Toothbrush with controlled suction and/or irrigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023240822-A1
Application number	US-202318298786-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2023
Priority date	May 31, 2019
Publication date	Aug 3, 2023
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A toothbrush system comprising:
a disposable shaft including:
a hollow main body having a first end portion and a second end portion,
a bristle array and a suction port disposed at the second end portion, and
a hollow stem extending from a side of the first end portion, wherein an open end of the stem is configured to be coupled to an external suction source,
wherein a passageway extends through the hollow stem and the hollow main body to provide fluid communication from the suction port to the open end of the stem; and
a handle removably coupled to the disposable shaft, the handle including a drive system operably coupled to the bristle array to actuate motion of the bristle array; wherein the stem has an inner shape corresponding to an outer shape of a neck of the handle, such that when the disposable shaft is coupled to the handle, the stem follows the outer shape of the neck.

2 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , further comprising a suction tube coupling the stem to the external suction source.

3 . The toothbrush system of claim 2 , wherein the suction tube is selectively engaged with the handle.

4 . The toothbrush system of claim 3 , wherein a housing of the handle includes an external groove, and the suction tube is received by the external groove.

5 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the stem extends down a length of the handle.

6 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the stem includes an external opening.

7 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the suction port is positioned below the bristle array.

8 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the handle further includes a lighting element configured to illuminate an area proximate to the bristle array.

9 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system is configured to vibrate or oscillate the bristle array.

10 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the drive system of the handle is operably coupled to the bristle array by a driveshaft extending through the hollow main body.

11 . The toothbrush system of claim 10 , wherein the driveshaft is configured to be selectively decoupled from the drive system, such that the driveshaft remains with the main body when the disposable shaft is separated from the handle.

12 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the stem is unitary with the main body of the disposable shaft.

13 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the stem is welded to the main body by a butt joint.

14 . The toothbrush system of claim 1 , wherein the stem extends in a first fixed direction away from the disposable shaft and continues external to an outer wall of the handle in a second fixed direction parallel to a long axis of the handle, such that an entirety of the stem has a fixed spatial relationship with respect to the disposable shaft and is external to the handle.

15 . A method for operating a handheld electric toothbrush, the method comprising:
actuating motion of a bristle array at a distal end portion of a disposable shaft of a handheld toothbrush using a motor disposed in a handle of the toothbrush, wherein the disposable shaft is removable from the handle; and initiating suction at a suction port disposed at the distal end portion of the disposable shaft using an external suction source coupled to a stem protruding around the handle from a proximal end portion of the shaft, such that an entirety of a suction path bypasses the handle; wherein the stem has an inner shape corresponding to an outer shape of a neck of the handle, such that when the shaft is coupled to the handle, the stem follows the shape of the neck.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the shaft is a first shaft of a plurality of identical shafts, the method further comprising:
manually removing the first shaft from the handle; manually coupling a second shaft of the plurality of identical shafts to the same handle; and disposing of the first shaft.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising selectively controlling the suction by selectively covering an aperture disposed in a wall of the stem.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the handle is held in a hand of a user and the step of selectively covering the aperture is performed using a digit of the same hand.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein actuating motion of the bristle array includes pressing a button on the handle.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the suction port is disposed adjacent the bristle array on a same side of the shaft.

Assignees

• Dignity Health

Inventors

• Prendergast Virginia
• Kleiman Cynthia
• Lewis Charles
• Lauterbach Gary
• Castanon Scott
• Ceriani Dylann
• Williams Michael

Classifications

• A61C17/024 Primary

  with constant liquid flow · CPC title

• A61C17/0208 Primary

  combined with means providing suction (A61C17/0211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61C17/222

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

• A61C17/225

  Handles or details thereof · CPC title

• A61C17/16

  Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices · CPC title