Device for the dental hygiene provided with several rotative brushes.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for dental hygiene comprising a plurality of brushes rotating curved, flexible or articulated, rotated so as to simultaneously clean the teeth of both the maxillary antagonists, by brushing in the direction gum-teeth.

Brushing dental daily is typically done by manual toothbrushes whose travaillante part to be moved from one surface to the other tooth. All these brushes require the user to think about the moves he needs to print brush and do not exclude one hand brushing omissions of some faces and the other handling errors making it tedious or incomplete brushing .

It has been proposed to replace these manual toothbrushes by devices dental hygiene including several brushes rotating.

Some of these devices comprise two brushes rotating in opposite directions and intended to simultaneously brush the same faces (facing inside or outer side) of one or several teeth antagonists (ç'est ie maxillary and mandibular) . The disadvantages of the devices of this type are numerous. Especially when switching from external sides brushing teeth brushing faces internal and vice versa, it is necessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the brushes, so that the teeth are always brushed in the direction gum-teeth. Moreover, if the simultaneous brushing of the external faces of the opposing teeth is possible using these devices, the simultaneous brushing of the inner faces of the opposing teeth is practically impossible because the user must loosen the teeth in order to access the internal face of the teeth. Finally, it is necessary to move these appliances in the mouth between the end teeth of the jaws.

Other devices comprise two rotating brushes or three rotary brushes for brush simultaneously the outer face and the inner face as well as possibly the occlusal surface of one or more teeth of a jaw. On these devices, brushes can rotate continuously in the same direction. However, it is always necessary to move the device on all teeth and moving the device in the mouth, on the one and the other dental arch, presents difficulties to the extent that the form of three straight brushes these devices do not correspond to the curved shape of the dental arches.

Another device is to overcome these disadvantages by the use of curved brushes having a length and a shape corresponding to those of the entire dental arches, for the simultaneous brushing outer and inner surfaces of all teeth in both jaws antago - ists. However, this device is very cumbersome so that its mouthing by a particular user seems problematic, if not impossible. Indeed, the drive of the four brushes is provided at one end of the apparatus, that is to say at the rear of two half-jaws antagonists. This training is carried out by a gear system whose presence in this place, that for reasons of morphology of the user can not bite the bullet when the appliance is in the mouth. Furthermore, it should be noted that the four brushes of this device allow only brushing the inner and outer surfaces of the teeth and not the occlusal surfaces. Finally, the fact that the device must match the shape of the set of two opposing dental arches, an adaptation of the dental arches of different sizes and conformations is not possible, which would involve the production of a number relatively important to different models from the standpoint of size and shape.

Finally, it has proposed an apparatus for simultaneously clean all the teeth of a dental arch or both arches dental antagonists, not using rotating brushes, but groups of three brushes driven by an axial movement of back and forth, a brush is perpendicular to the occlusal surface and the other two brushes inclined at 45 ° relative to the faces inner and outer teeth. In addition to the complexity and apparent fragility of brushing system of this device, it should be noted that the movement back and forth under 45 ° bristle brushes with respect to internal and external surfaces of the teeth can certainly disrupt plaque, but does not drain. Moreover, this movement within 45 ° of internal and external brushes may result in irritation gengivales by mechanical trauma at the genvivo sulcus, which can lead to a recession gengivale.

The present invention relates to a device for dental hygiene compact, simple and reliable structure, can be safely used for a cleaning effective, comprehensive and fast from all tooth surfaces, while at s'adaptant dental arches conformations and sizes.

The dental hygiene device according to the invention comprises five brushes mounted curved in an arrangement of H, the axes of four brushes being arranged at the four ends of the H and the axis of the fifth brush in the middle of the horizontal bar of H, on a housing. This housing comprises a portion brush holder open, sector-shaped arcuate, having a length and a curved form corresponding substantially to those of two half-arches dental antagonists. This portion is composed of a cheek pad outside and a tongue guards opposite inside, leaving between them a lower continuous opening and an upper continuous opening opposite the entire length of the brushes. Said cheek pad is said tongue guards are interconnected by at least two transverse struts serving as mounting supports for the brushes. Said housing further comprises, in the extension of the driving end of the brushes, a portion of closed bite forming two opposed upper and lower constrictions receiving, when the device is in the mouth between half "` dental arches antagonists, the upper and lower incisors of the two antagonists autres.demi-dental arcades, in order to lock the device in the mouth by biting at the location of said baffles.

The five curved brushes mounted H ensure the simultaneous brushing the insides, the outsides and chewing surfaces of opposing teeth of the two dental arches. The brushes extend on the value of a dental half-arch, so that the device ensures the simultaneous brushing all of the teeth of two opposing dental half-arches. After brushing the teeth, it is sufficient that the user returns the device 180 ° and introduce between the teeth of the two dental arches half antagonists, without changing the direction of rotation of the brushes. The guard cheek and tongue guards prevent any risk of injury by the rotating brushes. Due to the drive of the brushes from the end of the housing on the front of the mouth, the incisors, when the camera is in the mouth, the user can easily bite the device by its incisors. The two constrictions provided in the housing to receive the incisors automatically ensure proper positioning of the device in the mouth.

The five brushes of the apparatus can be driven for example from an electric motor via a set of seven or preferably nine pinions, the central pinion is directly driven by the motor shaft. These gears can be in the camera body at the location of bottlenecks to the bite with incisors. Part brush holders shaped arcuate segment and the bite portion can be formed in one piece or as two separate pieces which can be coupled and uncoupled.

It is however also possible to provide the gear train, not in the housing, but for example in a sleeve enclosing the electric motor and can be coupled with and uncoupled from the housing. In this case, the connection between the gear train and the five brushes can be achieved by five flexible shafts, such as stranded metal wires or plastic rods, having means of rapid junction.

It is also possible to cause the brushes five by five turbines fed by fluid from a fluid source under pressure. In addition, it is possible to drive the five brushes from a central shaft by means of pulleys and belts.

Preferably the brushes comprise bristles of different lengths, for example alternate long hairs and short hairs and or different orientations. By this means, it is possible to compensate for differences in morphology.

The apparatus according to the invention, viewed in cross section, relative to a vertical axis passing through the central axis of the brush form a single-ended with respect to constrictions receiving the upper and lower incisors, the position of the axes other brushes and height of the tongue guards and guard play. This asymmetry prevents interference of the housing with the bunσîdes papillae of the user and allows brushing the entire height of the upper incisors the outer face is higher than the inner side.

By cons, the apparatus according to the invention is perfectly symmetrical with respect to a horizontal median plane passing through the axis of the middle brush, to ensure the even brushing effect in the two positions corresponding to the brushing dental half-arches left and right.

Referring to the accompanying drawings will be described below in more detail several embodiments illustrative and not restrictive of apparatus dental hygiene according to the invention; on the drawing :<ul><li>FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;</li><li>FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, the housing being separated into two parts;</li><li>FIG. 3 is a simplified plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the position of the apparatus relative to a dental arch brushing;</li><li>FIG. 4 is a section AA of Fig. 1;</li><li>FIG. 5 is a section BB of Fig. 1;</li><li>FIG. 6 is a plan view, on a larger scale, partly broken away, showing the two dissociated parts of the housing;</li><li>FIG. 7 is a section on CC of Fig. 1, the apparatus being in the mouth;</li><li>FIG. 8 is a section DD of FIG. 1, the apparatus being in the mouth;</li><li>FIG. 9 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention;</li><li>FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a variant of the apparatus according to the invention with drive brushes by turbines;</li><li>FIG. 11 shows a drive mode brushes by pulleys and belts.</li></ul>

The dental hygiene apparatus as shown in Figs. 1-8 comprises a housing 1 consisting of two parts la and Ib can be coupled (Fig. 1) and uncoupled (Fig. 2).

On the brush holder portion are rotatably mounted five brushes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 arranged in H, as especially shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The five brushes 2 to 6 are rotatably mounted on three supports 10, 11, llbis one of which (10) is visible in FIG. 8. The brushes 2 to 6 are axially immobilized on the one hand at one of their ends in the holder llbis (see Fig. 6) and comprise, near their other end, each a thrust washer 12 bearing on the carrier 10.

The supports 10, 11 and are secured to a llbis Cheek Pad 13 and a tongue guards 14 opposite each arranged outside the group of brushes on two opposite sides of this group of brushes for the two amounts vertical H (see especially fig. 4).

Shin integument 13 and 14 as well as the brushes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, have a curved shape and a length substantially corresponding to those of a dental half-arch (see Fig. 3).

The brushes 2 to 6 are constituted by a flexible shaft or hub to the brushes to rotate about their axes while maintaining the curved shape which is printed by their protects the integument 13 and 14 via brackets 10, 11, llbis.

The casing part lb said bite portion includes a gear train which will be described later. It comprises at its end opposite that by which it can be coupled with the housing part, a connecting ring 15 with a locking pin 17. The end 7 of the drive shaft of the gear train out of the casing part lb concentrically to the ring junction 15. the junction 15 and the ring 7 of the drive shaft end are used to connect the apparatus, or to a crank 34, either a gear motor electrical switch 16 whose on-off is referenced 32. the crank 34 and the gear motor 16 comprises a female part 33 from junction s'accoupler in the manner of a bayonet lock with the ring junction 15, the connection drive between the crank output shaft 34 or the gear motor 16 and the end 7 of the input shaft 8 of the gear train mounted within the casing part lb being established when the parts 15 and 33 are locked to each other.

FIG. 2 shows the two housing parts la and lb uncoupled. The purpose of this uncoupling between the parts la and lb is to allow the easy replacement of the brushes, that is to say, the housing part on which the brushes are mounted.

FIG. 3 which shows the camera riding a dental half-arch shows the length and shape of the brush and shin integument substantially corresponds to that of a dental half-arch. The MP line drawn in dashed lines in Fig. 3 represents the "median sagittal plane" dental ç'est ie a plane passing vertically through the middle of a dental arch so as to divide this arcade into two half-arches symmetrical.

It should be noted that the plays guard 13 has an increased height in the lip area. Moreover, the language guard 14 has over its entire length, a lower height than the Cheek Pad 13.

As shown in Fig. 4 and 5, the apparatus is asymmetrical with respect to a vertical axis FF passing through the axis of the brush median 3. For against the apparel is symmetrical about a horizontal plane passing through the axis EE of the brush median 3.

Also according to fig. 4 and 5, the housing part has two constrictions 18 lb and 19 opposed, one upper and the other lower.

FIGS. 4 and 6 show the gear train mounted within the casing part lb This gear train comprises a pinion central 9 to rotate with the input shaft 8 of which the end 7 allows connection to the handwheel or the geared motor drive. The sun gear 9 meshes with two pinions 35 and 38. The pinion 35 is in direct engagement with a pinion 22, and an intermediate gear 36, meshing with a pinion 23. Similarly, the pinion 38 is in direct with a pinion 20 and an intermediate gear 37 engaged with a pinion 21. the pinions 9, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are arranged, such as brushes 2 to 6, H so that the central pinion 9 is located in middle of the horizontal bar of the H, the pinions 20 and 21 to both ends of a vertical bar and the sprockets 22 and 23 at both ends of the other bar vertical H. the purpose of the gear set is to allow, when driving the sun wheel 9 in a direction that is in the opposite direction of clockwise in fIG. 4, the drive pinions 20 and 22 in the same direction as the pinion 9, that is to say the opposite direction of clockwise, and the pinions 21 and 23 in the opposite direction.

It should be noted that the sun gear 9 is placed at the center between the two constrictions 18 and 19 of the housing part lb.

Fig. 6 which shows the two housing parts la and lb uncoupled and Fig. 5, it recognizes the ends 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 on the output side of the axes of the pinions 9, 20, 21, 22 and 23. These ends protrude from the housing part lb and are shaped so as to allow a disengageable driving connection with the brush plugs 2 to 6, respectively. To this end, as shown, the shaft ends 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 can be constituted by flat male joining parts fitting into female joining portions 31 of homotétique shape, provided at the ends of drive brush plugs 2 to 6.

At the mouthing of the device between two antagonistic dental half-arches (see Fig. 3), the incisors 24 and 25 (Fig. 5) of the other two antagonists dental half-arches are placed in the constrictions 18 and 19 of the housing part Ib, while the molar (and premolars, canines and incisors) of the two half-arches antagonists to be cleaned are placed, visible manner in fig. 7 and 8, two lanes of upper and lower arcuate cleaning brushes formed by 2, 3, 4 and the brushes 3, 5, 6. The brush drive direction is selected so that the four end brushes 2 , 4, 5 and 6 rotate so as to brush the teeth in the teeth gencisive-direction as shown in fig. 7. These four brushes end therefore provide brushing faces inner and outer of all the teeth of the two half-arches antagonists, while the brush unit 3 ensures brushing the occlusal surfaces of the teeth of upper and lower the same half arcades.

Due to the symmetry of the unit relative to the plane EE (Fig. 5), there are exactly the same layout of the brushes by rapport.aux teeth of the two other half-arches dental antagonists, after turning apparatus 180 ° and introduction between the two antagonists dental demiarcades. The sense gencisives tooth brushing by the end brush is retained, without reversing the direction for driving the brushes.

FIG. 9 illustrates a variant of the apparatus according to the invention which differs from the embodiment of Fig. 1-8 by the one-piece embodiment of the assembly of the housing 1. The drive of the brushes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 is carried out here by means of five metal wires stranded or plastic rods 61, 62 , 63, 64, 65 can be flexible extension brush plugs, the end open into the junction ring 15. the latter is intended to cooperate with a female joint portion 33 of a sleeve 66 enclosing an electric motor 67 powered by a power source 70. the output movement of the motor 67 is distributed via a gear train 71 similar to that used in the preceding embodiment, but mounted in the handle 66 and not on the casing 1 over five cables or the like reeds to those mounted in the casing 1 and opening into the connecting part 33. the coupling between the cables or rods of the housing 1 and the handle 66 takes place by conventional joining means, e.g. like those used in the foregoing embodiment for the junction between the output shafts of the pinions 9, 20, 21, 22, 23 and the brush plugs.

In the variant according to FIG. 10, also comprising a housing 1 in one piece, the drive of the five brushes which only the brushes 2, 3 and 4 are shown is effected by means of five fluid turbines with only three turbines 83, 84 and 85 are represented. These turbines can be powered by any pressurized fluid (water, air, etc ...). Each turbine is connected to two tubes 86, 87 arrival and fluid outlet. All these inlet and outlet pipes are joined at the junction of ring 15 in two tubes which are connected to two tubes 68 and 69 extending from the junction portion 33 of the handle 66, inside the latter, to join, for example by means of flexible tubes 90, a source 74 of pressurized fluid. This source 74 can be for example a pump driven by electric means or a connecting system to the supply network of drinking water which may connect for example a valve.

In the variant according to FIG. 11, the gear train of the embodiment of Fig. 1 to 8 or the embodiment of FIG. 9 is replaced by a transmission comprising five pulleys 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 driving the five brushes, two crossed straps cooperating visible manner in fig. 1 each with the center pulley and two end pulleys, and two additional pulleys 80 and 81 ensuring the belt tension. Belts can of course be replaced by any equivalent to the average (cords, elastic, chains, etc ...).

To allow adaptation of the housing 1 in dental arcades conformations and different sizes, it is advantageous that the housing part, ç'est ie the parts 10, 11, 13 and 14, are made of a material relatively soft. By against the casing part lb is made of rigid material. These two materials can be preferably plastics.

Rotary brushes should have a flexible hub which can be constituted for example of a plastics material rod or a plastic tube injected rubber. This hub may be reinforced with glass fibers and / or carbon fibers. Where pile passes through these hubs through.

It is also possible to produce the brush as a whole, that is to say hub and hairs, a single plastic parts, for example polyamide.

In order to improve the adaptation of the dental arches of different conformations, it may be advantageous to use brushes having bristles of different lengths, for example an alternation of long hairs and short hairs.

Finally, in order to allow the realization of a single standard size of apparatus for adults, human race, it is advantageous to give the brush a lower length (value of a tooth) to the length of the half-arches dental, so that the brushes act on the teeth from the medial sagittal plane until the second molar. The flexibility of the housing allows the party then, for users with longer dental arches, slightly moving backwards the camera, short cleaning to brush all your teeth.