# US 2021/0330432 A1 · Toothbrush with controlled suction and/or irrigation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0330432 A1 - Document ID: US20210330432A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/372,212 - Filed: 2021-07-09 - Published: 2021-10-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-31 - Assignees: Dignity Health - Applicants: Dignity Health - Inventors: Virginia Prendergast; Cynthia Kleiman; Charles Lewis; Gary Lauterbach; Scott Castanon; Dylann Ceriani; Michael Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330432A1 ## CPC - A61C 17/024: with constant liquid flow - A61C 17/0208: {combined with means providing suction (A61C17/0211 takes precedence)} - A61C 17/16: Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices - A61C 17/222: {Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle} - A61C 17/225: {Handles or details thereof} - A61C 17/06: Saliva removers; Accessories therefor - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) ## Abstract A toothbrush system configured to be coupled to an external suction source. The toothbrush system includes a shaft with a main body with a first end and a second end, and a bristle array and a suction port arranged at the second end. The bristle array and the suction port both extend away from the shaft so that an opening of the suction port is proximal to a distal end of the bristle array. The shaft also includes a stem arranged at the first end. The stem includes a passageway that extends through the main body to provide a fluid connection to the suction port, and is configured to be coupled to the external suction source. Also, the handle is removably coupled to the shaft and includes a drive system operably coupled to the bristle array to actuate motion of the bristle array. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A toothbrush system configured to be coupled to an external suction source, the toothbrush system comprising: a shaft including: a main body with a first end and a second end, a bristle array and a suction port arranged at the second end, wherein the bristle array and the suction port both extend away from the shaft so that an opening of the suction port is proximal to a distal end of the bristle array, and a stem arranged at the first end and extending from the main body, the stem including a passageway that extends through the main body to provide a fluid connection to the suction port, and is configured to be coupled to the external suction source; and a handle removably coupled to the main body, the handle including a drive system operably coupled to the bristle array to actuate motion of the bristle array. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, further comprising a suction tube configured to couple the stem to the external suction source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The toothbrush system of claim 2, wherein the suction tube is selectively engaged with the handle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The toothbrush system of claim 3, wherein the handle includes a housing with an external groove, and the suction tube fits into the external groove. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, wherein the stem extends down a length of the handle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, wherein the stem includes an aperture that provides an opening in the fluid connection from the suction port to the external suction source. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, wherein the suction port is positioned below the bristle array. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, wherein the handle further includes a lighting element configured to illuminate an area proximate to the bristle array. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1 and further comprising a secondary cleaning tool formed of a polymeric material and located proximate to the bristle array. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The toothbrush system of claim 9, wherein the secondary cleaning tool includes a plurality of resilient projections. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The toothbrush system of claim 9, wherein the suction port is integrated with the secondary cleaning tool. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The toothbrush system of claim 1, wherein the suction port and the bristle array extend away from the shaft in parallel. ### Claim 13 A toothbrush system configured to be coupled to an external suction source and a syringe, the toothbrush system comprising: a handle; and a shaft extending from the handle, the shaft including: a main body with a distal end and a proximal end, an internal drive shaft section, a suction passageway, and an irrigation pathway that are sealed from each other, a bristle array extending from the main body at the distal end, the bristle array in communication with a drive shaft positioned within the internal drive shaft section, a flexible suction port extending from the main body adjacent to the bristle array, the suction port in communication with the suction passageway, a flexible irrigation port extending from the main body within the bristle array, the irrigation port in communication with the irrigation pathway, and a stem extending from the main body and configured to be coupled to the external suction source, the stem including a passageway in communication with the suction passageway. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The toothbrush system of claim 13, wherein the handle includes a drive system configured to be coupled to the drive shaft to actuate the bristle array. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The toothbrush system of claim 14, wherein the handle includes an activation button configured to be pressed by a user to actuate the drive system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The toothbrush system of claim 13, wherein the stem includes an aperture that provides an opening in the suction passageway, the aperture configured to be selectively covered and uncovered by a user to provide suction from the external suction source to the suction port. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The toothbrush system of claim 13, wherein the shaft further includes a syringe fitting configured to be coupled to the irrigation port via tubing, the syringe fitting configured to be coupled to the syringe to provide irrigation fluid from the syringe through the irrigation port. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The toothbrush system of claim 17, wherein the irrigation pathway extends through the distal end of the shaft, and the tubing is configured to extend from the distal end. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The toothbrush system of claim 17, wherein the irrigation pathway extends through the main body of the shaft from the distal end to the proximal end, and the tubing is configured to extend from the proximal end. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The toothbrush system of claim 13, wherein the handle includes a neck that is at least partially transparent, and a lighting element configured to emit light through the neck toward the bristle array.