Dental cleansing device and interdental floss for such a device

• US 5,094,256 A
• Filed: 12/19/1989
• Issued: 03/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederic Barth
• Original Assignee: Frederic Barth
• Inventors: Barth, Frederic
• Primary Examiner(s): WEHNER, CARY ELLEN
• Application Number:
  US07/452,354
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 433/80, 433/215, 132/323, 132/309, 132/322, 132/326, 132/327, 128/66, 128/62 A
• US Class Current: 132/322
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/00 Devices for cleaning between the teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/046 Flossing tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces

Abstract

Dental cleansing device including a fork-shaped instrument with two arms capable of being connected to a pressurized fluid supply device. Each of the two arms (2,3) of the instrument (1) has, on its internal face, an orifice (15,16) for ejecting a water jet (17,18), the two orifices being directed so as to enable the ejection of non-aligned water jets in opposite directions. Each arm (2,3) may, in addition, have a needle eye (4,5) for the passage of a piece of interdental floss (6).

Claims

1. A dental cleansing device comprising a fork-shaped instrument capable of being connected to a pressurized fluid supply device, said instrument comprising two opposite ends, a first of said ends comprising a body and a means for connecting said body to said pressurized fluid supply device, said second of said ends comprising two opposite spaced fork arms,

wherein said body and said arms are traversed by ducts extending from said connecting means to each of said fork arms, each of said fork arms being provided with at least one orifice forming a pair of opposite orifices for allowing fluid supplied through said ducts to each of said fork arms to be ejected toward the opposite arm,

whereby said opposite orifices in said two fork arms are directed so as to allow the ejection, substantially in opposite directions, of two non-aligned parallel fluid jets directed so as not to meet each other.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said orifices are directed so as to enable the ejection of two oblique water jets inclined in the gingiva-tooth direction.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of said fork arms is provided with several orifices forming pairs of two opposite orifices, the two opposite orifices of each pair allowing the ejection, substantially in opposite directions, of two non-aligned fluid jets directed so as not to meet each other.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a needle eye in each of said fork arms for the passage and securing of a piece of interdental floss, wherein each said needle eye is arranged in immediate proximity to a corresponding said at least one orifice, said eyes being dimensioned and directed so as to enable the passage and securing of at least one member selected from the group consisting of a piece of interdental floss, radial brush, and axial brush.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein said eyes are adapted to receive a guide rod carrying a piece of interdental floss, said flos having said guide rod on one end thereof and a stop bottom on the other end,

wherein said dental cleansing device carries a split guide stop for receiving and serving as a stop for the end of the guide rod turned towards the stop bottom after said guide rod is passed through each of said eyes, and a clamp for securing and locking the guide rod against the instrument.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said clamp for securing and locking comprises opposing teeth capable of interacting with serrations on the guide rod in order to lock said guide rod in said clamp with the piece of interdental floss in a taut state when the stop bottom catches on one of said eyes.

7. A dental cleansing device comprising a fork-shaped instrument capable of being connected to a pressurized fluid supply device, said instrument comprising two opposite ends, a first of said ends comprising a body and a means for connecting said body to said pressurized fluid supply device, said second of said ends comprising two opposite spaced fork arms,

wherein said body and said arms are traversed by ducts extending from said connecting means to each of said fork arms, said fork arms being provided with at least one pair of two opposite orifices, wherein the two opposite orifices of each pair allows the ejection, substantially in opposite directions, of two non-aligned fluid jets direct so as not to meet each other.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said two opposite orifices are directed so as to allow the ejection of two oblique water jets inclined in the gingiva-tooth direction.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a needle eye in each of said fork arms for the passage and securing of a piece of interdental floss, wherein each said needle eye is arranged in immediate proximity to a corresponding said at least one orifice, said eyes being dimensioned and directed so as to enable the passage and securing of at least one member selected from the group consisting of a piece of interdental floss, radial brush, and axial brush.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said eyes are adapted to receive a guide rod carrying a piece of interdental floss, said floss having said guide rod on one end thereof and a stop bottom on the other end,

wherein said dental cleansing device carries a split guide stop for receiving and serving as a stop for the end of the guide rod turned towards the stop bottom after said guide rod is passed through each of said eyes, and a clamp for securing and locking the guide rod against the instrument.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein said clamp for securing and locking comprises opposing teeth capable of interacting with serrations on the guide rod in order to lock said guide rod in said clamp with the piece of interdental floss in a taut state when the stop bottom catches on one of said eyes.