AU642209B2

AU642209B2 - Oral hygiene device

Info

Publication number: AU642209B2
Application number: AU71482/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Charles Kaeser
Original assignee: Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen
Current assignee: Trisa Buerstenfabrik AG Triengen
Priority date: 1990-02-09
Filing date: 1991-02-07
Publication date: 1993-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-07
Also published as: ATE124244T1; EP0466864A1; WO1991011971A1; AU7148291A; JPH04505406A; EP0466864B1; DE69110778T2; CH681855A5; CA2051429A1; DK0466864T3; DE69110778D1; ES2074703T3

Abstract

The oral hygiene device of the invention comprises an interchangeable end and a body (10) extended to take said end. The end may be either a movable one carrying a toothbrush or a fixed one (11) consisting of a nozzle designed to emit a pulsed jet of water generated by a pump fitted in the body (10). The movable end is designed to be given a linear and pivoting alternating movement by a drive mechanism (15) actuated by a motor (16) fitted inside the body (10).

Description

ORAL HYGIENE DEVICE The present invention concerns an oral hygiene device with at least one toothbrush attached to an interchangeable end piece and an elongate body designed to hold said end piece, said body having devices attached to one of its Sextremities to hold either a first movable end piece with a brush and designed to be given alternate linear movement and alternate pivoting movement around its spindle by a drive mechanism actuated by a motor, or a second fixed end piece consisting of a nozzle.

So-called electric toothbrushes already exist, comprising a body housing a small electric motor driving a mechanism designed to transform the circular movement of the motor spindle into a back and forth motion applied to the brush itself. This movement generally has a very small IS amplitude, of the order of 1 mm. Due to the fact that the bristles constituting the brush are flexible and because of the small amplitude of movement, the active portion of the brush, that is the ends of the bristles on the brush, vibrate but are not displaced. Therefore, brushing hardly takes place.

These devices are usually supplied with electricity at low ~Qa. aa\ through a cord connected to a transformer connected to an electrical socket, which is a bothersome constraint for the user, especially when it is being moved.

2 In addition to these devices there exist pulsating stream devices designed to emit a stream of highly pressurized water for final rinsing of the teeth and massaging the gums.

SThe present invention proposes combining these two devices by achieving an oral hygiene device which both cleans and massages by alternately brushing the teeth and gums and by emitting a pulsating stream. These different possibilities impart a universal quality to the device, as I'O it performs all the functions necessary for good dental hygiene.

To achieve this, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the mechanism and the motor are housed inside said body and in that said nozzle is designed to emit a pulsating stream of water generated by a pump also housed inside said body.

According to a preferred embodiment, said pump comprises an alternating displacement piston actuated by said drive mechanism and is designed to emit one _seam of c>Z) pressurized water for each cycle of said dr e mechanism.

The drive mechanism preferabr omprises one eccentric device and one cam, said ecp tric device engaging in a cavity disposed ins' said cam.

Accordip to said preferred embodiment, said cam is desigea to be movable in the linear direction and pivotable 3 The present invention in its broadest aspect consists in an o:al hygiene device having interchangeable brush and nozzle members and comprising: a) a housing; b) attachment means located at a first extremity of the housing for selectively and releasably holding and supporting a first, movable, end piece having a brush forming the brush member, and a second, fixed, end piece forming the nozzle member; c) a driving rod being part of the attachment means and defining a longitudinal axis and adapted for mechanical connection to the first, movable, end piece when attached by the attachment means; d) a drive mechanism including motion converting means for interconnecting an electric motor and the driving rod to cause the driving rod to simultaneously oscillate and reciprocate, respectively around and along the longitudinal axis of the driving rod, to provide combined rotational and rectilinear oscillation motion of the brush member, when attached by the attachment means; e) a pump cooperating for receiving water from A water feeding means and for supplying a pressure pulse of water through the second, fixed, end piece, when attached to the housing by the attachment means, thereby to emit a stream of pulsating water, wherein f) the housing supports the drive mechanism and the pump therein.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pump comprises a piston reciprocably driven by the motion converting means, upon rotation of the motor, the piston being housed in a cylinder, so as to emit a stream of pressurised water, corresponding to the displacement of the piston in the cylinder, during each cycle of the mechanism.

-U The motion converting means preferably comprises an 3a eccentric device cooperating with a rotatable gear engaging a drive pinion of the motor, and a cam member fixed to one end of the piston, the eccentric device being rotatable around a spindle, defining a further axis normal to the longitudinal axis, by the gear, and being located inside a cavity of the cam, the cam being movable with the piston along the longitudinal axis and rotatable about the longitudinal axis.

The eccentric device preferably includes a first eccentric portion for causing rectilinear oscillation of the cam member along the longitudinal axis, and a second eccentric portion providing a rotational oscillation of the cam member about the longitudinal axis, the driving rod being supported at the opposite end of the piston.

The cylinder preferably comprises inlet valve means and outlet valve means respectively inserted between the water fec .ng means, and a water channel for emitting the pressurised water stream at each cycle.

The piston preferably has a stroke of from 1mm to 10mm and more preferably has a stroke of at least 4mm.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention the second, fixed, end piece forming the nozzle member is arranged to seal the first extremity of the housing to allow communication between the outlet valve means of the cylinder and the water channel disposed inside the serond end piece.

The oral hygiene device in a preferred embodiment preferably includes a clearance located between the first, movable, end piece forming the brush member and the first extremity of the housing upon attachment of the first end piece to the driving rod, the clearance being arranged to prevent emission of a pulsating water stream when the brush member is attached to the driving rod.

The motor of the device is preferably energised by a rechargeable battery located within the housing at an end 3b remote from the first extremity, the battery being electrically connected to ferrite receptacles cooperating with an external induction charger for charging the battery.

In a further preferred embodiment the water feeding means includes a flexible internal conduit connected between the inlet valve means of the pump and a water source.

According to a second advantageous embodiment the pump may be supplied with water by means of a reservoir situated in the body of the device.

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4 The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of one exemplary embodiment and to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an axial cross-section of the device -S according to the invention equipped with a fixed end piece; Figure 2 is an enlarged partial axial cross-section of the end of the body of the device holding a movable end piece; ahd Figure 3 is a transverse cross-section showing the drive mechanism.

With reference to Figure 1, the oral hygiene device as shown in the drawings consists of an elongate body 10, one end of which is provided with a fixed end piece 11 which consists of a hollow nozzle designed to emit a pulsating stream of water. Inside this body there is attached a support 13 made of molded synthetic material which defines a housing 14 in which there is a drive mechanism 15 for a movable end piece 11'. Said mechanism 15, which will be described below, is driven by an electric motor 16 situated in the end of the body opposite that which holds said end piece. Said motor 16 comprises an outlet spindle 17 on which there is mounted a drive pinion 18. This drive pinion engages a toothed gear 19 integral with an eccentric device designed to turn around a fixed spindle 21. Eccentric aS engages in a central opening 22 inside a cam 23, said cam .,being integral on one side, with an end piece 24 generally 5 perpendicular to spindle 21 of the eccentric device 20, and on the opposite side, with a -4bl 25 which is centered on the same spi; V\as end piece 24. Said k25 is connected to cylindrical element 26 designed to slide axially and to S pivot on its axis inside a housing 27 which is also cylindrical and which constitutes the piston for a pump designed to emit the pulsating stream.

Eccentric device 20 is composed of two elements 20a and respectively, the purpose of which \*to set in motion VO the drive means for the movable end piece and the piston in the pump. Portion 20a of this eccentric is responsible for the alternating linear displacement of cam 23 along the spindle common to end piece 24 and knais425, and the upper portion 20b of the eccentric is responsible for the IS alternate pivoting motion of said cam 23 around the same spindle. This mechanism is shown in more detail in Figure 3. Thiskveaua simultaneous n linear movement and pivoting movement along and around the same spindle, respectively, is transmitted to piston 26 and to a shaft 28 ?0V which serves both to guide the piston in its linear and pivoting displacement and to support said movable end piece 11. It is easy to understand that brush 12, which is supported by said movable end piece 11' actually constituting the brush handle, is axially displaced in 9 combination with pivoting movement around said spindle.

6 The pump is supplied with water by a conduit 29 terminating in canal 30, the outlet of which may be blocked by ball bfv=iSg 31 urged against housing 32 by a spring 33.

This ball Ih-i-- and the spring, which constitute an inlet S valve, are situated in chamber 34 which communicates with a radial canal 35 opening into chamber 27 of piston 26. A second ball b@a ws. 36 associated with a spring 37 constitutes an outlet valve for chamber 27 and allows communication between this chamber and interior canal 38 in VO fixed end piece 11. This fixed end piece has at its free end a small conduit 39 of narrow cross-section for emitting the pressurized stream for each cycle of the drive mechanism for the pump.* Note that in the case where the end piece is fixed, its extremity is not in contact with shaft 28 which 1$ is alternately displaced inside canal 38.

In the case where movable end piece 11' is attached to the body, the body is shaped appropriately so it can adapt cA^<o'c'ce- *r OVt iCa to shaft 28. Its extremity is shaped so that a V between it and the body of the device, the effect of which &o is to tn the pum. In this embodiment, brush 12' held by the end piece is driven in a linear motion and in a pivoting motion, but the pump does not emit any pulsating stream.

It is conceivable to combine a pulsating stream and a brush in the same device, but such an embodiment would require displacement of the outlet valve at the end of end 7piece 11' which would have to be provided with an interior canal, and would require blocking the pump shutoff ig.

The motor is fed by several storage batteries 40 housed in the part of the body at the extremity opposite the end S pieces. These batteries are preferably charged by means of an induction charger with ferrite receptacles 41 such as those sold commercially by Philips or other companies and which have an excellent output. The complementary elements of the charger are inside a stand, not shown.

u0 Control is effected by means of a sliding i trrtr-42 containing a permanent magnet 43 which acts on two vials containing magnetically engaged micro B-fsrrb44. Three positions are advantageously provided, ea nnrr and two ao \corresponding to two fiin;e speeds.

Various modificatio.ns could be made in the way the components are disposed inside the device, particularly insofar as supplying the pump with water is concerned. It could be supplied by connecting a flexible interior conduit c> 45 connected to the pump by an exterior conduit 46 coupled to either a movable reservoir or a fixed reservoir, or to a source of flowing water (not shown). The pump could also be supplied by means of a reservoir housed in the body of the device.

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Claims

1. An oral hygiene device having interchangeable brush and nozzle members and comprising: a) a housing; b) attachment means located at a first extremity of the housing for selectively and releasably holding and supporting a first, movable, end piece having a brush forming the brush member, and a second, fixed, end piece formj.-g the nozzle member; c) a driving rod being part of the attachment means and defining a longitudinal axis and adapted for mechanical connection to the first, movable, end piece when attached Sby the attachment means; d) a drive mechanism including motion converting means 15 for interconnecting an electric motor and the driving rod !to cause the driving rod to simultaneously oscillate and S. reciprocate, respectively around and along the longitudinal a:is of the driving rod, to provide combined rotational and rectilinear oscillation motion of the brush 20 member, when attached by the attachment means; e) a pump cooperating for receiving water from a water Sa feeding means and for supplying a pressure pulse of water through the second, fixed, end piece, when attached to the I housing by the attachment means, thereby to emit a stream of pulsating water, wherein f) the housing supports the drive mechanism and the pump therein.

2. An oral hygiene device as defined in claim 1 wherein the pump comprises a piston reciprocably driven by the motion converting means, upon rotation of the motor, the piston being housed in a cylinder, so as to emit a stream of pressurised water, correspcnding to the displacement of the piston in the cylinder, during each cycle of the mechanism. F-5

3. An oral hygiene device as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein the motion converting means comprises an eccentric device cooperating with a rotatable gear engaging a drive pinion of the motor, and a cam member fixed to one end of the piston, the eccentric device being rotatable around a spindle, defining a further axis normal to the longitudinal axis, by the gear, and being located inside a cavity of the cam, the cam being movable with the piston along the longitudinal axis and rotatable about the longitudinal axis.

4. An oral hygiene device as defined in claim 3 wherein the eccentric device includes a first eccentric portion for causing rectilinear oscillation of the cam member along the longitudinal axis, and a second eccentric portion providing a rotational oscillation of the cam member about the longitudinal axis, the driving rod being supported mt the opposite end of the piston.

An oral hygiene device as defined in claim 2 wherein the cylinder comprises inlet valve means and outlet valve means respectively inserted between the water feeding means, and a water channel for emitting the pressurised water stream at each cycle.

6. An oral hygiene device as defined in claim 4 wherein the piston has a stroke of from 1mm to

7. An oral hygiene device as defined in claim 6 wherei the stroke of the piston is at least 4mm.

8. An oral hygiene device as defined in any one of claims 1-7 wherein the second, fixed, end piece forming the nozzle member is arranged to seal the first extremity of the housing to allow communication between the outlet valve means of the cylinder and the water channel disposed inside the second end piece.

9. An oral hygiene device as defined in any one of claims 1-8 wherein a clearance is located between the first, movable, end piece forming the brush member and the first extremity of the housing upon attachment of the 10 first end piece to the driving rod, the clearance being arranged to prevent emission of a pulsating water stream when the brush member is attached to the driving rod.

An oral hygiene device as defined in any one of claims 1-9 wherein the motor is energised by a rechargeable battery located within the housing at an end remote from the first extremity, the battery being electrically connected to ferrite receptacles cooperating with an external induction charger for charging the battery.

11. An oral hygiene device as defined in any one of claims 1-10 wherein the water feeding means includes a flexible internal conduit connected between the inlet valve means of the pump and a water source.

12. An oral hygiene device substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 4th day of August TRISA BURSTENFABRIK AG TRIENGEN Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F.B. RICE CO.