Electric toothbrushes and dental flossers

Abstract

An electric toothbrush and its oral irrigator are disclosed. The oral irrigator includes an irrigator mechanism with a wastewater suction unit, a tilt sensing unit, and a control unit. The wastewater suction unit includes a wastewater inlet pipe fluidly communicating with the brush head suction tube, a suction pump module, a wastewater tank, and a connecting module. The tilt sensing unit senses the tilt angle of the irrigator mechanism and generates a tilt sensing signal. When the control unit receives the suction signal and analyzes the tilt sensing signal to obtain a positive result, it controls the suction pump module to start and controls the connecting module to create negative pressure on the brush head suction tube to draw water. This design allows caregivers to directly suction wastewater from the mouth of people unable to perform oral care independently, which is quite convenient.

Claims

1. A dental flosser suitable for use with a toothbrush head having a brush head suction tube, the dental flosser comprising: a dental flosser mechanism including a dental flosser body and a wastewater suction unit, the wastewater suction unit including a wastewater assembly pipe for fluid communication with the brush head suction tube, a suction pump module fluidly communication with the wastewater assembly pipe, a wastewater cylinder fluidly communication with the suction pump module, and a connecting module, the wastewater cylinder defining a wastewater space having a first area and a second area opposite to each other at the top and bottom, the connecting module being connected between the wastewater cylinder and the wastewater assembly pipe, and switchable between a first connecting mode and a second connecting mode, wherein in the first connecting mode, the connecting module fluidly communicates the first area and the wastewater assembly pipe, and in the second connecting mode, the connecting module fluidly communicates the second area and the wastewater assembly pipe; A tilt sensing unit is installed in the dental floss mechanism and can sense the tilt angle of the dental floss mechanism to generate a tilt sensing signal; and a control unit is signal-connected to the wastewater suction unit and the tilt sensing unit. When a water suction signal is received and the tilt sensing signal is analyzed to obtain a positive result, the control unit controls the suction pump module to start and controls the communication module to be in the first communication mode, so that the suction pump module generates negative pressure on the brush head suction tube through the wastewater assembly connector to suck water, and the suction pump module evacuates air from the first area through the communication module. When the control unit receives the water suction signal and the tilt sensing signal is analyzed to obtain a negative result, the control unit controls the suction pump module to start and controls the communication module to be in the second communication mode, so that the suction pump module generates negative pressure on the brush head suction tube through the wastewater assembly connector to suck water, and the suction pump module evacuates air from the second area through the communication module.

2. The dental flosser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The connecting module can also be switched to a non-connecting mode. In the non-connecting mode, the connecting module is not fluidly connected to the first zone and the sewage group connection pipe, nor is it fluidly connected to the second zone and the sewage group connection pipe. When the control unit receives the water suction signal and analyzes the tilt sensing signal to obtain a level result, it controls the liquid suction pump module to shut down and controls the connecting module to be in the non-connecting mode.

3. The dental flosser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The communication module has a first valve and a second valve spaced apart outside the sewage tank, a first pipe unit fluidly connecting the first valve and the first area, a second pipe unit fluidly connecting the second valve and the second area, and a connecting pipe unit located outside the sewage tank and having three pipe ends, wherein the three pipe ends of the connecting pipe unit are respectively fluidly connected to the first valve, the second valve and the sewage tank connection pipe.

4. The dental flosser as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The oral irrigator has a main body and an assembly part extending upward from the main body for assembling with the toothbrush head. The oral irrigator also includes a vibrator exposed in the assembly part for inserting into the toothbrush head. The control unit is signal-connected to the vibrator and will start the vibrator when it receives a start / stop trigger signal and detects that the vibrator is off. The control unit will also turn off the vibrator when it receives the start / stop trigger signal and detects that the vibrator is on.

5. The dental flosser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toothbrush head further comprises a brush head water inlet tube, wherein, The dental flosser mechanism also includes a water injection unit disposed within the dental flosser mechanism. The water injection unit includes a water injection cylinder module and an air injection pump module. The water injection cylinder module has a water injection cylinder defining a fluid space and an axially movable piston disposed within the water injection cylinder. The piston divides the fluid space into an air injection zone and a water injection zone for fluid communication with the brush head water injection tube. The air injection pump module is fluidly connected to the air injection zone. The control unit is signal-connected to the air injection pump module and, upon receiving a water injection signal, controls the air injection pump module to start injecting air into the air injection zone, thereby causing the piston to move axially and pushing water from the water injection zone into the brush head water injection tube.

6. An electric toothbrush comprising: a toothbrush head having a brush head suction tube; and a dental flosser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. An electric toothbrush comprising: a toothbrush head having a brush head suction tube and a brush head water injection tube; and a dental flosser as claimed in claim 5.

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