KR20090122280A - Improved mouth cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide toothbrushes and/or other cleaning devices for contacting and cleaning teeth, gums, tongue, cheeks, and orthodontic appliance in an oral cavity. Certain embodiments provide a mouth cleaning device. The device includes a handle portion for holding and maneuvering the mouth cleaning device in an oral cavity. The device also includes a cleaning head portion including a core and a plurality of cleaning elements extending radially around the core, the core attached to the handle portion.

Description

IMPROVED MOUTH CLEANING DEVICE}

This application discloses US Provisional Application No. 60/987410, filed November 13, 2007; 60/911899, filed April 15, 2007; 60/895683, filed March 19, 2007; 60/895669, filed March 19, 2007; 60/987409, filed November 13, 2007; 60/979405, filed October 12, 2007; And 60/911901, filed April 15, 2007, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates generally to the design and use of tooth and gum cleaning devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to the design and use of improved toothbrush devices for cleaning teeth, gums, and / or orthodontic devices.

Those without a fixed orthodontic device will find conventional toothbrushes suitable for removing calculus, however, orthodontic patients with fixed devices, such as orthodontics, may be used around the devices and with teeth and gums or alveolar bones. When you remove tartar around, you will be in a unique trial. Since the presence of a fixed orthodontic device prevents conventional toothbrushes from reaching the areas around and below the device where the tartar has accumulated, the level of tartar removal that is unacceptable to these types of patients is not uncommon. Therefore, significant bare hand agility is required for patients to properly remove calculus using conventional toothbrushes. Inappropriate dental treatment can involve various forms of caries. Accordingly, there is a need for a toothbrush that is capable of removing calculus in places where conventional toothbrushes are difficult to reach or where admission is not permitted in home or dental practice clinics.

In addition, other areas of the oral cavity include other types of cleaning. Middle (e.g., located toward the middle of the front of the jaw along the curve of the dental arch), distal (e.g., furthest from the front and middle of the jaw, on the tooth or tooth surface), base ( For example, the surface of the tooth towards the centerline of the palate, interproximal (eg, between the base side surfaces of adjacent teeth), interdental (eg, relating to the relationship between the base surfaces of the teeth of the same arch), and the like. Subtooth gum positions can benefit from other brush shapes. The gum or alveolar is divided into margin (eg, around the tooth), attachment, and interdental areas, each containing different exposure and access considerations.

Current interdental toothbrushes are special devices designed only to clean between teeth by pushing flat projections between the teeth in a similar action to flossing. Interdental toothbrushes can be inserted when the orthodontic devices are in place on the tooth. However, these interdental toothbrushes have only some cleaning effect and do not reach all areas of the teeth and gums. In addition, these toothbrushes cannot clean around and inside the calibration device. Conventional base brushes attempt to clean the outer tooth surfaces, but are less effective by the presence of orthodontic devices, such as orthodontics, which deflect or push bristles laterally, thus in and around the orthodontic device Prevent or at least reduce cleaning of the receiving tooth and gum areas.

US Pat. No. 5,537,708 to Lupocell discloses one known toothbrush for use in cleaning orthodontic devices that include a head having a plurality of upwardly extending bristles. Two elongated brush members lie vertically on the plurality of bristles. The elongated brush members include an opposite end connected to the handle of the toothbrush and an unattached end for insertion between the calibration wires. Lupocells do not describe either upwardly extending bristles exhibiting omnidirectional cleaning ability or upwardly extending bristles combined with horizontally or vertically extending omnidirectional cleaning members of the same cleaning plane.

Masetti's US Pat. No. 4,317,463 discloses another known toothbrush comprising a handle having a cleaning portion at one end thereof. The cleaning portion includes opposing side members having one or more swabs extending laterally therebetween. The swap members include a plurality of bristles that are rotatable and extend therefrom. Masetti describes these rotatable swabs but does not indicate the use of non-rotatable cleaning elements. Rotatable cleaning elements slide on surfaces to be cleaned, such as teeth or orthodontic device surfaces. Rotation tends to bend the bristles and does not keep the bristles relatively straight. The curved bristles do not reach the pockets between the teeth to complete the cleaning. In addition, the rotating bristles form a curve around the teeth rather than effectively contacting and cleaning the teeth and surrounding gums / spaces. In addition, the transversely extending bristles and the rigid side members retaining the swabs are inefficient in orienting the bristles between the teeth, the gums, and the orthodontic device, and the toothbrushes are more resilient, ie elastically deformable retaining elements. It is inefficient to use.

Some embodiments provide a toothbrush and / or other cleaning device for contacting and cleaning the teeth, gums, jaw, tongue, and orthodontic device of the oral cavity.

Some embodiments provide an oral cleaning device. The device includes a handle portion that holds and manipulates an oral cleaning device in the oral cavity. The apparatus also includes a cleaning head portion attached to the handle portion and comprising two parallel legs with a plurality of cleaning elements protruding in multiple directions from the leg.

Some embodiments provide a toothbrush for cleaning the mouth and associated orthodontic devices. The toothbrush includes an elongated handle. The toothbrush also includes a cleaning head connected to and extending from one end of the handle. The cleaning head includes a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the core of the cleaning head to form a plurality of circular arrangements around the core. The cleaning head is arranged to provide a core of multiple lengths angled to each other. Each length includes cleaning elements for cleaning the teeth, gums, and other areas of the orthodontic appliance of the oral cavity.

Some embodiments provide oral and orthodontic device cleaning devices. The device includes a handle. The apparatus also includes a brushing head comprising a core and a plurality of bristles extending radially from the core to form a plurality of circular bristle patterns around the core. Multiple bristles are arranged to contact teeth, gums, and orthodontic devices in the section and cooperate in their cleaning through the steering of a handle to guide the brushing head. The brushing head is arranged to reach over the teeth to contact the back tooth surface and gums of the back teeth of the oral cavity and to clean the orthodontic device.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate similar parts in the drawings. The embodiments shown in the figures are provided for illustrative purposes only. However, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the arrangements and features shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 shows an example of an oral cavity including the distal region of the rear tooth and the middle and distal regions of the toothless portion of the oral cavity;

2 illustrates exemplary mid-terminal cleaning devices in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

3, 4, and 5 are views showing a state in which the mid-terminal cleaning devices are arranged for the regions of the oral cavity in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

6 is a view showing the adjustment and the angle of the neck portion of the cleaning device according to embodiments of the present invention,

7 illustrates an exemplary oral cleaning device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

8, 9, and 10 illustrate another aspect of the oral irrigator head according to embodiments of the present invention;

11 illustrates various applications of an oral cleaning device for cleaning teeth and gums of the oral cavity in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

12 is a view showing the form of the oral cavity washing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

13 is a view showing other forms of the oral cleaning device according to the embodiments of the present invention;

14, 15 and 16 illustrate oral cleaning device tip forms in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

17 illustrates various neck shapes in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

18 illustrates an oral irrigator comprising two parallel, unconnected legs in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

19, 20, 21, and 22 are multiple views of a toothbrush including a wire twist brush loop added to a conventional toothbrush in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

23, 24, and 25 illustrate access and placement of other tooth and gum areas of the oral cavity by a toothbrush with a wire twist brush loop added to a conventional toothbrush in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 26 illustrates examples of wire twist brush loop shapes in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG.

Figure 27 illustrates a wire twist brush loop that can be removably attached in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

28, 29, and 30 illustrate various attachment forms of a wire twist brush loop to a toothbrush body in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 31 illustrates a plurality of wire twist brush loop shapes in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. FIG.

Figure 32 shows a modified toothbrush body for receiving a wire twist brush loop in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

33 shows examples of a wire twist brush loop structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 illustrate exemplary wire twist brushes attached to and positioned relative to the body of a toothbrush in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 39 illustrates a removable mechanism for attaching a wire twist brush to a toothbrush body in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

40 illustrates buried ends of a wire twist brush in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

Figure 41 shows an example of an assistive tooth cleaning device attached to a toothbrush in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

42 illustrates an exemplary oral irrigator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

43 illustrates exemplary variations of head and bristle design in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

44 illustrates variations of the tip of the cleaning head in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

45 shows examples of deformations of angle and bending of the cleaning head according to embodiments of the present invention;

46 illustrates variations in the neck of an oral irrigator in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Figure 47 illustrates examples of head and neck bends in an oral irrigator in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

48 illustrates the orientation of exemplary bristles in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, and

49 illustrates some examples of a brush cross section according to embodiments of the present invention.

Some embodiments provide a tooth, orthodontic device, gum (gingiva), tongue, and / or jaw cleaning device. Some embodiments provide an oral cleaning device that is arranged to contact the surfaces of the teeth and gums and includes a plurality of bristles that run around and down the orthodontic braces or other orthodontic device without deviating from the orthodontic device. Because the non-rotating cleaning elements do not slip on the surface to be cleaned, the non-rotating cleaning elements are more suitable for cleaning teeth, gums, other oral tissues (eg tongue and jaw), and at least partially orthodontic devices. Some embodiments provide cleaning devices for reaching teeth, gums, tongue, jaw, and orthodontic devices in the base, interproximal, interdental, and / or other areas. The cleaning elements may be used to clean the teeth, tongue, jaw, and gums, for example, by reaching inside the orthodontic device (such as an orthodontic brace) and / or around the wires, undercut, and / or other areas. have.

The cleaning device may be configured to include a cleaning portion or head and handle. The head and the handle can be connected by, for example, the neck. In some embodiments, the cleaning device head and handle are formed using conventional injection molding techniques. In some embodiments, the cleaning device can be made of multiple parts. The bristles and / or other cleaning elements may be attached to the head by gluing, tying, stapling, thermoforming, fusing, welding, or the like. Cleaning elements, heads, and handles may also be formed by bonding, for example, using a single or multi-step injection molding process.

In some embodiments, the bristles and / or other cleaning elements of the device head are formed of wire strands, ultra fine synthetic fibers, thermoplastic materials, such as copolymers or synthetic polymers (such as nylon or polyester). Can be. The thickness and / or length of the bristles and / or other cleaning elements may vary depending, for example, on the desired oral contact area, cleaning abrasive, and / or other criteria. In various embodiments, multiple cleaning elements may be provided, such as primary, secondary, and / or omnidirectional cleaning elements.

In some embodiments, brushing or cleaning elements, such as bristles, do not miss the orthodontic brace, but contact the areas around and below the orthodontic device, such as the orthodontic brace. In some embodiments, the bristles reach around and / or behind the teeth to access and clean the hard parts of the teeth, tongue, jaw, and gums in the oral cavity to clean tartar and other debris. The brushing head is, for example, arranged to reach over the teeth to contact the back tooth surface and tissue of the posterior tooth in the oral cavity and to clean the orthodontic device.

In the various forms described below, the cleaning elements formed in the head portion are substantially or approximately curved arches or angled U formed by the core / neck whose bristles extend radially around them to form substantially circular cleaning elements. Or V-shaped. The core / neck is attached or secured to the handle. The cleaning head can be provided at various angles. The cleaning head may be coplanar with the handle portion of the device and / or disposed in another plane (eg, extending outwardly at an angle from the handle). In some embodiments, angles may be introduced into the head to provide cleaning elements in multiple planes of the head portion. For example, the base of the head may be disposed coplanar with the head portion while the distal end of the head may be angled upward with respect to a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the distal end of the head.

Embodiments that describe changes in oral cleaning device design and use are provided in more detail below.

Medium-Distal Cleaner

Posterior teeth and associated gums, and the middle and / or distal regions of the toothless (ie toothless or toothless-free) part of the oral cavity are very difficult to clean and thus develop periodontal disease (tooth disposed behind the oral cavity). easy. With commonly available toothbrushes, using different heights of the bristles and various angles of bristles, it is not easy to clean these areas of the oral cavity. Current interdental toothbrushes and conventional toothbrushes are designed in a manner that is not efficient for cleaning these problem areas. Some embodiments provide a mid-terminal scrubber designed to improve the disinfection and distal areas of the distal and distal portions of the end tooth of the teeth (ie, the arrangement of the teeth of the oral cavity). For illustrative purposes, FIG. 1 provides examples of the distal region of the posterior tooth and distal and intermediate regions of the toothless or toothless portion of the oral cavity.

 The mid-terminal scrubber 200 includes a head 210, a neck 220, and a handle 230. The head 210 may be a non-limiting but twisted wire brush, cylinder brush, or bristles or other similar shaped device of plastic or rubber material, for example with similar cleaning elements extending from the core in a circular pattern. A core having bristles projecting in the direction. 2 shows examples of mid-terminal scrubbers in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the scrubber 200 has a portion of the head 210 (shown as "A" in FIG. 2) perpendicular to the long axis of the handle 230. Part A of the head 210 is used to clean the intermediate and distal regions described above (eg, as shown in FIG. 3). Head 210 also reduces the contact between the tooth and the core and may be used to clean areas of the tongue of the incisors (i.e., tooth areas close to the tongue, as shown in FIG. 4). 2 is labeled "B". As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaner 200 reaches between the distal surfaces of the tooth, the gum tissue near the distal surface of the tooth, and the gum tissue and the distal surface of the tooth. In addition, the cleaner 200 may be used to clean the surface of the tongue and / or jaw. FIG. 6 shows that the neck 210 of the cleaner 200 can be bent by the user to conveniently access difficult areas of teeth and gums and to brush more comfortably.

In operation, for example, a user may grasp the handle 230 of the cleaner 200 and use both parts A and B of the head 210 to reach and clean various areas of the teeth and gums. In addition, the bristles of the head 210 are allowed to contact the teeth, for example, to clean the surfaces of the posterior teeth and tissues behind them. The shape of the bristles radially extending around the core of the head 210 and the distribution of the head 210 as shown in portions A and B facilitate this cleaning to benefit the user.

Mouthwash

Some embodiments provide a modification of an oral lavage device. Mouthwash device (MCD) 700 includes a head 710, a neck 720, and a handle 730. Head 710 includes a core with multidirectionally protruding bristles, such as but not limited to a wire brush. The wire brush can be replaced by a cylinder brush or other similarly shaped device, eg made of rubber or plastic material.

7 shows an example MCD 700 with a head 710, a neck 720, and a handle 730. 8, 9, and 10 show other views of the head 710 as seen from point a in FIG. 7, point b in FIG. 8, and point c in FIG. 10. 8, 9, and 10 show various examples of MCD 700 forms. The bristles lengths may be uniform or variable, for example, to make access to areas between the teeth, braces, and between the teeth and the gums more convenient. The wire brush can be bent to allow bristles to more easily access tooth surfaces, areas between teeth, and gums. 11 illustrates various applications of MCD 700, for example, for cleaning teeth and gums.

Neck 720 connects bristle portion or head 710 to handle 730. 12 shows that the two ends of the wire brush can be joined together before the brush head 710 is lodged with the handle 730. 14 shows only one end 720 of the wire brush 710 with the handle 730, the other end being in the form of an apparatus 700 that can accommodate other tooth cleaning devices. In FIG. 15, interproximal toothbrush 740 is formed with the tip of the uneven end of MCD 700 with short bristles. Interproximal toothbrush 740 may be made of, for example, thin wires and / or bristles with other strengths and / or lengths. Examples of other accessory cleaning devices are shown in FIG. FIG. 17 shows that the neck 720 can be straight, curved or curved to connect the head 710 to the handle 730 in various dimensions. The length of the neck 720 can vary and can be represented, for example, as an extension of the handle 730. Handle 730 may be straight or curved to facilitate ease of use, such as in commercially available toothbrushes. 18 shows a variation of the MCD 700 in which two parallel wire legs 712 and 714 are not connected at the tip.

In some embodiments, head 710 and / or neck 720 may be adjusted or bent by the user to achieve comfort and / or efficiency of his or her choice. The wire portion of the head 710 may include a plastic shield and / or other coating to reduce discomfort and / or to protect teeth or soft gums, for example, upon contact.

In operation, for example, a user may hold head 710 by mouth to access teeth, tongue, jaw, and / or gums using a plurality of bristles that hold handle 730 and extend along the length of head 710. To steer. The shape of the head 710 allows the user to access and clean not only the interproximal areas of the teeth, gums, and jaws, but also other areas of the oral cavity, including and around the orthodontic device.

Wire Twist Brush Loop Toothbrush

In some embodiments, a wire twist brush (WTB) loop is added that can be bent on a commercially available toothbrush for easy access to the inner arch of the upper and lower incisors and the back of the rearmost teeth.

In some embodiments, the WTB loop 1910 may be attached to the toothbrush head 1920, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20. A three-dimensional view is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 19, the loop 1910 can be made movable and adjustable to various positions relative to the toothbrush head 1920 to contact the desired areas of the oral cavity.

In some embodiments, the WTB loop 1910 can be easily bent with finger pressure. Depending on the location of the WTB loop 1910, certain areas of the oral cavity may be more easily accessible. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the WTB loop 1910 allows conventional brushing using the head 1920 without interfering with the loop. As shown in Figure 23, the WTB loop 1910 can access the inner arch of the upper and lower incisors. In Figure 24, the WTB loop 1910 is arranged to access the posterior face of the rearmost tooth. As shown in FIG. 25, the bristles of the WTB loop 1910 may be arranged to access the medial corners between the teeth.

Thus, depending on the user's preference and bare agility, the position of the WTB loop 1910 can be adjusted at various angles.

In some embodiments, the shape of the WTB loop 1910 can be changed in three dimensions with finger pressure to improve cleaning and contact of the oral cavity depending on the user's preference. Examples are shown in FIG.

In some embodiments, the bendable WTB loop 1910 may be removed from its location on the toothbrush head 1920. As an example, in FIG. 27, one or more receptacles or shaped portions 1940 for the tips 1930 of the loop 1910 include an attachment or male portion and for the brush body 1920 to receive the loop tips 1930. It may include. The female portions 1940 are adjustable to receive, for example, the tips 1930 of the loop 1910.

The male portions 1940 may be disposed at any position on the brush body 1920. The shaped or receptacles may be designed in such a way that the position of the WTB loop 1910 can be adjusted and fixed to the desired position.

The WTB loop 1910 can be formed, for example, as shown in FIG. 28 so that it can be used in a commercially available toothbrush without a receptacle or attachment point. An exemplary assembly method is shown in FIG. Two ends 1930 of device 1910 may be used to securely fasten device 1910 to plastic body 1920. The uneven ends 1930 are bent close to the plastic body 1910 so as not to interfere with conventional brushing.

In some embodiments, the tips 1930 of the WTB loop 1910 may be firmly lodged in the brush body 1920 to prevent protruding despite the loop 1910 being bent back and forth for use and storage. have. Examples of the shapes of the tips 1930 of the WTB loop 1910 are shown in FIG. 30 to improve fixation to the body 1920.

In some embodiments, the WTB loop 1910 can be used independently without being combined with a commercially available toothbrush (eg, see FIG. 31). One or more WTB loops 1910 may be used with the handle 1920, such as a wire brush loop of a plastic handle.

For example, as shown in FIG. 32, the body or handle 1920 of the toothbrush 1900 may have ends 1930 of the WTB loop 1910 to place the WTB loop 1910 in other areas of the toothbrush 1900. Can be adapted to accommodate the

In some embodiments, various similar devices (eg, a core having a spruce shape that projects laterally with uniform and / or variable lengths) may be replaced with the WTB loop 1910. Flexible flexibility can be introduced into the material for the loop itself and / or the assembly structure. Examples are shown in FIG.

In operation, for example, both loop 1910 and toothbrush head 1920 can be used for cleaning areas of the oral cavity. The user may place the loop 1910 relative to the head 1920 to access the rear face of the rear teeth and the inner arches of the upper and lower incisors. The wire brush loop 1910 can be used with the brush head 1920 to clean the teeth, gums, tongue, jaw, and orthodontic devices through various arrangements and movements.

Tooth cleaning device

In some embodiments, a wire twist brush (WTB) 3410 may be added to the body 3420 of a commercially available toothbrush 3400 as shown in FIG. 34. When not in use, the WTB 3410 is folded into or bent down the brush body 3420 under the hook 3450 (eg, also shown in FIGS. 34A and 35) and the brush body 3420 It is held nearby. The user can retrieve the brush 3410 when the brush is used (eg, indicated by position B in FIG. 34).

Underneath it, the WTB 3410, which may be disposed, may be formed of a rigid material, such as plastic or metal (such as the same material as the plastic body of the toothbrush). Examples of hooks 3450 are shown in FIG.

In some embodiments, the WTB 3410 may be placed at any location on the brush body 3420. Some examples are provided in FIG.

In some embodiments, the brush body 3420 (to prevent the WTB 3410 from interfering with conventional brushing with body bristles when the WTB 3410 is not used and / or lower the profile of the WTB 3410 ( For example, a plastic brush body or handle) may be slightly adapted. As examples, FIG. 38 shows a first embodiment in which the WTB 3410 is disposed in the groove or recess 3460 of the body 3420 and the second in which the WTB 3410 is disposed behind the protrusion 3470 of the body 3420. An Example is shown.

In some embodiments, the attachment mechanism for attaching the WTB 3410 to the body 3420 may be fixed and / or removable. In the fixation mechanism, the bristle-free end of the WTB 3410 is lodged in the toothbrush body 3420. In a removable mechanism, the WTB 3410 may be attached to the body 3420 via a male / shaped connection (eg, see FIG. 39). Other removable fastening mechanisms may also be used.

In some embodiments, the studded end 3430 of the WTB 3410 (without bristles) is mechanically secured to the body 3420 such that the end 3430 is secured when the WTB 3410 is bent back and forth. Examples are shown in FIG.

In some embodiments, other types of assistive tooth cleaning devices may be attached to a commercially available toothbrush in the manner described above. An example is shown in FIG.

In operation, bristles on brush body 3420 may be used to clean teeth, gums, and other areas of the oral cavity. The WTB 3410 may be arranged to further clean between and around teeth, orthodontic devices, tongues, jaws, and the like in the user's mouth. Thus, the body bristles and the wire brush are intended to provide thorough cleaning with each other.

Mouthwash

Some embodiments provide an oral cleaning device (OCCD) that includes a head, neck, and handle.

42 illustrates an exemplary OCCD 4200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The OCCD 4200 includes a head 4210, a neck 4220, and a handle 4230. Head 4210 may be made from a core with bristles projecting multi-directionally from the core.

43 shows variations of the head 4210 and bristle design. For example, the head 4210 can be a twisted wire brush, a cylinder brush, or a similar shaped device of rubber material. The core may be in an unbent form or in a form that can be bent by a user to adjust the shape of the device.

44 shows variations of the tip 4215 of the head 4210. For example, tip 4215 may include a plastic cap at the end of head 4210. The tip 4215 may, for example, include other bristles continually around the head 4210. Tip 4215 may include, for example, a material different from the material used for bristles 4217 to provide a different contact surface and cleaning structure than primary bristles 4217 of head 4210.

45 illustrates variations of angles or bends that may be included in head 4210 to facilitate cleaning. Neck 4220 connects head 4210 to handle 4230. In some embodiments, neck 4220 may be bent and slightly bent. 46 shows a modification of the neck 4220. Head 4210 and neck 4220 of OCCD 4200 may be bent by the user to achieve comfort and / or efficiency of the user's choice. Examples of some bends are shown in FIG.

In some embodiments, the handle 4230 can be straight or bent for ease of user, such as in a commercially available toothbrush.

In some embodiments, the wire portion of head 4210 may include a plastic shield or coating to reduce discomfort and / or to protect teeth or soft tissue from contact by, for example, wires.

In direct operation, OCCD 4200 can be used to clean various areas of the oral cavity, including but not limited to interdental areas. Unlike available interdental toothbrushes, OCCD 4200 covers more areas than a single interdental area (eg, see brush and dental illustrations in FIG. 45). In addition, the OCCD 4200 may simultaneously cover several parts of the oral cavity, such as jaw tissue, teeth, and gums.

When comparing OCCD 4200 to a conventional toothbrush having a plastic head with bristles that protrude vertically only to one side of the head, the inherent flexibility of the OCCD from the twisted wire head is such as Work together to minimize damage.

Multi-rigid brush

Some embodiments provide a multi-rigid brush. The brush includes a core and protrusions from the core extending in multiple directions from the core. Non-limiting examples are twisted wire brushes. The bristles (or protrusions) may be selectively cut in such a way that the brush provides surfaces with different degrees of flexibility and strength of the bristles. 48 shows a brush 4800 with a core 4810 and bristles 4815 extending from the core 4810, according to one embodiment. 48 shows the direction of the brush 4800. Figure 49 shows some examples of brush cross sections to show varying lengths, thicknesses, and directions. For example, the brush can be used to more efficiently clean other parts of the mouth, such as teeth, tongue, jaw, palate, and gums because they have different strengths and lengths inherent.

In some embodiments, a multi-length / multi-strength brush may be applied to one or more of the above embodiments.

The examples shown herein are merely provided to illustrate and describe some embodiments of the invention. There are other ways in which the same object can be achieved within the scope of the invention, and the examples shown are not intended to limit the apparatus and methods for implementing the invention.

As another example, one or more embodiments described below may be implemented separately and / or in combination to provide an oral cleaning device that includes a tooth, gum, tongue, jaw, and orthodontic device. Several alternative designs are disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 11 / 559,2565, filed November 13, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The description of the foregoing embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be obtained from practice of the invention. The above embodiments have been selected and described to illustrate the principles of the invention and the practical applications that enable those skilled in the art to use the invention in its various embodiments, and various modifications are also contemplated that are suitable for a particular use.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described herein may be applied to the formation of various oral cleaning devices. While features of the embodiments are described for the subject matter claimed as described herein, those skilled in the art will find various modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents. Also, while various device components and relationships between device components have been described in detail, several of the described components and / or embodiments may be combined and / or separated from other components and / or embodiments. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additional features and / or relationships between the features can be established and still be in accordance with the claimed subject matter. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such alterations and variations that fall within the true spirit of the embodiments of the claimed subject matter.

Claims (20)

A handle portion for holding and manipulating an oral cleaning device in the oral cavity; And And a cleaning head portion attached to the handle portion, the cleaning head portion comprising two parallel legs with a plurality of cleaning elements each protruding in the multi-direction from the leg. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head portion comprises a portion of two parallel legs connected to provide a curved cleaning head portion having a plurality of lengths including cleaning elements. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head portion comprises a plurality of segments extending in multiple planes with respect to the long axis of the apparatus. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head portion is positionable by the user relative to the handle portion. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head portion comprises a first portion of the cleaning head portion parallel to the long axis of the handle portion and a second portion of the cleaning head portion perpendicular to the long axis of the handle portion. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning head portion is arranged at an angle to the handle portion and lies in a plane separate from the handle portion. The method of claim 1, wherein the two parallel legs of the cleaning head portion further comprise two separate legs, each leg comprising a core and a plurality of cleaning elements extending radially about the core, Each leg is attached to the handle portion. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each leg comprises a second type of cleaning element away from the first type of cleaning element extending on the longitudinal axis of the leg. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprise a plurality of bristles. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are of multiple lengths. Elongated handles; And A cleaning head connected to and extending from one end of the handle, the cleaning head including a plurality of cleaning elements extending from the core of the cleaning head to form a plurality of circular arrangements around the core, wherein the cleaning head comprises: Arranged to provide a plurality of connected segments of the core that are angled with respect to each other, each segment comprising a cleaning head having cleaning elements for cleaning teeth, gums, and other areas of the orthodontic appliance. And a toothbrush for cleaning the associated calibration device. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the cleaning head comprises a first portion of the cleaning head comprising cleaning elements parallel to the long axis of the handle and a second portion of the cleaning head perpendicular to the long axis of the handle. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the cleaning head is arranged at an angle to the handle and lies in a plane separate from the handle. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the cleaning head is deployable by the user relative to the handle. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said plurality of cleaning elements comprises a plurality of bristles. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are of multiple lengths. 12. The toothbrush of claim 11, wherein the plurality of segments of the core form a U or V-shaped head. handle; A brushing head comprising a core and a plurality of bristles extending radially from the core to form a plurality of circular bristle patterns around the core, wherein the plurality of bristles are teeth of the oral cavity through steering of a handle to guide the brushing head. The brushing head is arranged to contact the gums, and the orthodontic device to aid in their cleaning, the brushing head being arranged to reach over the teeth for cleaning the orthodontic device and contacting the back tooth surface and tissue of the back teeth of the oral cavity. Including, oral cavity and orthodontic device cleaning device. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the brushing head is arranged in a U shape with bristles extending along at least a portion of each of three lengths forming a U shape. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cleaning device distal end and the U-shaped length of the brushing head is disposed in a plane distant from the plane that includes the handle of the cleaning device.

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