GB2381444A

GB2381444A - Oral hygiene apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2381444A
Application number: GB0126333A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Catherine Darrell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-02
Filing date: 2001-11-02
Publication date: 2003-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-02
Also published as: GB0126333D0; GB2381444B

Abstract

An oral hygiene apparatus, to enable a bed ridden person's teeth to be cleaned more easily, comprises a handle 10, brush head 14 and suction means. Small holes 20 in the brush head, which are in fluid connection with a vented channel 11 running through the handle, allow secretions ands cleaning fluids to be removed from the oral cavity. Bristles 16 protrude outwards from the head in all directions in discrete clumps and the small suction holes 20 are interspersed between these. Multi-positional necks 22 and 24 enable the angle of the head, relative to the handle, to be changed. The amount of suction is controlled by vents 30 in the handle which has a standard connection 12 for a compressor.

Description

ORAL HYGIENE APPARATUS This invention relates to oral hygiene apparatus and, more particularly, to oral hygiene apparatus suitable for use in situations where the recipient of such oral hygiene finds it difficult or is unable to perform it themselves, especially using traditional oral hygiene devices.

There are many different circumstances in which an individual may be temporarily or permanently unable to perform their own oral hygiene, or find it difficult to do so using traditional oral hygiene products. One such circumstance arises in the case of hospital patients who require intensive or specialist care, who may be temporarily or permanently disabled and/or bedridden. In this case, nursing staff may have to provide their oral care.

Another case arises where a person has undergone surgery or other traumatic surgery to the mouth or throat area, and finds it difficult to open their mouth wide enough to properly employ traditional oral care implements, or has difficulty in breathing making it difficult for them to deal with the inevitable build-up of saliva and oral cleaning preparations in their mouth.

US Patent No. 6,129, 547 describes an oral care system intended for use in at least some of the above-mentioned situations. The oral care system comprises a universal handle which is configured to carry any one of a plurality of oral hygiene instruments. The handle includes a lavage source to introduce lavage solution into a patient's mouth via the chosen instrument, and a suction device for enabling the lavage solution and any excess saliva build-up to be conveniently removed therefrom. One of the instruments which can be attached to the handle is, of course, a toothbrush head. Thus, when this instrument is attached to the handle, there is provided a toothbrush having a lavage source and a suction facility for cleaning a patient's teeth.

However, there are a number of problems with the above described arrangement. Firstly, if the patient is unable to open their mouth very wide, the person performing their oral care will find it very difficult to manoeuvre the toothbrush head around the patient's mouth to

adequately clean all of their teeth. Further, the suction facility is applied through the toothbrush instrument by means of a single aperture provided in the side of the head, close to the tip. However, this means of providing suction in conjunction with the toothbrush head results in a lack of control of the position and strength of the suction within the patient's mouth, which may lead to a build-up of saliva and lavage solution within the mouth and/or adhesion of the brush against the inner wall of the patient's mouth.

I have now devised an arrangement which overcomes the problems outlined above.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided, oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with, one end of the handle, and suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head when the apparatus is in use, the brush head comprising a base portion and a plurality of cleaning bristles disposed at intervals substantially all around the sides of the base portion.

The base portion may be of any suitable cross-sectional shape, but preferably has a substantially rounded cross-section. In any event, the provision of cleaning bristles at intervals substantially all around the circumference thereof results in much improved cleaning ability without the need for excess manoeuvring of the brush head within the patient's mouth. This ensures maximum comfort for the patient with a maximum ease of use for the person providing the patient's oral care. In a preferred embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, cleaning bristles are also provided at the tip of the base portion as well as around the sides, for even better cleaning, comfort and convenience of use.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle consisting of a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with, one end of the handle, and suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head through the channel when the apparatus is in use, the brush head being provided with a plurality of apertures communicating with said channel for permitting fluid to be drawn therethrough into the channel by the suction means.

In a preferred embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, numerous pinholes are provided in the brush head between the cleaning bristles to provide a controlled suction force, when in use, and protect against adhesion of the apparatus against the inner wall of the patient's mouth.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle, a brush head attached or attachable to one end of the handle, and suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head when the apparatus is in use, the angle of the brush head being variable relative to the handle.

Again, the variable angular relationship between the brush head and the handle reduces the amount of manoeuvring of the brush head required within the patient's mouth while maintaining an adequate level of cleaning. In one preferred embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the handle is provided with two adjustable sections along its length, the angle of the brush head being variable relative to the handle by means of either or both of these sections. The means for varying the angle of the brush head relative to the handle may comprise one or more at least partially pivotal joints.

In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle consisting of a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with one end of the handle, the other end of the handle being connected or connectable to suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head and through the channel when the apparatus is in use, a side wall of the handle being provided with one or more apertures communicating with the channel running through the handle, the one or more apertures being adapted to be selectively partially or completely covered in order to control the level of suction at the brush head.

Thus, any suitable suction means may be used to provide the suction, such as a compressor or the like, which communicates with the channel running through the handle from the brush head to a point at or close to the end. However, the level or strength of suction can be manually controlled by the user: with minimum suction being provided when the one or more

apertures in the side wall of the handle are left uncovered. If a greater level of suction is required, the user can selectively partially or completely cover the one or more apertures (using, for example, their thumb).

The whole device, or just the brush head, may be designed to be disposable either for disposal after every use or at the end of each patient's stay, for example. It is the simplicity of the proposed design which enables the apparatus to be made disposable.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of oral hygiene apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a more detailed view of the brush head of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; C > Figure 3 is a more detailed view of the joint between the brush head and the handle of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side view of the oral hygiene apparatus of Figure 1, the position of the brush head having been altered so that it is at an angle relative to the handle.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, and hygiene apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises an elongate shaft 10 which is substantially hollow along its length. One end of the shaft 10 is provided with a fitting 12 adapted for connection to a compressor (not shown) or similar suction device. The other end of the shaft 10 is provided with a brush head 14. The brush head 14 consists of a plurality of collections of nylon bristles 16 disposed at intervals along the length of an end portion of the shaft 10 and all around the circumference of the end portion. An addition, one or more collections of bristles 18 is provided at the tip of the brush end portion of the shaft 10.

Pin-sized apertures 20 are provided in the brush head 14 between the collections of bristles 16, which apertures communicate with the channel 11, running through the shaft 10. The bristles 16, 18 may be somewhat shorter than conventional toothbrush bristles, so as to avoid obscuring the apertures 20. When the apparatus is connected to suction means, such as a compressor or the like, fluid is drawn through the apertures 20 into the channel and away from the brush head. The configuration of the above-described brush head 14 can be seen more clearly in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Referring back to Figure 1 of the drawings, the shaft is provided with two pivotal joints or deformable sections 22,24 for enabling the angle of the brush head 14 to be varied relative to the rest of the shaft 10. In one embodiment of the invention, the sections 22,24 may each comprise a resiliently deformable ring 26 provided in a respective recess provided in the shaft 10 (as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings). Alternatively, the deformable sections 22,24 may comprise concertina-like sections of resiliently deformable material (similar to the arrangement used in"bending"drinking straws) which enable the shaft 10 to be bent at those points. In yet another embodiment, the sections 22,24 may be provided by pivotal ball joints or the like. In any event, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the shaft 10 can be bent or pivoted at both (or either) of the sections 22,24 to vary the angle of the brush head 14 relative to the rest of the shaft 10.

Referring back to Figure 1, the shaft 10 is also provided with a relatively large aperture 30, which can be selectively covered by the user's thumb (either partially or completely) to control the level of suction provided at the brush head 14 (maximum suction being achieved if the aperture 30 is completely covered).

It will be appreciated that the apparatus is preferably used with a non-foaming toothpaste or mouthwash, to minimise the build-up of foam in a patient's mouth during use. It will also be appreciated that the apparatus of the present invention can be adapted for use with a standard hospital compression and integrated storage container.

Specific embodiments of the invention have been described above by way of examples only, and it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. Oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with, one end of the handle, and suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head when the apparatus is in use, the brush head comprising a base portion and a plurality of cleaning bristles disposed at intervals substantially all around the sides of the base portion.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a substantially rounded cross-section.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein cleaning bristles are also provided at the leading end or tip of the base portion.
4. Oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle consisting of a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with, one end of the handle, and suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head through the channel when the apparatus is in use, the brush head being provided with a plurality of apertures communicating with said channel for permitting fluid to be drawn therethrough into the channel by the suction means.
5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said handl comprises a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length, and wherein said brush head is provided with a plurality of apertures communicating with said channel for permitting fluid to be drawn therethrough into the channel by the suction means.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein numerous pinholes are provided in the brush head between the cleaning bristles.

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7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the angle of the brush head is being variable relative to the handle.
8. Oral hygiene apparatus comprising a handle consisting of a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length, a brush head attached or attachable to, or provided integrally with one end of the handle, the other end of the handle being connected or connectable to suction means for drawing fluid away from the brush head and through the channel when the apparatus is in use, a side wall of the handle being provided with one or more apertures communicating with the channel running through the handle, the one or more apertures being adapted to be selectively partially or completely covered in order to control the level of suction at the brush head.
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein a side wall of the handle is provided with one or more apertures communicating with the channel running through the handle, the one or more apertures being adapted to be selectively partially or completely covered in order to control the level of suction at the brush head.
10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said handle comprises a shaft having a channel running therethrough along its length and wherein a side wall of the handle is provided with one or more apertures communicating with the channel, the one or more apertures being adapted to- be selectively partially or completely covered in order to control the level of suction at the brush head.
11. Disposable oral hygiene apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
12. Oral hygiene apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.