JP6951350B2 - Oral care equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Cross-reference with related applications]
US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 246,571 filed on October 26, 2015, US Design Application No. 29 / 562,504 filed on April 26, 2016, and March 29, 2016. Claims the interests of US Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 314,985 filed in, and all of these documents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The main cause of halitosis (bad breath) is the microbial flora that increases on the oral soft tissues such as the tongue, the inside of the cheeks and the gums. These microorganisms, the by-products released by these microorganisms, and the spoilage of food debris and residues contribute to bad breath. For simplicity, we use the term residue to collectively describe these halitosis factors. Most people brush their teeth with a toothbrush, and some clean their teeth with a thread. However, toothpaste and Ito Yoji alone cannot effectively remove microorganisms on the oral soft tissue.

The present disclosure relates generally to oral care devices and devices, specifically to cleaners for cleaning oral tissues such as the tongue.

The present disclosure generally relates to oral care devices for cleaning oral soft tissues. In some embodiments, the oral care device comprises a handle, a head portion located on the handle portion, a collection base disposed on the head portion, and a protrusion extending from each base portion. Each protrusion has a single radius of curvature in the longitudinal direction. The radius of curvature of the protrusion on one base is greater than the radius of curvature of the protrusion on the other base. The user can move the tissue irrigation section to grip the handle to clean the oral soft tissue of the mouth.

The collection base is formed in many different shapes. In some embodiments, the collection base is formed in a row extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle. In some embodiments, the collection base is formed in a row that curves apart in both directions. In some embodiments, the collection base is formed concentrically.

In some embodiments, the protrusions have a substantially triangular serrated shape, and the free ends of the protrusions form the vertices of the triangle. The protrusions on each base should be offset from the protrusions on another base so that the protrusions on one base are visible between the protrusions on another base when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the handle. Can be done.

In some embodiments, the bottom surface of each collection base has a convex curve such that the central protrusion of the base is lower than the peripheral protrusion of the base.

In some embodiments, collection grooves can be placed between adjacent rows of collection bases to collect the residue removed by the protrusions. The depth of the collection groove can vary along the axis of the head portion. The depth of the collection ditch near the periphery of the collection ditch is different from the depth of the collection ditch near the center.

In some embodiments, the oral care device can be a toothbrush that includes a handle and a head portion connected to the handle. The head portion can have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. A trichome can extend from the first surface of the head portion, and a collection base can protrude from the second surface of the head portion and extend over the entire width of the second surface. A plurality of protrusions can extend from each base. In some embodiments, the radius of curvature of the protrusion on one base is greater than the radius of curvature of the protrusion on another base.

As the various other objectives, features and associated advantages of the present invention are better understood when considered in conjunction with the following accompanying drawings showing the same or similar parts with the same reference characters throughout a plurality of figures, these Become fully understood.

It is a front perspective view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of a neck portion and a cleaning area of an oral care device according to an embodiment. It is a bottom view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. It is a rear view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. It is a detailed rear view of the oral care device of FIG. It is a rear view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. It is a bottom view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. It is a side view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. It is a bottom view of the oral care device according to a certain embodiment. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an oral care device including a curved collection base according to an embodiment. It is a bottom view of the oral care device including the concentric collection base according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of an oral care device comprising a trichome and a tissue cleaner according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view of an oral care device including a tissue cleaning section connected to a sonic electric container according to an embodiment.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments of the present invention as shown in the accompanying drawings. References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "exemplary embodiment," etc. may include certain features, structures, or properties of the embodiments described, but in particular. It is shown that features, structures or properties are not necessarily included in all embodiments. Moreover, such expressions do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when describing a particular feature, structure or property in connection with one embodiment, such feature, structure or property may be associated with another embodiment, whether or not explicitly stated. It is considered that the knowledge of those skilled in the art is included in the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

Although the present disclosure describes tongue cleaners and toothbrushes, other oral care devices such as tissue cleaning lollipops are also possible. Further, it should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Here, when a drawing showing the same elements by the same reference characters is descriptively referred to throughout the plurality of figures, the handle and the cleaning area are illustrated, and the cleaning area is one of the elements described in the present specification. Indicates one or more.

FIG. 1 shows an oral care device such as a tongue cleaner 100 that cleans the oral soft tissue of the mouth. Such oral soft tissue can include the tongue, gums (gingiva), dentures, buccal mucosa (inside the lips and cheeks), and the floor of the mouth. The tongue cleaner 100 can include a handle 110, an intermediate region (neck portion) 120, and a tissue cleaning portion (head portion) 130.

The handle 110 can have a longitudinal axis L and provides a grip that allows the user to operate the tongue cleaner 100 to clean the oral soft tissue to move the tissue cleaning unit 130 throughout the user's mouth. can do. The handle 110 can have a variety of different shapes, a variety of different structures, and can be manufactured from a variety of different materials to enhance the user experience.

The intermediate region 120 connects the handle 110 to the tissue cleaning section 130. The intermediate region 120 can extend the tissue cleaning section 130 below the longitudinal axis of the handle 110. The intermediate region 120 arranges the tissue cleaning portion 130 below the longitudinal axis of the handle 110 by forming an obtuse angle with the handle 110. This extension can allow a change in the contact angle between the tissue cleaning section 130 and the surface to be cleaned (eg, tongue). For example, if the tongue exhibits a concave shape during cleaning, the intermediate region 120 helps to bring the tissue cleaning section 130 into better contact with the tongue. The tissue cleaning unit 130 can form a plane substantially parallel to the plane formed by the handle 110. Alternatively, the intermediate region 120 may form an acute angle with the handle 110. In another embodiment, the tissue lavage section 130 is modified to keep the tissue lavage section 130 substantially in contact with the oral tissue without forming a plane substantially parallel to the plane formed by the handle 110. You can also.

The tissue cleaning section 130 shown in FIG. 1 is wider than the width of the handle 110 or the intermediate region 120 and extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the handle 110, thus giving the tongue cleaner 100 a "T" shape. be able to. Alternatively, the tissue cleaning section 130 may be the same width as the handle 110 or the intermediate region 120, or may be narrower than the handle 110 or the intermediate region 120. The tissue cleaning section 130 can extend away from the handle 110 at an angle away from the longitudinal axis L, or can be curved away from the longitudinal axis L. The width of the tissue cleaning portion 130 can be 3 mm to 50 mm. In some embodiments, the width of the tissue cleaning section 130 can be about 25 mm. In another embodiment, the width of the tissue cleaning section 130 can be about 5 mm. The narrow width of the tissue lavage unit 130 enhances operability in the user's mouth, facilitates use for users with small mouths, and reduces the likelihood of causing pharyngeal reflexes or pharyngeal spasms during use.

The handle 110 shown in FIG. 1 has a straight rod shape, while the handle 110 and the intermediate region 120 have various different sizes, shapes (eg, circular, curved, flat, etc.), or finishes (eg, smooth, smooth, etc.). It can have ridges, irregularities, matte, jagged, concave, etc.). The handle 110 can be of any shape configured to allow the user to grip, control and / or guide the tongue cleaner 100 in his or her mouth. The tongue cleaner 100 can generally be configured to allow the user to move the handle 110 in a direction substantially parallel to its longitudinal axis L when using the tongue cleaner 100.

Each of the handle 110, the intermediate region 120 and the tissue cleaning section 130 is a polymer (eg, plastic), metal, ceramic, silica, crystalline solid, amorphous solid (eg, glass), organic material (eg, wood). It can be formed of any suitable material such as. The handle 110, the intermediate region 120 and the tissue cleaning section 130 can be manufactured from the same material or different materials. In some embodiments, the material is polypropylene with a shore hardness of Shore A0 to Shore D100. The material can also include polypropylene of different hardness.

The handle 110 can have a proximal end 112 and a distal end 114, and the intermediate region 120 can have a proximal end 122 and a distal end 124. The distal end 114 of the handle 110 can be mechanically connected to the proximal end 122 of the intermediate region 120. The distal end 124 of the intermediate region 120 can be mechanically connected to the tissue lavage unit 130. Therefore, the handle 110 can be indirectly and mechanically connected to the tissue cleaning unit 130. In some embodiments, the handle 110 can be mechanically connected directly to the tissue cleaning section 130 without using the intermediate region 120. Either the proximal end 112 or the distal end 114 of the handle 110 can be configured to mechanically connect to the tissue lavage unit 130. The tongue cleaner 100 can be a single unit, an integral type, or it is composed of a plurality of separate removable interconnectable parts, and the tissue cleaning unit 130 is discarded after one or two uses. It can also be possible.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tissue cleaning portion 130 of the tongue cleaner 100. The tissue cleaning unit 130 includes a cleaning area 140 and a collection area 150. The wash area 140 is configured to loosen the residue from the oral tissue, and the collection area 150 is configured to remove the loosened residue from the wash area 140 and collect it. The collection area 150 can have a plurality of collection bases. The collection base can have a variety of different shapes such as concentric closed curves, polygons, rows, blades and the like. The collection bases can be aligned continuously and / or sequentially along the longitudinal axis L.

According to one embodiment, the collection area 150 comprises two bases, a first collection base 151, also referred to as a leading base 151, and a second collection base 153, also referred to as a trailing base 153. Can have. The leading base 151 resides proximal to the handle 110 and is mechanically coupled to the trailing base 153 located distal to the handle 110. The terms first base 151 and trailing base 153 when the user pulls or drags the tongue cleaner 100 from the back of the tongue to the front of the tongue in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the handle 110 when using the tongue cleaner 100. , Which base 151 is in front of the other base. However, the present disclosure is not limited in this way. The user can move the tongue cleaner 100 in various directions (ie, anterior, posterior, left, right, diagonal, etc.) to clean the oral soft tissue.

The head base 151 supports and is mechanically connected to a row of first protrusions 141. The row of first protrusions 141 can have a wavy surface, or in other words, the row of first protrusions 141 may have a plurality of protrusions 141 (eg,) that protrude downward from the bottom surface 152a of the leading base 151. , Teeth) can be included. The head base 151 may have a horizontal axis T1.

Subsequent base 153 supports and is mechanically coupled to a row of second protrusions 143. The row of second protrusions 143 can have a wavy surface, or in other words, the row of second protrusions 143 may have a plurality of protrusions 143 (eg,) that protrude downward from the bottom surface 154a of the trailing base 153. , Teeth) can be included. The collection base 153 can have a horizontal axis T2.

The horizontal axis T1 and the horizontal axis T2 are substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis L when transposed on a plane including the longitudinal axis L. As shown in FIG. 2, the axes T1 and T2 are substantially parallel to each other, but neither T1 nor T2 necessarily exists in the same spatial plane as the longitudinal axis L.

The head base 151 has a head base first surface 152b and a head base second surface 152c, which are two surfaces substantially parallel to the axis T1. The trailing base 153 has two surfaces substantially parallel to the axis T2, a trailing base first surface 154b and a trailing base second surface 154c.

The leading base 151 and the leading row projections 141 can be located proximal to the steering wheel as compared to the trailing base 153 and the trailing row protrusions 143. The protrusions 141 and 143 are part of the lavage area 140 that loosens the oral residue from the oral soft tissue. The bases 151 and 153 are considered to be part of a collection area 150 that collects loosened oral debris from the oral soft tissue.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a leading row projecting portion 141 individually referred to as 1411-1141-n and a trailing row projecting portion 143 individually referred to as 143-1 to 143-n. Each of the leading row protruding portions 1411-141-n has a leading row protruding portion first surface 142a, a leading row protruding portion second surface 142b, and a leading row protruding portion contact surface 142c, which are three surfaces shown in FIG. be able to. The first row protruding portion first surface 142a intersects with the leading row protruding portion contact surface 142c to form the first row protruding portion first contact end 142d. The first contact end 142d of the first row protrusion can have a radius of curvature α1. For example, α1 can be 100 microns to 500 microns. In some embodiments, the first row protruding portion first contact end 142d can be at a right angle. Alternatively, the head row protrusion first contact end 142d may have a plurality of curves, each having a different radius of curvature, such as a swoosh shape, instead of having a single radius of curvature. Further, the first contact end 142d of the head row protruding portion may have an asymptotic curve, a sinusoidal curve, a polynomial curve, an exponential curve, a logarithmic curve and the like. The head row overhang first surface 142a can follow the head base first surface 152b and the angle formed by these two planes is 180 degrees, but in some embodiments this angle is 180 degrees. It can be more than or less than 180 degrees. The surface of the first surface 142a of the first row protrusion and the surface of the second surface 142b of the first row protrusion can be parallel planes except for the curved surface of the first contact end 142d of the first row protrusion.

The second surface 142b of the first row protrusion intersects with the contact surface 142c of the first row protrusion to form the second contact end 142e of the first row protrusion, and the angle formed by these two surfaces is substantially a right angle. .. In some embodiments, the head row protrusion second contact end 142e is not at a right angle. For example, α2 can be 500 microns or less. Alternatively, the first row protrusion second contact end 142e may have a plurality of curves, each having a different radius of curvature, such as a swoosh shape, instead of having a single radius of curvature. Further, the first row protruding portion second contact end 142e may have an asymptotic curve, a sinusoidal curve, a polynomial curve, an exponential curve, a logarithmic curve, and the like. The head row overhang second surface 142b can follow the head base second surface 152c and the angle formed by these two planes is 180 degrees, but in some embodiments this angle is 180 degrees. It can be more than or less than 180 degrees.

Each trailing row projecting portion 143-1 to 143-n has a trailing row projecting portion first surface 144a, a trailing row projecting portion second surface 144b, and a trailing row projecting portion contact surface 144c, which are the three surfaces shown in FIG. be able to. The first contact surface 144a of the trailing row projecting portion intersects with the contact surface 144c of the trailing row projecting portion to form the first contact end 144d of the trailing row projecting portion. The first contact end 144d of the trailing row protrusion can have a radius of curvature β1. For example, β1 can be 500 microns or less. In some embodiments, the trailing row overhang first contact end 144d can be at right angles. Alternatively, the trailing row protrusion first contact end 144d may have a plurality of curves, each with a different radius of curvature, such as a swoosh shape, instead of having a single radius of curvature. Further, the first contact end 144d of the succeeding row projecting portion may have an asymptotic curve, a sinusoidal curve, a polynomial curve, an exponential curve, a logarithmic curve, and the like. The trailing row protrusion first surface 144a follows the trailing base first surface 154b, and the angle formed by these two planes is 180 degrees, but in some embodiments this angle is greater than 180 degrees or It can be less than 180 degrees. The surface of the first surface 144a of the trailing row projecting portion and the surface of the second surface 144b of the trailing row projecting portion can be parallel planes except for the curved surface of the first contact end 144d of the trailing row projecting portion.

The second surface 144b of the trailing row protrusion intersects with the contact surface 144c of the trailing row protrusion to form the second contact end 144e of the trailing row protrusion, and the angle formed by these two surfaces is substantially a right angle. .. In some embodiments, the trailing row protrusion second contact end 144e is not at a right angle. For example, β2 can be 500 microns or less. Alternatively, the trailing row protrusion second contact end 144e may have a plurality of curves, each with a different radius of curvature, such as a swoosh shape, instead of having a single radius of curvature. Further, the second contact end 144e of the succeeding row projecting portion may have an asymptotic curve, a sinusoidal curve, a polynomial curve, an exponential curve, a logarithmic curve, and the like. The trailing row overhang second surface 144b follows the trailing base second surface 154c and the angle formed by these two planes is 180 degrees, but in some embodiments this angle is greater than 180 degrees or It can be less than 180 degrees.

In some embodiments, the radius of curvature α1 of the head row protrusion 141 is greater than the radius of curvature β1 of the trailing row protrusion 143. Since α1 has a larger radius of curvature, the protrusion 141 feels more smoothly hitting the user's tongue while the user pulls or drags the tongue cleaner 100 along the tongue. β1 can also have a smaller radius of curvature and even orthogonal ends that provide a better cleaning surface. The large radius of curvature of the first row protrusion 141 partially blunts the tongue sensation and helps suppress irritation caused by the smaller radius of curvature β1 on the trailing row protrusion 143. The head base 151 and the protrusion 141 can also suppress the degree of freedom of movement of the oral soft tissue so that the protrusion 143 cannot freely bite into the oral soft tissue. In other words, the protrusion 141 compresses the oral soft tissue to limit the maximum contact between the protrusion 143 and the oral soft tissue.

In some embodiments, the leading base second surface 152c and the trailing base first surface 154b form a parallel plane. In other embodiments, it is not necessary for the second surface 152c of the leading base portion and the first surface 154b of the succeeding base portion to form a parallel plane. For example, the first contact end 142e of the leading row protrusion may not be at a right angle, the first contact end 144d of the trailing row protrusion may not be at a right angle, and the second surface 142b of the leading row protrusion may be the second surface of the leading base. It does not have to intersect 152c at 180 degrees, or the trailing row protrusion first surface 144a does not have to intersect the trailing base first surface 154b at 180 degrees.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the tongue cleaner 100. The first row protrusions 141 and the trailing row protrusions 143 can have a jagged triangular sawtooth shape in which the free ends of the protrusions 141 and 143 form the vertices of a triangle. The protrusions 141 and 143 have a sufficient angle and are therefore capable of forming a zigzag waveform. The angle between the tips of the protrusions 141 and 143 and the angle between the protrusions 141 and 143 can be about 90 degrees. Alternatively, the angle of the tip and / or the angle between the protrusions can be greater than 90 degrees or less than 90 degrees. The protrusions 141 and 143 can be circular, fan-shaped, curved or any other suitable shape, or a combination of different shapes. A suitable protrusion shape is any shape that allows the protrusion to loosen the residue from the user's oral soft tissue. The protrusions 141 and 143 can also be individual bumps or lumps (eg, conical) that protrude from the leading base 151 or the trailing base 153, respectively.

One or more trailing row protrusions 143 have one or more trailing row protrusions 143 visible between the leading row protrusions 141 when viewed along the longitudinal axis L (ie, down from the handle). In addition, it can be offset or misaligned from one or more of the leading row protrusions 141. For example, each protrusion 141 of the leading base 151 can be located in the center between adjacent protrusions 143 of the trailing base 153. FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the leading row protruding portion 141 and the succeeding row protruding portion 143. Alternatively, in some embodiments, one or more trailing row protrusions 143 are one or more so that one or more trailing row protrusions 143 are not visible when viewed along the longitudinal axis L. It can also be located directly behind the leading row protrusion 141. When the protrusion 141 is offset from the protrusion 143, the protrusion 141 and the protrusion 143 can clean different parts of the oral soft tissue. For example, the protruding portion 141 of the leading base 151 can clean the portion of the user's tongue, and the protruding portion 143 of the trailing base 153 can clean the portion of the user's tongue that has not been cleaned by the leading base 151.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of the tissue cleaning unit 130 in which the bottom surfaces of the collection bases 151 and 153 of the collection area 150 can be formed with a convex curved surface. Therefore, the central protrusion 141 may be lower than the peripheral protrusion 141 of the head base 151 or may extend further from the handle. FIG. 7B is a side view of the collection area 150 whose bottom surface is a convex curved surface. The central protrusions 141 and 143 extend further from the handle than the peripheral protrusions 141 and 143 of the leading bases 151 and 153. The curvature of the bases 151 and 153 is such that the protrusions enhance the effect of cleaning the user's tongue by allowing the tongue to easily match the curvature of the bases 151 and 153 when the user applies pressure by the tissue cleaning unit 130. Useful. FIG. 6 further shows that the protrusions 141 can be separated from each other along the leading base 151.

The heights and widths of the protrusions 141 and 143 of the cleaning area 140 are configured such that the protrusions 141 and 143 loosen the residue from the oral tissue and the collecting area 150 removes the loosened residue from the washing area 140 and collects the residue. Can have. For example, the protrusions 141 and 143 can have a width of at least 0.8 mm when measured along the horizontal axes T1 and T2. The heights of the protrusions 141 and 143 can be, for example, at least 0.5 mm. The protrusions 141 and 143 can have intervals between adjacent protrusions 141 and 143 along the collection bases 151 and 153 to improve the collection of residues by the collection bases 151 and 153. For example, the adjacent protrusions 141 and 143 can be 0 mm to 3 mm. Usually, the soft tissue in the mouth is not smooth and contains many different surfaces and shapes. For example, the tongue includes four different types of tongue papillae: circumvallate papillae, foliate papillae, mushroom papillae and filiform papillae. Each of these papillae has a different shape, height, width and spacing on the tongue. The location of capillaries and nerve receptors (eg, nociceptors, mechanoreceptors, baroreceptors, etc.) also depends on the location of the oral soft tissue. The protrusions 141 and 143 can have an interdental papilla shape that ideally fits between the papillae so as to remove the residue, cleanse the tongue and minimize irritation of nociceptors of pain sensation. For example, the angle of the tip of the protrusion, the angle between the protrusions, the height of the protrusion, the width of the protrusion, and the spacing between the adjacent protrusions allow the protrusion to fit between the tongue papillae of the user's tongue. The residue on the oral soft tissue is loosened and collected.

The height, width and spacing between two adjacent protrusions on a row may vary to provide the user with a variety of different protrusion sizes on the same row. Similarly, the height, width and spacing between the two adjacent protrusions can vary between the leading row protrusions 141 and the trailing row protrusions 143. The number of protrusions found on the first collection base 151 can also differ from the number of protrusions on the second collection base 153.

The tissue cleaning unit 130 can have "softness" caused by various variables that fluctuate. As shown in FIG. 2, this softness variable is the shortest distance d1, radius of curvature α1, α2, β1, which is the shortest distance between the second contact end 142e of the first row protrusion and the first surface 144a of the subsequent row protrusion. It can include β2, the materials and finishes used to make up the leading row overhangs 141, and the materials and finishes used to make up the trailing row overhangs 143. One or more softness variables can be modified to form the desired "softness" oral care device that suits the user's personal taste. The distance d1 can be 500 microns to 5000 microns, α1 can be 100 microns to 500 microns, α2 / β1 / β2 are all 500 microns or less, and the materials are shore A0 to shore. It is a polymer having a shore hardness of A90. In some embodiments, the distance d1 can also be greater than 5000 microns. Increasing the radius of curvature α1 increases the softness of the instrument. Increasing the radii of curvature α2, β1 and β2 also increases the softness of the instrument. Depending on other variables, in many cases the softness increases as the distance d1 decreases. For those skilled in the art, these values can be used to clean the desired oral tissue, user preferences and user species (eg, humans, felines, canines, horses, bovids, pigs, elephants, etc.). As adjusted for purpose, it will be appreciated that these values are one of many possible combinations of softness variables, and combinations of other variables are also considered part of this disclosure. The softness variable can also vary based on different shapes, heights, widths and spacings of different papillae. The softness variable can vary depending on the point along the length of the first row protrusion 141, or can vary depending on the point along the length of the trailing row protrusion 143.

Since the softness variable can vary for many different uses of the disclosed oral care devices, the handle 110, intermediate region 120 and tissue irrigation section 130 can be adapted as well. For example, in some embodiments for non-human applications, the handle 110 and intermediate region 120 can be extended or shortened to adequately and comfortably reach the oral tissue of the desired animal. The tissue cleaning unit 130 can also be flattened into a paddle shape, see FIG. 10. The paddle-shaped tissue cleaning section 130 can have a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the collection bases 151 and 153 can extend from the first surface. In some embodiments, the flat paddle shape can also be curved. In other embodiments, the tissue cleaning section 130 may be rolled into a cylindrical, spherical, annular, conical or other shape so that the protrusion covers at least a portion of the surface. For example, a cylindrical tissue cleaning section can have a protrusion along the outer surface of the cylinder.

The tongue cleaner 100 can further include a groove 156 that collects the loosened residue from the collection area 150 when the user guides the tongue cleaner 100 over the surface of the tongue. The groove 156 can be arranged between the adjacent bases 151 and 153. Alternatively, if the tongue cleaner 100 includes a plurality of bases, the tongue cleaner 100 may also include a plurality of grooves arranged between adjacent bases. FIG. 2 shows a groove 156 connecting the second surface 152c of the leading base portion and the first surface 154b of the succeeding base portion. The cross section of the groove 156 can have a variety of different shapes such as semi-circular, triangular and polygonal. The groove 156 can extend over the width of the tissue cleaning section 130 and can be placed within the tissue cleaning section 130. The user can remove the collected residue from the groove 156 when the tongue cleaner 100 is not in use.

Although FIG. 3 shows the groove 156 as a straight one along the horizontal axis T3, the groove 156 can have various different shapes such as a curved shape and an inclined shape. The grooves 156 can have different widths along the width of the tissue cleaning section 130. The curvature and shape of the groove 156 affects how the residue is collected and drained during use of the tongue cleaner 100. For example, when the groove 156 has a curved curve with respect to the handle 110, when the tissue cleaning section 130 is moved in the direction of the handle 110, the tissue cleaning section 130 is more than the peripheral portion 158 of the groove 156. Residue can be discharged. Draining the residue enhances the effect of trailing row protrusions 143 on tongue irrigation. If the groove 156 has a general curvature recessed with respect to the handle 110, the tissue cleaning section 130 can retain more residue in the groove and by rinsing or cleaning the tongue cleaner 100. Residues can be removed from the tongue cleaner 100. The depth of the groove 156 varies along the horizontal axis T3 of the tissue cleaning section 130 so that it is deep in the vicinity of the peripheral portion 158 of the groove 156, shallow in the vicinity of the center, and vice versa. You can also do it.

FIG. 7A is a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a tongue cleaner 100 having an angled groove 156. The shapes and sizes of the protrusions 141 and 143 (eg, height, width, length) can vary based on the shape of the angled grooves 156. For example, as shown in the side view of the tissue cleaning portion 130 of FIG. 7B, the protruding portion 141 has a length (that is, the length of the handle 110) from the end portion of the leading row protruding portion 141 toward the center of the leading row protruding portion 141. The length of the tooth in the direction L) can be increased. On the contrary, each protrusion 143 of the trailing row protrusion 143 may reduce the length in the longitudinal axis L direction from the end of the trailing row protrusion 143 toward the center of the trailing row protrusion 143. can. The protrusions 141 and 143 can be aligned or offset as shown in FIG. 7A. FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the tongue cleaner 100 having a curved groove 156. Similar to FIG. 7A, each protrusion 141 of the first collection base 151 reduces the length in the longitudinal axis L direction from the end of the head row protrusion 141 toward the center of the head row protrusion 141. Can be done. On the contrary, each protrusion 143 of the second collection base 153 can increase in length from the end of the trailing row protrusion 143 toward the center of the trailing row protrusion 143.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a tongue cleaner 100 having a curved tissue cleaning section 130. The collection bases 151 and 153 of the tissue cleaning unit 130 can be curved and extend away from the handle 110 in both directions. The collection bases 151 and 153 can have curved grooves 156 arranged between the collection bases 151 and 153.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of a tongue cleaner 100 having a tissue cleaning section 130. The tissue cleaning unit 130 includes collection bases 151 and 153 formed by concentric closed curves such as circles, ovals, quadrangles and triangles. For example, in FIG. 10, the leading base 151 is shown as an outer circle, and the trailing base 153 is shown as an inner circle. The protrusion 141 of the leading base 151 can have a larger radius of curvature than the protrusion 143 of the trailing base 153. Thus, the user can move the tongue cleaner 100 in all directions (ie, front, back, left, right, diagonal, etc.) to keep the leading base 151 in front of the trailing base 153. The groove 156 can have a shape similar to a closed curve and can be placed between the collection bases 151 and 153. For example, the groove 156 in FIG. 10 is circular.

FIG. 11 shows a toothbrush 300 in which a tissue cleaning section 130 is located on the back surface of the toothbrush head 302, thus allowing the user to brush and clean the tongue with the same oral appliance. The front surface 304 of the toothbrush head 302 may have a plurality of trichomes 306 for brushing the user's teeth. The back surface 308 may have collection bases 151, 153, etc., each protruding from the back surface 308 of the toothbrush head 302, each having a plurality of protrusions. From the collection bases 151, 153 and the like, the front row projecting portion 141 and the succeeding row projecting portion 143, which can have the same width as the toothbrush head 302, can project.

FIG. 12 shows a tissue cleaning unit 130 connected to a container 400 such as a sonic electric toothbrush body that converts electrical energy into vibration or sonic impact. The container 400 can transmit vibration or sonic impact to the tissue cleaning unit 130. The protrusions 141 and 143 can transmit the received impact / vibration to the oral soft tissue to loosen the oral residue and facilitate its removal. The protrusions 141 and 143 can serve as wave starting points for vibration or shock. Waves from multiple protrusions can be used to form constructive and destructive interference wave patterns, further facilitating the removal of residues. The spacing and size of the protrusions 141 and 143, as well as the waveform, can be varied to achieve the desired interference pattern.

The tissue irrigation unit 130 can also be positively or negatively charged during use to further improve the irrigation of the user's tongue. The mouth and tongue can contain many charged particles or solutions. Tartar has a positive charge because it is mostly composed of calcium phosphate salts. The microbial flora of teeth is acidic, producing a significant amount of positively charged acidic residues. Therefore, when the tissue cleaning section 130 is negatively charged, the tissue cleaning section 130 can more effectively collect the residue from the user's mouth. Alternatively, the protrusions 141 and 143 may have different potentials, or the different parts of the protrusions 141 and 143 may have different potentials. Different potentials can contain opposite charges. For example, the leading row projecting contact surface 142c can have a positive charge to help pull the residue away from the tongue, and the leading row projecting first surface 142a and the leading row projecting second surface 142b are negative. Can have an electric charge. In order to achieve a reliable cleaning surface, the charge intensity can be varied on various surfaces.

The tissue wash can be charged in a variety of different ways. For example, the tongue cleaner 100 can include a power supply 200 (see FIG. 1) and electrical wiring embedded in the tongue cleaner 100 to generate an electric potential. Alternatively, the material used for the tissue cleaning unit 130 may have an electric potential. For example, a potential food grade polyelectrolyte can be used to blend a material such as plastic into the tissue cleaning section 130. This compounded plastic can propagate or generate an electric potential on the plastic without the need for a power source. Examples of food grade polyelectrolytes include pectin, carrageenan, alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose.

In some embodiments, the tissue lavage unit 130 can include sensors that detect the presence of bacteria and oral residues, the user's body temperature, the pressure of the tissue irrigation unit 130 against the soft tissue of the oral cavity, and the like. The properties of the material used in the manufacture of the tissue cleaning section 130 can include thermochromic properties, halochromic properties, piezochromic properties, etc., and can indicate the existence of a certain standard based on a predetermined threshold value. This material can indicate the presence of bacteria by varying its color or transparency in the presence of pH fluctuations. For example, the material can include a leuco dye that changes from a colorless form to a colored form based on pH. Since the residue is generally acidic, the material will change color as the pH changes. Examples of food safety halochromic materials include anthocyanins, hydrangeas and lithomas, all of which are found in edible plants.

In some embodiments, one or more areas of the tissue cleaning section 130 can be coated with a chromic material. In the embodiment in which the tissue cleaning portion 130 is arranged on the toothbrush 300, the trichome 306 or a part of the trichome 306 can be configured to exhibit detection characteristics. For example, the trichome 306 can be chemically formulated to contain a halochromic dye. Alternatively, the trichome 306 may include a smart polymer that conveys sensing feedback by bending in the presence of a change in pH or the presence of an organic material.

In another application, a sensor can be used to detect the degree of halitosis of the user based on the pH of the user's exhaled breath. In some embodiments, halitosis can be detected using a gasochromic polymer that detects compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl sulfide.

In some embodiments, the tissue lavage unit 130 can be made from a material or substance exhibiting thermochromic properties and used to notify the user of fever by detecting the user's oral body temperature. This can be particularly useful in embodiments configured for animal use where it is difficult to measure the body temperature of the animal. Examples of non-toxic thermochromic property materials include biopolymer poly (lactic acid) (PLA), natural dyes of anthocyanins, gallate derivatives and fatty acids, which are described as "non-toxic thermochromic polymer materials based on a novel mechanism". First example of a non-toxic thermochromic polymer material-based on a novel mechanism. ”, J. Mol. Mater. Chem. C. , 2103, 1, 2811, and this document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

In some embodiments, the material of the tissue cleaning section 130 exhibits piezochromic properties. This material can be used to construct the contact surface of the tissue cleaning section 130, the trichome 306 of the toothbrush or the handle 110. This material changes color in response to the pressure applied to the tissue cleaning section 130 (eg, the user's pressure is too strong, too weak, or conveys the correct amount of pressure). You can give feedback to the user about the quantity. This is especially important for the toothbrush 300, as some users apply too much pressure when brushing their teeth. A piezochromic toothbrush or tissue cleaning unit 130 can indicate to the user whether the correct pressure is being applied. In some embodiments, the tissue lavage unit 130 is configured to be used with the animal to provide the user with feedback on the correct amount of pressure to use without injuring or causing pain to the animal. Can be done. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various techniques can be used to formulate or coat the tissue cleaning section 130 with chromic polymers, which are considered part of the present disclosure.

In another embodiment, for the comfort of the user, the first row protrusions 141 and the trailing row protrusions 143 can be coated with a polymer that is softer than the materials used for the collection bases 151 and 153.

In some embodiments, the tissue lavage unit 130 can be flavored so that the child or animal is willing to use the tongue cleaner 100. The tissue cleaning section 130 can be made from a flavored polymer and coated with a flavored polymer or substance. Alternatively, a flavored gel or insert can be applied to the tissue wash section 130 prior to each use.

The description of the particular embodiment described above does not deviate from the general concept of the present invention by the application of knowledge in the present art by others, and does not carry out more experiments than necessary. Is believed to reveal the general nature of the invention sufficiently that it can be easily modified and / or adapted for a variety of uses. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be included in the meaning and scope of the disclosed embodiments equivalents, based on the teachings and guidelines presented herein. It should be understood that the expressions or terms herein are for illustration purposes only, and should therefore be interpreted by those skilled in the art in the light of teaching and guidance.

The extension and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the exemplary embodiments described above, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

100 Tongue cleaner 110 Handle 112 Proximal end of handle 114 Distal end of handle 120 Intermediate region 122 Proximal end of intermediate region 124 Distal end of intermediate region 130 Tissue cleaning part 140 Cleaning area 200 Power supply L Longitudinal axis T1, T2 , T3 horizontal axis

Claims (21)

Oral care equipment
With the handle
With a plurality of collection bases connected to the handle,
With a plurality of protrusions extending from each base,
The protrusion on one base is the protrusion on the other base so that the protrusion on one base is visible between the protrusions on the other base when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the handle. An oral care device characterized by being offset from the part. Each protrusion has a single radius of curvature in the longitudinal direction.
The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the protrusion on one of the bases is larger than the radius of curvature of the protrusion on the other base. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of collection bases are formed in a row extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the handle. The oral care device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of collection bases are formed in a curved row in a direction away from the handle. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bases are formed concentrically. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion has a substantially triangular serrated shape, and the free end of the protruding portion forms the apex of the triangle. The oral care device according to claim 3, wherein the bottom surface of each collection base has a convex curve so that the protrusion at the center of the base is lower than the protrusion at the periphery of the base. The oral care device according to claim 1, further comprising a collection groove arranged between adjacent rows of collection bases to collect the residue removed by the protrusion. The oral care device according to claim 8, wherein the depth of the collection groove varies along the axis of the collection groove. The oral care device according to claim 9, wherein the depth of the collection groove near the periphery of the collection groove is different from the depth of the collection groove near the center. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the height and width of the protrusion fit the protrusion between the tongue papillae of the user's tongue. The oral care device according to claim 1, further comprising a head portion having a flat paddle shape, the collecting base extending from the head portion. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is charged. The oral care device according to claim 13, wherein the protruding portion is positively charged and the collecting base is negatively charged. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the collecting base and the protruding portion are manufactured from a material containing a substance for measuring pH in the user's mouth. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the collecting base and the protruding portion are manufactured from a material containing a substance for measuring a user's body temperature. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the protruding portion is covered with a flavored substance. The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the handle can be attached to a vibration generator that vibrates the protrusion. The plurality of collection bases include a first collection base and a second collection base.
The oral care device according to claim 1, wherein the collection surface of the first collection base is arranged after the collection surface of the second collection base along the longitudinal axis. Oral care equipment
With the handle
A head portion connected to the handle, which has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and
A plurality of trichomes extending from the first surface of the head portion,
A plurality of collection bases that protrude from the second surface of the head portion and extend over the entire width of the second surface.
With a plurality of protrusions extending from each base,
An oral care device characterized in that the bottom surface of each collection base has a convex curve so that a protrusion at the center of the base is lower than a protrusion at the periphery of the base. Each protrusion has a single radius of curvature in the longitudinal direction.
The oral care device according to claim 20 , wherein the radius of curvature of the protrusion on one of the bases is greater than the radius of curvature of the protrusion on another base.

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