BAKKER-VAN DER KAMP GERTRUDE RIËTTE (NL)
US4237574A | 1980-12-09 |
CLAIMS: 1. A mouthpiece device (10) for an oral cleaning function, comprising: a body (12) for receipt in the mouth of a user, the body having an arcuate shape defining an arcuate contour (14), for following the shape of a dental arch of the user, wherein the arcuate contour is adjustable by a user for better conforming the body to the user’s dental arch; a plurality of flexible cleaning elements (20) protruding from a surface of the body, and disposed in an array which extends along an arcuate contour of the body, for engagement with teeth (28) of the user; a plurality of spacer elements (32) positioned at intervals along said arcuate contour, protruding from said surface of the body, for maintaining a minimum spacing between the surface of the body along said arcuate contour and the teeth during said adjustment of the body arcuate contour to the user’s dental arch. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spacer elements (32) protrude to a shorter height from the body (12) surface than the cleaning elements (20). 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the cleaning elements (20) each protrude to a first height from the body (12) surface, and wherein the spacer elements (32) each protrude to a second height from the body surface, and wherein the second height is at least 25% of the first height, and preferably wherein the second height is at least 50% of the first height. 4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-3, wherein the spacer elements (32) are less flexible than the cleaning elements (20). 5. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-4, wherein the cleaning elements (20) are each resiliency bendable in a lateral direction, perpendicular to a direction of their extension from the body surface, and wherein the spacer elements (32) are non-bendable in a lateral direction perpendicular to a direction of their extension from the body surface. 6. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-5, wherein the cleaning elements (20) are arrayed in a field which spans at least one elongate strip along the body, and wherein the spacer elements are disposed within the field of cleaning elements. 7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-6, wherein the cleaning elements (20) comprise bristles. 8. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-7, wherein the body (12) defines an arcuate tooth-receiving channel (16), wherein the cleaning elements (20) protrude into the channel from one or more walls (18a, 18b) of the channel, and wherein the spacer elements (32) protrude into the channel from said one or more walls of the channel. 9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cleaning elements (20) and the spacer elements (32) protrude into the channel (16) from opposing boundary walls of the channel. 10. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-9, wherein the spacer elements (32) are positioned at regular intervals along the arcuate contour (14). 11. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-10, wherein the arcuate contour (14) is C-shaped, or wherein the arcuate contour is J-shaped. 12 A device as claimed in any of claims 1-11, wherein the arcuate contour (14) is adjustable by a user through physical manipulation of the body. 13. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-12, wherein the body (12) is articulated to permit adjustment of the arcuate contour (14). 14. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-13, wherein at least a portion of the body (12) having the arcuate shape is formed of a deformable material to permit the adjustment of the arcuate contour (14). 15. A device as claimed in any of claims 1-14, wherein the device comprises an actuation means, the actuation means operable to induce an oscillatory motion of the cleaning elements, for a cleaning acti on of the teeth. |
In the illustrated example, the spacer elements are positioned at regular intervals along the arcuate contour 14 of the body. However, this is not essential.
In the illustrated example, the body 12 of the mouthpiece device defines an arcuate tooth-receiving channel 16. The cleaning elements 20 protrude into the channel from opposing boundary walls 18a, 18b of the channel. The spacer elements 32 likewise protrude into the channel from said opposing boundary walls of the channel.
In the illustrated example, the cleaning elements 20 are arrayed in a field (e.g. a bristle field) which spans at least one elongate strip along each of the side walls 18a, 18b of the tooth-receiving channel 16, and wherein the spacer elements 32 are disposed within the field of cleaning elements. The at least one strip may extend continuously around the arcuate l ength of the channel 16, or may be interrupted with gaps in one or more places. Each strip may extend part way or the whole way up the height of the channel walls.
Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view through the mouthpiece device 10. In the particular example illustrated, each spacer element 32 is a cuboidal shape, attached to a respecti ve wall 18 of the tooth-receiving channel 16 and extends to a height from the wall (i.e. in a dimension normal to the wall) which is less than the height from the wall to which the cleaning elements 20 extend. For example, if cleaning elements each protrude to a first height from the body surface, and the spacer elements 32 each protrude to a second height from the body surface, the second height may be less than the first height, but may be at least 25% of the first height, and may be at least 50% of the first height. The second height may be no greater than 75% of the first height. For instance, by way of just one non-limiting illustration, if bristle filaments extend to 5 mm, the spacer elements might extend to a height of between 2.5 mm and 3 mm.
In this example, the spacer elements 32 extend only part way up the height of the wall 18 (e.g. the dimension parallel to the wall surface, in the direction between the channel base and the open channel roof), but in other examples may extend the full height of the wall.
The spacer elements 32 may be more rigid than the protruding cleaning elements 20. This enables the spacer elements to perform the function of enforcing a minimum spacing between the walls 18a, 18b and the teeth 28 of the user. By way of example, the spacer elements may be formed of a rigid elastomeric material, e.g. rubber or silicone, which is sufficiently inflexible to not have its shape or pose changed as a result of the forces exerted on it when adjusting the arcuate curvature of the mouthpiece body 12 to the curvature of the user’s dental arch. In some examples, the spacer elements may be formed of a partially resilient material, such as foam. The spacer elements may each comprise a spacer element body which has a minimum cross-section width which is greater than a minimum cross-section width of the cleaning elements, or an average cross-section width which is greater than an average cross-section width of the cleaning elements. The spacer elements may be non-bendable in a lateral direction perpendicular to a direction of their extension from the body surface.
There are different options for the shape of the cleaning elements 32, and this will be discussed further later.
In operation, the body 12 of the mouthpiece device is inserted into the user’s mouth, and adjusted in its curvature so that the teeth of the user are received in the tooth- receiving channel 16. In particular the body is adjusted in shape to change the arcuate contour 14 described by the body to better conform to the curvature of the user’s teeth.
This process is illustrated schematically in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.
Fig. 5 shows adjustment of the arcuate contour defined by a J-shaped mouthpiece device from a first curvature to a second curvature. Fig. 6 show s adjustment of the arcuate contour defined by a C-shaped or U-shaped mouthpiece device from a first curvature to a second curvature.
There are different ways of facilitating the adjustable curvature of the body. The arcuate contour 14 may be adjustable by a user through physical manipulation of the body 12, i.e. by manually pushing and pulling on the body to change the arcuate contour which it follow s. This may be facilitated for example by forming the body of a flexible material such as silicone. In some examples, the body may be formed of a material which is deformable from a first curvature to a second curvature through physical manipulation, and which retains each new shape after the deformation. In some examples, the body may comprise a core formed of such a material, and an outer covering (skin) w hich is more resilient.
In some examples, the body 12 may be articulated to permit adjustment of the arcuate contour. For example, the body may be formed of a plurality of segments w hich are linked by pivotal joints betw een each neighboring pair of segments. The joints may be adjustable in their pivot angle, and preferably wherein the joints retain their pivot angle upon each adjustment. In some examples, the mouthpiece device body 12 may have a different kind of segmented structure. One example is schematically illustrated in Fig. 7. In this example, the body is formed of a flexible, deformable material such as silicone. The body may be formed of a single-piece, i.e. a monolithic structure. The body comprises a plurality of segments which are each connected to neighboring segments by thinned sections of the body material. The structure is effectively a continuous elongate body with regularly spaced cut- out sections cut into opposite elongate sides of the body, each cut out extending at least to a central longitudinal axis of the body, and the cut-outs on one side being interleaved spatially with those of the other side. Each cut out may extend to a point further than the central longitudinal axis, between the central axis and the opposite elongate side of the body. Each cut out may define an elongate stem section extending into the body, and this ending with a rounded section either centered on the longitudinal axis (as illustrated in Fig. 7) or, more preferably, offset from the central axis toward the opposite side of the body. This forms a flexible structure, with the cut-outs providing physical space to accommodate changes in curvature.
There are different options for the shape of the spacer elements. The shape can be selected for minimal friction for example. When adjusting the curvature of the mouthpiece body, it is desirable that the spacer elements enforce the minimum spacing, while not interfering with movement of the w alls 18 over the teeth 28 as curvature adjustment takes place.
Fig. 8 schematically illustrates a set of example shapes for the spacer elements 32. These are the shapes from a front view of the spacer elements, i.e. a point of view' facing the w all or surface from which the spacer elements are protruding.
Different shapes may encourage or facilitate movement of the w all in certain directions. For example the shape may comprise one or more length sections which encourage movement along said length sections. These may, by w ay of non-limiting example, comprise a diagonally zig-zagging shape, an annular shape (i.e. ring shape), a cross- shape, a cuboidal shape, or a solid oval shape. In some examples, the spacer elements may be shaped and positioned to preferentially permit sliding of the spacer element over the tooth surface in a select one or more directions, to guide the fitting of the mouthpiece body to the teeth. In some examples, differently shaped spacer elements may be provided at different positions around the arc of the mouthpiece body, for example for preferentially encouraging sliding of the mouthpiece inner walls in different directions depending upon the area of the mouthpiece inner walls.
In some examples, the spacer elements 32 may be adapted for performing a cleaning function. For example, the spacer elements may be arranged for engaging with tooth surfaces in addition to the protruding cleaning elements when the mouthpiece device has been fitted to the user’s mouth. They may be formed of, or be coated in, a semi-abrasive material.
The body may be formed of multiple segments, as discussed earlier. In some examples, these segments may be mechanically insulated or isolated from one another, to permit selective coupling of an oscillatory motion generated by an optional actuation means (discussed below) to only a subset of the segments. For example, instead of the spacer elements 32 being nestled within the field of cleaning elements 20, the spacer elements could be provided on separate segments from the cleaning elements, so that they are not subject to the same oscillatory motion as the cleaning elements.
For example, the mouthpiece body may be structured from a plurality of connected segments, and wherein cleaning elements are carried on segments which are actuated during cleaning operation, and wherein, in-between the actuated cleaning segments, segments are provide which carry the spacer elements and which are static during a cleaning operation. In an alternative set of examples, both the cleaning elements and the spacer elements may be arranged for being oscillated by the actuation means during cleaning operation. They may be disposed together on the same segments (if the body is segmented), or otherwise disposed in a mixed arrangement with the spacers nestled among the cleaning elements. In this case, the (stiffer) spacer elements may cause a damping effect on the oscill ation of the body and thus of the cleaning elements. In some examples, the actuation means may be adapted to apply a different oscillation pattern to the spacer elements compared to the cleaning elements. For example, it may be arranged so as to couple a separate oscillatory motion to the segments carrying the spacer elements. For example, if the spacer elements also perform a cleaning function, this oscillation may facilitate the cleaning function, and enable oscillation at a frequency that is resonant with the (more rigid) spacer elements.
In some examples, at least a subset of the spacer elements 32 may be adapted to provide a function of guiding a bending direction of the bristles, for instance to allow bristles in a particular region or patch to only bend in one direction, or to block bending in one or more directions, for instance to guide the bristles to a pre-determined location relative to the teeth. For example, bristles might be guided to bend to reach the gumline or interproximal spaces, thereby ensuring that these regions are not missed.
One example for instance is illustrated in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10.
As the height of the spacer elements 32 is typically less than the height of the cleaning elements 20, some bending cannot be prevented. However, the bending of the cleaning element can be limited by placing the spacer directly adjacent to the cleaning element or tuft of cleaning elements whose bending direction is to be guided. This is illustrated schematically for example in Fig. 10 which shows a set of tufts of cleaning elements 20 neighbored on either side by spacer elements 32, which thereby constrain the bending behavior of the cleaning elements. In the example of Fig. 10, the cleaning elements or tufts can bend essentially freely in a direction left-to-right but are constrained in a direction up and down due to the spacer elements 32 next to the bristle tufts.
In some examples, the spacer elements 32 may be at least partially retractable, for retracting the spacer elements after shaping of the mouthpiece to the user’s dental arch. For example, they might be collapsible, or foldable, or may be attached at their base to a deformable structure which is controllable to deform to thereby change a height to which the spacer elements extend from the surface to which they are attached.
An example is illustrated in Fig. 11, which shows a spacer element 32 which has an actuable structure 42 at its base by which it is connected to the mouthpiece body surface. The actuable structure is controllable to deform between at least a first and second actuation state, where in the first actuation state the spacer element is retracted closer to the mouthpiece body 12 surface, and in the second actuation state the spacer element is pushed outward further from the mouthpiece body surface. In effect, its height from the mouthpiece body surface is adjustable. In operation, the spacer elements of this type may be extended outward into the second actuation state during fitting of the mouthpiece body to the contour of the user’s mouth, such that the spacer elements may help guide the fitting. Once the mouthpiece has been fitted, the spacer elements may be retracted into the first actuation state, so that they do not obstruct or block areas of the teeth on which they may be resting in the extended (second) actuation state, and thus do not prevent those areas from being cleaned by the cleaning elements.
The actuatable structure 42 may be a mechanical/ electrical actuator or, more preferably, may be formed of an electroactive shape-change material such as an electroactive polymer which is deformable between two determinate shapes responsive to application of an electric voltage or current. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece device may comprise an actuation means, the actuation means operable to induce an oscillatory motion of the cleaning elements, for a cleaning action of the teeth.
In one aspect of the invention, the provided mouthpiece device may consist solely of the arcuate body 12 for receipt in the user’s mouth. For example, this might be a removable attachment for coupling to a main body or handle section of pre-existing device. In another aspect of the invention, the provided mouthpiece device may comprise the arcuate body for being received in the mouth and a main body or handle section to which the mouthpiece body is coupled. The two may be releasably coupled. The main body or handle section may house electronic components, such as the aforementioned actuation means, comprising an actuation mechanism for driving an oscillatory motion of the cleaning elements during use. It may also house a power source for powering the actuation mechanism. The actuation mechanism may comprise an electronically driven oscillatory 7 actuator.
As discussed above, the mouthpiece device, by way of just two examples, can be C-shaped for use in cleaning the teeth around the whole of the user’s dental arch at once, or J-shaped for just cleaning teeth of a portion of the dental arch at once, e.g. half. In each case (C-shaped or J-shaped), the mouthpiece device body may comprise cleaning elements 20 arranged for cleaning just one row of teeth at a time (just upper or just lower), or arranged for cleaning teeth of both rows at one (upper and lower). This may be facilitated through use of tooth-receiving channels as described above, or a different way, e.g. just an arcuate platen with cleaning elements and spacer elements extending therefrom.
Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.
The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
If the term "adapted to" is used in the claims or description, it is noted the term "adapted to" is intended to be equivalent to the term "configured to".
Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.
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