Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Implements – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-03-13
Spisich, Mark (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Implements
Combined
C015S022100, C015S167100, C015SDIG001, C320S114000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199239
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to oral hygiene products and more particularly to a toothbrush with audible reminder mechanism that includes a brush assembly and a recharging base; the recharging base including a brush assembly receiving cavity having two charger contacts provided at the bottom thereof and a hook slot in connection with the brush assembly receiving cavity; the brush assembly including a handle assembly and a removable brush assembly having a brush head attached shaft portion having a shaft end that fits into a receiving cavity at a top end of the handle assembly; the handle assembly including a molded plastic housing having a detachable bottom cap assembly and a elongated gripping portion; the detachable bottom cap assembly being detachably connectable to the elongated gripping portion and including a pair of spaced recharging contacts and a hanger hook extending out past a side of the elongated gripping portion; the bottom cap assembly being insertable into the brush assembly receiving cavity such that the two charger contacts provided at the bottom of the brush receiving cavity electrically connect with the two recharging contacts of the bottom cap assembly and the hanger hook is positioned through the hook slot; the elongated gripping portion housing a rechargeable battery pack in electrical connection with the pair of spaced recharging contacts and a reminder mechanism including a sealed output speaker, a sealed microphone, a user insertable electronic music chip insertable through a chip insertion opening formed rough the side of the elongated gripping portion, an on/off switch and a music generating circuit having a speaker output in connection with the output speaker, a power input in connection the on/off switch, a sound detector microphone input in connection with the microphone, and a sound data input in connection with the user insertable electronic music chip; the music generating circuit retrieving sound data from the user insertable electronic music chip and generating a music output signal to the speaker after a predetermined sound is detected at the sound detector microphone input.
BACKGROUND ART
Many individuals, particularly small children, forget to brush. It would be desirable, therefore, to have a toothbrush system that included an audible reminder mechanism for reminding individuals to brush their teeth. Because the reminder mechanism would be most effective when the person to be reminded was in the room, it would be further benefit if the reminder mechanism was triggered by a sound generated when a person is present. Because the sound of running water is typically initiated by a person activating a valve or the like, it would be desirable if the reminder mechanism was triggered by the sound of running water.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a toothbrush with audible reminder mechanism that includes a brush assembly and a recharging base; the recharging base including a brush assembly receiving cavity having two charger contacts provided at the bottom thereof and a hook slot in connection with the brush assembly receiving cavity; the brush assembly including a handle assembly and a removable brush assembly having a brush head attached shaft portion having a shaft end that fits into a receiving cavity at a top end of the handle assembly; the handle assembly including a molded plastic housing having a detachable bottom cap assembly and a elongated gripping portion; the detachable bottom cap assembly being detachably connectable to the elongated gripping portion and including a pair of spaced recharging contacts and a hanger hook extending out past a side of the elongated gripping portion; the bottom cap assembly being insertable into the brush assembly receiving cavity such that the two charger contacts provided at the bottom of the brush receiving cavity electrically connect with the two recharging contacts of the bottom cap assembly and the hanger hook is positioned through the hook slot; the elongated gripping portion housing a rechargeable battery pack in electrical connection with the pair of spaced recharging contacts and a reminder mechanism including a sealed output speaker, a sealed microphone, a user insertable electronic music chip insertable through a chip insertion opening formed through the side of the elongated gripping portion, an on/off switch and a music generating circuit having a speaker output in connection with the output speaker, a power input in connection the on/off switch, a sound detector microphone input in connection with the microphone, and a sound data input in connection with the user insertable electronic music chip; the music generating circuit retrieving sound data from the user insertable electronic music chip and generating a music output signal to the speaker after a predetermined sound is detected at the sound detector microphone input.
Accordingly, a toothbrush with audible reminder mechanism is provided. The toothbrush with audible reminder mechanism includes a brush assembly and a recharging base; the recharging base including a brush assembly receiving cavity having two charger contacts provided at the bottom thereof and a hook slot in connection with the brush assembly receiving cavity; the brush assembly including a handle assembly and a removable brush assembly having a brush head attached shaft portion having a shaft end that fits into a receiving cavity at a top end of the handle assembly; the handle assembly including a molded plastic housing having a detachable bottom cap assembly and a elongated gripping portion; the detachable bottom cap assembly being detachably connectable to the elongated gripping portion and including a pair of spaced recharging contacts and a hanger hook extending out past a side of the elongated gripping portion; the bottom cap assembly being insertable into the brush assembly receiving cavity such that the two charger contacts provided at the bottom of the brush receiving cavity electrically connect with the two recharging contacts of the bottom cap assembly and the hanger hook is positioned through the hook slot; the elongated gripping portion housing a rechargeable battery pack in electrical connection with the pair of spaced recharging contacts and a reminder mechanism including a sealed output speaker, a sealed microphone, a user insertable electronic music chip insertable through a chip insertion opening formed through the side of the elongated gripping portion, an on/off switch and a music generating circuit having a speaker output in connection with the output speaker, a power input in connection the on/off switch, a sound detector microphone input in connection with the microphone, and a sound data input in connection with the user insertable electronic music chip; the music generating circuit retrieving sound data from the user insertable electronic music chip and generating a music output signal to the speaker after a predetermined sound is detected at the sound detector microphone input.
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patent: 4341230 (1982-07-01), Siahou
patent: 4698869 (1987-10-01), Mierau et al.
patent: 4866807 (1989-09-01), Kreit et al.
patent: 5044037 (1991-09-01), Brown
patent: 5259086 (1993-11-01), Fong
patent: 5561881 (1996-10-01), Klinger et al.
patent: 5572762 (1996-11-01), Scheiner
patent: 5673451 (1997-10-01), Moore et al.
patent: 3149233 (1983-04-01), None
Breaux Joseph N.
Spisich Mark
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