Patent Publication Number: US-2019183616-A1

Title: Tooth cleaning structure

Description:
(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a tooth cleaning structure, which allows for easy operation to insert into a slit between teeth as undergoing elastic deformation in accordance with the slit between the teeth in order to facilitate the operation of picking or cleaning teeth, and more particularly to an elongate member and a tooth cleaning plate of the tooth cleaning structure. 
     (b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     It already known to use a toothpick that is in the form of an elongate slender stick having at least one end forming a sharp tip to pick teeth or to clean slits between teeth. An issue concerning structural design and use of such toothpick products is that the elongate slender stick configuration is generally made by following a structural arrangement and configuration that have been used for an extremely long time and the tip of the stick may not be easily inserted into the slim slits between teeth of a user and thus, damage of the slits of teeth and the gum of the user may easily occur and an effect of cleaning that can be achieved for slits between teeth may be reduced. 
     Further, a known structure of dental floss generally comprises a flat filament made of a flexible material. Such a flat filament can easily enter the slim slits between teeth of a user, but the flat filament is generally soft and must be used with both hands of the user to remove detritus or clean teeth. This cause troubles and inconvenience in operation and use. In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a tooth cleaning structure that helps overcome the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a tooth cleaning structure, which comprises an elongate member, which comprises a first section, a second section, and an intermediate section connected between the first section and the second section. A tooth cleaning plate is provided on the first section. The intermediate section has a thickness that is greater than thicknesses of the first section and the second section, so that the elongate member is elastically deformable and the intermediate section support the tooth cleaning plate to extend out in a flat form at an end of the elongate member. With the above, during a use, the user may hold the intermediate section or the second section of the elongate member in such a way that the tooth cleaning plate is kept in a flat form at an end of the elongate member to ease an operation of insertion of the tooth cleaning plate into a slit between teeth of the user, wherein during the operation, the tooth cleaning plate may undergo elastic deformation in accordance with the slit of the teeth of the user in order to carry out tooth picking or cleaning so as to improve convenience and practical use and overcome the drawbacks that a tip of a toothpick may not be easily inserted into the slit of the teeth, may cause damage to the slit of the teeth and the gum, and also help improve the drawback that dental floss is excessively soft so as to be not easy to use. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the second section is provided with a tooth cleaning tip or tooth cleaning plate and the tooth cleaning tip is configured as a curved tooth cleaning tip. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the tooth cleaning plates of the first section and the second section are each configured as one of a flexible tooth cleaning plate and an elastic tooth cleaning plate. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the intermediate section is configured as one of a connection board and a connection bar. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the tooth cleaning plate is formed as one of a rectangular tooth cleaning plate, a polygonal tooth cleaning plate, a triangular tooth cleaning plate, a rhombus tooth cleaning plate, a partly curved tooth cleaning plate, a circular arc tooth cleaning plate, a fish-bone-shaped tooth cleaning plate, and an arc-curved tooth cleaning plate. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, a side portion of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate has a thickness that is reduced in a direction toward an opposite side portion of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, a portion of the tooth cleaning plate that is distant from the intermediate section is formed as one of a notched edge and a serrated edge. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the tooth cleaning plate has a thickness that is reduced from a portion of the tooth cleaning plate that is adjacent to the intermediate section toward a portion of the tooth cleaning plate that is distant from the intermediate section. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the tooth cleaning plate has a surface that is formed with one of a group of multiple thin grooves and a group of multiple raised dots. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, the elongate member is arranged such that multiple ones thereof are provided with the first section and the second section of two adjacent ones of the multiple elongate members are connected together by means of a weakened easy-to-break section so that the multiple elongate members are windable as a roll. 
     Based on the above-described primary structural features, a surface of one of the connection board and the connection bar is provided with at least one rib extending in directions toward the first section and the second section. 
     The features of the present invention is that the two ends of the direction-change coupling member are respectively formed with the first coupling section and the second coupling section that are arranged in an angularly staggered manner and extend in different directions with the first coupling section and the second coupling section each connected with one connection members, wherein a first aluminum extrusion plate is provided to receive one of the connection members therethrough to be set at a location corresponding to the first coupling section and a second aluminum extrusion plate is provided to receive the other one of the connection members to extend therethrough to be set at a location corresponding to the second coupling section so that the first aluminum extrusion plate and the second aluminum extrusion plate are connected in an angularly staggered manner to form a connection module having and defining a corner. In this way, each of the connection members is allow to further couple to a pre-prepared aluminum extrusion piece, generally in the form of a plate also, to allow the two pre-pared aluminum extrusion pieces to respectively connect with the first aluminum extrusion plate and the second aluminum extrusion plate to allow an operator to carry out an installation operation as required to fast construct a corner connection between two aluminum extrusion plates and thus effectively reduce operation time of installation and fast complete a systematic structure. 
     The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a side elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view showing an additional embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2A  is a side elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the additional embodiment of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing another additional embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view showing a further additional embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a further additional embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing a further additional embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6A  is an end view, in an enlarged scale, of the additional embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a modified embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a side elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the modified embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing an additional embodiment of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a side elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the additional embodiment of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic view showing another modified embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 9A  is a side elevational view, in an enlarged scale, of the modified embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 10  is a schematic view showing an additional embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 10A  is a schematic view, in an enlarged scale, showing a circled portion of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view showing a modified embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is a schematic view showing an additional embodiment of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , as well as  FIG. 1A , which is a drawing that discloses one way of embodying the present invention, the drawing illustrates a tooth cleaning structure according to the present invention comprises an elongate member  10 . The elongate member  10  comprises a first section  101 , a second section  102 , and an intermediate section  103  connecting the first section  101  and the second section  102  to each other. 
     In the preferred embodiment adopted herein, the elongate member  10  is made of a plastic material demonstrating flexibility or elasticity. The first section  101  of the elongate member  10  is provided with a tooth cleaning plate  21 . The second section  102  of the elongate member  10  may be additionally provided with a tooth cleaning plate  21  (as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 9 ), such that the tooth cleaning plate  21  of the first section  101  or the second section  102  of the elongate member  10  is formed as a flexible tooth cleaning plate or an elastic tooth cleaning plate. The intermediate section  103  of the elongate member  10  has a thickness that is greater than thicknesses of the first section  101  and the second section  102  so that the elongate member  10  may demonstrate an effect of elastic deformation and would not get too difficult to handle and use as not being as soft as dental floss. In addition, the intermediate section  103  could support and maintain the tooth cleaning plate  21  to extend out, in a flat form, at one end of the elongate member  10 . 
       FIG. 1  also shows that the tooth cleaning plate  21  can be configured as a rectangular tooth cleaning plate (such as a trapezoid) or a polygonal tooth cleaning plate (such as a pentagon or a hexagon), having two opposite sides respectively forming a vertical edge  201  and a slope edge  202 . The tooth cleaning plate  21  is provided, at a portion thereof that is distant from the intermediate section  103 , with a horizontal edge  203  connected between the vertical edge  201  and the slope edge  202 . The tooth cleaning plate  21  has a thickness that is reduced or tapering from a portion of the tooth cleaning plate  21  that is adjacent to the intermediate section  103  in a direction toward a portion of the tooth cleaning plate  21  that is distant from the intermediate section  103  (which is a distal end of the tooth cleaning plate  21 ). The second section  102  of the elongate member  10  is formed with a tooth cleaning tip  31 . The intermediate section  103  comprises a connection bar  4 , and the connection bar  4  has two ends that are respectively connected to the tooth cleaning plate  21  and the tooth cleaning tip  31 . The connection bar  4  has a surface that is provided with at least one rib  41  thereon to extend in a direction toward the first section  101  and the second section  102  in order to increase a structural strength of the connection bar  4 . 
     It is appreciated that to use, a user may hold the connection bar  4  of the intermediate section  103  of the elongate member  10  and/or the tooth cleaning tip  31  of the second section  102  in such a way that the tooth cleaning plate  21  is kept, in a flat form, at an end of the elongate member  10  to ease an operation of insertion of the tooth cleaning plate  21  of the first section  101  of the elongate member  10  into a slit between teeth of the user, wherein during the operation, the tooth cleaning plate  21  may undergo elastic deformation in accordance with the slit of the teeth of the user in order to carry out tooth picking or cleaning. In addition, if it is necessary, the tooth cleaning tip  31  of the second section  102  of the elongate member  10  may be used, additionally or in combination, to remove stiff detritus trapped around the teeth. As such, convenience and practical use can be enhanced. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , as well as  FIG. 2A , an illustration is provided to show the tooth cleaning plate  22  can alternatively be a triangular tooth cleaning plate, having two sides each forming a slope edge  202 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , an illustration is provided to show the tooth cleaning plate  23  can alternatively be a partly curved tooth cleaning plate, in such a way that a portion of the tooth cleaning plate  23  that is distant from the intermediate section  103  is configured with a partly curved edge  204 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , an illustration is provided to show the tooth cleaning plate  24  can alternatively be a fish-bone-shaped tooth cleaning plate, having two opposite sides each forming a slope edge  205  having successive corrugations to provide a fish-bone like outline configuration. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , an illustration is provided to show the tooth cleaning plate  25  can alternatively be a rhombus tooth cleaning plate, having two opposite sides each configured as a curved edge  206 .  FIG. 5  also shows the tooth cleaning tip  32  of the second section  102  of the elongate member  10  may be alternatively curved to form an arc-curved tooth cleaning tip. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , as well as  FIG. 6A , an illustration is provided to show the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  has two sides that are each formed as a vertical edge  201 , and one side portion of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  is configured such that a thickness is reduced in a direction toward an opposite side portion of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21 .  FIG. 6  also shows the tooth cleaning plate  26  of the second section  102  of the elongate member  10  can be configured as a arc-curved tooth cleaning plate, having two opposite sides respectively forming an external arc edge  207  and an internal arc edge  208  and a portion of the tooth cleaning plate  26  that is distant from the intermediate section  103  is formed with a sharp tip edge  209  that connects the external arc edge  207  and the internal arc edge  208  together. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , as well as  FIGS. 7A and 8A , an illustration is provided to show the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  has two opposite sides that are each formed as a slope edge  202 . A portion of the tooth cleaning plate  21  that is distant from the intermediate section  103  (such as the horizontal edge  203  of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21 ) is formed as a notched edge  210 . The tooth cleaning plate  21  may have a constant thickness in the entirety thereof. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the tooth cleaning plate  21  may have a surface or surfaces that are provided with a plurality of thin grooves  211 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , as well as  FIG. 9A , an illustration is provided to show the first section  101  and the second section  102  of the elongate member  100  are respectively formed as tooth cleaning plates  27 ,  21 , the intermediate section  103  of the elongate member  10  is formed as a connection board  5 , such that the connection board  5  has two ends that are respectively connected to the tooth cleaning plates  21 ,  27 . The tooth cleaning plate  27  of the first section  101  of the elongate member  100  may be configured as a circular arc tooth cleaning plate, while the tooth cleaning plate  27  is provided, on a surface or surfaces thereof, with a plurality of raised dots  212 . The tooth cleaning plate  21  of the second section  102  of the elongate member  100  is formed as a rectangular tooth cleaning plate, and the horizontal edge  203  of the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  is formed as a notched edge  210 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , as well as  FIG. 10A , an illustration is provided to show the tooth cleaning plate  21  of the first section  101  of the elongate member  100  can be formed as a rectangular tooth cleaning plate, and a portion of the tooth cleaning plate  21  that is distant from the intermediate section  103  is provided with a serrated edge  213 . The tooth cleaning plate  22  of the second section  102  of the elongate member  100  is formed as a triangular tooth cleaning plate. 
     The vertical edge  201 , the slope edge  202 , the horizontal edge  203 , the partly curved edge  204 , the successively-corrugated slope edge  205 , the curved edge  206 , the external arc edge  207 , the internal arc edge  208 , the sharp tip edge  209 , the notched edge  210 , the thin grooves  211 , the raised dots  212 , and the serrated edge  213 , which have been described above, are provided to help remove or scratch off or clean detritus remaining on or attached to teeth. 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , an illustration is provided to show the first section  101  and the second section  102  of the elongate member  100  are each provided with a rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  and the intermediate section  103  of the elongate member  10  is formed as a connection board  5 . Further, the elongate member  100  is arranged such that multiple ones thereof are provided with the tooth cleaning plate  21  of the first section  101  and the tooth cleaning plate  21  of the second section  102  of two adjacent ones of the multiple elongate members  100  are connected together by means of a weakened easy-to-break section  214  to form a unitary combined arrangement, whereby the multiple elongate members  100  may be wound up as a roll. Referring to  FIG. 12 , an illustration is provided to show the first section  101  of the elongate member  100  is formed as a triangular tooth cleaning plate  22 , while the second section  102  is provided as a rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21 , wherein the triangular tooth cleaning plate  21  and the rectangular tooth cleaning plate  21  of two adjacent ones of the multiple elongate members  100  are connected together by means of a weakened easy-to-break section  214  to form a unitary combined arrangement, whereby the multiple elongate members  100  may be wound up as a roll. As such, the multiple elongate members  100  that are so connected to each other are wound up as a roll that can be received and retained in a wind-up case  6 , whereby to use, the outmost one of the elongate members  100  that are wound up as a roll is first pulled out of the wind-up case  6  and then, the outmost elongate member  100  so pulled out can be torn off along the weakened easy-to-break section  214  for use and operation of the tooth cleaning plates  21 ,  22  of the elongate member  100  to pick and clean teeth. This provides advantages of saving storage space and easy to access and retrieve for use. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also fmd a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claims of the present invention.