US3368553A - Tooth-cleaning and massaging device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 13, 1968 J. B. KIRBY 3,363,553

TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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J4M5 5, ,f/pey BY 1 MA/fA/A/K p ma'm/ara 454mg a Galena United States Patent C 3,368,553 TOOTH-CLEANING AND MASSAGING DEVICE James B. Kirby, P.O. Box 2735, Pompano Beach, Fla. 33062 Filed Jan. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 428,958 13 Claims. (Cl. 128-62) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for cleaning the teeth which has a handle and a pair of spaced arms mounted on the handle. An elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick is mounted on the end of each of the arms and each pick has a relatively wide base which tapers to a narrowed end portion. The picks are mounted on each arm so that the distance between the narrowed end portions of the picks is less than the thickness of the average humna tooth so that the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in the spaces.

This invention relates to tooth-cleaning devices and, more particularly, to tooth-cleaning devices for massaging the gums and dislodging food particles from between the teeth.

Various devices have been proposed for cleaning and stimulating the area of the gums between the teeth. One such device is set forth in my prior Patent No. 3,106,216. According to that patent, a tooth-cleaning device is provided having spaced arms for supporting and holding taut a strand of dental floss extending across the space between the arms. The device further includes two opposed, elongated, flexible tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging picks, one attached to each of the arms. Although my patented device is satisfactory and useful for its intended purpose, it has been found that it will be improved in performance when modified as taught herein.

Other prior art tooth-cleaning devices have picks that arediflicult to position between the teeth. Moreover, even if the picks of these devices are properly positioned between the teeth, it is difficult to stimulate the gum area between adjacent teeth, since the picks tend to slip out of their initial position when they are moved to massage the gums.

According to my present invention, I provide a toothcleaning device having a pair of substantially rigid, spaced arms. A stiffly flexible and elongated pick having a narrowed end portion is positioned on each arm so that the distance between the narrowed end portions is less than the average thickness of a human tooth so that the picks are constrained to be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth by the rounded portions on adjacent teeth. The picks are formed from a stifliy flexible material which is capable of retaining its rigidity when pressed against the gums with a normal massaging pressure but which will flex when pressed against a tooth. Thus, the picks will flex when they engage the opposite sides of a tooth but Will snap into their original shape when they are positioned in the gum area between adjacent teeth. Vinyl chloride polymers and copolymers plasticized for flexibility are preferred for molding the picks. The toothcleaning device according to my present invention, moreover, includes picks mounted on spaced arms so that the axis of each pick may intersect the axis of the other pick to form an acute angle. This orientation of the picks permits the narrowed end portion to project between the teeth and massage the gum area between the teeth.

According to a further aspect of this invention, I pro- "ice vide a strand of dental floss across the space between the arms to assist in dislodging and cleaning food particles from between the teeth. According to this aspect of my invention, I provide a hollow handle having a supply of dental floss contained therein and provide a novel flosstensioning arrangement so that the floss may be held taut between the arms.

According to a still further aspect of my present invention, I provide a tooth-cleaning device having a hollow handle for containing a cleaning or antibacterial fluid. Passageways are provided from the handle to the tip of one of the picks, and the sidewall of the hollow handle is pliable so that it may be squeezed to force fluid through the passageways and into the space between adjacent teeth.

It is, therefore, an object of my present invention to provide a tooth-cleaning device which overcomes many of the prior art problems.

It is a more particular object of my present invention to provide a tooth-cleaning device which has a pair of flexible, elongated picks having narrowed end portions and having a space between the end portions that is less than the average thickness of a human tooth so that the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tooth-cleaning device which has a pair of spaced arms and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of the arms, and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion and means to attach dental floss to each of the arms so that the floss extends across the space between the picks and so that the floss is held under tension by the arms.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a toothcleaning and gum-massaging device which includes a pair of tooth-cleaning picks and means to supply a stream of tooth-cleaning fluid to one of said picks.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more fully understood from the following detailed description of the invention and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device according to one aspect of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a portion of the device illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 showing the connection between the handle and the head;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic view showing the device in use;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device according to a further aspect of my invention;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device illustrated in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the device shown in FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of a pair of opposed picks showing the picks massaging and cleaning between adjacent teeth;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8, but showing the picks in elevation;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are fragmentary, perspective views of the tooth-cleaning device illustrated in FIGURES 5-7 and progressively illustrating the manner in which the floss is wrapped about one of the arms;

FIGURE 12 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a tooth-cleaning device according to a further aspect of this invention;

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view of a portion of the device, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 1313 in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of one of the picks illustrated in FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of a portion of the toothcleaning device illustrated in FIGURE 12; and

FIGURES 16 and 17 are views of the device illustrated in FIGURE 12 and showing different orientations of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 through 4, a tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging device is illustrated. The device 10 includes a head portion 11 and a handle portion 12. The head portion 11 includes a lower arm 13 and an upper arm 14. The head 11 and its arms 13 and 14 are preferably molded from a stiff plastic. The arms 13 and 14 are respectively provided with bores 15 and 16 at their ends. The bores 15 and 16 respectively support a stiffly flexible lower pick 17 and a stiflly flexible upper pick 18. The picks 17 and 18 are preferably conical, having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion 19. The length of each pick is preferably three times the width of the pick measured across its base. The end portions 19 are spaced apart so that the distance between them is less than the thickness of an average human tooth, and may be as small as inch. Ideally, this distance is less than twice the width of a pick measured across its base. Thus, as may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 8 and 9, one pick 18 is not completely retracted from the space between the teeth when the other pick 17 is pushed between the teeth. When the picks 17 and 18 are located between the teeth, therefore, they tend to lock in their proper positions for massaging and cleaning a particular area.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 9, the picks 17 and 18 have axes A and A respectively, that intersect to form acute angles. A plane P bisects the acute angles formed by the axes A and A and is perpendicular to the plane P that is defined by the axes A and A It is desirable that the body of each pick 17 and 18 be spaced from the plane P so that the narrowed end portion 19 of each pick will massage the area of the gum between adjacent teeth, as is illustrated in FIGURE 9.

In order to reach all of the spaces between adjacent teeth, the handle 12 is mounted for universal movement relative to the head 11. The head 11 is provided with a socket 20 which receives a ball 21 formed on the end of the handle 12. The socket 20 has a slightly smaller diameter than the ball 21 and is provided with slots 22 and 23 which permit the socket to expand slightly when the ball 21 is inserted therein. The socket 20 grips the ball 21 with a force that is sufficient to resist any movement when the device 10 is employed to clean the teeth, but will permit the head to be adjusted by hand to attain the proper orientation.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 through 7, a toothcleaning device 30, according to a further aspect of this invention, is illustrated. The tooth-cleaning device includes an elongated, cylindrical floss container or hollow handle 31. The handle 31 is provided with threads 32 at its upper end and a supply of dental floss 33. A head 34 having a cap portion 35 is screwed onto the threaded end of the handle 31. A slot 36 is provided in the cap portion 35 and permits the floss 33 to be drawn out of the hollow handle 31. When the cap portion 35 is screwed tightly onto the handle 31, the floss 33 is pinched between the upper end of the handle and the cap portion 35.

The head 34 includes a lower arm 37 and an upper arm 38. The lower and upper arms 37 and 38 are respectively provided with bores 39 and 40. Stiflly flexible picks 41 and 42 having narrowed end portions 43 are respectively carried by the bores 39 and 40. The distance between the narrowed end portions 43 is less than the thickness of a human tooth, so that the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth. Desirably, the picks 41 and 42 have axes which form an acute angle and are oriented similarly to the picks 17 and 18 so that the narrowed end portion 43 may massage the gums between adjacent teeth.

Referring now to FIGURES 10 and 11, a strand of dental floss is stretched across the space between the arms 37 and 38 by drawing a length of floss 33 from the handle 31. When a sufficient amount of floss is drawn from the handle 31, the cap portion 35 is screwed downwardly to pinch the strand. The strand is then wrapped over the arm 37 (FIGURE 10) and under a projection 44 which is provided on one side of the arm 37. The strand is then drawn through a slot 45 in the arm 37, across the space between the arms 37 and 38, and into a slot 46 in the upper arm 38. The floss is then pulled tightly and is wrapped around a cleat 47 which is provided on the upper arm 38. As the strand is wrapped around the cleat 47, the arms 37 and 38 are drawn together slightly so that the strand is placed under tension. The cleat 47 retains one end of the strand and the other end of the strand is held firmly by its frictional contact with the lower arm 37 and by the upper end of the handle 31 and the cap 35. Any excess floss may be severed by a cutter 48 which is provided on the arm 33.

Referring now to FIGURES 12 through 17, a toothclcaning device 50, according to a still further aspect of this invention, is illustrated. The device 50 includes a plastic squeeze bottle 51 which serves as a handle for the device. The squeeze bottle 51 has a threaded neck portion 52 at its upper end and a plug 53 is received within the neck portion 52.

The device 50 further includes a head 54 having a cap 55 which is screwed onto the neck portion 52. The head 54 includes a lower arm 56 and an upper arm 57. The lower and upper arms 56 and 57 are respectively provided with bores 53 and 59, and stifldy flexible picks and 61 are provided in the bores 58 and 59. The picks 60 and 61 have narrowed end portions 62 and the distance between the end portions 62 is less than the thickness of a human tooth.

The axes of the picks 60 and 61 intersect to form an acute angle, and the picks are oriented similarly to the picks 41 and 42 and the picks 17 and 18 so that the narrowed end portions 62 may massage and stimulate the gums between adjacent teeth.

The equeeze bottle 51 is filled with an antibacterial or cleansing fluid. The stopper 53 is provided with a pair of tubes 63 and 64 which communicate with a recessed portion 65 in the upper face of the stopper 53. The orientation and lengths of the tubes 63 and 64 are selected so that the end of at least one of the tubes is immersed in the fluid if the device 50 is employed to clean the upper teeth (FIGURE 16) or is employed to clean the lower teeth (FIGURE 17).

When the bottle 51 is squeezed, cleaning fluid and air are forced into the recessed portion 65 and then into a passage 66 which is provided in the arm 56. An off-on valve 67 is provided in the passage 66. In the position illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13, the valve 67 is open and has an annular recess 68 which communicates with the passage 66. The valve 67 may be closed by pushing the projecting end portion of the valve 67 inwardly toward the arm 56. The passage 66 communicates with an axial bore 69 which is provided in the pick 60. The axial spacing of the ends of the picks with respect to each other,"

I have found by extensive testing that the ends of the picks should be spaced in the range of inch to 7 inch. This spacing provides a useful device for the average individual.

The invention is not restricted to the slavish imitation of each and every one of the details described above, which have been set forth merely by way of example with the intent of most clearly setting forth the teaching of the invention. Obviously, devices may be provided which change, eliminate, or add certain specific details without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-clean-ingand gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of the average human tooth, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent .the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

2. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted, on oneend of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than twice the width of a pick measured across its base, said arms having a rigidity which is suflicient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

3. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of the average human tooth, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

4. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than twice the thickness of a pick measured across its base, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

5. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein a strand of dental floss extends across the space between said arms for entry between teeth.

6. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis' that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of a human tooth, a hollow container formed by said handle for holding a supply of dental floss, means for guiding a strand of floss out of said container, a guide means in each arm and a cleat on one of said arms, said floss being wrapped over one of said arms and then under said one arm, through the guide means in said one arm, across the space between the arms, through the guide means in the other arm, and then around the cleat..on said other arm, said arms having a rigidity which is suflicient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the floss is held taut between said arms so that the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

7. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm, a bore through one of said picks, and means to deliver fluid to said bore.

8. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of a human tooth, a bore through one of said picks, and means to deliver fluid to said bore.

9. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of a human tooth, a bore in one of said picks, and means to deliver fluid into said bore, whereby the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

10. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively Wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a pick mounted on each arm having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, each of said picks being spaced from a first plane that is perpendicular to a second plane defined by said axes, said first plane bisecting said acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of a human tooth, said handle being hollow and defining a flexible squeeze bottle, an axial bore through one of said picks, conduit means connecting said bore to said bottle so that fluid will be expressed from the narrowed end portion of one of said picks, whereby the picks may be guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

11. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced rigid arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively Wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a stiflly flexible pick mounted on each rigid arm, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of the average human tooth, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

12. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handle, spaced rigid arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging ick mounted on the end of each of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a stifly flexible pick mounted on each rigid arm, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being within the range of /8 inch to inch, said arms having a rigidity which is sufficient to maintain the distance between the narrowed end portions of. said picks during use, whereby the picks are guided into. and out of the spaces between the teeth adjacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

13. In a tooth-cleaning device having a handIe, spaced arms mounted on one end of the handle, and an elastic tooth-cleaning and gum-massaging pick mounted on the end of said arms and having a relatively wide base that tapers to a narrowed end portion, the improvement which comprises a' pick mounted on each arm and having an axis that intersects the axis of the other pick to form acute angles, the distance between the narrowed end portions of said picks being less than the thickness of the average,

human tooth, said handle being mounted for universal movement relative to said arms, whereby the picks are guided into and out of the spaces between the teeth ad-v jacent the gums and so that the narrowed ends of the picks may massage and stimulate the gums in said spaces.

7 References Cited UNITED L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

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