Tooth-brushing machine

• US 5,623,746 A
• Filed: 08/14/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Euronica Corporation, Euronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Euronica Corporation
• Inventors: Ichiro, Sugimoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hook, James F.
• Application Number:
  US08/507,338
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 15/22.1, 15/22.2, 15/24, 15/201, 15/205.2, 15/167.1, 401/271, 401/284, 601/162
• US Class Current: 15/22.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 15/047 power-driven
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/22 with brushes, cushions, cups, or the like brush bodies, e.g. arrangements of the bristles A46B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/38 driven by hydraulic motor, e.g. water motor

Abstract

Large-diameter cylindrical portion (3) is formed in water passage (2) of a water-spraying nozzle (1) in the vicinity of the tip portion of said nozzle. Piston (5) which is housed in aforementioned cylindrical portion (3) is driven in a reciprocating manner, so that the tip portion of bristle bundle (4) which is implanted in the front surface of aforementioned piston (5) is caused to move in and out via water-spraying opening (6) located at the tip of aforementioned nozzle (1).

Claims

1. A tooth brushing machine, comprising a hollow nozzle having a tip with a water-spraying opening;

a single bundle of bristles extending through said water-spraying opening; and

means for reciprocating said single bundle of bristles in said water-spraying opening so as to move said single bundle of bristles in and out of said water-spraying opening to act efficiently on user'"'"'s teeth, said water spraying opening and said bundle of bristles being formed so as to form between said bundle of bristles and an inner surface of said opining a gap through which water is sprayed outwardly from said water-spraying opening around said reciprocating single bundle of bristles to act efficiently on user'"'"'s teeth.

2. A tooth-brushing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said nozzle has a substantially cylindrical chamber;

and further comprising a piston located in said chamber, said means being means for creating a pulsating water current which provides a reciprocation of said piston and thereby a reciprocation of said single bundle of bristles.

3. A tooth-brushing machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said chamber has a chamber portion located forwardly of said piston and a chamber portion located rearwardly of said piston, said nozzle further having at least one groove communicating said rearward portion of said chamber with said forward portion of said chamber, so that when said piston moves to its forward position, the water from said rearward portion of said chamber flows into said forward portion of said chamber and thereby pushes said piston backwards.

4. A tooth-brushing machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said nozzle is provided with a plurality of said grooves which are spaced from one another in a circumferential direction.

5. A tooth-brushing machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said groove extends radially outwardly beyond a surface which bounds said chamber.

6. A tooth-brushing machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said tip of said nozzle has an axis, said tip of said nozzle, said single bundle of bristles, and said piston being arranged so that said single bundle of bristles moves in and out in an axial direction of said tip and the water flows around said single bundle of bristles and out of said tip of said nozzle also in the axial direction of said tip.

7. A tooth brushing machine comprising a hollow nozzle having a tip with a water-spraying opening communicating an interior of said nozzle with an exterior a single bundle of bristles extending through said water-spraying opening and means for reciprocating said bundle of bristles in said water-spraying opening so as to move said single bundle of bristles in and out of said water-spraying opening whereby alternatingly when said bundle of bristles is moved in said water-spraying opening said bundle of bristles acts efficiently on user'"'"'s teeth, while when said bundle of bristles is moved out said water-spraying opening water is sprayed outwardly through said water-spraying opening to act efficiently on user'"'"'s teeth.