Dental device

• US 4,004,344 A
• Filed: 09/04/1975
• Issued: 01/25/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alan H. Hart, Gary K. Gold
• Original Assignee: Alan H. Hart, Gary K. Gold
• Inventors: Hart, Alan H., Gold, Gary K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peshock, Robert
• Application Number:
  US05/610,290
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 32/59, 32/27, 15/23, 15/24, 15/28, 15/29, 128/56, 310/47, 310/50
• US Class Current: 433/133
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/005 Devices for dental prophylaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/002 using batteries

Abstract

A dental device for removing stains from teeth which includes a housing easily maintained, manipulatable, and operable in one hand of an operator. The housing includes a head member having a first internal chamber and a longitudinally extended handle member defining a second internal chamber. A motor is mounted within the first internal chamber of the head member and is directly connected in rotative displacement to a rubber cup stain removing element which is coupled to the motor external to the housing head member. In one form of the dental device the motor is electrically connected to a pair of batteries which are mounted within the second chamber of the handle member. Operation of the motor is provided by a switch which passes external to the housing and is actuated by one finger of the operator. When actuated, the switch completes an electrical path between the batteries and the motor in order to generate rotative displacement of the rubber cup which serves as the stain removal mechanism from the teeth of the user.

Claims

1. A dental device for removing stains from teeth comprising:

a. a housing having a head member extending in a predetermined direction forming a first chamber and a longitudinally and linearly extended handle member forming a second chamber, said extended handle member adapted to be gripped between an operator'"'"'s thumb, index and fore fingers said handle member and said head member being formed in one piece construction, said extended directions of said head and handle member forming an angle approximating 50°

therebetween;

b. motor means mounted within said first chamber of said head member said first chamber being contoured to receive only said motor means;

c. electrical power means coupled to said motor means said electrical power means being mounted within said extended handle member second chamber;

d. stain removal means rotatively coupled directly to said motor means in linear alignment through rotative securement to a rigid shaft member passing through said head member of said housing, said shaft member being opposingly mounted only to said stain removal means and said motor means, said shaft member having an extended length substantially less than said head member whereby said stain removal means may be easily manipulated at varying angles when contacting said teeth; and

e. means for actuating said stain removal means in rotative displacement, said actuation means being mounted in said longitudinally extended handle member of said housing adjacent said head member in positional placement for actuation by one finger of said operator while said handle member is being gripped.

2. The dental device as recited in claim 1 where said handle member includes an outer diameter approximating 0.50 inch for ease of manipulation by an operator in one hand.

3. The dental device as recited in claim 1 where said housing is formed of a plastic material being chemically inert with respect to human saliva.

4. The dental device as recited in claim 1 where said electrical power means includes at least one battery means mounted within said second chamber of said handle member for providing electrical power to said motor means.

5. The dental device as recited in claim 4 incuding means for electrically recharging said battery means, said recharging means being releaseably connectable to said battery means and an external electrical power source on opposing ends thereof.

6. The dental device as recited in claim 1 where said means for actuating said stain removal means includes switch means for electrically connecting said motor means to said electrical power means for rotatively driving said stain removal means.

7. The dental device as recited in claim 6 where said switch means is biased in an electrical disconnect position, said switch means passing through a wall of said housing for movement in a direction substantially normal to said longitudinal extension by one finger of an operator for displacing said switch means to an electrical connect position for actuating said motor means.

8. The dental device as recited in claim 1 where said stain removal means includes rubber cup means releasably mounted to said motor means, said rubber cup means extending through a wall of said head member and rotatively displaceable with respect thereto.