Control circuit and electric toothbrush

Abstract

The utility model discloses a control circuit and an electric toothbrush, the control circuit comprises a capacitive touch sensing assembly, the capacitive touch sensing assembly is arranged on the inner surface of a shell, and the capacitive touch sensing assembly is used for outputting a touch signal when being touched; the pressure sensing assembly is attached to the face, back to the shell, of the capacitive touch sensing assembly, and the pressure sensing assembly is used for sensing the pressure borne by the position, corresponding to the capacitive touch sensing assembly, of the shell and outputting a corresponding pressure detection signal; the main control circuit is electrically connected with the pressure sensing assembly and the capacitive touch sensing assembly, and when the main control circuit receives the touch signal and the pressure detection signal and detects that the pressure borne by the pressure sensing assembly is larger than a preset pressure threshold value according to the pressure detection signal, the main control circuit controls the electric toothbrush to switch the working state; the utility model aims to solve the technical problem that the conventional electric toothbrush is easy to touch by mistake.

Description

Control circuit and electric toothbrush Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of electric toothbrush technology, and in particular to a control circuit and an electric toothbrush. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most electric toothbrushes on the market use capacitive buttons as their primary control method. Capacitive buttons are based on the principle of capacitive sensing, triggering corresponding function switching or operation commands by detecting changes in capacitance caused by human contact.

[0003] However, capacitive buttons have also revealed some significant problems in actual use, the most prominent of which is accidental touches. Because capacitive buttons are highly sensitive and can be triggered without applying physical pressure, users may accidentally touch the button area while holding the electric toothbrush or brushing their teeth, resulting in unexpected operations such as switching functions or starting / stopping the device. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main purpose of this invention is to propose a control circuit and an electric toothbrush, aiming to solve the technical problem of accidental activation of existing electric toothbrushes.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes a control circuit for use in an electric toothbrush, the electric toothbrush including a housing, and the control circuit including:

[0006] A capacitive touch sensing component is disposed on the inner surface of the housing, and the capacitive touch sensing component is used to output a touch signal when touched.

[0007] A pressure sensing component is attached to the side of the capacitive touch sensing component facing away from the housing. The pressure sensing component is used to sense the pressure on the housing corresponding to the position of the capacitive touch sensing component and output a corresponding pressure detection signal.

[0008] The main control circuit is electrically connected to the pressure sensing component and the capacitive touch sensing component. When the main control circuit receives the touch signal and the pressure detection signal, and detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component is greater than a preset pressure threshold based on the pressure detection signal, it controls the electric toothbrush to switch working states.

[0009] In one embodiment, the capacitive touch sensing component includes:

[0010] A touch copper frame and a touch sensing circuit, wherein the touch copper frame is electrically connected to the touch sensing circuit;

[0011] The touch copper frame is used to output an electrical signal when touched, and the touch sensing circuit is used to output a touch signal when the voltage of the electrical signal is greater than a preset voltage threshold.

[0012] In one embodiment, the touch sensing circuit includes:

[0013] A first capacitor and a touch sensing chip, wherein the touch sensing chip is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor and the touch copper frame, respectively, and the second terminal of the first capacitor is grounded.

[0014] In one embodiment, the touch sensing circuit includes:

[0015] A first capacitor and a touch sensing chip, wherein the touch sensing chip is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor and the touch copper frame, respectively, and the second terminal of the first capacitor is grounded.

[0016] In one embodiment, the pressure sensing component includes:

[0017] A bridge pressure sensor and a first resistor are provided. The first terminal of the bridge pressure sensor is grounded, the second terminal of the bridge pressure sensor is connected to a first voltage, the third and fourth terminals of the bridge pressure sensor are electrically connected to the main control circuit, the first terminal of the first resistor is connected to the third terminal of the bridge pressure sensor, and the second terminal of the first resistor is grounded.

[0018] The bridge-type pressure sensor is used to output a differential voltage signal through its third and fourth terminals;

[0019] The pressure detection signal includes a differential voltage signal.

[0020] In one embodiment, the main control circuit includes:

[0021] A voltage divider circuit and a main controller are provided. The input terminal of the voltage divider circuit is connected to the output terminal of the pressure sensing component, and the output terminal of the voltage divider circuit is connected to the main controller. The main controller is also electrically connected to the capacitive touch sensing component.

[0022] The main controller is used to control the electric toothbrush to switch working states when it detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component is greater than a preset pressure threshold based on the pressure detection signal and receives the touch signal.

[0023] In one embodiment, the voltage divider circuit includes:

[0024] The second resistor and the third resistor are connected in the following ways: the first end of the second resistor is connected to the output end of the pressure sensing component; the second end of the second resistor is electrically connected to the first end of the third resistor and the main controller; and the second end of the third resistor is grounded.

[0025] In one embodiment, the control circuit further includes:

[0026] A voltage regulator circuit is provided, with its input terminal connected to the battery voltage and its output terminal electrically connected to the main control circuit. The voltage regulator circuit is used to convert the battery voltage into the operating voltage of the main control circuit.

[0027] This utility model also proposes an electric toothbrush, including the control circuit described in any of the above claims.

[0028] This utility model's control circuit includes a capacitive touch sensing component, a pressure sensing component, and a main control circuit. Upon receiving a touch signal from the capacitive touch sensing component, the main control circuit does not immediately trigger a function switch or state change. Instead, it further combines this signal with the pressure detection signal from the pressure sensing component for judgment. Only when the pressure detected by the pressure sensing component exceeds a preset pressure threshold will the main control circuit execute the corresponding operation (such as switching working modes or starting / stopping the device). This dual-signal detection mechanism significantly reduces the risk of accidental touches that might occur with a single capacitive sensor, improving the stability and reliability of the electric toothbrush in actual use. For example, when a user's finger accidentally touches the button area, although the capacitive touch sensing component will output a touch signal, the main control circuit will not respond due to insufficient pressure, thus avoiding accidental operation. Furthermore, even if the capacitive touch sensing component generates a false signal due to water droplets, the main control circuit will not respond as long as the pressure sensing component does not detect sufficient pressure, thus avoiding accidental operation. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0030] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a module according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the modules of another embodiment of the present utility model;

[0035] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a module according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0037] 10. Pressure sensing component; 11. Bridge pressure sensor; 20. Capacitive touch sensing component; 21. Touch copper frame; 22. Touch sensing circuit; 23. Touch sensing chip; 30. Main control circuit; 31. Voltage divider circuit; 32. Main controller; 40. Voltage regulator circuit.

[0038] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0040] It should be noted that if the embodiments of this utility model involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0041] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this utility model involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0042] Currently, most electric toothbrushes on the market use capacitive buttons as their primary control method. Capacitive buttons are based on the principle of capacitive sensing, triggering corresponding function switching or operation commands by detecting changes in capacitance caused by human contact.

[0043] However, capacitive buttons have also revealed some significant problems in actual use, the most prominent of which is accidental touches. Because capacitive buttons are highly sensitive and can be triggered without applying physical pressure, users may accidentally touch the button area while holding the electric toothbrush or brushing their teeth, resulting in unexpected operations such as switching functions or starting / stopping the device.

[0044] Therefore, this utility model proposes a control circuit and an electric toothbrush, aiming to solve the technical problem of accidental activation in existing electric toothbrushes. In one embodiment of this utility model, referring to FIG1, the control circuit is applied to the electric toothbrush, and the control circuit includes:

[0045] A capacitive touch sensing component 20 is disposed on the inner surface of the housing, and the capacitive touch sensing component 20 is used to output a touch signal when touched.

[0046] Pressure sensing component 10 is attached to the side of capacitive touch sensing component 20 facing away from the housing. The pressure sensing component 10 is used to sense the pressure on the housing corresponding to the position of the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and output a corresponding pressure detection signal.

[0047] The main control circuit 30 is electrically connected to the pressure sensing component 10 and the capacitive touch sensing component 20 respectively. When the main control circuit 30 receives the touch signal and the pressure detection signal, and detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component 10 is greater than a preset pressure threshold according to the pressure detection signal, the main control circuit 30 controls the electric toothbrush to switch working states.

[0048] In this embodiment, a button mark is provided on the outer shell, and the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and the pressure sensing component 10 are both located on the inner surface of the outer shell at positions corresponding to the button mark, so as to serve as buttons for controlling the electric toothbrush.

[0049] In this embodiment, considering that when the pressure sensing component 10 is located between the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and the housing, the pressure sensing component 10 partially shields the electric field of the capacitive touch sensing component 20, leading to a decrease in the detection sensitivity of the capacitive touch sensing component 20, this invention places the capacitive touch sensing component 20 on the inner surface of the housing, with the pressure sensing component 10 attached to the side of the capacitive touch sensing component 20 facing away from the housing. With this arrangement, when the user touches a button, the capacitive touch sensing component 20 can immediately detect the touch action, thereby providing faster and more sensitive touch feedback and improving the user experience.

[0050] Furthermore, conductive silicone is provided between the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and the pressure sensing component 10. The conductive silicone has a certain degree of elasticity and flexibility, which can act as a buffer when the user presses, reducing the direct impact of external pressure on the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and the pressure sensing component 10. Moreover, the conductive silicone itself has excellent waterproof and sealing properties, effectively preventing water droplets, moisture, or other contaminants from seeping into the gap between the capacitive touch sensing component 20 and the pressure sensing component 10.

[0051] In this embodiment, the capacitive touch sensing component 20 can be implemented using a touch copper frame 21 and a touch sensing circuit 22. Referring to Figure 2, the touch copper frame 21 is electrically connected to the touch sensing circuit 22. The touch copper frame 21 outputs an electrical signal when touched, and the touch sensing circuit 22 outputs a touch signal when the voltage of the electrical signal is greater than a preset voltage threshold. When not touched, the electric field distribution around the touch copper frame 21 is stable. When a user's finger approaches or touches the touch copper frame 21, a coupling capacitor is formed between the finger and the copper frame, causing a change in the electric field distribution of the copper frame. The touch sensing circuit 22 receives the electrical signal output by the touch copper frame 21 and processes the electrical signal. When the voltage of the electrical signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, the touch sensing circuit 22 determines that the touch copper frame 21 has been touched and outputs a touch signal to the main control circuit 30, so that the main control circuit 30 controls the electric toothbrush to switch working states.

[0052] Furthermore, considering the relationship between the sensitivity and power consumption of the touch sensing chip 23, higher sensitivity typically requires more frequent signal sampling and processing, which may increase power consumption. Therefore, in one embodiment, the touch sensing circuit 22 includes:

[0053] A first capacitor C1 and a touch sensing chip 23 are connected, wherein the touch sensing chip 23 is electrically connected to the first end of the first capacitor C1 and the touch copper frame 21, and the second end of the first capacitor C1 is grounded.

[0054] The first capacitor C1 and the touch copper frame 21 together constitute the input circuit of the touch sensing chip 23. The touch sensing chip 23 determines whether a valid touch action has occurred by comparing the capacitance change of the touch copper frame 21 with the reference value of the first capacitor C1. When the capacitance of the first capacitor C1 increases, the reference capacitance value of the touch sensing chip 23 also increases. At this time, the capacitance change on the touch copper frame 21 needs to reach a larger amplitude to be recognized as a valid touch signal by the touch sensing chip 23, thus reducing the sensitivity of the touch sensing chip 23. With this setting, in practical applications, developers can reduce the sensitivity of the touch sensing chip 23 by increasing the capacitance of the first capacitor C1, thereby reducing the detection frequency and processing requirements of the touch sensing chip 23, thus reducing power consumption and extending the service life of the touch sensing chip 23.

[0055] In this embodiment, the pressure sensing component 10 can be implemented using a bridge pressure sensor 11 and a resistor. Referring to FIG3, the pressure sensing component 10 includes:

[0056] A bridge pressure sensor 11 and a first resistor R1 are provided. The first end of the bridge pressure sensor 11 is grounded, the second end of the bridge pressure sensor 11 is connected to a first voltage, the third and fourth ends of the bridge pressure sensor 11 are electrically connected to the main control circuit 30, the first end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the third end of the bridge pressure sensor 11, and the second end of the first resistor R1 is grounded.

[0057] The bridge-type pressure sensor 11 is used to output a differential voltage signal through its third and fourth terminals;

[0058] The pressure detection signal includes a differential voltage signal.

[0059] A bridge pressure sensor 11 typically consists of a Wheatstone bridge composed of four resistors: two fixed reference resistors and two variable resistors affected by pressure. When pressure is applied to the bridge pressure sensor 11, the resistance of the variable resistors changes, causing a change in the voltage difference (differential voltage signal) between the third and fourth terminals. The main control circuit 30 processes the differential voltage signal to determine the pressure magnitude. The first resistor R1 is used to change the output impedance of the bridge pressure sensor 11, affecting the amplitude of the differential voltage signal. Increasing the resistance of the first resistor R1 decreases the amplitude of the differential voltage signal, thus reducing the sensitivity of the main control circuit 30 to pressure changes. Conversely, decreasing the resistance of the first resistor R1 increases the amplitude of the differential voltage signal, thus increasing the sensitivity of the main control circuit 30 to pressure changes. Researchers can adjust the sensitivity of the main control circuit 30 to pressure changes according to specific needs. For example, by reducing sensitivity (increasing the resistance of the first resistor R1), the sampling frequency and processing requirements of the differential voltage signal in the main control circuit 30 can be reduced, thereby reducing power consumption. For example, when electric toothbrushes are used by users with less finger strength (such as children or the elderly), the sensitivity can be increased to make it easier to trigger the operation.

[0060] In addition, the pressure sensing component 10 can also be implemented using a piezoresistive pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor or a piezoelectric pressure sensor, without any limitation.

[0061] In this embodiment, the main control circuit 30 can be implemented using a main controller 32, such as an MCU (Microcontroller Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or SOC (System On Chip).

[0062] Furthermore, in order to improve the accuracy of pressure detection by the main controller 32, in one embodiment, referring to FIG4, the main control circuit 30 further includes a voltage divider circuit 31. The input terminal of the voltage divider circuit 31 is connected to the output terminal of the pressure sensing component 10, and the output terminal of the voltage divider circuit 31 is connected to the main controller 32. The main controller 32 is also electrically connected to the capacitive touch sensing component 20.

[0063] The main controller 32 is used to control the electric toothbrush to switch working states when it detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component 10 is greater than a preset pressure threshold based on the pressure detection signal and receives the touch signal.

[0064] The voltage divider circuit 31 adjusts the signal voltage to ensure that the pressure detection signal is always within the optimal operating range of the ADC sampling of the main controller 32, thereby improving the sampling resolution and accuracy. The voltage divider circuit 31 can be implemented using two or more resistors. For example, referring to Figure 5, the voltage divider circuit 31 includes:

[0065] The second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3 are connected as follows: the first end of the second resistor R2 is connected to the output terminal of the pressure sensing component 10, and the second end of the second resistor R2 is electrically connected to both the first end of the third resistor R3 and the main controller 32. The second end of the third resistor R3 is grounded. The resistance values ​​of the second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3 can be reasonably selected based on the output range of the pressure sensing component 10 and the ADC input range of the main controller 32.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the main control circuit 30 receives a touch signal and a pressure detection signal, and detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component 10 is greater than a preset pressure threshold based on the pressure detection signal, it controls the electric toothbrush to switch working states, such as controlling the electric toothbrush to switch between starting and stopping, or controlling the electric toothbrush to switch working modes.

[0067] This utility model's control circuit includes a capacitive touch sensing component 20, a pressure sensing component 10, and a main control circuit 30. Upon receiving a touch signal from the capacitive touch sensing component 20, the main control circuit 30 does not immediately trigger a function switch or state change. Instead, it further combines this signal with the pressure detection signal output by the pressure sensing component 10 for judgment. Only when the pressure detected by the pressure sensing component 10 exceeds a preset pressure threshold will the main control circuit 30 execute the corresponding operation (such as switching working modes or starting / stopping the device). This dual-signal detection mechanism significantly reduces the risk of accidental touches that might occur with a single capacitive sensor, improving the stability and reliability of the electric toothbrush in actual use. For example, when a user's finger accidentally touches the button area, although the capacitive touch sensing component 20 will output a touch signal, the main control circuit 30 will not respond due to insufficient pressure, thus avoiding accidental operation. Furthermore, even if the capacitive touch sensing component 20 generates a false signal due to water droplets, the main control circuit 30 will not respond as long as the pressure sensing component 10 does not detect sufficient pressure, thus avoiding accidental operation.

[0068] It is important to consider that the battery's output voltage will gradually decrease as the battery power is consumed (for example, a lithium battery gradually drops from a full charge of 4.2V to around 3.0V). If the battery voltage is used directly to power the main control circuit 30, it may cause the main control circuit 30 to operate unstablely or even fail to function properly.

[0069] In one embodiment of this utility model, referring to FIG6, the control circuit further includes:

[0070] A voltage regulator circuit 40 is provided, with its input terminal connected to the battery voltage and its output terminal electrically connected to the main control circuit 30. The voltage regulator circuit 40 is used to convert the battery voltage into the operating voltage of the main control circuit 30.

[0071] The voltage regulator circuit 40 is used to stabilize the battery voltage at a constant output value (such as 3.3V or 5V), ensuring that the main control circuit 30 always operates at the rated operating voltage, improving the stability of the main control circuit 30, and avoiding system failures or malfunctions caused by voltage fluctuations.

[0072] This utility model also proposes an electric toothbrush, including the control circuit as described above.

[0073] It is worth noting that since the electric toothbrush of this utility model is based on the above-mentioned control circuit, the embodiments of the electric toothbrush of this utility model include all the technical solutions of all the embodiments of the above-mentioned control circuit, and the technical effects achieved are exactly the same, so they will not be repeated here.

[0074] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present utility model and does not limit the patent scope of the present utility model. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present utility model and the contents of the present utility model specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A control circuit for use in an electric toothbrush, the electric toothbrush comprising a housing, characterized in that, The control circuit includes: a capacitive touch sensing component disposed on the inner surface of the housing, which outputs a touch signal when touched; a pressure sensing component attached to the side of the capacitive touch sensing component facing away from the housing, which senses the pressure on the housing corresponding to the position of the capacitive touch sensing component and outputs a corresponding pressure detection signal; and a main control circuit electrically connected to both the pressure sensing component and the capacitive touch sensing component, which controls the electric toothbrush to switch working states when it receives the touch signal and the pressure detection signal, and detects that the pressure on the pressure sensing component is greater than a preset pressure threshold.

2. The control circuit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The capacitive touch sensing component includes a touch copper frame and a touch sensing circuit, wherein the touch copper frame is electrically connected to the touch sensing circuit; the touch copper frame is used to output an electrical signal when touched, and the touch sensing circuit is used to output a touch signal when the voltage of the electrical signal is greater than a preset voltage threshold.

3. The control circuit as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The touch sensing circuit includes a first capacitor and a touch sensing chip. The touch sensing chip is electrically connected to the first terminal of the first capacitor and the touch copper frame, respectively, and the second terminal of the first capacitor is grounded.

4. The control circuit as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The pressure sensing component includes: a bridge pressure sensor and a first resistor. The first terminal of the bridge pressure sensor is grounded, the second terminal of the bridge pressure sensor is connected to a first voltage, the third and fourth terminals of the bridge pressure sensor are electrically connected to the main control circuit, the first terminal of the first resistor is connected to the third terminal of the bridge pressure sensor, and the second terminal of the first resistor is grounded. The bridge pressure sensor is used to output a differential voltage signal through its third and fourth terminals. The pressure detection signal includes a differential voltage signal.

5. The control circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The main control circuit includes a voltage divider circuit and a main controller. The input terminal of the voltage divider circuit is connected to the output terminal of the pressure sensing component, and the output terminal of the voltage divider circuit is connected to the main controller. The main controller is also electrically connected to the capacitive touch sensing component. The main controller is used to control the electric toothbrush to switch working states when the pressure on the pressure sensing component is greater than a preset pressure threshold and the touch signal is received, based on the pressure detection signal.

6. The control circuit as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The voltage divider circuit includes a second resistor and a third resistor. The first end of the second resistor is connected to the output end of the pressure sensing component. The second end of the second resistor is electrically connected to the first end of the third resistor and the main controller. The second end of the third resistor is grounded.

7. The control circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The control circuit further includes a voltage regulator circuit, the input terminal of which is connected to the battery voltage, and the output terminal of which is electrically connected to the main control circuit; the voltage regulator circuit is used to convert the battery voltage into the operating voltage of the main control circuit.

8. An electric toothbrush, characterized in that, Includes the control circuit as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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