Illuminated electric toothbrushes emitting high luminous intensity toothbrush

Abstract

An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising a light emitting diode emitting light having a flux density of at least about 30 mW/cm 2 . An illuminated electric toothbrush having this level of flux density can result in an oral care benefit such as whitening. When this toothbrush is used within the oral cavity the heat generated by the toothbrush remains low enough that the surface temperature of the teeth remains below about 43° C. The flux density of at least about 30 mW/cm 2 can be achieved by overpowering the light emitting diode, by using a light emitting diode having at least about two dices, and by providing a pulsed or non-continuous current to the LED which results in a pulsing or non-continuous light.

1 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head, said handle having a hollow interior region, said head having bristles disposed thereon, and said electric toothbrush having a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one light emitting diode disposed on said head, wherein said light emitting diode is powered by an electrical current, wherein said light emitting diode has a flux density of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2  at a detector distance of about 0.68 cm and at a detector aperture area of about 0.46 cm 2 , and wherein said light emitting diode has an emission temperature of less than about 43° C. at an emission distance of about 0.68 cm and at an emission time of about 2 minutes;    (c) one or more movable bristle holders disposed on said head, said movable bristle holders having a plurality of bristles disposed thereon; and    (d) a motor disposed in said hollow interior region, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft.    
     
     
         2 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said flux density is between about 30 mW/cm 2  to about 300 mW/cm 2 .  
     
     
         3 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said current is a continuous forward current greater than about 35 mA.  
     
     
         4 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said current is a pulsed forward current greater than about 100 mA.  
     
     
         5 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said light emitting diode has a power dissipation of less than about 1 Watt.  
     
     
         6 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein said light emitting diode comprises at least about two semi-conductor substrates having light emitting properties, a single lens cover, one positive lead, and one negative lead.  
     
     
         7 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head, said handle having a hollow interior region, said head having bristles disposed thereon, and said electric toothbrush having a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one light emitting diode disposed on said head, wherein said light emitting diode is powered by an electrical current, wherein at least one of said light emitting diode individually emits light having a half angle of less than about 50° and a flux density of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2  at a detector distance of about 0.68 cm and at a detector aperture area of about 0.46 cm 2 ;    (c) one or more movable bristle holders disposed on said head, said movable bristle holders having a plurality of bristles disposed thereon; and    (d) a motor disposed in said hollow interior region, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft.    
     
     
         8 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of bristles comprise bristles having a height of from about 0.5 to about 2 cm.  
     
     
         9 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 7 , wherein said light emitting diode is substantially encircled by one ring of bristles.  
     
     
         10 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 7 , wherein said light emitting diode has a diameter of from about 0.5 mm to about 10 mm.  
     
     
         11 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 7 , wherein said light emitting diode has an emission temperature of less than about 43° C. at an emission distance of about 0.68 cm and at an emission time of about 2 minutes.  
     
     
         12 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head, said handle having a hollow interior region, said head having bristles disposed thereon, and said electric toothbrush having a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one light emitting diode disposed on said head, wherein said light emitting diode is powered by an electrical current, wherein said light emitting diode has a single semiconductor substrate having a single light emitting element and emits light having a flux density of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2  at a detector distance of about 0.68 cm and a detector aperture area of about 0.46 cm 2 ;    (c) one or more movable bristle holders disposed on said head, said movable bristle holders having a plurality of bristles disposed thereon; and    (d) a motor disposed in said hollow interior region, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft.    
     
     
         13 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein said light emitting diode has a wavelength from about 440 to about 480 nm.  
     
     
         14 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 12 , wherein said light emitting diode is disposed within a circular area of about 0.28 cm 2  to about 3.14 cm 2 , wherein said area is substantially devoid of bristles.  
     
     
         15 . A kit comprising: 
 (a) the illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 12;  and    (b) a composition comprising peroxide.    
     
     
         16 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head, said handle having a hollow interior region, said head having bristles disposed thereon, and said electric toothbrush having a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one light emitting diode disposed on said head, wherein said light emitting diode is powered by an electrical current, wherein said current is a pulsed forward current of greater than about 100 mA having a pulse frequency of about 0.01 Hz to about 10 GHz;    (c) one or more movable bristle holders disposed on said head, said movable bristle holders having a plurality of bristles disposed thereon; and    (d) a motor disposed in said hollow interior region, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft.    
     
     
         17 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 16 , wherein said pulse frequency is about 10 Hz to about 500 MHz.  
     
     
         18 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head, said handle having a hollow interior region, said head having bristles disposed thereon, and said electric toothbrush having a longitudinal axis;    (b) at least one light emitting diode disposed on said head, wherein said light emitting diode has a power dissipation of less than about 1 watt, and wherein said light emitting diode emits light at a flux density of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2  at a detector distance of about 0.68 cm and at a detector aperture area of about 0.46 cm 2 ;    (c) one or more movable bristle holders disposed on said head, said movable bristle holders having a plurality of bristles disposed thereon; and    (d) a motor disposed in said hollow interior region, wherein said motor is operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft.    
     
     
         19 . The illuminated electric toothbrush of  claim 18 , wherein said light emitting diode has an emission temperature of less than about 43° C. at an emission distance of about 0.68 cm and at an emission time of about 2 minutes.  
     
     
         20 . An illuminated electric toothbrush comprising: 
 (a) a handle, a head, and a neck extending between said handle and said head;    (b) said handle having a hollow interior region having a motor disposed therein;    (c) said motor being operatively connected to said movable bristle holders by a drive shaft;    (d) said head having a light emitting diode disposed thereon;    (e) a current driver which delivers a current greater than about 35 mA to said light emitting diode;    wherein said motor said driver and said battery and said light emitting diode are part of an electrical circuit.