Intraoral tool cleaning system and method
OwnerRobert Fenwick Millerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An intraoral tool cleaning system and method of use of the system, enabling a user to clean debris and fog from an intraoral mirror with a one-handed motion and limited cross-contamination between patients. In one embodiment, the system includes a disposable sponge adapted to remove particles from a mirror surface of the intraoral mirror by abrading the mirror surface, a housing that contains the sponge, and a base that secures the housing to a surface. In another embodiment, the system includes a disposable sponge, a disposable base that secures the sponge to a surface on an appendage of the user, and a fastener that adheres the sponge to the base.
Claims20
An intraoral tool cleaning system that enables a user to clean debris and fog from an intraoral mirror with a one-handed motion, comprising:
- a disposable sponge that removes particles from a mirror surface of the intraoral mirror by abrading the mirror surface, wherein the sponge is made of an absorbent foam material and is saturated with a surfactant fluid;
- a rigid housing that contains the sponge, wherein the housing includes an upper opening and a back wall adjacent to the sponge;
- wherein the back wall and the sponge define a vertical slot that extends from the upper opening into the housing and is adapted to receive the mirror surface;
- wherein the vertical slot permits abrading motion between the mirror surface and the sponge;
- wherein the housing further includes a generally flat backrest extending from the back wall that guides receiving of the mirror surface into the vertical slot;
- wherein the backrest is angled away from the upper opening;
- and
- a base that secures the housing to a surface, wherein the base includes a housing fitting that retains the housing;
- wherein the housing fitting includes a furrow that extends across the base and receives the housing by selectively engaging with the housing in a sliding manner;
- wherein the length of the furrow is at least equal to the width of the housing;
- wherein the base further includes a slip-resistant surface that resists movement of the base relative to the surface.
An intraoral tool cleaning system that enables a user to clean debris and fog from an intraoral mirror with a one-handed motion, comprising:
- a disposable sponge adapted to remove particles from a mirror surface of the intraoral mirror by abrading the mirror surface, wherein the sponge is made of an absorbent foam material and is saturated with a surfactant fluid;
- a disposable base that secures the sponge to a surface, wherein the surface is located on an appendage of the user;
- and
- a fastener that adheres the sponge to the base, wherein the fastener includes an adhesive material applied to the sponge.
A method for cleaning debris and fog from a mirror surface of an intraoral mirror with a one-handed motion, comprising the steps of:
- a. inserting the intraoral mirror into a vertical slot of a housing that contains a first disposable sponge, wherein the vertical slot is defined by the sponge and a back wall adjacent to the sponge;
- wherein the housing further includes an angled backrest extending from the back wall that guides insertion of the mirror surface into the vertical slot;
- wherein the sponge is saturated with a surfactant fluid and is adapted to remove particles from the mirror surface by abrading the mirror surface on the sponge;
- b. abrading the mirror surface on the sponge with a one-handed motion such that the sponge removes particles from the mirror surface;
- c. removing the intraoral mirror from the housing;
- d. removing the sponge from the housing;
- e. discarding the sponge;
- and
- f. providing a second disposable sponge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.