Light guiding unit

Abstract

A light guiding unit (10) for use in an oral cleaning device is provided. The light guiding unit is configured to be coupled to a light source (50), and the light guiding unit comprises a homogenizing component (110) having a length along which light from the light source is guided. The homogenizing component is further configured such that at least one of an amount of refraction of the guided light and an amount of internal reflection of the guided light changes along the length to homogenize an amount of light transmitted out of the homogenizing component along the length of the homogenizing component.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 201980007848.8 entitled "Optical Guiding Unit", filed on the international filing date of January 2, 2019, and entered the Chinese national phase on July 9, 2020. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to a light guiding unit for use in an oral cleaning device and a visual indicator including the light guiding unit. Background Technology

[0003] Proper brushing (including brushing length and coverage) helps ensure long-term dental health. People who don't brush their teeth often or don't brush adequately experience many dental problems, especially in specific areas or parts of the mouth. Among individuals who brush regularly, incorrect brushing habits can lead to poor brushing coverage, and therefore, even when following standard brushing techniques, the oral surface may not be thoroughly cleaned during the cleaning process.

[0004] To promote proper brushing, it is important to ensure that users apply the appropriate amount of pressure, as correct pressure enhances positive clinical effects. Conversely, users must avoid using excessive pressure during cleaning, as this can cause tissue abrasion and damage. Furthermore, when an individual uses excessive pressure when applying the toothbrush to their teeth, this pressure slows down the toothbrush's vibration. In many cases, reduced toothbrush vibration negates many of the benefits that can be obtained from an electric toothbrush. This is especially true in the case of sonic toothbrushes. When excessive pressure causes these brushes to slow down and oscillate at a smaller amplitude, the bristles no longer effectively stimulate the nearby oral fluids. Therefore, the benefits typically gained from using this type of toothbrush are essentially lost.

[0005] Pressure sensors can be used to monitor the pressure applied to oral tissues during cleaning and can warn users if they are using too much brushing force. For example, once a pressure sensor detects excessive pressure, it can provide the user with visual feedback, in the form of light, regarding the amount of pressure applied during oral cleaning. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In some current solutions for providing visual feedback to users of oral hygiene devices, notification is provided via a visual indicator in the form of a halo at the end of the device. This indicator can be illuminated when the pressure sensor of the device detects excessive pressure. The halo is visible to the user when the cleaning end of the device is inside the user's mouth.

[0007] The internal structure used to provide a halo effect at an oral hygiene device typically includes a printed circuit board, a flexible printed circuit board substrate, multiple light sources (e.g., light-emitting diodes), a light guiding unit, and a light diffusing unit. The light guiding and diffusing units are coupled to multiple light sources disposed on the flexible printed circuit board substrate, and the light diffusing unit is ring-shaped to provide an outer halo appearance at the oral hygiene device. In this type of arrangement, multiple light sources must be disposed on the flexible printed circuit board substrate, which is electrically connected to the rigid printed circuit board, so that a desired amount of light can be directed to multiple local locations along the length of the ring-shaped light diffusing unit. Therefore, manufacturing the internal structure according to this type of arrangement is expensive due to the number of different components and materials required, as well as the number of processes required.

[0008] As mentioned above, currently available solutions for providing visual feedback in the form of light output at an oral cleaning device have many associated drawbacks. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved light guiding unit and visual indicator for use in an oral cleaning device. For example, according to different aspects of the embodiments described below, uniformity of light output at the aura of the oral cleaning device can be achieved without the need for a large number of light guiding components or flexible printed circuit boards at the oral cleaning device.

[0009] To better address one or more of the aforementioned problems, in a first aspect, a light guiding unit for use in an oral cleaning device is provided. The light guiding unit is configured to be coupled to a light source, and includes a homogenizing member having a length along which light from the light source is guided. Furthermore, the homogenizing member is configured such that at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light changes along the length, to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member along its length.

[0010] In some embodiments, the homogenizing component may include a plurality of hollow elements along its length to vary at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along that length. In these embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow elements of the homogenizing component may be configured such that the size of the respective hollow element increases with increasing distance between the respective hollow element and the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing component. Furthermore, in these embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow elements of the homogenizing component may be prism-shaped, hemispherical, and pyramidal.

[0011] In some embodiments, the homogenizing member can be configured such that its cross-sectional area along its length varies to change at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length of the homogenizing member. In these embodiments, the homogenizing member can be configured such that the size of its cross-sectional area decreases as the distance from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing member increases.

[0012] In some embodiments, the homogenizing component may include at least one of an internal reflection portion and a scattering element along the length to change at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length.

[0013] In some embodiments, the light guiding unit may further include a guiding member configured to guide light from a light source to a homogenizing member. In these embodiments, the guiding member may be configured such that its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the length of the homogenizing member.

[0014] In some embodiments, the homogenizing component may include a deflecting portion configured to redirect light from the guiding component so that it travels along the length of the homogenizing component. In these embodiments, the deflecting portion may be a V-shaped recess configured to redirect light from the guiding component in two directions within the homogenizing component. Furthermore, in these embodiments, the deflecting portion may include a reflective layer configured to internally reflect light from the guiding component within the homogenizing component.

[0015] In some embodiments, the homogenizing component may have an annular shape, and the guiding component is shaped to conform to the curvature of the homogenizing component.

[0016] According to a second aspect, a visual indicator is provided for use in an oral hygiene device to provide a user with feedback on the use of the oral hygiene device, the visual indicator comprising: a light guiding unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light guiding unit is coupled to a light source; and a light diffusion unit coupled to the light guiding unit, wherein the light diffusion unit is configured to output diffused light from the light guiding unit.

[0017] According to a third aspect, a method is provided for guiding light in a light guiding unit for use in an oral cleaning device, wherein the light guiding unit includes a homogenizing member having a length along which light from a light source is guided. The method includes changing at least one of the amount of refraction of the light guided in the homogenizing member and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member along the length of the homogenizing member.

[0018] It should be understood that the embodiments described herein can be applied to other types of oral hygiene devices that do not necessarily include pressure sensors or other types of sensors and / or notification functions. For example, the embodiments described herein can be applied to a halo at an oral hygiene device, wherein the halo primarily serves an illumination purpose.

[0019] The limitations of the prior art are overcome according to the aspects and embodiments described herein. In particular, the above aspects and embodiments provide a light guiding unit for use in an oral cleaning device, which has an optically efficient light guiding path and can be manufactured at a reduced cost. The light guiding unit according to the aspects and embodiments described herein enables the guided light to be homogenized before entering a light diffuser, resulting in more efficient and uniform light output at the oral cleaning device. Therefore, an improved light guiding unit and an improved visual indicator for use in an oral cleaning device are provided.

[0020] These and other aspects of this disclosure will become clear and illustrated with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To better understand the embodiments and to more clearly illustrate how they are implemented, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a light guiding unit according to one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 2 It includes Figure 1 A block diagram of the visual indicator of the light guiding unit;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a light guiding unit according to one embodiment;

[0025] Figure 4 It is part of the internal components of oral hygiene equipment. Figure 3 A perspective view of the light guiding unit;

[0026] Figure 5A This is a perspective view of a light guiding unit according to one embodiment;

[0027] Figure 5B It is shown Figure 5A A planar schematic diagram of the internal structure of the light guiding unit;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a light diffusion unit that can be used in conjunction with a light guiding unit as described in the embodiments herein;

[0029] Figure 7AThis is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the internal components of an oral cleaning device according to one embodiment; and

[0030] Figure 7B yes Figure 6 Another cross-sectional view of a part of an oral hygiene device. Detailed Implementation

[0031] As described above, an improved light guiding unit, a visual indicator, and a method for guiding light in the light guiding unit are provided to solve existing problems.

[0032] Figure 1 A block diagram of a light guiding unit 10 according to one embodiment for use in oral hygiene devices such as electric toothbrushes is shown. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a visual indicator 20 for use in an oral hygiene device, wherein the visual indicator includes... Figure 1 The light guiding unit 10.

[0033] The light guiding unit 10 is configured to couple to a light source, such as a light source disposed at an oral hygiene device. In some embodiments, the light source may be disposed on a visual indicator or a printed circuit board in the oral hygiene device. Figure 1 As shown, the light guiding unit 10 includes a homogenization component 110 and may optionally include at least a first guiding component 122.

[0034] The homogenizing component 110 has a length along which light from the light source is guided. Furthermore, the homogenizing component 110 is configured such that at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light varies along its length to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing component 110 along its length. The homogenizing component 110 can be made of any material suitable for guiding and transmitting light. For example, the homogenizing component 110 can be made of plexiglass, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), liquid silicone rubber (LSR), silicone rubber, polycarbonate, or other thermosetting or thermoplastic rubber-like materials. The shape and / or size of the homogenizing component 110 can depend on many factors, such as the intensity of transmitted light required at the visual indicator and / or the size of the oral cleaning device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the homogenizing component 110 may be an annular component, such as... Figure 3 As shown. In these embodiments, at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light can be varied along the circumference of the homogenizing member 110 to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the outer surface along the circumference of the homogenizing member 110.

[0036] Despite Figure 1 Not shown, but in some embodiments, the homogenizing member 110 may include a plurality of hollow elements along its length to change at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length of the homogenizing member 110. This will be referred to Figure 5A and Figure 5B Further detailed description.

[0037] Alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the homogenizing member 110 may be configured such that the size of its cross-sectional area changes to alter at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length of the homogenizing member 110. For example, the size of the cross-sectional area of ​​the homogenizing member 110 may abruptly increase or decrease at local points along the length of the homogenizing member 110. As another example, the size of the cross-sectional area of ​​the homogenizing member 110 may gradually increase or decrease along the length of the homogenizing member 110. In some embodiments, the homogenizing member 110 may be configured such that the size of its cross-sectional area decreases as the distance from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing member 110 increases. Therefore, the amount of refraction of the guided light increases together with the distance from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing member 110, thereby counteracting the attenuation of light along the homogenizing member 110.

[0038] Furthermore, alternatively or additionally, in some embodiments, the homogenizing member 110 may include at least one of an internal reflection portion and a scattering element along its length. The internal reflection portion and / or the scattering element allows at least one of the refraction of guided light and the internal reflection of guided light to be varied along the length of the homogenizing member 110. Specifically, the internal reflection portion may cause an increase in the internal reflection of guided light at a local point along the length of the homogenizing member 110, which may result in an increase in the refraction of guided light at that local point, causing more light to be transmitted from the homogenizing member 110 at that local point. The scattering element may be a portion within the homogenizing member 110 made of a different material (and having a different refractive index) compared to the rest of the homogenizing member, to change at least one of the refraction of guided light and the internal reflection of guided light at that portion. The internal reflection portion may be a layer of reflective ink and / or reflective material applied to at least a portion of the inner surface of the homogenizing member 110 to increase the reflectivity at a corresponding portion of the homogenizing member 110.

[0039] The light transmitted from the homogenizing component 110 includes light refracted from the homogenizing component in one or more specific directions. It should be understood that, according to Snell's Law, the direction of light refracted at a local point on the homogenizing component depends on the angle of incidence at that local point and the refractive index of the material of the homogenizing component 110. For example, based on a refractive index of 1.495 (plexiglass), if the angle of incidence is 30°, the angle of refraction will be 48.4°. Furthermore, it should be understood that in some embodiments, attenuation may occur at the interface between the homogenizing component 110 and air due to Fresnel reflection. The amount of light transmission loss at the interface between the homogenizing component 110 and air can be determined using Fresnel's equations.

[0040] The guiding component of the light guiding unit 10 can be directly coupled to a light source (e.g., the light source of a visual indicator) to guide light from the light source to the homogenization component 110. In some embodiments, more than one guiding component may be provided at the light guiding unit 10 to guide light into the homogenization component at different local points to improve light transmittance. This reference... Figure 3 This will be explained in further detail. However, in some embodiments, the light guiding unit 10 may not include a guiding component.

[0041] Although the homogenizing component 110 has been described above as being an annular component, in alternative embodiments, the homogenizing component 110 may be other shapes, such as arcuate. In alternative embodiments, the homogenizing component 110 may be shaped according to the size and requirements of the visual indicator 20 and / or the oral hygiene device.

[0042] It should be understood that Figure 1 Only one aspect of the components required for the illustrated light guiding unit 10 is shown, and in actual implementation, the light guiding unit 10 may include alternatives or additional components to the components shown. For example, in some embodiments, the light guiding unit 10 may not include at least one guiding component 122.

[0043] refer to Figure 2 The visual indicator 20 includes, as referenced Figure 1 The light guiding unit 10, light source 50, printed circuit board 220, and light diffusion unit 230 are described. The light source 50 may include at least one light-emitting diode (LED) or other suitable light source for use in oral cleaning devices, and the light source 50 may be disposed on the printed circuit board 220.

[0044] Since the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing component 110 is homogenized by changing at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light, the light output from the light source 50 can be uniformly guided and transmitted from the light guiding unit 10 to the light diffusion unit 230, and then the light diffusion unit 230 outputs diffused light to provide a uniform "halo" visual effect at the oral cleaning device.

[0045] In some embodiments, the visual indicator 20 may not include the light source 50 or the printed circuit board 220. For example, the light source and / or the printed circuit board may be provided externally to the visual indicator 20.

[0046] It should be understood that Figure 2 Only one aspect of the illustrated visual indicator is shown, and in actual implementation, the visual indicator 20 may include alternatives or additional components to the shown components. For example, in some embodiments, the visual indicator 20 may include a battery or other power source for powering the visual indicator 20, or means for connecting the visual indicator 20 to an AC power source.

[0047] Although it has been described above that the oral hygiene device can be an electric toothbrush, it should be understood that in alternative embodiments, the oral hygiene device can be a manual toothbrush. In these alternative embodiments, the manual toothbrush may have electrical components, but the brush head may not be mechanically actuated by electrical components.

[0048] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of a light guiding unit 10 according to one embodiment. Figure 4 It is part of the internal components of oral hygiene equipment. Figure 3 A perspective view of the light guiding unit 10.

[0049] In this embodiment, the light guiding unit 10 is configured to be coupled to a light source (not shown in the figure), and the light guiding unit 10 includes a homogenization component 110, a first guiding component 122, and a second guiding component 124.

[0050] The light guiding unit 10 may be coupled to the remainder of the internal components of the oral cleaning device, such as a drive assembly (not shown), which may include a motor or electromagnet that generates motion in a transmission component for transmitting the generated motion to the brush head assembly of the oral cleaning device. Among other components, the drive assembly may also include components such as a power supply, an oscillator, and one or more electromagnets.

[0051] In this embodiment, the homogenizing component 110 is an annular component, and light from the light source can be guided along the length of the homogenizing component 110. The homogenizing component 110 is also configured such that at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light varies along the length of the homogenizing component 110, to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing component 110 along its length. Figure 3 As shown, the homogenization component 110 in this embodiment also includes a first steering portion 312 and a second steering portion 314, which will be described in more detail below.

[0052] Each of the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 is configured to guide light from a light source to the homogenizing member 110. In some embodiments, the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 may be made of the same material as the homogenizing member 110. In this embodiment, the first guiding member 122 includes a first end 122a and a second end 122b. The first end 122a of the first guiding member 122 may be configured to be coupled to a light source (e.g., an LED on a printed circuit board), and the second end 122b of the first guiding member may be coupled to the homogenizing member 110.

[0053] Similarly, the second guiding member 124 in this embodiment includes a first end 124a and a second end 124b. The first end 124a of the second guiding member 124 can be configured to couple to a light source (e.g., another LED on a printed circuit board), and the second end 124b of the second guiding member 124 can be coupled to the homogenization member 110. Figure 3 As shown, each of the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 is configured such that its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the length of the homogenizing member 110 (i.e., circumference in this embodiment).

[0054] In addition, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, each of the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 is shaped to conform to the curvature of the homogenizing member 110. In this embodiment, a portion 122 of the first guide member has a curved rectangular prism shape to allow a gradual transition from a first end 122a to a second end 122b, which is oriented to correspond to the curvature of the homogenizing member 110 at the coupling point between the first guide member 122 and the homogenizing member 110. Similarly, a portion of the second guide member 124 in this embodiment also has a curved right-angled prism shape to allow a gradual transition from a first end 124a to a second end 124b. By using guide members shaped to enable coupling to a flat printed circuit board, the embodiments described herein eliminate the need for a flexible printed circuit board substrate in the component (or visual indicator or oral cleaning device), which in turn reduces manufacturing costs.

[0055] As described above, the homogenization component 110 in this embodiment includes a first steering portion 312 and a second steering portion 314. Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion 314 are positioned such that each steering portion of the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion 314 corresponds to the position where the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 are coupled to the homogenization member 110. Therefore, light guided by the first guide member 122 can be redirected through the first steering portion 312, and light guided by the second guide member 124 can be redirected through the second steering portion 314.

[0056] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, each of the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion 314 is a V-shaped recess. Therefore, each of these steering portions 312, 314 is configured to reflect light from the corresponding guiding member in two directions within the homogenizing member 110. In other words, light guided by the first guiding member 122 can be deflected in opposite directions along the annular homogenizing member 110 via the two inclined surfaces of the V-shaped recess of the first steering portion 312, and similarly, light guided by the second guiding member 124 can be deflected in opposite directions along the annular homogenizing member 110 via the two inclined surfaces of the V-shaped recess of the second steering portion 314.

[0057] In some embodiments, at least one of the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion may further include a reflective layer configured to internally reflect light from the corresponding guiding member within the homogenization member. For example, in some embodiments, the first steering portion 312 may include a reflective layer to increase reflectivity and thereby improve the steering efficiency of light from the first guiding member 122.

[0058] Although in this embodiment the light guiding unit 10 includes two guiding members 122 and 124, in an alternative embodiment the light guiding unit may include a single guiding member configured to guide light from a light source to a homogenization member.

[0059] Although it has been described above that each of the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 is configured such that its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to the length of the homogenizing member 110, in alternative embodiments, the guide member may not necessarily be perpendicular to the length of the homogenizing member. The orientation of the guide member relative to the homogenizing member may depend on the position and / or orientation of the light guiding unit within the visual indicator of the oral cleaning device or within the oral cleaning device.

[0060] Figure 5A This is a perspective view of a light guiding unit 10 according to one embodiment. Figure 5B It is shown Figure 5A A plan view of the internal structure of the light guiding unit 10. In this embodiment, the light guiding unit 10 includes a homogenization component 110, a first guiding component 122, and a second guiding component 124. In this embodiment, the homogenization component 110 includes a plurality of hollow elements 130 arranged along the length of the homogenization component 110.

[0061] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, the homogenizing component 110 in this embodiment is an annular component, and light from the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b can be guided along the length of the homogenizing component 110. The homogenizing component 110 is also configured such that at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light changes along the length of the homogenizing component 110, in order to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing component 110 along its length. The homogenizing component 110 in this embodiment also includes a first steering portion 312 and a second steering portion 314, which will be described in more detail below.

[0062] In this embodiment, the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 are coupled to the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b, respectively, such that each of these guiding members 122 and 124 can guide light from the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b to the homogenization member 110. Figure 5A As shown, the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 are positioned corresponding to the respective light sources. (Refer to...) Figure 7A In more detail, in some embodiments, the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b may be disposed on the printed circuit board of the visual indicator of the oral cleaning device.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each of the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 has a frustum-shaped cone. For each of the first guide member 122 and the second guide member 124 in this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the portion coupled to the light source is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the opposite end coupled to the homogenization member 110. The end with the smaller cross-sectional area may correspond to the size of the corresponding light source, while the other end with the larger cross-sectional area may correspond to the thickness or width of the homogenization member 110.

[0064] Each of the plurality of hollow elements 130 corresponds to a portion of the homogenizing member 110 from which material has been removed to form a hollow or empty space (i.e., replaced by atmosphere). In this embodiment, each of the plurality of hollow elements 520 is prismatic to cause a change in the amount of internal reflection of guided light along the length of the homogenizing member 110. Specifically, each of the plurality of hollow elements 130 in this embodiment is configured such that there is an abrupt change in the surface normal direction in the homogenizing member 110 compared to an otherwise substantially constant surface normal direction along the length of the homogenizing member 110 and / or a substantially gradual change in the surface normal direction.

[0065] In this embodiment, since the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 are positioned toward the bottom side of the light guiding unit 10 (as shown in the example), Figure 5B (as shown in the plan view), so that the plurality of hollow elements 130 are symmetrically positioned along the length of the homogenizing member 110 (i.e., along the circumference in this embodiment) to ensure that light entering the homogenizing member 110 via the first guide member 122 and light entering the homogenizing member 110 via the second guide member 124 are homogenized in the same manner at each half of the annular homogenizing member 110.

[0066] Although the above description describes each of the plurality of hollow elements 130 as prismatic, in alternative embodiments, the plurality of hollow elements in the homogenizing component may have different shapes, such as hemispherical or pyramidal. Furthermore, each of the plurality of hollow elements in the alternative embodiments may have a different shape. For example, in some embodiments, the plurality of hollow elements may include a first set of hollow elements and a second set of hollow elements, wherein each of the hollow elements in the first set is prismatic and each of the hollow elements in the second set is hemispherical. The respective position and size of each of the plurality of hollow elements may depend on the size and shape of the homogenizing component 110. For example, in some embodiments, the size of each of the plurality of hollow elements may increase with increasing distance between the respective hollow element and the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing component. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the number of hollow elements per distance unit may vary along the length of the homogenizing component. For example, the number of hollow elements per distance unit may increase with increasing distance from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing component.

[0067] Although in this embodiment the homogenizing member 110 has a constant cross-sectional area over its entire length, in alternative embodiments the cross-section of the homogenizing member 110 may vary along its length. In these alternative embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow elements 110 may be the same size. For example, in some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the homogenizing member 110 may decrease with increasing distance from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing member. In these embodiments, each of the plurality of hollow elements positioned along the length of the homogenizing member may be the same size to achieve a localized cross-sectional area that decreases along the length of the homogenizing member in a direction away from the point where light from the light source enters the homogenizing member.

[0068] Although in this embodiment, the light guiding unit 10 includes two guiding members 122 and 124, in alternative embodiments, the light guiding unit may include a single guiding member configured to guide light from a light source to a homogenization member. Furthermore, although in this embodiment the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 are positioned toward the bottom side (in plan view) of the light guiding unit 10, in alternative embodiments the first and second guiding members may have different positions within the light guiding unit to correspond to the positions of the light sources to which they are coupled. The positions of the guiding members may also depend on many other factors, including the size of the light guiding unit.

[0069] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a light diffusion unit 230 that can be used in conjunction with a light guiding unit as described in the embodiments herein. Figure 6As shown, in this embodiment, the light diffusion unit 230 may include a circular body to accommodate, for example, a reference... Figure 5A and Figure 5B The light guiding unit 10 includes an annular homogenizing component 110. In some embodiments, the light diffusing unit 230 may be made of the same material as the light guiding unit 10, or it may be made of a different material capable of transmitting light, such as plexiglass or polycarbonate. Although not shown in the figures, in some embodiments, particularly in embodiments where the light guiding unit and the light diffusing unit 230 are made of the same material, the light guiding unit may be formed together with the light diffusing unit 230 as a single component. (See reference...) Figure 7A and Figure 7B Provided the light diffusion unit 230 and Figure 5A and Figure 5B An exemplary embodiment of the use of the light guiding unit 10.

[0070] In more detail, Figure 7A and Figure 7B These are two different cross-sectional views showing a portion of the internal components of the oral cleaning device. In addition to the light diffusion unit 230 and the light guiding unit 10, the internal components in this embodiment also include a printed circuit board on which a first light source 50a and a second light source 50b are disposed, such as... Figure 7B As shown.

[0071] refer to Figure 7A , Figure 7A The diagram shows a cross-section of a portion of the internal components of the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124 of the light guiding unit 10. The light guiding unit 10 can be coupled to the light diffusion unit 230 by fitting it into a cavity space within the circular body of the light diffusion unit 230, such that the outer surface of the light guiding unit 10 directly contacts the inner surface of the light diffusion unit 230. Light from the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b can be... Figure 7A The light is guided in the direction indicated by the arrows to the homogenization unit 110 of the light guiding unit 10 via the first guiding member 122 and the second guiding member 124, respectively. Then, the light can be directed by the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion 314 in the homogenization member 110. Figure 7A The direction indicated by the arrow in the image is reversed. A portion of the light from this reversal can be seen in... Figure 7A The light is refracted in the direction indicated by the arrow and transmitted from the homogenization component 110 into the circular body of the light diffusion unit 230.

[0072] When light, directed by the first steering portion 312 and the second steering portion 314, is guided through the length of the homogenizing member 110, at least a portion of the guided light is as follows: Figure 7BThe light is transmitted through refraction from the homogenization component 110 in the direction indicated by the middle arrow. (See above reference.) Figure 5A and Figure 5B To explain, because multiple hollow elements along the length of the homogenizing member 110 alter at least one of the amount of refraction and internal reflection of the guided light, the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member 110 is homogenized along its length. Therefore, the light output from the first light source 50a and the second light source 50b can be uniformly guided and transmitted from the light guiding unit 10 to the light diffusing unit 230. The diffused light is then output from the light diffusing unit 230 to provide a uniform "halo" visual effect at the oral cleaning device.

[0073] According to some embodiments, a method for guiding light in a light guiding unit used in an oral cleaning device can be provided, wherein the light guiding unit includes a homogenizing member, and light from a light source is guided along the length of the homogenizing member. The method includes changing at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light in the homogenizing member and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length of the homogenizing member to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member along the length of the homogenizing member.

[0074] All definitions defined and used in this document should be understood to encompass dictionary definitions, definitions in referenced literature, and / or the general meaning of the terms used in the definitions.

[0075] Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the indefinite articles “a” and “an” used in this specification and claims shall be understood to mean “at least one”.

[0076] The phrase “and / or” as used in this specification and claims should be understood to mean “one or two” of the elements so combined, i.e., elements that exist together in some cases and separately in others. Multiple elements listed with “and / or” should be interpreted in the same way, i.e., “one or more” elements so combined. Other elements may optionally exist in addition to those specifically identified by the “and / or” clause, whether related to or unrelated to those specifically identified.

[0077] As used in this specification and claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” should be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including at least one, but also multiple elements or lists of elements, and optionally other unlisted items. Only terms that expressly indicate the opposite (such as “only one” or “exactly one”) or, when used in a claim, “consisting of” will mean exactly including multiple elements or one element in a list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating the only alternative prior to an exclusive clause (i.e., “one or the other but not both”), such as “any one,” “one of them,” or “exactly one.”

[0078] As used in this specification and claims, the phrase "at least one" referring to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the list, but not necessarily including at least one element from every element specifically listed in the list, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list. This definition also allows for the optional presence of other elements besides those specifically identified within the list of elements referred to by the phrase "at least one," whether related to or unrelated to those specifically identified elements.

[0079] It should also be understood that, unless expressly stated to the contrary, in any method claimed herein that includes more than one step or action, the order of the steps or actions of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or actions of the method are described.

[0080] In the claims and the description above, all transitional phrases (such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” etc.) should be understood as open-ended, i.e., including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” should be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0081] While several embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, various other means and / or structures for performing functions and / or obtaining results and / or one or more advantages described herein will readily conceive of by those skilled in the art, and all such variations and / or modifications are considered to be within the scope of the embodiments of the invention described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are intended to be exemplary, and actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on the specific application or application using the teachings of this invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to determine many equivalents of the specific embodiments of the invention described herein using no more than conventional experimentation. Therefore, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only, and that embodiments of the invention may be practiced in ways other than those specifically described and claimed within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. The embodiments of the invention disclosed herein relate to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. Furthermore, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods is included within the scope of the invention if these features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and / or methods do not contradict each other.

Claims

1. A light guiding unit (10) for use in an oral cleaning device, wherein the light guiding unit is configured to be coupled to a light source (50), and the light guiding unit includes a homogenizing member (110) having a length along which light from the light source is guided, wherein the homogenizing member is configured such that at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light is changed along the length to homogenize the amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member along the length of the homogenizing member.

2. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the homogenizing component (110) includes a plurality of hollow elements (130) along the length of the homogenizing component (110) to change at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length.

3. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of hollow elements (130) of the homogenizing component (110) is configured such that the size of the corresponding hollow element increases with the distance between the corresponding hollow element and a point at which light from the light source enters the homogenizing component.

4. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein each of the plurality of hollow elements (130) of the homogenizing component (110) is in the shape of a prism, a hemispherical shape and a pyramid.

5. The light guiding unit (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the homogenizing member (110) is configured such that the cross-sectional area along the length of the homogenizing member (110) is changed to change at least one of the amount of refraction of the guided light and the amount of internal reflection of the guided light along the length of the homogenizing member.

6. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 5, wherein the homogenizing member (110) is configured such that the size of the cross-sectional area decreases with increasing distance from a point where light from the light source (50) enters the homogenizing member.

7. The light guiding unit (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the homogenizing component (110) includes at least one of an internal reflection portion and a scattering element along the length to change at least one of the refraction amount of the guided light and the internal reflection amount of the guided light along the length.

8. The light guiding unit (10) according to any one of the preceding claims further includes at least one guiding member (122, 124) configured to guide light from the light source (50a, 50b) to the homogenizing member (110).

9. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 8, wherein the at least one guiding member (122, 124) is configured such that the longitudinal axis of the at least one guiding member is substantially perpendicular to the length of the homogenizing member (110).

10. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the homogenizing component (110) includes a deflecting portion (312, 314) configured to deflect light from the guiding component such that the light travels along the length of the homogenizing component.

11. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 10, wherein the deflecting portions (312, 314, 312, 314) are V-shaped recesses configured to deflect light from the guiding member in two directions in the homogenizing member (110).

12. The light guiding unit (10) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the steering portion (312, 314) includes a reflective layer configured to internally reflect light from the guiding member in the homogenizing member (110).

13. The light guiding unit (10) according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the homogenizing member (110) has an annular shape, and the guiding member (122, 124) is shaped to conform to the curvature of the homogenizing member.

14. A visual indicator (20) for use in an oral hygiene device to provide a user with feedback on the use of the oral hygiene device, the visual indicator comprising: The light guiding unit (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the light guiding unit is coupled to the light source (50); as well as A light diffusion unit (230) coupled to the light guiding unit, wherein the light diffusion unit is configured to output diffused light from the light guiding unit.

15. A method for guiding light in a light guiding unit (10) for use in an oral cleaning device, wherein the light guiding unit includes a homogenizing member (110) having a length along which light from a light source (50) is guided, the method comprising: The amount of light transmitted from the homogenizing member is homogenized along the length by varying at least one of the amount of refraction and the amount of internal reflection of the light guided in the homogenizing member.

Images