Apparatus and method for cleaning teeth

• US 4,156,620 A
• Filed: 05/27/1977
• Issued: 05/29/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George S. Clemens
• Original Assignee: George S. Clemens
• Inventors: Clemens, George S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, S. Leon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Konkol, Chris
• Application Number:
  US05/801,076
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/6, 15/22 R, 15/22 A, 15/22 C, 15/28, 15/32, 74/29, 74/30, 310/80
• US Class Current: 134/6
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth wherein at least one tuft of filaments is rotated in a controlled reciprocating manner whereby the tuft is rotated a number of revolutionsin one direction and then rotated the same number of revolutions in the opposite direction. An alternative embodiment comprises a plurality of tufts of filaments, each of which is rotated in a controlled reciprocating fashion about its own central axis. Furthermore, immediately adjacent tufts are contrarotated. Each tuft is rotated about its own central axis, and placed in contact with the teeth whereby the filaments develop a twisting action dynamically and serially progressing from the base of each tuft to the opposite free ends of the filaments. The plurality of tufts are positioned in two parallel rows, each of which has adjacent tufts staggered with respect to each other.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth comprising:

a brush head;

at least one tuft of filaments, said tuft rotatably mounted in said brush head;

means for rotating said tuft about its central axis in a controlled reciprocating manner whereby said tuft is rotated a number of revolutions in one direction and then rotated a the same number of revolutions in the opposite direction.

2. The tooth-cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tufts of filaments, each of said tufts being rotatably mounted in said brush head, and wherein said means for rotating each of said tufts about its central axis in a controlled reciprocating manner is adapted to produce contrarotation of each of said tufts with respect to an adjacent tuft.

3. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said tufts has a tapered surface for cleaning, said surface defined by free ends of the filaments.

4. The cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the free end of each of the filaments is tapered.

5. The cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for rotating each of said tufts to produce reciprocating rotation includes a plurality of driven spur gears connected to a group of first tufts, a plurality of idler spur gears connected to a group of second tufts, wherein each of said idler spur gears engages two of said driven spur gears, and a reciprocating rack engaging at least one of said driven spur gears.

6. The cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first tufts and said second tufts are alternately arranged in two staggered rows of equal length, and the reciprocating rack engages at least two of said driven spur gears.

7. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth, comprising:

a brush head;

a plurality of first tufts of filaments, each of said first tufts rotatably mounted in said brush head;

a plurality of second tufts of filaments, each of said second tufts rotatably mounted in said brush head and shorter in length than each of said first tufts, said first tufts and said second tufts alternately arranged in two staggered rows of equal lengths;

a plurality of driven spur gears, each of which is connected to one of said first tufts;

a plurality of idler spur gears, each of which is connected to one of said second tufts and meshes with at least two of said driven spur gears whereby each of said first tufts is rotated in a direction opposite each of said second tufts;

a rack meshing with at least two of said driven spur gears; and

means for uniformly reciprocating said rack whereby said first tufts and said second tufts are rotated, each about its own central axis, in a controlled reciprocating manner.

8. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 7 further including a plurality of tuft drive shafts, each of which is connected to one of said first and second tufts, and a unitary seal having a plurality of apertures to accommodate said tuft drive shafts.

9. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the periphery of each of the seal apertures is defined by an elevated portion of the seal extending from the base of the seal whereby flexible sealing contact with said tuft drive shafts is provided.

10. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the brush head is provided with an inner surface having a sealing ring for contacting the seal to prevent liquids from flowing past the seal.

11. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said first tufts and each of said second tufts has a tapered surface for cleaning, said surface defined by the tips of said filaments.

12. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the tip of each of said filaments is tapered to define an included angle.

13. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the included angle of the tapered tip of each of said filaments is approximately twenty-five degrees.

14. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein each of said filaments has a diameter of at least about 0.004 inches but not more than about 0.006 inches.

15. The tooth cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first tufts are arranged on approximately 0.294 inch centers and said second tufts are positioned substantially equidistant from immediately adjacent first tufts.

16. A method for cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth using a plurality of filaments in a plurality of tuft configurations wherein said tufts are rotatably mounted so that each of said tufts contrarotates with respect to an adjacent tuft comprising:

rotating each of said tufts about its central axis in a controlled reciprocating manner whereby each of said tufts is rotated a number of revolutions in one direction and then rotated the same number of revolutions in the opposite direction; and

contacting said rotating tufts with tooth surfaces and crevices to be cleaned.

17. A method of cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth using a plurality of filaments in a plurality of tuft configurations wherein said tufts are mounted so that each of said tufts contrarotates with respect to each adjacent tuft and wherein each of said tufts is staggered with respect to each adjacent tuft, comprising:

rotating each of said tufts about its central axis through a controlled reciprocating cycle wherein each of said tufts is rotated about one and one-half revolutions in each of two opposite directions during each cycle;

contacting said rotating tufts with tooth surfaces and crevices to be cleaned.

18. The tooth cleaning method of claim 17 wherein each of said tufts is rotated at about 3000 revolutions per minute.

19. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth, comprising:

a brush head;

a plurality of first tufts of filaments, each of said first tufts rotatably mounted in said brush head;

a plurality of second tufts of filaments, each of said second tufts rotatably mounted in said brush head and shorter in length than each of said first tufts, said first tufts and said second tufts alternately arranged in two staggered rows of equal lengths;

a plurality of driven spur gears, each of which is connected to one of said first tufts;

a plurality of idler spur gears, each of which is connected to one of said second tufts and meshes with at least two of said driven spur gears whereby each of said first tufts is rotated in a direction opposite each of said second tufts;

a rack meshing with at least two of said driven spur gears; and

means for uniformly reciprocating said rack whereby said first tufts and said second tufts are rotated, each about its own central axis, in a controlled reciprocating manner, said rack reciprocating means including an electrically-powered motor having a rotatable output shaft, a pinion attached to said output shaft in rotary engagement therewith, a crown gear engaging said pinion, a crank arm pivotally and eccentrically attached at a first end to the crown gear, and a rack drive shaft pivotally attached at a first end to a second end of the crank arm, and connected to an end of said rack at a second end of said rack drive shaft.

20. A method of cleaning surfaces and crevices of teeth using a plurality of filaments in at least one tuft configuration wherein the filaments are held together at one end, comprising:

placing the tuft on an exposed tooth surface;

rotating the tuft about its central axis in a first direction from a neutral position of maximum projected tuft length to a position of maximum filament twist so that the projected length of the tuft diminishes and the tuft is stiffened for effective power transmission;

reciprocally rotating the tuft about its central axis from the position of maximum filament twist so that in each reciprocating cycle the filaments move from a position of maximum twist in a first direction and a minimum projected length to a position of maximum twist in a second direction and the same minimum projected length and then back to a position of maximum twist in a first direction and minimum projected length while twice passing through a neutral position of maximum projected length, whereby the tufts produce both an axially oscillating cleaning motion of the filament tips and a circular sweeping cleaning motion as free ends of the filaments are flared to sweep along crevices between the gingiva and the teeth.