Illuminated electric toothbrushes emitting high luminous intensity toothbrush

Abstract

A toothbrush has a handle, a neck attached to the handle, and a head attached to the neck. The toothbrush also has a bristle holder and a light emitting element. The bristle holder has a plurality of bristles extending therefrom. The light emitting element is disposed in the bristle holder and is capable of providing light having wavelengths between about 370 nm to about 770 nm and having an FDRT of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2 with a detector distance of greater than about 0.55 cm and a detector aperture area of less than about 3.14 cm 2 .

1 . A toothbrush having a handle, a neck attached to the handle, and a head attached to the neck, the toothbrush comprising: 
 a bristle holder having a plurality of bristles extending therefrom; and    a light emitting element disposed in the bristle holder, wherein the light emitting element is capable of providing light having wavelengths between about 370 nm to about 770 nm and having an FDRT of greater than about 30 mW/cm 2  with a detector distance of greater than about 0.55 cm and a detector aperture area of less than about 3.14 cm 2 .    
     
     
         2 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the FDRT is less than about 300 mW/cm 2 .  
     
     
         3 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the FDRT is less than about 100 mW/cm 2 .  
     
     
         4 . The toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting element is an LED.  
     
     
         5 . The toothbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the LED has a half angle which is less than about 50 degrees and greater than about 0 degrees.  
     
     
         6 . The toothbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the LED has a half angle which is less than about 40 degrees and greater than about 5 degrees.  
     
     
         7 . The toothbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the LED has a half angle which is less than about 32 degrees and greater than about 5 degrees.  
     
     
         8 . The toothbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the LED does not consume more than about 200 mW in use.  
     
     
         9 . The toothbrush of  claim 4 , wherein the LED provides the FDRT via a continuous forward current which is less than about 60 mA.