PULSED AIR TOOTHBRUSH AND METHOD

• US 3,823,710 A
• Filed: 11/07/1972
• Issued: 07/16/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John V. Borden
• Original Assignee: John V. Borden
• Inventors: Borden, John V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trapp, Lawrence W.
• Application Number:
  US05/304,568
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 128/38-40,62A,66,65,225 32/53,58,50
• US Class Current: 433/216
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/063 by means of a supply pipe
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1066 Toothbrush for cleaning the teeth or dentures A61C17/16 takes precedence; bristles arrangements for toothbrushes A46B9/04

Abstract

A system for cleansing teeth and gums is disclosed wherein a gas is pressurized to produce a series of pulses, and the gas pulses are injected into the mouth through an implement. The outlet orifice of the implement is positioned in juxtaposition to the teeth and gums to provide intimate but gentle contact and scrubbing action of the escaping bubbles that is particularly effective to remove plaque. Additional and higher intensity pulses may be provided by periodically sealing the outlet orifice to permit buildup of pressure and then releasing the seal to more effectively loosen foreign material and provide bubble scrubbing between the teeth, similar to known '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'flossing'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' action. Plaque is further combated by concurrent massaging with the resilient tip forming the outlet orifice, similar to known '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'wiggling'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' action, particularly around the gum line. The bubbling of the gas, preferably air, is effective to gently circulate the liquid solution of oral cleanser and saliva in the mouth of the user around and against the teeth and gums and thereby assuring movement of the bacteria away for disposal. The tip element has dual concentric flexible rims that provide a double seal against large surfaces; the inner smaller seal being solely effective against the smaller teeth. The pulsing air is generated by tandem diaphragm pumps, driven by electromagnetic motors that may be operated in or out of phase. Rebound of the oscillatable drive lever is enhanced by a resilient pad on the top of the diaphragm thus increasing the amplitude of the stroke.

Claims

1. The method of cleansing teeth and gums comprising the steps of introducing an oral cleanser into the mouth and forming a liquid solution with the saliva, pressurizing a gas, and placing an implement with the outlet orifice and confining chamber in juxtaposition with the teeth and gums, ejecting a defined stream of said gas from the orifice into the confining chamber, sealing said chamber against at least one of said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow a gaseous pressure buildup in said chamber, causing the pressurized gas to be released around the periphery of the chamber with bubbling action through said solution so as to bring the gas and solution into intimate but gentle contact with all surrounding areas for scrubbing action.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is air to provide aeration of the solution.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cleanser introduced is a dentrifice.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the dentrifice is tooth paste.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the teeth and gums are massaged by a resilient tip on the implement forming said chamber during cleansing in the area of gas release.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is introduced into said chamber and against the teeth and gums in pulses to assure against discomfort and to loosen foreign material more efficiently.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is pulsed by periodically releasing the pressure buildup by momentarily moving said chamber away from said teeth and gums to break the seal and then reapplying the chamber, whereby to assure against discomfort and to loosen foreign material more efficiently.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the pressurized gas is provided with additional minor pulses during both the period of sealing and release of the seal for continuous pulsing effect.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the chamber is directed to provide purging bubbles under the gums.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the teeth and gums are brushed during the gasification process, said liquid solution being dispersed by release of gas bubbles to circulate said liquid for optimum use during the brushing action.

11. The method of cleansing teeth and gums with a solution in the mouth comprising the steps of intermittent pressurizing a gas to produce a series of pulses, injecting the gas pulses through an orifice in an implement positioned in the mouth and into a confining chamber, positioning the chamber of the implement in juxtaposition to the teeth and gums, sealing said chamber against at least one of said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow a gaseous pressure buildup in said chamber, causing the pressurized gas to be released around the periphery of the chamber with bubbling action through said solution so as to bring the gas and solution into intimate but gentle contact with all surrounding areas for scrubbing action.

12. The method of cleansing teeth and gums of claim 11 wherein the gas is additionally double pulsed by periodically sealing the outlet orifice against the teeth and gums sufficiently against said pulses tO permit buildup of pressure in the implement and then releasing the seal to still more effectively loosen foreign material.

13. The method of cleansing teeth and gums with a solution in the mouth comprising the steps of intermittent pressurizing a gas to produce a series of pulses, injecting the gas pulses through an implement positioned in the mouth, positioning the outlet orifice of the implement in juxtaposition to the teeth and gums to provide intimate but gentle contact to all areas and to loosen foreign matter more effectively, the frequency of said pulses being approximately 60 cycles per second.

14. The method of cleansing teeth and gums with a solution in the mouth comprising the steps of intermittent pressurizing a gas to produce a series of pulses, injecting the gas pulses through an implement positioned in the mouth, positioning the outlet orifice of the implement in juxtaposition to the teeth and gums to provide intimate but gentle contact to all areas and to loosen foreign matter more effectively, the frequency of said pulses being approximately 120 cycles per second.

15. A teeth and gums cleansing apparatus for use in the mouth with a liquid therein comprising a gas pump, an injection implement having a tip element to be positoned within the mouth, orifice means in said tip element for ejecting a defined stream of gas, a transfer tube connecting said pump and said implement for supply of gas and sealing means outwardly of said orifice means forming a chamber sealed against at least one of said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow buildup of pressure within said pump, tube and implement, whereby release of the pressurized gas causes scrubbing action around the periphery of said chamber through escaping bubbles moving through the surrounding liquid within the mouth and dislodging of foreign material.

16. A teeth and gums cleansing apparatus comprising a gas pump, an injection implement having a tip element that may be positioned within the mouth, orifice means in said tip element for ejecting a defined stream of gas, a transfer tube connecting said pump and said implement for supply of gas and sealing means to seal off said orifice means against said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow buildup of pressure within said pump, tube and implement, said sealing means including dual concentric flexible rims having sufficient resiliency to effectively seal against the teeth and gums to provide said buildup of pressure, whereby upon release of the seal a stream of gas is ejected for scrubbing action by the escaping bubbles, dispersion of surrounding liquid within the mouth and dislodging of foreign material.

17. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 16 wherein the inner rim is shorter than the outer rim in order to allow said outer rim to seal first when positioned against the teeth and gums.

18. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 15 wherein said pump includes pulsing means for providing a plurality of pulses in said chamber.

19. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 18 wherein said pulsing means of said pump includes a diaphragm, and reciprocating drive means for said diaphragm.

20. A teeth and gums cleansing apparatus comprising a gas pump, an injection implement having a tip element that may be positioned within the mouth, orifice means in said tip element for ejecting a defined stream of gas, a transfer tube connecting said pump and said implement for supply of gas and sealing means to seal off said orifice means against said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow buildup of pressure within said pump, tube and implement, whereby upon release of the seal a stream of gas is ejected for scrubbing action by the escaping bubbles, dispersion of surrounding liquid within the mouth and dislodging of foreign material, said pump including pulsing means for providing a plurality of pulses in said stream, said pulsing means of said pump including a diaphragm, and reciprocating drive means for said diaphragm, saId drive means including an oscillating lever, the free end attached to said diaphragm to drive the same and said free end having magnetic means, an alternating current drive magnet on one side of the free end of said lever and a permanent return magnet on the other, and an alternating current source to intermittently activate said drive magnet.

21. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 20 wherein said drive means is positioned so as to overly one side of the top of said diaphragm to conserve space and to obtain maximum leverage of said lever.

22. A teeth and gums cleansing apparatus comprising a gas pump, an injection implement having a tip element that may be positioned within the mouth, orifice means in said tip element for ejecting a defined stream of gas, a transfer tube connecting said pump and said implement for supply of gas and sealing means to seal off said orifice means against said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow buildup of pressure within said pump, tube and implement, whereby upon release of the seal a stream of gas is ejected for scrubbing action by the escaping bubbles, dispersion of surrounding liquid within the mouth and dislodging of foreign material, said pump including pulsing means for providing a plurality of pulses in said stream, said pulsing means of said pump including a diaphragm, reciprocating drive means for said diaphragm including an oscillating lever and rebound spring means for engaging said lever, thereby absorbing energy for greater return of the same for increased amplitude.

23. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 22 wherein said oscillating lever includes a free end attached to said diahargm to drive the same, said free end having magnetic means, an alternating current drive magnet on one side of the free end of said lever and a permanent return magnet on the other, and an alternating current source to intermittently activate said drive magnet, said spring means being a resilient pad mounted on the top supported portion of said diaphragm to be engaged by the overlying portion of said lever.

24. A teeth and gums cleansing apparatus comprising a gas pump, an injection implement having a tip element that may be positioned within the mouth, orifice means in said tip element for ejecting a defined stream of gas, a transfer tube connecting said pump and said implement for supply of gas and sealing means to seal off said orifice means against said teeth and gums sufficiently to allow buildup of pressure within said pump, tube and implement, whereby upon release of the seal a stream of gas is ejected for scrubbing action by the escaping bubbles, dispersion of surrounding liquid within the mouth and dislodging of foreign material, said pump including pulsing means for providing a plurality of pulses in said stream, said pulsing means of said pump including a diaphragm, and reciprocating drive means for said diaphragm, a second diaphragm and drive means connected in tandem with the first mentioned ones having a common output passage, and switch means for operating said first and second drive means in phase or out of phase to obtain increased or decreased pulse output, respectively.

25. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 15 wherein said pump includes pulsing means operating within the range of approximately 10 to 150 cycles per second for providing a plurality of pulses in said stream.

26. The method of cleaning teeth and gums of claim 1 wherein is further provided the step of passing and releasing the gas through and from an additional concentric chamber for more effective scrubbing action.

27. The teeth and gums cleansing apparatus of claim 15 wherein said pump includes pulsing means operating at approximately 60 cycles per second for providing a plurality of pulses.

28. The teeth and gums cleansing apparauts of claim 15 wherein said pump includes pulsing means operating at approximately 120 cycles per second for providing a plurality of pulses.