Soft scrub and spray method

• US 6,217,327 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Satnam S. Bedi
• Original Assignee: Satnam S. Bedi
• Inventors: Bedi, Satnam S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manahan, Todd E.
• Application Number:
  US09/498,899
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 433/80, 433/82, 433/88, 433/89, 601/162, 601/163, 601/164, 601/165
• US Class Current: 433/80
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/066 with means for introducing an additive, e.g. soap

Abstract

Warm water, (preferably 110° F.) in a reservoir is delivered under pressure to teeth and gums in a spray or mist that is emitted from the bristle-carrying base of a toothbrush. The spray loosens food particles and plaque deposits from tooth surfaces and facilitates their removal by the physical action of the bristles. An inlet conduit has a free end positioned within the reservoir, above the water level, and an outlet conduit has a free end immersed within the water contained in the reservoir. A pump in fluid communication with the inlet conduit pumps air into the container and the pressure in the container drives the water into the outlet conduit and to the toothbrush. A closure member in the container is apertured to accommodate the inlet and outlet conduits. A bypass conduit bypasses the reservoir and interconnects the inlet and outlet conduits, and ambient air enters a suction end of the pump and flows into the container and through the bypass conduit so that air bubbles enter into the water flowing from the reservoir to the toothbrush. In a second embodiment, a stannous fluoride tablet is dissolved in the water. In a third embodiment, gaseous fluid under pressure is introduced into the inlet conduit and in a fourth embodiment, a medication such as an antibiotic is introduced into the outlet conduit to enhance the therapeutic effects of the system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for loosening and removing food particles and plaque deposits from tooth surfaces, comprising:

a reservoir means for containing a predetermined volume of a liquid fluid;

a toothbrush having bristles and a base to which said bristles are mounted;

a plurality of apertures formed in said base;

an outlet conduit providing fluid communication between said reservoir means and said apertures;

an inlet conduit having a first end in fluid communication with ambient air and a second end positioned within said reservoir means at a preselected location above a liquid level in said reservoir means;

a bypass conduit providing fluid communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit, said bypass conduit bypassing said reservoir means;

a pump means having a suction inlet for intake of ambient air and a compression outlet in fluid communication with said inlet conduit;

said pump means being positioned upstream of said bypass conduit so that said pump means simultaneously pumps said liquid fluid from said reservoir means and pumps air through said bypass conduit so that air pumped to said base contains air bubbles;

whereby said liquid fluid is applied to tooth surfaces in a spray or mist that is effective to loosen food particles and plaque deposits from tooth surfaces so that said food particles are removed from said tooth surfaces by said bristles during tooth brushing; and

whereby the spray or mist is applied at the same time that the brushing takes place.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control valve disposed in said bypass conduit for controlling the amount of air bubbles introduced into said outlet conduit and thereby controlling the flow rate of liquid fluid from said reservoir.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first introducing means for introducing a preselected gaseous fluid into said inlet conduit.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first introducing means is positioned in fluid communication with said inlet conduit at a preselected location between said pump means and said reservoir means, said first introducing means including a pressurized source of a preselected gas under pressure, said pressurized source being in valved communication with said inlet conduit.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a second introducing means for introducing a therapeutic substance into said outlet conduit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said second introducing means includes a remote source of a therapeutic substance under pressure, said remote source being in valved communication with said outlet conduit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid fluid in said reservoir means includes a solution of stannous fluoride of predetermined strength dissolved therein.

8. An apparatus for delivering a therapeutic substance to teeth and gums, comprising:

a reservoir means for containing a predetermined volume of a liquid fluid;

said liquid fluid having said therapeutic substance dissolved therein;

a toothbrush having bristles and a base to which said bristles are mounted;

a plurality of apertures formed in said base;

an inlet conduit having a free end positioned within said reservoir means at a preselected location above a liquid level in said reservoir means;

an outlet conduit providing fluid communication between said reservoir means and said apertures;

a bypass conduit providing fluid communication between said inlet conduit and said outlet conduit said by pass conduit bypassing said reservoir means;

pump means for pumping said liquid fluid from said reservoir means to said apertures through said outlet conduit at a constant flow rate so that the flow is not interrupted during teeth cleaning; and

said pump means being in fluid communication with said inlet conduit;

whereby said therapeutic substance is delivered to teeth and gums of a user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said liquid fluid is water.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said therapeutic substance is fluoride.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said therapeutic substance includes free fluoride ions.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said therapeutic substance is stannous fluoride.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a funnel disposed in said reservoir;

said funnel having a downspout disposed in upstanding relation to a bottom wall of said reservoir;

a dissolvable, dentally therapeutic tablet positioned within said downspout in overlying relation to said bottom wall;

a plurality of perforations formed in said downspout near a lower end thereof so that a dentally therapeutic substance is released into said reservoir through said perforations as said tablet dissolves; and

said outlet conduit having a first end disposed in closely spaced relation to said lower end of said downspout so that said dentally therapeutic substance is transported by said outlet conduit to said apertures formed in said base of said toothbrush.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said pump means is an air pump.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said air pump is battery operated.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said air pump is operated on household alternating current that is stepped down in voltage.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a first introducing means for introducing a gaseous fluid into said liquid fluid at a preselected location in said inlet conduit, said first introducing means including a remote source of a preselected gaseous liquid under pressure, said remote source being in valved fluid communication with said inlet conduit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a second introducing means for introducing a therapeutic substance into said outlet conduit, said second introducing means including a remote source of a therapeutic substance under pressure, said remote source being in valved communication with said outlet conduit.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a control valve disposed in said bypass conduit for controlling the amount of effervescence introduced into said outlet conduit.