US 11,903,481 B2
Plaque detecting device and toothbrush incorporating same
Hideyuki Yamashita, Kyoto (JP); Kosuke Abe, Kyoto (JP); Hideaki Yoshida, Kyoto (JP); Yasuhiro Kawabata, Kyoto (JP); and Masashi Kitamura, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, NY (US); and Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed by Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, NY (US); and Omron Healthcare Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Jan. 17, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/577,112.
Application 17/577,112 is a continuation of application No. 16/921,114, filed on Jul. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,246,404.
Application 16/921,114 is a continuation of application No. 16/087,938, granted, now 10,743,649, issued on Aug. 18, 2020, previously published as PCT/JP2017/010328, filed on Mar. 15, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 2016-060012 (JP), filed on Mar. 24, 2016; and application No. 2017-028048 (JP), filed on Feb. 17, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0183457 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A46B 15/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01)
CPC A46B 15/0034 (2013.01) [A46B 15/0036 (2013.01); A61B 5/0088 (2013.01); A46B 2200/1066 (2013.01); A61B 5/0071 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plaque detecting device comprising:
a light emitting unit which emits excitation light toward a surface of a tooth;
a first light receiving unit which receives radiated light from the tooth surface induced by the excitation light, wherein the first light receiving unit extracts, from said radiated light, a first wavelength region, and obtains a first output value corresponding to an intensity of the radiated light in the first wavelength region;
a second light receiving unit which receives radiated light from the tooth surface induced by the excitation light, wherein the second light receiving unit extracts, from said radiated light, a second wavelength region, and obtains a second output value corresponding to an intensity of the radiated light in the second wavelength region;
a first zero point adjustment unit which measures a first ambient output value and a second ambient output value when the light emitting unit is not emitting excitation light.