Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1993-04-15
1996-03-26
Roberts, Jr., Edward L.
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
15 224, A61C 1734, A46B 1302
Patent
active
055009700
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention concerns an automatic toothbrush having a drive means which enhances tooth cleaning using cleaning elements powered by the drive means.
The present invention is a further development of the dental cleaning system of the European Patent Application No. 0,173,114 such that the present patent application represents a continuation and completion of the European patent application.
As described in the European patent application, it is essential that the various dental surfaces be cleaned equally well when using a cleaning device. It is also critical to clean uniformly well to the extent possible the inner dental surface, i.e., that surface facing the oral cavity, as well as the gums and the outer dental surface, i.e., that surface facing the cheek. Again, it is important to assure an optimal local cleaning pressure on all sites to be cleaned. Lastly, the cleaning elements are to carry out optimal motions, namely, from the gums to the dental crown in as axially a direction as possible along the tooth while barely in the opposite direction.
The description of the above-European Patent Application No. 0,173,114 which is referred ti U.S. Pat. No. 4795,347 and is referred to for the fundamentals and it is thereby made an integral component of the present application. The method for cleaning teeth using a toothbrush wherein it is important that the cleaning be simultaneously carried out on at least two sides of the teeth as defined in the European patent application is especially significant in the present patent application. The defined methods of the invention disclosed in European Patent Application No. 0,173,114, as well as the equipment features of the defined automatic toothbrush, when combined with the subsequently defined features of the present invention are substantive characteristics of the present patent application.
As regards European Patent Document Application No. 0,173,114, the various motions of an automatic toothbrush of the invention are predominantly carried out using pneumatically or hydraulically powered drive members. Even though the hydraulically or pneumatically actuated drive members are in themselves practical, it is the object of the present invention to further refine and simplify the drive mechanism to achieve both a higher operational reliability of automatic toothbrushes while lowering the manufacturing costs and making possible more compact cleaning heads.
The problem of an automatic toothbrush are solved by the invention as defined herein.
The invention proposes a dental cleaning system, i.e., an automatic toothbrush with a drive means to enhance tooth cleaning using powered cleaning elements. The toothbrush comprises at least one mechanical and/or electromagnetic drive means operationally linked to the cleaning elements in order to power at least part of the cleaning elements and/or sections thereof for at least two sequences of motion.
An automatic toothbrush as defined in the invention preferably comprises a grip, illustratively, enclosing a drive motor or an electrical connector, and a main head which can be detachably plugged onto the grip. The cleaning elements are present at or in a cleaning head mounted at least substantially at the end of the main head. At least part of the cleaning elements are mounted in the cleaning head in such a way that at least two sequences of relative motion relative to the main head will be initiated. Preferably, the cleaning head is connected in at least a rotatable and/or pivotable manner with the main head.
The drive means powered by the drive motor is/are designed in such a manner in the regions of the main head and cleaning head that the effective linkage passes through the connection between the main head and the cleaning part in such a way that at least part of the cleaning elements undergo the two relative motions about the main head.
Preferably, the cleaning head is in two parts, one part being movably connected to the other.
The invention requires that the teeth shall be cleaned at least on two sides simultaneously
REFERENCES:
patent: 3570035 (1971-03-01), Barnett
patent: 3588936 (1971-06-01), Duve
patent: 4787847 (1988-11-01), Martin et al.
patent: 4795347 (1989-01-01), Maurer et al.
Maurer Andreas
Maurer Wilhelm
Maurer Wilhelm
Roberts, Jr. Edward L.
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