated by switches  5  on the handle  2 . 
         [0054]      FIGS. 27 ,  28 ,  29  and  30  show another embodiment of the motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the head  1  can be separated from the handle  2  to replace the bristles  3 . The head  1  of the toothbrush has two parts, the bristle-head section  20  and the camera-head section  21 . The bristle-head section  20  can separate from the camera-head section  21  after the head  1  is separated from the handle  2 . The bristle-head section can be replaced when the bristles get spoiled, without changing the camera-head section  21 . Projections  22  in the bristle-head section  20  fit into depressions  23  in the camera-head section  21  when the two sections are pressed together. A projection  24 A in the camera-head section  21  and a projection  24 B in the bristle-head section  20  fit into a projection  18  of the head  2 . 
         [0055]      FIGS. 31 ,  32 ,  33  and  34  show another embodiment of the motorised toothbrush with camera of the invention wherein the camera-head section  21  can rotate around a pivot  25  in the handle  2  to move into an open position so that the brush-head section  20  gets separated from the camera-head section  21 . Then the brush-head section  20  can be detached from the handle  2  for a replacement. Projections  22  in the brush head-section  20  fit into depressions  23  in the camera head section  21  to lock the two parts when the brush head section  20  is fitted into projection  18  of the handle  2  and the camera head section  21  is moved into close position. The camera head section  21  remains connected to the camera assembly housed in the recess of the handle through flexible wire connectors. 
         [0056]    Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the head and the handle of the toothbrush can have various shapes like round, square, oval, triangular, rhomboid, trapezoid etc. The imaging device being camera can be replaced with any other imaging device having similar functions as those of a camera. The imaging device can have two or mare cameras spaced apart to capture 3-D images. The camera lens can be placed anywhere on the toothbrush head. The camera can have auto-focus facility. Preferably the toothbrush with camera has three LEDs mounted within the head. The bristles on the motorised toothbrush may not be placed in a circle. The bristles may move in a forward-backward direction rather than in a circular motion. The toothbrush with camera would be made waterproof to prevent the camera from getting spoilt. Although the edges of the toothbrush are sharp in the drawings, they would be smoothened in the manufactured brushes to make them comfortable to the patients.