Self-powered manual toothbrush with sensors

Abstract

A toothbrush assembly can include a plurality of bristles and a toothbrush body. The toothbrush body can include an indicator to provide information to a user using the toothbrush during a teeth cleaning session. A sensing mechanism can include at least one electroded sheet and provide an electric signal to the indicator responsive to the user using the toothbrush assembly during the teeth cleaning session.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toothbrush assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of bristles;   a toothbrush body coupled with the plurality of bristles, the toothbrush body comprising:
 an indicator configured to provide information to a user using the toothbrush during a teeth cleaning session, wherein the indicator is further configured to operate independent of any power supply external to the toothbrush assembly; and 
 an energy scavenging mechanism configured to provide operating power to the indicator responsive to the user using the toothbrush assembly during the teeth cleaning session; and 
   a sensing mechanism comprising at least one electroded sensor sheet and configured to provide an electric signal to the indicator responsive to the user using the toothbrush assembly during the teeth cleaning session, wherein the information provided to the user is based at least in part on the electric signal.   
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet comprises a single electroded sensor sheet that is folded and secured to and at least substantially planar with a bending plane of one of the plurality of bristles. 
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet comprises an electroded sensor sheet stack that is secured to and at least substantially planar with a bending plane of one of the plurality of bristles. 
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet comprises an electroded sensor sheet stack that is secured to and at least substantially perpendicular to a bending plane of one of the plurality of bristles. 
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising at least one spacer sheet separating at least two sheets of the electroded sensor sheet stack. 
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of spacer sheets such that one of the plurality of spacer sheets is positioned between two sheets of the electroded sensor sheet stack. 
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of spacer sheets such that each sheet of the electroded sensor sheet stack is positioned adjacent to at least one of the plurality of spacer sheets. 
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet comprises an electroded sensor sheet stack that is secured within and at least substantially planar with one of the plurality of bristles. 
     
     
         9 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the electroded sensor sheet stack has a substantially curved form factor. 
     
     
         10 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the substantially curved form factor is a concentric quarter-circle in cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the substantially curved form factor is a concentric half-circle in cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet comprises a plurality of electroded sensor sheet stacks that are each secured within and at least substantially planar with one of the plurality of bristles. 
     
     
         13 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet has a button-like form factor. 
     
     
         14 . The toothbrush assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one electroded sensor sheet is configured to respond to pressure applied thereto.