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Light-based toothbrushRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Method Or Material For Testing, Treating, Restoring, Or Removing Natural Teeth, CleaningLight-based toothbrush description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070111167, Light-based toothbrush. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/767,573, filed Jan. 29, 2004 (7191-00), and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/776,972, filed Feb. 11, 2004 (7190-00), and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/776,554, filed Feb. 11, 2004 (7422-00), all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Various techniques have been used to deliver an oral care benefit to one's teeth. In some cases, techniques have been used attempting to detect the presence of plaque on one's teeth. Such techniques include, for example, the application of various compositions to the teeth which are intended to visually indicate the presence of plaque. It would be highly advantageous for a person brushing one's teeth to obtain feedback immediately upon brushing regarding the brushing effectiveness. [0003] Various techniques have also been used for creating a whitening effect of a user's teeth. Current at home tooth whitening techniques require several days for the user to see the effect of the treatment and are generally considered to be inconvenient and in some cases difficult to use. It would be desirable to provide techniques which give a more immediate whitening effect so as to encourage the user to have a regular brushing program in addition to giving the satisfaction of whiter teeth. [0004] A technique marketed by BriteSmile, Inc. involves providing a tooth whitening composition which includes an oxidizing compound which when applied to a stained tooth and exposed to actinic light is activated to facilitate tooth whitening. The light is provided by a device which has a generally crescent-shaped surface with spaced optical outputs located along the surface. In practice the device would be applied for an extended period of time. Examples of compositions and devices of BriteSmile, Inc. are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,628, 5,713,738, 6,162,055, 6,254,388, 6,343,933, 6,416,319 and D438,622 and in published patent application US2002/0137001. Other U.S. patents dealing with the whitening of teeth are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,661,070, 4,952,143 and 5,032,178. Typically, where lights have been used to activate the oxidizing agent such lights have been xenon lamps, flash lamps, mercury short arc lamps, metal halide lamps, tungsten halogen lamps, etc. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, a dye is incorporated in a carrier. The dye has the characteristic of being able to attach itself to residual plaque on the tooth surface and also has the characteristic of becoming fluorescent in the presence of ultraviolet radiation. In a broad practice of this invention an ultraviolet light source is used for directing ultraviolet light against the teeth so that the fluorescent effect would be created and easily visible to the user to indicate the presence of residual plaque. In a preferred practice of this invention the ultraviolet light source is incorporated in a toothbrush. The carrier for the dye could be the toothpaste on the toothbrush cleaning head. Alternatively, the carrier could be some form of liquid such as an oral rinse or mouthwash or could be a gum or lozenge or polymer strip or any other common devices used for delivering oral health benefits. [0006] In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, optical brighteners are incorporated in a carrier, such as toothpaste. The brighteners have the characteristic of being able to have a whitening or bleaching effect when coming into contact with ultraviolet radiation. The carrier would also include an adhering agent which would adhere to the teeth while the brighteners adhere to the adhering agent. As a result the brighteners remain on the outer surface of the teeth. In the broad practice of this embodiment, an ultraviolet light source is used for directing ultraviolet light against the teeth so that the whitening effect would be created and easily visible to the user. In a preferred practice of this embodiment, the ultraviolet light source is incorporated in a toothbrush. The carrier for the brightener is preferably the toothpaste on the toothbrush cleaning head. [0007] In accordance with another embodiment of this invention, an oxidizing agent is provided which may be activated by light and/or heat energy in order to speed the chemical process of whitening stained teeth. The oxidizing agent is applied to the teeth preferably by toothpaste, although other forms of application may be used such as whitening gels, whitening strips or other such products. In the broad practice of this embodiment, an ultraviolet or infrared radiation source is used for directing radiation against the teeth so that the oxidizing agent would be activated. In a preferred practice of this embodiment, the radiation source is from LED devices incorporated in a toothbrush. The carrier for the oxidizing agent is preferably the toothpaste on the toothbrush cleaning head. THE DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of a manual toothbrush in accordance with this invention; [0009] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the toothbrush shown in FIG. 1; [0010] FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a toothbrush head with surface mounted LEDs; [0011] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a powered toothbrush in accordance with this invention; [0012] FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the toothbrush shown in FIG. 3. [0013] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a manual toothbrush in accordance with this invention; [0014] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the toothbrush shown in FIG. 5; and [0015] FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a powered toothbrush in accordance with this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0016] FIGS. 1-4 show one embodiment and FIGS. 5-7 show another embodiment of a toothbrush that may used in accordance with this invention. In the first embodiment, toothbrush 10 includes a hollow handle 12 and a cleaning head 14. Cleaning head 14 has an outer surface 16 from which a plurality of cleaning elements 18 extend outwardly. Cleaning elements 18 may be of any suitable form such as bristles or elastomer members of any size or shape. The cleaning elements may also be a combination of different types of cleaning elements. The cleaning elements 18 are arranged on the outer surface 16 of the cleaning head to form a cleaning field. Thus the light(s) is located within the cleaning field. [0017] Mounted within the hollow handle 12 is a source 20 of ultraviolet light. Any suitable source may be used such as miniature UV bulbs as manufactured by Welch Allyn. [0018] Although miniature UV bulbs may be used this is a less preferred practice of the invention in that generally such bulbs are of relatively large size with high power consumption and tend to emit undesired UVB radiation. A more preferred practice of the invention, which is described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7, is the use of LEDs 26A as the source 20 of ultraviolet light. A particular advantage of LEDs is that they can be surface mounted. In addition LEDs would have small or low power consumption and provide tight emissions in a tight spectrum band with minimum power requirements and have relatively low intensity. The LEDs could preferably have a safe UVA wavelength of 350-410 nm and more preferably a wavelength of 378-383 nm. Suitable LEDS can be obtained from Roithner Lasertechnik of Vienna, Austria. A suitable LED would be a 3.0.times.2.2.times.1.5 mn 3TOP LED. Whatever form of source is used, care should be taken to control the intensity of the UV radiation in order to avoid possible negative health effects. [0019] Although the ultraviolet light can constantly be emitted, it is preferable that the light source be selectively actuated. Any suitable structure could be used for accomplishing that task. FIGS. 1-2, for example, show the hollow handle 12 to include a battery 22 electrically connected to the UV light source 20, while FIGS. 5-7 show the hollow handle 12 to include a battery 22 electrically connected by suitable wiring 28A to the surface mounted LED devices 26A. A switch 24 located externally on the handle 12 selectively actuates the light source 20 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4) or LEDs 26A. [0020] When the light source 20 is actuated the light is transmitted from the handle to the carrier field and to at least one emitter 26 in the carrier field. The light could be transmitted in any suitable manner by transmitting structure 28 such as a light pipe, fiber optic, wiring 28A or other suitable devices. Preferably, the light(s) or emitters 26 are surface mounted and are located in the carrier field. FIGS. 2A and 5-7, for example, show two surface mounted emitters 26 in the form of LEDs 26A. 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