Surgical brush cartridge for sonic skin cleaner

A disposable brush head cartridge for a sonic or ultrasonic skin cleaning brush, specially adapted for use in surgical skin prep. The disposable brush head cartridge has a base configured to be removably attached to a sonic motor drive handle. The disposable brush head cartridge further comprises an upper bristle head sealed with respect to the base by a surrounding disposable cover spaced from the bristles. The cover defines a reservoir of pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid, in a first form soaking or pre-moistening the brush bristles until the cover is removed, and in a second form stored in a separate fluid-tight compartment in the cover and combined with the brush bristles after the cover is removed.

FIELD

The subject matter of the present application is in the field of sonic skin cleaning brushes and surgical skin cleaning.

BACKGROUND

Sonic brushes are known for cosmetically cleaning skin. The bristles in such brushes do not rotate or reciprocate, but oscillate minutely at sonic or ultrasonic frequencies to clean skin more effectively than manual or motorized brushes.

One patent example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,170 to Kellogg, which shows a sonic battery-powered brush with a bristle head perpendicular to the handle. The brush head transmits ultrasonic vibration to the skin via the bristles, and works in conjunction with skin cleaning soap, detergent, or solvent applied directly to the skin or added to the bristles.

A commercial example of a sonic skin cleaning brush is the Clarisonic® facial cleansing brush having a brush head coaxial with the handle. The brush head is removably attached to a barrel-like body using a bayonet style fitting.

Sponges are known for preparing a patient's skin for surgery by removing oil, fat, and dirt, in part to enhance the efficacy of antiseptics/disinfectants subsequently applied to the skin. Patented examples include U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,419 to Richter et al, in which a surgical scrub sponge with different pore zones is impregnated with a liquid detergent composition containing antibacterial agents; and, U.S. Pat. No. 8,069,523 to Vaillancourt et al, in which a “brush” made from a block of foam material receives a cleaning or disinfectant solution and is then sealed with a thin barrier layer about its periphery and bottom and covered with a removable foil lid or cover over the top.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention is a sonic or ultrasonic (hereafter “sonic”) skin cleaning brush specially adapted for use in surgical skin prep. The brush comprises a handle with a power source and a sonic motor, and a disposable brush cartridge with a base configured to be removably attached to the handle. The disposable brush cartridge further comprises an upper bristle head sealed with respect to the base.

In a first form, the sealed bristle head comprises a reservoir of pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid around the bristles to keep the bristles in a pre-soaked or pre-moistened condition.

The pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid preferably comprises a solution of antiseptic and detergent to simultaneously remove oil and fat and sterilize the skin at the surgical site. “Antiseptic” and “detergent” should be understood broadly herein, to include any known antibacterial/antiviral agents and any known skin cleaning agents. Preferred components of the pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid include benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and/or azelaic acid, singly or in various combinations.

In a further variation on the first form, the sealed bristle head includes a removable, disposable fluid-tight cover configured to be removed from the disposable brush cartridge after the disposable brush cartridge has been attached to the handle, reducing the possibility of contaminating the bristles.

In a second form, the sealed bristle head comprises two compartments, with the brush bristles sealed in a first compartment, and the pre-surgical cleaning fluid contained in a second compartment and combined with the brush bristles by pouring it over the brush bristles or dipping the brush bristles into the fluid after the cover is removed. The fluid may also be contained in the second compartment in its own fluid-tight container, such as a small pouch, rather than as a free fluid.

In a third form, the sealed bristle head comprises a single sealed compartment around the bristle head until the cover is removed, and the pre-surgical cleaning fluid is combined with the brush cartridge in its own sealed pouch or similar small container inside the sealed compartment, the pouch being opened and applied to the brush bristles after the cover is removed.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first toFIG.1, a prior art cosmetic sonic skin cleaning brush10is illustrated, for example representing the commercially available Clarisonic® facial cleansing brush. Brush10includes a handle20with control and/or power buttons30operating a sonic vibrating motor and its battery power source (not shown) located in handle20. A removable, re-usable sonic brush head40has a base42configured to be removably attached to a sonic drive member or coupling22located at the top or end of handle20, the sonic member being vibrated sonically or ultrasonically by the motor in the handle. Base42can be configured for a removable connection to the handle20and member22with any known type of non-permanent connection, for example with mating twist-lock bayonet features such as slots46and lugs26of known type.

Brush head40includes an array of bristles50on the upper face42aof base42. Bristles50are of a known type designed to efficiently transmit sonic energy received by the base to the skin of a person using the brush. Specific to the Clarisonic® facial cleansing brush pictured represented inFIG.1, and generally known to those skilled in the art, an inner portion42bof base42supporting an inner region of bristles50amay be movably coupled to base42and sonically coupled to sonic drive member22so that inner portion42band inner bristle region50aare vibrated sonically or ultrasonically independently of the outer base member42(and outer region50of the bristles) which may be locked to the outer wall of handle20by lugs26.

While sonic brush10is shown as an in-line model, with the axis of handle20in line with the axis of brush head40, such brushes are also available with brush heads offset from the handle axis.

Referring now toFIGS.2-5, a disposable brush head cartridge100is shown in exemplary form in order to teach how to make and use the claimed invention.

Brush head cartridge100is shown operatively connected to a handle20, handle20being functionally similar or identical to handle20inFIG.1. Handle20may have an internal sonic motor20apowered by a battery or external electrical current supply20b, motor20ahaving a sonic coupling21to sonic drive member22on the upper end of the handle, or equivalent known structures to achieve sonic/ultrasonic vibration of some or all of the bristles in brush head cartridge100in known manner. Brush head cartridge100is shown being coupled to an in-line type sonic brush handle20, but could also be coupled to a sonic brush handle of known type with an offset or other type of known sonic brush handle using known connecting structures.

Brush head cartridge100includes a base102configured to be connected to the sonic drive member22in the same or a similar manner as base40inFIG.1, the particular manner of removable attachment not being critical to the present invention and within the understanding of those skilled in the art. Base102has an upper face102asupporting an array of sonic skin cleaning bristles104of known type, for example in a manner similar or identical to the base and bristle structure42,50shown in the example ofFIG.1, such that connection to handle20sonically (or ultrasonically) vibrates some or all of base102and bristles104in the same or similar known manner. In the illustrated example the upper face102ahas a stepped configuration with a smaller diameter raised bristle-supporting surface102a′ best seen inFIG.3, but upper face102acould alternately be a continuous flat surface similar to upper face42ainFIG.1. The invention is not limited to use with the Clarisonic type brush head schematically shown inFIG.1, and may be used with brush heads that do not have independently vibrating sections such as42b,50abut rather have solid bases and unitary bristle arrays which are vibrated in their entirety relative to handle20. Brush head cartridge100inFIGS.2through6may be considered to schematically represent either type.

According to the present invention, brush head cartridge100further includes a thin-walled, substantially rigid, fluid-tight plastic cover110surrounding bristles104and sealed in fluid-tight manner to base102, for example sealed by heat or sonic welding or molding to upper face102aof the base around the perimeter of the bristle array, or sealed around the perimeter of the outer sidewall of base102below the upper face102a. In the illustrated example, the type of plastic used for110may be any known polymer material such as HDPE or polycarbonate material, and may be opaque, translucent, or transparent. Base102is likewise preferably made of a known plastic material suitable for receiving the lower perimeter edge110aof cover110in a sealed connection.

Referring in particular toFIGS.3and4, some or all of cover110is removable from base102in a destructive, one-time, disposable manner; i.e., once removed it is not intended to be replaced over the bristles, in keeping with the sterile and disposable nature of brush cartridge head100. In the illustrated example, cover110has an upper wall110bconnected to lower wall or perimeter edge110aby a tear-strip111of generally known construction. Tear-strip111is weakened or pre-stressed at one or both of its edges111aand111bwithout compromising the fluid-tight integrity of the cover, permitting it to be torn away in a circumferential strip from the lower and upper wall sections110aand110bof cover100. When tear-strip111is thus removed, upper wall section110bof the cover can be fully removed from brush cartridge head100, leaving some or all of the length of bristles104exposed above base102for skin cleaning operations.

Although tear-strip111is shown positioned slightly above a lower perimeter edge or wall110aof cover110, it would also be possible to make the tear-strip111the border or lowermost edge of cover110sealed to base102, such that when the tear-strip is removed the entire cover110is removed from base102.

While a tear-strip111is shown as a means for removing some or all of cover110from the base, it would be possible to make some or all of cover110removable from base42using different materials and/or removal means, potentially including but not limited to removable foil portions, adhesive attachment of the cover to the base, or other known equivalents.

Brush cartridge head100also includes a pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid120in the surrounding fluid-tight reservoir formed around bristles104by base102and cover110. Skin cleaning fluid120may vary in composition, depending on the preferences of the surgeon and/or the requirements of a particular procedure or regulatory guidelines, but in a preferred form is a combined solution of known surgical antiseptic and detergents.

The amount of pre-surgical skin cleaning fluid120contained in brush cartridge head100by cover110prior to removing the cover can vary, and may be a separately visible volume as shown schematically in the drawings, or may be a quantity just sufficient to keep bristles104moistened until the cover is removed. “Fluid” herein should be understood to include gels and foams, as well as more water-like solutions, and may be in a quantity to submerge the bristles, soak the bristles, or simply keep the bristles moistened, depending on the desired or required level of sterilization and cleansing.

Whatever its consistency or viscosity, fluid120should be sterile before applying to the bristles, or at least sterilized after the cover110is sealed over the bristles, and cover110should additionally be airtight to preserve sterility until opened.

Brush cartridge head100(including cover110) may optionally be partially or entirely enclosed in its own separate disposable sterile wrapper or container (not shown) after being externally sterilized, in order to keep the entire cartridge100sterile until needed. Where a brush head cartridge with an independently vibrated portion such as that shown at42b,50ainFIG.1is used, if the independently vibrated portion is not sealed in fluid-tight fashion between the upper bristle-supporting face102aand the lower side of base102or other portion in operative contact with the sonic vibrating mechanism22, the lower portion of cover110amay be extended around the base of the unit as shown in phantom lines at110a′ inFIGS.2and6Ato keep the fluid sealed in the reservoir around the bristles; alternately, a separately removable or destructible seal103may be used on the lower side of base102over the junction of any independently vibrating portion of the base and the remainder of the base to maintain the fluid-tight and sterile integrity of the fluid reservoir established around the bristles104by cover110.

While cover110is shown enclosing a volume significantly greater than the volume taken up by bristles104on the upper part of the cartridge head, it is possible to size and shape cover110to more closely conform to the shape and volume of the bristle array, depending on the desired volume of skin-cleaning fluid120contained in the reservoir defined by cover110and base102.

Referring toFIGS.6A and6B, brush cartridge head100is shown in a modified form, in which cover110seals the bristles104in a dry, sterile condition in a lower compartment110cdefined in a lower part of upper wall portion110b. The skin-cleaning fluid120is stored separately in its own sterile, sealed upper fluid compartment210located above the lower brush compartment110c. Upper fluid compartment210includes its own separate removable seal212, in the illustrated example a removable metal foil or plastic film seal of known type that can be peeled off to expose fluid120after upper cover portion110bof cover110has been removed from the brush cartridge100as shown inFIG.6B.

Referring toFIGS.7A and7B, cover110contains bristles104as inFIG.2, but the skin cleaning fluid120is stored in its own separate, sealed, sterile pouch or other container300sealed in the same compartment as the bristles. Once upper cover portion110bof cover110is removed from the brush cartridge100, the contents120of pouch300can be applied by tearing the pouch open and squeezing or pouring the contents120onto the exposed brush bristles104, as shown inFIG.7B.

Description of Operation

To use the disposable brush cartridge head100ofFIGS.1-5for a pre-surgical skin preparation, brush cartridge100is retrieved from its preferably sterile storage location, any external wrapper or cover is removed, and base102is mechanically secured to handle20. Thereafter, at least the upper portion110bof cover110is removed by tearing off tear-strip111via gripping tab111c, depositing the removed cover portion and any excess skin-cleaning fluid120into a suitable receptacle, and immediately applying the sterile, pre-moistened bristles104to the patient's skin at the surgical site and activating the bristles sonically by pressing the suitable control20aon handle20.

To use the modified brush cartridge head ofFIGS.6A and6B, cartridge100is attached to the handle in the same way as above forFIGS.1-5. Cover upper portion110bis removed by tearing off tear strip111to expose the bristles104, and then seal212is removed from the upper fluid compartment210to expose the fluid, which can be applied to the brush head bristles by pouring or by dipping the bristles in the upper fluid compartment.

To use the modified brush cartridge head ofFIGS.7A and7B, cartridge100is attached to the handle in the same way described above forFIGS.1-5. Cover upper portion110bis removed by tearing off tear strip111to expose bristles104, and then pouch300is opened by tearing or cutting to apply the fluid120in the pouch to the bristles.

When the skin cleaning procedure is completed, brush cartridge100is simply disconnected from handle20and discarded in a suitable receptacle.

It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.