Teeth cleaning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12070366-B2
Application number	US-202318303974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2023
Priority date	Oct 12, 2016
Publication date	Aug 27, 2024
Grant date	Aug 27, 2024

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention may be a teeth cleaning device including: a first support structure comprising a first dentature channel configured to receive at least a first portion of a dentature of a user; a plurality of teeth cleaning pads located within the first dentature channel; a plurality of air bladders operably coupled to the teeth cleaning pads; an air-flow subsystem operably coupled to the air bladders; and a control unit operably coupled to the air-flow subsystem, the control unit configured to: (1) pressurize the air bladders with external air in a pressurization mode; and (2) transfer air between select ones of the air bladders in a cleaning mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A teeth cleaning device comprising:
a support structure comprising a dentature channel configured to receive at least a portion of a dentature of a user, the dentature channel defined by a floor, a glossal wall, and a facial wall;
a first air bladder located in the dentature channel, the support structure forming a wall of the first air bladder;
a first teeth cleaning pad coupled to the first air bladder, the first teeth cleaning pad comprising a first end in contact with the floor of the dentature channel and a second end opposite the first end, the first teeth cleaning pad being configured to engage surfaces of teeth of the user when the teeth cleaning device is positioned within an oral cavity of the user; and
an air-flow subsystem fluidly coupled to the first air bladder;
wherein the first air bladder comprises a first portion that extends along the first teeth cleaning pad between the first and second ends of the first teeth cleaning pad and a second portion that extends beyond the first end of the first teeth cleaning pad, the second portion being embedded within the floor of the dentature channel.

2. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 1 further comprising a control unit operably coupled to the air-flow subsystem, the control unit configured to: (1) pressurize the first air bladder with external air in a pressurization mode; and (2) depressurize the first air bladder by releasing the pressurized air from the first air bladder to an ambient atmosphere.

3. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the first teeth cleaning pad deflects in response to pressurization of the first air bladder.

4. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 1 further comprising:
a second air bladder located in the dentature channel fluidly coupled to the air-flow subsystem, the second air bladder having at least one wall integrally formed with at least one wall of the first air bladder; and
a second teeth cleaning pad coupled to the second air bladder and configured to engage surfaces of the user's teeth.

5. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 4 wherein the first air bladder and the second air bladder are oriented at an angle with respect to one another.

6. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the first teeth cleaning pad comprises a plurality of teeth cleaning elements, the plurality of teeth cleaning elements moving relative to one another in response to pressurization of the first air bladder.

7. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein the first teeth cleaning pad comprises a substrate layer and a plurality of teeth cleaning elements extending from the substrate layer.

8. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 7 wherein the plurality of teeth cleaning elements are in a shape of a truncated cone or a truncated pyramid so that the teeth cleaning elements are tapered from a base portion thereof which is attached to the substrate layer to a tip portion thereof which is remote from the substrate layer.

9. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of teeth cleaning elements is formed from thermoplastic polyurethane.

10. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 7 wherein the plurality of teeth cleaning elements are positioned along the substrate layer in an offset arrangement which forms a hexagonal grid.

11. A teeth cleaning device comprising:
a support structure comprising a dentature channel configured to receive at least a portion of a dentature of a user, the dentature channel defined at least in part by a channel floor, a facial wall, and a glossal wall;
a plurality of teeth cleaning pads, the teeth cleaning pads comprising:
at least one facial teeth cleaning pad coupled to the facial wall; and
at least one glossal teeth cleaning pad coupled to the glossal wall;

a facial air bladder coupled to the facial teeth cleaning pad and a glossal air bladder coupled to the glossal teeth cleaning pad, each of the facial and glossal air bladders having a first end, a second end, and a vertical axis that extends from the first end to the second end, the vertical axis being perpendicular to the channel floor, and each of the facial and glossal air bladders having an opening at the first end; and
an air-flow subsystem operably coupled to the facial and glossal air bladders.

12. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 11 wherein the at least one facial teeth cleaning pad deflects in response to pressurization of the facial air bladder.

13. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 11 wherein each of the facial and glossal teeth cleaning pads comprises a plurality of tooth cleaning elements formed from polyurethane.

14. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 11 wherein the at least one facial teeth cleaning pad comprises a plurality of teeth cleaning elements, the plurality of teeth cleaning elements moving relative to one another in response to pressurization of the facial air bladder.

15. The teeth cleaning device of claim 11 further comprising a floor air bladder having an inner surface that defines a cavity and an outer surface opposite the inner surface, the floor air bladder comprising a plurality of nubs protruding from the outer surface and into the dentature channel.

16. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 11 further comprising a control unit operably coupled to the air-flow subsystem, the control unit configured to signal a discharge valve to: (1) remain closed to allow the air-flow subsystem to fill the facial air bladder and the glossal air bladder with air; and (2) open to discharge the air from the facial airbladder and the glossal air bladder into ambient atmosphere.

17. The teeth cleaning device according to claim 11 wherein the at least one glossal teeth cleaning pad comprises a plurality of teeth cleaning elements, the plurality of teeth cleaning elements moving relative to one another in response to pressurization of the glossal air bladder.

Assignees

• Colgate Palmolive Co

Inventors

• Pierce Robert
• Jayaraman Nagarajan
• Bakhrakh Mark
• Kachko Igor
• Kolchanov Stanislav
• Karavaev Pavel
• Khorenyan Rostislav
• Sigalovsky Irina
• Kogan Semyon

Classifications

• A61C17/224

  Electrical recharging arrangements · CPC title

• A46B9/005

  where the brushing material is not made of bristles, e.g. sponge, rubber or paper · CPC title

• A61C17/221

  Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• A61C17/349 Primary

  with multiple brush bodies · CPC title

• A61C17/222

  Brush body details, e.g. the shape thereof or connection to handle · CPC title