Dental cleansing implement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dental cleansing instrument, comprising:
- a handle member including a housing and an electric motor drive; and
a cleansing implement including an elongate member having a mounting portion structured for removably coupling with the electric motor drive, anda thin, elongate shaft characterized by a longitudinal center line and having a free end portion structured for insertion in interproximal spaces,wherein the mounting portion is coupled to the electric motor drive which during operation(1) causes the free end portion to at least one of rotate or oscillate and having an axis of rotation or oscillation which coincides with the shaft longitudinal center line, and(2) also causes the free end portion to perform a superimposed reciprocating motion in the direction of the shaft longitudinal center line.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a dental cleansing implement (101) having a thin, elongate shaft (102) comprising a free end portion (105) suitable in particular for insertion in the interproximal spaces and connected with a mounting portion (6) or the like. The mounting portion (6) is adapted to be coupled to an electric motor drive means of a handle member, and the cleansing implement is adapted to be rotated or oscillated about a shaft longitudinal center line (135). The free end portion (105) of the shaft (102) is made of a flexible material bent in the shape of a crescent (130), approximately.
55 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A dental cleansing instrument, comprising:
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a handle member including a housing and an electric motor drive; and a cleansing implement including an elongate member having a mounting portion structured for removably coupling with the electric motor drive, and a thin, elongate shaft characterized by a longitudinal center line and having a free end portion structured for insertion in interproximal spaces, wherein the mounting portion is coupled to the electric motor drive which during operation (1) causes the free end portion to at least one of rotate or oscillate and having an axis of rotation or oscillation which coincides with the shaft longitudinal center line, and (2) also causes the free end portion to perform a superimposed reciprocating motion in the direction of the shaft longitudinal center line. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. The implement of clam 15 further including a restoring element which acts upon the drive shaft to automatically cause the drive shaft to occupy a retracted position.
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17. A dental cleansing implement for coupling to a handle member with an electric motor drive, the cleansing implement comprising:
an elongate member including a thin, elongate shaft having a free end portion structured for insertion in interproximal spaces, a mounting portion connected with the shaft, the mounting portion including structure adapted to be coupled to the electric motor drive, and an intermediate portion of the shaft between the free end portion and the mounting portion, the intermediate portion including a spherical enlargement having a bearing surface which reduces sliding friction when the intermediate portion is within a guide sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification