Abstract:
A variable speed tooth polishing system including a tooth polisher with multiple polishing head capability, in order to provide therapeutic treatment to gums and guard against undesired exposure to potentially hazardous fluids present during routine dental cleansing and polishing, such as polishing paste, tooth paste, blood, and salivary excretions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/752,549, filed Dec. 21, 2005, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates generally to a variable speed tooth polishing system containing two polishing heads for added stability on the teeth, that can be used to massage the gums, while at the same time providing hygienic protection against the mess created by the spraying of fluids during dental cleaning, such as polishing paste, tooth paste, saliva, and blood.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Oral disease has plagued human beings since the beginning of history, but it wasn&#39;t until dentistry advanced to the stage of detecting bacteria responsible for periodontal disease, that preventive dentistry became important. Detecting bacteria was further fueled by public concern regarding the risks of contracting infectious diseases through dental procedures, which in turn, has created an increased awareness and desire for more sophisticated dental equipment to better maintain teeth, for health, as well as aesthetic reasons.  
         [0006]     Existing dental cleaners and polishers, however, are not without their disadvantages. To begin with, current polishers usually provide just one polishing head. This type of configuration has a tendency of rendering the polishers unstable, as they do not get adequate hold on the teeth and gums during the vibrating created by the rotating motion of the motor.  
         [0007]     Furthermore, the bulkiness of existing polisher heads is not very comfortable when inserted into the mouth, limiting access to hard to reach teeth. This discomfort can lead to a shortened amount of cleansing and polishing time because of the user&#39;s inability to endure the process for extended lengths of time, which in turn results in deficient dental hygiene.  
         [0008]     Moreover, standard polishers tend to have a power switch, which activates rotation at one particular speed. This is especially troublesome in situations where less force is required, as in the case of a child, or higher speeds are necessitated, by adults with more serious cleaning issues.  
         [0009]     Additionally, current polishers do not provide adequate protection from the risks of potentially infectious fluids emanating from the patients mouth. As a result, users are exposed to such potentially harmful materials as saliva, blood, pastes, and other dental waste materials.  
         [0010]     Another disadvantage of existing polishers is the inability of the polishing heads to remove food particles from between the teeth and gums. This is an important concern because a leading cause of periodontal disease is lack of flossing, which leads to plaque deposits and tooth decay.  
         [0011]     Yet another disadvantage of standard polishers is that they concentrate on the teeth alone. Since the health of gums is just as important as the teeth themselves, overlooking care to this area can also lead to serious dental health issues that should be addressed as part of any preventative regimen.  
         [0012]     Finally, existing polishers do not offer the option of interchangeable prophy angles. Because of this, users with various needs not addressed by a specific polishing device are forced to utilize multiple prophy angles, if they desire to receive optimum results, both hygienically and aesthetically.  
         [0013]     Accordingly, there is an established need for a variable speed tooth polishing system that, in addition to being constructed in a smaller, more adaptable manner, also provides safeguards against infectious materials and unhygienic messes, and which contains multiple polishing brushes that provide a firmer, more efficient grip on the teeth during the dental cleaning/polishing procedure.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention is directed to a variable speed tooth polishing system. The tooth polisher of the present invention is configured for facilitating dental care by incorporating a more practical size, shape, and functionality into a simple to use mechanism, which takes into consideration aesthetic, as well as hygienic issues.  
         [0015]     An object of the present invention is to provide a variable speed tooth polishing system that utilizes a multi-brush system.  
         [0016]     A further object of the present invention is to provide a variable speed tooth polishing system that provides the proper amount of protection against exposure to adverse materials.  
         [0017]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a variable speed tooth polishing system that massages the gums, while simultaneously buffing teeth for a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.  
         [0018]     In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a variable speed tooth polishing system is provided comprising a prophy angle containing dual polishers that can be used in unison, or individually.  
         [0019]     In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a splatter guard is provided that encases the polishers, in order to prevent users from being exposed to unsanitary byproducts during the dental cleaning procedure.  
         [0020]     In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, therapeutic massage is rendered to the gums by means of the polishers, promoting dental health and well-being.  
         [0021]     In accordance with a fourth aspect of the invention, the unique prophy angle polisher of the variable speed tooth polishing system is capable of being separated from the hand grip and utilized with other motorized dental cleaning aids.  
         [0022]     In accordance with a fifth aspect of the invention a variable speed tooth polishing system is provided with multi-speed capability, in order to address the individual needs of users who require minimum, medium, or maximum rotational force of the polishers.  
         [0023]     These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]     The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:  
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a left side view of the variable speed tooth polishing system, depicting the prophy angle, polisher, inner gears, before it is placed in the mouth;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a prior art polisher;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a variable speed tooth polishing system with the prophy angle attached;  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  is a partially exploded front perspective view of a variable speed tooth polishing system with a prophy angle removed from a hand grip;  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  is a left side view of a second embodiment of a variable speed tooth polishing system showing, wherein one polisher is replaced with a brush;  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  is a front view of a control unit depicting variable speed input, as well as a wire that connects the control unit to a polisher hand grip;  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a variable speed tooth polishing system with a single polisher;  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a bevel gear having an undercut projection and a polisher having an undercut cavity for receiving the undercut projection of a variable speed tooth polishing system;  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of a bevel gear having an undercut projection and a polisher having an undercut cavity for receiving the undercut projection assembled together of a variable speed tooth polishing system; and  
         [0034]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of an undercut projection and an undercut cavity for receiving the undercut projection adjacent to each other of a variable speed tooth polishing system. 
     
    
       [0035]     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]     Shown throughout the figures, the present invention is generally directed towards a variable speed tooth polishing system, designed specifically to provide users with a practical and efficient means for practicing dental hygiene in a compact, flexible structure that takes into consideration dental aesthetics, gum maintenance, and minimization of contact with potentially infectious substances.  
         [0037]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a prophy angle  105  of a variable speed tooth polishing system  100  is shown before it has been inserted into the mouth  400 , past the lips  410  in order to make contact with the gums  420  and teeth  430 . The prophy angle  105  includes are a first polisher  130 , a first polisher gear  132 , a first drive gear  133 , a second polisher  140 , a second polisher gear  142 , a second drive gear  143 , and a splatter guard  160 . Referring briefly to  FIG. 2 , the prior art prophy angle  500  includes a polisher head  510 , which contains within its structure a polisher motor  520 . The prophy angle  105  may be secured to a polisher hand grip  200  by threading at least one set screw  214  through the prophy angle connector housing  175  into a hand grip connector housing  215 . These screws  214  will “preferably” be made of a non-corrosive material, such as plastic.  
         [0038]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the variable speed tooth polishing system  100  is shown with the prophy angle  105  separated from a polisher hand grip  200 . The prophy angle  105  includes a prophy angle connector housing  175  and the polisher hand grip  200  includes a hand grip connector housing  215 . The prophy angle  105  is connected to the hand grip connector housing  215  by screwing the hand grip connector housing  215  into the prophy angle connector housing  175 . The prophy angle shaft  180  includes a drive slot  195 , which is sized to receive a drive tongue  197  extending from an end of a hand grip connector shaft  210 . The hand grip connector shaft  210  extends from a motor  260 . The first and second drive gears are attached to the prophy angle shaft  180  with set screws  182  or the like.  
         [0039]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these structural elements of the present invention may be formed out of natural and synthetic materials, such as plastic, rubber, and combinations thereof, or any of a wide variety of other known materials without departing from the present invention. The figures illustrate the use of threads to connect the prophy angle  105  to the polisher hand grip  200 , but may include any suitable removable assembly method, such as any type of fastener.  
         [0040]     Also illustrated in the figures is a more detailed view of the prophy angle  105 , showing the first polisher  130  inserted into a first polisher housing  110  and a second polisher  140  inserted into the second polisher housing  120 . Both the first polisher  130  and the second polisher  140  include a plurality of polisher slots  150  to enable more stable and thorough contact with the teeth  430  and gums  420 . The first and second polishers are preferably fabricated from a flexible material. A splatter guard  160  surrounds the first polisher  130  and the second polisher  140 . A plurality of splatter slots  170  are formed around a perimeter of the splatter guard  160 . The splatter guard  160  is preferably fabricated from a flexible material. It is preferable that the plurality of splatter slots  170  are 5 mm to 7 mm long, but could be any suitable length. The plurality of polisher slots  150  are preferably no more than 3 mm in length.  
         [0041]     The polisher hand grip  200  includes a hand grip body  230 , a power button  240 , the motor  260 , a hand grip top portion  270  and a handgrip bottom portion  280 . The hand grip top portion  270  terminates a top of the hand grip body  230  and the handgrip bottom portion  280  terminates a bottom of the hand grip body  230 . The motor  260  is retained in the hand grip body  230 . The power button  240  controls the flow of electrical power to the motor  260 . When the motor  260  is activated by the power button  240 , the hand grip connector shaft  210  revolves, which turns the prophy angle shaft  180 . Rotation of the prophy angle shaft  180  causes the first and second drive gears to rotate the first and second polisher gears, respectively. Spinning of the first and second polishers polishes the teeth  430  and massages the gums  420 . The polisher hand grip  200  also contains the hand grip speed control  600 , which regulates the rotational speed.  
         [0042]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a second embodiment of a variable speed tooth polishing system  102  is shown with the second polisher  140  replaced by a polisher brush  145 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the prophy angle  105 ′ of the variable speed tooth polishing system  102  can be attached to other polisher hand grips, and that the first polisher  130  and the second polisher  140  can be removed and either act alone in order to access hard to reach teeth, or be replaced with other variations besides the polisher brush  145 , without deviating from the present invention. Another alternative embodiment would entail the first polisher  130  and the second polisher  140  having a plurality of bristles, like those of a toothbrush, or a wide variety of other polishing means without departing from the present invention.  
         [0043]      FIG. 6  illustrates a control unit  300  of the variable speed tooth polishing system  100 ,  102 . The control unit  300  determines the rotational speed of the first polisher  130  and second polisher  140  by movement of an indicator switch  340  to either the first setting indicator  310  (low speed), the second setting indicator  320  (medium speed), or the third setting indicator (high speed). It is attached to the polisher hand grip  200  via a wire  350 .  
         [0044]      FIG. 7  illustrates a third embodiment of a variable speed tooth polishing system  104  with a single polisher  130 . The variable speed tooth polishing system  104  includes a polisher hand grip  250  and a prophy angle  107 . A hand grip connector housing  217  extends from the polisher hand grip  250 . The prophy angle  107  includes a prophy angle connector housing  177  and a splatter guard  162 . The prophy angle connector housing  177  is preferably screwed to the hand grip connector housing  217 , but other attachment methods may also be used. A polisher housing  112  is retained in the splatter guard  162 . A plurality of splatter slots  172  are formed in a front of the splatter guard  162 . The polisher is retained in the polisher housing  112 .  
         [0045]      FIGS. 8-10  illustrate a method of attaching a polisher  130 ,  140  to a polisher gear  132 ,  142 , respectively. An undercut projection  147  extends from the polisher gear  132 ,  142 . A projection cavity  149  is formed in a rear of the polisher  130 ,  140 . The projection cavity  149  is sized to receive insertion of the undercut projection  147 . After insertion of the undercut projection  147 , the polisher  130 ,  140  is turned 45 degrees relative to the polisher gear  132 ,  142  to retain thereof relative to each other. However, other methods of removably attaching the polisher gear  132 ,  142  may also be used.  
         [0046]     Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.