CLEANING APPLIANCE

• US 20160331498A1
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Published: 11/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: BEX-RUSSELL, William John, FOLLOWS, Thomas James Dunning, COURTNEY, Stephen Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 10,492,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0062 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/06 connected to supply pipe or to other external supply means A46B11/0003 and A46B11/0006 take precedence
• 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 5/0095 Removable or interchangeable brush heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/028 with intermittent liquid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/221 Control arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/227 with reservoirs, e.g. for toothpaste
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/28 with rinsing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/36 with rinsing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/40 orbiting, e.g. nutating

Abstract

A dental cleaning appliance includes a handle, and a fluid delivery system for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user. The fluid delivery system includes a nozzle from which the burst of working fluid is delivered to the teeth of the user. The appliance also includes a brush unit which extends at least partially about the nozzle. The brush unit includes a bristle carrier and a plurality of bristles mounted on the bristle carrier. A drive unit drives the movement of the bristle carrier relative to the nozzle.

Claims

1. A dental cleaning appliance comprising:

a handle;

a fluid delivery system for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user, the fluid delivery system comprising a nozzle from which the burst of working fluid is delivered to the teeth of the user;

a brush unit comprising a bristle carrier and a plurality of bristles mounted on the bristle carrier, the brush unit extending at least partially about the nozzle, the nozzle being moveable relative to the brush unit; and

a drive unit for driving movement of the bristle carrier relative to the nozzle.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the brush unit surrounds the nozzle.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier is annular in shape

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the nozzle extends along a nozzle axis, and wherein the bristle carrier is moveable about the nozzle axis.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is biased for movement relative to the brush unit in a direction extending away from the brush unit.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system comprises a fluid conduit for conveying a burst of working fluid to the nozzle, and wherein the fluid conduit is moveable relative to the handle.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the fluid conduit is moveable with the nozzle.

8. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the fluid conduit is connected to or engages the nozzle.

9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the brush unit between a distal position and a proximal position.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein, when the nozzle is in the distal position, the tip of the nozzle protrudes beyond at least some of the free ends of the bristles.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system comprises a source of pressurized working fluid located in the handle, and a control circuit for actuating the delivery of a burst of working fluid from the source.

12. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is a liquid working fluid.

13. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system comprises a pump located in the handle.

14. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the bristle carrier is moveable in an orbital path about the nozzle.

15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the nozzle is located at the centre of the orbital path.

16. The appliance of claim 14, comprising a transmission unit for converting a rotary motion generated by the drive unit into an orbital motion of the bristle carrier.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the transmission unit comprises a set of gears which is connected to the drive unit, a crank, and a connecting rod which connects the bristle carrier to the crank.

18. The appliance of claim 1, comprising a head, and a stem extending between the head and the handle, and wherein the head comprises the nozzle and the brush unit.

19. The appliance of claim 17, wherein the transmission unit is located in the stem.

20. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a fluid reservoir for storing working fluid.

21. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the cleaning tool is detachably connected to the handle.

22. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a motor and a set of gears.

23. A cleaning tool for a dental cleaning appliance comprising a handle to which the cleaning tool is detachably connectable, the handle comprising a drive unit, the drive unit comprising a motor and a drive unit coupling member;

the cleaning tool comprising;

a cleaning tool conduit system comprising a nozzle for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user;

a brush unit comprising a bristle carrier and a plurality of bristles mounted on the bristle carrier, the brush unit extending at least partially about the nozzle, the nozzle being moveable relative to the brush unit; and

a transmission unit connected to the bristle carrier for moving the bristle carrier relative to the nozzle, the transmission unit comprising a transmission unit coupling member for coupling with the drive unit transmission unit when the cleaning tool is connected to the handle

24. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the brush unit surrounds the nozzle.

25. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the bristle carrier is annular in shape

26. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the nozzle extends along a nozzle axis, and wherein the bristle carrier is moveable about the nozzle axis.

27. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the nozzle is biased for movement relative to the brush unit in a direction extending away from the brush unit

28. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the cleaning tool conduit system comprises a fluid conduit for conveying a burst of working fluid to the nozzle, and wherein the fluid conduit is moveable relative to the brush unit.

29. The cleaning tool of claim 28, wherein the fluid conduit is moveable with the nozzle.

30. The cleaning tool of claim 29, wherein the fluid conduit is connected to or engages the nozzle.

31. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the brush unit between a distal position and a proximal position.

32. The cleaning tool of claim 31, wherein, when the nozzle is in the distal position, the tip of the nozzle protrudes beyond at least some of the free ends of the bristles.

33. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the bristle carrier is moveable in an orbital path about the nozzle.

34. The cleaning tool of claim 33, wherein the nozzle is located at the centre of the orbital path.

35. The cleaning tool of claim 23, wherein the transmission unit comprises a set of gears which is connected to the drive unit, a crank, and a connecting rod which connects the bristle carrier to the crank.

36. The cleaning tool of claim 23, comprising a head and a stem, and wherein the head comprises the nozzle and the brush unit.

37. The cleaning tool of claim 36, wherein the transmission unit is located in the stem.

38. The cleaning tool of claim 23, comprising a fluid reservoir for storing working fluid.