A DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH

Abstract: A device for cleaning teeth comprises a resilient element (1) of generally diamond-shaped cross-section having two inclined upper faces from which bristles (11) extend upwardly in a generally vertical direction and two inclined lower faces from which bristles (11) extend downwardly in a vertical direction. The tips of the bristles that extend upwardly define a valley (12). The tips of the bristles that extend downwardly define an inverted valley. The device may be chewed to provide a cleaning action on teeth.

Description: "A DEVICE FOR CLEANINGTEETH" THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a device for cleaning teeth. It is recommended, by dentists, that people should clean their teeth frequently, and it is preferred that people should clean their teeth after every meal. It has been proposed previously to provide a toothbrush for this purpose, but brushing teeth with a toothbrush typically requires a supply of water and a sink or a basin. It has also been proposed to utilise chewing gum as an aid for cleaning teeth. This has the advantage that a supply of water and a sink are not required, but chewing gum may not provide a very good degree of cleaning of a set of teeth, especially where the teeth join the gums. The present invention seeks to provide an improved device for cleaning teeth. According to this invention there is provided a device for cleaning teeth, said device comprising a resilient element, said resilient element being adapted to deform from an initial condition to a final condition, the resilient element, in the initial condition, carrying a plurality of upwardly directed bristles, and carrying a plurality of downwardly directed bristles. Preferably the resilient element defines four outer faces, the four outer faces carrying said bristles. Preferably the resilient element is of diamond shape cross-section with two inclined upper faces supporting the upwardly directed bristles and two inclined lower faces supporting the downwardly directed bristles. Conveniently the four outer faces are formed on four plates which are interconnected to form a generally tubular central portion of the said device, the tubular portion being resiliently deformable. Alternatively the resilient element is an element of resilient foam material. Advantageously the upwardly directed bristles and the downwardly directed bristles have their lengths selected so that the tips of the bristles define, on the upper part of the resilient element a valley and, on the lower part of the resilient element, an inverted valley. Preferably the length of the device is substantially equal to the width of a tooth. Alternatively the length of the device is substantially equivalent to the width of at least two teeth. Conveniently the said bristles are provided with a tooth-cleaning medium. Advantageously a device as described above may be mounted on a handle. In order that the invention may be more readily understood, and so that further features thereof may be appreciated, the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an element that forms part of the device for cleaning teeth in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a device for cleaning teeth in accordance with the invention, FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the device of Figure 2 when proposed to be used, illustrating two opposed teeth schematically, FIGURE 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 showing the situation when the teeth are moved slightly together, FIGURE 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 4 showing the position when the teeth are moved fully towards each other, FIGURE 6 is a view showing the situation when the teeth are released and moved apart. Referring initially to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, a resilient element 1 is illustrated in the form of a frame. The frame is of tubular form. The cross-section of the tube is substantially diamond shaped. Consequently, the frame 1 can be considered to comprise four interconnected panels 2, 3, 4, 5, with each panel being connected to the adjacent panel by means of a hinge or fold-line such as, for example, the fold-line 6 between the panels 2 and 5. The four panels present four outwardly directed faces. This central frame 1 may be formed, for example, of a spring nylon material. The central frame is formed to have an initial condition, as shown in Figure 1, the frame being adapted to be compressed, in the vertical sense, as shown in Figure 1, as will become clear from the following description. Turning now to Figure 2, a device 10 for cleaning teeth comprises a frame 1 of the type disclosed above. Secured to the outer surface of the frame 1 are a plurality of bristles 11, with bristles 11 being provided on the outer face defined by each of the four panels 2, 3, 4, 5, which together constitute the frame 1. The bristles do not extend perpendicularly to the faces that support them. The bristles are oriented so that when the device 10 is in its initial unstressed state, as illustrated in Figure 2, with the two upper faces defined by the panels 2,5 inclined at about 45° to the horizontal and with the two lower faces defined by the panels 3,4 inclined at about 45° to the horizontal, the bristles 11 extend generally upwardly in a generally vertical direction from the panels 2 and 5, and extend generally downwardly, again in a substantially vertical direction from the panels 3,4. Thus the bristles each extend at about 45° from the face that supports them. The bristles that extend upwardly comprise relatively long bristles located adjacent the junction of the plate 2 and the plate 3, and also relatively long bristles adjacent the junction of the plate 5 and the plate 4. The bristles also include relatively shorter bristles adjacent the junction of the plates 2 and 5. The overall arrangement is such that the upper ends of the bristles on the upper plates 2 and 5 together define a "valley" 12, the valley having a substantially flat base 14 and two inclined side walls 15, 16 when the device is in the "unstressed" position as shown in Figure 2. The device is symmetrical about a horizontal line, and consequently the depending bristles on the plates 3 and 4 include relatively long bristles and relatively short bristles which again define a "valley", the valley being a valley 17 of inverted form. The bristles 1 1 would, it is envisaged, be much finer (i.e. of a lower diameter) and more plentiful than the bristles provided on a toothbrush as commonly utilised. It is envisaged that the bristles will be coated with a pleasant tasting tooth cleaning medium in the form of a material to aid the cleaning of teeth, which may be applied in a moist form, or in a dry form, for example by being sprayed on to the device as shown in Figure 2 after manufacture thereof. This material may be equivalent to toothpaste. Turning now to Figures 3 to 6, the device 10 of Figure 2 is illustrated in use. Initially the device 10 is located between a selected upper tooth 20, and a selected lower tooth 21. The device is manipulated, with the assistance of the tongue, until the upper tooth is located within the valley 14 defined in the upper part of the device 10 as shown in Figure 2, and the lower tooth 21 is located in the valley 17 defined in the lower part of the device 10. The teeth 20 and 21 are then drawn towards each other, as shown in Figure 4. The teeth engage the bristles forming the base of the valley 14 and the base of the valley 17, and tend to compress the central frame, so that the frame tends to "lozenge". The panels 2 and 5 move towards a horizontal position, with a downward movement, and similarly the panels 3 and 4 move towards the horizontal position with an upward movement. This movement of the panels tends to cause the bristles which initially extended in a generally parallel fashion, upwardly and downwardly, to move to a condition in which the bristles converge. Thus the bristles forming the sides 15 and 16 of the valley 14 are brought into contact with the sides of the tooth 20, whilst a similar effect is achieved with reference to the tooth 21. Subsequent pressure drawing the teeth 20 and 21 closer to each other causes the relatively long bristles forming the sides 15 and 16 of the valley 14 to slide relative to the exterior surface of the tooth, moving towards the gums 22. Thus the bristles provide a brushing effect on the upper tooth 20 and, of course, a similar brushing effect on the lower tooth 21. Subsequently the teeth are released, and move away from each other, and the device due to the resilience of the resilient element 1 defined by the frame of four panels then occupies the position as shown in Figure 6 which is, of course, the same position as shown in Figure 3. The teeth may be brought together again to repeat the cleaning effect or, alternatively, the device may be moved along the teeth so that when the teeth are brought together, it is a fresh pair of opposed teeth that are cleaned. The length of the device as shown in Figures 3 to 6 may be equivalent to the width of a typical tooth. However, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, a device in accordance with the invention may have a greater length, and thus a device 30 in accordance with the invention, which has essentially the same structure as that described above, but a greater length, may be used, which is long enough to be engaged simultaneously by at least two teeth 31,32 in an upper set of teeth, and at least two teeth 33,34 in a lower set of teeth although, as can be seen in Figure 7, in the illustrated position of the device, at least parts of teeth adjacent the selected teeth 31, 32, 33 and 34 are also engaged by the device. The device is shown in an initial position in Figures 7 and 8, with the central frame of the device being in the fully open position, and the device is shown in an alternative position in Figures 9 and 10, with the teeth pressed towards each other. In an alternative embodiment the resilient element 1 is constituted by a body of resilient foamed material, such as a plastics foam, which has a diamond-shaped cross-section. Figure 1 1 illustrates a device 10 as shown in Figure 2 mounted on a handle 40, so that the device may be used more in the manner of a conventional toothbrush. It is to be noted that the handle is connected to one panel 4 of the central frame of the device 10, thus enabling the device 10 to operate in the manner described above.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A device for cleaning teeth, said device comprising a resilient element, said resilient element being adapted to deform from an initial condition to a final condition, the resilient element, in the initial condition, carrying a plurality of upwardly directed bristles, and carrying a plurality of downwardly directed bristles. 2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the resilient element defines four outer faces, the four outer faces carrying said bristles. 3. A device according to Claim 2 wherein the resilient element is of diamond shape cross-section with two inclined upper faces supporting the upwardly directed bristles and two inclined lower faces supporting the downwardly directed bristles. 4. A device according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the four outer faces are formed on four plates which are interconnected to form a generally tubular central portion of the said device, the tubular portion being resiliently deformable. 5. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the resilient element is an element of resilient foam material. 6. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the upwardly directed bristles and the downwardly directed bristles have their lengths selected so that the tips of the bristles define, on the upper part of the resilient element a valley and, on the lower part of the resilient element, an inverted valley. 7. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the length of the device is substantially equal to the width of a tooth. 8. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the length of the device is substantially equivalent to the width of at least two teeth. 9. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the said bristles are provided with a tooth-cleaning medium. 10. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims mounted on a handle. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 16 March 2000 (16.03.00); original claim 6 cancelled; original claim 1 amended; claims 7-10 renumbered as claims 6-9 ; renumbered claim 6 amended; (2 pages)] 1. A device for cleaning teeth, said device comprising a resilient element, said resilient element being adapted to deform from an initial condition to a final condition, the resilient element, in the initial condition, carrying a plurality of upwardly directed bristles, and carrying a plurality of downwardly directed bristles, wherein the upwardly directed bristles and the downwardly directed bristles have their lengths selected so that the tips of the bristles define, on the upper part of the resilient element a valley and, on the lower part of the resilient element, an inverted valley. 2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein the resilient element defines four outer faces, the four outer faces carrying said bristles. 3. A device according to Claim 2 wherein the resilient element is of diamond shape cross-section with two inclined upper faces supporting the upwardly directed bristles and two inclined lower faces supporting the downwardly directed bristles. 4. A device according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the four outer faces are formed on four plates which are interconnected to form a generally tubular central portion of the said device, the tubular portion being resiliently deformable. 5. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the resilient element is an element of resilient foam material. E 19 6. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the length of the device is substantially equal to the width of a tooth. 7. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the length of the device is substantially equivalent to the width of at least two teeth. 8. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the said bristles are provided with a tooth-cleaning medium. 9. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims mounted on a handle. EET RULE 19

Inventors: KEAVENEY ENDA, KEAVENEY, ENDA
Applicants: HIGHWAY INT LTD, KEAVENEY ENDA, HIGHWAY INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, KEAVENEY, ENDA
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A46B9
IPC codes: A46B9, A61C17