Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B7/00—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body
  • A46B7/06—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
  • A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
  • A46B9/025—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups the bristles or the tufts being arranged in an angled position relative to each other
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A46—BRUSHWARE
  • A46B—BRUSHES
  • A46B9/00—Arrangements of the bristles in the brush body
  • A46B9/02—Position or arrangement of bristles in relation to surface of the brush body, e.g. inclined, in rows, in groups
  • A46B9/04—Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention generally pertains to a maneuverable-bristle toothbrush, and more specifically to manually maneuverable-bristle toothbrush.
• Proper brushing is essential for cleaning teeth and gums effectively. In order to do so, one must obtain a toothbrush with soft, nylon, round-ended bristles that will not scratch and irritate teeth or damage gums, and apply the following succession of actions: (1) Place bristles along the gum line at a 45-degree angle. Bristles should contact both the tooth surface and the gum line. (2) Gently brush the outer tooth surfaces of 2-3 teeth using a vibrating back & forth rolling motion. Move brush to the next group of 2-3 teeth and repeat. (3) Maintain a 45-degree angle with bristles contacting the tooth surface and gumline. Gently brush using back, forth, and rolling motion along all of the inner tooth surfaces. (4) Tilt brush vertically behind the front teeth.
• electric toothbrushes are constructed to require less time for brushing than the manually operated toothbrushes, in consideration of respective movements dictated by, for example, the rolling process and/or the bath process, to be specific, one of the movement by the rolling process and the movement by the bath process, or otherwise a changeover between the former and the latter.
• electric toothbrushes are generally cumbersome and costly to maintain.
• United States Patent 6453499 discloses a toothbrush having a handle that can move relative to a head portion equipped with rotatable bristle assemblies. The rotation of the bristles of the bristle assemblies is effected by a manual operable drive member consisting of a rack and a plurality of mating pinions from which the bristle extend.
• United States Patent 5276932 discloses improvements to a manually operated, rotary bristle toothbrush. A thumb actuated mechanism is slidably and longitudinally mounted in an essentially hollow, elongate handle and a part of the mechanism, a rack, is caused to engage at least one compound pinion/spur gear in order to convert longitudinally reciprocative motion to rotary motion that is shunted toward the head of the toothbrush.
• United States Patent 5528786 discloses a toothbrush comprising an elongated handle, a bristle support member articulately mounted on one end of the handle so as to be constrained, in use, into limited reciprocal movement with respect to the handle and in a direction of longitudinal axis of the handle.
• the toothbrush further comprising a plurality of bristle tuft arrays pivotally mounted on the support member about at least one pivotal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and articulately coupled to the one end of the handle so that the limited reciprocal movement of the support member gives rise to limited pivotal lateral rocking of the bristle arrays.
• the method comprises steps selected inter alia from: a. obtaining a toothbrush having a bristle-carrying head portion and a handle portion, said handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end interconnected by means of a mechanical movement redirection effecter to a plurality of maneuverable bristles embedded within said toothbrush head; b. moving said toothbrush linearly along the longitudinal axis of said handle portion by means of said handle portion whilst said plurality of bristles are held against tooth or gum surface; c.
• the method comprising steps selected inter alia from: a. obtaining a toothbrush having a bristle-carrying head portion and a handle portion, said handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end interconnected by means of a mechanical movement redirection effecter to a plurality of maneuverable bristles embedded within said toothbrush head; b. moving said toothbrush linearly along the longitudinal axis of said handle portion by means of said handle portion whilst said plurality of bristles are held against tooth or gum surface; c.
• the method comprising steps selected inter alia from: a. obtaining a toothbrush having a bristle-carrying head portion and a handle portion, said handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end interconnected by means of a mechanical movement redirection effecter to a plurality of maneuverable bristles embedded within said toothbrush head; b. moving said toothbrush linearly along the longitudinal axis of said handle portion by means of said handle portion whilst said plurality of bristles are held against tooth or gum surface; c.
• Fig. 1 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a preferred embodiment said toothbrush, wherein a handling means is interconnected by means of a motion transmission means to a brushing means, such that said linear movement along the longitudinal axis of said handle portion is converted to crescent shaped movement of the outer bristle rows of said brushing means.
• Fig. 2 illustrates a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, demonstrating the conversion of linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the handle into crescent shaped three-dimensional sweeping movement of the maneuverable rows of bristles.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a top view of preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein maneuverable rows of bristles are slanted at a predetermined angle with respect to the rows of stationary bristles.
• Fig. 4 illustrates a diagram of the method for redirecting linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the handle portion into three dimensional sweeping movement of maneuverable bristles thereby removing food debris and plaque from tooth and gum surfaces, especially in the area between the cervical region and the crown of the tooth, in the gingival pockets, and in interproximal regions between the teeth.
• Fig.5 illustrates a top view of the back of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• FIG. 6 yet another view of the front side of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• Fig. 7 illustrates a side view of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• Fig. 8 illustrates yet another side view of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• Fig. 9 illustrates yet another top view of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• Fig. 10 illustrates yet another exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• Fig. 11 illustrates an enlarged top view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• Fig. 12 illustrates yet another top view of a preferred embodiment of the toothbrush of the present invention.
• ⁇ T ⁇ Fig. 13 illustrates an enlarged top view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• Fig. 14 illustrates an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• FIG. 15 illustrates an enlarged top view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• FIG. 16 illustrates yet another enlarged top view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• FIG. 17 illustrating yet another exploded view of a preferred embodiment of the brush head of the present invention.
• Fig. 18-20 illustrate a top view of a preferred embodiment the maneuverable bristle head of the present invention, wherein the movement of the handle portion of the toothbrush is redirected by means of a movement redirection effecter so as to enable the clockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters and the counterclockwise rotation of matching maneuverable bristle, and additionally demonstrates that said clusters are especially adapted to be slanted with respect to stationary bristles contained within said bristle head.
• Fig. 21-25 illustrate a plurality of exploded views of preferred embodiments of the present invention.
• Fig. 26 illustrates another embodiment of the toothbrush.
• 'Tureski Index' refers hereinafter to an index defining plaque adhesion to the tooth surface with a range consisting of: (1) no plaque, (2) plaque in the cervical region - non continual, (3) continual plaque with a width of up to lmm in the cervical region, (4) plaque covering 2/3 of the height of the tooth (5) plaque covering over 2/3 of the height of the tooth.
• the term 'Community Periodontal Index' refers hereinafter to an index defining the caries prevalence with a range consisting of: (0) healthy, (1) bleeding observed directly or by using a mouth mirror after probing (2) calculus detected during probing but all of the black band on the probe visible (3) shallow pockets 4-5mm gingival margin within the black band of the probe (4) deep pockets 6mm black band on the probe not visible.
• the term 'Gingival Index of Loe and Silness' refers hereinafter to an index describing the clinical severity of the gingival inflammation as well as its location, with a range consisting of: (0) appearance normal, no bleeding, no inflammation (1) slight change in color and mild edema with slight change in texture, no bleeding, mild inflammation (2) redness hypertrophy edema glazing, bleeding on probing/pressure, moderate inflammation (3) marked redness hypertrophy edema ulceration, spontaneous bleeding, severe inflammation.
• the term 'Quigley Hein Index' refers hereinafter to an index defining plaque covering the tooth surface, consisting of: (0) no plaque (1) separate flecks of plaque at the cervical margin of the tooth (2) a thin continuous band of plaque (up to 1 mm) at the cervical margin of the tooth (3) a band of plaque wider than 1 mm but covering less than on-third of the crown of the tooth (4) plaque covering at lean 1/3 but less than 2/3 of the crown of the tooth (5) plaque covering 2/3 or more of the crown of the tooth.
• 'Plaque Index of Silness-Loe' refers hereinafter to an index defining plaque covering the tooth surface, consisting of the following range: (0) no plaque (1) a film of plaque adhering to the free gingival margin and adjacent area of the tooth.
• the plaque may be seen in situ only after application of disclosing solution or by using the probe on the tooth surface (2) moderate accumulation of soft deposit within the gingival pocket, or the tooth and gingival margin which can be seen with the naked eye (3) abundance of soft matter within the gingival pocket and/or on the tooth and gingival margin.
• Order 'Oral Hygiene Index Simplified OHI-S' refers hereinafter to an index defining oral hygiene consisting of the following range: (0) no calculus present (1) supragingival calculus covering not more than 1/3 of the exposed tooth surface (2) supragingival calculus covering more than 1/3 but no more than 2/3 of the exposed tooth surface or the presence of individual flecks of subgingival around the cervical portion of the tooth or both (3) supragingival calculus covering more than 2/3 of the exposed tooth surface or a continuous heavy band of subgingival caculus around the cervical portionof the tooth or both.
• the term 'motion redirection transmission means' refers hereinafter to a means that redirects a particular vectored motion to an alternative vector of motion.
• the term 'Shore A test' refers hereinafter to a durometer test according to the ASTM D2240 type A scale.
• the A scale is for softer plastics, while the D scale is for harder ones.
• the ASTM D2240-00 testing standard calls for a total of 12 scales, depending on the intended use; types A, B, C, D, DO, E, M, O, 00, 000, 000-S, and R. Each scale results in a value between O and 100, with higher values indicating a harder material.
• the most natural brushing methods used by patients uneducated in tooth brushing are horizontal strokes at 90-degrees to tooth. The effect is supra gingival cleansing and gingival stimulation.
• the Charters method teaches brushing at 90-degrees sweeping occlusally and circular vibratory, affecting supragingival cleansing, gingival stimulation, inter proximal cleansing.
• the Bass method teaches brushing at 45-degree apex in sulcus sweeping occlusally and vibratory horizontal jiggle, affecting subgingival cleansing, gingival stimulation.
• the average brushing time in conducted studies is approximately 1 minute, even though these individuals claimed that they usually brushed for 2 or 3 minutes.
• the Bass brushing technique was the first to focus on the removal of plaque and debris from the gingival sulcus by the combined use of a soft toothbrush and unwaxed dental floss. In the Bass technique the toothbrush is positioned in the gingival sulcus at a 45- degree angle to the tooth apex. The bristles are then gently pressed to enter the sulcus.
• the manufacturer recommended lifespan of a conventional manual toothbrush is 3 months.
• the mean TBF was lowest (about 80 g) when the threshold was set at 210 or 240 g; it then increased (to about 130-14O g TBF) both for smaller and larger values of the threshold setting.
• both studies indicate that the Controlled Pressure system is a functional feature that can be used to control the habitual brushing force in a learning period of less than 2 weeks.
• FIG.l illustrating an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of maneuverable-bristle toothbrush 100, comprising a proximal end 22b of the handle portion extending outwardly through recess 38 in rectangular foundation 31 of brush head 30, said distal end 22a of said handle interconnected by means of motion redirection transmission effecter 36 fashioned with a plurality of grooves 33, inhabiting plurality of matching rings 34 that clutch maneuverable rows of bristles 32a and 32b, and additionally illustrating stationary bristles brush attachment 10 comprising foundation element 16, said foundation element populated by a plurality of stationary rows of bristles 14 and perforated by a plurality of holes 12 matching the position of bristles within said maneuverable rows of bristles, said stationary bristles brush attachment adapted to be attached by conventional snap and click means (not shown) to said rectangular foundation, such that said maneuverable rows of bristles protrude thorough said holes.
• FIG. 2 illustrating a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein linear movement 200 activated by linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the proximal end 22b of the handle is transferred by means of a motion redirection effecter cogwheel mechanism (not shown) interconnected to the distal end 22a of said handle, into crescent shaped sweeping motion 300 of maneuverable bristle row 32a, attached to rings 34 adapted (not shown) to match said cogwheel mechanism.
• a motion redirection effecter cogwheel mechanism (not shown) interconnected to the distal end 22a of said handle, into crescent shaped sweeping motion 300 of maneuverable bristle row 32a, attached to rings 34 adapted (not shown) to match said cogwheel mechanism.
• FIG. 3 illustrating a to view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein maneuverable row outer row of bristles 32a is set at a ⁇ degree angle with respect to stationary row of bristles 14.
• ⁇ preferably, but not necessarily, being 45 degrees.
• the said plurality of maneuverable bristles are firmly held by rings composed of a flexible material, said rings attached to the inner side of said head portion of said toothbrush, and said effecter interconnected to said distal end of said handle portion is adapted with grooves matching said rings, such that movement of said handle portion distorts said flexible rings thereby redirecting linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the handle portion of said toothbrush into movement to a three dimensional crescent shaped sweeping action of said maneuverable bristles.
• the plurality of maneuverable bristles are firmly held by cogwheel rings attached to the inner side of said head portion of said toothbrush, said effecter having been fashioned with grooves and matching transmission cogwheels, such that movement of said handle portion redirects said movement thereby redirecting linear movement along the axis of the handle portion movement to a three dimensional crescent shaped sweeping action of said maneuverable bristles.
• said plurality of bristles are organized into lengthwise rows, said lengthwise rows divided into at least one stationary mid row sandwiched between at least one maneuverable outer row on either side.
• said mid row of bristles is dispensable and replaceable.
• said mid row is carried on a bridge structure attached to said toothbrush head by a conventional click and snap mechanism.
• maneuverable outer rows are slanted at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to said stationary row.
• said bristles that populate said plurality of rows are of equal length. ⁇ 65] It is within the scope of the present invention that said bristles that populate said stationary row of bristles are shorter than said bristles that populate said maneuverable outer rows of bristles.
• said toothbrush is especially adapted such that food debris removal and health of gum is achieved within less than 7 strokes to each area.
• said toothbrush is especially adapted such that food debris removal and health of gum is achieved within less than 1 minute of brushing.
• said toothbrush is especially adapted such that the reduced degree of pressure applied by the user prolongs the recommended lifespan of said toothbrush to more than 3 months.
• said bristles have a Shore A hardness in the range of about 30 to about 80 units.
• Fig. 4 illustrating one possible method 300 for redirecting linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the handle portion of a toothbrush into three dimensional movement of a plurality of maneuverable bristles.
• the method comprises steps selected inter alia from:
• Fig.5 illustrating a top view of the back of toothbrush 100 wherein handle portion 22b is interconnected at its distal end (not shown) to redirection of movement effecter (not shown) that affects the movement of maneuverable bristles
• FIG. 6 illustrating yet another view of the front side of tooth brash 100.
• FIG. 7 illustrating a side view of toothbrush 100 wherein handle portion 22b is interconnected to movement redirection effecter (not shown) thereby affecting the movement of maneuverable bristles within brush head 30.
• FIG. 8 illustrating yet another side view of toothbrush 100 wherein maneuverable bristles 32b are slanted with regard to stationary bristles 14.
• Fig. 9 illustrating yet another top view of toothbrush 100 wherein handle portion 22b is interconnected at its distal end (not shown) to redirection of movement effecter (not shown) that affects the movement of maneuverable bristles
• Fig. 11 illustrating an enlarged top view of brush head 30 comprising rectangular foundation 31 that holds movement redirection effecter 36 fashioned with a plurality of grooves 33, inhabiting plurality of matching rings 34 that clutch maneuverable rows of bristles 32a and 32b.
• Fig. 12 illustrating yet another top view of toothbrush 100.
• Fig. 13 illustrating yet another top view of brush head portion
• FIG. 15 illustrating an enlarged top view of bristle head 30 wherein rectangular foundation 31 holds motion redirection transmission effecter 36 fashioned with a plurality of grooves 33, inhabiting plurality of matching rings 34 that clutch maneuverable rows of bristles 32a and 32.
• FIG. 16 illustrating yet another enlarged top view of bristle head 30 wherein motion 200 is redirected by means of motion redirection effecter 36 into crescent shaped sweeping motion 300 of maneuverable bristle row 32a, attached to rings 34, said rings having extensions that are set into grooves 33.
• FIG. 18 illustrating a top view of a preferred embodiment 30a of the maneuverable bristle head of the present invention, wherein the movement of the handle portion of the toothbrush (not shown) is redirected by means of a movement redirection effecter (not shown) so as to enable the clockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32d and 32f and the counterclockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32e and 32g, and additionally demonstrating that said clusters are especially adapted to be slanted with respect to stationary bristles 14.
• FIG. 19 illustrating yet another top view of a preferred embodiment 30a of the maneuverable bristle head of the present invention, wherein the movement of the handle portion of the toothbrush (not shown) is redirected by means of a movement redirection effecter (not shown) so as to enable the clockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32d and 32f and the counterclockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32e and 32g, and additionally demonstrating that said clusters are especially adapted to be slanted with respect to stationary bristles 14.
• FIG. 20 illustrating yet another top view of a preferred embodiment 30a of the maneuverable bristle head of the present invention, wherein the movement of the handle portion of the toothbrush (not shown) is redirected by means of a movement redirection effecter (not shown) so as to enable the clockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32d and 32f and the counterclockwise rotation of maneuverable bristle clusters 32e and 32g, and additionally demonstrating that said clusters are especially adapted to be slanted with respect to stationary bristles 14.
• FIG. 21 illustrating an exploded side view of the present invention wherein stationary bristles 14 are attached to foundation element 16a, fashioned with recesses 12a, adapted to allow conventional click and snap attachment to maneuverable bristle effecter 80, said maneuverable bristle effecter further adapted to be attached to the distal end 22a of handle portion 22 such that movement of said handle portion induces movement of maneuverable bristles within said maneuverable bristle effecter, and rectangular foundation 31 fashioned on its inner portion 73 with grooves that inversely match said maneuverable bristle effecter.
• FIG. 22 illustrating yet another exploded side view of the present invention wherein stationary bristles 14 are attached to foundation element 16a, fashioned with recesses 12a, adapted to allow conventional click and snap attachment to maneuverable bristle effecter 80, said effecter adapted to be held within grooves 77 fashioned in handle portion 22 such that movement of handle 22 induces movement of maneuverable bristles.
• FIG. 23 illustrating yet another exploded view of the present invention wherein foundation element 16a is adapted for snap and click attachment the distal end 22a of handle portion 22, and rectangular foundation 31 is especially adapted with groove 71 in order to allow for the sliding movement of handle portion 22.
• FIG. 24 illustrating yet another to view of the present invention comprising stationary bristles 14 sandwiched between maneuverable bristle row 32a and 32b interconnected (not shown) to handle portion 22, such that movement of said handle induces movement of said maneuverable bristle rows.
• FIG. 25 illustrating yet another exploded side view of the present invention wherein foundation element 16a is adapted for click .and snap attachment to maneuverable bristle effecter 80, said bristle effecter interconnected to handle portion 22, and said bristle effecter further adapter to be inserted in rectangular foundation 31.
• the present invention may be applied to any toothbrush that mechanically transfers movement of a handle portion, by means of a movement redirection effecter, into three dimensional crescent shaped sweeping action of maneuverable bristles interconnected thereto.
• Fig. 26 illustrating another embodiment of the toothbrush 200 according to the present invention.
• the maneuverable rows of bristles 32a and 32b are inter connected via a motion redirection transmission effecter 36 (which according to this embodiment is a single cogwheel).
• the maneuverable rows of bristles 32b is coupled to a toothed effecter
• toothed effecter 260b which is in mechanical communication with said motion redirection transmission effecter 36.
• Said toothed effecter 260b is coupled to the proximal end 22b such that linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the handle portion results in a similar linear movement of said toothed effecter 260b (and the three dimensional crescent shaped sweeping action of said maneuverable bristles 32b).
• the maneuverable rows of bristles 32a is also coupled to toothed effecter 260a which is also in mechanical communication with said motion redirection transmission effecter 36]
• toothed effecter 260a which is also in mechanical communication with said motion redirection transmission effecter 36
• the linear movement of said toothed effecter 260b result in an opposite linear movement of the toothed effecter 260a (by means of said motion redirection transmission effecter 36) such that said maneuverable bristles 32a are swept in a three dimensional crescent shaped motions.

Landscapes

• Brushes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=41506539

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (19)

Family Cites Families (8)

• 2009
  • 2009-08-24 EP EP09740998A patent/EP2348916A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2009-08-24 US US13/060,328 patent/US20110179594A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-08-24 WO PCT/IL2009/000819 patent/WO2010023660A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events