An electric toothbrush includes a brush head at an end of a handle, an acceleration sensor and/or a rotation sensor that detect(s) movement parameters of the electric toothbrush, a wireless communication interface that wirelessly transmits recorded data comprising the detected movements parameters of the electric toothbrush in a processed state and receives treatment mode data for operating the electric toothbrush, a pressure sensor that detects a contact pressure applied by the brush head to teeth and/or gums, at least one first outputting device that visually outputs signals or commands in accordance with the detected contact pressure or in accordance with the detected movement parameters, and at least one second outputting device that haptically outputs signals or commands, in the form of vibrations, in accordance with the detected contact pressure or in accordance with the detected movement parameters.

A personal hygiene device has a handle and a treatment head pivotably connected with the handle. Applying a treatment force against the treatment head causes a pivoting of the treatment head relative to the handle. A sensor, such as, e.g., a Hall sensor, fixedly secured with respect to one of the handle and the treatment head, measures a measurement variable. A sensor cooperation unit defines or influences the measurement variable in dependence on the relative position of the sensor and the sensor cooperation unit, such e.g., as a sensor permanent magnet, fixedly secured relative to one of the handle and the treatment head. A spring unit defines a rest position of the treatment head when no treatment force is applied. The spring unit has a first spring constant in the treatment direction and a second spring constant in a lateral direction, the second spring constant being at least about two times higher than the first spring constant.

An electric toothbrush (10) and method of operating an electric toothbrush. The electric toothbrush includes a handle portion (14) having a shaft (38) configured to receive a brushing load from a bristled end (18) of a brush head (12). A sensor assembly (30) is configured to determine a deflection proportional to the brushing load with respect to a first direction (24) associated with the brushing load. The sensor assembly includes an air gap (32) and is configured to determine the deflection based on changes in the air gap. A mounting bracket (50) is connected between opposite sides of the air gap, the mounting bracket having a first bending stiffness with respect to the first direction, and a second bending stiffness with respect to a second direction (28) generally opposite to the first direction. The first bending stiffness is greater than the second bending stiffness.

Systems and methods are generally described for an oral hygiene device. The oral hygiene device may include a handle portion and a head portion coupled to the handle portion and including a pick head interface. A pick head may be removably coupled to the pick head interface. The pick head may include a pointed pick member. An image capture device may be disposed in the head portion. The image capture device may be effective to capture image data representing images of an area proximal to a tip of the pointed pick member. A vibration element may be coupled to the pick head interface. The vibration element may be effective to vibrate the pick head.

In one embodiment, the invention can be a system for determining toothbrush effectiveness, the system comprising a data capture subsystem comprising at least one sensor and configured to generate brushing data during a participant brushing session directed entirely by the participant, and at least one processor configured to receive the brushing data from the data capture subsystem. A brushing simulation subsystem includes artificial teeth; and a robotic arm configured to: hold a toothbrush; and receive from the at least one processor instructions for a motion to be carried out by the robotic arm, the motion of the robotic arm causing the toothbrush to carry out an automated brushing session upon the artificial teeth, the motion of the robotic arm being based on the brushing data captured during the participant brushing session.

An oral care system including a toothbrush having a sensor that generates brushing data during a brushing session and a programmable processor. The programmable processor may be configured to receive the brushing data from the sensor, receive oral characteristic data indicative of an oral characteristic of the user, and determine at least one of a suggested brushing routine and a brushing evaluation for a brushing session based at least in part on the oral characteristic data and the brushing data. The oral characteristic may be present in or adjacent to a first portion of the dentiture. The brushing evaluation or brushing routine may be based on or includes at least one of: an altered target brushing time for the first portion of the dentiture; and a modified brushing motion expectation for the first portion of the dentiture.

A personal hygiene device has a drive unit having a support, a stator fixedly mounted at the support, and an armature spring-mounted at the support for driven linear oscillating motion along a first longitudinal direction parallel to or coinciding with an x-axis of an x-y-z coordinate system. The armature has a center of gravity located in rest at a coordinate [x.sub.a, y.sub.a, z.sub.a], and a drive shaft fixedly coupled with the armature and having a center of gravity located in rest at a coordinate [x.sub.d, y.sub.d, z.sub.d]. A first treatment head assembly, detachably connected to the drive shaft, has a center of gravity located in rest at a coordinate [x.sub.t1, y.sub.t1, z.sub.t1]. A secondary mass element, spring-mounted at the support for essentially linear oscillating motion along the first longitudinal direction, has a center of gravity located in rest at a coordinate [x.sub.m, y.sub.m, z.sub.m]. At least the coordinate [x.sub.a, y.sub.a, z.sub.a] of the center of gravity of the armature has an offset in at least one of the y-direction and z-direction with respect to the coordinate [x.sub.d, y.sub.d, z.sub.d] of the center of gravity of the drive-shaft or with respect to the coordinate [x.sub.t1, y.sub.t1, z.sub.t1] of the center of gravity of the first treatment head assembly, i.e., y.sub.a≠y.sub.d and/or y.sub.a≠y.sub.t1 and/or z.sub.a≠z.sub.d and/or z.sub.a≠z.sub.t1; and the secondary mass element is configured such that the coordinate [x.sub.m, y.sub.m, z.sub.m] of the center of gravity of the secondary mass element is aligned with the coordinate [x.sub.j, y.sub.j, z.sub.j] of the joint center of gravity of the drive shaft, the first treatment head assembly and the armature in the at least one offset direction, i.e., y.sub.m=y.sub.j and z.sub.m=z.sub.j, so that a line connecting the coordinate [x.sub.m, y.sub.m, z.sub.m] of the center of gravity of the secondary mass element and the coordinate [x.sub.j, y.sub.jz.sub.j] of the joint center of gravity is parallel to or coincides with the x-axis.

A personal hygiene device has a handle and a treatment head pivotably connected with the handle. Applying a treatment force against the treatment head causes a pivoting of the treatment head relative to the handle. A sensor, such as, e.g., a Hall sensor, fixedly secured with respect to one of the handle and the treatment head, measures a measurement variable. A sensor cooperation unit defines or influences the measurement variable in dependence on the relative position of the sensor and the sensor cooperation unit, such e.g., as a sensor permanent magnet, fixedly secured relative to one of the handle and the treatment head. A spring unit defines a rest position of the treatment head when no treatment force is applied. The spring unit has a first spring constant in the treatment direction and a second spring constant in a lateral direction, the second spring constant being at least about two times higher than the first spring constant.

An electric toothbrush (10) and method of operating an electric toothbrush. The electric toothbrush includes a handle portion (14) having a shaft (38) configured to receive a brushing load from a bristled end (18) of a brush head (12). A sensor assembly (30) is configured to determine a deflection proportional to the brushing load with respect to a first direction (24) associated with the brushing load. The sensor assembly includes an air gap (32) and is configured to determine the deflection based on changes in the air gap. A mounting bracket (50) is connected between opposite sides of the air gap, the mounting bracket having a first bending stiffness with respect to the first direction, and a second bending stiffness with respect to a second direction (28) generally opposite to the first direction. The first bending stiffness is greater than the second bending stiffness.

An oral care device having a head with cleaning elements and a handle coupled to the head. The handle may include a selectively rotatable ring arranged between the head and a distal end of the handle that is configured to allow a user to select a desired mode of operation of the oral care device. The handle may include a selectively illuminated light that is configured to display at least one color that visually indicates that certain behaviors, patterns, and/or consistent habits have been performed successfully. The handle may include a processor configured to track a duration of a user's brushing session, a light ring on a bottom surface of the handle, and a pressure sensor. Respective portions of the light ring may be selectively illuminated by the processor to visualize progress toward achieving a predetermined brushing routine time and/or to visualize an over-pressure condition sensed by the pressure sensor.