US2813529A - Tooth cleansing devices - Google Patents

Description

NOV-` 19, 1957 JANxs-INDRIKIS lKsE 2,813,529

TOOTH CLEANSING DEVICES Filed March 18, 1955 JA/ws-mnRl-ms ms Bf MMM ATTORNE YS United States Patent O TOOTH CLEANSING DEVICES Janis-Indrikis Ikse, Goteborg, Sweden Application March 18, 1955, Serial No. 495,141 Claims priority, application Sweden March 22, 1954 7 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 229) The present invention relates to tooth cleansing devices the cleansing action of which is elected by tine jets of a liquid forced out through a nozzle.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this type which will be very eticient in its operation. A further object of the invention is to provide a cleansing device the nozzle of which is provided with means which will greatly facilitate the use of the device.

Further objects of the invention will be made clear by the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing showing an embodiment of the invention. ln the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of the tooth cleansing device some portions of which are broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the fore portion of the device on a larger scale. Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a cross section on the line Ill-III and IV-IV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a valve casing serving also as a handle for the device. Fig. 6 is an end View of this casing. Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, a plane view and a section of the perforated plate. Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the use ot the device.

`ln the drawing, 1 denotes a hollow stem or shank, into which a pipe 2 is inserted and forms a channel 3 ending in a channel 4 in a nozzle 5 provided on the eXtreme end of the shank 1, the channel 4 being closed at the fore end thereof. The nozzle 5 in cross-section perpendicular to the channel 4 has substantially V-shape as shown by Figs. 3 and 4. The discharge opening of the nozzle is covered by a thin, oblong perforated plate 7 inserted between the side walls 6 of the nozzle, said plate being substantially parallel with the channels 3 and 4. The plate 7 is preferably made from stainless steel or metal and is by means of screws 8 or other means removably secured to the nozzle S. Said plate, which is shown in detail in Figs. 7 and S, is provided with a large number of small apertures 9 arranged in longitudinal rows substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of the channel 4. The holes are suitably conical widening towards the channel 4. The narrow end of the holes has a diameter not below about 0.3 mm., and said diameter preferably should not exceed about 0.8 mm. According to Fig. 7 the apertures 9 are arranged in four rows parallel with the channel 4, the apertures of one row having alternately smaller or larger diameter, respectively, than the apertures of an adjacent row. The diierence of the sizes of diameters may be about 0.1 mm. so that if the apertures of one row have a diameter of 0.3 mm., the apertures of next row have a diameter of 0.4 mm., the apertures of the following row have a diameter `of 0.3 mm. and so on. Such varying sizes of the apertures are, however, not absolutely necessary. The total number of apertures in practical embodiments of the invention may vary between about 20 and 60. Embodiments with larger or fewer number of apertures are, however, not excluded.

It is important that the side walls 6 extend outwards a distance past the plane of the plate, said side walls forming side shields before the longitudinal edges of the plate.

. spindle is moved against the The rear end of the shank 1 is connected by a coupling member 11 screwed thereon to a coupling sleeve 13 screwed in valve casing 12. Said coupling member and sleeve being connected by a bayonet joint comprising, for instance, a pin 14 on the coupling member 11 and angular slots 15 on the coupling sleeve with the ends of the pin adapted to engage with said slots. Thus, the coupling parts 11 and 13 are easily connected and disconnected. In their operative position said parts contact each other by frusto-conical surfaces 16 and 17 respectively.

In a cylindrical recess 18 of the valve casing 12, a sleeve 20 is tted, said sleeve having less outer diameter than the recess 18. Outside the sleeve 20,` the recess 18 communicates with the channel 3 of the shank 1 through channels 21 in the coupling member 11. The sleeve 20 is divided by a transverse partition-wall 22, and on both sides of this wall the sleeve through one or more holes 23 and 24 communicates with the recess 18 outside the sleeve. The liquid from the channel 19 will be caused to llow through the holes 23 into the recess 18 .and from the latter through the holes 24 back into the sleeve 20 before ilowing further through the channels 21. 'llhe portion of the sleeve having the holes 24 is designed to receive a tablet or the like 25 (Fig. l) of a disinfectant or hygienic agent for the mouth.

A screen or ilter 26 is provided in the joint between the coupling member 11 and the shank 1 and prevents the movement of solid particles with the liquid to the nozzle 5.

The ow of water or liquid through the channel 19 of the valve casing 12 is regulated by a valve comprising a valve spindle 27 extending through a hole in a partitionwall 29 between two enlarged portions 30 and 31 of the channel 19. Said spindle is held in its closed position by a screw-spring 32 supporting by its one end on a screw plug 33 and by its other end on a ange 34 on the spindle, said flange by means of a packing ring 34 bearing on the partition-wall 29 in the closed position of the valve. The spindle has one or more recesses 35 which, when the action of the spring 32 and the packing ring 34', is moved from the partition-wall 29, opens the communication between the two channel portions 30 and 31. The valve is opened by means of a push button 36 on a spindle 37 which is slidable in a screw plug 38 the edge of which retains a diaphragm 39 of an elastic material such as rubber, said diaphragm also tightly closing the 4channel portion 30 on level with the extreme end or the spindle 27. The valve casing 12, which is also intended to be used as a handle for the device, is curved, the push button 36 being located on the concave side of the casing. The rear end of this curved valve casing is connected by means of a nipple 40 to a coupling for a hose or flexible tube 42 which may be connected to a water conduit preferably for hot and cold water or to a water tank or container from which the water is supplied to the device under suitable pressure.

By means of the push button 36 the supply of water to the nozzle is regulated by the hand holding the device. The device may be held in such a position that the set of teeth to be cleansed is positioned between the side shields 6 as shown in Fig. 9. The tine jets of liquid, which by the conical form of the holes 9 will be well-defined and not be broken up into fine drops, will strike on the :surfaces of the teeth, penetrate into the narrow interspaces between the teeth and cleanse these interspaces and the gums without injuring the latter. On the contrary, the gums will be exposed to a beneficial massage treatment fortifying the gums. The set of the teeth during the spraying will be located between the side shields 6 which prevent sprinkling of the water discharged through the apertures 9 under pressure out of the mouth or into the throat or in other undesired directions. These side shields also serve as a guide for the nozzle 5 when the latter is moved along the set of teeth. With the aid of these shields and without use of a mirror it is easy to place the nozzle in intended position in the mouth and by rotating the nozzle through suitable angles about the axis of the shank 1 one may direct the jets of the liquid against the biting surface of the teeth, against their front side or against their rearV side. In particular for' children, the side shields 6` facilitate the right placing of the nozzle S in the mouth so that the jets of liquid obtain the directions intended.

The tablet placed in the socket 20 should, of course, have a suitable 4solubility in water so as to be `sufficient for several cleansing operations if desired.

In a family having several members, each member may have a shank 1 with nozzle S, said shank with nozzle being adapted to be easily connected with and disconnected from the casing or handle 12, which latter may be common to all members of the family.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above, but the details thereof may vary Within the scope' of the invention.

What l claim is:

1. A tooth cleansing device comprising a nozzle, a shank carrying the nozzle, a valve casing removably connected to said shank, a channel leading through the valve casing and the shank to the nozzle, a valve in said valve `casing for controlling said channel, a removable plate of extended form covering a discharge opening of the nozzle, a number of ne apertures in said plate for forming a corresponding number of tine jets of the liquid, two opposite side walls of the nozzle extending past two opposite longitudinal side edges of the plate so as to form a side shield before each of these edges of the plate.

2. A tooth cleansing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve casing is arc-shaped and adapted to serve as handle for the device.

3. A tooth cleansing device comprising `a nozzle, a shank carrying the nozzle, an arc-shaped Valve casing removably connected to said shank, a channel leading through the valve casing and the shank to the nozzle, a valve in said valve casing for controlling supply of liquid through the channel, means for operating said valve on the concave side of the arc-shaped valve casing, a removable plate of extended form covering a discharge opening of the nozzle, a number of fine apertures in said plate for forming a corresponding number of ne jets of the liquid, two opposite side walls of the nozzle extending past two opposite longitudinal' side edges of the plate so as to form a side shield before each of these edges of the plate.

4. A tooth cleansing device comprising a nozzle, a shank carrying the nozzle, a valve casing connected to the shank, a channel leading through the valve casing and the shank to the nozzle, a valve in said valve casing for controlling supply of liquid through the channel to the nozzle, a sleeve adapted to receive a tablet of an antiseptic substance connected to the channel so as to cause the liquid to pass through the sleeve on its way to the nozzle and dissolve said substance, a removable plate of extended '4 form covering a discharge opening of the nozzle, a number of line apertures in said plate for forming a corresponding number of ne jets of the liquid, two opposite side walls of the nozzle extending past two opposite longitudinal side edges of the plate so as to form a side shield before each of these edges of the plate.

5. A tooth cleansing device comprising a nozzle, a shank carrying said nozzle, a channel leading through said shank to said nozzle for supplying cleansing liquid thereto, a plate having the plane sides thereof substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said shank, said plate covering a discharge Iopening of said nozzle, a plurality of fine apertures in said plate for forming a corresponding number of tine jets of the liquid substantially perpendicularly to` the longitudinal direction of said shank, and two opposite side walls of the nozzle extending past two opposite side edges of said plate so as to form a side shield before each of said side edges of the plate.

6. A tooth cleansing device comprising a nozzle having a discharge opening, a shank carrying said nozzle, said shank having a channel leading therethrough and to said nozzle for supplying cleansing liquid thereto, a plate of extended form being substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said shank and covering said discharge opening of the nozzle, a plurality of line aper tures in said plate for forming a corresponding number of fine jets of the liquid substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said shank, two opposite side walls of said nozzle extending past two longitudinal side edges of said plate so as to form a side shield before said plate at each of said edges and said shields diverging outwards with a small `angle from the directions of the jets through said apertures.

7. A tooth cleansing device comprising a nozzle having a discharge opening, a shank carrying said nozzle, said shank having a channel leading therethrough and to said nozzle for supplying cleansing liquid thereto, a removable plate covering said discharge opening of the nozzle and disposed substantially parallel with the longitudinal direction of said shank, said plate having a plurality of line apertures for forming a corresponding number of tine jets ofthe liquid substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal' direction of said shank, two opposite side walls of said nozzle extending past two opposite side edges of said plate so as to form a side shield before each of these edges of said plate, and said shields diverging outwards through a small angle from the direction of the jets through said apertures.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,466,474 Hatcher et al. Aug. 28, 1923 2,208,031 Hooper July 16, 1940 2,469,534 Wessels May l0, 1949 2,552,352 Swanson May 8, 1951 2,709,112 Curtice May 24, 1955

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