Oral-care device and system

• US 8,276,231 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eegee LLC
• Original Assignee: Eegee LLC
• Inventors: Gavney, James A. Jr., Mix, Jerry, Boyle, Dennis, Sun, Rickson, Loew, Christopher, Soboll, Pascal Homero, Kim, Daniel Sung-hwe
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIN, RANDALL E
• Application Number:
  US11/296,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,491 Days
• Field of Search: 15/221, 15/28, 15/971, 151/10, 151/14, 151/17, 151/671, 152/45
• US Class Current: 15/22.1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/11 Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/12 Implements with several different treating devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/222 Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3436 Rotation around the axis perpendicular to the plane defined by the bristle holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3472 with combined movements of the brush body
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/3481 Vibrating brush body, e.g. by using eccentric weights
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/349 with multiple brush bodies

Abstract

A device with two or more regions configured to clean or treat a working surface is disclosed. Preferably, the device is an oral-care device with a power cleaning head. The power cleaning head comprises two or more regions, wherein at least one of the regions is configured to move and wherein at least one of the regions comprises a squeegee element. Preferably, the regions are configured to independently rotate, oscillate, vibrate or otherwise move while cleaning teeth and gums and can each include bristles, nodules, squeegee elements, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A device comprising a cleaning head, the cleaning head comprising

a) a support structure;

b) a plurality of squeegee segments protruding upward from a surface of the support structure, the squeegee segments each comprising two terminus ends that are inside edges and outside edges, wherein the plurality of squeegee segments extend radially outward from the inside edges to the outside edges along the surface of the support structure and, wherein the outside edges define an outside periphery and the inside edges define an inside periphery; and

c) bristles that protrude from the surface of the support structure at locations between elongated squeegee walls of adjacent pairs of the plurality of squeegee segments.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the support structure is configured to automatically move and thus automatically move the plurality of squeegee segments and the bristles together as a unit.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the support surface is configured to vibrate, rotate or oscillate.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising a motorized handle configured to detachably couple the cleaning head.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising bristles that protrude from a center location within the inside periphery on the surface of the support structure.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein portions of the plurality of squeegee segments are corrugated, rounded, angled or pointed.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising nodules protruding from the surface of the support structure.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the nodules are corrugated, rounded, angled or pointed.

9. A device comprising a plurality of squeegee segments with substantially linear top wiping edges and two terminus ends that are inside edges and outside edges, wherein the substantially linear top wiping edges extend radially outward along a support surface with the outside edges defining a substantially circular outside periphery and the inside edges defining a substantially circular inside periphery, the device further comprising bristles protruding from the support surface between substantially linear walls of adjacent pairs of the squeegee segments.