Dentistry – Apparatus – Hand manipulatable implement
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-16
2001-08-14
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Hand manipulatable implement
C015S167100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273719
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to oral hygiene implements.
Most people clean their teeth often, even if not as often or for as long as dentists recommend.
Although practised to some extent nowadays, but not widely, cleansing of the tongue has been practised for thousands of years, at least as far back as the Egyptians, who realised the importance of a clean tongue. The surface of the tongue has sensory taste receptor cells, or taste buds, which determine how bitter, salty, sweet or sour things that we consume taste. Undisturbed saliva, bacteria and food debris in the mouth eventually turn into plaque. Once plaque has formed, it causes tooth decay, gum disease and halitosis, or bad breath. A build-up of plaque on the tongue's taste buds can result in them not functioning fully and a loss of taste sensitivity. Smoking has a similar effect. No matter how often somebody cleans their teeth, a coating of plaque, food debris, etc. remains on their tongue unless it is also removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Strigils are known for scraping the tongue to remove the coating thereon. It is also known to provide a combined tongue strigil and toothbrush. In this connection, patent document DE 29819064U 1 shows a toothbrush having a scraping edge along a corner of the cross-section of its handle. A disadvantage of this is that the scraping edge will tend to cut into the user's fingers or thumb, or at least be uncomfortable, when the device is being used as a toothbrush. To deal with this problem, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,246 describes a toothbrush with a tongue scaler which can be extended, when required, from a channel within the toothbrush handle and which has an edge for scraping the tongue. Disadvantages of this are that the device is complicated and the channel inside the toothbrush handle provides a hiding place for bacteria and other matter removed from the tongue. Furthermore, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,585 describes a toothbrush with a spoon-like formation part-way along its handle. Part of the rim of this formation is intended to be used for scraping the tongue. A disadvantage of all three of these known devices is that they either cannot be used, or can only be used with great difficulty, to scrape the rear of the tongue. Also, patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,004 describes a combined toothbrush and tongue scraper which is formed generally like a pair of tongs. The end of each tong is provided with half of the toothbrush head and the tongs can be clipped together for use as a toothbrush. When the tongs are unclipped, each tong is used as a handle, and the part of the device joining the tongs forms the tongue scraper. Disadvantages of this device are that it is of complicated construction, and bacteria and other matter removed from the tongue can collect between the tongs and in the elements used for clipping the tongs together.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects of the present invention, or at least specific embodiments of it, are: to provide a toothbrush which is adapted also to be usable as a tongue strigil or scraper so as to encourage people to clean their tongues regularly; to provide such an implement which is of simple and inexpensive construction; to provide such an implement which does not provide a hiding place for bacteria and other matter removed from the user's tongue; and to provide such an implement which can be used without difficulty to scrape the rear of the user's tongue.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an oral hygiene implement comprising: an elongate handle; a brush head formed at one end of the handle and suitable for cleaning the teeth; and a continuous loop integrally formed with the handle at the other end of the handle. The loop has an edge, suitable for scraping the tongue, which may extend around at least a major part of the loop. The implement can be held by the handle and the brush head can be placed in the mouth so that the implement can be used as a toothbrush. Alternatively, the implement can be held by the handle and the loop can be placed in the mouth so that the implement can be used as a tongue strigil. Because the scraping edge is formed near one end of the implement, it can be used to clean the rear of the tongue. Because the scraping edge is formed on the continuous loop, there is no need for a special handle which is split along its length, and so a simple construction can be used which does not provide a hiding place for bacteria and other matter.
Preferably, the brush head and the scraping edge face in generally opposite directions.
Preferably, the loop is inclined slightly relative to the longitudinal axis, for example at between 20° and 45°, and more preferably between 30° to 40°. This enables the user, with a mirror, more easily to see their tongue as the scraping process proceeds.
Preferably, the handle has a neck between its mid portion and the brush head and another neck between its mid portion and the loop.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an oral hygiene implement, comprising: a brush head suitable for brushing teeth; and a stem extending from the brush head to a distal end of the stern, the stem being formed part-way along its length with at least one surface formation suitable for scraping the tongue; whereby: the stem can be held by one hand and the implement can be used as a toothbrush; and alternatively the distal end of the stem and the brush head can be held by both hands and the implement can be used a tongue strigil.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 407560 (1999-04-01), Huang
patent: D. 414608 (1999-10-01), Trojanowski et al.
patent: 3959842 (1976-06-01), Alley
patent: 4356585 (1982-11-01), Protell et al.
patent: 5005246 (1991-04-01), Yen-Hui
patent: 5709004 (1998-01-01), Paduano
patent: 5779475 (1998-07-01), Patel
patent: 5781958 (1998-07-01), Meessmann et al.
patent: 29819064 U (1999-02-01), None
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Stone Mark P.
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