Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1993-06-25
1994-06-21
Roberts, Edward L.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
601162, A61C 1736
Patent
active
053218655
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns an oral hygiene device with at least one toothbrush attached to an interchangeable end piece and an elongate body designed to hold said end piece, said body having devices attached to one of its extremities to hold either a first movable end piece with a brush and designed to be given alternate linear movement and alternate pivoting movement around its spindle by a drive mechanism actuated by a motor, or a second fixed end piece consisting of a nozzle.
So-called electric toothbrushes already exist, comprising a body housing a small electric motor driving a mechanism designed to transform the circular movement of the motor spindle into a back and forth motion applied to the brush itself. This movement generally has a very small amplitude, of the order of 1 mm. Due to the fact that the bristles constituting the brush are flexible and because of the small amplitude of movement, the active portion of the brush, that is the ends of the bristles on the brush, vibrate but are not displaced. Therefore, brushing hardly takes place.
These devices are usually supplied with electricity at low voltage through a cord connected to a transformer connected to an electrical socket, which is a bothersome constraint for the user, especially when it is being moved.
In addition to these devices there exist pulsating stream devices designed to emit a stream of highly pressurized water for final rinsing of the teeth and massaging the gums.
The present invention proposes combining these two devices by achieving an oral hygiene device which both cleans and massages by alternately brushing the teeth and gums and by emitting a pulsating stream. These different possibilities impart a universal quality to the device, as it performs all the functions necessary for good dental hygiene.
To achieve this, the device according to the invention is characterized in that the mechanism and the motor are housed inside said body and in that said nozzle is designed to emit a pulsating stream of water generated by a pump also housed inside said body.
According to a preferred embodiment, said pump comprises an alternating displacement piston actuated by said drive mechanism and is designed to emit one stream of pressurized water for each cycle of said drive mechanism.
The drive mechanism preferably comprises one eccentric device and one cam, said eccentric device engaging in a cavity disposed inside said cam.
According to said preferred embodiment, said cam is designed to be movable in the linear direction and pivotable around the spindle according to which linear movement takes place.
The cam may be integral with the alternating linear displacement piston, said piston being situated in a cylindrical chamber supplied with water by an inlet valve.
Advantageously, the piston has a shaft disposed to receive said movable end piece holding a toothbrush.
In this embodiment, the drive mechanism is disposed to have one course of from 1 to 10 mm. and preferably at least approximately equal to 4 mm.
The extremity of said fixed end piece may be designed to block the anterior extremity of the body and allow the pump to communicate with an axial canal disposed inside said end piece through an outlet valve.
The extremity of said movable end piece may be designed to let a light appear between the body and said end piece extremity to shut off the pump.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the motor is supplied with electricity from batteries which can be recharged with a ferrite receptacle charger.
In a first advantageous embodiment the pump may be supplied with water by means of a flexible conduit connected to a source of water which may or may not be pressurized.
According to a second advantageous embodiment the pump may be supplied with water by means of a reservoir situated in the body of the device.
The present invention will be better understood with reference to the description of one exemplary embodiment and to the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an axial cross-section of the device according to the inven
REFERENCES:
patent: 3536065 (1970-10-01), Moret
patent: 3588936 (1971-06-01), Duve
patent: 4146020 (1979-03-01), Moret et al.
patent: 4365376 (1982-12-01), Oda et al.
Roberts Edward L.
Trisa Burstenfabrik AG Triengen
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