US 3,978,852 A · Plaque jack toothbrush

Abstract

A powered toothbrush cleans teeth and related embrasures by mechanically driving a small tuft of brush elements axially against the tooth surfaces to remove plaque and into and through the embrasures to push out food particles from the embrasures. The brush elements in the tuft have a length, texture, density, configuration and/or taper which enable the brush elements (particularly in the central part of the tuft) to penetrate directly into and through the embrasures while retaining sufficient flexibility (particularly on the periphery of the tuft) to effectively scour plaque from both convex and concave tooth surfaces as these brush elements are deflected toward lateral movement along the tooth surfaces by inward driving movement of the brush elements against the tooth surfaces. The tuft configuration and construction and the axial driving movement of the tuft enable the toothbrush to clean all normal tooth embrasures, regardless of the inclination of the brush handle between verticle and horizontal attitudes; and the size and shape of the tuft enable the brush to be effectively used to clean not only embrasures such as exist between adjacent teeth at the gum line but also crevices in tooth surfaces, the gingival (gum) cuff of both normal and diseased gums, the spaces between orthodontic applicances and teeth, the embrasures existing between bridgework and gums and such normally hard to clean spaces and surfaces as the embrasures between the roots of a tooth resulting from periodontal (gum) surgery.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A powered toothbrush for cleaning teeth and related embrasures, such as the spaces between adjacent teeth at the gum line, by driving the ends of specially constructed brush elements axially (along the brush element axes) in and out against the toothed surfaces to remove plaque and into and out of the gingival cuff to clean this area and into and through the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth to push out food particles from the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth, said brush comprising,

a brush holder,
a brush stem member having one end connected to the holder,
a brush head at the other end of the stem member,
said brush head comprising a plurality of elongated brush elements grouped in a relatively small tuft having a shape and length to permit a substantial number of adjacent brush elements to be driven into and through the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth,
the ends of the brush elements being polished and the brush elements having substantial flexibility for permitting the brush elements to be driven axially into crevices in the tooth surfaces and also into the gingival cuff between the teeth and gums to clean plaque from the tooth surfaces in this area and also to dislodge food particles from the cuff, and
drive means in the holder for rapidly reciprocating the tuft in an axial direction and with sufficient travel to permit the brush elements to be driven far enough into the gingival cuff and into and through the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth to scrub plaque from the tooth surfaces by frictional engagement of the brush elements on the tooth surfaces and to dislodge food particles from the gingival cuff and the embrasures by physical impact of the brush elements on the food particles.

3 more elements

A method of cleaning teeth and related embrasures, such as those existing between adjacent teeth at the gum line, by driving the ends of brush elements against the tooth surfaces to remove plague and into and through the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth to push food particles from the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth, said method comprising,

forming a brush head with a plurality of elongated brush elements grouped in a relatively small tuft having a shape and length to permit a substantial number of adjacent brush elements to be driven axially into and through the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth,
rapidly reciprocating the tuft in an axial direction and with sufficient travel to permit the brush elements to be driven far enough into the embrasures to dislodge food particles from the embrasures and the space between adjacent teeth,
making at least the brush elements on the periphery of the tuft flexible enough to permit deflection of the peripheral brush elements and scouring of plague from both convex and concave tooth surfaces as the brush elements are deflected toward lateral movement along the tooth surfaces by inward driving movement of the brush head toward the teeth, and
cleaning the gingival cuff by driving the brush elements generally axially into the gingival cuff.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plaque jack toothbrush

Life of this patent

Plaque jack toothbrush

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23