JP2005124878A - Electric toothbrush - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric toothbrush capable of removing dental plaque, massaging gum and cleaning the tongue by brushing teeth once. <P>SOLUTION: The electric toothbrush 1 comprises a neck part 30 connecting a head part 20 composed by implanting a brush 22 to a base 21, a cylindrical handle part 40 connected to the base part of the neck part 30, a motor 43 provided inside the handle part, and a power transmission mechanism 42 provided inside the handle part for converting the rotary motion of the motor 43 to the reciprocating straight motion of the neck part 30. The short side of the head part 20 is 10-25 mm and the long side is 30-40 mm. Also, the brush 22 is implanted on the front surface and back surface of the base 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of an electric toothbrush, and more particularly to an electric toothbrush that can clean a tooth and a tongue and simultaneously perform gingival massage.

  The toothbrush is usually made for the purpose of preventing plaque formation on the tooth surface and removing plaque accumulated in the dentition. This toothbrush may be partly used for gingival massage or tongue cleaning, but it is not sufficient. In order to perform gingival massage and tongue cleaning perfectly, a toothbrush suitable for the purpose is required.

  In order to meet the demands of regular toothbrushes, such as easy entry into the lingual side of the mandibular front teeth, easy brushing of the back teeth, and the ability to polish finely between the teeth, the toothbrush head shape is small and subdivided into various shapes. There is a tendency to become. For toothbrushes intended for human teeth, compact toothbrushes with a short side of the head of 10 mm and a long side of 30 mm or less are the mainstream, and the length of the brush that stands on the head of the toothbrush is shortened. Some ideas have been devised, such as changing the standing state.

  Electric toothbrushes are used for the purpose of efficiently brushing teeth in a short time. Electric toothbrushes are widely used in which the brush is reciprocated linearly at a high frequency of 2000 times / min or more with an amplitude of 1 to 5 mm in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. A rolling type has been proposed in which the brush is moved by a pendulum at a fixed angle with respect to its axis. The shape of the head of the electric toothbrush and the standing state of the brush are the same as those of the manual one.

  Electric toothbrushes can improve plaque removal efficiency, but are not suitable for gingival massage and tongue cleaning. Moreover, if the electric toothbrush is prepared for each use site such as the front tooth and the back tooth, it is uneconomical because one person must have a plurality of toothbrushes. In addition, using a toothbrush for each purpose increases the number of toothpastes. This can take a lot of time to brush your teeth, which can be a factor in getting your teeth brushed.

  The objective of this invention is related with improvement which can perform gingiva massage and tongue cleaning in an electric toothbrush, and can perform various parts of a tooth without exchanging a toothbrush.

  The present invention includes a neck portion having a head formed by implanting a brush on a base, a cylindrical handle portion connected to the base portion of the neck portion, a motor provided in the handle portion, and a handle portion in the handle portion. An electric toothbrush provided with a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotational movement of the motor into a reciprocating linear movement of the neck, wherein the head has a short side of 10 to 25 mm and a long side of 30 to 40 mm. In addition, the electric toothbrush is characterized in that the brush is implanted on a front surface and a back surface of a base. The stroke of the reciprocating linear motion of the neck is 5 to 20 mm, and the frequency is preferably 20 to 200 times / min.

  The present invention also includes a neck having a head formed by radially implanting a brush around the shaft, a cylindrical handle connected to the base of the neck, a motor provided in the handle, An electric toothbrush comprising a power transmission mechanism that is provided in a handle and converts a rotational motion of the motor into a reciprocating linear motion of the neck, wherein the short side of the head is 10 to 25 mm and the long side is 30 to 40 mm. The toothbrush having the following size is provided. The stroke of the reciprocating linear motion of the neck is 5 to 20 mm, and the frequency is preferably 20 to 200 times / min.

  According to the electric toothbrush of the present invention, only one electric toothbrush is included in the mouth, and the opposite side of the tooth (for example, the cheek side or lip side), between the gum and the cheek inner side, between the gum or the lip side, etc. , Can polish every place in the mouth reliably. Therefore, the efficiency of the electric toothbrush can be further extracted.

  The electric toothbrush of the present invention also removes plaque and massages gums and the like. Appropriate stimulation of the gums by brushing promotes gingival circulation and keratinization of the gingival epithelium, thereby imparting resistance to the gingiva. As a result, periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and stomatitis can be prevented. In the case of chronic inflammation, it also serves as a treatment by improving local tissues and blood circulation.

  The surface of the tongue and plaque are a hotbed where fungi such as Vibrio bacteria, spirochetes, filamentous fungi, spindle bacteria, and Gram-positive cocci grow. By brushing the teeth, tongue surface and palate with the electric toothbrush of the present invention, it is possible to clean the bacteria that have clung to it, and as a result, the whole mouth becomes healthy, effects such as preventing bad breath Produce. Furthermore, the refreshing effect in the mouth is further enhanced by the cleaning effect spreading throughout the mouth.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of the electric toothbrush according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the electric toothbrush 1 of the present invention includes a neck portion 30 connected to a head portion 20 in which a brush 22 is implanted on a base 21, and a cylindrical handle portion 40 connected to the base portion of the neck portion 30. And a motor 43 provided in the handle part and a power transmission mechanism 42 provided in the handle part for converting the rotational movement of the motor into a reciprocating linear movement of the neck part. Below, it explains in full detail in order of a head, a neck, and a handle part.

  In FIG. 1, the head 20 has a brush 22 implanted on a base 21. The shape seen from the front of the head 20 may be an ellipse (FIG. 2) or a rectangle. The head 20 has a short side (Y in FIG. 2) of 10 to 25 mm, preferably 20 to 25 mm, and a long side (X in FIG. 2) of 30 to 40 mm, preferably 35 to 40 mm. It is an important feature that the head 20 of the electric toothbrush 1 of the present invention is clearly larger than those usually marketed and those used in dental clinics. The large brush area provides a massage effect when brushing teeth, massages while brushing teeth and gums at the same time, and also has a function that cannot be enjoyed with conventional toothbrushes.

  A brush 22 is implanted in the head 20 substantially perpendicularly to the base 1. The brush 22 is implanted on the opposite side of the front in addition to the front of the head (referring to the surface on which the toothbrush is normally implanted). By being flocked on both sides, you can brush the teeth and gums at the same time, polish the inside of the jaw, and polish the upper and lower occlusal surfaces of the back teeth at the same time. In addition, you can brush the other side of the teeth (inside the cheeks and lips) together with the teeth and gums with a single brush. Therefore, the entire mouth is cleaned almost completely in a short time, and periodontal diseases such as stomatitis are prevented. Cleaning the tongue and palate also removes various fungi, making the entire mouth even cleaner.

  As shown in the cross-sectional views of the base in FIGS. 3 and 4, the head 20 is preferably also planted on the side of the base. By flocking the entire circumference of the base 21, the cleaning ability of the toothbrush can be improved.

  The material of the brush 22 can generally be synthetic resin such as nylon or natural hair such as pig hair. Although the thickness of the hair depends on the hardness of the hair, it may be usually 0.13 to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.18 to 0.25 mm.

  As the shape of the bristles of the brush 22, shapes such as a circle, a tapered shape, an ultrafine tip processing, a spatula shape, an oblique cut, a horizontal shape, and a spherical shape are appropriately employed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the brushed surface formed by the bristles of the brush 22 preferably exhibits a concave (curved) of 15 cmR to 20 cmR from the front end to the rear end of the brushed surface. The curvature may be over the entire surface or limited to a part. These concaves ensure a uniform fit of the toothbrush on the front and back of the tooth. If the concave R is less than 15 cm, the efficiency of brushing may be reduced, and the tip and rear edges of the brushed surface may be damaged quickly. Conversely, if the radius is more than 20 cm, the fit may be diluted.

  The thickness of head 20 (Z in FIG. 5) is preferably 15 to 25 mm, particularly preferably 21 to 24 mm. If the length is shorter than 15 mm, the effect of brushing the teeth and at the same time brushing the lip side, cheek side, tongue, palate, etc. may be reduced. In some cases, the electric toothbrush cannot be moved smoothly. The length of each of the front and back brushes depends on the thickness of the brush base. If the thickness of the base 21 is 3 to 5 mm, for example, the length of the brush 5 on one side is 5 to 10 mm. The lengths of the front and back brushes may be the same or different from each other.

  The base 21 of the brush 22 is usually a flat plate. Moreover, as shown in the modification of FIG. 6, you may attach the concave of R15-20cm toward the root from the front-end | tip of a head.

The hardness of the brush 22 is usually preferably soft. You can brush and massage every corner of your teeth. In addition, the brush lays down and falls easily, so that it can easily enter anywhere, and contact with the teeth is improved. Specifically, the hardness may be usually 75 N / cm ² , preferably 60 N / cm ² or less.

  The densely planted state of the brush 22 is preferably a multi-hair bundle planting composed of a plurality of rows (for example, 3 to 6 rows). In multi-haired planting, hair can be pushed, pulled or moved freely. The density of the bundle may be either hair or dense hair. In addition, the direction of flocking (the level of fur) is preferably one direction. Dispersing the fur in multiple directions is partially effective, but counterproductive in terms of overall brushing. Further, the shape of each hair bundle may be any of a flat wire type, a step-cut type, and an inclined type.

  The neck portion 30 is provided to connect the head portion 20 to the handle portion 40 containing the motor 43 and the power transmission mechanism 42. The proximal end portion of the neck portion 30 is detachably attached to the power transmission mechanism 42. The neck 30 is usually made of plastic. The neck portion 30 may have a structure having elasticity enough to bend. The imparting of elasticity to the neck 30 can be realized, for example, by changing the material to a metal plate, spring, or rubber. When the neck part 30 has moderate elasticity, the head part can be advanced along the curved teeth and without changing the handle part 40.

  The handle part 40 is for holding the electric toothbrush body 1 by hand. The handle 40 includes a power source 41 for driving the motor, a motor 43, and a power transmission mechanism 42 that converts the rotational motion of the motor into a reciprocating linear motion of the neck. As the motor driving power supply 41, a dry battery, a rechargeable battery, a condenser, or the like can be used as appropriate.

  A conventionally known power transmission mechanism 42 that converts the rotational motion of the motor 43 into the reciprocating linear motion of the neck 30 can be used. For example, in the power transmission mechanism shown in FIG. 7, a protrusion 47 extending from the proximal end portion of the neck portion 30 through the shaft 46 is fitted into the groove 45 of the cylindrical groove cam 44 connected to the drive shaft of the motor 41. . It is also possible to reduce the rotational speed of the motor 43 and the reciprocating speed of the neck portion 30 by cutting the groove 45 so as to circulate in multiple lines from one end to the other end of the cylindrical groove. Thus, the rotation of the motor 43 is converted into a reciprocating linear motion of the neck by the power transmission mechanism 42 including the cylindrical groove 44. The cylindrical groove cam 44 is an example of a power transmission mechanism 42, and the power transmission mechanism 42 may be constituted by, for example, a reciprocating slider crank using a crown gear 47 and a link 48 shown in FIG.

  Most electric toothbrushes that are commercially available and used usually reciprocate slightly in the longitudinal direction at a frequency of 200 times / min or more with an amplitude of 0.1 to 2 mm. Some of the frequencies in the sonic and ultrasonic ranges are also found, which are advantageous for expelling plaque and edibles accumulated between the teeth, but there is a risk of excessive wear on the tooth surface.

  On the other hand, the movement of the electric toothbrush of the present invention replaces the movement of the hand. Therefore, the brush stroke of the electric toothbrush of the present invention is preferably 5 to 20 mm, particularly preferably 10 to 15 mm. The stroke frequency is preferably 20 to 200 times / min, particularly preferably 30 to 100 times / min. Due to such stroke and frequency, the electric toothbrush of the present invention prevents excessive brushing action.

  In the electric toothbrush of the present invention, the motor 43 is driven by a motor drive power supply 41 provided in the interior in accordance with the operation of a switch (not shown) provided outside the handle, and the rotation of the motor transmits power. It is converted into a reciprocating linear motion of the neck 30 through the mechanism 42, thereby driving the toothbrush to be used for tooth brushing.

  Basically, the electric toothbrush can be used only by including the head of the electric toothbrush in the mouth. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the brush on the front side of the electric toothbrush 1 is applied to the front surface of the front teeth or the back teeth, so that the motor repeatedly moves the larger brush than usual to remove plaque. At the same time, the brush on the back side massages by pressing the inner side of the lip and the side of the cheek appropriately. If the brush on the front side of the electric toothbrush is applied to the back of the back tooth as shown in FIG. 10, the motor repeats the movement of the brush to remove plaque, and the brush on the back side brushes the tongue and palate and massages. To do.

  FIG. 11 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the electric toothbrush of the present invention. Except for the head structure, the second embodiment is the same as the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted. As can be seen from the figure, the shaft 21 plays the role of the base in FIG. 1, and brushes are radially implanted around the shaft 21.

  The diameter of the shaft 21 is usually 1 to 5 mm, preferably 2 to 3 mm. The shaft is made of plastic, rubber or metal.

  Since the brush is planted all around the shaft 21, the tooth, gum, root of the gum, the other side of the tooth (the cheek side, the labial side, the whole of the mouth) with a single brush of one toothbrush Can be polished comprehensively. And since it also has a massage effect, the stomatitis which arises in a mouth can be prevented. In addition, various fungi are removed, and the entire mouth becomes healthy.

  The shape of the head 20 is preferably tapered. By adopting such a shape, the brush can be penetrated to the tip of the back tooth.

  The neck portion 30 preferably has elasticity. The elasticity of the neck 30 can be realized by a metal plate or spring (FIG. 12). Since the neck portion has such a property, the brush can be made to enter along the curved teeth and the teeth. It improves the removal rate of plaque and eliminates the risk of damaging the gums and cheeks by pressing them inside. Furthermore, if the shaft 21 also has elasticity, further effects can be expected.

  The stroke of the electric toothbrush 1 in this embodiment is preferably 5 to 20 mm, and particularly preferably 10 to 15 mm. The stroke frequency is preferably 20 to 200 times / min, particularly preferably 30 to 100 times / min.

  The electric toothbrush of the present invention is optimal as a toothbrush provided for commercial use and dental clinics. The electric toothbrush of the present invention is suitable for preventing dental caries and halitosis by removing plaque, cleaning the tongue, and massaging gingiva, and is also suitable for treating periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and stomatitis.

It is a side view which shows one embodiment of the electric toothbrush of this invention. It is a top view of the head of the electric toothbrush of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of the head of the electric toothbrush of FIG. It is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of FIG. It is a side view of the electric toothbrush of FIG. It is a side view which shows the modification of the head of the electric toothbrush of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which illustrates the power transmission mechanism of the electric toothbrush of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows another example of the power transmission mechanism of the electric toothbrush of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the use condition of the toothbrush of FIG. It is the schematic which shows the use condition of the toothbrush of FIG. It is a side view which shows another one embodiment of the electric toothbrush of this invention. It is a side view which shows another one embodiment of the electric toothbrush of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric toothbrush 20 Head 21 Base 22 Brush 30 Neck part 40 Handle part 41 Motor drive power supply 42 Power transmission mechanism 43 Motor

Claims (4)

A neck portion connected to a head formed by implanting a brush on a base, a cylindrical handle portion connected to the base portion of the neck portion, a motor provided in the handle portion, and a motor provided in the handle portion An electric toothbrush comprising a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotational motion of the head into a reciprocating linear motion of the neck, wherein the head has a short side of 10 to 25 mm and a long side of 30 to 40 mm, and The electric toothbrush characterized in that a brush is implanted on the front and back of the base. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the stroke of the reciprocating linear motion of the neck is 5 to 20 mm, and the frequency thereof is 20 to 200 times / min. A neck having a head formed by radially implanting brushes around the shaft, a cylindrical handle connected to the base of the neck, a motor provided in the handle, and a handle provided in the handle An electric toothbrush comprising a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotational movement of the motor into a reciprocating linear movement of the neck, wherein the head has a short side of 10 to 25 mm and a long side of 30 to 40 mm. The toothbrush. The electric toothbrush according to claim 3, wherein a stroke of the reciprocating linear motion of the neck is 5 to 20 mm, and a frequency thereof is 20 to 200 times / min.

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