High performance acoustical cleaning apparatus for teeth
DCFirst Claim
1. A dental hygiene device for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, comprising:
- a body member which includes an arm mounted for movement;
a set of bristles having free end tips, the set of bristles being located in the vicinity of one end of the arm; and
means in the body member for moving the arm and hence the set of bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a velocity greater than approximately 1.5 meters per second, which is sufficient to produce a cleansing action with a dentifrice fluid beyond the tips of the bristles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The dental hygiene apparatus includes a body portion (12) from one end of which extends a elongated resonator arm (32). The arm (32) is mounted for oscillating action about a torsion pin (38), by means of a electromagnet (16) in the body acting in combination with two permqanent magnets (34, 35) which are mounted on the rear end (31) of the resonator arm (32). On the forward end (44) of the resonator arm (32) is mounted a set of bristles (47). The arm (32) is driven such that the tips of the bristles operate within ranges of amplitude and frequency to produce a bristle tip velocity greater than 1.5 meters per second, producing a significant cleansing effect beyond the tips of the bristles.
252 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A dental hygiene device for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, comprising:
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a body member which includes an arm mounted for movement; a set of bristles having free end tips, the set of bristles being located in the vicinity of one end of the arm; and means in the body member for moving the arm and hence the set of bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a velocity greater than approximately 1.5 meters per second, which is sufficient to produce a cleansing action with a dentifrice fluid beyond the tips of the bristles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, using a toothbrush apparatus having a moving arm with a set of bristles at one end thereof, comprising the steps of:
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providing dental fluid in the vicinity of the teeth and interdental and gingival areas to be cleaned; and moving the arm and hence the bristles such that the tips of the bristles move through the dental fluid at a velocity greater than approximately 1.5 meters per second, thereby producing a cleansing effect, through corresponding movement of the dental fluid, beyond the tips of the bristles. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A dental hygiene device for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, comprising:
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a body member which includes an arm mounted for movement; a set of bristles having free end tips, the set of bristles being located in the vicinity of one end of the arm; and means in the body member for moving the arm and hence the set of bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a sufficient velocity to create an alternating pressure field in a dental fluid sufficient that the dental fluid flows in alternate opposing directions at approximately the speed of the bristles, wherein the frequency of movement of the tips of the bristles is between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within the range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, and wherein the movement of the bristles produces an acoustic pressure of at least 1.5 kPa the dental fluid being in contact with the teeth and the interdental and gingival areas, the alternating pressure field being sufficient to significantly damage dental plaque in the interdental and gingival areas without physical contact between the bristles and the plaque. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, using a toothbrush apparatus having a moving arm with a set of bristles at one end thereof, comprising the steps of:
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providing dental fluid in the vicinity of the teeth and interdental and gingival areas to be cleaned; and moving the arm and hence the bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a sufficient velocity to create an alternating pressure field in the dental fluid sufficient that the dental fluid flows in alternate opposing directions at approximately the speed of the bristles, wherein the frequency of movement of the tips of the bristles is between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within the range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, and wherein the movement of the bristles produces an acoustic pressure of at least 1.5 kPa, the alternating pressure field being sufficient to significantly damage dental plaque without physical contact between the bristles and the plaque. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A dental hygiene device for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, comprising:
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a body member which includes an arm mounted for movement; a set of bristles having free end tips, the set of bristles being located in the vicinity of one end of the arm; and means in the body member for moving the arm and hence the set of bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a frequency between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, and wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within a range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, wherein the velocity of the tips of the bristles is sufficient to produce a shear stress, approximately at least 50 Pa, on bacteria on the teeth in the interdental and gingival areas sufficient to dislodge said bacteria without physical contact between the bristles and the bacteria. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A method for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, using a toothbrush apparatus having a moving arm with a set of bristles at one end thereof, comprising the steps of:
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providing dental fluid in the vicinity of the teeth and interdental and gingival areas to be cleaned; and moving the arm and hence the bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a frequency between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, and wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within the range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, wherein the velocity of the tips of the bristles is sufficient to produce shear stress, approximately at least 50 Pa, on bacteria on the teeth in the interdental and gingival areas sufficient to dislodge said bacteria without physical contact between the bristles and the bacteria. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A dental hygiene device for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, comprising:
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a body member which includes an arm mounted for movement; a set of bristles having free end tips, the set of bristles being located in the vicinity of one end of the arm; and means in the body member for moving the arm and hence the set of bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a frequency between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, and wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within the range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, wherein the velocity of the tips of the bristles is greater than approximately 1.5 meters per second, such that dental fluid which is in contact with the teeth becomes supersaturated with oxygen, wherein the oxygen present in the dental fluid around the tips of the bristles is significantly above the normal oxygen tension level, resulting in a substantial reduction in the level of anaerobic bacteria in the gingival regions as the supersaturated dental fluid moves into those regions.
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35. A method for cleaning teeth and interdental and gingival areas, using a toothbrush apparatus having a moving arm with a set of bristles at one end thereof, comprising the steps of:
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providing dental fluid in the vicinity of the teeth and interdental and gingival areas to be cleaned; and moving the arm and hence the bristles such that the tips of the bristles move at a frequency between 40 Hz and 500 Hz, and wherein the amplitude of movement of the bristles is within the range of 0.5 mm to 6 mm, wherein the velocity of the tips of the bristles is greater than approximately 1.5 meters per second, such that the dental fluid becomes supersaturated with oxygen, wherein the oxygen present in the dental fluid around the tips of the bristles is significantly above the normal oxygen tension level, resulting in a substantial reduction in the level of anaerobic bacteria in the gingival regions as the supersaturated dental fluid moves into those regions.
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Specification