Brush head for an ultrasonic toothbrush

Abstract

A brush part (10) for an ultrasonic toothbrush is described, comprising a brush head section (12) with a bristle carrier carrying bristles or bristle bundles, a brush shaft section (14) adjoining the brush head section (12) in the longitudinal direction of the brush part (10), and a coupling section (16) adjoining the brush shaft section (14) for the mechanical and electrical connection of the brush part (10) with a handle part of an ultrasonic toothbrush, as well as at least one ultrasonic unit (20) included in the brush head section (12) for generating ultrasonic vibrations, and at least one storage element (30) for storing brush part-specific data.Furthermore, at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20) is stored in the storage element (30), wherein the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20) is recorded by a measuring system and is used and / or evaluated to control the ultrasonic unit (20) during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush.

Description

Technical FieldThe invention relates to a replaceable or replaceable brush part for an ultrasonic toothbrush and to an ultrasonic toothbrush having a grip part and such a brush part.Prior ArtIn addition to conventional electric tooth brushes, in which either the entire brush part oscillates back and forth or only the brush head oscillates or vibrates, so-called ultrasonic tooth brushes have been known for some time, in which an ultrasonic generator integrated into the brush head causes the flexible bristles, which are usually combined to form bristle tufts, to oscillate at high frequencies. In addition to the thorough cleaning, the advantage of such ultrasonic tooth brushes is primarily that teeth and gums are only subjected to a slight amount of mechanical stress. However, a special ultrasonic tooth paste or cream is required. In addition, the cleaning process has to be modified in comparison with conventional electric tooth brushes in order to achieve an optimum cleaning effect. In the case of ultrasonic tooth brushes, it is generally recommended to distribute the ultrasonic paste or cream first of all in the switched-off state on the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth. The ultrasonic toothbrush is then switched on and the brush head is held on the respective inner and outer surfaces for five to ten seconds in each case, without performing a mechanical back and forth movement of the complete brush head, i.e. no "scrubbing" of the teeth. Consequently, brushing the teeth with an ultrasonic toothbrush takes significantly more time than with an electric toothbrush or hand toothbrush.A great disadvantage in commercially available ultrasonic tooth brushes is, moreover, that the ultrasonic generator installed in the brush part or brush head or embedded in the brush head can have high capacity tolerances for various reasons. Ultrasonic transducers which are installed in ultrasonic tooth brushes are subject to capacitance tolerances of up to + / - 30 percent. In addition, there are various variants of ultrasonic generators which differ in terms of shape, size, operating parameters and requirements. Consequently, the control of the ultrasonic transducer of an ultrasonic toothbrush is dependent on many factors and influencing variables, as a result of which optimum control of the ultrasonic transducer of the respective ultrasonic toothbrush is relatively complex.WO 03 / 054771 A1 discloses an electric toothbrush having a handle portion, the handle portion typically comprising a motor, a rechargeable battery, a microcontroller and an on and off switch, and a replaceable brush head, the brush head having at the distal end a bristle arrangement comprising a bristle base and a bristle set mounted thereon. Furthermore, a storage element is located in the brush head, which can be designed as a ROM (read only memory) or RAM (random access memory). Depending on the embodiment variant, different properties of the brush head can be stored on the storage element, such as a unique identification number of the brush head. However, it is also conceivable that during the production of the brush head certain properties of the brush head, such as e.g. children or adult models, are stored in the storage element, so that the electric toothbrush recognizes the brush head as such a model. Structural properties of the brush head, which lead to deviations in the moment of inertia or the spring rate or spring constant of the electric toothbrush, for example, and are detected during the production of the brush head, can also be programmed into the memory element. Depending on the information stored on the storage element, the drive frequency for the motor, in particular electric motor, of the toothbrush is slightly changed by the microcontroller or the drive properties, such as amplitude and frequency, of the electric toothbrush are adapted. It is disadvantageous that the toothbrush cannot generate any oscillations in the ultrasonic range. Rather, the construction and the function and mode of operation of the electric tooth brush differ significantly from that of an ultrasonic tooth brush. In addition, other operating parameters are required for optimum operation of an electric toothbrush, such as for operation of an ultrasonic toothbrush.Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 10,624,448 B2 discloses a computer-controlled makeup brush, comprising a handle part having a first end and a second end, wherein the handle has an on and off switch, a drive unit, in particular a motor, and an RFID reader, and one or more computer processors and a computer memory, and a brush head having a multiplicity of bristles, wherein the brush head can be connected or coupled to the handle part and the brush head can be driven around the handle part via the drive unit. Moreover, the makeup brush includes one or more sensors to detect the motion of the makeup brush relative to a particular portion of the user's body as makeup is applied to that portion of the body. The brush head has integrated or embedded therein an RFID chip on which is stored specific brush information, such as a particular brush identification code associated with the brush type, model number, etc. of the brush head, or a code indicating a standard rotational speed, torque setting, expected brush head life (e.g., in hours, days, etc.) and / or rotational and / or oscillatory pattern for the brush head, or any other suitable information that may affect the actuation of the motorized handle. It is disadvantageous that no operating parameters are stored in the RFID chip of the brush head, which parameters take account of manufacturing tolerances during the production of the brush head or other deviations from setpoint values of the brush head. Moreover, for the control and operation of a make-up brush, other operating parameters are required than for an electric toothbrush or an ultrasonic toothbrush.Finally, EP 1 844 732 B1 describes a handpiece of an electrical tooth cleaning device which has a closed housing in which, inter alia, an electric motor, a rechargeable battery which can be coupled to a charging station via a charging module arranged on the base side, and a control device which can have a printed circuit board or a microprocessor are accommodated. Different types of mounting brushes can be placed on the end face of the handpiece, wherein the respective mounting brush can be mechanically coupled to the handpiece by means of a coupling in order to transmit the drive movement of the electric motor to the brush head of the mounting brush. The mounting brush is provided with a transponder which contains a coding or cleaning tool coding, the coding serving for identifying the respective mounted cleaning tool. Depending on the cleaning tool detected, the operating parameters, such as cleaning frequency, speed and time, contact pressure threshold value or contact pressure setpoint value range, are adjusted by means of the control unit in the handpiece. Specifically, the engine speed can be reduced for a child as a user compared with the otherwise usual speed for adults, so that a gentler tooth cleaning is carried out for the child. Furthermore, the transponder or the coding device can be designed as an integrated component of the cleaning tool or as a separate component, so that it can be removed from the cleaning tool and exchanged. For example, the transponder can be adhesively bonded to the plug-on brush in the form of a label as a so-called smart label or can also be contained in a colored plug-on ring on the end face of the plug-on brush. Since no electrically controllable components are installed in the cleaning tool of the electric toothbrush, the information stored on the transponder relates only to properties of the cleaning tool, such as, for example, the type of cleaning tool, such as a plug-on brush with bristles, interdental cleaner, gum massager or tongue scraper, children's or adult model or hardness of the bristles, etc. In addition, the function and mode of action and the structure of an electric toothbrush differ fundamentally from that of an ultrasonic tooth brush. Thus, the electric toothbrush has neither an electromechanical transducer or ultrasonic generator nor an actuation thereof.DE 10 2015 201 092 A1 discloses a device for ultrasonic treatment of open wounds, which device comprises a cleaning attachment with an ultrasonic unit accommodated therein.DE 10 2022 101 416 A1 discloses an ultrasonic toothbrush comprising a handpiece unit and a removable treatment attachment, wherein an ultrasonic unit is integrated in a head section of the treatment attachment.Furthermore, DE 101 59 395 A1 discloses a tooth cleaning device which has a removable brush part.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an exchangeable brush part for an ultrasonic toothbrush which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. The brush part is intended to ensure effective and particularly thorough cleaning of the teeth, to be compatible with different hand parts and to be precisely controllable by them and to be able to be operated as energy-saving as possible. This object is achieved according to the invention by the brush part according to independent claim 1 and the ultrasonic toothbrush according to claim 11. Further advantageous aspects, details and embodiments of the invention are evident from the dependent claims, the description and the drawing.The brush part according to the invention for an ultrasonic toothbrush comprises a brush head section with a bristle carrier carrying bristles or bristle bundles, a brush shaft section adjoining the brush head section in the longitudinal direction of the brush part and a coupling section adjoining the brush shaft section for the mechanical and electrical connection of the brush part to a handle part of an ultrasonic toothbrush, and at least one ultrasonic unit accommodated in the brush head section for generating ultrasonic oscillations. Furthermore, the brush part has at least one storage element for storing brush part-specific data, wherein at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit is stored in the storage element, and wherein the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit is detected by a measurement system and the measurement system is used and / or evaluated for controlling the ultrasonic unit during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush.A great advantage of the brush part according to the invention is that at least one individual or specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit measured by means of a measuring system is stored in the storage element of the brush part, which parameter makes it possible to optimally actuate the ultrasonic unit by the control unit in the handle part during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush. For the control of the ultrasonic unit, therefore, tolerance-afflicted manufacturer information of the individual electromechanical transducers or ultrasonic transducers no longer has to be used, but rather the actual values of the individual electromechanical transducers or ultrasonic transducers. Accordingly, the ultrasonic unit can be precisely controlled depending on the measured values of the ultrasonic unit, namely in such a way that the ultrasonic vibration lies in an ideal range or in a range in which the ultrasonic vibration brings about a maximum cleaning effect, reaches a high cleaning performance and at the same time does not exceed any critical limit values with regard to the ultrasonic intensity and the energy density.The oscillation frequency of ultrasonic tooth brushes is usually in the frequency interval of, for example, 300 Hz to at least 2 MHz. Thus, an ultrasonic toothbrush can generate up to 96 million pulses or oscillations per minute. The high frequency of the ultrasonic waves enables ultrasonic brushes to manage without mechanical movement when cleaning the teeth. Instead, the oscillations of the ultrasonic toothbrush are transmitted to the teeth via a toothpaste or cream optimized for ultrasound and / or media present in the oral cavity, such as liquids or saliva, and / or via the bristles or bristle bundles arranged on the bristle carrier. Small cavities or a multiplicity of microbubbles are formed there, the structure of which is destroyed by the ultrasonic waves, these collapsed in themselves and generate a suction effect which is strong enough to remove the biofilm and to minimize deposits and bacteria. The cavities produced in this case have a diameter which is many times smaller than the diameter of bacteria, so that, when the microcavities are implosed, the nucleus of the bacteria and thus also the bacteria themselves are destroyed and killed.The waves emitted by the ultrasound unit, in particular the at least one electromechanical transducer or ultrasound generator, are also suitable for penetrating into the tissue and for killing bacteria, bacterial esters or germs present there, specifically with prophylactic and / or therapeutic effect. At the same time, an activation of an increased blood circulation of the tissue and a release of endogenous energies and thus an intensification of the endogenous immune system by the vibration energy also takes place, so that the treatment with the ultrasonic toothbrush not only acts therapeutically but in particular also in the case of acute inflammations, e.g. of the tooth retaining apparatus or the tooth root, especially since mechanical vibration energy in the ultrasonic range also penetrates into the tissue or gum to a depth of up to 12 mm.However, it should be taken into account that the teeth and the gum absorb the ultrasonic energy directly, i.e. by direct contacts with the bristles, and indirectly through the effective film of the special toothpaste or cream and / or available media in the oral cavity, wherein the ultrasonic intensity and the energy density must not exceed their respective maximum values. The more important is that the ultrasound unit can be controlled as precisely as possible in order to maintain the maximum values or limit values on the one hand and in order to achieve the best possible cleaning effect on the other hand.Therefore, the cleaning effect and the cleaning performance of the ultrasonic toothbrush largely depend on the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic unit, i.e., the better the ultrasonic vibration is adjustable to a predefined range, the more effective is the cleaning effect on the teeth and in the oral cavity. The ultrasonic unit is preferably controlled in such a way that the power output by the ultrasonic unit is less than 50 W. This ensures that the mechanical vibration power delivered via the bristles is in any case below a value which could lead to damage to the tissue during the treatment.The brush head section of the brush part has, in particular, a bristle carrier to which a plurality of bristles or bristle bundles protruding on one side of the brush head section are fastened. Furthermore, the brush head section comprises a receiving region for receiving and fastening the ultrasound unit. The ultrasonic unit can either be embedded or cast in the brush head section or be fastened to the receiving region of the brush head section. The fastening of the ultrasonic unit to the receiving region of the brush head section can be effected, for example, by means of an adhesive connection.The ultrasonic unit installed or embedded in the brush head section is preferably designed as an electromechanical transducer or ultrasonic transducer, in particular a piezoelectric actuator or piezoelectric actuator or ultrasonic actuator or piezoelectric element. Such ultrasonic units usually have relatively large tolerances or tolerance ranges. For example, the capacitance of an ultrasound unit may have a capacitance tolerance of up to + / - 30 percent. Such partially massive deviations from the setpoint values of an ultrasonic unit lead in conventional ultrasonic tooth brushes to the cleaning performance and cleaning intensity varying greatly depending on the deviation from the setpoint value. In addition, there are a wide variety of variants of electromechanical transducers or ultrasonic transducers, which differ in their shape, thickness, capacitance and operating parameters and requirements. For this reason, at least one specific parameter of the ultrasound unit, in particular the capacitance, is measured or recorded by means of a measurement system. The measuring system acquires the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasound unit either during the production of the brush part or after completion of the brush part, i.e. at the end of the production process, and stores this subsequently on the storage element of the brush part.According to the invention, the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit of the novel brush part, which parameter is stored or stored on the storage element, is then read out by the control unit in the handle part, evaluated and then the optimum operating parameters for operating the ultrasonic unit are determined. The evaluation and calculation of the optimum operating parameters is effected via at least one processor, in particular a microprocessor, which is configured such that it can execute a control routine or program codes.By taking into account the individual or specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit, the ultrasonic unit can always be controlled in such a way that the ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic unit lies in the ideal range, namely in the range at which the highest cleaning intensity and the highest cleaning performance are achieved. At the same time, there is no risk that the limit values or maximum values with respect to the ultrasonic intensity and the energy density are exceeded. Since the operating parameters for operating the ultrasonic unit are adapted or set via the control unit in the handle part depending on the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit, the ultrasonic toothbrush can always be operated in the same ultrasonic vibration range despite changing brush parts. Accordingly, brush parts in which the measured capacitance value lies at the upper or lower tolerance limit can also be controlled by means of the control unit in such a way that the ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic unit lies in the optimum vibration range. Thus, a constant cleaning performance can be achieved over several different brush parts.A further advantage of the individual control of the ultrasonic unit of a brush part is that the ultrasonic unit can be supplied in a particularly energy-saving manner, since excitations of the ultrasonic unit that are not in phase, so-called counterproductive excitations, are avoided. The battery life of the battery unit can thus be significantly extended. according to the invention, the actual capacity of the ultrasonic unit is stored in the memory element as a specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit. The capacitance of the ultrasonic unit, in particular of the piezoelectric actuator or piezoelectric actuator or ultrasonic actuator, depends here to a decisive extent on the surface and thickness and the material properties. Moreover, the mounting of the ultrasonic unit on the brush head portion also affects the capacity of the ultrasonic unit. Usually, the ultrasonic unit is embedded or glued into the brush head section. In order to be able to record the actual capacitance of the ultrasonic unit, according to the invention, the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit is preferably measured or recorded by means of a measurement system during the production of the brush part or after the production of the brush part. The capacitance detected by the measuring system is then stored on the storage element of the brush part. Accordingly, the real or actual capacitance of the ultrasound unit is always located on the storage element.In addition to the real or actual capacitance of the ultrasound unit, further specific parameters of the ultrasound unit can be stored in the memory element. The further specific parameters of the ultrasound unit can all be the thickness, size and shape of the ultrasound unit. In addition, further properties of the brush part, in particular type or model, and / or production data, such as time, date, batch, series or identification number, can be stored on the storage element of the brush part. The further specific parameters of the ultrasound unit can also be read out by the control unit in the handle part and then taken into account and / or used for optimum control of the ultrasound unit.In an advantageous embodiment, the specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit and / or properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part are stored in the storage element in a tamperproof manner using a signature. Once stored values or data, in particular specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit and / or properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part, can no longer be changed by this type of storage. Consequently, the brush part-specific data are stored in the storage element of the brush part in a tamper-proof manner.It is furthermore advantageous that the memory element is realized as a ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash EPROM, or EEPROM or E2PRO unit. An EEPROM unit has proven to be a particularly suitable memory element, since it is considered to be voltage-fail-safe, has a low energy requirement, can be operated at low voltage and often already has a standardized electrical interface.Particularly preferably, the storage element is permanently or fixedly connected to the brush part, in particular the brush shaft section or coupling section. For this purpose, the brush part has a receiving region for receiving the storage element either on the brush shank portion or on the coupling portion, wherein the receiving region can be designed as a recess or cutout or as a receiving space or cavity. The attachment of the storage element to the receiving region of the brush part is preferably effected by means of an adhesive connection. In an alternative embodiment, the storage element is integrated or embedded in the brush part, in particular the brush shaft section or coupling section. Regardless of how the storage element is installed on the brush part, the storage element is fastened in such a way that it can no longer be removed from the brush part after the brush part has been produced.The brush part can be, in particular, an injection-molded part. Accordingly, the brush part is preferably produced from a plastic material, in particular injection-moldable plastic. For example, the brush member may be made of polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), or polyethylene (PE), or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).Furthermore, the brush part has wired or wireless or wired communication means for data communication between the storage element and a control unit provided in the handle part. In the case of the wired or wireless transmission of the data, data transmission methods such as Bluetooth ®, Wibree, NFC or RFID are used in particular. Optionally, the data communication can take place via an electrical connection or electrical conductor, wherein the data can be transmitted or read out by the control unit as soon as the brush part is plugged onto the grip part.For the electrical and mechanical coupling of brush part and handle part, the coupling section of the brush part is equipped with at least one coupling piece which can be plugged together with a mating coupling piece on a handle part of the ultrasonic toothbrush. Accordingly, the grip part has a mating coupling piece on its coupling section, namely the mating coupling section. Both the coupling piece on the brush part and the mating coupling piece on the handle part are equipped with electrical connections which are connected when the brush part and the handle part are plugged together. The electrical connections establish an electrical connection between components of the brush part with components of the grip part, namely preferably between the ultrasonic unit and the oscillator unit and between the control unit and the storage element.The electrical connections on the coupling piece and on the mating coupling piece serve, inter alia, to supply the ultrasonic unit in the brush part with energy and / or to read out the data of the storage element. The electrical connections to the coupling and mating coupling piece can be realized as a pin system. The pin system comprises at least one male part and one female part. Accordingly, the male part has outwardly facing contact pins, while the female part is provided with inwardly facing contact openings or socket-like contacts. The pin system preferably consists of two contact pins and two contact openings or four contact pins and four contact openings. In order to achieve the least cost-effective production possible of the brush part, the contact pins are generally located on the mating coupling piece. The pin system has the advantage, on the one hand, that the electrical connection between the brush part and the grip part can be reliably established, and, on the other hand, the pin system also serves for guiding when the brush part and the grip part are plugged together.Furthermore, an electric drive unit, in particular a micromotor unit, for generating periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush head section is advantageously accommodated in the brush part, preferably in the brush shaft section. The electric micromotor unit has, for example, a rotational speed between 25 000 and 60 000 U / min, preferably 30 000 U / min. It is thereby particularly advantageous to generate periodic mechanical oscillations in addition to the ultrasonic oscillations in the brush part, in particular in the brush head section, which overlap and generate a turbo-cleaning effect on the basis of different frequencies or revolutions. Particularly advantageously, the periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush head section also promote the blood circulation of the gum. The periodic mechanical oscillations are preferably shorter than the ultrasonic oscillations, so that a mixture of oscillations of different period and / or amplitude is produced, which leads to an improved cleaning effect.The ultrasonic toothbrush according to the invention comprises a handle part with a housing in which at least one rechargeable battery unit for supplying energy, at least one control unit and at least one oscillator unit for generating an electric ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals are accommodated. Furthermore, the novel ultrasonic toothbrush comprises an exchangeable brush part according to the invention, wherein the brush part can be plugged onto the grip part or connected to it. Furthermore, the control unit is configured to read out the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit detected by a measuring system and / or properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part from the storage element and to evaluate the latter, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the optimum operating parameters for the operation of the ultrasonic unit and to actuate the latter accordingly as a function of the read-out and evaluated brush part-specific data.The special feature is, in particular, that the control unit of the handle part reads out and evaluates at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit, which is stored on the storage element of the brush part. The control unit has a processor, in particular a microprocessor, which is configured to execute a program code or a control routine. Before the ultrasonic toothbrush is put into operation, i.e. after the user has removed the brush part from the grip part and before the latter starts the cleaning process, the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit stored in the storage element and detected by the measurement system is first transmitted to the control unit. In addition to the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit, such as capacity, shape, thickness, size and material properties, properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part can also be transmitted to the control unit.However, for optimum control, the measurement data of the ultrasound unit acquired by the measurement system, which were acquired during or after the production of the ultrasound unit, are decisive. This is because only when the specific parameters of the ultrasound unit are known can the ultrasound unit be controlled precisely. Since the control of the ultrasonic unit is individually determined in the control unit depending on the attached brush part, it is possible that a particularly high cleaning intensity and cleaning performance is achieved with the ultrasonic toothbrush according to the invention despite changing brush attachments or brush parts, which often differ in the capacity of the ultrasonic unit. This is because after each change of the brush part, the optimum operating parameters for controlling the ultrasonic unit are newly determined.After the control unit has read out, evaluated and determined or calculated the optimum operating parameters for driving the ultrasonic unit, the control unit first drives the oscillator unit or oscillator, which generates an electric ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals. The ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals generated by the oscillator unit are then converted into oscillations in the ultrasonic range by the ultrasonic unit installed or embedded in the brush head section. The ultrasonic unit in the form of at least one electromechanical transducer or ultrasonic transducer converts the high-frequency voltage signals into high-frequency mechanical oscillations, namely ultrasound. The ultrasonic vibrations are then transmitted to the teeth via the bristles and a tooth paste or cream and / or liquid optimized for ultrasonics in the oral cavity.When determining the optimum operating parameters for operating the ultrasound unit, the duration of the high-frequency voltage signal can be set, for example. The duration of the high-frequency voltage signal, which brings about the "prestressing" of the piezoelectric actuator or piezoelectric actuator, is set in such a way that an optimum deformation of each piezoelectric actuator or piezoelectric actuator takes place in order to achieve the most uniform possible oscillation amplitude with simultaneous high efficiency. If the duration of the high-frequency voltage signal is too short, the oscillation amplitude is too low. On the other hand, if the duration of the high frequency voltage signal is too long, the power consumption is high without achieving an improvement in the oscillation amplitude.It is particularly preferred that the control unit is configured for determining the amplitude and / or the frequency of the ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals to be generated depending on the measured capacitance of the ultrasonic unit and for correspondingly controlling the oscillator unit.It is furthermore advantageous that wired or wireless or wired communication means for data transmission between the storage element in the brush part and the control unit in the handle part is provided, via which communication means the specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit stored in the storage element and / or properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part can be transmitted to the control unit in the handle part.In order to be able to connect the replaceable brush part on the handle part, the brush part has a coupling piece on the coupling section and the handle part has a coupling section, the so-called counter coupling section, wherein the counter coupling section comprises a counter coupling piece. The mating coupling piece and / or coupling piece is preferably each realized as a multiple coupling in order to provide an electrical connection as well as a mechanical coupling on the one hand. If the coupling piece of the brush part is now connected to the counter coupling piece of the handle part, the brush part is held securely on the handle part. Usually, the secure holding of the brush part on the grip part and a securing against rotation are realized by means of latching means, in particular latching and counter-latching. However, other securing means are also conceivable for detachably fastening the brush part to the grip part.For the energy supply and / or for the data transmission, the brush part on the coupling piece and the handle part on the mating coupling piece each have electrical connections in order to be able to establish an electrical connection between the handle part and the brush part. The connections can be realized as electrical contacts. Accordingly, there are formed pairs of terminals or contacts which, in the assembled state, are located opposite one another and produce an electrical connection. The electrical connections of a pair of connections can consist of a male part and a female part, which engage in one another when the grip part and the brush part are plugged together. Supply lines, in particular electrical conductors, lead from the electrical connections to the respective components, such as e.g. oscillator unit, control unit, ultrasound unit and storage element, so that an electrical connection can be established at least between the oscillator unit and the ultrasound unit and between the storage element and the control unit during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush.Furthermore, a further electric drive unit, in particular an electric motor unit, is advantageously accommodated in the grip part, which is designed to generate periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush part and / or of the grip part. The electric motor unit has, for example, a rotational speed between 18 000 and 22 000 U / min, preferably 20 000 U / min. The power supply of the electric motor unit is preferably effected via the power supply unit or accumulator unit provided in the grip part. Particularly advantageously, the rotational speed of the electric drive unit is selected such that the generated periodic mechanical oscillations in the brush part are superimposed with the generated ultrasonic oscillations, which are selected such that the "turbo cleaning effect" is thereby further enhanced. The generated mechanical oscillations of different periodicity and / or amplitude have an accelerating and / or amplifying effect on the generated ultrasonic oscillations.In a preferred embodiment variant, the electric motor unit accommodated in the grip part and the micromotor unit accommodated in the brush part are designed and controlled in such a way that the periodic mechanical vibrations generated by them in the grip part have different periods and / or amplitudes. Particularly advantageously, the desired cleaning effect can thereby be individually adjusted via the mechanical oscillations or vibrations generated in the grip part. For example, a "hyper-vibration" may be generated.The measuring system according to the invention for acquiring brush part-specific data of the brush part comprises a measuring device with a measuring receptacle for plugging on the novel brush part, wherein the brush part with the installed or mounted ultrasonic unit is plugged on a measuring receptacle of the measuring device. With the aid of the measuring device, at least one specific parameter, in particular the capacitance and / or thickness and / or shape and / or size, of the ultrasonic unit is then measured and subsequently stored in the storage element of the brush part. The basis for the control of the respective ultrasonic unit accordingly does not form the technical details of the manufacturer, but rather the actual or real values of the ultrasonic unit measured by the measuring device during or after the production of the brush part. The installation or mounting of the ultrasonic unit on the brush head section also has an influence on the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit, according to which, in particular, the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit is only detected by means of the measuring device when the ultrasonic unit is installed or mounted on the brush head section.Furthermore, the measuring system has a control and evaluation unit, wherein said control and evaluation unit determines the quality of the ultrasound unit on the basis of the detected specific parameters of the installed or mounted ultrasound unit. The measured capacity is evaluated as "good / bad", wherein the brush parts evaluated as "bad" do not meet the predefined quality requirements. In addition, the measurement data acquired by the control and evaluation unit can be collected and stored in the control and evaluation unit, so that the measurement data collected in the control and evaluation unit can be analyzed. Batch-related measurement data can thus be acquired and later used with the aid of suitable programs or analysis software for statistical analyses or a wide variety of evaluations.A further advantage is that the measuring system has a control and evaluation unit, wherein the control and evaluation unit stores the detected specific parameters of the installed or mounted ultrasonic unit preferably by means of a signature in a tamperproof manner in the storage element of the respective brush part. Once stored values of this type can thus no longer be changed, i.e. it is simply impossible to manipulate or adapt the values on the storage element.The measurement of the respective brush part is generally carried out at the end of the production line or after the production of the brush part. At this point, the ultrasonic unit is already completely installed or mounted and fastened to the brush head section. Since the brush parts of one type are preferably produced in batches, the type of the current batch is initially input at the measuring system and, if appropriate, displayed on the display of the measuring system.Each completely produced brush part is then plugged onto the measuring receptacle of the measuring device. Subsequently, at least one specific parameter of the ultrasound unit, in particular the capacitance of the ultrasound unit, is measured. The measured capacitance is optionally compared with quality requirements or setpoint values and assessed as to whether or not the brush part meets the quality requirements. In the case of poor quality, the brush member is rejected and sorted out. In the case of brush parts whose quality has been evaluated as satisfactory or good, the at least one measured, specific parameter is stored on the storage element in the next step. In particular, the actual capacity of the ultrasound unit and the type of the ultrasound unit and / or the type of the brush part are stored as specific parameters. However, other measured parameters of the ultrasonic unit and / or properties of the brush part and / or production data of the brush part can also be stored in the memory element. By means of a signature, the brush-specific data can also be stored on the storage element in a tamper-proof manner.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with a drawing. It showsFIG. is a schematic view from behind of an ultrasonic toothbrush with a brush part according to the invention.WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTIONThe ultrasonic toothbrush for oral and / or dental hygiene, generally designated 1 in the figure, essentially comprises a handle part or handpiece 50 and a brush part 10, the brush part 10 being detachably fastened to the handle part 50.In the embodiment shown, the grip part 50 is designed with an elongate, for example cylindrical or approximately cylindrical housing 58. The grip part or the housing 58 accommodates various functional elements of the ultrasonic toothbrush, including at least one rechargeable battery unit 56, a control unit 54 for ascertaining the optimum operating parameters for operating the ultrasonic unit and / or for controlling the ultrasonic unit, an oscillator unit 52 or oscillator generator for generating an electric ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals.The oscillator unit 52 generates an output voltage in the high-frequency range, which is supplied to the ultrasound unit 20 during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush. The ultrasonic unit 20 is operated, for example, with a frequency greater than 60 KHz, for example, with a frequency in the range between 60 KHz and 2 MHz.On the outside of the housing 58, not shown in the figure, there are, as further functional elements, inter alia, actuating elements, e.g. buttons, in particular for switching the ultrasonic toothbrush on and off, and display elements or displays, in particular for displaying the respective operating state and / or for displaying faults, etc. On the underside of the housing 58, as is customary in conventional ultrasonic tooth brushes, there is a connection for coupling the grip part 50 to a charging device, not shown. On the opposite side, the upper side of the housing 35, a mating coupling section with a mating coupling piece is provided for the mechanical and electrical coupling of the brush part 10. The mating coupling piece is preferably designed as a multiple coupling and comprises, among other things, a pin-like connecting section which is remote from the upper side of the housing 58 and which preferably has a cross section which differs from the circular shape and forms the mechanical part of the multiple coupling, and at least two electrical connections or electrical contacts which form the electrical part of the multiple coupling.The at least two electrical connections are connected to the oscillator unit 52 and / or the control unit 54. The connecting section of the counter coupling piece is designed in the present case such that after the brush part 10 has been plugged onto the grip part 50, the brush part 10 is held against rotation on the latter. A catch or counter catch can also be provided on the counter coupling section in order to secure or hold the brush part 10 by catch on the grip part 50. The housing 58 is made of plastic, for example.The brush part 10 essentially comprises a brush head section 12, a brush shaft section 14 adjoining the brush head section 12 in the longitudinal direction of the brush part 10, and a coupling section 16 adjoining the brush shaft section 14. The brush head section 12 is equipped on the one hand with a bristle carrier which has a plurality of bristles or bristle bundles protruding on one side of this brush head section 12, and with an ultrasonic unit 20. The ultrasonic unit 20 is preferably arranged in such a way that the ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic unit 20 can be transmitted directly to the bristles of the brush part 10. As a rule, the ultrasonic unit 20 is embedded in the brush head section 12 or is fastened fixedly or non-detachably to the brush head section 12.Preferably, a receiving region for receiving and fastening the ultrasonic unit 20 is provided on the brush head section 12, wherein the ultrasonic unit 20 is fastened to the receiving region by means of an adhesive bond. The brush part 10 is preferably formed in one piece or in one piece and made of a suitable material, for example of plastic.The ultrasonic unit 20 is formed, for example, by at least one electromechanical transducer or ultrasonic generator, in particular piezoelectric actuator, piezoelectric element, piezoelectric actuator or ultrasonic actuator, which, when the grip part 50 is activated, generates a mechanical oscillation with a frequency greater than 60 KHz, preferably with a frequency in the range between 60 KHz and 2 MHz, controlled by the output voltage of the oscillator unit 52, namely with a preferred propagation direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the brush part 10 or to the longitudinal axis LA of the ultrasonic toothbrush 1, i.e. in an axial direction which is also equal or substantially equal to the axial direction of the longitudinal extension of the bristles protruding or protruding from the bristle carrier. Each bristle is directly connected to the ultrasound unit 20 in such a way that the mechanical vibration generated by the ultrasound unit 20 can be transmitted directly and unattenuated to the respective bristle and each bristle thus directly forms an element for transmitting and for emitting the mechanical vibration at the other free bristle end.For the mechanical and electrical coupling of the brush part 10 to the grip part 50, the coupling section 16 has a coupling piece, wherein the coupling piece is designed like a hood or a coupling and is open on the side facing away from the brush head section 12, so that it can be pushed onto the coupling section, the so-called counter coupling section, on the grip part 50 in a fitting manner and can be fastened there by positive and / or frictional engagement and / or latching.Electrical connections, in particular corresponding socket-like electrical connections, are provided in the interior of the coupling piece of the coupling section 16, which electrical connections are connected via electrical lines accommodated in the brush shank section 14 to an ultrasonic unit accommodated in the brush head section 12, so that after the coupling piece has been placed on and optionally locked on the handle-part-side multiple coupling, the ultrasonic unit 20 is connected to the output of the oscillator unit 52.Depending on the embodiment, a storage element 30 can be accommodated in the coupling section 16 of the brush part 10 or in the brush shaft section 14 of the brush part 10. For this purpose, a receiving region is provided on the coupling section 16 or the brush shaft section 14, on which receiving region the storage element 30 is positioned and fastened. The receiving region can be designed, for example, as a receiving space or cavity in which the storage element 30 can be inserted and non-detachably fastened. Alternatively, the storage element 30 is embedded or cast into the brush part 10. Accordingly, the storage element 30 and the ultrasonic unit 10 are solid components of the finished brush part 10.The storage element 30 is also connected via electrical lines (not shown in the figure) accommodated in the brush part 10 to electrical connections on the coupling piece of the coupling section 26, so that after the coupling piece has been placed on and optionally locked on the multiple coupling on the handle part side, the storage element 30 is connected to the control unit 54. Alternatively, not shown in the figure, both the control unit 54 and the storage element 30 can be equipped by means of communication means or a communication interface which enables wireless or wireless data transmission between the control unit 54 and the storage element 30.At least one specific parameter of the ultrasound unit 20 measured via a measurement system is stored on the storage element 30. The at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit 20 is only determined when the ultrasonic unit 20 is installed or mounted on the brush part 10 or the brush part 10 is completely produced, i.e. according to the invention the brush part 10 is measured exactly at the end of the production line.The specific parameters of the ultrasound unit 20 can be the capacitance and / or shape and / or size and / or thickness of the ultrasound unit. Since the capacitance of electromechanical transducers or ultrasonic generators sometimes deviates greatly from the manufacturer's specifications or is subject to large tolerance ranges, in particular of + / - 30 percent, the measurement of the actual capacitance of the ultrasonic unit 20 is particularly important after other production. Only by knowing the correct capacitance value of the ultrasound unit 20 can the ultrasound vibration to be generated by the ultrasound unit 20 be precisely adjusted. The more accurately the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit 20 is determined, the more accurately the ultrasonic electric frequency current or the high-frequency voltage signals necessary for operating the ultrasonic unit 20 can be adjusted, and the more precisely the ultrasonic vibrations of the ultrasonic unit 20 can be adjusted.In addition to the specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit 20, further properties of the brush part 10, in particular type or model, and / or production data, such as time, date, batch, series or identification number, can also be stored on the storage element 30. To determine the optimum operating parameters for operating the ultrasonic unit 20, the further properties of the brush part 10 and / or production data can also be used.The control unit 54 in the grip part 50 is configured to read out the brush part-specific data stored on the storage element 30, in particular the at least one measured, specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit 20, and to evaluate the same. Furthermore, the control unit 54 is set up in such a way that it uses the evaluated brush part-specific data to determine the optimum operating parameters for the operation of the ultrasonic unit 20 and corresponding actuation thereof. Consequently, it is determined by means of the control unit 54 which amplitude and / or frequency the electric ultrasonic frequency current or the high-frequency voltage signals should have, which are transmitted from the oscillator unit 52 to the ultrasonic unit 20 in the active state of the ultrasonic toothbrush 1.The control unit 54 comprises at least one processor which executes a control routine or program code for evaluating and determining the optimum operating parameters for the operation of the ultrasound unit 20. The control unit 54 is also configured to control all other components that are received in the handle part 50 or located outside the handle part 50.For measuring the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit 20 in the brush part 10, a measuring system, not shown in the figure, is provided, with which at least one specific parameter, in particular the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit 20, is measured. The measurement of the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit 20 is only performed when the ultrasonic unit 20 is installed or mounted on the brush part 10. The measuring system is accordingly usually located at the end of the production line and comprises a measuring device which has a measuring receptacle for placing the finished brush part 10 on top. The measuring receptacle of the measuring device can be realized in the form of the mating coupling piece of the handle part or multiple coupling. The measuring device has measuring means in order to be able to measure at least the capacitance of the ultrasonic unit 20. Finally, the measuring system is configured to store the at least one measured, specific parameter of the ultrasound unit 20 or measured value at the storage element 30 of the brush part 10. The measurement system can also store all measured values in a database or a memory associated with the measurement system, so that statistical analyses and evaluations can be produced via the measurement data.In one embodiment variant, an electric drive unit, in particular a micromotor unit 24, for generating periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush head section 12 is accommodated in the brush part 10, wherein this is preferably integrated in the brush shaft section 14. The power supply of the electric micromotor unit 24 is effected via the accumulator unit or power supply unit 56 provided in the grip part 50. the electric micromotor unit 24 has, for example, a rotational speed between 25,000 and 60,000 U / min, preferably 30,000 U / min.In addition to the micromotor unit 24, a further electric drive unit, in particular an electric motor unit 60, can also be accommodated in the grip part 50, which is designed to generate periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush part 10 and / or the grip part 50. The electric motor unit 60 has, for example, a rotational speed between 18,000 and 22,000 U / min, preferably 20,000 U / min.In a further embodiment variant, the electric motor unit 60 accommodated in the grip part 50 and the micromotor unit 24 accommodated in the brush part 10 are designed and controlled in such a way that the periodic mechanical vibrations generated by them in the grip part 50 have different periods and / or amplitudes. The electric motor unit 60 thus generates "coarse" vibrations of the grip part 50 which are transmitted into the brush part 10, whereas the micro motor unit 24 generates "fine" vibrations in the brush part 10 itself which are superimposed with the "coarse" vibrations. This produces a "turbolike" additional cleaning effect. Also, the electric motor unit 60 and the micro motor unit 24 may have different frequencies.The invention has been described above with reference to exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.List of reference characters1 Ultrasonic toothbrush 10 brush part 12 brush head section 14 brush shank section 16 coupling section 20 ultrasonic unit 22 means for supplying energy / feed lines 24 electric drive unit, in particular micromotor unit 30 storage element 50 handle part 52 oscillator unit 54 control unit 56 accumulator unit 58 housing 60 further electric drive unit, in particular electric motor unit

Claims

Brush part (10) for an ultrasonic toothbrush, comprising a brush head section (12) with a bristle carrier carrying bristles or bristle bundles, a brush shaft section (14) adjoining the brush head section (12) in the longitudinal direction of the brush part (10) and a coupling section (16) adjoining the brush shaft section (14) for the mechanical and electrical connection of the brush part (10) to a handle part of an ultrasonic toothbrush, and at least one ultrasonic unit (20) accommodated in the brush head section (12) for generating ultrasonic oscillations, and at least one storage element (30) for storing brush part-specific data, characterized in that at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20) is stored in the storage element (30), wherein the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20) is detected by a measuring system and the latter is used and / or evaluated for controlling the ultrasonic unit (20) during operation of the ultrasonic toothbrush, wherein the storage element (30) stores the actual capacitance of the ultrasonic unit (20) as a specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20), which is detected or measured during the production of the brush part (10) or after the production of the brush part (10).Brush part (10) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the storage element (30) is permanently connected to the brush part (10), in particular to the brush shank portion (14) or coupling portion (16), or the storage element (30) is integrated or embedded in the brush part (10), in particular to the brush shank portion (14) or coupling portion (16).Brush part (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the memory element (30) stores the thickness, size and shape, and / or further properties of the brush part (10), in particular type or model, and / or production data, such as time, date, batch, series or identification number, as further specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit (20).Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit (20) and / or properties of the brush part (10) and / or production data of the brush part (10) are stored in the storage element (30) in a tamper-proof manner using a signature.Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory element (30) is realized as a ROM, RAM, EPROM, flash EPROM or EEPROM or E2PRO unit.Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ultrasonic unit (20) has at least one electromechanical transducer or ultrasonic transducer, in particular a piezoelectric actuator or a piezoelectric actuator or an ultrasonic actuator.Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the brush part (10) has wired or wireless or wired communication means for data communication between the storage element (30) and a control unit (54) provided in the handle part.Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling section (16) is equipped with a preferably hood-like or dome-like coupling piece which can be connected mechanically and electrically to a mating coupling piece on a handle part of an ultrasonic toothbrush, the coupling piece having electrical connections.Brush part (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electric drive unit, in particular a micromotor unit (24), for generating periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush head section (12) is accommodated in the brush part (10), preferably in the brush shaft section (14).Brush part (10) according to Claim 11, characterized in that the electric micromotor unit (24) has a rotational speed of between 25 000 and 60 000 U / min, preferably 30 000 U / min.Ultrasonic toothbrush (1) comprising a handle part (50) having a housing (58) in which at least one rechargeable battery unit (56) for supplying energy, at least one control unit (54) and at least one oscillator unit (52) for generating an electric ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals are accommodated, and an exchangeable brush part (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the brush part (10) can be plugged onto the handle part (50), characterized in that the control unit (54) is set up for reading out the at least one specific parameter of the ultrasonic unit (20) and / or properties of the brush part (10) and / or production data of the brush part (10) from the storage element (30) and for evaluating the latter, wherein the control unit (54) is configured for determining the optimum operating parameters for the operation of the ultrasonic unit (20) and corresponding control thereof depending on the brush part-specific data read out and evaluated.Ultrasonic toothbrush (1) according to Claim 11, characterized in that a wired or cordless or wired communication means is provided for data transmission between the storage element (30) in the brush part (10) and the grip part (50), via which communication means the specific parameters of the ultrasonic unit (20) stored in the storage element (30) and / or properties of the brush part (10) and / or production data of the brush part (10) can be transmitted to the control unit (54) in the grip part (50).Ultrasonic toothbrush (1) according to Claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the brush part (10) has a coupling piece on the coupling section and the grip part (50) has a mating coupling piece on the coupling section, wherein both the coupling piece and the mating coupling piece each have electrical connections in order to be able to produce an electrical connection between brush part (10) and grip part (50), in particular between the storage element (30) and the control unit (54) and / or between the ultrasonic unit (20) and the oscillator unit (52).Ultrasonic toothbrush according to one of Claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the control unit (54) is designed to determine the amplitude and / or the frequency of the ultrasonic frequency current or high-frequency voltage signals to be generated as a function of the measured capacitance of the ultrasonic unit (20), and to correspondingly actuate the oscillator unit (52).Ultrasonic toothbrush according to one of Claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the grip part (50) accommodates a further electric drive unit (60), in particular an electric motor unit, which is designed to generate periodic mechanical oscillations of the brush part (10) and / or of the grip part (50).Ultrasonic toothbrush according to Claim 15, characterized in that the electric motor unit (60) has a rotational speed of between 18 000 and 22 000 U / min, preferably 20 000 U / min.Ultrasonic toothbrush according to Claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the electric motor unit (60) accommodated in the grip part (50) and the micromotor unit (24) accommodated in the brush part (10) are designed and controlled in such a way that the periodic mechanical vibrations generated by them in the grip part (50) have different periods and / or amplitudes.

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