WO2014203451A1 - Oral cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

This oral cleaning device (1) includes a water suctioning hose (30) having a pump connection end (31) and a liquid suctioning part (32). Through the water suctioning hose (30), a pressure pump (25) linked to the pump connection end (31) suctions a liquid held in a liquid tank (10). The liquid suctioned by the pressure pump (25) is discharged from a discharge nozzle (40) through a nozzle linking passage (28). The water suctioning hose (30) is flexible.

Description

Oral cleaning device

The present invention relates to an oral cleaning device for removing dirt in the oral cavity.

Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional oral cleaning device. FIG. 7 shows an oral cleaning device 500 of Patent Document 1. The oral cleaning device 500 is a handy type oral cleaning device that a user can hold with one hand. The oral cavity cleaning device 500 includes a main body housing 510, a liquid tank 520, a water absorption hose 530, a pressure pump 540, and a discharge nozzle 550.

The main body housing 510 accommodates a pressurizing pump 540. The water absorption hose 530 distributes the liquid in the liquid tank 520. The water absorption hose 530 extends in the longitudinal direction of the oral cavity cleaning device 500 and includes a pump connection end portion 531 and a liquid absorption portion 532.

The pump connection end 531 is connected to the pressurizing pump 540. The liquid absorption part 532 is immersed in the liquid in the liquid tank 520. The pressure pump 540 is connected to the discharge nozzle 550 and discharges the liquid sucked from the liquid tank 520 to the discharge nozzle 550.

The discharge nozzle 550 can discharge the liquid discharged from the pressure pump 540 to the outside.
As shown in FIG. 8, as an example, when the user cleans the lower jaw teeth, the user uses the oral cleaning device 500 with the discharge nozzle 550 directed downward. At this time, the liquid absorption part 532 exists above the pump connection end part 531. When the oral cleaning device 500 is used in a tilted state, the position of the liquid level in the liquid tank 520 changes.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-28881

When the oral cleaning device 500 is tilted to a position where the liquid absorption part 532 exists above the pump connection end 531, the liquid absorption part 532 may not be immersed in the liquid. When the liquid absorption part 532 is not immersed in the liquid, the pressure pump 540 is difficult to suck the liquid.

The present invention provides an oral cleaning device that reduces the occurrence of a situation in which it is difficult to suck liquid.

According to one aspect, an oral cleaning device for removing dirt in the oral cavity is provided. The oral cleaning device includes a liquid tank capable of storing a liquid, a first end provided as a pump connection end, and a second end provided as a liquid absorption part located on the opposite side of the first end. A flexible water absorption hose, a pressure pump connected to the pump connection end, and capable of sucking the liquid stored in the liquid tank via the water absorption hose, and the pressure pump And a discharge nozzle connected to the nozzle connection path and capable of discharging the liquid sucked by the pressure pump.

In this configuration, when the oral cleaning device is tilted so that the bottom wall of the liquid tank is positioned above the liquid absorption part, the flexible water absorption hose is bent by its own weight, and the liquid absorption part is positioned in the liquid tank. It changes with. Thereby, compared with the structure in which the position of the liquid absorption part does not change when the liquid tank is inclined, the possibility that the liquid absorption part exists in the liquid can be increased. For this reason, it is reduced that the situation which becomes difficult to attract | suck a liquid arises.

In one embodiment, it is preferable that the water absorption hose has a shape that deforms according to the inclination of the liquid tank so that the liquid absorption part is separated from or close to the bottom wall of the liquid tank.

In one form, it is preferable that the said mouth washing apparatus is further equipped with the weight balancer attached to the said liquid absorption part.
In one form, it is preferable that the said water absorption hose contains the hose main body of a spiral shape located between the said pump connection end part and the said liquid absorption part.

In one embodiment, the winding diameter of the spiral hose body increases from the pump connection end toward the liquid absorption part, or decreases from the pump connection end toward the liquid absorption part. It is preferable.

The oral cleaning device of the above aspect reduces the occurrence of a situation in which it is difficult to suck the liquid.

The fragmentary sectional view of the oral cavity cleaning device of a 1st embodiment. The fragmentary sectional view of the oral cavity cleaning apparatus in the middle of using the oral cavity cleaning apparatus of FIG. The front view of the water absorption hose and weight balancer of 2nd Embodiment. The front view of a water absorption hose and a weight balancer in the state where the water absorption hose bent. The front view of the water absorption hose of 3rd Embodiment. The front view of the water absorption hose of 4th Embodiment. Sectional drawing of the conventional oral cavity cleaning apparatus. Sectional drawing of the oral cavity cleaning apparatus in the middle of using the oral cavity cleaning apparatus of FIG.

(First embodiment)
With reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 is demonstrated. The oral cleaning device 1 is a handy type oral cleaning device that a user can hold with one hand. The oral cleaning device 1 includes a liquid tank 10, a supply unit 20, a water absorption hose 30, and a discharge nozzle 40. Hereinafter, the longitudinal direction of the oral cavity cleaning device 1 is referred to as a height direction X. A direction from the liquid tank 10 toward the discharge nozzle 40 is referred to as an upward direction XA. A direction from the discharge nozzle 40 toward the liquid tank 10 is referred to as a downward direction XB.

The liquid tank 10 can store the cleaning liquid 50. The cleaning liquid 50 includes a component that disinfects bacteria in the oral cavity. The liquid tank 10 has a tank housing 11 and a supply port 12.

The tank housing 11 has, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape having an elliptical cross section. The tank housing 11 is detachably attached to the supply unit housing 21 of the supply unit 20. The tank housing 11 has a bottom wall 11A. The bottom wall 11 </ b> A is located below the supply port 12 in the height direction X of the tank housing 11.

The supply port 12 is formed in the tank housing 11. The cleaning liquid 50 can be supplied into the tank housing 11 from the supply port 12.
The supply unit 20 supplies the cleaning liquid 50 to the discharge nozzle 40. The supply unit 20 includes a supply unit housing 21, a power supply 22, a power supply circuit 23, a drive circuit 24, a pressure pump 25, a switch 26, a tank connection path 27, and a nozzle connection path 28.

The supply unit housing 21 has, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape with an elliptical cross section. The supply housing 21 accommodates a power supply 22, a power supply circuit 23, a drive circuit 24, a pressure pump 25, a tank connection path 27, and a nozzle connection path 28.

The power supply 22 supplies power to the power supply circuit 23. The power supply circuit 23 is connected to the drive circuit 24. The power supply circuit 23 converts the power supplied from the power supply 22 into power for driving the pressure pump 25.

The drive circuit 24 is connected to the pressurizing pump 25. The drive circuit 24 drives the pressure pump 25 by supplying electric power to a motor (not shown) of the pressure pump 25. The pressure pump 25 discharges the cleaning liquid 50 to the discharge nozzle 40. As the pressurizing pump 25, a gear pump which is a positive displacement rotary pump is used.

The switch 26 is connected to the drive circuit 24 and switches the drive circuit 24 on and off. A part of the switch 26 is exposed from the supply housing 21.
The tank connection path 27 connects the water absorption hose 30 and the pressure pump 25. The nozzle connection path 28 connects the pressurizing pump 25 and the discharge nozzle 40.

Water absorption hose 30 has flexibility. The water absorption hose 30 is made of silicone rubber as an example. The water absorption hose 30 distributes the cleaning liquid 50. The water absorption hose 30 has a pump connection end portion 31, a liquid absorption portion 32, and a hose body 33.

The pump connection end 31 is connected to the tank connection path 27. The pump connection end 31 is continuous from the hose body 33 and extends in the height direction X.
The liquid absorption part 32 is formed at the end part of the water absorption hose 30 located on the opposite side to the pump connection end part 31. The liquid absorption part 32 continues from the hose body 33 and is immersed in the cleaning liquid 50 inside the liquid tank 10.

The hose body 33 has a spiral shape. The supply unit housing 21 has a first surface to which the discharge nozzle 40 is attached and a second surface to which the liquid tank 10 is attached and is located on the opposite side to the first surface. The discharge nozzle 40 discharges the cleaning liquid 50 discharged from the pressure pump 25 to the outside of the oral cavity cleaning device 1.

With reference to FIG. 2, an effect | action of the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 is demonstrated.
When the switch 26 is operated by the user to move to the on position, the drive circuit 24 is turned on.

The drive circuit 24 operates the pressurizing pump 25. The pressurizing pump 25 sucks the cleaning liquid 50 of the liquid tank 10 from the liquid absorbing part 32. The cleaning liquid 50 sucked from the liquid suction part 32 passes through the hose body 33, the pump connection end part 31, and the tank connection path 27 in this order.

The cleaning liquid 50 that has passed through the tank connection path 27 is taken into the pressurizing pump 25. The pressurizing pump 25 discharges the cleaning liquid 50 to the nozzle connection path 28. The cleaning liquid 50 discharged to the nozzle connection path 28 flows into the discharge nozzle 40. The cleaning liquid 50 that has flowed into the discharge nozzle 40 is sprayed into the oral cavity of the user 60.

The oral cavity cleaning device 1 may be used in an inclined state by being gripped by the user 60. For example, the user 60 uses the oral cleaning device 1 with the discharge nozzle 40 facing downward when cleaning the lower jaw teeth. At this time, the bottom wall 11 </ b> A of the liquid tank 10 is positioned above the liquid absorption part 32.

When the bottom wall 11A is positioned above the liquid absorption part 32, the water absorption hose 30 is bent by its own weight. For this reason, the position of the liquid absorption part 32 changes in the upward direction XA of the liquid tank 10. That is, the liquid absorption part 32 is separated from the bottom wall 11 </ b> A of the liquid tank 10.

The oral cavity cleaning device 1 has the following effects.
(1) The water absorption hose 30 of the oral cleaning device 1 has flexibility. When the oral cavity cleaning device 1 is tilted so that the bottom wall 11A of the liquid tank 10 is positioned above the liquid absorption part 32, the water absorption hose 30 is bent by its own weight. For this reason, the shape of the water absorption hose 30 changes and the liquid absorption part 32 is separated from the bottom wall 11 </ b> A of the liquid tank 10. Therefore, even if the position of the liquid level changes in the liquid tank 10 due to the inclination of the oral cavity cleaning device 1, the possibility that the liquid absorption part 32 exists in the cleaning liquid 50 increases. Thereby, the occurrence of a situation in which the cleaning liquid 50 is difficult to be sucked is reduced.

(2) Since the hose body 33 has a spiral shape, the absorption hose 30 is easily bent when the liquid tank 10 is tilted. For this reason, as compared with the configuration in which the water absorption hose 30 has a linear shape, the position of the liquid absorption part 32 is likely to change in the upward direction XA of the liquid tank 10 when the liquid tank 10 is inclined. Thereby, the occurrence of a situation in which the cleaning liquid 50 is difficult to be sucked is reduced.

(Second Embodiment)
Hereinafter, the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the configuration of the first embodiment. The oral cleaning device 1 of the second embodiment includes a water absorption hose 230 and a weight balancer 240 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 instead of the water absorption hose 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Note that in the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the second embodiment, the same components as those of the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and a part or all of the description thereof is omitted.

With reference to FIG. 3, the structure of the water absorption hose 230 and the weight balancer 240 is demonstrated.
The water absorption hose 230 has flexibility. The water absorption hose 230 is formed of ethylene propylene rubber as an example. The water absorption hose 230 distributes the cleaning liquid 50. The water absorption hose 230 includes a pump connection end 231, a liquid absorption part 232, and a hose body 233.

The pump connection end 231 is connected to the tank connection path 27. The pump connection end 231 is continuous from the hose body 233 and extends in the height direction X.
The liquid absorption part 232 is formed at the end of the water absorption hose 230 located on the opposite side of the pump connection end 231. The liquid absorption part 232 is continuous with the hose body 233.

The hose body 233 has a spiral shape. The hose body 233 includes a first spiral portion 233A, a second spiral portion 233B, a third spiral portion 233C, and a fourth spiral portion 233D.
The first spiral portion 233A is continuous with the pump connection end portion 231 and the second spiral portion 233B. The first spiral portion 233A has a first winding diameter RA.

The second spiral portion 233B is continuous with the third spiral portion 233C. The second spiral portion 233B has a second winding diameter RB that is larger than the first winding diameter RA.
The third spiral portion 233C is continuous with the fourth spiral portion 233D. The third spiral portion 233C has a third winding diameter RC that is larger than the second winding diameter RB.

The fourth spiral portion 233D is continuous with the liquid absorption portion 232. The fourth spiral portion 233D has a fourth winding diameter RD that is larger than the third winding diameter RC.
The weight balancer 240 has a cylindrical shape. As an example, the weight balancer 240 is formed of stainless steel having rust prevention properties. The weight balancer 240 has a larger weight than the water absorption hose 230. The weight balancer 240 includes a balancer main body 241 and a balancer liquid absorption part 242.

The balancer body 241 is attached to the liquid absorption part 232. The balancer liquid absorption part 242 is formed in the balancer body 241 and communicates the liquid absorption part 232 with the outside.
With reference to FIG. 4, the effect | action of the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 is demonstrated.

The water absorption hose 230 bends due to the weight of the water absorption hose 230 and the weight of the weight balancer 240 when the oral cleaning device 1 is tilted until the bottom wall 11A of the liquid tank is positioned above the liquid absorption part 32. For this reason, the position of the liquid absorption part 232 changes in the upward direction XA of the liquid tank 10. At this time, in the hose body 233, the third spiral portion 233C is accommodated inside the fourth spiral portion 233D, the second spiral portion 233B is accommodated inside the third spiral portion 233C, and the first spiral portion 233A is It is accommodated inside the second spiral portion 233B.

In addition to the effects (1) and (2), the oral cavity cleaning device 1 according to the second embodiment has the following effects.
(3) The water absorption hose 230 of the oral cavity cleaning device 1 bends due to its own weight and the weight of the weight balancer 240. For this reason, compared with the water absorption hose 30 which bends only with its own weight like FIG.1 and FIG.2, the amount of bending (deformation amount) of the water absorption hose 230 to the upward direction XA of the liquid tank 10 becomes large. That is, the amount of movement of the liquid absorption part 232 in the upward direction XA increases. For this reason, generation | occurrence | production of the situation which becomes difficult to attract | suck the washing | cleaning liquid 50 is reduced more.

(4) When the water absorption hose 230 is bent, the first to third spiral portions 233A, 233B, and 233C are accommodated inside the fourth spiral portion 233D. For this reason, compared with the water absorption hose 30 which has several helical parts with the same winding diameter like FIG. 1, the moving amount | distance of the liquid absorption part 232 to the upward direction XA can be increased.

(Third embodiment)
Hereinafter, the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the third embodiment will be described focusing on differences from the configuration of the first embodiment. The oral cleaning device 1 of the third embodiment has a water absorption hose 330 shown in FIG. 5 instead of the water absorption hose 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition, in the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 of 3rd Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 of 1st Embodiment, and the one part or all part of the description is abbreviate | omitted.

With reference to FIG. 5, the structure of the water absorption hose 330 is demonstrated.
The water absorption hose 330 has flexibility. As an example, the water absorption hose 330 is formed of an elastomer resin. The water absorption hose 330 distributes the cleaning liquid 50. The water absorption hose 330 includes a pump connection end 331, a liquid absorption part 332, and a hose body 333.

The pump connection end 331 is connected to the tank connection path 27. The pump connection end 331 is continuous from the hose body 333 and extends in the height direction X.
The liquid absorption part 332 is formed at the end of the water absorption hose 330 located on the opposite side of the pump connection end 331. The liquid absorption part 332 is continuous with the hose body 333.

The hose body 333 has a spiral shape. The hose body 333 includes a first spiral portion 333A, a second spiral portion 333B, and a third spiral portion 333C.
The first spiral portion 333A is continuous with the pump connection end portion 331 and the second spiral portion 333B. The second spiral portion 333B is continuous with the third spiral portion 333C. The second spiral portion 333B has a larger winding diameter than the first spiral portion 333A, and the third spiral portion 333C has a larger winding diameter than the second spiral portion 333B.

When the water absorption hose 330 is not substantially bent, the second spiral portion 333B and the first spiral portion 333A are separated by a distance LA between the first spiral portions. The first inter-spiral distance LA is determined between the winding start end of the first spiral 333A connected to the pump connection end 331 and the second spiral 333B connected to the winding end of the first spiral 333A. This corresponds to the distance from the winding start end.

The third spiral portion 333C and the second spiral portion 333B are separated by a distance LB between the second spiral portions. The distance LB between the second spiral portions is a distance between the winding start end portion of the second spiral portion 333B and the winding start end portion of the third spiral portion 333C connected to the winding end portion of the second spiral portion 333B. It corresponds to. The distance LB between the second spiral portions is longer than the distance LA between the first spiral portions. That is, the three spiral portions 333A, 333B, and 333C are connected at different distances between the spiral portions.

In addition to the effects (1), (2), and (4), the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the third embodiment has the following effects.
(5) The water absorption hose 330 has a winding diameter that increases in the order of the first spiral portion 333A, the second spiral portion 333B, and the third spiral portion 333C, and the second spiral portion distance LB is larger than the first spiral portion distance LA. Is also formed to be long. In this configuration, even if the spring constant of the water absorption hose 330 is reduced, the water absorption hose 330 can be easily extended and compressed. Therefore, when the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 is tilted until the bottom wall 11A of the liquid tank 10 is positioned above the liquid absorption part 32, the water absorption hose 330 can be easily bent by its own weight.

(Fourth embodiment)
Hereinafter, the oral cavity cleaning device 1 of the fourth embodiment will be described focusing on differences from the configuration of the first embodiment. The oral cleaning device 1 of the fourth embodiment has a water absorption hose 330 and a compression spring 440 shown in FIG. 6 instead of the water absorption hose 30 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition, in the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 of 4th Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the structure similar to the oral cavity cleaning apparatus 1 of 1st Embodiment, and the one part or all part of the description is abbreviate | omitted.

With reference to FIG. 6, the structure of the water absorption hose 430 and the compression spring 440 is demonstrated.
The water absorption hose 430 has flexibility. As an example, the water absorption hose 430 is made of polypropylene resin. The water absorption hose 430 has a structure for circulating the cleaning liquid 50. The water absorption hose 430 includes a pump connection end 431, a liquid absorption part 432, and a hose body 433.

The pump connection end 431 is connected to the tank connection path 27. The pump connection end 431 is continuous from the hose body 433 and extends in the height direction X.
The liquid absorption part 432 is formed at the end of the water absorption hose 430 located on the opposite side of the pump connection end 431. The liquid absorption part 432 is continuous with the hose body 433.

The hose body 433 has a spiral shape. The hose body 433 is formed in a spiral shape by inserting the compression spring 440 into the linear hose body 433. The hose body 433 includes a first spiral portion 433A, a second spiral portion 433B, and a third spiral portion 433C.

The first spiral portion 433A is continuous with the pump connection end portion 431 and the second spiral portion 433B. The first spiral portion 433A has a first winding diameter RA.
The second spiral portion 433B is continuous with the third spiral portion 433C. The second spiral portion 433B has a second winding diameter RB that is larger than the first winding diameter RA.

The third spiral portion 433C has a third winding diameter RC larger than the second winding diameter RB.
The compression spring 440 is inserted into the water absorption hose 430. The compression spring 440 is bent in a spiral shape at a portion inserted into the hose body 433.

The oral cavity cleaning device 1 according to the fourth embodiment has the effects (1), (2), and (4).
(Other embodiments)
The first to fourth embodiments may be modified as shown below. The following modifications can be combined with each other within a technically consistent range.

-The oral cavity washing | cleaning apparatus 1 of 1st, 3rd, and 4th embodiment may have the weight balancer 240 attached to the liquid absorption part.
-The water absorption hose 30 of 1st Embodiment is formed with the silicone rubber. The water absorption hose 230 of the second embodiment is made of ethylene propylene rubber. The water absorption hose 330 of the third embodiment is formed of an elastomer resin. The water absorption hose 430 of the fourth embodiment is made of polypropylene resin. However, the material of the water absorption hose is not limited to those exemplified in the first to fourth embodiments, and ethylene propylene rubber copolymerized with a small amount of diene monomer, polyethylene, polyurethane, natural rubber, or urethane resin. A flexible material such as

-As the pressurization pump 25 of 1st Embodiment, the gear pump which is a positive displacement rotary pump is used. However, the pressurizing pump 25 is not limited to a gear pump, and may be a positive displacement piston pump, a plunger pump, or a diaphragm pump.

· The weight balancer 240 of the second embodiment is made of stainless steel. However, the material of the weight balancer 240 is not limited to stainless steel, and may be a metal such as brass or a heavy resin.

In the water absorption hose 230 of the second embodiment, the winding diameter of the hose body 233 increases as it goes from the first spiral portion 233A to the fourth spiral portion 233D. Instead of this, the winding diameter of the hose body 233 may become smaller from the first spiral portion 233A toward the fourth spiral portion 233D.

Claims (5)

An oral cleaning device for removing dirt in the oral cavity,
A liquid tank capable of containing liquid;
A water absorption hose having flexibility, including a first end provided as a pump connection end, and a second end provided as a liquid absorption part on the opposite side of the first end;
A pressure pump coupled to the pump connection end and capable of sucking the liquid stored in the liquid tank via the water absorption hose;
A nozzle connection path connected to the pressure pump;
A discharge nozzle connected to the nozzle connection path and capable of discharging the liquid sucked by the pressure pump;
An oral cleaning device comprising: The water absorption hose has a shape that deforms according to the inclination of the liquid tank so that the liquid absorption part is separated from the bottom wall of the liquid tank or approaches the bottom wall.
The oral cavity cleaning device according to claim 1. The oral cavity cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising a weight balancer attached to the liquid absorption part. The water absorption hose includes a helical hose body located between the pump connection end and the liquid absorption part,
The oral cavity cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The winding diameter of the spiral hose main body increases from the pump connection end toward the liquid absorption part, or decreases from the pump connection end toward the liquid absorption part. 4. The oral cavity cleaning device according to 4.

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