CN1213678C

CN1213678C - Oral hygienederice, especially a toothbrush

Info

Publication number: CN1213678C
Application number: CN00806502.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 彼得·乌尔里希
Original assignee: RUSS PATENT CO Ltd
Current assignee: RUSS PATENT CO Ltd
Priority date: 1999-02-19
Filing date: 2000-02-18
Publication date: 2005-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 2020-02-18
Also published as: BR0008792B1; JP2002537010A; AU3804900A; WO2000048484A2; CN1350441A; PT1156727E; ATE250364T1; EP1156727B1; WO2000048484A3; JP4551565B2; BR0008792A; EP1156727A2; ES2202089T3

Abstract

The invention relates to an oral hygiene device, especially a toothbrush. The device consists of a handle and a cleaning head which is provided at the end of said handle and which supports an essentially flexible material used for oral and dental hygiene. This material is especially detachably fixed to the cleaning head.

Description

Dental hygiene article

The present invention relates to a kind of dental hygiene article, particularly a kind of toothbrush, it is made up of a handle and a cleaning head that is arranged on handle end.Wherein this cleaning head has that a kind of what use as oral hygiene or tooth hygiene is pliable and tough material basically, and this material preferably removably is fixed on this cleaning head.

As everyone knows, above-mentioned that class toothbrush becomes a kind of daily apparatus already.On the handle that grasps, be provided with a cleaning head of for example making in its end with bristles, handle and cleaning head can stretch in the oral cavity, and carry out the cleaning of tooth.

The shortcoming of the toothbrush that this class is known is, cleaning head is because mechanical wear and can not using, and because aging and health no longer.Handle so just causes regularly carrying out the replacing of whole toothbrush, although still can use.

The toothbrush that people usually talk about with regard to its protection domain, only should not be confined to the apparatus as cleaning teeth.On the contrary, the present invention includes a kind of general dental hygiene article, it both had been applicable to cleaning teeth, was suitable for other positions of oral cavity cleaning again.Wherein, the notion of sanitary ware should only not be interpreted as yet and be used for special aseptic cleaning, and can be used for removing foul or deposit equally.

Above-mentioned dental hygiene article, for example toothbrush is not suitable for effectively removing responsive oral mucosa.Bristles use on the responsive mucous membrane, under the injured situation of mucous membrane, are very painful particularly.

Disclose a kind of toothbrush according to US 4 543 679, the one end has dismountable bristles head of a cleaning teeth, and its other end then has a head that has a kind of flexible material of flooding.

US 5 228 166 has described a kind of toothbrush that has the brush that can dismantle again.This brush can be rotated with respect to a clamping element.

CH 149 565 discloses a kind of toothbrush, on this toothbrush, the cleaning head of two that can dismantle again, rubberlike and tapers is housed.

DE 26 00 234 has proposed a kind of children's toothbrush, and this toothbrush is equipped with the mane of two row's V-arrangements.

EP 0 550 818 A1 disclose a kind of clamping device of toothbrush, and this toothbrush has a removable head.This removable head can insert in the fixed handle with dismantling again.

US 3 267 512 has proposed a kind of toothbrush, is provided with a seam in the handle of this toothbrush, so that embed a kind of pliable and tough material.

So, the objective of the invention is, develop a kind of dental care product, it is not only limited to the usefulness as cleaning of teeth.In addition, be fixed on flexible material economy on the cleaning head and durable.

In order to achieve this end, this cleaning head is made up of two elements at least, and wherein second element has an edge, and this edge exceeds first element and flexible material is clamped therebetween.

According to suggestion of the present invention, realized such purpose: in principle with once can realizing the toothbrush of known pattern that a kind of pliable and tough material is inserted the oral cavity, so that teeth surfaces not only, and responsive skin surface or the mucomembranous surface of cleaning.

In order to achieve this end, the present invention is a starting point with that above-mentioned class dental hygiene article, and the cleaning head that suggestion is used as oral hygiene or tooth hygiene mainly is equipped with a kind of pliable and tough material, and particularly, this material removably is fixed on the cleaning head.According to suggestion of the present invention, in principle with once can realizing the toothbrush of known pattern that a kind of pliable and tough material is inserted the oral cavity, so that teeth surfaces not only, and responsive skin surface or the mucomembranous surface of cleaning.Wherein proposed two schemes: one is that pliable and tough material stiffness is fixed on the cleaning head, and at this moment whole apparatus designs as disposable product; Another then is that pliable and tough material removably or replaceably is contained on the cleaning head that inserts in the oral cavity.

Then can imagine various schemes as for the removable structural shape of flexible material on cleaning head.The one, flexible material can be tied a knot connection, bolt connection, riveted joint, chucking, bonding or sewing on cleaning head.Also available clamping ring or turn for example make rubber ring etc., and in this case, flexible material is clamped on the handle end by one or two circle.When using turn, can change the flexible material of having used by easy mode.Wherein, flexible material also can cover on handle or the cleaning head.The also available burr this simple and direct connected mode that bonds.Preferably cleaning head also has the end liner of elastomeric material.

In a kind of preferred constructive form of the present invention, cleaning head on the suggestion toothbrush mainly is made up of two elements, these two elements are with plug-in connector or clamp connector etc. and connect, and fix in this connector that a kind of what be used for tooth hygiene is pliable and tough material or inserts basically.

The part of composed component preferably is made of plastics, and manufacturing is simple especially, for example makes diecast parts.By connector connect or clamp connect also need not chemistry connected mode, for example without binding agent, and binding agent certainly will make the people produce doubt aspect health or the health.Wherein, connector connection or clamping connection can be designed to fix the flexible material that is clipped in wherein with enough big tightening force.

Wherein, the flexible material of use also can be changed when loss or wearing and tearing, and need not change whole toothbrush.

Except the inserts that directly is fixed on the flexible material on the cleaning head, also a kind of flexible material that has inserts can be set in a like fashion, and flexible material itself for example connects by corresponding padlock or mounting flange is fixed on the element or on the cleaning head.

Wherein, cleaning head and handle fuse.But a replacement scheme is that an element of cleaning head or cleaning head also can be designed to and can or be fixed on the handle replaceably from the handle dismounting.Also can become knockdown to two element design, they constitute cleaning head jointly, and cleaning head itself then can be fixed on the handle end.Be connected with clamping between the cleaning head by two or element and can realize the effectively fixing of flexible material in a simple manner.

In a kind of preferred structure pattern of the present invention, cleaning head is rounded.The profile of the circular of cleaning head has an advantage: avoided sharp edge or acute angle, particularly when flexible material was clamped between two elements, circular profile also helped the installation of cleaning head.

In a kind of preferred structure pattern of the present invention, cleaning head is made up of the roughly the same element of two halves, and this two halves element has the clamping element of flexible material, and wherein, clamping element clamps flexible material under the state that is plugged on together.The advantage of this structure is only to need instrument that is equivalent to the shape of two halves element of preparation to get final product.The two halves element made from this instrument interconnects with a plug-in connector or clamping connector.The two halves element that for example links together is roughly cylindrical or crown and betwixt by the pin that protrudes the inwards clamping element as the clamping flexible material.

According to the present invention, connector or to be clamped and connected be removable is because that element can be taken apart again is promptly detachable, so flexible material can take out and change.But in a scheme of the present invention, connector or clamping connection are designed to non-disconnectable, so that by big clamping force fixing flexible material, make it to be difficult to tear open.

Other shape, for example ellipse or dihedral also prove favourable.

In another kind of structural shape of the present invention, first element of cleaning head is made up of a plate, and its downside for example is provided with an adapter and is connected with handle.Roughly also be second tabular element and then have an edge, this edge meshes first element in the use location.These two elements are for example roughly rounded, and wherein the edge of second element is connected with the clamping that the edge of first element is configured to the clamping flexible material.

The structural shape that the present invention here advises helps the installation of cleaning head, for example only needs to carry out in the mould of a corresponding moulding or device because install.

In user mode, flexible material covers the surface of second element and is used for cleaning teeth/oral cavity.For example available suitable soft pliable material can reach comfortable effect by this flexibility on the oral mucosa of tooth and sensitivity.Make substrate or one deck elastic layer also can improve this effect by one deck foamed material.This foamed material is between the plate and flexible material of second element.

Best rounding in the edge of the edge of first element and second element or chamfered edge are in order to avoid the damage flexible material.

With for example adsorbable mouthwash of flexible material, medicinal, mouth cleaning solution etc., and they are coated onto other positions in gum or oral cavity.

In a kind of preferred structure pattern of the present invention, cleaning head is contained on the handle replaceably.For example cleaning head is hinged on the handle with cup-and-ball joint or hinge joint.But also available slip clamp stressed joint, for example dovetail groove connects, and at this moment cleaning head is shifted onto on the handle from side.In another scheme of the present invention, cleaning head is fixedlyed connected with handle.Wherein handle also is made up of two roughly the same part mirror-symmetrical, and empties at the position of cleaning head, so that flexible material is clipped in therebetween.

In a kind of structural shape of the present invention, have flexible material or brush teeth the bristle inserts.Bristle weaving or made of plastic for example is set on flexible material, and this bristle is allowed mechanical cleaning preferably.In a scheme of the present invention, the inserts with this bristle assembling can embed in the cleaning head in the usual way, has so just obviously increased changeability.

In a preferred structure pattern of the present invention, cleaning head has micro-fibre fabric, this micro-fibre fabric one as mentioned above-can in cleaning head, clamp or jam-pack.But with this micro-fibre fabric cleaning teeth, and cleaning agent that need not be such as toothpaste.This micro-fibre fabric can keep hygienically clean for a long time, and only needs the water cleaning to get final product.

Be meant the fabric that for example has lint shape or looped pile shape fiber especially as micro-fibre fabric, wherein fiber for example uses polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polyacrylic acid (polyacryl), Polyorethan, polyvinyl chloride, polyphenyl alkene or polysulfones or its mixture to make.Usually material has the moderate fiber diameter, and when single fiber, fibre diameter is between 1 micron and 500 microns, and when plurality of fibers, fibre diameter then is between 10 microns and 1000 microns.Micro-fibre fabric is used to clean full tooth can save toothpaste or other scouring agent, because the fibre diameter of selecting can immerse in the coarse tissue of tooth and remove foul.Meanwhile, micro-fibre fabric also be used for a liquid for example mouthwash be transported to tooth or oral mucosa.

Also available other flexible material for example polishing cloth is made cleaning head, and the present invention at this moment also has such advantage: fix different cleaning heads and be used for different purposes on a handle, for example polish, wipe clean, maintain and clean.Because the simple structure of cleaning head also will reduce discarded object, and simultaneously oral hygiene be reached big changeability when changing cleaning head.

Abrasive pastes or solution also can be coated on the flexible material, so that reach corresponding cleaning or polishing effect.

In another kind of structure of the present invention, for example the instrument of cleaning slot is fixed on the handle, wherein, this instrument can resemble and connect the cleaning head of bristles or micro-fibre fabric.So just can significantly reduce engaged position, because have only the single clearing head that is plugged on respectively on the identical handle to need certain position.

Can reach all sites in oral cavity by a kind of hinged version of the present invention.At this moment, toothbrush design of the present invention becomes like this, and promptly cleaning head is arranged on the handle and can turns round by certain space angle or hinged rotation.Aligning need clean or the oral cavity face of maintenance thereby also can be transferred to the direction of cleaning head.

In another kind of structure of the present invention, the dental hygiene article that is proposed not only can be used to cleaning teeth, also can be used to the oral cavity cleaning mucous membrane.In a kind of scheme of the present invention, also available aforementioned micro-fibre fabric of carrying out oral hygiene cleans the tongue zone and can reach amazing effect.Particularly especially true under the quite coarse and dirty situation that also has bacterium etc. of tongue surface.As previously mentioned, the structure of micro-fibre fabric can thoroughly clean tongue, thereby makes tongue reach very comfortable sensation.Particularly, the above-mentioned oral hygiene appliance of the application of the invention also can reach the cleaning of tongue root, is unchallenged because the length of handle reaches the root of tongue.

Below in conjunction with schematic diagram the present invention is described.

These figure represent:

The handle side view of Fig. 1 toothbrush of the present invention;

The vertical view of Fig. 2 Fig. 1;

The part enlarged drawing of Fig. 3 toothbrush of the present invention;

The side view of the cleaning head of Fig. 4 toothbrush of the present invention;

The vertical view of Fig. 5 Fig. 4;

The sectional drawing of a kind of preferred cleaning head of Fig. 6 the present invention;

Fig. 7 a kind of assembly tool of the present invention.

Fig. 1 represents toothbrush of the present invention, and it is made up of a handle 1, and this handle has a Connection Element 11 on the top of handle end 10, fixing cleaning head 2 on this Connection Element.Handle end 10 bends up a little with respect to the middle part 13 of handle 1, so that reach the structure of human engineering preferably.

Connection Element 11 amplifies once more in Fig. 3 and illustrates.This Connection Element is that a chondritic also is connected on the handle end 10 with its bottom 15 basically.Bottom 15 diameter is less than the diameter of ball 16, thereby constitutes certain lateral grooves, and such groove just in time helps cleaning head 2 is fixed on this ball 16.

For the ease of operation, be provided with heteromorphic regions 12 at the middle part 13 of handle 1.

Shown in vertical view (Fig. 2), for example be essentially circular in the zone of ball 16 at handle end 10 supporting Connection Elements 11.Insert in oral cavity in this zone, because this circular 14, thus do not constitute sharp-pointed edge, thus can not damage the oral cavity.

Cleaning head 2 is shown in Figure 4 and 5, and for example is made up of two halves element 20,21 in this example.This two halves element is identical, promptly makes with identical compression mod.

In vertical view (Fig. 5), two halves element 20,21 is essentially semicircle 22 and has several or a plurality of protruding inwards tips 23.

From sectional drawing shown in Figure 4 as can be seen, at connector is that the opposed elements 20,21 of two halves (its joint face is represented with 24) are provided with pin 25, when these pins insert in the respective aperture 26 of opposed second half element, just form the non-removable connection of these two halves elements 20,21 along joint face 24.This two halves element only when they are destroyed, just can be taken apart in principle again.Connect 25,26 this inner chamber 27 that is spliced to form a circular by this two halves element 20,21 along pin-hole, most advanced and sophisticated 23 stretch in this inner chamber of two halves element 20,21 inwards.But this circular inner chamber 27 also can constitute other arbitrary shape (square, rectangle, ellipse etc.) according to the shape of two halves element 20,21.Most advanced and sophisticated 23 are used for fixing an object that inserts in this cavity 27.In the good state of pegging graft, form a crown cleaning head 2, wherein flexible material is arranged in the inner chamber of this hat.

In a kind of structure of the present invention, cleaning head 2 is with a kind of micro-fibre fabric.When this micro-fibre fabric is not mutually permanently connected as yet at two halves element 20,21, inserts in the inner chamber 27 and be mushroom.When this two halves element 20,21 was assembled into one, tip 23 pressed together this micro-fibre fabric (not shown) and wedging, makes it no longer may take off from cleaning head 2 then.

Cleaning head 2 has one at its downside (side 28 that deviates from inner chamber 27) and is roughly spherical recess 29, and this recess and ball 16 closely cooperate, and make it to buckle in the recess 29 to clamp.In this case, the material of cleaning head 2 has good like this elasticity, can be buckled on the ball 16 down to recess 29, and not damage cleaning head 2.Like this, just on handle 1, form the assembling of a kind of cup-and-ball joint shape of cleaning head 2.Can form a possible angle of inclination or space angle in the scope of the ball 16 of handle 1 by the suitable geometry on downside 28 and corresponding surface 17, cleaning head 2 can be movable on handle 1 around this angle.This angle for example is approximately 20 °, but is preferably 16 °.

Figure 6 illustrates a kind of preferred construction pattern, wherein first element 3 has adapter 31 at its downside 30, so that be connected on the handle.Adapter 31 for example can be the recess 29 of a sphere, and this recess can be anchored on the ball 16 of handle end 10.As shown in Figure 6, the upside 33 of element 3 has a recess 34.But upside 33 also can be made tabular.

Second element 4 be by the flexible material 6 that is fixedly clamped, promptly for example a kind of micro-fibre fabric 60.Wherein, clamping is that the interaction at the edge 32 of edge 40 by second element 4 and first element 3 realizes.So just constituted bonding pad 5 and flexible material 6 has been clamped in therebetween.Wherein flexible material 6 above the downside 42 of second element 4, have one exceed the district 61.

For fear of the damage of flexible material 6, the edge 32 of first element 3 and the edge 40 of second element 4 have all carried out slight rounding.In another kind of structure of the present invention, the surface 41 of second element 4 is provided with foam pad 62, and this liner plays substrate and buffering to flexible material 6.Also available other elastomeric material.

For flexible material 6 or micro-fibre fabric 60 are installed on

element

3,4 or 20,21, disposed an assembly tool 7 as shown in Figure 7.

Wherein assembling is performed such: at first micro-fibre fabric 60 is put into assembly tool 7, then corresponding element is placed on the micro-fibre fabric 60.Then base is pressed in the lid of rotation.In order to make micro-fibre fabric 60 projection inwards, be provided with lug boss 70, like this, when compressing, micro-fibre fabric is just clamped facing to lid by base.

Except with the flexible material, an also available inserts is clamped on the element, and a kind of micro-fibre fabric or other similar material then are housed on the inserts.

The all features that only disclose in specification so far can for example be used with prior art division scope as illustrating importance of the present invention in program process.

Claims

1. by a handle and the dental hygiene article that the cleaning head that is arranged on the handle end is formed, wherein this cleaning head (2) has a kind of pliable and tough material of using as oral hygiene or tooth hygiene, this material removably is fixed on the cleaning head (2), it is characterized by, cleaning head (2) is by two elements (3,4) form, wherein second element (4) has an edge (40), and this edge exceeds first element (3) and flexible material (6) is clamped between these two elements.

2. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, two elements (3,4) of cleaning head (2) connect with a kind of clamping method of attachment, and pliable and tough material (6) is fixed on bonding pad (5).

3. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, cleaning head (2) is integrally manufactured with this handle, or an element of cleaning head (2) or cleaning head can disassemble or be fixed on replaceably on this handle from handle.

4. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by rounded or the oval or polygonal of cleaning head (2).

5. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, flexible material (6) can tie a knot that connections, bolt connect, riveted joint, chucking, bonding or sew on cleaning head (2), or fixes with clamping ring or turn or with burr is bonding.

6. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, cleaning head (2) is crown, and flexible material (6) is arranged in the inner chamber of this hat.

7. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, first element (3) of cleaning head (2) is made up of a plate, and that second element (4) also roughly is is tabular.

8. by the dental hygiene article of claim 1, it is characterized by, laid one deck elastic layer (62) in the below of this flexible material (6).

9. by the dental hygiene article of claim 8, it is characterized by, described elastic layer (62) is made with foamed material.

10. by the dental hygiene article of claim 2, it is characterized by, bonding pad (5) are dismountable.

11. the dental hygiene article by claim 1 is characterized by, it is upward also replaceable that cleaning head (2) is hinged on handle (1), and perhaps cleaning head (2) removably is fixed in the slip clamp stressed joint device.

12. the dental hygiene article by claim 1 is characterized by, flexible material (6) can be used as micro-fibre fabric, yarn fabric or band wool fabric and constitutes, and wherein flexible material (6) also can be flooded mouth cleaning solution.

13. by a handle and the dental hygiene article that the cleaning head that is arranged on the handle end is formed, wherein this cleaning head (2) has a kind of pliable and tough material of using as oral hygiene or tooth hygiene, this material removably is fixed on the cleaning head (2), it is characterized by, cleaning head (2) is made up of two identical clamping elements (20,21), this clamping element has the clamping device (23) of flexible material (6), and wherein clamping element (20,21) clamps flexible material (6) under fixing state.

14. be used for the oral cavity cleaning inner surface by each the dental hygiene article in the aforementioned claim.

15. be used to clean tongue by the flexible material (6) on each the dental hygiene article in the aforementioned claim.