Abstract:
A disposable prophy angle with an accessible and replaceable internal collapsible prophylaxis bladder and a push button and plunger/paddle combination to force a metered amount of prophylaxis medium into the prophy angle while providing audible and/or tactile feedback.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of co-pending provisional patent application entitled “PROPHY ANGLE WITH LEVER AND PADDLE DELIVERY MECHANISM FOR DENTIFRICE”, having Ser. No. 61/038,944, which was filed on Mar. 24, 2008, by Bradley A. Randolph, which provisional patent application is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to prophy angles used in dentistry. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Devices that help aid in the professional cleaning or polishing of teeth have been around the industry for years. These devices have been generally known as prophy angles. Prophy angles have been through various stages of development and improvement from re-usable to disposable. Currently within the industry, the disposable angle has enjoyed much success due to its low cost, simplification and most importantly, single use which virtually eliminates cross contamination risk to patient and provider. The downfall of current delivery systems requires the use of a separate dentifrice to complete the task, thus creating a loss of efficiency, increase in overall costs and packaging, and ultimately an increase in risk to patient and provider to contamination. More recent developments in prophy angle design have attempted to incorporate the prophylaxis medium within the prophy angle. These presentations have utilized varying designs from auger/baffle to piston U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,353 to plunger U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,886 to systems that utilize a threaded shaft and spring loading U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,397, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,090. All of these systems force the dentifrice to occupy the bulk of the prophy angle housing. All designs have shown to be somewhat complex, creating cost and difficulty becoming implemented within the market place. One more recent design attempts to offset the drive shaft to allow for less complexity in delivery U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,412. However, persistent deficiencies in prior art designs have failed to teach a system that will simultaneously allow for incorporation of a prophylaxis medium into the prophy angle, allow for its controlled dispensing with both tactile and aural feedback regarding amount and rate of dispensing, and be simplistic enough in design to adapt to the market place. 
         [0004]    Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for cost effectively delivering a prophylaxis medium through a prophy angle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for dispensing prophylaxis medium in an efficient manner. 
         [0006]    It is a feature of the present invention to utilize an internally integrated collapsible bladder pre-filled with prophylaxis medium, together with a translatable push button and a connected plunger or paddle. 
         [0007]    It is another feature of the present invention to include a series of ridges for engaging with the push button and metering delivery of prophylaxis medium while simultaneously preventing “back-peddling” of the push button. 
         [0008]    It is yet another feature of the present invention to provide a combination of a push button and ridges being so configured that a tactile feel and/or audible “click” or other indication occurs each time the plunger/paddle is advanced to a new forward location. 
         [0009]    It is another feature of the present invention to include a revenue-sharing model whereby a provider of consumer products and/or services shares revenue with an educational or civic institution which carries out the simulation experience. 
         [0010]    It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive easy-to-use prophy angle with an integrated prophylaxis delivery mechanism. 
         [0011]    The present invention is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. 
         [0012]    Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including providing a plunger-actuated collapsible prophylaxis bladder inside a prophy angle housing which provides for relatively inexpensive easy delivery of prophylaxis medium. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0013]    The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side cutaway view of a prophy angle of the present invention where the vertical dashed line labeled  2 - 2  is a line along which the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2  was taken. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the prophy angle of the present invention taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the prophy angle of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention which has an internal to the prophy angle disposable prophylaxis reservoir therein. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the prophy angle of  FIG. 4  take on line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the prophy angle of the present invention where the dashed lines are phantom lines showing the top of the prophy angle in a pivoted up or open position where the direction of pivoting is shown by the dashed arrow. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    Now referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like matter throughout, and more specifically to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a prophy angle generally designated  100  which can be generally constructed of the same materials and in the same general manner as prior art prophy angles. It should now be noted that in one embodiment, the prophy angle  100  of the present invention need not be a professional device, and the present invention is intended to include rotary and reciprocating toothbrushes as well. Prophy angle  100  may have a drive connection end  102  which would connect to a standardized pneumatic prophy angle drive system (not shown), or other means for driving a plurality of detachable and disposable prophy angles, which system is well known in the art, which could include electrical prophy angle drive systems or self-contained battery-powered handheld prophy angle drive systems or other means for driving a plurality of detachable and disposable prophy angles. Drive connection end  102  could be omitted if the prophy angle  100  were incorporated into a larger device such as a personal electric toothbrush. Opposing drive connection end  102  is cup end  104 . Top side  106  of prophy angle  100  is shown with innovative features thereon, such as: push button  1 , which could be a plastic material the same as or similar to the prophy angle  100  housing or other suitable material and configuration so as to provide for a tactile interaction between a user&#39;s finger or thumb and a paddle or plunger  3  via a connector  2  which transmits force applied by the finger at the push button  1  to the paddle  3  and then into the prophylaxis medium in the collapsible bladder  5 . Collapsible bladder  5  is disposed under and adjacent to raised ridges  4 , which also interact with the push button  1 . Collapsible bladder  5  is coupled to a connecting tube  6 , which provides a pathway for prophylaxis medium to flow to the prophy cup  108  or toothbrush. Connecting tube  6  couples to a pathway through the gear head pathway  10  which extends through a central void in the gear head  112 . Collapsible bladder  5  is disposed in a reservoir  7  which is disposed in a raised portion of a housing on or integrated with the housing of the prophy angle  100 . A removable housing cap  11  is shown for providing access to the collapsible bladder  5  in the reservoir  7 . Removable housing cap  11  or lid is detachable, but other arrangements, such as a hinged or sliding, or other suitable ways to permit access into the reservoir  7  could also be used. Removable housing cap  11  could be similar to other snap-out or hinged access doors existing in prior art prophy angles. 
         [0021]    Collapsible bladder  5  could be a flexible bag-like bladder or instead, it could be substituted with a syringe, a plunger or other variable volume structure which can eject matter from therein when a force is applied. Items  8  and  9  are discussed below with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0022]    Now referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a cross-sectional view of the prophy angle  100  taken on line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , which shows the drive member  110  which couples at drive connection end  102  to a prophy angle drive system, which is a commercially available product. 
         [0023]    Now referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a top view of the prophy angle  100  of  FIG. 1 , which shows cut-out channel  8  in the removable housing cap  11  to reveal the collapsible bladder top side  9 . Raised ridges  4  are shown on either side of the cut-out channel  8 . Raised ridges  4  cooperate with the push button  1  to visually, tactilely, and audibly notify a user of the prophy angle  100  of an amount of prophylaxis medium which has been forced out of the collapsible bladder  5 . 
         [0024]    Now referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an embodiment of the present invention where a disposable and removable pouch  5  is located under a removable housing cap  11  or lid  1100 , such that the disposable and removable pouch  5  can be removed when emptied and replaced with a full disposable removable pouch  5  for further delivery of prophylaxis media. Note that the lid  1100  could be just above the shaft  110  containing portion  102  of the prophy angle; however, it could extend to include the entire top of the cup end  104 , thereby exposing top of the cup end  104  housing the gear head  112 . Note  FIG. 4  shows a top portion of the cup end  104 ; however, it should be understood that this is optional and in some embodiments of the present invention, removal of the removable housing cap  11  would result in exposing the gear head  112 . 
         [0025]    Now referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a cross-sectional view of the prophy angle of  FIG. 4  taken on line  5 - 5  after the removable housing cap  11  has been replaced or closed. The button  1  and paddle  3  are not shown so that the disposable removable collapsible bladder  5  can be seen to be within the main body of the prophy angle. 
         [0026]    Now referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown an alternate embodiment of the present invention where the lid  1100  is not a snap-off lid, but a hinged lid. The dashed arrows show the direction of rotation of the lid  1100  when opened, and the dashed lines are phantom lines showing the location and orientation of the lid  1100  when in the open position. Items  11  and  1100  are shown in the figures as referring to the same structure. It should be noted that the structure of these is nearly identical, and the term “removable housing cap  11 ” is used primarily to suggest a removable cap, and the term “lid  1100 ” is intended to convey the notion of a pivoting door or lid. It is believed that a person skilled in the art will understand these variations. 
         [0027]    It should be noted that the removable housing cap  11  and lid  1100  are shown as elevated above a normal top surface of a prophy angle. This is just one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that all of the structure disclosed above the top side  106  in  FIG. 1  could be included in the prophy angle itself, and access to the bladder  5  could be made through a hinged section of the top of the prophy angle; i.e., it should be understood that embedding the system of the present invention into a typical prophy angle housing is included within the scope of the present invention. It is believed that a raised or exterior removable housing cap  11  may be preferred for manufacturing ease. 
         [0028]    In operation, the dental professional removes the removable housing cap  11  or opens up the lid  1100 , (or opens the hinged section of the prophy angle top side where the present invention is embedded within the prophy angle) exposes the reservoir  7 , inserts a collapsible bladder  5 , and then replaces the removable housing cap  11  or closes the hinged lid  1100  (section of the prophy angle top), and then attaches the prophy angle  100  to a prophy angle drive system and begins a procedure on a patient. It should be noted that the collapsible bladder  5  could be incorporated by the manufacturer into the prophy angle  100 , thereby eliminating the need for having the dental professional insert the collapsible bladder  5 . Prophylaxis medium is dispensed by occasionally incrementally moving the push button  1  forward (toward the cup end  104 ) through the cut-out channel  8 . As the push button  1 , coupled with the paddle  3  via connector  2 , is pushed forward, the paddle  3  forces out of the collapsible bladder  5 , prophylaxis medium via connecting tube  6  and passes through the gear head pathway  10  and into the prophy cup  108 , toothbrush or other tooth-engaging means where it is available for its intended use. 
       DEFINITIONS 
       [0029]    The term “prophylaxis medium” is used throughout this description and is intended to be construed in the claims as including dentifrice, toothpaste or other abrasive or lubricating matter applied to a tooth. 
         [0030]    The term “prophy angle” is used throughout this description and is intended to be construed in the claims as professional disposable device for polishing teeth. 
         [0031]    It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.