US 12,440,591 B2
Handle for oral-care implement for safe and hygienic use by multiple users and method of disinfecting the same
Joern Utsch, Eschborn (DE); Ulrich Stoerkel, Bad Nauheim (DE); Bianka Becker-Salzsaeuler, Liederbach (DE); Boris Atlas, Wiesbaden (DE); Michael Anthony Kaminski, Cincinnati, OH (US); Todd Lynn Watterson, Liberty Township, OH (US); Darcie Ann Ohlman, Monroe, OH (US); Andrea Schuering, Eschborn (DE); Alexander Hilscher, Oberursel (DE); Kervin Heinrich Kuechler, Darmstadt (DE); Andreas Maennchen, Frankfurt (DE); and Erwin Paul Mark, Eschborn (DE)
Assigned to Braun GmbH, Kronberg (DE)
Filed by Braun GmbH, Kronberg (DE)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/690,461.
Prior Publication US 2023/0285616 A1, Sep. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. A61L 2/18 (2006.01); A61C 17/22 (2006.01); A61C 17/34 (2006.01); A61L 2/025 (2006.01); A61L 101/16 (2006.01); A61L 101/34 (2006.01); A61L 101/36 (2006.01); B08B 3/12 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/186 (2013.01) [A61C 17/225 (2013.01); A61C 17/3481 (2013.01); A61L 2/025 (2013.01); B08B 3/12 (2013.01); A61L 2101/16 (2020.08); A61L 2101/34 (2020.08); A61L 2101/36 (2020.08); A61L 2202/17 (2013.01); A61L 2202/24 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A handle for an oral-care implement, the handle comprising:
an electrical motor arranged to drive an output element structured and configured to couple the handle and a head attachable to and detachable from the handle; and
a microcontroller for controlling the motor and to cause the output element to vibrate in
(a) at least one oral-hygiene mode during which the oral-care implement is being used for an oral-hygiene routine, wherein the output element is vibrating at a substantially constant frequency, and
(b) a disinfection mode wherein the handle is being disinfected during a disinfection routine, before or after being used for the oral-hygiene routine, wherein the output element is continuously vibrating at a modulated frequency alternating within a frequency range of between about 140 Hz and about 250 Hz, for a duration of the disinfection routine.