A connection mechanism (18) for connecting a workpiece (12) to a handle assembly (14) of an oral care device (10). A collet (30) has an axially extending beam (32) and a radially extending protrusion (34). The protrusion has a latching surface (44) that prevents disengagement of the workpiece from the handle assembly when in a locked configuration. A cam feature (40) is configured to convert an axial force exerted on the collet into radial deflection of the beam to transition the connection mechanism to an unlocked configuration in which the latching surface is disengaged from the corresponding surface of the workpiece. The beam is configured to return to the default position after the axial force is released due to strain energy in the beam resulting from the radial deflection.

A vibrating toothbrush is provided with vibration-isolating zones that substantially isolate vibrations in the head and reduce vibrations transmitted to the handle without sacrificing structural integrity around the vibration-isolation zones. Such zones may generally comprise neck material that is reduced in cross-section, thinned, replaced by dampening material, or removed altogether to create transmission-inhibiting voids. The vibration-isolating zones may be further supported by the housing of the vibratory element to maintain the structural integrity around the zones and to thereby alleviate weakness conditions that might subject the toothbrush to fatigue and breakage.

A mouthpiece-type teeth-cleaning method comprising: generating one or more groups of alternating excitation signals by an excitation source; generating one or more cleaning operations, with different cleaning actions applied to various parts of the teeth, according to the excitation signals; establishing a correlation between the cleaning operation and cleaning action with each part of applied tooth in advance, the correlation enabling each position of the tooth of a user to be individually cleaned. The cleaning method solves the problems that the existing tooth cleaner cannot carry out personalized cleaning on different parts of teeth of a user and cannot really meet the requirements of the Bass method.

A method for manufacturing a handle for an electrically operated personal care implement comprises the following steps: providing a metal tube housing having a metal wall with an opening therein and an inner surface defining an inner cavity for accommodating an energy source; providing a hard switch component comprising a frame with a recess; attaching the frame of the hard switch component to the inner surface of the metal wall, the frame surrounding the opening and providing an undercut between the recess and the inner surface, the undercut being open towards the opening; and at least partially over-molding the opening to form a soft switch component in the undercut, thereby forming with the hard switch component a switch assembly for activating the energy source, the switch assembly sealing the opening from the inner surface of the metal wall.

An automated toothbrush assembly for brushing teeth includes a handle that is gripped for brushing teeth. A rotation unit is movably positioned within the handle and the rotation unit includes a drive shaft that extends outwardly through the handle. The rotation unit alternately rotates the drive shaft in a first direction and a second direction when the rotation unit is turned on. A plurality of brushing heads is provided and a respective one of the brushing heads is removably attachable to the handle to place the respective brushing head in mechanical communication with the drive shaft of the rotation. Each of the brushing heads includes a brush that has a conical shape to penetrate spaces between teeth.

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, systems, and associated coupling mechanisms for customized dental care. In one aspect, a dental device is customized for a particular user, including: (1) a mouthpiece assembly including: (a) a dental mouthpiece; and (b) a male connector; and (2) a drive assembly including: (a) an actuator; and (b) a female connector. The male and female connectors facilitates the correct alignment and orientation, and also efficiently transfer vibrations from the drive assembly to the mouthpiece assembly.

A personal care implement comprises a head and a handle, the head being repeatedly attachable to and detachable from the handle. The personal care implement exhibits a sound when the head gets attached to or detached from the handle, thereby providing a signal of secure attachment or detachment. The sound is characterized by a tonal component of about 4000 Hz to about 6000 Hz, preferably over a time length of about 0.1 s to about 0.3 s, on a tonality frequency vs. time analysis.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a method for providing a personal toothbrushing challenge via an application of an electronic device. A user interface displays to a user of an electronic device, via a user interface, challenge parameters for creating a personal toothbrushing challenge, the challenge parameters including a type of challenge and a challenge period. The user interface receives from the user a parameter selection for each of the challenge parameters, each combination of parameter selections having a corresponding brushing expectation and point value. The electronic device receives brushing data from a user toothbrush indicative of user brushing activity, and determines, based on the brushing data, whether the user satisfied the brushing expectation corresponding with the combination of parameter selections. Upon determining that the user satisfied the brushing expectation, the user interface displays that the corresponding point value has been awarded to the user.

The subject of the present disclosure is an electric toothbrush having a head part with a rotating working element and equipped with technical means to drive the working element and to change the direction of its rotating movement.

An oral care implement including a handle and an oral care refill head. The handle has a gripping portion, an engagement component coupled to a distal end of the gripping portion, and a stem. The engagement component includes a plate portion and a first engagement feature. The stem extends through an opening in the engagement component and protrudes from the plate portion. The oral care refill head includes an oral care treatment portion and a sleeve portion. The sleeve portion has an inner surface that defines a sleeve cavity having a cavity axis and a second engagement feature. When the oral care refill head is detachably coupled to the handle, the first and second engagement features mate with one another to at least one of: (1) position the oral care refill head and the handle in an operational alignment; and (2) lock the oral care refill head to the handle.