Patent Application
20050278882
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., a compact disc, cassette, computer or MP3 player.
It is well known that toothbrushes have been provided with the ability to 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 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. patent 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 Scheiner, discloses a toothbrush with a sound 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.
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 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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 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 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 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.
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.
The oral care device with record and playback functions according to the preferred embodiments
An oral care device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is shown generally at 1,
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 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
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 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
The musical toothbrush 21 includes a detachable head portion 22 and a 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 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.
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 control panel 33 for connecting exterior devices.
Referring now to
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 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 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 connection ports 53 can be but are not limited to, USB, R232, 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 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-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 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 file type is then 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 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.
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, 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.
