Dental cleaning device with a grip member

• US 5,697,784 A
• Filed: 06/20/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hafele, Peter, Poganitsch, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): WEHNER, CARY ELLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/492,829
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 433/80, 433/84, 433/85, 433/88, 433/98, 433/99, 433/100, 601/162, 601/165
• US Class Current: 433/85
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/02 Rinsing or air-blowing devices, e.g. using fluid jets or comprising liquid medication combined with receptacles for spittle A61C17/14; combined with power-driven cleaning or polishing devices A61C17/16

Abstract

A dental cleaning device (1) is provided with a mouthpiece (6) and with a grip member (4) having a fluid channel (83, 76, 75, 67, 69, 70, 71, 93, 94) and having a fluid-flow control device (61) which is adjustable an actuating member (8), which is movable between different actuating positions to change the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece (6) through the fluid channel (83, 76, 75, 67, 69, 70, 71, 93, 94), the grip member (4) is provided with activatable parts (83, 76, 75, 67, 72, 73, 74, 32, 94) for temporarily increasing the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece (6) while the instantaneous actuating position of the actuating member (8) for the fluid-flow control device (61) is maintained.

Claims

1. A dental cleaning device comprising a mouthpiece, and a grip member having (a) a fluid channel for supplying fluid to the mouthpiece (b) a fluid-flow control device which is adjustable by means of an actuating member which is movable between different actuating positions, and by means of which the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece through the fluid channel during operation of the dental cleaning device is variable in accordance with the actuating positions of the actuating member, and (c) activatable means for temporarily increasing the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece while the instantaneous actuating position of the actuating member for the fluid-flow control device is preserved.

2. A dental cleaning device comprising a mouthpiece and a grip member having a fluid channel for supplying fluid to the mouthpiece and having a fluid-flow control device which is adjustable by means of an actuating member, which is movable between different actuating positions, and by means of which the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece through the fluid channel is variable in accordance with the actuating positions of the actuating member, wherein the grip member is provided with activatable means for temporarily increasing the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece while the instantaneous actuating position of the actuating member for the fluid-flow control device is preserved,

the activatable means comprising an additional fluid channel and a closing means which is switchable between a closed state and an open state to close and open the additional fluid channel.

3. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said actuating member is operable by hand and movable from a rest position into an operating position in order to actuate the closing means, and wherein the closing means occupies its open position and opens the additional fluid channel when the actuating member is in its operating position.

4. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the closing means is formed by a conical valve having an axially movable valve body which is loaded by a pressure spring, which urges the valve body in a direction from an open position corresponding to the open state of the closing means towards a closed position corresponding to the closed state of the closing means.

5. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the actuating member is arranged on a slide which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member and which is slidable between an off-position and an on-position, and wherein with the slide in its off-position the closing means cannot be switched over by the actuating member and with the slide in its on-position the closing means can be switched over from its closed state to its open state by the actuating member.

6. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the actuating member is arranged on a slide which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member and which is slidable between an off-position and an on-position, and wherein with the slide in its off-position the closing means cannot be switched over by the actuating member and with the slide in its on-position the closing means can be switched over from its closed state to its open state by the actuating member.

7. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 6, wherein actuating member includes a push-button subjected to the load of a pressure spring, which acts upon the slide and which urges the push-button in a direction from the operating position towards the rest position of the actuating member.

8. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the push-button is included in a slide knob which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member and which traverses the slide knob with its part which points away from the grip member.

9. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the slide comprises an actuating portion and the fluid channel includes a further closing means which is movable between a closed state and an open state to close and open the fluid channel, which further closing means is switchable by means of the actuating portion of the slide, and is in its closed state when the slide is in its off-position and is in its open state when the slide is in its on-position.

10. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 6 wherein the slide comprises an actuating portion and the fluid channel includes a further closing means which is movable between a closed state and an open state to close and open the fluid channel, which further closing means is switchable by means of the actuating portion of the slide, and wherein the further closing means is in its closed state when the slide is in its off-position and the further closing means is in its open state when the slide is in its on-position.

11. A dental cleaning device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the further closing means is formed by a further conical valve having an axially movable valve body which is loaded by a pressure spring, which urges the valve body in a direction from an open position corresponding to the open state of the further closing means towards a closed position corresponding to the closed state of the further closing means.

12. A dental cleaning device as claimed claim 11, wherein the push-button is included in a slide knob which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member and which traverses the slide knob with its part which points away from the grip member.

13. A dental cleaning device as claimed claim 10, wherein the push-button is included in a slide knob which is guided so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the grip member and which traverses the slide knob with its part which points away from the grip member.

14. A dental cleaning device comprising a mouthpiece and a grip member having a fluid channel for supplying fluid to the mouthpiece and having a fluid-flow control device provided on the grip member which is adjustable by means of an actuating member which is movable between different actuating positions, and by means of which the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece through the fluid channel during operation of the dental cleaning device is variable in accordance with the actuating positions of the actuating member, and wherein the grip member is provided with activatable means for temporarily increasing the amount of fluid supplied to the mouthpiece while the setting of the actuating member for the fluid control-device at the time of activation of the activatable means is preserved.