Abstract:
An apparatus for dispensing a dental solution is disclosed and includes a dispensing nozzle adapted for attachment to a syringe. The dispensing nozzle has a curved applicator tip with a securely mounted brush that extends beyond the applicator tip to aid in placement of the dental solution. A retainer hub is positioned in the dispensing nozzle to prevent the brush from retracting into or being expelled from the dispensing nozzle during use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing dental solutions such as an anti-plaque mouthwash or medicament to a person&#39;s teeth and under gum tissue. The apparatus also could be used by a dentist is dispense a variety of medicaments and disinfectants, or a bonding agent to a person&#39;s tooth surface during a dental repair procedure. 
   The apparatus uses a brush extending from the nozzle or tip of the apparatus to aid in applying or spreading the dental solution being dispensed. In order for such an apparatus to be useful, the brush extending from the nozzle must remain in position during use. If the brush retracts into the nozzle tip during use, the apparatus is useless as the brush is not available to control the spreading of the solution. Similarly, if the brush is expelled from the nozzle tip during use, the apparatus is of no use. 
   Such an apparatus has a dual function. The apparatus must be able to allow a thinner, i.e., lower viscosity, fluid such as mouthwash to flow through the nozzle tip with the brush not impeding the flow of fluid. In this case, the brush is often used to urge or force the mouthwash into tight spaces around teeth in a “scrubbing” action that tries to force the brush back into the nozzle tip. When the apparatus is used to deliver a thicker, i.e., higher viscosity, fluid such as a dental bonding agent, the nozzle tip must allow the dental bonding agent to be pushed through the nozzle, along the brush, without expelling the brush from the nozzle tip. It is therefore critical that such an apparatus have the brush securely anchored to prevent relative movement while allowing the flow of both lower and higher viscosity fluids or solutions. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,371 to D. E. Fischer shows a dental agent applicator for applying dental bonding agents to tooth surfaces. The dental agent applicator shows a brush inserted into the tip of the dental agent applicator and held in place by crimping the tip. 
   A tissue sampling device with fin shaped finger tabs to aid in manipulation of the device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,024 to D. P. Dorsey et al. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,371 to D. E. Fischer presents a method of use of an apparatus for delivering a highly filled thixotropic sealant to teeth. The apparatus shows a brush inserted into the tip of the apparatus and held in place by a helical ridge that is formed in the bore of the tip. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,684 to D. E. Fischer claims the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,371. 
   A syringe apparatus with detachable mixing and delivery tip is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,257 to D. E. Fischer. A syringe with two plungers is used to inject air into the delivery tip and mix the substances to be applied with continued movement of the plungers expelling the mixed substances through the delivery tip. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,817 B1 to S. Jensen shows a fiber tipped dental substance applicator that is insertable into a bore of an exit orifice of a syringe. A plurality of pathways are formed on the exterior of the applicator to allow the dental substance to flow out the exit orifice of the syringe to the bristles. 
   A multi-component mixing, storage and dispensing device for use with a plunger shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,465 B2 to P. R. Pierson et al. discloses a double pronged piston for puncturing a sealed movable piston having twin cavities for holding substances to be mixed at the time of application. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,356 B1 to W. T. Mead et al. shows a touch-up coating applicator for remote locations the uses a flexible tube to connect the syringe to the brush applicator assembly. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The apparatus for delivering dental solutions of the present invention is designed to be used by a home user for applying an anti-plaque mouthwash under the gingival tissues and also can be used by the dental professional in dispensing dental bonding agents or other solutions in dental restoration procedures. The apparatus has a dispensing nozzle for dispensing a dental solution. The dispensing nozzle is adapted for attachment to a receptacle such as a syringe for pushing or urging the solution through the dispensing nozzle. The opposite end of the dispensing nozzle has a curved applicator tip with a bore extending through the applicator tip that communicates with the end attached to a syringe. A brush, composed of a bundle of bristles, is disposed within the dispensing bore and extends beyond the applicator tip with its opposite end secured within the dispensing nozzle. The end of the brush within the dispensing nozzle has an enlarged end formed by heating the bristles that secures the brush within the dispensing nozzle. The apparatus will be available with varying bristle thicknesses which will be determined by its use in either clinical or home use applications. The dispensing nozzle includes a retainer hub positioned therein to prevent the brush from retracting into the dispensing bore of the dispensing nozzle during use. The retainer hub includes a plurality of orifices to allow the dental solution to flow from the syringe, around the retainer hub, through the dispensing bore of the applicator tip to the end of the brush extending beyond the applicator tip. 
   A principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing dental solutions of different viscosities that may be used by a home user or a dental professional. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing dental solutions that provides a brush on the end of the apparatus that may be used for spreading lower viscosity solutions without the brush being displaced back into the apparatus. 
   A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing dental solutions with a brush on the end that may be used with higher viscosity solutions without expelling the brush from the apparatus. 
   These with other objects and advantages of the present invention are pointed out with specificness in the claims annexed hereto and form a part of this disclosure. A full and complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings and description of the preferred embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are set forth below and further made clear by reference to the drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the apparatus for dispensing dental solutions with a syringe attached applying a dental solution to a user&#39;s teeth. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the apparatus for dispensing dental solutions. 
       FIG. 3  is a section view of the dispensing nozzle. 
       FIG. 4  is a section view of the retainer hub. 
       FIG. 5  is an end view of the retainer hub. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference to the drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of an apparatus for delivering dental solutions  10  used in dental restoration or cleaning procedures is shown. The apparatus for delivering dental solutions  10  includes a receptacle means in the form of syringe  12  with nozzle means or dispensing nozzle  14  attached thereto. Syringe  12  has means for controlling delivery of the dental solution from syringe  12  in the form of plunger  18  disposed in central bore  20 . Syringe  12  has female luer-lock coupling  22  formed on its distal end that connects to male luer-lock coupling  24  formed on the proximal end of dispensing nozzle  14  in a manner well known to those of ordinary skill in the art to produce a fluid tight connection. 
   Dispensing nozzle  14  includes brush  26  extending from its distal end to aid in applying the solution being dispensed.  FIG. 2  is an exploded view to aid in understanding the relationship between the parts. Brush  26  extends from the distal end of dispensing nozzle  14  as noted previously. Disposed within dispensing nozzle  14  is retainer means such as retainer hub  28  in a manner to be described hereinafter. Plunger  18  is inserted in syringe  12  to force the solution being dispensed through dispensing nozzle  14  and out through applicator tip  30  formed on the distal end of dispensing nozzle  14 . The angle of applicator tip  30  is designed to be very similar to conventional dental instruments to give applicator tip  30  a familiar and comfortable feel to dental professionals. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , dispensing nozzle  14  is shown in an enlarged sectional view with applicator tip  30  at its distal end. Applicator tip  30  is curved and tapered to aid a user in positioning brush  26  to better control the flow of dental solutions onto the teeth and gums. Brush  26  is disposed in dispensing bore  32  that communicates with the proximal end of dispensing nozzle  14 . Dispensing bore  32  extends through applicator tip  30 . Dispensing nozzle  14  has intermediate bore  34  centrally located therein having a larger diameter than dispensing bore  32  to form a shoulder  36  therebetween. Adjacent intermediate bore  34  is main bore  38  extending from the proximal end of dispensing nozzle  14  and communicating with intermediate bore  34 . Main bore  38  has a larger diameter than intermediate bore  34  to form a shoulder  40  therebetween. Main bore  38  includes reduced diameter  42  and tapered shoulder  44  that transitions to intermediate bore  34 . Reduced diameter  42  of main bore  38  receives retainer hub  28  in an interference fit to lock retainer hub  28  in position. Retainer hub  28  is fitted into reduced diameter  42  of main bore  38  under such pressure that excessive pressure applied to the distal end of brush  26  extending from applicator tip  30  cannot dislodge retainer hub  28  from dispensing nozzle  14 . 
   As best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , retainer hub  28  is of a stepped shoulder design having a first diameter section or prong  46  that extends into intermediate bore  34  adjacent the proximal end of brush  26  and a second diameter section or hub body  48  that is an interference fit in reduced diameter  42  of main bore  38  of dispensing nozzle  14 . A plurality of orifices  50  extend through the second diameter section or hub body  48  of retainer hub  28  to allow the solution being dispensed to flow through. 
   Referring back to  FIG. 3 , prong  46  of retainer hub  28  is adjacent the proximal end of brush  26 . Brush  26  is composed of a plurality of bristles  52  that are sized to substantially fill dispensing bore  32  of applicator tip  30  while allowing the flow of the dental solution through dispensing bore  32  of the applicator tip  30 . To ensure brush  26  is not expelled from dispensing bore  32  when dispensing higher viscosity solutions, the proximal end of brush  26  is heated to cause bristles  52  to melt into a larger diameter portion or head  54 . When brush  26  is inserted into dispensing nozzle  14  through main bore  38  and intermediate bore  34 , head  54  comes to rest on shoulder  36  and is thereby prevented from being expelled during use. While head  54  is sufficiently larger in diameter to be retained on shoulder  36 , head  54  is sufficiently porous to allow the dental solution being dispensed to flow therethrough. When dispensing nozzle  14  is being used to dispense a lower viscosity solution such as a anti-plaque mouthwash, a scrubbing action is often used which tries to urge brush  26  back into applicator tip  30 . In this instance, prong  46  of retainer hub  28  is adjacent head  54  of brush  26  and resists this movement by virtue of retainer hub  28  being locked in position by its interference fit in dispensing nozzle  14  as previously described. Therefore brush  26  is restrained from movement in either axial direction along dispensing bore  32  of dispensing nozzle  14 . 
   A typical sequence of operation is as follows. When it is desired to dispense a dental solution, syringe  12  is filled from a dispensing bottle (not shown) using plunger  18 . The syringe is then connected to dispensing nozzle  14  with luer-lock couplings  22  and  24 . A plurality of fin shaped finger tabs  56  are provided on the exterior of dispensing nozzle  14  to aid a user in grasping dispensing nozzle  14  and making the aforementioned luer-lock coupling connection. A user can then hold the assembled apparatus  10  and slowly urge plunger  18  into syringe  12  and dispense the dental solution from syringe  12 , through dispensing nozzle  14  and brush  26  and out applicator tip  30 . The portion of brush  26  extending from applicator tip  30  can then be used to direct the dental solution onto the teeth or gums, as required. 
   The construction of our apparatus for dispensing dental solutions will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be seen that we have provided an apparatus for dispensing dental solutions of different viscosities that may be used by a home user or a dental professional. Furthermore, while the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The present invention includes all such equivalent alterations and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.