GB2098468A

GB2098468A - Toothbrush with automatic feed

Info

Publication number: GB2098468A
Application number: GB8213916A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: WUERTT PARFUEMERIE
Current assignee: WUERTT PARFUEMERIE
Priority date: 1981-05-15
Filing date: 1982-05-13
Publication date: 1982-11-24
Also published as: DE3119338A1; ATA158382A; AT372599B; DE3119338C2; JPS5815855A; BE893191A; CA1176011A; GB2098468B

Abstract

A device for care of the teeth with a metered amount of fluid feed consisting of a fixed unit 10, which is connected by a flexible tube 120 to a toothbrush 15. A fluid is forced through the tube 120 into a feed duct 14 which has outlet openings communicating with the bristles 16. The flexible tube 120 is connected to a metering pump 18 controlled by a time switch or a meter-stroke counter, which pump, by way of switching valves 21, 22 and 23, is connected to a respective container 30 for tooth- cleaning fluid, 28 for swilling fluid, and 29 for rinse water. The switching valves 21, 22 and 23 can be opened in succession in accordance with a preset programme, so that the fluids concerned are supplied to the toothbrush 15 in a predetermined time sequence and over predetermined periods. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for care of the teeth The invention relates to a device for care of the teeth and comprises a toothbrush which has a feed duct for a fluid.

Toothbrushes are known wherein the stem is designed as a container for receiving a cleaning fluid. A feed duct leads out of the stem to openings, which are arranged either at the bottoms of the bristles or between the bristles. The container has a metering slide, which is manually operated and upon each operation pushes a predetermined quantity of tooth-cleaning fluid out of the container and into the feed duct. In this way, the tooth-cleaning fluid passes directly to the bristles and from there onto the teeth during the toothbrushing process. A disadvantage is that the slide can be actuated only before commencement of the cleaning of the teeth or during pauses in cleaning. Swilling out of the mouth, i.e. flushing of the cleaning fluide from the teeth is carried out in the usual way with tap water which is taken from the water tap in a beaker.A check on the period during which cleaning of the teeth is carried out is not possible with known toothbrush.

The main cause of caries and marginal gingivitis is the formation of dental plaque. This soft adhering coating on the teeth results from the accumulation of bacteria in remnants of food, which build up preferentially at the edges of the teeth. Effective elimination of this plaque or the reduction of its build-up rate are important objectives in oral hygiene, i.e. in the cleaning of the teeth. It is known that cleaning of the teeth must be carried out over certain minimum periods in order to effect complete removal of plaque.The required tooth-brushing time can be indicated directly by means of a watch or clock, or indirectly by a change in the colour of the toothpaste. -It is also known to provide a toothbrush with a temperature-measuring device which reacts when the toothbrush, after a suitably lengthy period of use, reaches a certain temperature because of the heat of the body (DE-OS 29-18 806).

The known devices for care of the teeth suffer from the disadvantage that they are either awkward to use or are not sufficiently effective on obliging the user to persist in the tooth-cleaning process over the prescribed period.

The present invention seeks to provide a device for care of the teeth, the use of which device does not involve difficult handling operations and which automatically ensures that the prescribed period of brushing of the teeth is maintained.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for care of the teeth, said device comprising a toothbrush, which has a fluid feed duct connected by a flexible tube to a metering pump, which latter is connected to the outlet of at least one container for fluid, and wherein the metering pump is controlled by a time-switch or a unit which counts the metering strokes of the pump.

The effect of the invention is that the toothcleaning fluid or another fluid is caused to be passed automatically to the teeth by way of bristles during the brushing operation, and this supply of fluid continues for as long as is necessary for effective removal of plaque. After having switched on the toothbrush, the user needs to proceed with the brushing of his teeth only for as long as fluid is supplied to the toothbrush. Other manipulations are not necessary. The use of the metering pump results in fluid being passed to the teeth in the required quantity per unit of time, so that during brushing the fluid is continuously renewed.

In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the metering device is connected to several containers through a switching valve in each case, and there is provided a control means which opens the switching valves in succession in accordance with a preset programme. The metering device is thus successively connected to the individual containers, so that following the actual tooth-cleaning operation, swilling with water or some other fluid can take place.

Thereafter, water for the mouth can be supplied from a further container to the toothbrush in order to enable the preventive measure of disinfecting and freshening the teeth and oral cavity to be carried out. A device of this kind for care of the teeth has a programming circuit which enables the individual phases of the programme to be carried out either in dependence upon time or upon the number of metering strokes. If required, a number of different programmes can be provided, each one of which can be selected by means of a setting unit. The individual programmes differfrom each other as regards the length of the individual steps in the treatment or as regards the length of time during which the various containers are connected to the metering pump.The toothbrush requires to be used only for as long as the metering pump is operating, i.e. for as long as one or other fluid emerges at the toothbrush. Thus, this not only ensures that the cleaning operation is carried out for a sufficient length of time, but also that the swilling or treatment with water for the mouth is of adequate duration. During the tooth-brushing procedure, the user does not need to carry out any switchover actions; all he has to do is to move the toothbrush in the normal manner. Nor is it necessary to remove the toothbrush from the teeth.

A separately adjustable time-switch device or counting device is preferably provided for each container, the switching valve for the next counter being opened after said device has completed its cycle. With such an arrangement, the periods for the individual phases in the treatment of the teeth can be separately, so that the user can set the programme for care of teeth to suit his individual needs.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a selector switch is provided whereby the switching valves for the containers can be swtiched in individually. Thus, for example, the swilling process or the treatment of the mouth with water can be carried out separately without a tooth-cleaning operation having been previously performed. Such use of the apparatus for the care of the teeth corresponds to the use of the known mouth sprays which only carry out swilling or treatment of the mouth with water and which can be completely replaced by use of the device for the care of the teeth in accordance with the invention.

The device in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for use in combination with an electric toothbrush wherein each one of several brush parts, that are provided for different persons, can be connected to an oscillatory drive.

The brush parts simple require to be provided with a feed duct having appropriate outlet openings and with a couple for connecting the flexible tube leading from the metering pump.

Particular advantage accrues from the use of a pressure sensor, which switches in the metering pump only when the bristles of the toothbrush are subjected to a certain contact pressure. This contact pressure can be ascertained by, for example, determining the bending moment of the stem of the toothbrush. The use of a pressure sensor of this kind for actuating the metering pump results in the fluid being supplied only when the toothbrush is in use. This, on the one hand, offers the advantage that unnecessary wastage of the fluid passed through into the toothbrush is avoided and, on the other hand, that the tooth-cleaning time is taken as being only that period of operation of the metering pump in which the contact pressure in question is applied to the bristles.The tooth-cleaning process can be interrupted at will, without the period of effective cleaning of the teeth being shortened thereby.

In order that the invention may be better understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a device for care of the teeth that consists of a stationary unit and an electric toothbrush connected to this unit by a flexible tube; Figure 2 shows the time cycle of the various operations for care of the teeth, in the case of a first programme; and Figure 3 shows the time cycle for the various operations in the care of the teeth, in the case of a second programme.

Referring to Figure 1, a stationary unit 10 for care of the teeth is provided, and this can be mounted on a wall, for example. The unit 10 comprises a hose coupling 11 , to which a flexible hose 120 can be connected, the other end of the hose being connected by way of a further coupling 12 to the replaceable bristle part 13 of an electric toothbrush 1 5. The bristle part 13 has a feed duct, which extends longitudinally through the bristle part 13 and at several points communicates with a set of bristles 1 6 by way of branch ducts. The fluid introduced through the feed duct 14 is thus ejected as a spray between the bristles of the set 1 6 and parallel with the bristles. The feed duct 14 is connected to the hose coupling 12.The electric toothbrush 1 5 also comprises a grip 17, which contains an electric oscillating drive whereby the bristle part 1 3 is caused to execute rotary oscillatory movements about its longitudinal axis. In the known manner, the grip 17 may contain a battery or, by way of a low-voltage lead (not illustrated), it may be connected to a part which leads to the mains and is preferably housed in the stationary unit 10.

The unit 10 contains a metering pump 18, the outlet 1 9 of which is connected to the hose coupling 11, while its inlet 20 is connected to three different switching valves 21, 22 and 23.

The piston 24 of the metering pump 18 is driven by a drive unit 25 by way of a connecting-rod drive 26. When the spindle 27 of the connecting-rod drive 26 makes one revolution, the piston 24 executes a cycle consisting of a forward stroke and a rearward stroke. During the rearward stroke, fluid is admitted to the metering pump 18, and during the forward stroke, this fluid is forced through the outlet 1 9 and the hose 120 into the toothbrush 15. Provided at the inlet 20 is a nonreturn valve (not illustrated) which, during the forward stroke of the piston 24, prevents fluid from being forced back into that of the switching valves 21, 22 or 23 that is open. In a similar manner, a non-return valve (not illustrated), which is opened only in the discharge direction, is arranged at the outlet 19.

Secured to the unit 10 are three different containers 28, 29 and 30, the outlet of each of which is closed by one of the switching valves 21, 22 and 23. The container 28 contains swilling water, the container 29 water for the mouth, and the container 30 a tooth-cleaning fluid. A control means 31 actuates the switching valves 21,22 and 23 so that at most one of these valves is opened each time. Furthermore, the control means 31 comprises a time-switch device, which keeps the drive means 25 for the metering pump 1 8 in operation for a predetermined time after the implement has been switched on. An indicating means 32 displays that time that has elapsed during a tooth-cleaning operation, or that time during which the tooth-cleaning operation has to be continued. In the present case, the indicating means 32 is an elongate field, which is progressively filled by a colour-marking strip 33, the length of which increases from left to right.

The positions I programme II, Zp. (brushing) Mw. (water for the mouth) and Sp. (swilling) can be set at a programming switch 34. When the programming switch 34 is at the position Zp., only the switching valve 23 is opened, so that only the operation of brushing the teeth is carried out. In the position Mw. of the programming switch, only the switching valve 22 is opened, and the switching valves 21 and 23 are closed. In this position, treatment of the mouth with water is carried out. In the position Sp. of the programming switch 34, only the switching valve 21 is opened, so that swilling fluid is supplied to the toothbrush. In addition, two different programmes I and II, the cycles of which will be explained below, can be set at the selector switch 34.

The unit 10 for the care of the teeth also comprises three setting devices 35, 36 and 37, each of which is intended to operate one of the switching valves 21, 22 and 23 respectively. In the present case, the setting devices 35, 36 and 37 are thumb wheels, whereby the duration of the treatment with the particular fluid can be set for each of the programmes I and II. An on-off switch 38 is also provided.

Figures 2 and 3 show examples of the programmes I and 11 that can be set by means of the programme switch 34.

In the case of programme I, the process of brushing, during which the switching valve 23 is opened, is carried out over a period of two minutes. This is followed by a short interval of three seconds, in which all of the switching valves 21,22 and 23 are closed. Then follows the process of swilling, during which only the switching valve 21 is opened for a period of 20 seconds. After an interval of three seconds, in which all of the switching valves 21, 22 and 23 are closed, treatment of the mouth with water takes place for ten seconds, during which only the switching valve 22 is opened. The total time of two minutes and 36 seconds corresponds to the value "100%" shown on the indicating means 32.

Programme I represents the normal. Persons who wish to brush their teeth or freshen the oral cavity more frequently each day require a toothbrushing operation of shorter duration. In programme II, the tooth-brushing operation lasts for one minute, whereas the periods of duration of the intervals and those for swilling and treatment of the mouth with water are exactly the same as for programme I. By adjusting the setting devices 35, 36 and 37, the duration of each process can be individually set, so that the programmes I and II can be set up by each individual user.

Claims

1. A device for care of the teeth, said device comprising a toothbrush, which has a fluid feed duct connected by flexible tube to a metering pump, which latter is connected to the outlet of at least one container for fluid, and wherein the metering pump is controlled by a time-switch or a unit which counts the metering strokes of the pump.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the metering device is connected to a plurality of containers each by way of a switching valve, and wherein a control means is provided, which opens the switching valves in succession in accordance with a predetermined programme.

3. A device according to claim 2, further including, associated with the toothbrush, a pressure sensor which responds to the contact pressure of the bristles against the teeth during use, which pressure sensor is operable to actuate the control means in such a way that the control means only operates when the pressure of the bristles exceeds a threshold value.

4. A device according to claim 2, wherein a separately adjustable time-switch device or counting device is provided for each of the containers, the switching valve of the container concerned being closed after the respective device has completed its cycle.

5. A device according to either one of claims 2 or 3 further including a selector switch whereby the switching valves for the containers can be individually switched in.

6. A device according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4 further including a selector switch whereby different combinations of times or numbers of metering strokes during which the switching valves are opened, can be set.

7. A device for care of the teeth substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.