Toothbrush and toothbrush body

Abstract

To provide an electric toothbrush and its main body which allows effective tooth brushing without changing hands as much as possible. [Solution] This electric toothbrush comprises a main body having a spherical handle portion large enough to be held with fingers, and a brush portion having a head portion and removably connected to the main body.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush and a toothbrush body. [Background technology]

[0002] A manual toothbrush generally comprises a brush head with bristles and a handle for manipulating the brush head, while an electric toothbrush further comprises a drive unit for moving the brush head to perform a brushing action (see, for example, Cited Document 1).

[0003] With either toothbrush, when brushing your teeth correctly, you need to change the direction and angle of the brush head depending on the area you are brushing, so you need to hold the handle flexibly. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015-056528 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, children, people with poor dexterity, the elderly, and people with disabilities may find it difficult to change their grip flexibly, and may not be able to brush their teeth properly.

[0006] The present invention is intended to solve at least one of the above problems, and has an object to provide a toothbrush that allows effective tooth brushing without changing hands as much as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention that solves the above problem is an electric toothbrush that includes a main body having a spherical handle portion that can be held with fingers, and a brush portion that has a head portion and is detachably connected to the main body.

[0008] The main body may include a first drive unit for causing the head unit to perform a polishing operation, a second drive unit for axially rotating the handle unit connected to the head unit, and a control unit for controlling the first drive unit and the second drive unit.

[0009] The electric toothbrush may be equipped with a sensor for detecting user operation, and when the control unit detects a predetermined operation by the user using the sensor, it may control the second drive unit to rotate the handle portion about its axis by a predetermined angle.

[0010] The predetermined angle may be 180 degrees.

[0011] The electric toothbrush may include a sensor for detecting a change in the angle of the head portion relative to the tooth surface, and when the control unit detects a change in the angle using the sensor, the control unit may control the second drive unit to rotate the handle portion about its axis to correct the changed angle.

[0012] The main body may be provided with a grip portion corresponding to one or more of the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and the grip portion may be constituted by a depression or protrusion or an anti-slip member provided on the surface of at least the upper hemisphere of the handle portion.

[0013] The electric toothbrush may be configured such that a handle portion connected to the head portion can be tilted relative to the handle portion around an axis intersecting the central axis of the handle portion.

[0014] Another aspect of the present invention that solves the above problem is an electric toothbrush body that is used with a brush part that is detachably connected, and has a spherical handle part that is large enough to be held with the fingers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a toothbrush that allows effective tooth brushing without changing hands as much as possible.

[0016] Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a toothbrush according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of a toothbrush according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of how to grip the body of the toothbrush according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of grip portions of a toothbrush body according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the internal mechanical configuration of a toothbrush according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a brush part of a toothbrush according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the electrical configuration of the toothbrush according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of axial rotation of the handle portion of the toothbrush according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the flow of axial rotation of the handle portion of the toothbrush according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that components common to the following embodiments and their modifications will be designated by the same reference numerals as those mentioned above, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc. of components, etc., this includes those that are substantially similar or similar to the shape, etc., unless otherwise specified or when it is clearly considered otherwise in principle.

[0019] 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of the appearance of a toothbrush according to one embodiment, with Fig. 1(a) being a front view, Fig. 1(b) being a plan view, Fig. 2(a) being a back view, and Fig. 2(b) being a left side view. In each diagram, Y indicates the up-down direction, which is the direction of gravity (-Y is downward, +Y is upward), X indicates the left-right direction perpendicular to the Y direction (-X is left, +X is right), and Z indicates the front-rear direction perpendicular to the X and Y directions (-Z is forward, +Z is backward) (the same applies to the following diagrams).

[0020] As an example, toothbrush 100 of this embodiment is an electric toothbrush, and includes a main body W and a brush head 10 that is detachably connected to main body W. Main body W includes a handle 20 that serves as a grip for operating brush head 10. Toothbrush 100 of this embodiment may also be a manual toothbrush.

[0021] The brush unit 10 includes a head unit 11 that performs a brushing action (cleans the tooth surface). The head unit 11 includes a base unit 111 and a bristle unit 112 consisting of bundles of fibers attached to the base unit 111. The brush unit 10 includes, for example, a handle unit 12 that is connected to the head unit 11 and has a circular cross section at least at its lower end. The handle unit 12 is, for example, cylindrical or truncated conical overall and has a central axis B. The base unit 111 and the handle unit 12 are made of, for example, resin. In the brush unit 10, the base unit 111 and the handle unit 12 may be formed integrally, or may be formed separately and connected detachably or non-detachably. By configuring the brush unit 10 in this way, the toothbrush 100 allows the head unit 11 and the handle unit 12 to be replaced simultaneously or separately.

[0022] The handle portion 20 is approximately spherical and large enough to be gripped by fingers. In the present application, the part above the central plane A (the XZ plane indicated by the dashed dotted line in the figure) passing through the center of the handle portion 20 is defined as the upper hemisphere, and the part below the central plane A is defined as the lower hemisphere.

[0023] The handle portion 20 has a connecting portion 21 provided at the center (upper end) of the upper hemisphere. The connecting portion 21 is, for example, substantially cylindrical with a circular inner peripheral hole, into which the lower end of the stem portion 12 is inserted. The handle portion 20 is made of, for example, resin.

[0024] The handle unit 20 preferably has a flat bottom surface 22 in the center (bottom end) of the lower hemisphere, so that it can be placed stably on a surface without rolling even though it is roughly spherical. When the brush unit 10 is connected, the handle unit 20 can be placed on a surface by itself using the bottom surface 22, so that even children and people with disabilities can easily use it without soiling the head unit 11.

[0025] 3 shows an example of how to hold the toothbrush body according to one embodiment. As shown in the figure, the handle 20 can be held with the lower hemisphere facing downwards, similar to gripping a baseball. This type of grip is easy for children, people with poor dexterity, the elderly, and people with disabilities, making brushing teeth easier.

[0026] More specifically, although it depends on the relative sizes of the user's hand and the handle unit 20, as an example, as shown in the figure, the handle unit 20 can be gripped between the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and ring finger and the palm, with the little finger added. If the user's hand is somewhat small, it can also be gripped between five fingers and the palm. If the user's hand is somewhat large, it can also be gripped between the thumb, index finger, and middle finger and the palm. When gripping the handle unit 20, the palm may or may not be in contact with the handle unit 20.

[0027] When the handle portion 20 is held in this manner, the central axis of the brush portion 10 forms an angle of 90 to 60 degrees with respect to the user's palm, making it easier to brush teeth without having to change the grip as much as possible.

[0028] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a grip part of the toothbrush body according to one embodiment. The body W preferably has a grip part 23 on the handle part 20.

[0029] Because handle 20 is designed to be gripped from below, there is a risk that the fingertips in contact with the large diameter portion may slip down to the smaller diameter portion below, making it difficult to hold, depending on the size of the hand and the usage conditions, etc. Grip 23 is intended to improve the grip strength to hold handle 20 without slipping, and is provided to correspond to at least one of the three fingers that will grip handle 20: the thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

[0030] As shown in the figure, the grip portion 23 includes, for example, three grip portions: a slightly wider first grip portion 231 corresponding to the thumb, a second grip portion 232 corresponding to the index finger, and a third grip portion 233 corresponding to the middle finger. For example, each grip portion has a recessed shape recessed inward (toward the center) from the surface of the handle portion 20, and is provided to fit, for example, a finger. For example, each grip portion has an end located at a height equal to or higher than the center plane A and equal to or lower than the middle of the upper hemisphere. Each grip portion is preferably provided on at least the surface of the upper hemisphere, and more preferably is provided so as to extend toward the central connecting portion 21.

[0031] As an example, each grip portion has a length corresponding to a fingertip, with its starting end located on the upper hemisphere. Preferably, each grip portion has a length corresponding to one or more knuckles, with its starting end located, for example, below the center plane A and at a height not lower than the middle of the lower hemisphere. The depth of the recess in each grip portion may be approximately the same along its entire length, or the portion near the end corresponding to the fingertips, which tend to slip, may be deeper than the other portions. When multiple grip portions are included, the recess depths of the grip portions may be approximately the same, or one or more portions, such as the thumb, may be deeper than the others.

[0032] By providing the grip portion 23 to the main body W, the gripping strength is improved, and the position of the fingers when holding the main body W becomes intuitive, making it easier for children to handle.

[0033] The grip portion 23 may be configured such that one or more grip portions are formed by protrusions protruding from the surface of the handle portion 20, or by fastening (welding or adhering) an anti-slip member. The grip portion may be configured with a plurality of fine irregularities (either concave or convex, or both) provided at predetermined intervals. The grip portion may be formed from a silicone resin material.

[0034] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the internal mechanical configuration of a toothbrush according to one embodiment. As shown in the figure, the main body W has a handle portion 20 that is hollow and has a predetermined thickness. The toothbrush 100 includes many of the mechanisms and circuits for moving the head portion 11 relative to the handle portion 20 within the handle portion 20. Note that if the toothbrush 100 is a manual toothbrush, it may not include such mechanisms and circuits, and may be solid rather than hollow.

[0035] The toothbrush 100 includes a first mechanism 30 for driving the head 11 on the main body W. The first mechanism 30 may be any mechanism that vibrates the head 11 to perform a brushing action, and the driving method is not particularly limited, and may be an electric, sonic, or ultrasonic mechanism. The toothbrush 100 may be one in which the head 11 moves back and forth or rotates. The toothbrush 100 may also be one that has a function such as spraying water from the head 11.

[0036] As shown in the figure, the first mechanism 30 includes, for example, a long shaft 31, a first drive unit 32 connected to one end of the shaft 31 (i.e., the base end), and a first case 33 housing the first drive unit 32. The shafts 31 are arranged vertically, with the other end (i.e., the tip end) protruding from the handle 20 through an inner circumferential hole in the connecting portion 21. The first drive unit 32 is a power generating unit that moves the head 11 to perform the polishing operation. For example, the first drive unit 32 is configured using a linear motor and vibrates the shaft 31 in the vertical direction. The first drive unit 32 is housed in and fixed to the first case 33. For example, the first case 33 is rotatably supported by a base plate 91. For example, the base plate 91 is a disk-shaped member fixed within the handle 20, and has a support hole, which is a circular through-hole that penetrates vertically at approximately the center. The first case 33 is inserted into the support hole and rotatably supported.

[0037] As an example, the brush unit 10 is provided with a connection hole 121 extending upward from the lower end of the handle 12, and the tip of the shaft 31 is inserted into and engaged with the connection hole 121, thereby being detachably connected to the main body W. When the shaft 31 is vibrated by the first drive unit 32, the head unit 11 vibrates accordingly, and a brushing operation is performed.

[0038] The connection of shaft 31 to handle 12 is not particularly limited, and shaft 31 may be connected to the middle or upper end of handle 12. Toothbrush 100 may not have handle 12 on brush head 10, and shaft 31 may also serve as the handle and be connected to head 11. In this case, head 11 will be provided with a connection hole or the like for connecting the tip of shaft 31.

[0039] The first drive unit 32 may be configured using a motor that outputs rotational motion (rotational torque). In this case, the first drive unit 32 has an eccentric weight attached to the output shaft of the motor, which causes the shaft unit 31 to vibrate up and down, and this motion is transmitted to the head unit 11.

[0040] Toothbrush 100 preferably includes a second mechanism 40 on body W for axially rotating handle 12 (rotating around central axis B). There are no particular limitations on the configuration of second mechanism 40, as long as it rotates handle 12 axially. By including second mechanism 40, toothbrush 100 can, in addition to the brushing action, also rotate head 11 and handle 12 axially, allowing for effective tooth brushing without having to change hands as much as possible.

[0041] As an example, the second mechanism 40 includes a first gear 41 fixed below the first case 33, a second drive unit 42 that directly or indirectly rotates the first gear 41, and a second case 43 that houses the second drive unit 42. The second drive unit 42 is a power generating unit that rotates the handle portion 12 about its axis. The second drive unit 42 is configured using, for example, a motor and is housed and fixed in the second case 43. In the illustrated example, a second gear 44 is fixed to the output shaft of the second drive unit 42. In the toothbrush 100, the second gear 44 is rotated by the second drive unit 42, and the second gear 44 meshes with the first gear 41, causing the first gear 41 to rotate, which in turn rotates the first case 33 and the handle portion 12 about its axis. The second case 43 is fixed within the handle portion 20.

[0042] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a brush unit of a toothbrush according to an embodiment. The toothbrush 100 includes a heating mechanism 50 for heating the head unit 11, for example.

[0043] The heating mechanism 50, for example, includes a heater 51 embedded in the base 111 of the head unit 11, wiring 52 to the heater 51 arranged in the handle 12, terminals 53 arranged at the lower end of the handle 12 for supplying power to the heater 51 via the wiring 52, and a heater driver 54 (see FIG. 7) having a circuit for turning on / off the power supply to the heater 51. The heater driver 54 is, for example, installed on the substrate 91. In this example, the base 111 is formed of, for example, a heat-resistant resin. The head unit 11 can massage the gums and the like by heating the base 111 with the heater 51.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the electrical configuration of the toothbrush according to one embodiment.

[0045] The toothbrush 100 preferably includes a control unit 61 in the main body W for controlling the first drive unit 32, the second drive unit 42, and the heater drive unit 54. The control unit 61 is realized, for example, by a processor or a dedicated circuit installed on the substrate unit 91.

[0046] Toothbrush 100 may include a display unit 62 for displaying information to the user. Display unit 62 may be, for example, a display panel provided on handle 12 or 20. It may also be a light-emitting element such as one or more LEDs.

[0047] The toothbrush 100 includes an input unit 63 for receiving instructions from the user. The input unit 63 is, for example, a mechanical button or the like provided on the handle 20, and is preferably installed in a location where the user's fingers can reach it without having to change their grip. The input unit 63, for example, includes a switch for turning on / off the power supply 66 (described below). The input unit 63, for example, includes a switch for turning on / off a preset angle rotation function (described below), and receives a user's instruction to activate or deactivate the function. The input unit 63, for example, includes a switch for turning on / off a direction adjustment function (described below), and receives a user's instruction to activate or deactivate the function. The input unit 63, for example, includes one or both of a switch for instructing the handle 12 to rotate clockwise and a switch for instructing the handle 12 to rotate counterclockwise, and receives a user's instruction to adjust the axial rotation angle of the handle 12. For example, while the switch is pressed, the axial rotation of the handle 12 continuously rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, and after the handle 12 has rotated by a preset angle (e.g., 180 degrees), the user can make fine adjustments.

[0048] Toothbrush 100 may include a communication unit 64 in main body W for communicating with an external device. Communication unit 64 may be either wired or wireless, for example, using the Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication standard. Examples of external devices include smartphones and tablets, and toothbrush 100 may have a control unit 61 that controls each drive unit based on instructions from the external device.

[0049] The toothbrush 100 preferably includes a memory unit 65 in the main body W for storing data and information. The memory unit 65 is configured, for example, with a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory or a volatile memory such as a DRAM mounted on the substrate 91. The memory unit 65 stores angle information such as a set angle for axially rotating the handle 12 to brush different tooth surfaces, an allowable angle for adjusting the orientation of the head 11, and a rotation angle relative to the inclination. The memory unit 65 stores, for example, predetermined user operation information for axially rotating the set angle.

[0050] The toothbrush 100 includes a power supply unit 66 in the main body W for supplying power to each component. The power supply unit 66 includes a battery (primary battery, secondary battery) and its peripheral circuitry. The power supply unit 66 may also include a power cord that can be connected to a commercial power outlet or the like.

[0051] The toothbrush 100 preferably includes a sensor unit 67 including one or more sensors. Each sensor in the sensor unit 67 may be, for example, an angular velocity sensor or an acceleration sensor.

[0052] Sensor unit 67 preferably includes one or more sensors for detecting user operations. When control unit 61 detects a predetermined user operation using these sensors, it controls second drive unit 42 to rotate handle 12 around its axis in the same direction by a predetermined angle. By configuring toothbrush 100 in this way, toothbrush 100 can rotate bristles 112 of head 11 in the same direction by a set angle, eliminating the need for users to change grip positions when brushing different tooth surfaces, such as the front and back or top and bottom.

[0053] The user's specified operation is, for example, an operation of knocking a specified location on the handle portion 20 (for example, a specified location on the upper hemisphere that the user's fingers can easily reach even when holding the toothbrush) a specified number of times (for example, twice, etc.) in succession, an operation of placing a specified location on the handle portion 12 (for example, the upper end portion near the base portion 111) against the teeth a specified number of times (for example, twice, etc.) in succession, or an operation of shaking the toothbrush 100 a specified number of times.

[0054] The set angle, which is the predetermined angle by which the toothbrush rotates in the same direction (right or left) by a predetermined user operation, is, for example, 180 degrees. For example, after gripping the handle 20 and brushing the surfaces of the teeth on the left and front sides of the upper jaw, the user performs a predetermined operation to rotate the handle 12 180 degrees, so that the bristles 112, which were facing forward, now face the opposite side, allowing the toothbrush to brush the surfaces of the teeth on the right side of the upper jaw simply by turning the wrist. In this way, by rotating the handle 12 around its axis by the set angle, the toothbrush 100 can brush teeth and tooth surfaces in different positions without having to change its grip significantly.

[0055] The set angle is not limited to 180 degrees, and may be other angles such as 120 degrees or 90 degrees. The set angle may be set for each user. The set angle may be received from the user via the input unit 63 and stored in the storage unit 65.

[0056] The sensor unit 67 preferably includes one or more sensors for detecting a change in the angle (posture) of the bristle unit 112 of the head unit 11 around the Y axis relative to the tooth surface. When the control unit 61 detects a change in angle using these sensors, it controls the second drive unit 42 to rotate the handle unit 12 about its axis to correct the changed angle. By configuring the toothbrush 100 in this way, the orientation of the bristle unit 112 can be adjusted without having to change hands.

[0057] For example, in the case of toothbrush 100, if the angle (posture) at which the bristle surface of bristle unit 112 is parallel to the tooth surface is desirable, if the intersection angle between the bristle surface and the tooth surface is large when the toothbrush is actually held, bristle unit 112 may not contact the tooth surface firmly, resulting in ineffective brushing. Toothbrush 100, particularly if it does not have grip unit 23, may be held in a different position each time, which may result in various orientations of bristle unit 112 when held. Even in such cases, control unit 61 can correct the change in orientation and adjust the toothbrush so that the user can brush their teeth thoroughly without having to change their grip.

[0058] For example, the control unit 61 can use a sensor to detect whether or not there is tilt around the Y axis based on the difference between the reference vibration operation of the head unit 11 and the actual vibration operation, and if the tilt exceeds a predetermined allowable angle (e.g., 10, 20, or 30 degrees), determine a rotation angle (angle and direction) for correction and control the second drive unit 42 to rotate the handle unit 12 about its axis by that rotation angle. The allowable angle, the rotation angle relative to the tilt angle, etc. may be stored in advance in the memory unit 65, and the control unit 61 may determine whether or not correction is necessary and the rotation angle based on this.

[0059] The sensor unit 67 may include one or more sensors that detect the temperature of the base unit 111. When the control unit 61 detects using these sensors of the sensor unit 67 that the temperature of the base unit 111 exceeds a predetermined temperature, it can control the heater driving unit 54 to stop the heater 51.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of axial rotation of a toothbrush according to one embodiment, and is a flowchart showing rotation by a set angle.

[0061] The control unit 61 first determines whether a predetermined user operation has been detected (step S11). For example, if a user operation is detected by the sensor unit 67 and the detected operation matches a predetermined operation stored in the storage unit 65, the control unit 61 determines that the predetermined operation has been detected (S11: YES) and proceeds to step S12. If not (S11: NO), the control unit 61 continues monitoring.

[0062] In step S12, the control unit 61 reads the set angle stored in the memory unit 65 and controls the second drive unit 42 to rotate the handle 12 by the specified angle. The rotation of the handle 12 rotates the bristle part 112, allowing the user to brush different teeth or tooth surfaces without having to change hands. The control unit 61 returns to step S11 and continues monitoring.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the flow of axial rotation of the toothbrush according to one embodiment, and is an example of a flowchart for adjusting the orientation.

[0064] The control unit 61 first determines whether a predetermined tilt of the head unit 11 has been detected (step S21). For example, if the tilt is detected by the sensor unit 67 and exceeds the allowable angle stored in the memory unit 65, the control unit 61 determines that a predetermined tilt has been detected (S21: YES) and proceeds to step S22. If not (S21: NO), the control unit 61 continues monitoring.

[0065] In step S22, the control unit 61 determines, for example, the rotation angle corresponding to the tilt stored in the memory unit 65 as the rotation angle for correction, and controls the second drive unit 42 to rotate the handle 12 by that amount. By rotating the handle 12, the tilt of the bristle part 112 is corrected, and the user can brush their teeth without having to change their grip. The control unit 61 returns to step S21 and continues monitoring.

[0066] It should be noted that either or both of the set angle rotation function and the orientation adjustment function may be turned off by the input unit 63.

[0067] <Modification> The electric toothbrush 100 may be configured so that the handle 12 (brush head 10) can be tilted about an axis that intersects with the central axis B. The electric toothbrush 100 may be configured, for example, so that the handle 12 can be tilted about an X-axis or a Z-axis that intersects with the central axis B, which coincides with the Y-axis.

[0068] As an example, toothbrush 100 includes a third mechanism (or a fourth mechanism) for tilting handle portion 12 about the X-axis (or Z-axis) relative to handle portion 20. As an example, the third mechanism (or the fourth mechanism) rotates base portion 91 about the X-axis (or Z-axis) within handle portion 20, and includes a third drive unit (or a fourth drive unit) that is a power generating unit configured, for example, using a motor, and a transmission unit configured, for example, with gears, for transmitting the output of the drive unit to base portion 91. When base portion 91 is driven by this drive unit to rotate (tilt) about the X-axis (or Z-axis), handle portion 12 tilts accordingly, and head portion 11 tilts relative to handle portion 20. In this case, to ensure that second gear 44 and first gear 41 mesh appropriately even when base portion 91 tilts, for example, the shaft of second drive unit 42 is configured as a flexible shaft and is pressed toward first gear 41. The angle of inclination of head portion 11 from the upright position is, for example, between 0 and 45 degrees. By configuring toothbrush 100 in this manner, the posture of head portion 11 can be adjusted more precisely.

[0069] For example, the input unit 63 may include a switch for instructing the tilt of the head unit 11, and may accept tilt angle adjustment by the user. For example, while the switch is pressed, the head unit 11 may tilt toward the user or the opposite side, allowing the user to fine-tune the angle.

[0070] For example, the sensor unit 67 may include one or more sensors for detecting a user operation for adjusting the tilt angle. When the control unit 61 detects a predetermined operation by the user using these sensors, the control unit 61 may control the third drive unit (or the fourth drive unit) to rotate the substrate unit 91 by a predetermined angle around the X-axis (or the Z-axis).

[0071] For example, the sensor unit 67 may include one or more sensors for detecting a change in the angle (or attitude) of the bristle unit 112 of the head unit 11 relative to the tooth surface about the X-axis (or Z-axis). For example, the control unit 61 may use these sensors to detect the presence or absence of tilt based on the difference between the reference vibration operation of the head unit 11 and the actual vibration operation. If the tilt exceeds a predetermined allowable angle, the control unit 61 may determine a rotation angle (angle and direction) for correction and control the third drive unit (or the fourth drive unit) to rotate the substrate unit 91 by that rotation angle. The allowable angle, the rotation angle relative to the tilt angle, etc. may be stored in advance in the memory unit 65, and the control unit 61 may determine whether correction is necessary and the rotation angle based on this.

[0072] The toothbrush 100 may be configured so that the handle portion 12 (brush portion 10) can be tilted in multiple directions relative to the handle portion 20.

[0073] Although the embodiments and modified examples of the present invention have been described above, these are merely examples of the present invention and the present invention is not limited to these. The present invention also includes combinations of the above embodiments and modified examples, as well as various other modifications. Various additions, modifications, and partial deletions are possible within the scope of the conceptual idea and spirit of the present invention, which is derived from the content defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0074] Furthermore, some or all of the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. Furthermore, the above-described configurations, functions, etc. may be implemented in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement each function may be stored in memory, a storage device such as a hard disk or SSD, or a storage medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD. Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are those considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily represent all control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10...brush portion, 11...head portion, 111...base portion, 112...bristle portion, 12...handle portion, 121...connection hole, 20...handle portion, 21...connection portion, 22...bottom surface, 23...grip portion, 231...first grip portion, 232...second grip portion, 233...third grip portion, 30...first mechanism, 31...shaft portion, 32...first drive portion, 33...first case, 40...second mechanism, 41...first gear, 42...second drive portion, 43...second case, 44...second gear, 50...heating mechanism, 51...heater, 52...wiring, 53...terminal, 54...heater drive portion, 61...control portion, 62...display portion, 63...input portion, 64...communication portion, 65...memory portion, 66...power supply portion, 67...sensor portion, 91...board portion, 100...toothbrush, W...main body.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush, A main body having a spherical handle portion that can be gripped from below and is large enough to be held with fingers; a brush unit having a head unit and detachably connected to the main body; The handle portion has a grip portion suitable for being gripped from the lower hemisphere, with a central plane passing through the center of the handle portion as the boundary, where the portion above the central plane is defined as an upper hemisphere and the portion below the central plane is defined as a lower hemisphere, The grip portion is provided on at least the surface of the upper hemisphere and includes three grip portions: a first grip portion corresponding to the thumb, a second grip portion corresponding to the index finger, and a third grip portion corresponding to the middle finger, and the grip portions extend toward the center of the upper hemisphere. Electric toothbrush.

2. The body includes: a first driving unit for causing the head unit to perform a brushing operation; a second drive unit for axially rotating a handle connected to the head unit; a control unit for controlling the first drive unit and the second drive unit. The electric toothbrush of claim 1.

3. An electric toothbrush, A main body having a spherical handle portion that can be gripped from below and is large enough to be held with fingers; a brush unit having a head unit and detachably connected to the main body; a sensor for detecting a user operation, The body includes: a first driving unit for causing the head unit to perform a brushing operation; a second drive unit for axially rotating a handle connected to the head unit; a control unit for controlling the first drive unit and the second drive unit; a storage unit that stores a predetermined operation by a user, the predetermined operation by the user is an operation of knocking a predetermined position of the handle portion a predetermined number of times in succession, an operation of placing a predetermined position of the handle portion against teeth a predetermined number of times in succession, or an operation of shaking the electric toothbrush a predetermined number of times; When the sensor detects a user operation and the detected operation matches a predetermined user operation stored in the storage unit, the control unit controls the second drive unit to rotate the handle by a predetermined angle. Electric toothbrush.

4. The predetermined angle is 180 degrees. The electric toothbrush according to claim 3.

5. An electric toothbrush, A main body having a spherical handle portion that can be gripped from below and is large enough to be held with fingers; a brush unit having a head unit and detachably connected to the main body; a sensor for detecting a user operation, The body includes: a first driving unit for causing the head unit to perform a brushing operation; a second drive unit for axially rotating a handle connected to the head unit; a control unit for controlling the first drive unit and the second drive unit, wherein the control unit controls the second drive unit to rotate the handle by a predetermined angle when detecting a predetermined operation by the user using the sensor, The predetermined angle is 180 degrees. Electric toothbrush.

6. An input unit for receiving instructions from a user is provided at a position on the upper hemisphere of the handle that can be reached by the fingers without changing the grip. The electric toothbrush according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The electric toothbrush includes a sensor for detecting a change in the angle of the head portion relative to the tooth surface, When the control unit detects a change in the angle using the sensor, the control unit controls the second drive unit to rotate the handle around its axis so as to correct the changed angle. The electric toothbrush according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

8. Each grip portion of the grip section is formed by a depression, a protrusion, or an anti-slip member, and extends from the lower hemisphere toward the center of the upper hemisphere. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The electric toothbrush can tilt a handle portion connected to the head portion relative to the handle portion around an axis intersecting the central axis of the handle portion.

5. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, 3 or 4.

10. A main body of an electric toothbrush used together with a detachably connected brush part, It has a spherical handle that can be gripped from below and is large enough to be held with the fingers. The handle portion has a grip portion suitable for being gripped from the lower hemisphere, with a central plane passing through the center of the handle portion as the boundary, where the portion above the central plane is defined as an upper hemisphere and the portion below the central plane is defined as a lower hemisphere, The grip portion is provided on at least the surface of the upper hemisphere and includes three grip portions: a first grip portion corresponding to the thumb, a second grip portion corresponding to the index finger, and a third grip portion corresponding to the middle finger, and the grip portions extend toward the center of the upper hemisphere. Electric toothbrush body.

Images