Electronic toothbrush incorporating digital training aid

Abstract

An electric toothbrush and method of use for improving the oral health habits of a child. The toothbrush incorporates a digital training aid that includes a display screen and microprocessor which generates pictorial images on the screen. The microprocessor is programmed to record the actual frequency and duration of brushing over at least a twenty four hour period and to compare the actual figures with pre-programmed desired runtimes and frequencies. The microprocessor changes the images displayed on the screen to reflect the relationship between the actual times and desired times. The microprocessor includes gaming programs that are only accessible should the minimum desired frequency and time of brushing be met.

1 . An electric toothbrush comprising:
 a body having a front, a back and a head at one end;   a plurality of bristles on the head which extend outwardly from the front;   a powered motor retained within an interior of the body, said motor being operationally connected to said bristles to cause movement of the same when the motor is activated;   a display screen carried by the body;   a microprocessor operationally linked to the motor and to the display screen; wherein said microprocessor includes programming to track actual runtime of the motor and to indicate an amount of actual runtime over a pre-set time period of at least twenty four hours by generating an image on said display screen.   
   
   
       2 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to generate an image that comprises a first image in a pictorial format, wherein said first image is substantially free of letters and numbers. 
   
   
       3 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , further including:
 a power source retained within the body;   an electrical circuit, wherein the microprocessor and motor are connected to the power source in parallel;   a switch provided in the circuit between the power source and the motor, said switch being movable between a closed position where the motor is operational, and an open position where the motor is non-operational; and   a feedback circuit connecting the motor, the switch and the microprocessor; wherein the feedback circuit is closed when the switch is in the closed position.   
   
   
       4 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising at least a first play button provided on the housing and being directly connected to the microprocessor; wherein said microprocessor causes a second pictorial image to be displayed on the display screen, and said second image is linked to said first play button. 
   
   
       5 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 4 , wherein depression of the first play button causes the microprocessor to generate a third pictorial image on the display screen for several seconds. 
   
   
       6 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to generate an enhanced image if, during the at least twenty four hour period, the first play button is depressed at least once and the actual runtime of the motor reaches a minimum pre-programmed runtime. 
   
   
       7 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor further includes programming that resets the display screen twenty four hours after display of the enhanced image by removing the enhanced image and displaying the first pictorial image once again. 
   
   
       8 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to include a plurality of games for play, and when said enhanced image is displayed one of the first play button and another play button activates said game programs. 
   
   
       9 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to generate the first image in the form of a smile including a plurality of teeth. 
   
   
       10 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to selectively remove one or more of the teeth from the first image of the smile when one of a plurality of threshold minimum actual run-times and frequencies of brushing are not met. 
   
   
       11 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the second pictorial image is one of a manual toothbrush, a floss container and a bottle of mouthwash. 
   
   
       12 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to generate at least a fourth pictorial image and the fourth image is another of the manual toothbrush, the floss container and the bottle of mouthwash and is substantially permanently displayed on said display screen; and wherein the toothbrush further includes a second play button that is directly linked to the microprocessor and is associated with the fourth image, and when said second play button is depressed, said microprocessor causes a fifth image to be displayed on the display screen for several seconds. 
   
   
       13 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to generate at least a sixth pictorial image and the sixth image is the last of the manual toothbrush, the floss container and the bottle of mouthwash and is displayed on the display screen substantially permanently, and wherein the toothbrush further includes a third play button that is directly linked to the microprocessor and is associated with the sixth image, and when said third play button is depressed, said microprocessor causes a seventh image to be displayed on the display screen for several seconds. 
   
   
       14 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the microprocessor includes programming to cause one or more of the third, fifth and seventh images to move back and forth across the display screen for several seconds upon depression of the associated one of the first, second and third play buttons. 
   
   
       15 . The electric toothbrush as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising packaging for retailing the toothbrush, and wherein one or both of the packaging and the body of the toothbrush include a visual chart for interpreting the image on the display screen. 
   
   
       16 . A method of encouraging a child to develop good oral care habits, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a powered toothbrush having a digital training aid incorporated therein, said training aid being operationally linked to a motor within the toothbrush that moves a plurality of bristles, and wherein said digital training aid further includes a display screen and a microprocessor that is programmed to generate a changeable image on the display screen in response to operation of the motor;   moving a switch on the toothbrush from an off position to an on position to activate the motor to move the bristles and to start a timer within the microprocessor;   brushing the teeth using the moving bristles;   moving the switch from an on position to an off position to deactivate the motor and stop the movement of the bristles and to stop a timer within the microprocessor, whereby an actual runtime for the motor is computed by the microprocessor and is compared with a pre-programmed desired run-time; and   reviewing the display screen after the actual runtime to determine if the image has changed.   
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of;
 engaging a play button on the toothbrush to select a second image generated by the microprocessor and displayed on the display screen adjacent the changeable image so as to directly input data into the microprocessor; and   reviewing the display screen to see if the microprocessor has changed the changeable image to an enhanced image.   
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
 selecting any one of a plurality of games displayed on the display screen in response to the appearance of the enhanced image; and   playing the selected game by depressing the play button.   
   
   
       19 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , further including the step of:
 comparing the changeable image on the display screen with a chart to determine how the actual frequency of brushing and actual runtime relates to the desired pre-programmed frequency and runtime; and   changing the frequency and duration of brushing teeth accordingly.