Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
  • A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
  • A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
  • A61C17/222—Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
  • A61C17/02—Rinsing or air-blowing devices, e.g. using fluid jets or comprising liquid medication
  • A61C17/0202—Hand-pieces
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
  • A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
  • A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
  • A61C17/24—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like rotating continuously
  • A61C17/30—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like rotating continuously driven by hydraulic motor, e.g. water motor
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
  • A46B13/02—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers
  • A46B13/04—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
  • A46B13/06—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers with reservoir or other means for supplying substances with brush driven by the supplied medium
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
  • A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
  • A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/24—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose; Tongue scrapers
  • A61B17/244—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose; Tongue scrapers for cleaning of the tongue

Definitions

• the present invention relates to oral cleaning devices such as toothbrushes and water jets and in particular to a self-contained oral cleaning device with a liquid jet feature.
• Oral cleaning devices that employ a water jet feature are known in the art and such devices use an external supply of water.
• a toothbrush is tethered or connected to a faucet.
• the water pressure from the faucet is used to propel the water through the toothbrush and out the head of the toothbrush and/or used to power a motor that is used to rotate or move bristles.
• U.S. Patent No. 5,304,010 discloses a toothbrush that includes a hollow body, an opening by the head of the toothbrush, and a water inlet that is tethered and attached to a faucet.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,181,997 discloses a toothbrush that is also tethered to a faucet.
• the toothbrush uses the water pressure to power an impeller to move bristles on the head of the toothbrush.
• the water is already pressurized and flowing; the water also cannot be stagnant because the toothbrush does not include any mechanism, on its own, to propel the water out of the toothbrush. Additional toothbrushes that are tethered to a faucet or external source of running water may be found in U.S. Patent No.
• the units are bulky and are not made to be portable, oftentimes causing the user to own a separate toothbrush for traveling.
• the heads of the toothbrushes have been made replaceable. As such, after the bristles become worn from continual use, the head may be replaced without replacing the whole unit. However, the worn heads are simply replaced with an identical head to provide the same type of cleamng.
• interchange heads to provide different types of cleaning, for example to interchange heads to provide a water jet for removing plaque, to provide a brush with water jet for cleaning teeth and gums, and to provide a brash or scraper with water jet for cleaning the tongue, is not widely incorporated with prior art oral cleaning devices.
• the oral cleaning device in accordance with the present invention includes a reservoir for holding a liquid and a pump for pressurizing the liquid contained in the reservoir.
• the reservoir is contained within the oral cleaning device eliminating the need to tether the device to a faucet or attach the device to an outside source of liquid.
• the oral cleaning device also includes a means for releasing the pressurized liquid contained within the reservoir out of the oral cleaning device.
• the oral cleaning device is completely portable and assists the user in cleaning their entire mouth, including the tongue, gums, and teeth, by providing interchangeable heads.
• the present invention also provides the ability to change the force of the liquid jetting out of the oral cleaning device. Since the user must both fill the reservoir with a liquid and pressurize the liquid by pumping air into the reservoir, the user can change the force of the liquid jetting out of the reservoir by changing either the amount of air pumped into the reservoir or the initial amount of water. In addition a maximum pressurization will be predetermined by setting a pressure-release valve in the device as well as marking a optimum fill-line on the reservoir.
• a handheld portable self-contained oral cleaning device includes a refillable reservoir, which a user may be able to partially fill with a liquid up to a predetermined desired level.
• the reservoir which acts as a modular handle, includes an on-board pump that a user uses to pressurize the liquid contained in the reservoir.
• the number of pumps a user pumps air into the reservoir determines the force of the liquid expelling (explained in greater detail below).
• the pressurized liquid may then be sprayed out of the oral cleaning device to assist in cleaning the user's mouth.
• Narious interchangeable heads are incorporated herewith to provide the user with a total cleamng experience.
• a head with a nozzle that provides the user with a high-pressure jet of liquid to remove plaque and simulate flossing between teeth and gums.
• various shaped heads with bristles and a nozzle to provide the user with different brashes to clean teeth and their tongue as well as a jet of liquid that may be turned on to assist in cleaning gums or freshening breath.
• a tongue scraper head with a nozzle which also assists the user in cleaning their tongue and provides a jet to spray liquid such as water or antiseptic directly onto their tongue while they are scraping.
• FIG. 1 is a front view of an oral cleaning device having a refillable reservoir that is capable of storing a liquid and having an on-board pump that is used to pressurize the liquid in the reservoir, wherein the pressurized liquid may jet from a nozzle in the head of the device to provide a user with a self-contained device that has a high pressure jet of liquid;
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the cleaning device of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the toothbrash of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a head assembly that has a nozzle and bristles to brash teeth;
• FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a head assembly illustrating a tongue brash
• FIG. 6 is an perspective view of a head assembly illustrating a tongue scraper.
• the oral cleaning device includes a body 12 (or handle) that may be gripped by a user.
• the body 12 is further defined as a refillable reservoir that a user may partially fill with a fluid, for example, the fluid may include a gas, such as air, or a liquid, such as water or an antiseptic solution used for cleaning a user's mouth and freshening breath.
• the oral cleaning device also includes a means for pressurizing the fluid in the reservoir.
• the pressurizing means is preferably an on-board pump 14. Once the fluid is pressurized, the fluid in the reservoir may be released by depressing a button 20.
• the button 20 (illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3) opens a valve mechanism which controls the flow of the pressurized fluid out of the reservoir.
• the fluid once released travels through a neck 16 that extends outwardly from the body 12 to a head 18.
• This neck/head assembly may be interchangeable with other neck/head assemblies to provide the user with different cleaning implements. Alternatively, the neck/head assembly may also be fixed onto the body 12, to provide a single cleaning implement.
• the oral cleaning device 10 includes a refillable reservoir 30 that also serves as a main portion of the body 12 or handle which the user grips when using the oral cleaning device 10.
• the refillable reservoir 30 is attached at one end (bottom aperture 32) to an on-board pump 14 and attached at the other end (top aperture 34) to the neck 16.
• the on-board pump 14 is attached to the bottom aperture 32 such that the on-board pump 14 may be easily removed and reattached. This permits the user to pour a liquid (or other fluid) into the reservoir 30 via the bottom aperture 32.
• it is also easy to implement alternative means to refill the reservoir such as but not limited to having a separate resealable inlet. In this instance, the on-board pump 14 would not have to be removable and could be permanently attached thereto.
• the on-board pump 14 includes a pump cylinder 40 that slides into the reservoir 30 through the bottom aperture 32 (best seen in FIG. 3). Secured to one end of the pump cylinder 40 is a one-way valve cap 42.
• the one-way valve cap 42 allows air to be pumped into the reservoir 30, which permits the user to pressurize the liquid (or fluid) inside the reservoir 30.
• the one-way valve cap 42 also prevents any liquid (or fluid) inside the reservoir 30 from entering the pump cylinder 40.
• the one-way valve cap 42 includes a flexible valve seal 44 and a valve cap 46.
• the valve cap 46 attaches to the end of the pump cylinder 40 and includes openings 48 to permit air to travel through.
• the flexible valve seal 44 is then attached to the valve cap 46 such that the flexible valve seal 44 covers the openings 48 in the valve cap 46.
• the pressure in the reservoir 30 pushes against the flexible valve seal 44 and seals the openings 48, preventing liquid in the reservoir 30 from escaping via the one-way valve cap
• a pump piston 50 Inserted into the pump cylinder 40 is a pump piston 50 that includes the pressure release valve 52.
• the top 54 of the pump piston 50 has a groove 56, which receives a seal 58.
• the top 54 also has notches 60 (FIG. 2) running perpendicular to the groove 56. While the pump piston 50 is being pulled away from the pump cylinder 40, the seal 58 moves against the top portion 62 of the groove 56, allowing air to enter the pump cylinder 40, above the top 54 of the pump piston 50, via the notches 60. Subsequently, when pushed into the pump cylinder 40, the seal 58 moves against the bottom portion 64 of the groove 56, preventing air from escaping the pump cylinder 40.
• the pressure release valve 52 includes a release housing 66, a release ball 68, a release spring 70, and a release cap 72.
• the release ball 68 is held by the release spring 70 against a release aperture 74 defined in the release housing 66.
• a reservoir gasket 78 is positioned between the reservoir 30 and reservoir cap 76 to prevent liquid (or fluid) inside the reservoir 30 from leaking.
• the pump cylinder 40 extends through the reservoir gasket 78 and reservoir cap 76 and is secured to a pump cylinder cap 80. Extending through the pump cylinder cap 80 is the pump piston 50, which is attached to a pump handle 82. The user is also prevented from pulling the pump piston 50 entirely out of the pump cylinder 40 because the top 54 of the pump piston 50 is larger than an opening defined in the pump cylinder cap 80.
• the operation of the on-board pump 14 has already been partially explained, it can be further stated that when in operation a user can remove the on-board pump 14 by separating the reservoir cap 76 from the reservoir 30. This permits the user to partially fill the reservoir 30 with a liquid or other fluid.
• the reservoir 30 is preferably made of a clear material to allow the user to view the amount of liquid in the reservoir 30. However, a transparent window may also be used.
• the user After partially filling the reservoir 30, the user re-attaches the on-board pump 14 by inserting the pump cylinder 40 into the reservoir 30 and securing the cap 76 to the reservoir 30.
• the user can alter not only the force of the jetting liquid (or fluid) exiting the device 10 but also the duration such force is maintained.
• the user may learn that for a specific water level inside the reservoir the user must pump air into the reservoir ten times (pressurizing the reservoir to a desired pressure). By reducing the number of times the user pumps air into the reservoir, the desired force of the liquid (or fluid) jetting out of the device 10 will decrease.
• the duration the force of the liquid (or fluid) jetting out of the device 10 is directly related to the level of liquid (or fluid) inside the reservoir for a specific pressure.
• the duration will increase.
• the duration will decrease.
• the secondary fill lines can relate to various head attachments, providing optimum settings for different cleaning tasks.
• the hose 84 is placed through the top aperture 34 of the reservoir 30 and into the reservoir 30.
• the hose 84 may contain a weight 86 on the end of the hose placed within the reservoir 30 in order to keep the end of the hose 84 near the bottom of the reservoir 30.
• the other end of the hose 84 is attached to a releasing/preventing mechanism 88 that when activated allows the pressurized liquid or fluid to travel through the neck 16 and out of the device 10.
• the hose 84 is secured through an opening 92 (FIG. 2) in a top reservoir cap
• the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 also includes a valve piston 102 that may be moved to an open position (allowing pressurized liquid or fluid to travel through) by a button 20.
• a valve spring 100 exerts a force onto the button 20 and the valve piston 102 that normally keeps the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 in a closed position (not allowing pressurized liquid or fluid to travel through).
• a valve pin 104 holds the button 20 in position with the valve piston 102 and valve spring 100.
• the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 and other components described for opening and closing the mechanism 88 is housed within a two piece housing 110.
• the front portion of the housing 110 includes an opening 112 to permit the button 20 to be pressed by a user.
• the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 and other components described for opening and closing the mechanism 88 is housed within a two piece housing 110.
• the front portion of the housing 110 includes an opening 112 to permit the button 20 to be pressed by a user.
• the pressurized liquid or fluid travels through the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 and out an exit 106 defined thereon.
• the exit 106 of the releasing/preventing mechanism 88 is in fluid communication with a channel 108 running through the neck 16.
• the neck 16 is secured to a neck base 114 that is removably attached to the exit 106.
• a neck o-ring 116 is preferably positioned between the neck base
• the channel 108 travels through the neck 16 to at least one opening 121 in the head 18.
• a nozzle is positioned in the opening 121, in communication with the channel 108, and held in place by a nozzle cap 122.
• the nozzle may either be a long nozzle 120 for a head 18 that acts as a fluid jet (FIGS. 1-3) (more commonly referred to as a water jet when the fluid is water) or a short nozzle 126 for a head that also contains bristles 124 (FIGS. 4 and 5) or a head that is used for scraping
• a short nozzle 126 is preferably used when brushing or scraping because the nozzle does not interfere.
• the head 18 of the device 10 contains a long nozzle
• the long nozzle 120 provides the user with a cleaning device that is better suited to remove plaque and clean between teeth and gums (similar to flossing).
• the head In FIG. 4, the head
• the head 18b contains bristles 124 and a short nozzle 126.
• the head 18b is shaped to provide the user with a brash better suited for their teeth, along with a nozzle to jet liquid or fluid for cleaning gums and teeth and rinsing.
• the head 18c contains a short nozzle 120 and a plurality of bristles 124 but contains a wider cross section than the head
• the head 18d does not contain bristles or a nozzle, the head 18d includes a projected edge 130 to scrape the user's tongue.
• the head 18d defined as a tongue scrape also includes at least one opening but preferably multiple openings 121 to spray liquid while the user is scrapping their tongue.
• the fluid contained in the reservoir may be antiseptic or mouth wash for which the user can spray directly onto their tongue or in the mouth while brushing, scraping, rinsing or flossing.
• the present invention includes the ability to jet out a pressurized fluid, not only inclusive of a liquid but also a gas.
• a pressurized fluid not only inclusive of a liquid but also a gas.
• the user may simple pump air into and pressurize the air inside the reservoir. Once the reservoir contains a sufficient amount of pressurized air, the user may release it by pressing the button. While not as efficient as expelling pressurized liquid, in some instances the liquid, especially an antiseptic liquid, may be too sensitive for the user.
• pressurized gas such as air was the only intentional use of the device, the pump does not have to be removable, as the user can continuously refill the reservoir with air without removing the pump.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Brushes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=31980963

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (94)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2003
  • 2003-03-20 JP JP2003076933A patent/JP3686409B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-05-22 AU AU2003233633A patent/AU2003233633A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-05-22 EP EP03729072A patent/EP1542639A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-05-22 WO PCT/US2003/016082 patent/WO2004021958A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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