Dental cleaning device

Abstract

An electric toothbrush with a removable brush section having a transponder communicating with a handle portion of the toothbrush via a non-contacting inductive coupling.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A handle section of an electrical dental cleaning device, the handle section comprising: 
 a mechanical drive coupling for connecting and driving a related brush section of the device;    an electric motor mechanically coupled to the drive coupling;    means for controlling the electric motor, said control means adapted to inhibit operation of the motor in response to a coupled brush section, the control means including a coil for non-contacting transmission and reading of data from a coupled brush section to enable the motor.    
     
     
         2 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , including a switch operable to activate both the coil and the electric motor.  
     
     
         3 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the control means is adapted to transfer and read data only when a brush section is mechanically coupled thereto.  
     
     
         4 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil is adapted to inductively couple the handle section to a brush section for transmitting data.  
     
     
         5 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil is disposed adjacent to the mechanical drive coupling.  
     
     
         6 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil has turns encompassing an axis of rotation of a drive shaft driven by the electric motor.  
     
     
         7 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the coil has a turn area that defines, together with a longitudinal axis of the handle section, an included angle of between about 40 and 140 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . The handle section according to  claim 7 , wherein the included angle is between about 80 and 100 degrees.  
     
     
         9 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is coupled to the drive coupling to drive a drive shaft of the coupling in at least one alternating rotary motion about an axis of rotation.  
     
     
         10 . The handle section according to  claim 9  wherein the electric motor is also coupled to the drive coupling to drive the drive shaft about a swivel axis positioned essentially perpendicular to the axis of rotation.  
     
     
         11 . The handle section according to  claim 1 , wherein the control means includes an ASIC and/or micro-controller.  
     
     
         12 . A brush section of an electrical toothbrush, the brush section comprising 
 a drivable brush head    a mechanical coupling device for coupling the brush section to a handle section of an electric toothbrush; and    a readable data transmission device having a data carrier and a coil for the non-contacting transmission of data from the brush section to a coupled handle section of an electric toothbrush.    
     
     
         13 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the data transmission device is adapted to be activated by a coupled handle section of an electric toothbrush.  
     
     
         14 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the data transmission device transmits data only when the brush section is mechanically coupled to a handle section of an electric toothbrush.  
     
     
         15 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the data transmission device is constructed to couple the brush section to a handle portion of an electric toothbrush inductively.  
     
     
         16 . The brush section according to  claim 15 , wherein the coil operates at a resonant frequency of 13.56 MHz, plus or minus 10 percent.  
     
     
         17 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil is disposed within, or adjacent to, the mechanical coupling device.  
     
     
         18 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil has turns' that encompass an axis of rotation of a drivable shaft of the coupling device.  
     
     
         19 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the coil defines a turn area, that defines, together with a longitudinal axis of the brush section, an included angle of between about 40 and 140 degrees.  
     
     
         20 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the coupling device includes a profiled sleeve and a receiver shaft disposed within a tubular shank, and wherein the readable data transmission device is arranged on the profiled sleeve or on the shank or is connected therewith.  
     
     
         21 . The brush section according to  claim 12 , wherein the data transmission device comprises a transponder.  
     
     
         22 . The brush section according to  claim 21  wherein the transponder is passive.  
     
     
         23 . The brush section according to  claim 21 , wherein the transponder has a data memory for digital data.  
     
     
         24 . The brush section according to  claim 23 , wherein the data memory has a storage capacity of between about 10 0  bit and 10 4  bit.  
     
     
         25 . An electrical dental cleaning device with a handle section according to claim.  1 , in combination with a brush section according to  claim 12 .  
     
     
         26 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 25 , wherein data is transmitted between the brush section and the handle section, the data including data specific to the brush, section.  
     
     
         27 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 26 , wherein the transmitted data includes operating parameters for operation of the brush section.  
     
     
         28 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 25 , wherein data is transmitted between the brush section and the handle section and wherein the data is coded.  
     
     
         29 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 25 , wherein the data transmission device of the brush section comprises a transponder.  
     
     
         30 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 29 , wherein the transponder is passive, and wherein energy is transmitted from the handle section to the brush section to activate the passive transponder.  
     
     
         31 . The dental cleaning device according to  claim 25 , wherein the handle section and the brush section are inductively coupled by means of their respective coils for the exchange or transmission of data or energy.  
     
     
         32 . A method of operating an electric toothbrush, the method including mechanically coupling a removable brush section to a handle section of the toothbrush, such that the handle section responds to a data transmission device of the coupled brush section to enable a drive motor of the handle section for operation of the toothbrush.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the handle section includes a reader that inductively couples to the data transmission device of the brush section, for communication between the brush and handle sections in a non-contacting manner.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the reader and data transmission devices contain respective communication coils.