Abstract: An oral care implement comprises a first and a second part. The first part has a carrier plate having a back side and a front side opposite the back side, and at least one cleaning element extending from the front side. The second part has a support plate and at least a portion of a neck, the support plate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The back side of the carrier plate is secured to the front side of the support plate by means of a plastic material molded around at least a portion of the back side of the support plate and over at least a portion of the carrier plate to provide a non-detachable connection between the first and the second part.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to oral care devices, system and methods for advanced ionic micro-current control. In some embodiments, an oral care device is actuated upon completion of an electric circuit by a users hand and oral cavity. The electrode on an oral care implement may be configured to lose conductivity over time to indicate a replacement oral care implement is need. In some embodiments, a controller of the oral care device may detect the type of oral care implement and control the ionic micro-current accordingly. Additionally, embodiments may detect a region within the oral cavity that the oral care device is in contact with and apply the ionic micro-current accordingly. Further, in some embodiments, the health status of various regions of a user's oral cavity may be detected and monitored over time.

Abstract: An oral hygiene implement is described herein. The oral hygiene implement has a handle; a head, and a neck disposed between the handle and the head. The head has a plurality of contact elements. A sealing element is positioned between the handle and the neck. The sealing element is translucent. An indication element is positioned between the adjacent the sealing element. A light emitting source provides electromagnetic energy to the indication element, and the electromagnetic energy passes through the sealing element.

Abstract: A head for an oral-care implement has at least one tuft extending from a mounting surface of the head. The tuft comprises a first group of filaments having a first length and at least a second group of filaments having a second length wherein the first length is different from the second length. The tuft is inclined with respect to the mounting surface at an angle of from about 65° to about 80°.

Abstract: A head for an oral care implement has at least one tuft extending from a mounting surface of the head and having an outer lateral area. The tuft has a first group of filaments defining a first lateral area and at least a second group of filaments defining a second lateral area. The filaments of the first group have a first length and the filaments of the second group have a second length, wherein the first length is different from the second length. The outer lateral area of the tuft is composed of at least a section of the first lateral area and of at least a section of the second lateral area.

Abstract: A head for an oral-care implement comprises at least two tufts extending from a mounting surface of the head. The tufts are inclined with respect to the mounting surface in at least two different directions. Each of the tufts comprises a first group of filaments having a first length and at least a second group of filaments having a second length wherein the first length is different from the second length.

Abstract: A head for an oral care implement comprises a mounting surface and at least one tuft extending from the mounting surface. The tuft comprises a first group of filaments and at least a second group of filaments. The first group of filaments is surrounded by the second group of filaments. The filaments of the first group have a first length and the filaments of the second group have a second length, the first length being different from the second length. The difference in length between the first length and the second length is about 1.1 mm to about 1.9 mm.

Abstract: An oral hygiene implement is described herein. The oral hygiene implement has a handle; a head, and a neck disposed between the handle and the head. The head has a plurality of contact elements. A sealing element is positioned between the handle and the neck. The sealing element is translucent. An indication element is positioned between the adjacent the sealing element. A light emitting source provides electromagnetic energy to the indication element, and the electromagnetic energy passes through the sealing element.

Abstract: An oral hygiene implement for evaluating applied force is described herein. The oral hygiene implement has a handle region, a head, and a neck extending between the handle region and the head. The head has a plurality of cleaning elements attached to the head. The handle region has a first portion and a second portion and a force sensor pivotally connected to the first portion and the second portion. The force sensor includes the head and the neck and at least a portion of the force sensor is integrally formed with the first portion and/or the second portion.

Abstract: An insert for an oral hygiene handle having a cavity is described. The insert has a load member capable of pivoting with respect to the housing and an output source disposed in electromagnetic communication with the load member, a power source in electrical communication with the output source having first and second contact areas, and an indication element forming an outer facing surface. When the load member pivots a predetermined amount, a first contact arm makes contact with a first contact area and/or a second contact arm makes contact with the second contact area thereby causing the power source to deliver power to the output source, wherein the output source provides electromagnetic energy to the load member, wherein the load member transmits the electromagnetic energy from the output source to the indication element, and wherein load member, the indication element, and the engagement section are integral with one another.

Abstract: An oral hygiene implement is provided. The oral hygiene implement includes a handle; a head including a plurality of contact elements; a neck disposed between the handle and the head; an indication element; and an electromagnetic energy output source. The electromagnetic energy is directed from the output source to the indication element such that a Total Visible Projected Angle (?T) of the oral hygiene implement is greater than about 300 degrees.

Abstract: An electric toothbrush is disclosed. The electric toothbrush includes at least one switch element and a control unit. The at least one switch element is operable by a user to switch the toothbrush to an on/off state, and operable by a user during the time that the at least one switch element is in its on state to select a brushing mode from a set of at least a first brushing mode and a second brushing mode. The control unit is arranged to control the electric toothbrush such that when the at least one switch element is operated to select a particular brushing mode in the on state, the toothbrush will then operate in that particular selected brushing mode when the at least one switch element is thereafter switched to an off state and then subsequently switched back to an on state, provided that the toothbrush was in the off state for a time period less than a threshold period (T).

Abstract: A toothbrush drive includes a first drive component for generating a magnetic field and a second drive component driven in both a translational and rotational manner under the influence of the magnetic field. A transmission element is deflected out of a predetermined position for transmission of both translational and rotary movement of the second drive component. The deflection of the transmission element varies along its longitudinal axis. A transmission element can be deflected out of a predefined position for transmission of a translatory movement and a rotational movement of the second drive component to the brush element along a longitudinal axis of the transmission element. The deflection of the transmission element out of the predefined position is varied along the longitudinal axis of the transmission element.

Abstract: An oral cleaning section for detachable connection with a handle section of an oral cleaning device is disclosed. The oral cleaning section has a connector structure for detachably attaching the oral cleaning section to the handle section. The connector structure has a first receptacle suitable for accommodating a first protrusion of the handle section in the attached state, the first receptacle having a first resilient element provided on a first circumferential side of the first receptacle arranged in a circumferential direction, the circumferential direction being defined with respect to the longitudinal extension axis of the oral cleaning section. The disclosure is also directed to an oral cleaning device that includes an oral cleaning section attached to a handle section.

Abstract: A resonant motor unit that has a resonant motor, a control unit, a measurement unit, and an evaluation unit is described. The control unit drives the resonant motor at a driving frequency, short-circuits the resonant motor during at least a first short-circuiting phase in successive driving cycles and concludes the first short-circuiting phases by switching off the current flow through the resonant motor at least at a predetermined first time instant within the driving cycles. The measurement unit successively measures at least a first voltage signal provided by the resonant motor at the predetermined first time instant, and the evaluation unit for determines whether the first voltage signal has changed between successive measurements.

Abstract: An oscillatory system for a motorized drive unit for the generation of a rotary oscillatory movement is provided. The system includes a first oscillatory component and a second oscillatory component, the components capable of oscillating relative to one another around an axis of oscillation; and at least two elongate spring elements, each spring element having a first fastening point and a second fastening point spaced apart from one another. The spring elements are elastic in the direction of the rotary oscillatory movement. For each spring element the first fastening point is connected to the first oscillatory component and the second fastening point is connected to the second oscillatory component such that the spring elements intersect at the axis of oscillation, the axis of oscillation having an angle of intersection different from 0 degrees.

Abstract: A small electric appliance is described which comprises an oscillation-capable mechanism (4), an electric motor (1) to drive the oscillation-capable mechanism (4), wherein the electric motor (1) can be operated with a drive current (10) at a predetermined frequency (f), and a device (3) for adjusting the frequency (f) of the drive current of the electric motor (1). Furthermore, a method for adjusting the frequency (f) of a drive current (10) of an electric motor is described comprising the following steps of detecting, at a specified time (tmeas), in relation to the period of the drive current, an electric variable (20) generated by the electric motor (1) determining, at the specified measuring time (tmeas), whether the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing and changing the frequency (f) of the drive current until the detected electric variable (20) essentially has a zero-crossing at the measuring time (tmeas).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to oral care devices, system and methods for advanced ionic micro-current control. In some embodiments, an oral care device is actuated upon completion of an electric circuit by a users hand and oral cavity. The electrode on an oral care implement may be configured to lose conductivity over time to indicate a replacement oral care implement is need. In some embodiments, a controller of the oral care device may detect the type of oral care implement and control the ionic micro-current accordingly. Additionally, embodiments may detect a region within the oral cavity that the oral care device is in contact with and apply the ionic micro-current accordingly. Further, in some embodiments, the health status of various regions of a user's oral cavity may be detected and monitored over time.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to oral care devices, system and methods for advanced ionic micro-current control. In some embodiments, an oral care device is actuated upon completion of an electric circuit by a users hand and oral cavity. The electrode on an oral care implement may be configured to lose conductivity over time to indicate a replacement oral care implement is need. In some embodiments, a controller of the oral care device may detect the type of oral care implement and control the ionic micro-current accordingly. Additionally, embodiments may detect a region within the oral cavity that the oral care device is in contact with and apply the ionic micro-current accordingly. Further, in some embodiments, the health status of various regions of a user's oral cavity may be detected and monitored over time.