TOOTHBRUSHES

Abstract: The invention relates to toothbrushes and is particularly with toothbrushes for bedridden patients. Cleaning of the teeth of bedridden patients is particularly difficult and especially the rinsing of the mouth. It is an object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush (1) that overcomes this difficulty, an objective that is met by a construction comprising a bristled head (3) and a handle (2), there being a fluid supply (5) means associated with the handle (2) and having an outlet emerging in the bristles (3) on the toothbrush head, the fluid supply means (5) being connectable to a source of fluid, and there being a separate means of fluid disposal (7) associated with the handle having an inlet associated with the bristles (3) on the toothbrush head and to direct spent fluid away from the bristle head (3). In its most convenient form the invention comprises a transportable unit having a first container for fluid (16) and a pump (14) to drive fluid to the toothbrush (1) and a second container (12) with an associated vacuum pump for the extraction of fluid from within the mouth of the patient.

Description: TOOTHBRUSHES This invention relates to toothbrushes. Conventionally, water is applied to the bristled head of a toothbrush to assist the cleansing action of a dentifrice applied to its bristles, and following brushing, there is the need to rinse the mouth. To the able bodied or to those able to sit upright without undue difficulty, cleaning the teeth is not particularly troublesome. However, when it is the case of a bed-ridden patient, not able to sit upright, or only able to sit upright with 1 0 considerable difficulty and discomfort, cleaning the teeth is particularly troublesome, and especially rinsing the mouth, as neither the application of water to assist the action of the dentifrice nor subsequent rinsing of the mouth can be effected in conventional manner with the patient in the prone position. 1 ^ The object of the invention is to provide a toothbrush that overcomes those difficulties mentioned above. According to the present invention, a toothbrush comprises a bristled head and a handle, there being a fluid supply means associated with the handle and having an outlet 20 emerging in the bristles on the toothbrush head, the fluid supply means being connectable to a source of fluid, and there being a separate means of fluid disposal associated with the handle having an inlet associated with the bristles on the toothbrush head and to direct spent fluid away from the _? bristle head. The fluid supply means may be a narrow bore conduit secured along the rearward face of the handle and passing through the head to position the outlet within or at the base of the bristles, or may be a passageway formed in the handle and extending through the head to emerge at the base of the bristles. The connection of the fluid supply means to a source of fluid may simply be a hose attached to the conduit or to the handle and in communication with the passageway, the hose extending to e.g. a convenient water tap. However, and particularly in hospitals, a patients bed may not be in reasonably close proximity to a tap. Therefore, a self- contained fluid source may be provided, such as a relatively small container that can be placed in an elevated position with respect to the patient to gravity feed fluid to the toothbrush, or a relatively small container with a pump may be provided to pump fluid to the toothbrush. With either construction valve means may be provided such as at the connection of the hose to the conduit or the passageway to serve as an ON/OFF valve for the supply of fluid and which may also serve to control the rate of fluid supply. To enable the disposal of spent fluid, the toothbrush may be provided with a narrow bore conduit secured along the rearward face of the handle and passing through the head to position the inlet within or at the base of the bristles, or a second passageway may be formed in the handle and extending through the head to emerge at the base of the bristles. The conduit or the second passageway may be connected to a hose in which is provided an appropriate suction pump, the outlet of the hose extending to e.g. a convenient sink. However, and as is the case with the fluid supply, a patient's bed may not be in reasonably close proximity to a sink and therefore a receptacle may be provided to gather spent fluid. As a toothbrush must be dedicated to one user, then a diεconnectable connection can be provided between the conduit or passageway and the hose, and the toothbrush left with the patient when the hoses or the hoses and containers are taken to a next patient, or the toothbrush may have a detachable head that can be left with the patient, and the handle/conduits/passageways permanently attached to the hoses. In use, and following the application of dentifrice to the bristles, a small amount of fluid can be supplied to the bristles to moisten them, and after brushing the teeth, fluid allowed to flow to the bristles to enable the rinsing of the patients mouth. To dispose of surplus fluid, and particularly at the stage of rinsing of the patients mouth, the suction pump can be activated to draw fluid from the mouth and deposit it in the sink or the container for subsequent disposal. Preferably, an air-bleed passage is provided extending from the base of the bristles to a point on the handle clear of the patient's mouth when in use, and whereby build-up of vacuum in a patient's mouth is prevented should the patient inadvertently close his/her mouth on to the toothbrush. A convenient form of construction is to provide a relatively small, easily portable unit having a first container and pump to provide a supply of fluid and a second container and suction pump, and whereby the unit can be taken to any patient, it being so that conveniently located power points will be available to provide power to the pumps. With this form of construction it would be possible to provide a third container containing an appropriate mouthwaεh, the third container having a pump and to supply a mouthwash to the patient's mouth after brushing and rinsing. Equally possible would be to maintain the unit with two containers and to use the mouthwash first to moisten the bristles at the point of application of dentifrice and to serve simultaneously to rinse the mouth and effect mouth washing. One ' embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1-is a sectional side elevation of a toothbrush and handle in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic partly-sectioned perspective view of a portable unit in accordance with the invention. In Figure 1, a toothbrush 1 comprises a handle 2 with a bristled head 3. Within the handle 1 is a first passageway 4 extending to a first plug-like connector 5 at the opposite end of the handle to the bristled head, and a second passageway 6 extending to a plug-like connector 7 also at the opposite end of the handle to the bristled head, the respective outlet from the passageway 4 and the inlet to the passageway 6 emerging in the bristles of the bristle head 3. Also in communication with the bristled head is an air-bleed passage 8 extending along the handle 2 to a cross-passageway 9 through the wall of the handle. As is shown by Figure 2, the plug-like connectors 5 and 7 are connected respectively to hoses 9 and 10, the hose 9 extending to a connection 11 to a fluid container 12 contained within a housing 13, there being associated with the hose 9 a peristaltic pump 14 to cause the supply of fluid from the container 12 and along the hose 9 and from where it passes along the passageway 4 to emerge in the bristles of the bristle head 3. The peristaltic pump 14 preferably has a variable speed drive. Thus, and with dentifrice applied to the bristle head, a small quantity of fluid can be caused to be supplied to the bristle head, to moisten the bristles and assist with the cleansing action of the dentifrice. Following cleaning and to enable effective rinsing of a patient's mouth, the pump may be driven at a greater rate to supply a greater volume of fluid to the patient's mouth and to enable effective rinsing. The hose 10 extends to a connection 15 to a fluid collector 16, the hose 10 being further connected by a line 17 to a vacuum pump 18 located within the housing 13. Thus, and particularly at the point of rinsing of a patient's mouth, the vacuum pump can be switched on to create a vacuum in the hose 10 and hence in the passageway 6 in the toothbrush handle to cause the extraction of fluid from within the patient's mouth through the bristle head and its deposit in the container 15. It will, however, be understood that vacuum may be applied at the bristle head at the point that fluid is supplied to moisten the bristles, and to cause the removal from within the patient's mouth of surplus fluid during the cleaning stage. By providing an air-bleed passageway 8, should the patient's mouth inadvertently close on to the toothbrush during use, air is drawn through the passageway 8 to prevent an unacceptable build-up of vacuum in the patient's mouth. Conveniently located at the top of housing 14 is a control panel 19 suitably connected to the motor of the peristaltic pump and the motor of the vacuum pump to enable either or both motors to be switched on and off and to cause the motor, particularly of the peristaltic pump, to be driven at driven speeds as and when required. To enable the easy transport of the unit from patient to patient, the housing may be provided with wheels 20 at its base, and a handle- 21 at its upper end. Whilst the construction as is described above is highly effective for patients who, whilst they must remain prone, are conscious, there are particular difficulties attendant to patients in an unconscious or semi-conscious condition. Therefore, and particularly for use with such patients, it is preferred to provide additional fluid extraction means. Thus, a fluid extractor 22 may be provided connected by a hose 23 to the connection 15 to the collecting container 16. Further ' preferably, said fluid extractor is selectively connectable to the vacuum pump and operated by an appropriate switch on the control panel 19, for activation when required.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A toothbrush characterised by a bristled head and a handle, there being a fluid supply means associated with the handle and having an outlet emerging in the bristles on the toothbrush head, the fluid supply means being connectable to a source of fluid, and there being a separate means of fluid disposal associated with the handle having an inlet associated with the bristles on the toothbrush head and to direct spent fluid away from the bristle head. 2. A toothbrush as in Claim 1, characterised in that the fluid supply means is a narrow bore conduit secured along the rearward face of the handle and passing through the head to position the outlet within or at the base of the bristles. 3 ' . A toothbrush as in Claim 1, characterised in that the fluid supply means is a passageway formed in the handle and extending through the head to emerge at the base of the bristles. 4. A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the connection of the fluid supply means to a source of fluid is a hose attached to the conduit or to the handle and in " communication with the passageway extending to a source of fluid supply. 5. A toothbrush as in Claim 4, characterised in that the source of fluid supply is a container to gravity feed fluid to the conduit or the passageway. 6. A toothbrush as in Claim 4, characterised in that the source of fluid supply is a container with an associated pump to pump fluid to the conduit or the passageway. 7. A toothbrush as in Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterised in that an ON/OFF valve is provided in the hose from the container. 8. A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that to enable the disposal of spent fluid, the toothbrush is provided with a narrow bore conduit secured along the rearward face of the handle and passing through the head to position the inlet within or at the base of the bristles. 9. A toothbrush as in any cf Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that to enable the disposal of spent fluid, the toothbrush is provided with a second passageway. 10. A toothbrush as in Claim 8 or Claim 9, characterised in that the conduit or the second passageway is connected to a hose in which is provided an appropriate suction pump. 11. A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 10, characterised in that a disconnectable connection is provided between the conduit or passageway and the hose, and the toothbrush left with the patient. 12. . A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the toothbrush has a detachable head that can be left with the patient, and the handle/conduits/ passageways permanently attached to the hoses. 13. A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that an air-bleed passage is provided extending from the base of the bristles to a point on the handle clear of the patient's mouth when in use and whereby build-up of vacuum in a patient's mouth is prevented should the patient inadvertently close his/her mouth on to the toothbrush. 14. A toothbrush as in any of Claims 1 to 13, characterised in that a transportable unit is provided having a first container and pump to provide a supply of fluid and a second container and suction pump, and whereby the unit can be taken to any patient, it being so that conveniently located power points will be available to provide power to the pumps. 15. A toothbrush as in Claim 14, characterised in that a third container is provided containing an appropriate mouthwash, the third container having a pump and to supply a mouthwash to the patient's mouth after brushing and rinsing. 16. A toothbrush as in Claims 14 or 15, characterised in that a second vacuum extraction means for fluid is provided, additional to the extraction provided through the toothbrush.

Inventors: STEWART TIMOTHY NATHANIEL, STEWART, TIMOTHY, NATHANIEL
Applicants: STEWART TIMOTHY NATHANIEL, STEWART, TIMOTHY, NATHANIEL
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A61C17
IPC codes: A46B11, A61C17, A61G15