GB2040686A

GB2040686A - Tooth cleaning device

Info

Publication number: GB2040686A
Application number: GB7923285A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-01-26
Filing date: 1979-07-04
Publication date: 1980-09-03
Also published as: FR2447180A3; GB2040686B; IT7947784A0; IT1162263B; FR2447180B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a tooth cleaning device for dental care. The device comprises a bracket member 4 having two widely spaced apart vertical legs 6, 7 interconnected by an horizontal leg 5. A thread 2 used for the dental care is fastened in a suitably tensioned condition between the upper tree ends of the vertical legs prior to being introduced into the oral cavity, by tensioning and fastening means 12, 13 located in the vertical legs,a roll of thread 2 being provided in said device to continuously feed fresh length of thread to the bracket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tooth cleaning device The present invention relates to the field of dental devices and more specifically to a device for dental care.

Up to now, food particles remaining in the interdental spaces, and especially odontolithiasis, which could not be eliminated by a common tooth-brush, had to be removed by passing through said interdental spaces a thread or floss of suitable material, whose ends were gripped and suitably stretched by hand.

Clearly such a system was impractical and unadapted to accomplish a thorough cleaning of the teeth.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device which enormously facilitates and improves the use of a thread for the above mentioned type of dental hygiene.

The device comprises a bracket member having two widely spaced apart vertical legs interconnected by an horizontal leg. A thread used for the dental care is fastened in a suitably tensioned condition between the upper free ends of the vertical legs, prior to being introduced into the oral cavity, by tensioning and fastening means located in the vertical legs, further means being provided in said device to continuously feed fresh lengths of thread to the bracket.

An illustrative embodiment of the device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of device of Figure 1 taken along line A-A of Figure 3.

Referring to the attached drawings, the device according to this embodiment comprises a handle 1 consisting of a tubular member of octagonal cross section, closed at its rear end and whose interior is formed of a cylindrical bore apt to receive a roll of thread 2.

The handle 1 can be fastened to said bracket generally indicated with 4, by any convenient means such as the bayonet joint here illustrated. For this purpose on the open end of the handle 1 a L-shaped slot 3 is provided, into which a pin 20 of the bracket 4 is inserted.

The bracket 4 consists of a horizontal leg or member 5 interconnecting two widely spaced apart vertical legs 6 and 7 through which axial holes 8,9 extend respectively to terminate at the lower surface of the horizontal leg 5 of bracket 4.

Hole 8 is tapered from its bottom to its top, hole 9 instead in opposite direction (see Figure 4), to facilitate the insertion of the thread from the base to the top of hole 8 and, successively, from the top to the base of hole 9.

In correspondence to each of said axial holes 8 and 9 horizontal bores 10 and 11 are provided through the horizontal member or leg 5 of the bracket 4, into which rotatable pegs 12 and 13 respectively are inserted. The stem of each peg 12, 13 is perforated diametrically at 14 and 15 respectively. Grips 16 and 17 on the pegs serve to rotate said pegs afterthey have been inserted into their respective bores.

The rear end of the member 5 extends into a first hollow terminal portion 18 of frusto-pyramidal external shape of octagonal cross section and is prolonged into a tubular extension 19 matching the cylindrical interior of said handle. A pin 20 projecting from the extension 19 penetrates the slot 3 of handle 1,thus providing a bayonet connection between handle 1 and bracket 4 and assembling these two parts.

The device is prepared for operation by introducing the thread roll 2 into the handle 1 and then passing the end of said thread through the slot 21 in the terminal portion 18 of the member 5, introducing the extension 19 into the interior of the handle 1, rotating the latter relatively to the bracket 4 till pin 20 enters completely into the circumferential part of the L-shaped slot 3, thereby interconnecting the handle 1 with the bracket 4.

The pegs 12 and 13 are then introduced into the respective bores 10 and 11 and rotated therein to bring their holes 14 and 15 in alignment with holes 8 and 9 respectively. In this position the grips 16 and 17 are perpendicular to the axis of memberS.

Now the end of the thread 2 projecting from the slot 21 is threaded through the base of hole 8 adjacent to the terminal portion 18, thence through the hole 14 of the peg 12, extracted from the top of hole 8, passed into the inlet or top of hole 9 at the opposite end of member 5 and threaded through said hole until it issues through the base of said hole 9. At the end of this operation, the thread 2 forms a slack between legs 6 and 7. To tighten it, it is sufficient to suitably rotate the pegs 12 and 13 in their respective bores 10 and 11, by their grips 16 and 17. It is obvious that the degree of tension of the thread can be adjusted by rotating said pegs.

To renew the used portion of the thread 2, it is sufficient to rotate the pegs 12 and 13 till the holes in their stems are approximately aligned with those in legs 6 and 7, so that a new length of thread can be drawn without any effort through slot 21 and all holes, and then fastened in the stretched position by the rotation of the pegs.

On the lower surface of the free end of member 5 a small groove 22 is provided for housing a metallic blade 23 with an oblique edge to cut off the length of thread, which has been already used.

The present invention is not limited to the described example of embodiment, but encompasses any variants of execution and modifications thereof.

1. Tooth cleaning device comprising: bracket means for supporting a length of thread, thread tensioning and fastening means located is said bracket means, means for continuously feeding fresh lengths of th read, handle means for holding said bracket means, characterized in that said bracket means consists of an horizontal leg interconnect

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tooth cleaning device The present invention relates to the field of dental devices and more specifically to a device for dental care. Up to now, food particles remaining in the interdental spaces, and especially odontolithiasis, which could not be eliminated by a common tooth-brush, had to be removed by passing through said interdental spaces a thread or floss of suitable material, whose ends were gripped and suitably stretched by hand. Clearly such a system was impractical and unadapted to accomplish a thorough cleaning of the teeth. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device which enormously facilitates and improves the use of a thread for the above mentioned type of dental hygiene. The device comprises a bracket member having two widely spaced apart vertical legs interconnected by an horizontal leg. A thread used for the dental care is fastened in a suitably tensioned condition between the upper free ends of the vertical legs, prior to being introduced into the oral cavity, by tensioning and fastening means located in the vertical legs, further means being provided in said device to continuously feed fresh lengths of thread to the bracket. An illustrative embodiment of the device according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of device of Figure 1 taken along line A-A of Figure 3. Referring to the attached drawings, the device according to this embodiment comprises a handle 1 consisting of a tubular member of octagonal cross section, closed at its rear end and whose interior is formed of a cylindrical bore apt to receive a roll of thread 2. The handle 1 can be fastened to said bracket generally indicated with 4, by any convenient means such as the bayonet joint here illustrated. For this purpose on the open end of the handle 1 a L-shaped slot 3 is provided, into which a pin 20 of the bracket 4 is inserted. The bracket 4 consists of a horizontal leg or member 5 interconnecting two widely spaced apart vertical legs 6 and 7 through which axial holes 8,9 extend respectively to terminate at the lower surface of the horizontal leg 5 of bracket 4. Hole 8 is tapered from its bottom to its top, hole 9 instead in opposite direction (see Figure 4), to facilitate the insertion of the thread from the base to the top of hole 8 and, successively, from the top to the base of hole 9. In correspondence to each of said axial holes 8 and 9 horizontal bores 10 and 11 are provided through the horizontal member or leg 5 of the bracket 4, into which rotatable pegs 12 and 13 respectively are inserted. The stem of each peg 12, 13 is perforated diametrically at 14 and 15 respectively. Grips 16 and 17 on the pegs serve to rotate said pegs afterthey have been inserted into their respective bores. The rear end of the member 5 extends into a first hollow terminal portion 18 of frusto-pyramidal external shape of octagonal cross section and is prolonged into a tubular extension 19 matching the cylindrical interior of said handle. A pin 20 projecting from the extension 19 penetrates the slot 3 of handle 1,thus providing a bayonet connection between handle 1 and bracket 4 and assembling these two parts. The device is prepared for operation by introducing the thread roll 2 into the handle 1 and then passing the end of said thread through the slot 21 in the terminal portion 18 of the member 5, introducing the extension 19 into the interior of the handle 1, rotating the latter relatively to the bracket 4 till pin 20 enters completely into the circumferential part of the L-shaped slot 3, thereby interconnecting the handle 1 with the bracket 4. The pegs 12 and 13 are then introduced into the respective bores 10 and 11 and rotated therein to bring their holes 14 and 15 in alignment with holes 8 and 9 respectively. In this position the grips 16 and 17 are perpendicular to the axis of memberS. Now the end of the thread 2 projecting from the slot 21 is threaded through the base of hole 8 adjacent to the terminal portion 18, thence through the hole 14 of the peg 12, extracted from the top of hole 8, passed into the inlet or top of hole 9 at the opposite end of member 5 and threaded through said hole until it issues through the base of said hole 9. At the end of this operation, the thread 2 forms a slack between legs 6 and 7. To tighten it, it is sufficient to suitably rotate the pegs 12 and 13 in their respective bores 10 and 11, by their grips 16 and 17. It is obvious that the degree of tension of the thread can be adjusted by rotating said pegs. To renew the used portion of the thread 2, it is sufficient to rotate the pegs 12 and 13 till the holes in their stems are approximately aligned with those in legs 6 and 7, so that a new length of thread can be drawn without any effort through slot 21 and all holes, and then fastened in the stretched position by the rotation of the pegs. On the lower surface of the free end of member 5 a small groove 22 is provided for housing a metallic blade 23 with an oblique edge to cut off the length of thread, which has been already used. The present invention is not limited to the described example of embodiment, but encompasses any variants of execution and modifications thereof. CLAIMS

1. Tooth cleaning device comprising: bracket means for supporting a length of thread, thread tensioning and fastening means located is said bracket means, means for continuously feeding fresh lengths of th read, handle means for holding said bracket means, characterized in that said bracket means consists of an horizontal leg interconnect ing two widely spaced apart vertical legs provided with two axial holes extending throughout said vertical legs up to the lower surface of said horizontal leg, thread tensioning and fastening means being provided consisting of pegs inserted and rotatable within horizontal bores made through said horizontal leg in correspondence to each of said axial holes, the stem of said pegs being provided with diametral holes to be aligned with said axial holes, thereby forming a passage through which the thread is inserted and, by rotating said pegs, is tensioned and fastened in a tensioned position.

2. Tooth cleaning device according to the claim 1,wherein said means for continuously feeding fresh lengths of thread consists of a thread roll housed in the interior of said handle means.

3. Tooth cleaning device according to the claim 1, wherein said axial hole close to the terminal portion of horizontal leg is tapered from its bottom to its top, the axial hole at the opposite end of horizontal leg is tapered in the opposite direction.

4. Tooth cleaning device according to the claim 1,wherein on the lower surface of the free end of said horizontal leg, a small groove is provided to house a metallic blade for cutting off the used portion of thread.

5. Tooth cleaning device, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the attached drawings.