Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 1 -
Oral Care Device Capable of Producing and Recording Sound
Field of the Invention
s The present invention relates to an oral care device having the ability to
record, playback and re-record musical or other sound media for providing a
user the
flexibility to play any type of sound media they prefer. The oral care device
can be
used with various types of media recording devices that are capable of
downloading,
recording, storing and playing back sound media from different sources such
as, i.e.,
1 o a compact disc, cassette, computer or MP3 player.
Background of the Invention
It is well known that toothbrushes have been provided with the ability to
15 play musical sounds or songs to a to allow the user to listen while
brushing their
teeth. A variety of musical toothbrushes have been developed to encourage
better
brushing practice. Most commonly, the musical toothbrushes have a sound
generating device either contained in the handle portion of the toothbrush or
attached to the outside of the handle. The sound generating device contained
within
2 0 or attached to a toothbrush handle will play a set sound or musical
note/song.
Examples of these musical toothbrushes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application
Publication 2004/000017 to Kumagai, discloses a toothbrush assembly with a
sound
generating function, which generates sound by the tooth-brushing movement of
the
user. U. S. Pat. No. 5,572,762 to Schemer, discloses a toothbrush with a sound
25 generator activated by a switch on the handle of the toothbrush. U.S. Pat.
No.
6,202,245 to Khodadadi, discloses a musical toothbrush with a digital sound
generator disposed within the toothbrush's handle.
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 2 -
Although these musical and/or sound generating toothbrushes provide
sounds varying from music to beeps or brushing instructions, the
aforementioned
toothbrushes do not allow the user to download or record, store, and playback
music
from different sources such as, i.e., a compact disc, cassette, computer, or
MP3
player. This leads to the toothbrushes losing their allure over time and
therefore
lose efficacy in solving the problem of better brushing practice.
In this regard, the oral care device according to the present invention
1 o significantly overcomes the restrictions of the prior musical toothbrushes
mentioned
above, and consequently provides the user with variety in the type of music he
or
she would like to listen to while brushing their teeth. Furthermore, the user
of the
present invention would also have the ability to download or record, store and
playback music from various media sources an unlimited amount of times.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for a musical toothbrush that has the
ability to record, re-record and playback music from various media sources to
provide the user with a variety of musical types during the user's brushing
regimen.
2 o Summary Of The Invention
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an oral care
device including a recording and playback mechanism; a means for connecting to
a
media source; a speaker; and an activating means for controlling the recording
and
playback mechanism.
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 3 -
It is another object of the present invention to provide an oral care device
including a music playback device having an integrated circuit chip, a speaker
and
means for controlling the music playback device.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an oral care
device
including a storage decoder playback device and a speaker, wherein the oral
care
device has a connection capable of inputting external data.
In order to achieve the above objectives, in accordance with a first
1 o embodiment of the present invention there has been provided an oral care
device
including a recording mechanism and a playback mechanism. The oral care device
is capable of recording audio from various external media devices and includes
a
connection means for receiving audio from various external media devices; a
control
means for controlling the recording and playback mechanism; an audio output
1 s means for hearing playback audio; and a power supply for making the
playback
device operative. The control means for this embodiment may be in the form of
a
record switch and a playback switch. The power supply may be a DC battery or a
connection for an AC power outlet.
2 o In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there has
been provided an oral care device including a removable music playback device
wherein a pre-recorded musical integrated circuit chip is capable of being
inserted
into a slot of the playback device for playing pre-recorded music on the
circuit chip;
a control means for controlling the playback device; an audio output means for
z s hearing playback audio; and a power supply for making the playback device
operative. The control means is a playback switch, which activates the sound
of the
music. The audio output means is a speaker or and earphone port for connecting
a
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 4 -
headphone for private listening. The power supply may be a DC battery or a
connection for an AC power outlet.
In accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention, there has
s been provided a toothbrush including a storage decoder playback device for
receiving downloadable music from files stored on a computer; a connection
means
for connecting the toothbrush's playback device to an external computer;
control
means for controlling the playback device; an audio output means for hearing
playback audio; and a power supply for making the playback device operative.
The
1 o control means is a playback switch, which activates the sound of the
music. The
audio output means is a speaker or and earphone port for connecting a
headphone
for private listening. The power supply may be a DC battery or a connection
for an
AC power outlet.
15 These aspects and other objects of the invention, along with an assortment
of
other advantages will be made more clearly in connection with the following
description of the drawings.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
FIG. 1 is a right side view of the oral care device in accordance with a first
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a right side view of the oral care device in accordance with a
2 s second embodiment of the present invention.
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 5 -
FIG. 3 is a right side view of a oral care in accordance with a third
embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description Of The Invention
The oral care device with record and playback functions according to the
preferred embodiments FIGS. 1-3 of the present invention will be described
with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
An oral care device in accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention is shown generally at 1, FIG.1. The oral care device I includes a
head
portion 2 affixed to a handle portion 3. The head portion 2 is capable of
providing
oral hygiene to a user of the oral care device 1. The handle portion 3 is
adapted to
be held by a user of the oral care device to enable the user to comfortably
insert the
head portion 2 into the oral cavity in use. The head portion 2 may optionally
be
detachable from the handle portion 3. When the head portion is detachable, it
may
be releaseably attached to the handle portion 3 by any suitable connection
means
known in the art, including, but limited to a friction fit, screw and thread,
snap fit,
2 o and the like and combinations thereof. The head portion 2 can be formed as
a non-
detachable unitary structure with the handle portion 3 (not shown). When the
oral
care device is a toothbrush, the head portion 2 may include a neck portion 4
and
bristles 5 extending from a surface of the head portion. When the oral care
device is
a flossing device, the head portion will be in the form of a dental floss
holder. The
25 exact form of the head portion is not, per se, critical to the invention,
provided of
course that the oral care device is capable of providing an oral hygiene
function for
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 6 -
the user and may be a toothbrush, flossing device or any other well known
dental
care devices known in the art.
The handle portion 3 has generally cylindrical configuration with a hollow
interior portion, an external surface, a proximate end and a distal end. The
handle
portion 3 has a gripping portion 6 for secure handling of the toothbrush. The
gripping portion may be a made of thermo-plastic elastomer (TPE), silicone,
polyurethane, vulcanized rubber or any other gripping material known to the
skilled
artisan. The handle 3 contains a hollow interior 7 which can be formed through
1 o conventional plastic forming processes such as inert gas or pin processes.
The
hollow interior 7 houses a power supply 10, a recording device and playback
device
11. As shown in Figure 1, the recording device and playback device are formed
as
an integral unit. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the recording unit
may
be separate and detachably released to the playback unit to permit the
recording
process to be performed external to the oral care device. The recording and
playback device 11 is coupled with the power supply 10. The power supply 10
may
be, but is not limited to a DC power source, such as a battery or may be an AC
power outlet. When the DC power source is a battery, the battery can be any of
the
conventional battery sizes including, but not limited to, N, AA, AAA or
2 o rechargeable. The battery may be of the rechargeable or disposable type.
The
recording and playback device 11 can be, but is not limited to, a digital
recorder and
playback unit or an analog recorder and playback unit. The recording and
playback
device 11 can preferably record and re-record music an unlimited amount of
times.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the duration of the recorded sound
2 5 media is from 1 to 3 minutes and most preferably has a duration of 2
minutes..
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
The handle portion 3 further contains a detachable opening 9 for inserting
power supply 10. The detachable opening 9 is preferably at the distal end of
the
handle and may optionally include an audio output source 14. The audio output
source 14 can be, but is not limited to, a speaker, earphone bud, a headset,
Piezo
transducer, flame speaker or capacitance. The audio output device 14 may be
located anywhere along the length of the handle portion 3 and is preferably
located
in a portion of the handle portion 3 that is not intended to be covered by a
user's
hand in use. The handle portion 3 is provided with a control means for
controlling
the record and playback device 11. In a preferred embodiment, the control
means is
located on an external surface of the handle portion 3. The control means 8
may be
in the form of push buttons, switch means, voice activation, motion activation
and
the like. The handle portion is further provided with a connection means 13
that is
adapted to connect the record and playback device 11 with an external media
device.
The connecting means 13 can be wireless or a direct connection and is capable
of
1 s transferring either digital or analog music or sound from a compatible
external
media device. A suitable media device capable of connecting to the musical
toothbrush 1 through connection means 13 are CD players, cassettes players,
record
players, MP3 players, or any variety of music producing devices known to those
skilled in the art.
Referring now to FIG. 2, another oral care device 21 in accordance with the
second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.2. The oral care
device of this embodiment incorporates a music receivable playback device 35.
In
accordance with this embodiment of the invention, the playback device 35 plays
2 5 music that is pre-recorded on a removable storage device. The music
receiving
playback device 35 is housed within the interior of the handle portion 23. The
playback device 35 has an opening 28 extending to the exterior surface of the
handle
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
portion 23 for receiving the removable storage device, which for purposes of
illustration is a pre-recorded storage IC card 12. The pre-recorded storage IC
card
12 can store a predetermined amount of information. Pre-recorded storage IC
cards
are commercially available from the Hasbro Company as HIT-CLIPS ~. Interior
s portion 27 also houses a power supply 29 that is coupled with the playback
device
35. The distal end of the handle portion 23 locates an audio output means 31
for
sounds to be heard by the user during brushing.
The musical toothbrush 21 includes a detachable head portion 22 and a
1 o handle portion 23. The head portion 22 can be release-ably attached to the
handle
portion 23, by way of a friction fit, screw and thread, snap fit or any other
suitable
connection means known in the art. The head portion 22 can be non-detachable
member as well. The head portion 22 consists of a neck portion 24 and bristles
25.
The head portion 22 can be, but is not limited to a toothbrush head or a
dental floss
15 holder or any dental device known in the art. The handle portion 23 has a
generally
cylindrical configuration with a hollow interior portion 27, an external
surface, a
proximate end and a distal end. The handle portion 23 has a gripping portion
26 for
secure handling of the toothbrush.
2 o An LED display screen 32 is positioned on the exterior surface of the
handle
portion 23 for viewing a mode or function of the playback device 35. A control
panel 33 is located on the exterior surface of the handle portion 23 with
control push
buttons 34 located thereon for controlling play of the playback device 35. A
plurality of connection ports 36 are located on the exterior surface opposite
the
2s control panel 33 for connecting exterior devices.
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
g _
Referring now to FIG. 3, another musical toothbrush 41 in accordance with
the third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.3. The musical
toothbrush of this embodiment incorporates a data storage decoder playback
device
45. The data storage decoder playback device 45 can be but is not limited to,
an
s MP3 player, M4P, RA, WAV and DIMI. The musical toothbrush 41 includes a
detachable head portion 42 and a handle portion 43. The head portion 42 can be
release-ably attached to the handle portion 43, by way of a friction fit,
screw and
thread, snap fit or any other suitable connection means known in the art. The
head
portion 42 may also be non-detachable, that is permanently attached to the
handle
1 o portion 43. The head portion 42 consists of a neck portion 44 and bristles
46. The
head portion 42 can be, but is not limited to a toothbrush head or a dental
floss
holder or any dental device known in the art. The handle portion 43 has a
generally
cylindrical configuration with a hollow interior portion 47, an external
surface, a
proximate end and a distal end. The handle portion 43 has a gripping portion
48 for
1 s secure handling of the toothbrush.
The interior portion 47 houses the data storage decoder playback device 45, a
power source 40 and an audio output device 50. The power source 40 can be but
is
not limited to a DC battery or AC power source. The DC batter can be but is
not
20 limited to, N, AA, AAA or rechargeable. The audio output device 50 can be
but is
not limited to a speaker, headphone port or a microphone.
The exterior surface of the handle portion 43 includes a control panel 51 with
control push buttons 52 for controlling the data storage decoder playback
device 45
25 an optional LED display screen 54 for viewing a mode or function of the
data
storage decoder playback device 45. A plurality of wire connection ports 53
are
located on the exterior surface of the handle portion. The plurality of wire
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 10 -
connection ports 53 can be but are not limited to, USB, 8232, RS-422 or RS-
485.
Each connection port facilitates downloading data from various media devices
to be
saved on the data storage decoder playback device 45.
In use the first embodiment of the present invention the oral care device 1
functions when a user attaches a wire to the connection means 13 and a media
player's audio output port such as a CD player. Once the connection is made
the
user can press the control mean buttons for activating recording, after
recording is
complete the music will be saved on the recording and playback mechanism 11,
and
s o can be played back at the users choosing. In addition to the first
recording the user
may re-record over the last recording an unlimited amount of times to change
the
music stored on the recording and playback mechanism 11.
The second embodiment of the present invention functions with a pre-
i5 recorded storage IC card 12 and a music receiving playback device 35. The
user can
select from a desired pre-recorded storage IC card, which can be inserted into
the
opening 28. Control buttons 34 initiate play or stoppage of the recorded music
on
the IC card. Once play is initiated sound will be push through the audio
output
source 31. After use the user can select a different IC card for listening to
a different
2 o type of music.
The third embodiment of the present invention uses a data storage decoder
playback device 45. The oral care device of this embodiment uses a wire
connection
from a computer's USB port, a wave file or any other compatible fle type is
then
2 s downloaded from the computer to toothbrush's data storage decoder playback
device. After downloaded information is complete the data storage decoder
playback device will have stored information to be played back when the user
is
JDC-5010
CA 02508994 2005-05-30
- 11 -
ready to brush their teeth, floss or any other oral procedure known in the
art.
Different information can be stored an unlimited amount of times for a variety
of
musical sounds.
s Various modifications of the present invention, in its various embodiments
will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of
the invention. The scope of the invention being indicated by the appended
claims,
1 o rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within
the
meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be
embraced therein.
JDC-5010
