US20150075560A1 - Flat Belt Treadmill-like Rotation Toothbrush - Google Patents
Flat Belt Treadmill-like Rotation Toothbrush Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20150075560A1 US20150075560A1 US14/029,864 US201314029864A US2015075560A1 US 20150075560 A1 US20150075560 A1 US 20150075560A1 US 201314029864 A US201314029864 A US 201314029864A US 2015075560 A1 US2015075560 A1 US 2015075560A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- toothbrush
- sprockets
- bristles
- drive
- belt
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
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- 239000005060 rubber Substances 0.000 claims description 12
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- 230000001680 brushing effect Effects 0.000 description 3
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- HBBGRARXTFLTSG-UHFFFAOYSA-N Lithium ion Chemical compound [Li+] HBBGRARXTFLTSG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910001416 lithium ion Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241000549893 Carphochaete Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000233866 Fungi Species 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010703 silicon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
- A61C17/32—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating
- A61C17/34—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating driven by electric motor
- A61C17/3409—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like reciprocating or oscillating driven by electric motor characterized by the movement of the brush body
- A61C17/3418—Rotation around the axis of the toothbrush handle
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B5/00—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware
- A46B5/06—Brush bodies; Handles integral with brushware in the form of tapes, chains, flexible shafts, springs, mats or the like
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B15/00—Other brushes; Brushes with additional arrangements
- A46B15/0055—Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
- A46B15/0081—Brushes with a scraper, e.g. tongue scraper
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B7/00—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body
- A46B7/06—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement
- A46B7/10—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement as a rotating cylinder
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
- A61C17/222—Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
- A61C17/24—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like rotating continuously
- A61C17/26—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like rotating continuously driven by electric motor
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B13/00—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers
- A46B13/02—Brushes with driven brush bodies or carriers power-driven carriers
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B2200/00—Brushes characterized by their functions, uses or applications
- A46B2200/10—For human or animal care
- A46B2200/1066—Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A46—BRUSHWARE
- A46B—BRUSHES
- A46B7/00—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body
- A46B7/06—Bristle carriers arranged in the brush body movably during use, i.e. the normal brushing action causing movement
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/22—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like
- A61C17/24—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like rotating continuously
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
- B08B1/10—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools characterised by the type of cleaning tool
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
- B08B1/10—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools characterised by the type of cleaning tool
- B08B1/12—Brushes
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
- B08B1/10—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools characterised by the type of cleaning tool
- B08B1/16—Rigid blades, e.g. scrapers; Flexible blades, e.g. wipers
- B08B1/165—Scrapers
Definitions
- the disclosed technology relates generally to toothbrushes and, more specifically, to belt driven treadmill-like rotation bristled brushes.
- Tooth brushing should be an integral part of everyone's daily hygiene routine. Poor dental hygiene can lead to future problems and expensive dentist bills. Therefore, maintenance of healthy teeth if of great importance. Many types of toothbrushes are available for brushing teeth.
- Some analog and mechanical toothbrushes incorporate rubber bristles, in addition to standard bristles, for the purpose of massaging and cleaning the gums.
- many of these toothbrushes involve one set of bristles being in constant contact with segments of the teeth. As a result, these bristles become worn out, while other bristles, which incur less stress, such as those in the center, remain in good shape.
- a mechanical toothbrush head with a replaceable rotating brush head that is cost-effective and easy to use.
- a toothbrush has a housing with an upper head portion and a lower neck portion.
- Two spaced-apart drive sprockets extend through the upper head portion substantially parallel to the lower neck portion.
- a continuous, rotatable belt, with a tread on an interior side thereof, is simultaneously wrapped around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets.
- Each drive sprocket has a plurality of flanges extending out therefrom, such that at least one flange of each of the drive sprockets is constantly engaged with the tread when the tread is rotated by rotation of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets.
- the two spaced-apart drive sprockets are housed within the upper head portion of said housing. Bristles and/or rubber flanges extend from the belt.
- the drive sprocket is axially affixed to a spindle.
- the spindle extends through the lower neck portion and may be rotationally coupled to a drive mechanism.
- the drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor that is powered by batteries or an external electrical current.
- the belt with bristles is enclosed in the upper head portion such that the bristles are partially exposed.
- a percentage of the bristles may be composed of rubber.
- the percentage of bristles that is composed of rubber may be between 25% and 75%.
- the toothbrush may have a tongue scraper.
- the continuous, rotatable belt is placed around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets.
- the method proceeds by causing at least one of the drive sprockets to rotate, wherein the rotation causes the belt to circumferentially rotate around the two drive sprockets.
- the bristles of the belt are applied to a surface to be cleaned.
- the continuous, rotatable belt is removed from the two spaced-apart drive sprockets, and a new belt is then placed around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets.
- a top may be removed from the upper head portion prior thereto.
- a toothbrush head has two parallel sprockets extending axially from a distal end of an elongated neck.
- the two sprockets are disposed in a concave, upper portion of the toothbrush head.
- the toothbrush head further has two spindles with a plurality of bristles extending therefrom.
- the two spindles are disposed around the two sprockets.
- the toothbrush employs a drive shaft that is rotatably coupled to the two parallel sprockets.
- the drive shaft extends axially through the neck and terminates near a proximal end of the neck.
- the toothbrush rotates in such a manner as to push debris, plaque, and the like away from the gums as the direction of rotation of the belt is away from the gums and towards the center of the mouth (defined as a horizontal plane substantially (90%) equidistant between the roots of the top and bottom teeth).
- the end of the drive shaft closest to the proximal end of the neck is abutted by a drive mechanism that causes the drive shaft to rotate.
- the drive mechanism may be, for example, a battery-powered electric motor.
- the toothbrush head may have a tongue scraper on the reverse side of the brush head.
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 2 shows a blown-apart view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 3 shows a front elevation view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 4 shows a side elevation view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 6 shows a blown-apart view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- FIG. 7 shows a back elevation view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the disclosed technology is a toothbrush having a bristled belt that is wrapped around two drive sprockets.
- the drive sprockets rotate circumferentially within an upper head portion of the device.
- the bristles spin 360 degrees (full rotation) around the sprockets and within the stationary head.
- the head portion itself is replaceable or changeable, such that a handle portion may be used by multiple people, and/or when the head is worn out, may be replaced, while retaining the same handle.
- the handle in embodiments, houses a gearbox and battery (or other power source) allowing one to power a motor in the handle portion, which passes the mechanical turning force through a spindle into the head region, rotating the bristles on the head, the bristles being on a tread.
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the toothbrush head 100 is defined by a distal, upper head portion 10 and a proximal, lower neck portion 20 , the head portion 10 extending from the neck portion 20 .
- the head portion 10 has a top 15 and a concave, hollow front.
- a plurality of bristles 12 is disposed in the concave portion of the head portion 10 .
- the bristles 12 are configured to rotate circumferentially within the head portion 10 . Thus, in the embodiment shown, approximately half of the bristles are exposed at any given time, while the rest are enclosed within the head portion 10 .
- FIG. 2 shows a blown apart view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the plurality of bristles 12 extends from an exterior surface of a belt 13 .
- the belt 13 may be flexible or semi-flexible, forming a continuous loop.
- An interior surface of the belt 13 may have treads 11 .
- the belt 13 is adapted to be wrapped around two drive sprockets 14 .
- the drive sprockets 14 are elongated spindles that extend axially from an upper end of the neck portion 20 /a lower end of the head portion 10 .
- the exterior surface of the drive sprockets 14 has flanges which correspond to the treads 11 of the belt 13 .
- the belt 13 conforms to the circumference of the sprockets 14 .
- the treads 11 are engaged with the flanges such that rotation of the sprockets 14 causes the belt 13 , and in turn the bristles 12 , to rotate circumferentially
- the sprockets 14 are fixed laterally within the upper portion 10 such that the sprockets are free to rotate.
- the ends of the sprockets 14 rest in corresponding slots 17 in the base of the upper portion 10 and the top 15 of the upper portion.
- the top 15 is removable, whereby the ends of the sprockets 14 and the top of the belt 13 are exposed.
- the sprockets 14 are arranged in parallel in the upper portion 10 , extending through the front cavity 16 of the upper portion 10 .
- a back plate 18 is disposed opposite to the front face on the back of the upper head portion 10 .
- the back plate 18 may have a tongue scraper and/or gum massager disposed thereon.
- the sprockets 14 may be caused to rotate by a drive shaft 30 .
- the drive shaft 30 may have an axially fixed gear 34 that is coupled to the flanges of the sprockets 14 .
- the drive shaft 30 may be an elongated member, extending from the base of the head portion 10 through a hollow cylindrical portal 24 in the lower neck portion 20 .
- the drive shaft 30 may extend out of the base of the neck portion 20 .
- the bottom end 32 of the drive shaft 30 may have a notch, slot, or other shape opening for engaging with drive mechanism (not shown).
- the neck portion 20 may generally be formed of a front member 21 and a back member 22 , between which the drive shaft 30 may be disposed.
- the drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor.
- the drive mechanism may be contained or inside a handle portion such that one or more toothbrush heads 100 may be interchangeably used on a single handle.
- One or more batteries may be enclosed within the handle of the toothbrush.
- the batteries may be conventional disposable batteries or rechargeable lithium ion batteries, or the like.
- the motor may be coupled to a gearbox which rotates to convert the mechanical force, by way of a gear, into rotation of the spindle extending into the upper region of the toothbrush.
- the belt 13 forms a continuous loop sized to wrap around the sprockets 14 .
- Bristles 12 are affixed to, and extend outwardly from, the belt 13 .
- the bristles 12 may be formed of nylon, plastic, rubber, silicon or any combination thereof.
- the bristles 12 are arranged in an alternating pattern, such that rows of bristles alternate between rubber and nylon.
- rubber flanges may account for every 4th row of bristles.
- different combinations of bristle lengths, hardnesses, and materials may be used.
- the bristles 12 Upon rotation of the sprockets 14 , the bristles 12 are caused to rotate in a manner similar to a tank tread.
- the electric motor may be set to rotate at various speeds depending on a user's preference.
- the belt 13 may be formed of rubber or some other flexible material.
- the treads 11 may be molded from the rubber of the belt 13 .
- the belt bristles 12 Will clean the upper and lower teeth at the same time.
- the rest of the toothbrush head 100 may be composed of plastic, metal or a similarly rigid or semi-rigid material.
- the toothbrush head 100 is disposable portion of the toothbrush as opposed to conventional mechanical toothbrush heads which have complicated mechanical heads that are costly to replace and will not clean the upper and lower teeth at the same time.
- the lower neck portion 10 of the toothbrush may be formed of two opposing members 21 and 22 which enclose the drive shaft 30 .
- the front member 21 and the back member 22 may be affixed to one another by way of fasteners or screws.
- FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a front and a side elevation view, respectively, of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the bristles 12 When used, the bristles 12 are inserted into the mouth and caused to rotate against the teeth.
- the longitudinal, rubber flanges are used to massage the gums and polish the teeth, while the thinner, softer, and closer together cluster of bristles are used to brush the teeth.
- the belt 13 goes around the stationary portion of the head, there is alternation between rubber flanges and nylon bristles.
- the rotation of the belt 13 also causes the orientation of the bristles 12 to change, thereby providing different cleaning angles against the teeth. For example, as a row of bristles 12 turns around one of the sprockets 14 and into the upper head portion 10 , the angle of the bristles changes. As the angle changes, the orientation of the bristles with respect to the teeth changes, thereby reaching difficult portions between the teeth and cleans the upper and lower teeth at the same time.
- more or fewer sprockets 14 may be employed for driving the rotation of the belt.
- a single sprocket may be directly affixed to the drive shaft, and a belt may fit snuggly on top of the sprocket.
- three sprockets may be provided, one of which may be directly coupled or affixed to the drive shaft. The rotation of the single drive sprocket causes rotation of the belt and, in turn, the other two passive sprockets.
- FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the toothbrush head 200 is defined by a distal, upper head portion 210 and a proximal, lower neck portion 20 .
- the head portion 210 extends from the neck portion 20 .
- the head portion 210 has an integrated top 215 and a concave, hollow front 216 .
- a plurality of bristles 12 is shown extending from the concave portion of the head portion 210 .
- the bristles 12 are configured to rotate circumferentially within the head portion 210 .
- approximately half of the bristles are exposed at any given time, while the rest are enclosed within the head portion 210 .
- a greater understanding of the interior mechanics of the toothbrush head 200 will be achieved with reference to FIG. 6 .
- FIG. 6 shows a blown apart view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the plurality of bristles 12 extends from hollow spindles 212 , 213 .
- the hollow spindles 212 , 213 are placed around drive sprockets 312 , 313 , respectively.
- the elongated drive sprockets 312 , 313 extend axially from an upper end of the neck portion 20 /a lower end of the head portion 210 .
- a portion of the outer surface of the drive sprockets 312 , 313 has flanges which are coupled to intermediary gears 334 .
- the intermediary gears 334 are in turn coupled to an axial gear 234 affixed to a drive shaft 230 .
- the drive shaft 230 runs longitudinally through a hollow cylindrical portal 224 in the neck portion 20 of the toothbrush head 200 .
- the drive shaft 230 extends from a lower end of the neck portion 20 and may protrude beyond the lower end as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 .
- a lower end of the drive shaft 230 may have a notch or slot 232 for coupling the drive shaft 230 to an electric motor or drive mechanism (not shown).
- the neck 220 may generally be formed of a front member 221 and a back member 222 , between which the drive shaft 230 may be disposed.
- the drive sprockets 312 , 313 are fixed laterally within the upper portion 210 such that the sprockets are free to rotate.
- the ends of the sprockets 312 , 313 rest in corresponding slots 217 in the base of the upper portion 210 and the top 215 of the upper portion.
- the top 215 is removable whereby the ends of the sprockets 312 , 313 and the tops of the hollow spindles 212 , 213 are exposed.
- the sprockets 312 , 313 are arranged in parallel in the upper portion 210 , extending through the front cavity 216 of the upper portion 210 .
- a back plate 218 is disposed opposite to the front face on the back of the upper head portion 210 .
- the back plate 218 may have a tongue scraper and/or gum massager disposed thereon.
- the drive sprockets 312 , 313 may be caused to rotate by a drive shaft 230 via the intermediary gears 334 .
- the axially fixed gear 234 causes rotation of the intermediary gears 334 which, in turn, causes the sprockets 312 , 313 to rotate.
- the drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor.
- the drive mechanism may be disposed in a handle portion, such that one or more toothbrush heads 200 may be interchangeably used on a single handle.
- One or more batteries may be enclosed within the handle of the toothbrush.
- the batteries may be conventional disposable batteries or rechargeable lithium ion batteries or the like.
- the motor may be coupled to a gearbox which rotates to convert the mechanical force, by way of a gear, into rotation of the spindle extending into the upper region of the tooth brush.
- FIG. 7 shows a back elevation view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.
- the back 218 has one or more tongue cleaners/scrapers affixed thereto.
- Tongue scrapers are oral hygiene devices designed to clean the bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue.
- the tongue scraper 318 may have multiple ribs which pull debris from the surface of the tongue when rubbed against.
- the dirt, plaque, and surface of the teeth is pushed against in a direction moving away from the gums in embodiments. That is, one brushes from the gums to the teeth, starting at the base of the teeth and moving away from the gums.
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- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Brushes (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The disclosed technology relates generally to toothbrushes and, more specifically, to belt driven treadmill-like rotation bristled brushes.
- Tooth brushing should be an integral part of everyone's daily hygiene routine. Poor dental hygiene can lead to future problems and expensive dentist bills. Therefore, maintenance of healthy teeth if of great importance. Many types of toothbrushes are available for brushing teeth.
- Mechanical toothbrushes and toothbrush heads are known in the art. Various mechanisms have been employed for the purpose of cleansing teeth to the highest possible degree with the least amount of effort. Rotating and vibrating brush heads are set in motion by electric power, in order to cover a greater area and access to difficult to reach sections of the mouth and teeth. A problem with many existing mechanical toothbrushes is that they cause debris to be pushed towards the gums, instead of away from the gums.
- Some analog and mechanical toothbrushes incorporate rubber bristles, in addition to standard bristles, for the purpose of massaging and cleaning the gums. However, many of these toothbrushes involve one set of bristles being in constant contact with segments of the teeth. As a result, these bristles become worn out, while other bristles, which incur less stress, such as those in the center, remain in good shape. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a mechanical toothbrush head with a replaceable rotating brush head that is cost-effective and easy to use.
- Therefore, it is an object of the disclosed technology to provide a flat belt, rotating toothbrush head having a replaceable bristle head rotating about a vertical axis.
- As such, in an embodiment of the disclosed technology, a toothbrush has a housing with an upper head portion and a lower neck portion. Two spaced-apart drive sprockets extend through the upper head portion substantially parallel to the lower neck portion. A continuous, rotatable belt, with a tread on an interior side thereof, is simultaneously wrapped around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets. Each drive sprocket has a plurality of flanges extending out therefrom, such that at least one flange of each of the drive sprockets is constantly engaged with the tread when the tread is rotated by rotation of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets. The two spaced-apart drive sprockets are housed within the upper head portion of said housing. Bristles and/or rubber flanges extend from the belt.
- In an embodiment, the drive sprocket is axially affixed to a spindle. The spindle extends through the lower neck portion and may be rotationally coupled to a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor that is powered by batteries or an external electrical current.
- The belt with bristles is enclosed in the upper head portion such that the bristles are partially exposed. A percentage of the bristles may be composed of rubber. The percentage of bristles that is composed of rubber may be between 25% and 75%. In an embodiment, the toothbrush may have a tongue scraper.
- In a method of using the toothbrush described above, the continuous, rotatable belt is placed around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets. The method proceeds by causing at least one of the drive sprockets to rotate, wherein the rotation causes the belt to circumferentially rotate around the two drive sprockets. Next, the bristles of the belt are applied to a surface to be cleaned. In an additional step, the continuous, rotatable belt is removed from the two spaced-apart drive sprockets, and a new belt is then placed around each of the two spaced-apart drive sprockets. In order to install, remove and/or replace the belt, a top may be removed from the upper head portion prior thereto.
- In another embodiment of the disclosed technology, a toothbrush head has two parallel sprockets extending axially from a distal end of an elongated neck. The two sprockets are disposed in a concave, upper portion of the toothbrush head. The toothbrush head further has two spindles with a plurality of bristles extending therefrom. The two spindles are disposed around the two sprockets. The toothbrush employs a drive shaft that is rotatably coupled to the two parallel sprockets. The drive shaft extends axially through the neck and terminates near a proximal end of the neck. In a method of use, the toothbrush rotates in such a manner as to push debris, plaque, and the like away from the gums as the direction of rotation of the belt is away from the gums and towards the center of the mouth (defined as a horizontal plane substantially (90%) equidistant between the roots of the top and bottom teeth).
- In further embodiments of the toothbrush head, the end of the drive shaft closest to the proximal end of the neck is abutted by a drive mechanism that causes the drive shaft to rotate. The drive mechanism may be, for example, a battery-powered electric motor. In still a further embodiment, the toothbrush head may have a tongue scraper on the reverse side of the brush head.
-
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 2 shows a blown-apart view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 3 shows a front elevation view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 4 shows a side elevation view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 6 shows a blown-apart view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. -
FIG. 7 shows a back elevation view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. - The disclosed technology is a toothbrush having a bristled belt that is wrapped around two drive sprockets. The drive sprockets rotate circumferentially within an upper head portion of the device. The bristles spin 360 degrees (full rotation) around the sprockets and within the stationary head. The head portion itself is replaceable or changeable, such that a handle portion may be used by multiple people, and/or when the head is worn out, may be replaced, while retaining the same handle. The handle, in embodiments, houses a gearbox and battery (or other power source) allowing one to power a motor in the handle portion, which passes the mechanical turning force through a spindle into the head region, rotating the bristles on the head, the bristles being on a tread.
- Embodiments of the disclosed technology will become clearer in view of the following description of the drawings.
-
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. Thetoothbrush head 100 is defined by a distal,upper head portion 10 and a proximal,lower neck portion 20, thehead portion 10 extending from theneck portion 20. Thehead portion 10 has atop 15 and a concave, hollow front. A plurality ofbristles 12 is disposed in the concave portion of thehead portion 10. Thebristles 12 are configured to rotate circumferentially within thehead portion 10. Thus, in the embodiment shown, approximately half of the bristles are exposed at any given time, while the rest are enclosed within thehead portion 10. -
FIG. 2 shows a blown apart view of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The plurality ofbristles 12 extends from an exterior surface of abelt 13. Thebelt 13 may be flexible or semi-flexible, forming a continuous loop. An interior surface of thebelt 13 may have treads 11. Thebelt 13 is adapted to be wrapped around twodrive sprockets 14. The drive sprockets 14 are elongated spindles that extend axially from an upper end of theneck portion 20/a lower end of thehead portion 10. The exterior surface of thedrive sprockets 14 has flanges which correspond to thetreads 11 of thebelt 13. Thebelt 13 conforms to the circumference of thesprockets 14. Thetreads 11 are engaged with the flanges such that rotation of thesprockets 14 causes thebelt 13, and in turn thebristles 12, to rotate circumferentially. - The
sprockets 14 are fixed laterally within theupper portion 10 such that the sprockets are free to rotate. The ends of thesprockets 14 rest in correspondingslots 17 in the base of theupper portion 10 and the top 15 of the upper portion. The top 15 is removable, whereby the ends of thesprockets 14 and the top of thebelt 13 are exposed. Thesprockets 14 are arranged in parallel in theupper portion 10, extending through thefront cavity 16 of theupper portion 10. Aback plate 18 is disposed opposite to the front face on the back of theupper head portion 10. Theback plate 18 may have a tongue scraper and/or gum massager disposed thereon. - The sprockets 14 (and in turn the bristles 12) may be caused to rotate by a
drive shaft 30. Thedrive shaft 30 may have an axially fixedgear 34 that is coupled to the flanges of thesprockets 14. Thedrive shaft 30 may be an elongated member, extending from the base of thehead portion 10 through a hollow cylindrical portal 24 in thelower neck portion 20. Thedrive shaft 30 may extend out of the base of theneck portion 20. Thebottom end 32 of thedrive shaft 30 may have a notch, slot, or other shape opening for engaging with drive mechanism (not shown). Theneck portion 20 may generally be formed of afront member 21 and aback member 22, between which thedrive shaft 30 may be disposed. - The drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor. The drive mechanism may be contained or inside a handle portion such that one or more toothbrush heads 100 may be interchangeably used on a single handle. One or more batteries may be enclosed within the handle of the toothbrush. The batteries may be conventional disposable batteries or rechargeable lithium ion batteries, or the like. The motor may be coupled to a gearbox which rotates to convert the mechanical force, by way of a gear, into rotation of the spindle extending into the upper region of the toothbrush.
- The
belt 13 forms a continuous loop sized to wrap around thesprockets 14.Bristles 12 are affixed to, and extend outwardly from, thebelt 13. Thebristles 12 may be formed of nylon, plastic, rubber, silicon or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, thebristles 12 are arranged in an alternating pattern, such that rows of bristles alternate between rubber and nylon. Alternatively, rubber flanges may account for every 4th row of bristles. Furthermore, different combinations of bristle lengths, hardnesses, and materials may be used. - Upon rotation of the
sprockets 14, thebristles 12 are caused to rotate in a manner similar to a tank tread. The electric motor may be set to rotate at various speeds depending on a user's preference. Thebelt 13 may be formed of rubber or some other flexible material. Thetreads 11 may be molded from the rubber of thebelt 13. The belt bristles 12 Will clean the upper and lower teeth at the same time. Thus, the rest of thetoothbrush head 100 may be composed of plastic, metal or a similarly rigid or semi-rigid material. Thetoothbrush head 100 is disposable portion of the toothbrush as opposed to conventional mechanical toothbrush heads which have complicated mechanical heads that are costly to replace and will not clean the upper and lower teeth at the same time. - Referring still to
FIG. 2 , thelower neck portion 10 of the toothbrush may be formed of two opposingmembers drive shaft 30. Thefront member 21 and theback member 22 may be affixed to one another by way of fasteners or screws. -
FIG. 3 andFIG. 4 show a front and a side elevation view, respectively, of a toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. When used, thebristles 12 are inserted into the mouth and caused to rotate against the teeth. The longitudinal, rubber flanges are used to massage the gums and polish the teeth, while the thinner, softer, and closer together cluster of bristles are used to brush the teeth. As thebelt 13 goes around the stationary portion of the head, there is alternation between rubber flanges and nylon bristles. - The rotation of the
belt 13 also causes the orientation of thebristles 12 to change, thereby providing different cleaning angles against the teeth. For example, as a row ofbristles 12 turns around one of thesprockets 14 and into theupper head portion 10, the angle of the bristles changes. As the angle changes, the orientation of the bristles with respect to the teeth changes, thereby reaching difficult portions between the teeth and cleans the upper and lower teeth at the same time. - In further embodiments of the disclosed technology, more or
fewer sprockets 14 may be employed for driving the rotation of the belt. For example, a single sprocket may be directly affixed to the drive shaft, and a belt may fit snuggly on top of the sprocket. In another embodiment, three sprockets may be provided, one of which may be directly coupled or affixed to the drive shaft. The rotation of the single drive sprocket causes rotation of the belt and, in turn, the other two passive sprockets. -
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. Thetoothbrush head 200 is defined by a distal,upper head portion 210 and a proximal,lower neck portion 20. Thehead portion 210 extends from theneck portion 20. Thehead portion 210 has an integratedtop 215 and a concave,hollow front 216. A plurality ofbristles 12 is shown extending from the concave portion of thehead portion 210. Thebristles 12 are configured to rotate circumferentially within thehead portion 210. Thus, in the embodiment shown, approximately half of the bristles are exposed at any given time, while the rest are enclosed within thehead portion 210. A greater understanding of the interior mechanics of thetoothbrush head 200 will be achieved with reference toFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 6 shows a blown apart view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The plurality ofbristles 12 extends fromhollow spindles hollow spindles sprockets elongated drive sprockets neck portion 20/a lower end of thehead portion 210. A portion of the outer surface of thedrive sprockets intermediary gears 334. The intermediary gears 334 are in turn coupled to anaxial gear 234 affixed to adrive shaft 230. - The
drive shaft 230 runs longitudinally through a hollow cylindrical portal 224 in theneck portion 20 of thetoothbrush head 200. Thedrive shaft 230 extends from a lower end of theneck portion 20 and may protrude beyond the lower end as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6 . A lower end of thedrive shaft 230 may have a notch or slot 232 for coupling thedrive shaft 230 to an electric motor or drive mechanism (not shown). The neck 220 may generally be formed of afront member 221 and aback member 222, between which thedrive shaft 230 may be disposed. - The drive sprockets 312, 313 are fixed laterally within the
upper portion 210 such that the sprockets are free to rotate. The ends of thesprockets slots 217 in the base of theupper portion 210 and the top 215 of the upper portion. The top 215 is removable whereby the ends of thesprockets hollow spindles sprockets upper portion 210, extending through thefront cavity 216 of theupper portion 210. Aback plate 218 is disposed opposite to the front face on the back of theupper head portion 210. Theback plate 218 may have a tongue scraper and/or gum massager disposed thereon. - The drive sprockets 312, 313 (and in turn the
hollow spindles 212, 213) may be caused to rotate by adrive shaft 230 via the intermediary gears 334. The axially fixedgear 234 causes rotation of the intermediary gears 334 which, in turn, causes thesprockets - The drive mechanism may be, for example, an electric motor. The drive mechanism may be disposed in a handle portion, such that one or more toothbrush heads 200 may be interchangeably used on a single handle. One or more batteries may be enclosed within the handle of the toothbrush. The batteries may be conventional disposable batteries or rechargeable lithium ion batteries or the like. The motor may be coupled to a gearbox which rotates to convert the mechanical force, by way of a gear, into rotation of the spindle extending into the upper region of the tooth brush.
-
FIG. 7 shows a back elevation view of another toothbrush head of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. The back 218 has one or more tongue cleaners/scrapers affixed thereto. Tongue scrapers are oral hygiene devices designed to clean the bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. Thetongue scraper 318 may have multiple ribs which pull debris from the surface of the tongue when rubbed against. - In a method of use, one orients the brush such that the bristles rotate against the teeth and move upwards and/or (inclusive) downward in a direction away from the top and/or bottom (inclusive) gums. That is, any combination of brushing the top teeth or bottom teeth may take place in serial or simultaneously. The dirt, plaque, and surface of the teeth (inner or outer surface) is pushed against in a direction moving away from the gums in embodiments. That is, one brushes from the gums to the teeth, starting at the base of the teeth and moving away from the gums.
- While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. Combinations of any of the methods and apparatuses described hereinabove are also contemplated and within the scope of the invention.
Claims (18)
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US14/029,864 US8992690B1 (en) | 2013-09-18 | 2013-09-18 | Flat belt treadmill-like rotation toothbrush |
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US14/029,864 US8992690B1 (en) | 2013-09-18 | 2013-09-18 | Flat belt treadmill-like rotation toothbrush |
Publications (2)
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US20150075560A1 true US20150075560A1 (en) | 2015-03-19 |
US8992690B1 US8992690B1 (en) | 2015-03-31 |
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US14/029,864 Expired - Fee Related US8992690B1 (en) | 2013-09-18 | 2013-09-18 | Flat belt treadmill-like rotation toothbrush |
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US (1) | US8992690B1 (en) |
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CN105728370A (en) * | 2016-04-25 | 2016-07-06 | 广东溢达纺织有限公司 | Spiral rotary dust collection device |
CN108056834A (en) * | 2017-12-25 | 2018-05-22 | 朱小菊 | The high-effect toothbrush of positive appearance |
US20180168786A1 (en) * | 2015-06-04 | 2018-06-21 | Yong Meng | Brush head device of a multifuctional oral care tool |
EP3305244A4 (en) * | 2015-06-04 | 2019-03-27 | Yong Meng | Back-flushing plate of multifunctional oral care tool |
CN110314008A (en) * | 2019-07-12 | 2019-10-11 | 浙江宝龙机电有限公司 | Electric toothbrush head |
KR20200049447A (en) * | 2018-10-26 | 2020-05-08 | 주식회사 셀온 | Electric toothbrush |
CN112386359A (en) * | 2020-11-05 | 2021-02-23 | 中南大学 | All-round scientific toothbrush |
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Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US20180168786A1 (en) * | 2015-06-04 | 2018-06-21 | Yong Meng | Brush head device of a multifuctional oral care tool |
EP3305244A4 (en) * | 2015-06-04 | 2019-03-27 | Yong Meng | Back-flushing plate of multifunctional oral care tool |
CN105728370A (en) * | 2016-04-25 | 2016-07-06 | 广东溢达纺织有限公司 | Spiral rotary dust collection device |
CN108056834A (en) * | 2017-12-25 | 2018-05-22 | 朱小菊 | The high-effect toothbrush of positive appearance |
KR20200049447A (en) * | 2018-10-26 | 2020-05-08 | 주식회사 셀온 | Electric toothbrush |
KR102261297B1 (en) * | 2018-10-26 | 2021-06-09 | 주식회사 셀온 | Electric toothbrush |
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CN112386359A (en) * | 2020-11-05 | 2021-02-23 | 中南大学 | All-round scientific toothbrush |
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