TW201709878A - Dental cleaning tool including angled brush - Google Patents

Abstract

A dental cleaning tool has a handle defining a longitudinal axis of the tool and a floss holder having a base and two arms extending from the base in perpendicular relation to the longitudinal axis. At least one strand of floss extends between the two arms. An angled brush, which is attached to the floss holder, includes a rod and bristles disposed on the rod. The rod is oriented at an acute angle relative to one of the arms of the floss holder.

Description

Dental cleaning tool with angled brush

The field of the invention is essentially related to tooth cleaning tools and, more particularly, to a tooth cleaning tool comprising an angled brush.

A tooth cleaning tool is used to remove food debris and/or buildup from the surface of the tooth or the surface between the teeth. Accordingly, some known tooth cleaning tools include a brush for cleaning the surface of the tooth, and other known tooth cleaning tools include for removing or releasing food debris (or other debris) remaining between adjacent teeth. Floss or a sign. However, some known tooth cleaning tools can be difficult for a user to operate because the tooth cleaning tool must be at least partially inserted into the user's mouth. Users often have to clumsily hold dental cleaning tools to reach and clean the teeth in the back of the mouth. Therefore, some known tooth cleaning tools are difficult to use on or in the teeth located in the back of the mouth or near the back of the mouth. In addition, users often have to switch between different tools (eg, a brush, floss, and/or a sign) to identify the various advantages of each of these tools.

Some conventional tooth cleaning tools include a combination of floss, a signature, and/or a brush that often exacerbate the difficulty of using a tooth cleaning tool. For example, a user may have to hold and operate a tooth cleaning tool in a manner that is unsuitable for holding or having been inserted into one's mouth. In addition, flossing, signing or brushing can interfere with the use of other components of the tooth cleaning tool. For example, a floss, a tag or a brush can be attached, making it difficult for the user to position other portions of the tooth cleaning tool within the user's mouth. Therefore, some users can skip or invalidate parts of their teeth to Avoid discomfort.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved tooth cleaning tool that combines many cleaning components and is suitable for use in an easy and efficient manner.

In one aspect, a tooth cleaning tool typically includes a handle defining one of the longitudinal axes of the tool and a floss support frame having a base and two arms extending perpendicularly from the base relative to the longitudinal axis. At least one floss extends between the two arms. An angled brush is attached to the floss support and includes a rod and bristles disposed on the rod. The rod is oriented at an acute angle relative to one of the arms of the floss holder.

In another aspect, a tooth cleaning tool typically includes a handle defining one of the longitudinal axes of the tool and a floss support for holding a plurality of floss strands. An angled brush is attached to the floss support. The angled brush includes a rod and bristles extending from the rod. The rod is oriented at an acute angle relative to one of the portions of the floss holder. A toothpick has a tip and is spaced from the floss support such that the handle is placed between the toothpick and the floss support.

100‧‧‧Dental cleaning tools

102‧‧‧Hands

104‧‧‧Flossing support

106‧‧‧ toothpicks

108‧‧‧An angle brush

110‧‧‧ Back ridge

112‧‧‧ Holding part

114‧‧‧Floss end

116‧‧‧ End of sign

118‧‧‧ Length

120‧‧‧ vertical axis

122‧‧‧ front wall

124‧‧‧ Back wall

126‧‧‧First side wall

127‧‧‧Width

128‧‧‧second side wall

129‧‧‧ thickness

130‧‧‧Base

132‧‧‧ internal arm

134‧‧‧External arm

136‧‧‧Bend section

138‧‧‧ proximal part

140‧‧‧ distal part

142‧‧‧Flossing stock

144‧‧‧ rod

146‧‧‧ bristles

148‧‧‧ angle

150‧‧‧ distal

152‧‧‧ proximal end

154‧‧‧ length

156‧‧‧ side wall

158‧‧‧Brush group

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of one suitable embodiment of a tooth cleaning tool comprising an angled brush.

Figure 2 is a left side view of one of the tooth cleaning tools.

Figure 3 is a front view of one of the tooth cleaning tools.

Figure 4 is a rear view of one of the tooth cleaning tools.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of one of the tooth cleaning tools.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of one of the tooth cleaning tools.

1 through 6 illustrate a suitable embodiment of a tooth cleaning tool indicated generally at 100. As seen therein, the illustrated tooth cleaning tool 100 includes a handle 102, a floss support 104, a toothpick 106, and an angled brush 108. Handle 102, floss support frame 104, Each of the toothpick 106 and the angled brush 108 are generally indicated by their respective component symbols in the drawings. It will be appreciated that the dental cleaning tool 100 can include any combination of the floss support 104, the toothpick 106, and/or the angled brush 108, in some other suitable embodiments that do not depart from certain aspects of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, a spine 110 extends around the circumference of the tooth cleaning tool 100 to provide additional strength to the tooth cleaning tool and to facilitate gripping of the tooth cleaning tool by a user.

The handle 102 includes a grip portion 112, a floss end 114, and a signature end 116. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 102 has a length 118 that is measured along the longitudinal axis 120 of the tool 100 between the floss end 114 and the end 116 of the tool, which extends through the handle 102. In a suitable embodiment, the length 118 of the handle 102 can be any measurement that enables the tooth cleaning tool 100 to function as described herein. Suitably, the length 118 is in the range of between about 43 mm and about 52 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the length 118 of the handle 102 is approximately 48 millimeters.

In the illustrated embodiment, and as best seen in FIGS. 2 to 5, the handle 102 includes a front wall 122, an opposite rear wall 124, a first side wall 126, and one opposite the first side wall. Second side wall 128. As shown in FIG. 5, the side walls 126, 128 are vertically oriented to the front wall 122 and the rear wall 124 and connect the front wall 122 and the rear wall 124. A width 127 (Fig. 2) is measured between the front wall 122 and the rear wall 124, and a thickness 129 (Fig. 3) is measured between the two side walls 126, 128. Suitably, the width 127 of the handle 102 is in the range of between about 3.8 mm and about 5.8 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the width 127 is about 4.8 millimeters. Suitably, the thickness 129 of the handle 102 is in the range of between about 1.5 mm and about 2.8 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness 129 is about 1.9 mm.

The toothpick 106 (which defines a portion of the handle 102, and more specifically the handle end 116 of the handle) facilitates removal and/or release of debris (such as food debris) from between the user's teeth. It is contemplated that the toothpick 106 can have any suitable shape that facilitates removal of debris between adjacent teeth. In the illustrated embodiment, the end 116 of the handle 102 is pointed to define the toothpick 106. Specifically, the width of at least one of the sidewalls 126, 128 gradually increases toward the end 116 of the signature. Thinning into a tip. In the illustrated embodiment, only the lower sidewall 126 tapers toward the end 116 of the signature. The upper sidewall 128 is generally flat. However, it should be understood that both side walls 126, 128 can be tapered. It will be further appreciated that only the upper sidewall 128 may taper, and in this embodiment, the lower sidewall 126 is generally flat. Thus, front wall 122 and rear wall 124 meet at the end 116 of the tag.

In the illustrated embodiment, the toothpick 106 and the handle 102 are formed as a single piece. In other words, the toothpick 106 is one of the handles 102 that is integrally extended. However, it should be appreciated that the toothpick can be formed as a separate component and attached to the handle 102 during assembly of the tooth cleaning tool 100. It is also contemplated that in other suitable embodiments, the toothpick 106 can be removably attached to the tooth cleaning tool 100 without departing from certain aspects of the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment, the floss support 104 extends from the floss end 114 of the support frame. The floss support frame 104 includes an arcuate (or broadly non-linear) pedestal 130 and two arms 132, 134 extending from the pedestal spaced apart from each other. As seen in Figures 2 and 6, the inner arm 132 is substantially parallel to the outer arm 134. Thus, the floss support 104 in the illustrated embodiment is generally U-shaped. It should be appreciated that in other embodiments, the floss support frame 104 can have any suitable shape.

In the illustrated embodiment, the floss support 104 and the handle 102 are formed as a single piece. In other words, the floss support 104 is one of the handles 102 that is integrally extended. However, it should be appreciated that the floss support frame 104 can be formed as a separate component during assembly of the tooth cleaning tool 100 and attached to the handle 102.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, the tooth cleaning tool 100 includes a curved portion 136 that extends between the handle 102 and the floss support 104. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, a majority of the base 130 of the floss support 104 is revealed beneath the longitudinal axis 120 of the tool 100. The curved portion 136 facilitates the user holding the handle 102 and positioning the floss support 104 in the user's mouth. It will be appreciated that the floss support frame 104 can be oriented relative to the handle 102 in any manner to enable the floss support frame 104 to function as described herein. For example, in some appropriate In the embodiment, the curved portion 136 can be omitted. In such embodiments, the base 130 of the floss support 104 will be aligned with the longitudinal axis 120 of the tool 100.

Each of the arms 132, 134 (which are cantilevers) includes a proximal portion 138 and a distal portion 140. The proximal portions 138, 140 are coupled to the base 130 and the distal portion 140 is spaced from the base 130. At least one floss strand 142 extends between the distal ends 140 of the two arms 132, 134. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, both of the floss strands 142 extend between the two arms 132, 134. Suitably, the floss strands 142 are substantially parallel to each other. It should be appreciated that the floss support 104 can have any suitable configuration without departing from certain aspects of the present invention. For example, the floss 142 can be removable from the arms 132, 134 such that the user can remove and/or replace the floss.

In a suitable embodiment, the angled brush 108 extends from the floss support 104 (at an angle). Suitably, the angled brush 108 extends from one of the arms 132, 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the angled brush 108 extends from the outermost arm 134 (ie, the arm that is furthest from the handle 102). However, it should be understood that in other suitable embodiments, the angled brush 108 can extend from any portion of the tooth cleaning tool 100 without departing from certain aspects of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 6, the angled brush includes a rod 144 and a plurality of bristles 146 extending from the rod 144. The rod 144 is angled relative to the longitudinal axis 120 and its attached arm 134 such that the rod 144 forms an angle 148 with the outermost arm. More generally, the angled brush 108 extends from the floss support 104. More specifically, the angled brush 108 extends from the outermost arm 134 of the brush support and faces the base 130 of the floss support 104 at an upward angle. In the illustrated embodiment, the angled brush 108 extends beyond the lateral extent of the floss support frame 104. That is, the angled brush 108 extends laterally beyond the longitudinal axis 120 by a greater distance than the base 130 of the floss support frame 104.

In the illustrated embodiment, the angle 148 is an acute angle. As used herein, acute angle means an angle greater than 0° and less than 90°. In a suitable embodiment, the angle 148 is between about 20° and about 50°. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the angle 148 is approximately 35 degrees. It should be appreciated that the angle 148 can be any angle that enables the angled brush 108 to operate as described herein. should It is understood that the rod 144 can be angled relative to any portion of the tooth cleaning tool 100 without departing from certain aspects of the present invention.

The angled brush 108 can extend from any portion of the outermost arm 134. In the illustrated embodiment, the angled brush 108 extends from a point in the outer arm 134. In a suitable embodiment, the angled brush 108 is oriented in any manner and can extend in any direction without departing from certain aspects of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 2, the angled brush 108 extends in the longitudinal direction and in a direction transverse to one of the longitudinal axes 120 of the tool 100. In particular, the angled brush 108 extends longitudinally outwardly from the outer arm 134 and extends laterally toward the proximal portion 138. In a suitable embodiment, the angled brush 108 can be oriented such that the angled brush extends from the proximal portion 138 toward the distal portion 140.

Due at least in part to the angle 148 and the orientation of the angled brush 108, a user can comfortably use the angled brush 108 to clean their teeth. In particular, the user can comfortably hold the handle 102 and position the various surfaces of the teeth with an angled brush 108 without having to awkwardly position their hand relative to their mouth or awkwardly position the tool 100 within their mouth. In addition, the angled brush 108 enables the tooth cleaning tool 100 to reach a difficult location in the mouth of a user (ie, the back of the user's mouth). In addition, the tooth cleaning tool 100 is configured such that the angled brush 108 can be positioned in a variety of positions without being obstructed by the floss support frame 104 and vice versa.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the stem 144 has a distal end 150 and a proximal end 152. A length 154 is measured between the distal end 150 and the proximal end 152. Suitably, the length 154 is between about 14 mm and about 22 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the length 154 is approximately 18 millimeters. Suitably, the stem 144 has a sidewall 156 that extends between the proximal end 152 and the distal end 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall 156 is substantially cylindrical having a smaller diameter near one of the distal ends 150 and a larger diameter near one of the proximal ends 152. In other words, the sidewall 156 tapers as it extends from the distal end 150 to the proximal end 152. The smaller diameter facilitates the distal end 150 being positioned in a compact space for cleaning. Additionally, the rod 144 has a curved transition near one of the proximal ends 152. Larger diameter and The curved transition near the proximal end 152 prevents the rod 144 from breaking near the attachment to the arm 134. It will be appreciated that the rod 144 can have any suitable shape and size without departing from certain aspects of the invention.

The bristles 146 extend from the side walls 156 for cleaning the teeth of the user. The bristles 146 can be configured in any suitable manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the bristles 146 are disposed in a plurality of bristle groups 158 that are spaced apart along the length of the rod 144 and annularly spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical sidewall 156. In other suitable embodiments, the bristles 146 may be continuous along the length and/or circumference of the rod 144 rather than being disposed in the spaced bristles group 158. Moreover, in a suitable embodiment, the bristles 146 can extend from only a portion of the rod 144, for example, along only one side of the rod 144 or only at the distal end 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the bristle groups 158 are disposed in four rows extending along the length 154 of the rod 144 that are annularly spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical sidewall 156. It should be appreciated that the bristles 1446 can be grouped in any suitable manner or can be randomly disposed on the sidewall 156.

In a suitable embodiment, the tooth cleaning tool 100 can be formed in any suitable manner and formed from any suitable material. For example, the tooth cleaning tool 100 can be formed from metal, wood, plastic, and/or combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the tooth cleaning tool 100 is molded or otherwise formed from a single piece of resilient synthetic material such as, but not limited to, plastic or metal. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 102, the floss support 104, the toothpick 106, and the angled brush 108 are integrally formed. More specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the entire tool 100 (other than the floss 142) is molded into a single piece made of acceptable food grade plastic. In other embodiments, any of handle 102, floss support 104, toothpick 106, and angled brush 108 can be separately formed and attached to tooth cleaning tool 100 during assembly.

The tooth cleaning tool described herein includes an angled brush that extends from the tooth cleaning tool and is oriented at an acute angle relative to one of the other portions of the tooth cleaning tool. Thus, the tooth cleaning tool expansion user described herein can comfortably reach and effectively clean a portion of one of the mouths using a tooth cleaning tool. In addition, the angled brush is increased by the tooth cleaning tool He partially obstructed the range of possible locations.

When introducing elements of the present invention or its preferred embodiments, the articles "a", "an", and "the", "said" are meant to mean one or more of the elements. By. The terms "including", "comprising" and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than those listed.

Since various changes can be made in the above-described configurations without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended to be

The written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode of the invention, and is to be understood by those skilled in the art. The patent protection scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the patent application, and may include other examples of those skilled in the art. These other examples are intended to be patented if they have structural elements that are not different from the language of the patent application, or if they contain equivalent structural elements that are insubstantially different from the language of the application. Within the scope of the scope.

100‧‧‧Dental cleaning tools

102‧‧‧Hands

104‧‧‧Flossing support

106‧‧‧ toothpicks

108‧‧‧An angle brush

110‧‧‧ Back ridge

112‧‧‧ Holding part

114‧‧‧Floss end

116‧‧‧ End of sign

118‧‧‧ Length

122‧‧‧ front wall

124‧‧‧ Back wall

126‧‧‧First side wall

132‧‧‧ internal arm

134‧‧‧External arm

136‧‧‧Bend section

138‧‧‧ proximal part

140‧‧‧ distal part

142‧‧‧Flossing stock

144‧‧‧ rod

146‧‧‧ bristles

150‧‧‧ distal

152‧‧‧ proximal end

156‧‧‧ side wall

158‧‧‧Brush group

Claims (20)

A tooth cleaning tool comprising: a handle defining a longitudinal axis of the tool; a floss support having a base and two arms extending perpendicularly from the base relative to the longitudinal axis; at least one a floss extending between the two arms; and an angled brush attached to the floss support, the angled brush comprising a rod and a bristles disposed on the rod, the rod Oriented at an acute angle relative to one of the floss holders. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the rod forms an angle with the floss holder of between about 20° and about 50°. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein the rod forms an angle of about 35 with the floss holder. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein the arm includes a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the angled brush extending in a longitudinal direction outward from the arm and extending in a lateral direction toward one of the proximal end portions . The tooth cleaning tool of claim 2, wherein the rod has a length and a circumference, the bristles being disposed in a plurality of bristles grouping along the length of the rod and annularly spaced around the circumference of the rod . A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 2, further comprising a toothpick extending from one end of the handle opposite the floss holder. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 6 wherein the toothpick is formed by the end of the handle such that the toothpick is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 7, wherein the floss support further comprises a base extending from the base such that the floss support frame is U-shaped, the base system It is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. A tooth cleaning tool of claim 1 wherein two floss strands extend between the two arms, the floss strands being substantially parallel. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 6, wherein the floss support, the handle, and the toothpick are formed as a single piece. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 10, wherein the angled brush together with the floss holder, the handle and the toothpick are formed as a single piece. A tooth cleaning tool comprising: a handle defining one longitudinal axis of the tool; a floss support for holding a plurality of floss strands; and an angled brush attached to the floss support The angled brush includes a rod and a bristles extending from the rod, the rod being oriented at an angle of less than 90° with respect to one of the floss holders; and a toothpick having a tip end, the toothpick being attached to the tooth The wire supports are spaced apart such that the handle is placed between the toothpick and the floss support. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 12, wherein the rod forms an angle with the floss holder of between about 20° and about 50°. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 13 wherein the rod forms an angle of about 35 with the floss holder. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 12, wherein the dental floss support comprises at least one arm extending from the arm. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 15 wherein the arm has a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the angled brush extending at least partially toward one of the proximal end portions. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 12, wherein the floss support extends from an end of the handle and the toothpick extends from an opposite end of the handle. A tooth cleaning tool according to claim 17, wherein a curved portion extends between the handle and the floss holder. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 12, wherein the handle, the angled brush, the floss support, and the toothpick are formed as a single piece. The tooth cleaning tool of claim 12, wherein the angled brush has a length between 14 mm and 22 mm.