Electric Toothbrushes Achieve Much Greater Reliability Using Reed Sensors

Introduction

For years manufactures of electric toothbrushes have used mechanical slide switches to power the toothbrush on and off. The mechanical slide switches are subject to very harsh environments having to deal with chemically active toothpastes, acidic saliva, and running water at various temperatures and acidity/alkalinity levels. This environment attacks the electrical contacts in the slide switch and in many cases, after a short time the slide switch fails to turn the toothbrush on and off. Going to a Reed Sensor has eliminated this problem.

Full Application Write Up

Electric Toothbrushes - Reed Sensor

Features

Contacts dynamically tested
Magnet and switch are isolated by the toothbrush casing
Permanent magnet is not affected by the environment
Millions of operations reliably
Reed contact is sealed in the casing of the toothbrush
Reed contact never comes in contact with the outside environment
Reed switch is hermetically sealed
Surface mount or through hole mounting

Series	Dimensions	mm	inches
MK15	W	2.5	0.098
	H	2.5	0.098
	L	19.50	0.768
MK16	W	2.3	0.091
	H	2.3	0.091
	L	15.60	0.614
MK17	W	2.1	0.083
	H	2.1	0.083
	L	9.61	0.378
MK22	W	2.7	0.106
	H	2.3	0.091
	L	15.60	0.614
MK23-35	W	2.2	0.087
	H	1.95	0.077
	L	15.75	0.620
MK23-66	W	2.2	0.087
	H	2.7	0.106
	L	19.60	0.772
MK23-87	W	2.0	0.079
	H	2.1	0.083
	L	15.60	0.614
MK23-80	W	2.0	0.079
	H	2.1	0.083
	L	13.0	0.512
MK24	W	2.2	0.086
	H	1.8	0.070
	L	5.5	0.216