Oral care device

• US 20050271531A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Original Assignee: Gillette Company (The Procter & Gamble Company)
• Inventors: Ortins, Marc Philip, Meadows, Marks S., Farrell, Mark E., Brown, William R. Jr., Christman, Thomas A., Chenvainu, Alexander T., Claire-Zimmet, Karen
• Application Number:
  US10/861,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20050271531A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 417/474
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0061 Air and water supply systems; Valves specially adapted therefor A61C1/052 takes precedence; rinsing or air-blowing devices A61C17/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0084 Supply units, e.g. reservoir arrangements, specially adapted pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0092 Pumps specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0205 Container filling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/224 Electrical recharging arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/227 with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/36 with rinsing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/082 the tubular flexible member being pressed against a wall by a number of elements, each having an alternating movement in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the tubular member and each having its own driving mechanism

Abstract

Oral care devices are provided that include a pumping assembly for dispensing a fluid, e.g., a dentifrice, from the oral care device.

Claims

1. An oral care device comprising:

an elongated housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing, the fluid conduit having a compressible region disposed in the housing;

wherein the compressible region of the fluid conduit defines a path that is not semicircular; and

a motorized pumping assembly configured to compress the fluid conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to draw fluid into the compressible region and to transfer fluid out of the compressible region along the fluid passageway toward an outlet at the distal portion of the housing.

2. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the pumping assembly is configured to compress the conduit progressively with a series of multiple discrete compression events.

3. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the conduit has a substantially constant compressed volume (V_c) in the compressible region while the conduit is compressed in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of its length.

4. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the pumping assembly further comprises a rotatable shaft that includes a raised spiral.

5. The oral care device of claim 4, wherein the spiral is continuous.

6. The oral care device of claim 4, wherein the spiral comprises a discontinuous arrangement of protrusions extending outwardly from a surface of the rotatable shaft.

7. The oral care device of claim 4, wherein the spiral is configured to compress the conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the conduit as the shaft rotates.

8. The oral care device of claim 4, wherein the pumping assembly further comprises a compression element positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the compression element is displaced by the shaft to compress the conduit in the compressible region when the shaft is rotated.

9. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is capable of being displaced by the shaft when the shaft is rotated to multiple angular positions.

10. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is displaced in a direction substantially transverse to the fluid path.

11. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is displaced linearly when the shaft is at a selected angular position.

12. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is displaced in a rotational motion.

13. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is displaced in a bending motion.

14. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element is displaced by buckling the compression element.

15. The oral care device of claim 8 comprising multiple compression elements positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the compression elements are capable of being displaced by the shaft when the shaft is rotated.

16. The oral care device of claim 15, wherein the compression elements are arranged in a linear array.

17. The oral care device of claim 15, wherein the compression elements are arranged in multiple linear arrays.

18. The oral care device of claim 15, wherein the compression elements are displaced sequentially by the spiral of the shaft to compress the conduit in the compressible region to transfer fluid along the fluid path.

19. The oral care device of claim 15, wherein the compression elements are arranged to compress the conduit in a series of compression events applied sequentially along the length of the conduit.

20. The oral care device of claim 15 comprising a flexible membrane positioned between the rotatable shaft and the conduit, the compression elements being integral with the flexible membrane.

21. The oral care device of claim 20, wherein the compression elements extend outwardly from the flexible membrane.

22. The oral care device of claim 15 comprising a flexible membrane positioned between the compression elements and the conduit.

23. The oral care device of claim 8, wherein the compression element includes a secured end that is connected to a support member and a free end forming a finger, the free end being positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the free end is capable of being displaced by the shaft when the shaft is rotated to a selected angular position.

24. The oral care device of claim 23 comprising multiple compression elements, each including a secured end connected to a support member and a free end to form an array of fingers, the free ends being positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the free ends are capable of being displaced by the shaft when the shaft is rotated.

25. The oral care device of claim 24, wherein the secured ends of the array of fingers are interconnected.

26. The oral care device of claim 23, wherein a flexible membrane is positioned between the free end of the finger and the conduit.

27. The oral care device of claim 8 wherein the compression element has a pair of ends that are secured to a support member, the compression element being configured to buckle between the secured ends when the shaft is rotated to compress the conduit in the compressible region.

28. The oral care device of claim 4, wherein the pumping assembly comprises an electric motor configured to rotate the rotatable shaft.

29. The oral care device of claim 28, wherein the electric motor rotates the rotatable shaft at a selected rate or frequency in response to a signal from a controller located within the housing.

30. The oral care device of claim 29, wherein the controller is configured to rotate the rotatable shaft at differing selected rates or frequencies.

31. The oral care device of claim 30, wherein the controller is programmed to increase or decrease the rate or frequency at which the motor rotates the rotatable shaft.

32. The oral care device of claim 30, wherein the controller increases or decreases the rate or frequency the motor rotates the rotatable shaft in response to input from a user.

33. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the long axis of the fluid conduit is substantially parallel to or coaxial with the long axis of the housing.

34. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a tube.

35. The oral care device of claim 1 further comprising a fluid reservoir located within the housing that is capable of communication with the fluid path.

36. The oral care device of claim 35, wherein the pumping assembly is located downstream of the fluid reservoir.

37. The oral care device of claim 1 comprising multiple fluid conduits disposed within the housing, each fluid conduit defining a fluid passageway.

38. The oral care device of claim 37, wherein the fluid conduits each have a compressible region.

39. The oral care device of claim 38, wherein the pumping assembly is configured to compress each of the fluid conduits in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of their lengths to transfer fluid along an associated fluid path toward an outlet at the distal portion of the housing.

40. The oral care device of claim 37, wherein the multiple fluid passageways converge within the housing to combine fluid upstream of the outlet.

41. The oral care device of claim 37 comprising multiple fluid outlets, each fluid outlet fluidly connected to an associated fluid conduit.

42. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the head is movable with respect to the housing.

43. The oral care device of claim 42, wherein the head includes a movable portion that is movable with respect to the housing and a fixed portion.

44. The oral care device of claim 43, wherein at least one of the movable portion and the fixed portion includes an array of bristles extending outwardly from a base.

45. The oral care device of claim 43, wherein the outlet is positioned in the fixed portion.

46. The oral care device of claim 43, wherein the outlet is positioned in the movable portion.

47. The oral care device of claim 43, wherein the outlet is positioned between the movable and static portions.

48. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a brush.

49. The oral care device of claim 1 or 48, wherein the head comprises an elastomeric cup.

50. The oral care device of claim 49, wherein the elastomeric cup extends outwardly from a base and around at least a portion of the fluid outlet.

51. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a pick.

52. The oral care device of claim 1 in the form of a dispensing toothbrush.

53. The oral care device of claim 1 comprising a replaceable cartridge component.

54. The oral care device of claim 53, wherein the replaceable cartridge component includes at least a portion of the fluid conduit.

55. The oral care device of claim 1 or 53 comprising a separable body component.

56. The oral care device of claim 55, wherein the separable body component includes the motorized pumping assembly.

57. The oral care device of claim 1 or 53 having a replaceable head component.

58. The oral care device of claim 57, wherein the head component includes the head, neck and fluid outlet.

59. The oral care device of claim 1 comprising an inlet fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, the inlet configured to fluidly connect with a docking station to allow fluid to be introduced through the inlet.

60. The oral care device of claim 1, wherein all of the fluid passageway is replaceable.

61. The oral care device of claim 60 comprising an inlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

62. The oral care device of claim 61, wherein the inlet comprises a valve.

63. The oral care device of claim 60 comprising first and second components, each component forming at least a portion of the housing and including a portion of the fluid passageway.

64. The oral care device of claim 63, wherein respective fluid passageways of the first and second components are fluidly connected by a valve.

65. The oral care device of claim 64, wherein one of the first and second components is a replaceable cartridge component and the other of the first and second components is a replaceable head and neck component.

66. An oral care device comprising:

a housing including a fluid passageway for directing fluid within the housing and, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth; and

a reversible pumping assembly configured to transfer fluid along the passageway.

67. The oral care device of claim 66 comprising a fluid conduit defining the fluid passageway.

68. The oral care device of claim 67 wherein the pumping assembly is configured to compress the fluid conduit in a compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to draw fluid into the compressible region and to transfer fluid out of the compressible region along the fluid passageway toward an outlet at the distal portion of the housing.

69. The oral care device of claim 68, wherein the pumping assembly further comprises a rotatable shaft that includes a raised spiral.

70. The oral care device of claim 69, wherein the spiral is configured to compress the conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the conduit as the shaft rotates.

71. The oral care device of claim 69, wherein the pumping assembly further comprises a compression element positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the compression element is displaced by the shaft to compress the conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit as the shaft rotates.

72. The oral care device of claim 71 comprising multiple compression elements positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the compression elements are capable of being displaced by the shaft as the shaft rotates.

73. The oral care device of claim 72, wherein the compression elements are displaced sequentially by the spiral of the shaft to compress the conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to transfer fluid along the fluid path.

74. The oral care device of claim 68, wherein the pumping assembly is configured to compress the conduit progressively with a series of multiple compression events.

75. The oral care device of claim 68, wherein the reversible pumping assembly is configured to transfer fluid along the fluid passageway in a direction away from the outlet at the distal portion of the housing.

76. The oral care device of claim 66, wherein the reversible pumping assembly includes an electric motor.

77. The oral care device of claim 76 wherein the electric motor rotates a rotatable shaft in either a first direction or in an opposite second direction in response to a signal from a controller located within the housing.

78. The oral care device of claim 66 further comprising a fluid reservoir within the housing and fluidly connected to the fluid passageway.

79. The oral care device of claim 78, wherein the reversible pumping assembly is configured to introduce fluid into the fluid reservoir.

80. The oral care device of claim 79, wherein the reversible pumping assembly is configured to introduce fluid from the fluid passageway into the fluid reservoir while running in reverse.

81. An oral care device comprising:

a housing including a head, a handle and a neck connecting the head and the handle, the head being dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth; and

an energy source for powering the oral care device;

wherein the housing comprises a separable cartridge component that includes a fluid reservoir and the energy source.

82. The oral care device of claim 81, wherein the energy source comprises a battery.

83. The oral care device of claim 82, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

84. The oral care device of claim 82, wherein the battery is disposable.

85. The oral care device of claim 81, wherein the energy source is electrically connected to a motor configured to drive a pump assembly.

86. The oral care device of claim 85, wherein the pump assembly is configured to transfer fluid along a fluid passageway toward an outlet located at the head at the distal end of the housing.

87. The oral care device of claim 85, wherein the pump assembly is configured to compress a fluid conduit in a compressible region progressively along at least a portion of its length to transfer fluid along a fluid passageway.

88. The oral care device of claim 85, wherein the pump assembly comprises a rotatable shaft that includes a raised spiral.

89. The oral care device of claim 88, wherein the pump assembly comprises a fluid conduit having a compressible region and defining at least a portion of the fluid passageway, and the pumping assembly comprising a compression element positioned between the shaft and the conduit such that the compression element is displaced by the shaft to compress the conduit in the compressible region as the shaft rotates.

90. The oral care device of claim 89 comprising multiple compression elements positioned between the shaft and the fluid conduit such that the compressible elements are sequentially displaced by the shaft as the shaft rotates to progressively compress the fluid conduit in the compressible region.

91. An oral care device comprising:

a housing having a movable head configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, a handle and a neck connecting the head and the handle, the housing defining a housing axis extending between the handle and the head that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation;

a fluid passageway located within the neck of the housing and extending to an outlet at the head; and

a drive member connected to the head at a location spaced from the housing axis, the drive member being configured to rotate the movable head about the axis of rotation.

92. The oral care device of claim 91, wherein at least a portion of the fluid passageway extends substantially parallel to the axis of rotation.

93. The oral care device of claim 91, wherein at least a portion of the fluid passageway co-extends with the axis of rotation.

94. The oral care device of claim 91, wherein the outlet and the axis of rotation are spaced-apart from each other.

95. The oral care device of claim 91 comprising a drive assembly configured to move the drive member.

96. The oral care device of claim 95, wherein the drive assembly includes an electric motor.

97. The oral care device of claim 95, wherein the drive assembly includes a cam comprising a track and a follower connected to the track, and the drive member.

98. The oral care device of claim 97, wherein the track extends outwardly from an outer surface of a shaft.

99. The oral care device of claim 97, wherein the track is defined by an internal surface of a cup.

100. The oral care device of claim 91, wherein the head includes a static portion and a movable portion.

101. The oral care device of claim 100, wherein the head includes an array of bristles extending from a base at the static portion.

102. The oral care device of claim 100, wherein the head includes an array of bristles extending from a base at the movable portion.

103. The oral care device of claim 100, wherein the outlet is located at the movable portion.

104. The oral care device of claim 100, wherein the outlet is located at the static portion.

105. The oral care device of claim 100, wherein the outlet is located between the movable and static portions.

106. The oral care device of claim 91 comprising multiple fluid outlets located at the head.

107. The oral care device of claim 91, wherein the drive member is connected to the head at a location spaced a distance (d) between about 0.05 and about 0.2 inch from the housing axis.

108. The oral care device of claim 107, wherein d is between about 0.075 and 0.150 inch.

109. The oral care device of claim 107, wherein d is about 0.125 inch.

110. A method of providing oral care using an oral care device, the method comprising:

reducing an uncompressed volume (V₀) of a fluid conduit positioned within the oral care device by compressing the fluid conduit to a compressed volume (V_c) within a compressible region defining a path that is not semicircular;

wherein the compressed volume (V_c) remains substantially constant as the fluid conduit is compressed progressively along a length (L) to transfer fluid along a fluid passageway within the oral care device.

111. The method of claim 110, wherein the fluid conduit is compressed progressively along L by a series of discrete compression events.

112. The method of claim 110, wherein the reducing step includes displacing a compression element.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the compression element is displaced by a shaft having a raised spiral.

114. The method of claim 113 further comprising rotating the shaft.

115. The method of claim 114, wherein the shaft is rotated by an electric motor.

116. A method of providing oral care using an oral care device, the method comprising:

with a series of successive, side-by-side compression events, compressing a fluid conduit progressively in a compressible region along at least a portion of a length of the fluid conduit to draw fluid into the compressible region and to transfer fluid out of the compressible region along a fluid passageway and toward a fluid outlet at a head of the oral care device.

117. An oral care device comprising:

a housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing;

a pouch disposed within the housing, the pouch comprising a pouch body including two sidewalls defining a volume therebetween, the sidewalls being joined along at least one longitudinal side edge by a seam; and

a fitment providing communication between the pouch body and the fluid conduit.

118. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile co-monomer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, fluoropolymers, polyethylene terephthalate or a combination thereof.

119. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

120. The oral care device of claim 119, wherein the fitment comprises acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

121. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the pouch body has a shoulder configured to be collapsed substantially flat.

122. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the fitment is attached to the sidewalls at an edge of the pouch body.

123. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the fitment is attached at a face of the pouch body, the fitment extending through an opening defined by the associated sidewall.

124. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls comprise a laminate structure including an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer comprises a material having a flexural modulus of at most about 500,000 psi.

125. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls comprise a film between about 25 and 100 microns thick.

126. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls are joined along two, opposite longitudinal side edges by respective seams.

127. The oral care device of claim 117, wherein the sidewalls are joined at a longitudinal side edge by a fold.

128. An oral care device comprising:

a housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing;

a pouch disposed within the housing, the pouch comprising a pouch body including two sidewalls defining a volume therebetween; and

a fitment providing communication between the pouch body and the fluid conduit;

wherein the fitment has a height to width aspect ratio of less than one, the height and width being measured along minor and major axes, respectively, at an end of the fitment disposed between the sidewalls.

129. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the height to width aspect ratio is at most about 0.65.

130. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls are joined along at least one edge by a seam.

131. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls are joined along two, opposite longitudinal side edges by respective seams.

132. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls are joined along at least one side edge by a fold.

133. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile co-monomer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, fluoropolymers, polyethylene terephthalate or a combination thereof.

134. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

135. The oral care device of claim 134, wherein the fitment comprises acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

136. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the pouch body has a shoulder configured to be collapsed substantially flat.

137. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the fitment is attached to the sidewalls at an edge of the pouch body.

138. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the fitment is attached at a face of the pouch body, the fitment extending through an opening defined by the associated sidewall.

139. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls comprise a laminate structure including an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer comprising a material having a flexural modulus of at most about 500,000 psi.

140. The oral care device of claim 128, wherein the sidewalls comprise a film between about 25 and 100 microns thick.

141. An oral care device comprising:

a housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing;

a pouch disposed within the housing, the pouch comprising a pouch body including two sidewalls defining a volume therebetween; and

a fitment providing communication between the pouch body and the fluid conduit;

wherein the volume increases from an original, unfilled volume as the pouch is filled with content.

142. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the volume decreases as the pouch is emptied.

143. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein, when substantially emptied, the volume is substantially equivalent to the original, unfilled volume.

144. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the fitment has a height to width aspect ratio of less than one, the height and width being measured along minor and major axes, respectively, at an end of the fitment disposed between the sidewalls.

145. The oral care device of claim 144, wherein the height to width aspect ratio is at most about 0.65.

146. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls are joined along at least one edge by a seam.

147. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls are joined along two opposite longitudinal side edges by respective seams.

148. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls are joined along at least one side edge by a fold.

149. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile co-monomer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, fluoropolymers, polyethylene terephthalate or a combination thereof.

150. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls comprise acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

151. The oral care device of claim 150, wherein the fitment comprises acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer.

152. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the pouch body has a shoulder configured to be collapsed substantially flat.

153. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the fitment is attached to the sidewalls at an edge of the pouch body.

154. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the fitment is attached at a face of the pouch body, the fitment extending through an opening defined by the associated sidewall.

155. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls comprise a laminate structure including an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer comprising a material having a flexural modulus of at most about 500,000 psi.

156. The oral care device of claim 141, wherein the sidewalls comprise a film between about 25 and 100 microns thick.

157. An oral care device comprising:

an elongated housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing, the fluid conduit having a compressible region disposed in the housing; and

a motorized pumping assembly configured to compress the fluid conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to draw fluid into the compressible region and to transfer fluid out of the compressible region along the fluid passageway toward an outlet at the distal portion of the housing;

wherein the pumping assembly is configured to compress the conduit progressively with a series of multiple discrete compression events.

158. An oral care device comprising:

an elongated housing including, at a distal portion of the housing, a head dimensioned to fit within a user'"'"'s mouth;

a fluid conduit defining at least a portion of a fluid passageway in the housing, the fluid conduit having a compressible region disposed in the housing; and

a motorized pumping assembly configured to compress the fluid conduit in the compressible region progressively along at least a portion of the length of the fluid conduit to draw fluid into the compressible region and to transfer fluid out of the compressible region along the fluid passageway toward an outlet at the distal portion of the housing, the motorized pumping assembly including a drive shaft that is disposed substantially parallel to a plane defined by the compressible region.