FR2740950A1 - Toothbrush with rows of bristles round rod to clean inter-dental spaces and convex surfaces of teeth - Google Patents

Abstract

The toothbrush has seven rows of bristles put radially round a cylindrical rod to form a hemi-cylindrical working surface and which work independently. The rows are especially used to clean the inter-dental spaces. The rows of tufts are staggered along a spiral round the rod. The tufts are separated by 5.7 mm and the conical bristles are 9 mm long and the shorter bristles are 7 mm long.

Description

Periodontal kinetic toothbrush
The present invention relates to a new toothbrush concept which, in addition to the conventional brush, emphasizes more effective cleaning in the interproximal and gingival-tooth areas, by a particularly well-studied arrangement of tufts of hair on a semi-cylindrical device. .

 Traditionally, manual toothbrushes are equipped with bristles implanted at the end of a handle which form a flat surface, the bristles, depending on the models, may be of different lengths.

 The purpose of these different forms is to allow the cleaning of dental surfaces, both in the convex areas of the tooth and in the interproximal areas.

 The most logical hygienic indications consist in passing the hairs as best as possible into the interdental spaces, and, by an appropriate movement of the wrist, pushing these hairs towards the surface of the tooth, the convex surface being cleaned automatically in this movement. .

 Several problems will arise - The interproximal areas are the most retentive of food waste and microbial plaque.

- These interproximal areas are the most difficult to clean.

- To clean these areas, some bristles of the brush will have to bend over the bumps of the teeth to allow the other hairs to pass between the teeth.

- A flat surface of hair will force a large number of hairs to bend to allow only a few hairs to pass into the spaces.

From the technical point of view, it is thus conceivable that a single row of tufts of bristles is more suitable for cleaning the interdental spaces than several rows arranged in the form of a flat surface.

In addition, if the tufts of hair have a space spaced from the interdental spaces, they will clean these spaces directly without having to depress some of these hairs.

- It turns out that the interdental spaces are variable according to the groups of teeth, incisors, canines-premoiaries, molars.

- In the current state of toothbrushes, it is better understood the need for different calibrations and sizes of hair on the same brush, the most flexible hairs deforming more easily on the bumps, to make easier the passage of hair the hardest in interdental spaces.

 The periodontal kinetic toothbrush will therefore have an array of rows of bristle tufts radially disposed about the axis of the shaft. to obtain a hemicylindrical surface and no longer a flat surface.

The attached drawings will illustrate e new concept
Figure 1 shows an overview of the brush.

Figure 2 shows the top view at scale 1.

Figure 3 shows an anterior view in front section, scale 6.

Figure 4 shows the detail of the implantation of the different tufts of hair on the stem.

 This brush will have seven rows arranged at 300 from each other with respect to the axis of the rod <fig. 3). This number of ranks can vary from 5 to 12 depending on the given angle.

 Each of the rows of tufts of hair can thus initiate the cleaning in a way AUTONOMY.

 And this is very important.

 In this way, the rank that will provide the cleaning, will have only 2 to 3 tufts of hair that will have to bend, others cleaning more effectively the interdental spaces.

 With the same movement of the wrist, cleaning will be repetitive.

 In the same row, the spacing of the tufts of hair will take into account interdental distances <10 imi at the molar level, 6 mm at the pre-molar, canine, upper lateral incisors, 3 mm at the upper incisors, 5 min the lower incisors), the mean spacing retained between the tufts of hair being 5.7 mm for our presentation, variable between 2.8 and 6.8 mm (fig.4).

 3 to 8 tufts of hair will be mounted along the rows to obtain a total length of the brush of 26 mm. (in this case) size not to be exceeded for the efficiency of brushing in the lingual area of the lower incisors (fig.4).

 The tufts are all identical and flat; however. in order to improve cleaning efficiency, rows 1, 3, 5 and 7 will be different from rows 2, 4 and 6 by the shape of the tufts and by the hardness of the bristles ifig.3>.

 Each row will be shifted from the previous one by 1.9 mm in a nélicoïdal arrangement, this shift being able to vary according to the spacing between the tufts which was retained cfig.4).

 Thus, we will have the assurance that during the rotational movement of the wrist, a tuft of hair will automatically pass in each interdental space given the variation of the distances of these spaces.

 Rows 1, 4 and 7 will have 3 to 8 tufts of bristles while rows 2, 3, 5 and 6 will only have 2 to 7 tufts depending on the model (Fig. 4). 5 and 4 rows on the model presented.

 Each tuft of bristles of these rows 1, 3, 5 and 7 will consist of a bundle of about 42 strands of nylon (registered trademark) of 18 to 28/100, 20/100 in the model shown.

This bundle of 42 strands is flared from the base at an angle, thus forming a truncated cone 7mm in height max. implanted on the brush rod and extended by another cone 2mm in height. It will form an angle at its top, and the common base will be 3.5 mm in diameter. The total height of the tufts of hairs from the stem to the top will be 9 mm, variable from 6 to 12 mm (fig.3).

 Thus, the conical shape of the vertex corresponds to the average volume of interdental spaces.

 Tufts tufts of rows 2, 4 and 6, numbering 4 and 5, will consist of 46 strands about Nylon trademark) more flexible. of a size between 10 and 20/100, (16/100 on the presented model). They will be shorter than the previous ones, 7 mm, variable from 5 to 10 mm and will have a flat section of 3,5mm (variable of 2,5 to 3,5 mm) of diameter (fig.3).

 These tufts of hair will thus ensure the cleaning of the convex surfaces and maintain the balance of the brush in the rotational movement.

 The shaft of the brush will be cylindrical, with a diameter of 6 min that can vary between 4 and 10 mm for a length of about 70 mm (variable between 40 and 90 mm). The implantation of the different rows of tufts of hair will be done on a length of 26 mm, variable from 20 to 28 mm according to the number of tufts t2 to 10) on the front part of this stem (fig.2) whose diameter has this level increases to 8 mm.

 The handle will follow the stem and will have a cylindrical, hexagonal or octagonal shape 90 to 130 mm in length, and a diameter of 8 to 12 mm to ensure a good grip and a rotational movement between the thumb and the index, the model shown being hexagonal, 10 mm in diameter and 110 mm long (Figure 2).

 This toothbrush concept will particularly ensure the cleaning of interdental spaces. In addition, the larger development of the working part. compared to a traditional brush, will bring a gain of efficiency to manual tri-daily hygiene of users (ig.1).

 A rotating and reflected movement given to the brush by its user will remove. by its psychological effect, the aberrant and automatic coming and going, usually linked to the use of a traditional type of brush.

 The sensation of contact of the bristles of the brush in interproximal interstices at the sensory receivers of the interdental papilla, will induce in the user this reflected rotational movement which will give him all his effectiveness in the area concerned.

Claims (8)

 1> Toothbrush characterized in that it comprises 7 rows of tufts of bristles working independently of each other. arranged radially on a rod forming a hemicylindrical working surface. The rows are more particularly intended for cleaning the interdental spaces by shifting the tufts from one row to the other, according to a helical pattern, and precise spacing. This brush is mounted on a cylindrical rod extended by a hexagonal handle (fiv.2).  2) Toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that each row of tufts of bristle works independently of one another and is therefore mounted on a rod allowing a radial arrangement (Figure 3).  3> Toothbrush according to claim 1. characterized in that the tufts of bristles are shifted from one rank to the other, to obtain a helicoidal and radial arrangement (fiv.3).  4) A toothbrush according to claims 1 and 3 characterized in that the tufts of bristles are separated by a precise spacing of 5.7 mm, corresponding to an average of the distances of the interdental spaces of a mouth (fig.4) .  5) toothbrush according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that each of the tufts of bristles of rows 1, 3, 5 and 7 has a conical shape (fig.3).  6) Toothbrush according to the preceding claims, characterized in that each strand of nylon (mark drop) tufts of rows 1, 3, 5 and 7 is of a larger size than that of even rows, for a length at the top of 9 mm.  7) A toothbrush according to claim 1, characterized in that each tuft of bristles of rows 2, 4 and 6 consists of strands more flexible than those odd rows, a height of 7 mm and ending in a section plane 3.5 mm in diameter (Fig. 3).  8) toothbrush according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle has a hexagonal shape of 10 mm in diameter for the good grip of the brush, and to promote proper movement (fig.2).