US3869746A

US3869746A - Hydraulic toothbrush

Info

Publication number: US3869746A
Application number: US404654A
Authority: US
Inventors: Law Man-King
Original assignee: MAN KING LAW
Current assignee: MAN KING LAW; MAN#KING LAW
Priority date: 1973-10-09
Filing date: 1973-10-09
Publication date: 1975-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-11

Abstract

An improved toothbrush that has a row of rotatable brush tufts for purpose of more thoroughly brushing the teeth; the brush trufts being made to turn by means of pressurized water from a faucet flowing through the brush handle so to rotate a series of turbine impellers each one of which is attached to one of the brush tufts.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Man-king HYDRAULIC TOOTHBRUSH lnventor: Law Man-king, 339341 Lackhart Rd., 20/F, Wanchai, Hong Kong Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 Appl. No.: 404,654

US. Cl. 15/29 1 Int. Cl A46b 13/06 Field of Search 15/22 R, 24, 28, 29; 128/56, 62 A References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1971 Oates 128/62 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 261,422 Austria l5/29 Mar. 11, 1975 5/1956 France ..15/28 6/1929 Germany ..15/29 Primary ExaminerEdward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or FirmNatter & Natter 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HYDRAULIC TOOTHBRUSI-l This invention relates generally to toothbrushes, and more specifically to toothbrushes that are powerdriven.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved power-driven toothbrush that is operated by pressurized water from a bathroom sink faucet, so that it does not require any electrical energy.

Another object accordingly is to provide a hydraulic toothbrush which does not require any electrical unit so that it is less costly to a purchaser, is safer by having no electrical wiring connection, and which has less components to break down or wear out, so that it will last a long time.

Yet another object is to provide a hydraulic tooth brush which utilizes the flowing water to rinse the teeth during the brushing operation and flush out the mouth at the same time in order to give a more clean feeling.

Other objects are to providea hydraulic toothbrush which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a power toothbrush constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the toothbrush illustrating three rotatably mounted brush units which are powered by water flow through the toothbrush and also showing a water discharge outlet;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a view of the hydraulic toothbrush connected to a water faucet.

Referring now to thedrawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a hydraulic toothbrush according to the present invention, wherein there is a handle 11 having a nipple 12 integrally formed therewith, at one end, for connection to a flexible hose 13 having a conventional adapter 14 at an opposite end for remov' able attachment in a water faucet 15. A central passage or channel 16 extends through the nipple and handle so to allow pressurized water 17 from the faucet to flow through the handle and to be discharged from a discharge outlet 18 at the end of the handle head 19.

The head supports a row of freely rotatable brush units 20, each one of which includes bristle brush tufts 21 that protrude from one side of the head, the tufts being mounted in circular platforms 22 flush with the outer side of the head and each of which is rotatable in a depression 23, the platform being integral with central shaft 24 supported in

bearings

25 and 26 of the handle, and the shaft having a turbine impeller 27 formed thereon that is located in passage 16, the passage being circularly enlarged at each impeller as shown at 28 so that impellers can spin therein.

An important feature of the construction, as shown in FIG. 4, is that the configuration of the channel 16 provides a water flow path such that the central brush unit spins in a direction that is opposite to the units adjacent thereto for the reason that if the peripheral brush bristles of one unit contact the peripheral brush bristles of the adjacent head during spinning, they travel in a same direction at that point so that they do not arrest the rotational movement of any of the units 20.

In operative use, it is now evident that pressure of water moving through passage 16 causes the brush units to spin in order to provide power rotation of brush bristles when cleansing teeth. Furthermore, since adjacent bristle platforms 22 rotate in directions opposite to another a more thorough cleaning of the teeth is made possible. The clean water discharged from outlet 18 washes the mouth and teeth to flush particulate matter removed during brushing.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided a toothbrush which achieves the various objects of the invention and which is well suited to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various changes might be made in the toothbrush as above set forth, it is understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A power toothbrush comprising a head and a handle, means forming a water flow channel in said head, a plurality of brush units, each brush unit including a platform and bristle tufts, said bristle tufts being secured to said platform and projecting from said head, means rotatably mounting each brush unit to said head, impeller means, means fixing the impeller means to the brush unit for unitary rotation therewith, the impeller means being positioned in said water flow channel, the head further including means in communication with the channel for connection to a supply of water under pressure and means for discharging water from the channel whereby water flow through the channel will impinge upon each impeller means causing the brush units to rotate, thereby providing movement of the tooth cleansing bristles.

2. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the communication means includes means forming a water flow channel in the bandle continuous with the channel in the head and means interconnecting the channels with a pressurized water supply, the interconnecting means including means engageable with a water faucet whereby the toothbrush is readily adapted for convenient lavatory usage.

3. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for discharging water includes means forming an orifice in the head adapted to direct water flow into the user's mouth whereby oral rinsing during tooth brushing is facilitated.

4. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means fixing the impeller means to the brush unit includes a drive shaft, the platform being positioned at one end of the drive shaft and the impeller means being secured to the drive shaft remote from said one end.

5. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 4 wherein the means rotatably mounting the brush unit includes means journalling the drive shaft in transverse channel walls.

6. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 further including means in the head channel for directing water impingement upon adjacent impeller means such that adjacent brush units rotate in opposite directions whereby a more thorough cleansing I seated in a depression.

8. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means in communication with the channel includes flexible hose means, one end of said hose means being engageable with a water faucet whereby the toothbrush is readily adapted for convenient lavatory usage.

Claims

2. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the communication means includes means forming a water flow channel in the handle continuous with the channel in the head and means interconnecting the channels with a pressurized water supply, the interconnecting means including means engageable with a water faucet whereby the toothbrush is readily adapted for convenient lavatory usage.

3. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for discharging water includes means forming an orifice in the head adapted to direct water flow into the user''s mouth whereby oral rinsing during tooth brushing is facilitated.

6. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 further including means in the head channel for directing water impingement upon adjacent impeller means such that adjacent brush units rotate in opposite directions whereby a more thorough cleansing is achieved during brushing and adjacent brush units will not interfere during rotation.

7. A power toothbrush constructed in accordance with claim 1 further including means forming depressions in the head, the platform of each brush unit being seated in a depression.