Cleaning Apparatus For Use With Dentures And Other Dental Appliances

• US 20120031445A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Darrell Prevail
• Original Assignee: Darrell Prevail
• Inventors: Prevail, Darrell
• Application Number:
  US12/852,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20120031445A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/57.R
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/036 Cleaning devices for dental prostheses removed from the oral cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/002 Cleaning devices specially adapted for dental instruments disinfecting A61L2/00; cleaning in general B08B

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus for use with dentures and other dental appliances includes a housing having a tablet storage area and a tank positionable in and removable from the housing, the tank being sized to respectively receive the dentures and other dental appliances. The cleaning apparatus includes a dispenser to move a tablet from the tablet storage area to the tank. A stirring assembly includes a first portion in the housing and a second portion in the tank. The first portion includes a first magnet, the second portion includes a grate, a rotor, and a second magnet fixed to the rotor and complementary to the first magnet. Rotation of the first magnet about an axis of rotation causes the second magnet to rotate about the axis of rotation when the tank is positioned in the housing.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus for use with dentures and other dental appliances, the cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing having a tablet storage area;

a tank positionable in and removable from said housing, said tank being sized to respectively receive said dentures and other dental appliances;

a dispenser to move a tablet from said tablet storage area to said tank; and

a stirring assembly having a first portion in said housing and a second portion in said tank;

said first portion having a first magnet;

said second portion having a grate, a rotor, and a second magnet fixed to said rotor and complementary to said first magnet;

rotation of said first magnet about an axis of rotation causing said second magnet to rotate about said axis of rotation when said tank is positioned in said housing.

2. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a motor in communication with said first magnet to selectively rotate said first magnet about said axis of rotation.

3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

a user input;

a timer; and

a processor in data communication with said user input, said timer, said dispenser, and said motor;

said processor having programming to actuate said dispenser at a time provided by said user input and determined by said timer;

said processor having programming to actuate said motor upon occurrence of a triggering event.

4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein said dispenser includes:

a biasing member biasing said tablet in said tablet storage area toward a staging area in said tablet storage area;

a stop restricting movement of said tablet in said tablet storage area from travelling past said staging area to a loading port, said stop allowing said tablet to pass from said loading port to said tablet storage area; and

a push member movable to push said tablet from said staging area toward said tank.

5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein said biasing member is a spring and said push member is a solenoid.

6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein said grate, said rotor, and said second magnet are removable from said tank.

7. The cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein said housing includes a water reservoir in communication with said tank for providing water to said tank.

8. The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein said dispenser includes:

a biasing member biasing said tablet in said tablet storage area toward a staging area;

a stop restricting movement of said tablet in said tablet storage area from travelling past said staging area to a loading port, said stop allowing said tablet to pass from said loading port to said tablet storage area; and

a push member movable to push said tablet from said staging area toward said tank.

9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

said biasing member is a spring;

said push member is a solenoid; and

said grate, said rotor, and said second magnet are removable from said tank.

10. The cleaning apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a user input;

a timer; and

a processor in data communication with said user input, said timer, and said dispenser;

said processor having programming to actuate said dispenser at a time provided by said user input and determined by said timer.

11. A cleaning apparatus for use with dentures and other dental appliances, the cleaning apparatus comprising:

a housing having a tablet storage area, a staging area, a loading port for passing at least one cleaning tablet from outside said housing to said tablet storage area, and a stop restricting movement of said at least one tablet in said tablet storage area from travelling past said staging area to said loading port;

said stop allowing said at least one tablet to pass from said loading port to said tablet storage area;

a tank positionable in and removable from said housing, said tank being sized to respectively receive said dentures and other dental appliances, said tank being beneath said staging area when positioned in said housing;

a dispenser to move a respective tablet from said staging area to said tank; and

a stirring assembly having a first portion coupled to said housing and a second portion in said tank;

said first portion having a first magnet;

said second portion having a grate, a rotor shielded by said grate, and a second magnet fixed to said rotor and complementary to said first magnet;

rotation of said first magnet about an axis of rotation causing said second magnet and said rotor to rotate about said axis of rotation when said tank is positioned in said housing.

12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a motor in communication with said first magnet to selectively rotate said first magnet about said axis of rotation.

13. The cleaning apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a user input;

a timer; and

a processor in data communication with said user input, said timer, said dispenser, and said motor;

said processor having programming to actuate said dispenser at a time provided by said user input and determined by said timer;

said processor having programming to actuate said motor upon occurrence of a triggering event.

14. The cleaning apparatus of claim 13, wherein said grate, said rotor, and said second magnet are removable from said tank.

15. The cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein said dispenser includes:

a biasing member biasing said at least one tablet in said tablet storage area toward said staging area; and

a push member movable to respectively push said at least one tablet from said staging area toward said tank.

16. The cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein said biasing member is a spring and said push member is a solenoid.

17. The cleaning apparatus of claim 11, wherein said dispenser includes:

a biasing member biasing said at least one tablet in said tablet storage area toward said staging area; and

a push member movable to respectively push said at least one tablet from said staging area toward said tank.

18. The cleaning apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

said biasing member is a spring;

said push member is a solenoid; and

said grate, said rotor, and said second magnet are removable from said tank.