PLAQUE DETECTION USING A STREAM PROBE

• US 20150313697A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: PRINS, MENNO WILLEM JOSE, SPRUIT, JOHANNES HENDRIKUS MARIA, JUTTE, PETRUS THEODORUS, VAN DEN BIJGAART, ADRIANUS WILHELMUS DIONISIUS MARIA, EDWARDS, MARTIN JOHN, DEANE, STEVEN CHARLES, VAN GOOL, EDGAR MARTINUS, JOHNSON, MARK THOMAS, VERMEULEN, OLAF, THOMAS, JOHAN ANTONIE, OUWELTJES, OKKE
• Granted Patent: US 9,918,814 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/04 Measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C5/44 takes precedence; testing vitality of teeth A61B5/0534; radiation diagnosis specially adapted for dentistry A61B6/51

Abstract

An apparatus (100, 100′) is configured such that passage of a fluid (30) through an open port of a distal tip (112, 112′) enables detection of a substance (116) that may be present on a surface (31, 33), e.g., a surface of a tooth, based on measurement of a signal correlating to a substance at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid (30) through the open port. The apparatus (100, 100′) includes a proximal pump portion (124) and at least one distal probe portion (110) configured to be immersed in another fluid (11), e.g., water in toothpaste foam. A corresponding system (3000) includes one or two such apparatuses (3100, 3200). A method of detecting the presence of a substance on a surface includes probing an interaction zone (17) for at least partial obstruction of flow of the second fluid medium (30) through a distal probe tip.

Claims

1. An electric toothbrush comprising:

an oral insertion portion;

a body portion containing a pump portion having a plunger at a proximal end thereof, a proximal probe portion in fluid communication with the pump portion, and detection electronics;

a first parameter sensor positioned at plunger in electrical communication with the detection electro ics for measuring a change in a parameter in the proximal pump portion;

a stream probe detection apparatus for detecting the presence of a substance on a dental surface, the apparatus comprising;

a distal probe portion in the oral insertion portion configured to be immersed in a first fluid,

the distal probe portion defining a distal tip having an open port to enable the passage of a second fluid therethrough,

parameter sensor configured such that an increase in pressure signal detected by the parameter sensor is conveyed to the detection electronics which determines if a substance on the dental s face is at least partially obstructing the passage of fluid through the open port of the distal tip.

6. The electronic toothbrush according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second parameter sensor disposed between the distal end of the proximal pump portion and the distal probe portion wherein the second parameter sensor is disposed in fluid communication with the distal tip, the detection electronics configured to detect a change in the signal detected by the second parameter sensor.

7. The electronic toothbrush according to claim 6, further comprising a restriction orifice disposed in the pressure sensing portion upstream of the second parameter sensor.

9. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1,

wherein the pump portion further comprises a plunger reciprocally moveable away from the proximal end towards a distal end of the pump portion, the movement of the plunger inducing thereby a change in pressure in the distal probe portion.

11. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1 wherein the substance is dental plaque.

12. The electric toothbrush according to claim 6, wherein the second parameter sensor is a strain gauge configured and disposed on the distal probe portion to detect and measure the strain of the probe portion.

13. The electric toothbrush according to claim 6, wherein the second parameter sensor is a flow sensor configured and disposed to detect the flow of the second fluid through the open port of the distal tip.

19. The electric toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the oral insertion portion includes a brush head and bristles mounted on the brush head and wherein the distal probe tip is intermingled with the bristles.

2-5. -5. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

14-18. -18. (canceled)

20-36. -36. (canceled)