Tooth-cleaning device

• US 20050172435A1
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SKG Italia SPA
• Original Assignee: SKG Italia SPA
• Inventors: Bernini, Michele, Ravasini, Tommaso
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/167.100
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 5/04 shaped as gloves or finger-stalls or other special holding ways, e.g. by the tongue
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/026 where the surface of the brush body or carrier is not in one plane, e.g. not flat A46B9/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/045 specially adapted for cleaning a plurality of tooth surfaces simultaneously

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of tooth cleaning. According to the present invention a tooth cleaning device is provided, adapted to be introduced into the mouth. The tooth cleaning device comprises engaging means allowing it to be displaced all around the mouth by means of the tongue, thus performing a cleaning process.

Claims

1. A tooth-cleaning device (1) comprising:

a main body (2) and a plurality of bristles (3) carried by said main body,

said tooth-cleaning device comprising engaging means (4, 7) adapted to be engaged by the human tongue and allowing said tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue;

with said main body being adapted to receive a dispersible substance which is naturally dispersed during use; and

said main body is impregnated with said dispersible substance.

2. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said dispersible substance is selected from a group consisting of a flavoring substance, a toothpaste, or a therapeutical substance.

3. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engaging means comprise a receiving portion (4, 7) adapted to receive at least a portion of the tongue, allowing said tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue.

4. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said receiving portion comprises a receiving aperture (4) adapted to receive at least the end portion of the tongue, allowing the tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue.

5. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said main body is a hollow body comprising an inner cavity (7) defining said receiving portion, with said inner cavity communicating with the exterior through said receiving aperture

6. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hollow body has an approximately hollow cylindrical shape, defining an approximately cylindrical receiving portion.

7. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said main body has an approximately hollow thimble shape defining a tapered receiving portion.

8. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said main body has an approximately spherical hollow shape defining an approximately spherical receiving portion.

9. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said main body defines a trough hole (4) corresponding to said receiving aperture.

10. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main body has an approximately ring or doughnut shape.

11. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main body has an approximately square shape.

12. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main body has an approximately polygonal shape with a predefined number of sides.

13. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main body has a cross sectional shape approximately circular.

14. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said main body has an approximately square cross sectional shape.

15. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said main body has an approximately polygonal cross sectional shape with a predefined number of sides.

16. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said main body comprises a cylindrical surface (5) facing said through hole.

17. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said main body has a cross-sectional contour defined by a linear portion and a curved portion joined to said linear portion.

18. A tooth-cleaning device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body (2) is deformable so that it can be shaped so as to form engaging means (4, 7) adapted to be engaged by the human tongue and allowing said tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue.

19. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 18, wherein said main body can be deformed so as to define a receiving portion (4, 7) adapted to receive at least a portion of the tongue, allowing said tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue.

20. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said main body can be deformed so as to define a receiving portion comprising a receiving aperture (4) adapted to receive at least the end portion of the tongue, allowing the tooth-cleaning device to be displaced within the mouth by means of the tongue.

21. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said main body comprises a flat strip adapted to be deformed so as to define said receiving portion.

22. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said flat strip can be deformed into a body of an approximately cylindrical shape, defining an approximately cylindrical receiving portion.

23. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 21, wherein said flat strip can be deformed into a body of an approximately thimble shape defining a taper receiving portion.

24. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said flat strip can be deformed into a body of an approximately spherical shape defining an approximately spherical receiving portion.

25. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said main body comprises an elongated body of an approximately barrel-like shape, adapted to be deformed so as to define a through hole (4).

26. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said elongated body can be deformed into an approximately ring-shaped or doughnut-shaped body.

27. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said elongated body can be deformed into an approximately square-shaped body.

28. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said elongated body can be deformed into an approximately polygonal shaped body with a predefined number of sides.

29. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said elongated body has a cross-sectional shape approximately circular.

30. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 27, wherein said elongated body has an approximately square cross-sectional shape.

31. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 28, wherein said elongated body has an approximately polygonal like cross-sectional shape with a predefined number of sides.

32. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 25, wherein said elongated body comprises a flat surface (5).

33. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 32, wherein said elongated body has a cross-sectional contour defined by a linear portion and a curved portion (5′

) joined to said linear portion.

34. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body comprises a contact area adapted to be contacted by the tongue, with said bristles being provided outside said contact area.

35. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body is formed by a resilient material and a string or cord is provided to be hand-held by the user, thus preventing accidental ingestion of the tooth-cleaning device.

36. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 35, wherein said resilient material is selected from a group consisting of gum, silicon, or resin.

37. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body is inert, non-toxic and impervious to saliva.

38. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body comprises adhesion improving means (8) adapted to improve the adhesion Of the tongue to the main body.

39. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 38, wherein said adhesion improving means comprise resilient protrusions extending from said main body.

40. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bristles comprise bristles of at least two different lengths.

41. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bristles comprise bristle tufts.

42. A tooth-cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body (2) and said bristles are at least partially embedded in a sweet or a drop (9) of a dispersible substance adapted to be dispersed by the human saliva.