Patent Publication Number: US-2017347790-A1

Title: Electrical tooth brush device having suction and related kit and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to the following patent applications, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety: U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/336,793 filed on May 16, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/337,251 filed on May 16, 2016. The present application is also a continuation in part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 15/454,897 filed on Mar. 9, 2017 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The following documents are incorporated herein by reference—U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,285, U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,548 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,659. Any feature or combination of features disclosed in any of The following documents are incorporated by reference—U.S. Pat. No. 8,453,285, U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,548 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,920,659 may be combined with any feature disclosed herein. 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods and kits for cleaning the oral cavity and/or teeth of a subject, including but not limited to an intubated subject. 
     The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the exemplary system only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be a useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice and how to make and use the embodiments. 
     For brevity, some explicit combinations of various features are not explicitly illustrated in the figures and/or described. It is now disclosed that any combination of the method or device features disclosed herein can be combined in any manner—including any combination of features—any combination of features can be included in any embodiment and/or omitted from any embodiments. 
     In relation to the figures the following numbers indicate: 
     Elements of Brush Head Assembly  150   
     
         
         
           
               160 —head main body 
               165 —brush 
               170 —suction lumen 
               270 A—distal portion of suction lumen  170   
               270 B—proximal portion of suction lumen  170   
               172 —distal orifice of suction lumen  170   
               171 —suction connector 
               166 —head drive-shaft 
               164 —brush transmission 
               162 —head shaft lumen 
               199 —proximal end of head shaft lumen 
               166 —head drive-shaft 
               167  proximal-facing surface of head main body  160   
           
         
       
    
     Elements of Brush Base Assembly  100   
     
         
         
           
               110  base main body 
               190 A distal half of base main body 
               190 B proximal half of base main body 
               116  motor 
               149  lumen-restrainer 
               138  suction switch 
               112  battery 
               188  electrical line 
               114  base drive-shaft 
               186  base shaft lumen 
               141 ,  142 —indicators 
               140  on/off switch (of motor  116 ) 
               117  distal-facing surface of base main body  110   
           
         
       
    
     Locations or Axes of Elements of Head Assembly  150   
     
         
         
           
               159 —Elongate and/or central axis of head main body  160   
               173 —Elongate Axis of the distal portion  270 A of suction lumen  170   
               196 —orientation axis of brush  165   
               103 —orientation of suction distal orifice  172   
           
         
       
    
     Locations or Axes of Elements of Base Assembly  100   
     
         
         
           
               181 —Central and/or elongate axis of brush main body  110   
               131 —more distal restraining location 
               137 —more proximal restraining location 
           
         
       
    
     Additional Elements or Locations or Axis 
     
         
         
           
             Stabilizing attachment  139   
             Shaft link  169   
             Suction source  200   
               187 —proximal-distal direction 
             Interface plane  197   
           
         
       
    
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a multi-assembly power-brush device for cleaning a subject&#39;s teeth where matter (e.g. debris or biofilm) is suctioned into and through a suction lumen  170  (e.g. via suction orifice  172  disposed at a distal end thereof). The power-brush comprises base  100  and head  150  assemblies where head assembly  150  (to which brush  165  is mounted) is detachably attached to a base assembly  100 . Whenever the head assembly  150  becomes dirty or is otherwise discarded, the base assembly  100  can be reused with a new ‘replacement’ head assembly  150 . As will be discussed below, head assembly  150  comprises head assembly main body  160  and base assembly  100  comprises head assembly main body  110 . 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates the same power brush when a proximal end of suction lumen  170  and/or suction connector  171  (e.g. tapered suction connector) at the suction lumen proximal end is coupled to a suction source  200 .  FIG. 2A-2C  show the same brush as in  FIG. 1A  where certain elements or labels are removed to further emphasize the various lumens of the brush. In  FIG. 2B , three lumen are illustrated—(i) head shaft lumen  162 ; (ii) base shaft lumen  186  and (iii) suction lumen  170 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , suction lumen  170  comprises a distal portion  270 A and a proximal portion  270 B. 
       FIG. 3  shows the same brush in a disassembled configuration—one salient feature shown in  FIG. 3  (and in  FIG. 4 ) is a ‘tail-like’ proximal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170 —e.g. proximally extending past main body  160  of head assembly  150 .  FIG. 5  defines a representative direction  196  of brush  165 . 
     As shown in the figures, the power-brush device comprises head  150  and base  100  assemblies that are detachable attached to each other. The power-brush device cleans both (i) by motion (e.g. rotational and/or vibrational motion) of brush  165  (e.g. by dislodging material on the subject&#39;s teeth or gums)—for example, motion induced and/or sustained by an electric motor as known in the art of electric toothbrushes and (ii) by suctioning matter (e.g. debris, cleaning material such as toothpaste or cleaning fluids) into suction lumen  170  via one or more suction-orifice(s)  172  at a distal end of suction lumen  170  and disposed  172  on or alongside a main body  160  of head assembly. Towards this end, a source  200  of negative pressure is disposed at a proximal end suction lumen  170  (e.g. so that negative pressure is detachably attached to a proximate end of suction lumen  170  or to a suction connection  170 ). 
     Potential Design Considerations Related to Some Embodiments 
     During use of the power-brush device, the head assembly  150  including brush  165  is mounted is typically more exposed to potentially-non-sterile material (e.g. debris or biofilm) than the base assembly  100 . As will be discussed below, at least some of this potentially non-sterile material is also proximally transported, through a suction lumen  170 ) towards and then proximally past base assembly  100 . 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to two potentially-contradictory design considerations: (i) (DESIGN CONSIDERATION “A”) a desire to minimize exposure of the base assembly  100  to non-sterile material when this material is transported through suction lumen  170  around or past or through the base assembly  100  (ii) (DESIGN CONSIDERATION “B”) a desire to achieve this goal without sacrificing (or with at most a minimum sacrifice of) the overall ‘compactness’ of the power-brush device. 
     Without limitation and not wishing to be bound by theory, it is possible to achieve these goals by the following features:
         I. Although the ‘tail-like’ proximal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170  outwardly extends past a proximal end of head assembly mail body  160 , the ‘tail-like’ proximal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170  is part of the head assembly  150 , rather than part of the base assembly  100 . Thus, when the device is disassembled into ‘head  150 ’ and ‘base  100 ’ constituents (e.g. at a time when suction lumen is disconnected from suction source), the distal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170  is detachable from the base-assembly main body  110  (i.e. so it is not directly or indirectly attached from the base-assembly main body  110 ) while remaining attached (i.e. directly or indirectly) to head-assembly main-body  160 . Because the suction lumen  170  may be more exposed to non-sterile material than the base assembly  100 , this feature is useful for allowing the potentially less-sterile suction lumen  170  to completely separate from the head-assembly main-body  160 —this may be useful for design consideration ‘A.’   II. Furthermore, an interior of an entirety of the suction lumen  170  is liquid-sealed away from the base assembly main body  110 . Once again, this protects the base assembly  100  from potentially non-sterile material as the potentially non-sterile material travels proximally through the suction lumen  170 . This feature as well may be useful for design consideration ‘A.’   III. As shown in  FIG. 1A-1C and 2A-2D , base assembly main body  110  is in “restraining” contact with the proximal portion  270 B of the suction lumen  170  (e.g. ‘tail-like’ part of the suction lumen  170 ) via a ‘proximally disposed’ location  137  of base assembly main body  110 . This ‘proximally’ disposed location  137  is disposed on the proximal half of the base assembly main body. The ‘restraining’ contact restrains at least sideways motion (illustrated in  FIG. 2C ) of the suction lumen  170  away from the base assembly main body  110 . This may be useful for design consideration ‘B.’       

     Thus, in some embodiments, both the distal  270 A and proximal  270 B portions of the suction lumen may be completely brought out of contact from the base assembly main body  110  while remaining attached to each other and to the head-assembly main body  160 ; 
     Discussion of Head  160  and Brush  160  Main Body 
     As noted above, the brush may be disassembled into head  150  and base assemblies. Head assembly  150  comprises a head assembly main body  160  ; base assembly  100  comprises base assembly main body  110 . 
     In some embodiments, head main body  160  is elongate. Axis  159 , illustrated in  FIG. 1A , is an elongate and/or central axis of head main body  160 . In some embodiments, base main body  110  is elongate. Axis  181 , illustrated in  FIG. 1A , is an elongate and/or central axis of base main body  110 . As illustrated in the drawings, when the head  150  and base  100  assemblies are in the ‘attached’ configuration (i.e. so that motor  116  drives rotational and/or vibrational motion of brush  165 —e.g. via coupled drive shafts  114 ,  166 ), then (i) elongate and/or central axis  159  of head main body and (ii) Central and/or elongate axis  181  of brush main body  110  are generally parallel to each other (e.g. possibly but not necessarily co-linear with each other) and aligned with an overall “Distal-proximal” axis  187 . 
     As is common in the art of power toothbrushes, when the power brush is assembled and during operation thereof, head main body  160  is located distal to a brush main body  110 . 
     In some embodiments and as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , a proximal location of head main body  160  is attached to a distal location of base main body  110  via stabilizing attachment(s)  139 . Stabilizing attachment or any portion thereof may be part of head assembly  150 , of base assembly  100 , of a combination thereof, or of neither. As is common in the art of the electric toothbrushes, preferably base assembly main body  110  and head assembly main body  160  are rigidly attached to each other. Even though the attachment is rigid, it is reversible to allow for base re-use (i.e. with a new head). As is well-known in the art of the electric toothbrushes, the rigid attachment allows the user to precisely control a location and/or orientation or brush  165  which is mounted (e.g. permanently mounted) to head main body  160 . 
     Any attachment mechanism may be employed—for example, any mechanical mechanism (e.g. fastener, snap, or magnetic mechanism). 
     Illustrated in  FIG. 3  is (i) distal-facing surface  117  of base main body  110 ; and (ii) proximal-facing surface  167  of head main body  160 . The head assembly  150  is detachably attachable to the base assembly such that when the head and base assemblies  150 ,  100  are attached to each these two surfaces  117 ,  167  face each other—e.g. in contact with each or facing each other with a gap (for example, a relatively ‘small’ gap of at most 5 mm or at most 3 mm or at most 1 mm) separating between these two surfaces  117 ,  167 . 
       FIG. 1C  shows interface plane  197 . Interface plane  197  necessarily is perpendicular to distal-proximal axis  187  and is obtained by (i) computing the best plane (i.e. plane constrained to be perpendicular to distal-proximal axis  187 ) of a mediating surface (i.e. halfway between) the i) distal-facing surface  117  of base main body  110 ; and (ii) proximal-facing surface  167  of head main body  160 . Interface plane  197  is also illustrated in  FIG. 2D . 
     Driving Motion of Brush  165   
     As is known in the art of electric toothbrushes and in the non-limiting example of the drawings, motion (e.g. vibrational and/or translational motion) of brush  165  may be provided by the following elements in combination with each other: (i) head-drive shaft  166 , at least a portion of which is within head shaft lumen  162 ; (ii) base-drive shaft  114  at least a portion of which is within base shaft lumen  186 ; (iv) shaft link  169  (v) brush shaft transmission  164 ; (vi) electric motor  116  and (vi) battery  112 . 
     Electric motor  116  (e.g. electrically powered by current received from battery  112  via electric line  188 ) forces longitudinal motion (e.g. reciprocating motion) base shaft drive shaft  114  within base shaft lumen  186 . In some embodiments, motor  116  is disposed within the base-assembly main body  110 . 
     Because base shaft drive shaft  114  is rigidly attached to head-drive shaft  166  (e.g. detachably attached and/or attached via shaft link  169 ), this longitudinal motion of base drive shaft  114  causes longitudinal motion of head-drive shaft  166  in head shaft lumen  162 . There is no requirement for an entirety of base shaft drive shaft  114  to be within base shaft lumen  186 —in some embodiments, only a portion of base shaft drive shaft  114  is disposed within base shaft lumen  186  (e.g. so a distal portion of base shaft drive shaft  114  distally protrudes from base shaft lumen  186 ). In fact, this is the situation illustrated in  FIG. 1A  where a portion of base drive shaft  114  is disposed within head shaft lumen  162 —in addition, in the example of  FIG. 1A  shaft link  169  is disposed in head shaft lumen  162 . 
     There is no requirement for an entirety of head shaft drive shaft  166  to be within head shaft lumen  162 —in some embodiments (NOT SHOWN), only a portion of head shaft drive shaft  166  is disposed within head shaft lumen  162  (e.g. so a proximal portion of head shaft drive shaft  166  proximally protrudes from head shaft lumen  162 —for example, past a proximal end  199  of head shaft lumen. 
     As noted above, motor  116  is mechanically coupled to head drive-shaft  166  (e.g. via base drive shaft  114  and shaft link  169 ) to induce longitudinal motion (e.g. reciprocating motion) of head drive-shaft  166 . In some embodiments and as is well-known in the art of electrical toothbrushes, this longitudinal motion is converted into vibrational and/or rotational motion of brush  165 —e.g. head drive-shaft  166  is mechanically coupled to brush  165 —for example, via brush transmission  164 . 
     In some embodiments, head-assembly shaft lumen  162  has a length L 1  of which alongside is or formed within the head-assembly main body  160  and oriented along the elongate and/or central axis  159  thereof. 
     Suction Lumen  170   
     In some embodiments, in addition to conventional ‘electrical toothbrush’ functionality, the power toothbrush provides a ‘suctioning functionality’—for example, to remove matter (e.g. debris or biofilms) from the subject&#39;s mouth. 
     As illustrated in the figures, suction orifice  172  is a distal opening of suction lumen  170 —thus suction lumen  170  may be said to define a distal suction-orifice  172  disposed at a distal end of suction lumen  170 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1B , when a proximal end of suction lumen  170  is connected to suction source  200  (for example, via connected  171 ) negative pressure is transmitted from suction source  200  via suction lumen  170  to a region outside of suction orifice  172 . This induces a flow of air and optionally additional material (e.g. potentially non-sterile material) into suction lumen  170  via suction orifice  172 . In particular, this transmitted negative pressure causes this potentially non-sterile material to entered into suction lumen  170  via suction orifice  172 , traverse the suction lumen  170  (i.e. an interior thereof) and to proximally exit the suction via a proximal end of suction lumen  170 . 
     In some embodiments, at the other end (i.e. proximal end) of suction lumen  170  is suction connector  171 —for example, the proximal end of suction lumen  170  is connected via the suction connector  171 . In some embodiments, suction connector  171  is a tapered connector, tapered in the proximal direction. Suction connector  171  may be permanently attached to suction lumen  170  (e.g. integrally formed with) or detachable attached to suction lumen  170  at a proximal end thereof. For example, a kit may comprise suction lumen  170  and suction connector  171  as separate elements and the suction connector  171  is attached to (e.g. mounted onto) suction lumen  170  at a proximal end thereof. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2B , suction lumen  170  comprises a distal portion  270 A and a proximal portion  270 B. For example, the distal portion  270 A is disposed within or alongside the head-assembly main body  160  (e.g. suction lumen  170  longitudinally spans at least a majority (e.g. at least 75% of) of head-assembly main body  160  (i.e. a length thereof)). As shown in  FIG. 1D , when the head  150  and base  100  assemblies are coupled to each other, the distal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170  is distal to interface plane  197 . 
     By definition, proximal portion  270 B that is located proximal to the distal portion  270 A. As shown in  FIG. 1D , when the head  150  and base  100  assemblies are coupled to each other, the proximal portion  270 A of suction lumen  170  is proximal to interface plane  197 . In some embodiments, at least 75% or at least 90% of an entirety of the entire proximal portion  270 B is proximal to a proximal end  199  of head shaft lumen  162 . In some embodiments, at least 75% or at least 90% of an entirety of the entire proximal portion  270 B is proximal to interface plane  197   
     In some embodiments, the proximal  270 B and distal  270 A portions of the suction lumen  170  are permanently attached to each other. Alternatively, they are detachably attachable to each other. 
     Head-assembly shaft lumen  162  has a length L 1  of which alongside is or formed within the head-assembly main body  160  and oriented along the elongate and/or central axis  159  thereof. 
     In some embodiments, L 2  is a length of distal portion  270 A of suction lumen  170 , L 3  is a length of proximal portion  270 B of suction lumen  170 . 
     In some embodiments, a length ratio L 3 /L 1  is at least 0.5 or at least 0.75 or at least 1 or at least 1.25 or at least 1.5. Alternatively or additionally, a ratio (L 2 +L 3 )/L 1  is at least 1 or at least 1.25 or at least 1.4 or at least 1.5 or at least 1.75 or at least 2. 
     In some embodiments, A. the proximal portion of the suction lumen is: i. attached to both the distal portion of the suction lumen and to the brush-head main body; and can remain attached to the head main body  160  while being detached from the base main body. 
     A Discussion of Brush  165   
     Also illustrated in the figures is a sideways-facing brush  165  mounted to the head-assembly main body  160 —for example, mounted to a distal half of head-assembly main body  160 . As will be discussed below, bristles of the brush  165  collectively defining a bristle-alignment direction  196 . 
     As is known in the art of toothbrushes, brush  165  comprises an array of bristles—in non-limiting embodiments, a width of each bristle is at most 0.25 mm or at most 0.1 mm and/or length of each bristles is at most 2 cm or at most 1.5 cm or at most 1 cm. 
     In some embodiments and as illustrated by brushes  165 A (schematic illustration) and  165 C (more accurate illustration of an actual brush) of  FIG. 5 , the bristles are parallel to each other—in these cases all bristles are aligned both with each other and also with brush orientation axis  196  defining a representative orientation/direction (e.g. average orientation/direction) of the bristles of the brush. In other examples, and as illustrated by brushes  165 B (schematic illustration) and  165 D (more accurate illustration of an actual brush) of  FIG. 5 , the bristles are not necessarily parallel to each other—however, even in this situation the bristles collectively define a brush orientation axis  196  which is a representative orientation/direction (e.g. average orientation/direction) of the bristles of the brush. 
     As illustrated in the figures, brush  165  (i.e. whose orientation is defined by brush orientation axis  196 ) is sideways-facing relative to a proximal-distal and/or to a central axis  159  of the head main body  160 . 
     One salient feature provided by some embodiments of the invention relates to relative orientations of (i) orientation vector  173  of distal suction-orifice  172  (discussed above); and (ii) bristle-alignment direction  196 . In some embodiments, orientation vector  173  is non-parallel to bristle-alignment direction  196  so that an angle α between orientation vector  173  and bristle-alignment direction  196  is non-zero. In different embodiments, this angle α is at least 10 degrees or at least 20 degrees or at least 30 degrees. For the present disclosure, if this angle is defined as at least “X” degrees (where “X” is a positive number less than 90) this means that the angle α is between “X” degrees and 90 degrees. 
     In the particular example illustrated the drawings, orientation vector  173  and bristle-alignment direction  196  are perpendicular to each other. 
     Indication of Time Since Most Recent Use 
     In some embodiments, the device includes a display assembly (e.g. a display screen or a plurality of indicators—e.g.  141 / 142  which may be mounted to the base as shown in the drawings or to the head—in another example, the display assembly is mounted to a one-piece electric toothbrush or any toothbrush that does not rely on the head/base that are detachable from each other). 
     Immediately after use (i.e. after the motor is shut off), the display assembly has a first mode—e.g. a ‘green’ indicating that the brush was last used relatively recently and that there is no current need to brush the subject&#39;s teeth. At a later time, the display assembly may indicate that the amount of time since the most recent use is ‘too long’ (e.g. exceeded some sort of pre-set threshold—e.g. about 6 hours or about 8 hours or about 10 hours). At that point, the display assembly may transition from the first mode (e.g. green indicating that ‘the situation is good’ and that there is no need to brush teeth) to a second mode (e.g. red indicating that in fact there is need to operate the brush again to brush the subject&#39;s teeth). Thus, in some embodiments, timing circuitry (NOT SHOWN) (e.g. implemented as analog or digital electronics and/or in software) measures the elapsed time since the most recent brush use—e.g. the most recent time since the motor was shut off (e.g. by a user control such as a switch  140  which may be located anywhere—e.g. on base main body  110  or on head main body  160  or anywhere on a multi-piece or single piece electrical toothbrush). Thus in one example, in response to the user shutting off the motor (e.g. using a manual switch or in any other manner—e.g. a user puts down the brush and a sensor responds by shutting off the motor), the timing circuitry ‘begins’ to count the elapsed time since this happened. 
     In the example of  FIG. 1A  there are multiple LEDs—alternatively a single LED may change colors, or a display screen may be provided. 
     Until the amount of time reaches a threshold (e.g. immediately after brush usage), the display assembly may remain in a first state (e.g. green LED illuminated. Once the amount of time exceeds a threshold (e.g. a pre-determined value) (e.g. as measured by timing circuitry) this may be detected and in response the display assembly may perform a display transition—e.g. a red LED is shut off and a green LED turned on, or the LED color changes, or the display screen adopts a new state. 
     In some embodiments, display control circuitry (e.g. operatively linked to the timing circuitry to receive input therefrom) regulates a display state of the display screen. 
     In some embodiments, the timing circuitry and/or display control circuitry receives power from the battery even when the motor is shut off. For example, a switch may have 3 mode—(i) motor on [MODE A] (ii) entire device off (i.e. including timing and/or display control circuitry [MODE B] and (iii) motor off but circuitry receiving power from the battery and on (e.g. display optionally on) [MODE C]. In another example, there may be only two modes—MODES A and C without MODE B where the only way to get MODE B is to disconnect the battery. 
     Although this ‘display assembly’ and ‘display mode’ invention is explained in the context of a toothbrush having a head and a base, it is appreciated that his may apply to any electrical toothbrush including those having a suction lumen and those lacking a suction lumen. 
     Discussion of FIG.  6   
     In some embodiments, the device is bendable—e.g. instead of an elongate and/or central axis  181  of base main body  110  remaining aligned with (e.g. parallel to) an elongate axis  159  of head main body  160 , they can bend and/or pivot relative to each other. 
     For example, the head drive shaft  166  and the base drive shaft  114  are connected to each other via shaft link  169 , and the shaft link  169  is configured to allow pivoting in a direction perpendicular to the both of the respective elongate axes of the head drive shaft  166  and the base drive shaft  114 .  FIG. 6  shows bending and/or pivoting (e.g. around shaft link  169 ) by an angle alpha. 
     Note About Motor  116  and Brush Transmission  164   
     In the example of  FIGS. 1-6  rotation of shafts  114 ,  166  is driven by motor  116 —shaft  166  is coupled to transmission  164  to drive motion of brush  165 . 
     This is not a limitation. In the example of  FIGS. 9-21 , the head assembly may include a proximal-facing sleeve or cavity  177 , and a distal part of the base assembly is inserted into the proximal-facing sleeve or cavity  177 . Mounted to or within the distal part of the base assembly is a vibrator  109  device comprising:
         A. an electrical motor  116 ;   B. a shaft  89  that is part of the electrical motor and/or mechanically coupled to the electrical motor;   C. an offset/non-symmetric mass  181  attached to the shaft so that operation of the electrical motor causes the offset/non-symmetric mass to rotate around an elongate axis of the shaft to product vibrations,       

     In an alternative example (NOT SHOWN), the offset/non-symmetric mass is within or on the head main body. 
     In the example of  FIGS. 9-21 , the offset/non-symmetric mass  181  is on the base main body  110 —a distal part of the base main body may be inserted see frame sequence of  FIG. 12 ) into a proximal-facing ‘sleeve’ or cavity  177  defined by the head main body  160 . This would bring the vibrator  109  into proximity with the brush  165  so that operation of the vibrator can better drive motion of brush  165 —see  FIG. 14  which illustrates distally travelling vibrations from the vibrator  109  that drive motion of the brush  165 . 
     In some embodiments, the base may be modified to provide a degree of flexiblity—thus, it may not be necessary to rely on shaft link  169 . For example, elastic neck  189  may provide at least 10 degrees or at least 20 degrees of flexibility—see  FIGS. 18-19 . 
     Some embodiments relate to a base assembly of an oral care system comprising:
         i. an elongated base-assembly main body  110 , at least a portion of which is elastic, the elongated base-assembly main body  110  defining an equilibrium-configuration elongate axis  181 ; and   ii. a vibrator device mounted in or on the elongated base-assembly main body  110 , the vibrator device including:
           D. an electrical motor  116 ;   E. a shaft that is part of the electrical motor and/or mechanically coupled to the electrical motor;   F. an offset/non-symmetric mass attached to the shaft so that operation of the electrical motor causes the offset/non-symmetric mass to rotate around an elongate axis of the shaft to product vibrations,   
           the shaft of the vibrator device being aligned with the elongate axis  181  of the main body and the offset/non-symmetric mass located at a distal end of the base-assembly main body  110 , at least a portion of the elongated base assembly main body being sufficiently elastic so that:
           A. when the elongated base-assembly main body  110  is the equilibrium configuration, line-segment between (A) fixed point on a proximal half of the elongated base-assembly main body  110  and (B) the offset/non-symmetric mass is aligned with the elongate axis  181  of the elongated base-assembly main body  110 ; and   B. the elongated base-assembly main body  110  elastically bends without breaking to allow a direction of the line-segment to deviate from a direction of the equilibrium-configuration elongate axis  181  by at least 10 degrees or at least 20 degrees or at least 30 degrees.   
               

       FIG. 9A  illustrates a head assembly. Within and/or alongside head main body  160  both the fluid delivery lumen  214  and the suction lumen  170  are disclosed alongside each other (e.g. aligned with elongate axis  159  of the head main body  160 ). 
     At a location distal thereto, there may be a fork  87  such that: (i) distal to the fork  87 , the fluid delivery lumen  214  and suction lumen  170  are alongside each other and generally aligned with each other while (ii) at the fork  87  (and proximal thereto), the respective directions of fluid delivery lumen  214  and suction lumen  170  diverge from each other. 
     In some embodiments (see  FIG. 9B ) reservoir  120  is part of the head assembly  150 —e.g. it may be attached (for example, permanently attached) to fluid delivery lumen  214  and/or head main body  160  may being completely detached from base assembly. 
     Nevertheless, base main body  110  may define a compartment or recess that is dimensioned to store reservoir  120 —see, for example,  FIGS. 20A-20B . For example, a spring assembly for expelling liquids from reservoir  120  may be present in or on base main body  110 . 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  illustrates a multi-assembly power-brush device for cleaning a subject&#39;s teeth where matter (e.g. debris or biofilm) is suctioned into and through a suction lumen. 
       FIG. 1B  illustrates the same power brush when a proximal end of suction lumen and/or suction connector is coupled to a suction source. 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates an interface plane. 
       FIGS. 2A-2C  show the same brush as in  FIG. 1A  where certain elements or labels are removed to further emphasize the various lumens of the brush. 
       FIG. 2D  illustrates an interface plane. 
       FIG. 3  shows the same brush in a disassembled configuration. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a ‘tail-like’ proximal portion of suction lumen. 
       FIG. 5  defines a representative direction of the brush. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the device as bendable instead of an elongate and/or central axis of base main body. 
     FIG. 7  illustrates the fluid delivery distal orifice and fluid delivery lumen and reservoir where fluid is stored. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the toothbrush bristles, top and side view. 
       FIG. 9A  illustrates a head assembly. 
       FIG. 9B  illustrates part of the head assembly. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a head assembly. 
       FIG. 11A  illustrates a base assembly. 
       FIG. 11B  illustrates a base assembly. 
       FIG. 11C  illustrates a base assembly. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates a frame sequence of distal part of the base main body that may be inserted into a proximal-facing ‘sleeve’ or cavity defined by the head main body. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a distal part of the base main body. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates distally travelling vibrations from the vibrator  109  that drive motion of the brush. 
       FIGS. 15-17  illustrate a head and base assembly. 
       FIGS. 18A, 18B, 18C, and 19  illustrates flexibility of the head (elastic neck). 
       FIGS. 20A-20B  illustrate a compartment or recess that is dimensioned to store reservoir—a spring assembly for expelling liquids from reservoir. 
       FIGS. 21A-21B  illustrate an open and closed view of a compartment or recess that is dimensioned to store reservoir—a spring assembly for expelling liquids from reservoir.