Hydraulic drive brush-tooth gap injection combination

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oral cleaning system (100) for cleaning teeth using a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning. The oral cleaning system (100) includes a cleaning head (200) and a support unit (300) having a fluid reservoir (350) for containing a fluid (110). The cleaning head (200) includes a brush (240) for brushing teeth and an orifice (250) for discharging a portion of the fluid (110) for interdental liquid cleaning. A first fluid channel (210) guides the fluid from the fluid reservoir to a hydraulic motor (230) that drives the brush (240) and to the orifice (250). The cleaning head (200) further includes a second fluid channel (220) configured to convey at least a portion of the fluid (110) from the hydraulic motor (230) back to the fluid reservoir (350) of the support unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning head of an oral cleaning system for cleaning teeth by using a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, a support unit of an oral cleaning system for cleaning teeth by using a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, a tooth cleaning system for cleaning teeth by using a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, and a method. Background Art

[0002] US 6602071 discloses a hand-held cleaning device including a cleaning portion having a discharge port and a suction port; and a pump for discharging fluid through the discharge port of the cleaning portion and simultaneously generating suction at the suction port of the cleaning portion. Waste liquid and debris are sucked into the suction port through the space between teeth by suction, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0003] US 2004045107 discloses a water pressure-driven toothbrush with a dental nozzle. This oral cleaning device assembly is an oral hygiene tool that is connected to a faucet and uses the normal water pressure in the system. This combined, dual-mode invention has two operating modes, namely toothbrushing and dental jetting. In the toothbrushing mode, a diverter in the handle directs water to a water jet impeller that drives the toothbrush. In the dental jetting mode, the diverter directs water to the nozzle. The toothbrush is connected to a faucet diverter that serves as a source of water and energy. The impeller is driven by water pressure, and water flows out from a connection point connected to the faucet discharge.

[0004] KR 20090039131 discloses a rotary cleaning toothbrush that, by simultaneously implementing a rotary function and a cleaning function, eliminates the trouble of use and improves convenience. The rotary cleaning toothbrush includes: a toothbrush portion composed of rotary blades integrally formed on the upper side of a rotary unit and rotating the rotary unit by water pressure; a cleaning water passage for supplying high-pressure water to a cleaning water space; a water inlet passage for supplying the high-pressure water from an extension portion to a rotating space; a pipe portion including a drain pipe for discharging the high-pressure water in the rotating space to the extension portion; a control body inserted to cover the outside of the extension portion; and a water connection body for ejecting the high-pressure water from the drain pipe inlet. Specifically, the high-pressure water is supplied by a water pump and is supplied to the cleaning water pipe inlet or the water inlet pipe inlet, and is supplied to the water inlet pipe inlet and circulates after the water outlet pipe inlet. The high-pressure water returned by the return roller is returned to the water pump.

[0005] Oral diseases, such as gum disease or caries, are usually due to poor oral hygiene, where people do not pay enough attention to removing plaque from their teeth. A particular problem for most people is taking care of the spaces between the teeth, since cleaning between the teeth requires extra effort on top of brushing. Therefore, it would be very advantageous to perform interdental cleaning while brushing the teeth. Many patents are known in the art that combine electric toothbrushes with oral irrigator nozzles to clean the interdental spaces. It is well known that irrigators and droplet devices, like dental floss, can perform interdental cleaning and ensure healthy gums between the teeth. Therefore, this combination can indeed replace conventional electric toothbrushes. However, developing a system that meets all user requirements (e.g., a cordless, compact, reliable handheld device) is a complex technical challenge.

[0006] A major challenge in the development, manufacturing, and reliability of electric toothbrush-oral irrigator combinations is combining the mechanical transmission of the electric toothbrush head motion with the delivery of the pressurized jet from the device handle to the head. The mechanical system is often greatly affected by the fluid system and vice versa. Reliability issues often occur at the fluid connection and the mechanical interface.

[0007] This problem becomes even more evident in the multi-brush concept. While the mechanical energy transfer for a single brush can be relatively simple via a vibrating shaft (e.g. often used with sonic powered brushes), which can also be used for liquid transfer when hollow, for multi-surface brushes a simple vibrating drive of the shaft may not bring enough energy to all brushing surfaces. The multi-surface brushes on the market are already complex and prone to failure systems just for the mechanical energy transfer required.

[0008] The inventors of the present invention believe that strictly limiting the amount of fluid used is another important aspect. Large liquid volumes have the following disadvantages: the reservoir and the device become cumbersome and large, which makes it difficult to hold. The alternative of having a tether is also unattractive to many consumers. In addition, the amount of liquid in the mouth will cause discomfort during use. This leads to the need to spit, throw away the liquid, or keep the mouth open over the sink. In addition, the liquid will dilute the fluoride in the toothpaste, thereby reducing the anti-caries activity.

[0009] It does not take much volume to fluidically clean the interdental spaces. In the prior art, known devices use 0.6 ml for each interdental space, so a total of 18 ml for 30 interdental spaces. It may be possible to find higher spray speed settings, so even half the aforementioned liquid volume may have similar efficacy.

[0010] In the prior art, many patents for hydraulically driven toothbrushes combined with rinsing are known. Such systems limit the transfer of energy from the handle to the head to one mode, which is pressurized liquid only. However, all of these patented designs use a tap connection to provide hydraulic power.

[0011] This solution for connecting to a faucet has many drawbacks. For most users, it is too complex because it requires a reliable connection to the faucet. In addition, the fluid jet discharge is continuous, so a large amount of water is used, which brings the additional drawbacks described above. Moreover, the faucet pressure is variable, but most importantly it is limited to around 2 bar. Useful plaque removal can only start above 3 bar, and in order to have the same efficacy as mechanical dental floss or interdental brushes, the jet pressure needs to be greater than 5 bar, preferably greater than 7 bar, especially when using a low liquid volume. In addition, the cleaning is limited to water, and it may be advantageous to use an active agent solution such as a fluoride solution to counteract the dilution of toothpaste by the liquid.

[0012] Alternative solutions are also described in the prior art that only bring mechanical energy into the brush head and have a micro liquid pump in the head driven by the movement of the head. Since the pump is small and the energy of the brush movement is limited, this solution can only provide low-energy rinsing, which is not sufficient to achieve the same complete function as dental floss.

[0013] For all these reasons determined by the inventors of the present invention, it would be advantageous to create an oral cleaning system that combines brushing and interdental liquid cleaning without the above-mentioned drawbacks. US3909867 discloses a rotary toothbrush including a handheld housing. Summary of the Invention

[0014] An object of the present invention is to facilitate oral cleaning by a combination of hydraulically driven brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, which significantly reduces the amount of fluid consumed.

[0015] The object of the present invention is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims, wherein further embodiments are incorporated into the dependent claims.

[0016] The described embodiments similarly relate to a cleaning head of an oral cleaning system for cleaning teeth by combining brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, a support unit of an oral cleaning system for cleaning teeth by combining brushing and interdental liquid cleaning, and an oral cleaning system and method for combining brushing and interdental liquid cleaning. Although different combinations of the embodiments may not be described in detail, different combinations of the embodiments may produce synergistic effects.

[0017] In addition, it should be noted that all embodiments of the method of the present invention can be performed in the order of the described steps, however this does not have to be the only and essential order of the steps of the method. Without departing from the corresponding method embodiments, unless explicitly stated to the contrary hereinafter, the methods proposed herein can be performed in another order of the disclosed steps.

[0018] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning head for an oral cleaning system according to claim 1.

[0019] The cleaning head for the oral cleaning system uses a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning to clean the user's teeth. The brush is driven to effect movement of the brush relative to the cleaning head and the oral cleaning system, thereby providing effective cleaning of the tooth surfaces. However, such a brush may not be able to reach the interdental spaces between the teeth. Therefore, the cleaning head uses a jet of cleaning fluid discharged through an orifice to clean the interdental spaces. This cleaning is as effective as using dental floss. The cleaning head is configured to supply pressurized fluid only through a first fluid passage. This fluid drives a hydraulic motor located within the cleaning head, which transfers its movement to the brush. At least a portion of the fluid may be discharged through the orifice for interdental liquid cleaning. The portion of the fluid that is used to drive the hydraulic motor but is not discharged through the orifice is directed back to a support unit of the oral cleaning system for storage. Thus, the cleaning head provides effective cleaning of the teeth and the interdental spaces. The arrangement is rather simple as only the fluid needs to be conveyed from the support unit to the cleaning head and then back to the support unit. No additional mechanical energy transfer is required to drive the brush. Additionally, since only a portion of the fluid is discharged, the cleaning head saves fluid, which is required for interdental cleaning. Therefore, an oral cleaning system having a cleaning head according to the present invention can be compact and still provide sufficient fluid for a complete cleaning session without connecting the oral cleaning system to a faucet. Thus, in the case of an oral cleaning system comprising a support unit having a fluid reservoir, the fluid used to drive the hydraulic motor in the cleaning head and not discharged through the orifice of the cleaning head is directed back to the support unit, thereby enabling an autonomous oral cleaning system with only a moderately sized reservoir that does not need to be connected to an external liquid supply during use.

[0020] In various embodiments, the cleaning head of this aspect and each of the other embodiments mentioned herein can be combined with and attached to a support unit such that they construct an oral cleaning system. This can be readily derived from, for example Figure 1 the embodiments shown and will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the hydraulic motor is configured to drive the brush based on fluid flow within a first fluid passage of the cleaning head.

[0022] Fluid flow in the first fluid channel can be converted into mechanical motion in the cleaning head by means of a hydraulic motor. The hydraulic motor can include an impeller or a turbine, which rotates by means of the fluid flow. The rotation of the impeller or turbine can be directly transmitted to the rotation of the brush. Alternatively, the rotation can be easily converted into oscillation. Depending on the design of the hydraulic motor, the fluid flow can also immediately generate side-to-side oscillation or other motions. Exemplary embodiments of such hydraulic motors are shown, for example, in Figure 4a and will be explained in more detail below.

[0023] In one embodiment of the invention, the cleaning head includes at least one valve that is connected to the orifice and configured to allow fluid to flow through the orifice into the interdental space when the valve is in the open configuration.

[0024] This valve of the cleaning head can be positioned between the first fluid channel and the orifice. It is configured to open or close so as to allow or prevent fluid flow through the orifice; thus, if the valve is closed, the portion of the fluid discharged through the orifice may be zero, so in this case, at least a portion of the fluid guided back through the second fluid channel can be all of the fluid guided to the hydraulic motor through the first channel. The valve allows the required fluid discharge through the orifice only when the orifice is opposite the interdental space. Only at the location of the interdental space is the fluid released through the orifice, thereby providing a fluid jet for cleaning the interdental space. This fluid jet can preferably be a low-volume and high-pressure fluid jet in order to facilitate the use of a low-consumption cleaning fluid for effective cleaning.

[0025] Preferably, in one embodiment, less than 20 ml is used to clean all the interdental spaces. Using a liquid to dynamically clean the interdental spaces does not require much volume. 0.6 ml per interdental space, so a total of 18 ml for 30 spaces is sufficient. For the cleaning effect, a minimum fluid velocity of approximately 25 m / s is required, which corresponds to approximately 3.1 bar in a water pressure drive system. To ensure the best cleaning effect, when using these minimum fluid jets, it is recommended to use a pressure corresponding to 35 to 45 m / s, which is approximately 6.1 to 10.1 bar. When exceeding 50 m / s (corresponding to approximately 12.5 bar), discomfort and possible soft tissue damage may occur. To maintain the preferred fluid volume of 0.6 ml per space, i.e., 0.3 ml per operating side (e.g., buccal and lingual), the length of the injection pulse needs to be controlled. Additionally, in a preferred embodiment, the rise and fall of the injection speed occur immediately, i.e., a block pulse fluid injection is generated, so the entire volume reaches its maximum cleaning potential. For a perfect block pulse, according to V = A x U x t, where A is the opening area of the orifice, the volume V used depends on the pulse time t and the average velocity U. For 0.5 mm 2For a typical oral rinse orifice area A and a liquid velocity U of 40 m / s, the maximum pulse time t will be limited to 15 ms to create a 0.3 ml jet. However, the valve opening time may not always be well controlled, especially in embodiments where the valve opening is not electronically controlled. As a result, the volume may increase and exceed 20 ml. The area A can be further reduced to decrease usage. To still maintain a good cleaning footprint, the fluid may break up in the spray or spread into a fluid sheet. Additionally, the nozzle may move as the brush moves, thereby increasing the fluid impact footprint.

[0026] The invention disclosed herein can alternatively be applied to a mouthpiece instead of a “standard” brush. Thus, an oral cleaning system as disclosed herein can be such a mouthpiece, where the “cleaning head” is a first part of the mouthpiece and the “support unit” is a second part of the mouthpiece. Thus, the support unit in this embodiment is a part of the mouthpiece that includes a pump mechanism and a fluid reservoir as described herein. In other words, the support unit in this embodiment is not held by the user during use, but is part of the mouthpiece itself placed in the oral cavity, and the mouthpiece cleans the teeth in combination with a brush and interdental liquid cleaning as specifically described herein. The invention of course also applies to a combination of a handle and a cleaning head, as described in detail in the context of the drawings.

[0027] In one embodiment of the invention, the valve is positioned in a hydraulic motor, and the cleaning head is configured to discharge liquid through the valve, through an orifice, and through the brush.

[0028] The valve can also be positioned in the hydraulic motor, thereby providing a fluid connection between the fluid in the hydraulic motor and the orifice. In this embodiment, the cleaning head can be configured such that the orifice is positioned in the brush, thereby discharging fluid through the brush or discharging fluid between the bristles of the brush. This can enable the user of the oral cleaning system to comfortably position the orifice and its position relative to the interdental space.

[0029] In one embodiment of the invention, the oral cleaning system includes an attachment section, where the attachment section is not detachable from the support unit / body. In its exemplary embodiment, the attachment is performed only by replacing the bristle plate.

[0030] The valve can alternatively be positioned such that, before the pressure of the fluid is reduced by the hydraulic motor, the valve supplies pressurized fluid in the first fluid passage to the orifice. Thus, the valve is in direct contact with the maximum pressure of the fluid. This enables the orifice to provide a fluid jet with optimal pressure. Additionally, the cleaning head includes an attachment section configured to attach to a support unit of an oral cleaning system. In this embodiment of the invention, for example, for the purpose of cleaning or replacing the cleaning head, the attachment section allows the cleaning head to be attached to and detached from the support unit. Further, the oral cleaning system can include an elongate neck that connects the support unit and the cleaning head. The neck facilitates the gripping of the oral cleaning system and the insertion of the brush portion into the user's mouth. The cleaning head can be configured to provide the attachment section between the support unit and the neck or between the brush portion and the neck. The attachment section can also be positioned within the neck. For replacing or renewing the brush, the brush can also be configured to be detachable from the cleaning head.

[0031] In an embodiment of the invention, the cleaning head includes a sensor for detecting the spatial alignment of the interdental space with the orifice, and the cleaning head is configured to open the valve when the sensor detects the spatial alignment of the interdental space with the orifice.

[0032] In a simple system, when tactile feedback tells the user that the nozzle is at the interdental space, the user can open the valve, for example, by pressing a button or manually open the valve to actuate the valve. Thus, the orifice should not be hidden inside the brush, but should extend sufficiently to obtain tactile feedback from the teeth. Alternatively, the brush has a specific tip that provides tactile feedback when it is in the interdental space, and the orifice is also positioned on this tip. In this embodiment of the invention, automatic actuation of the interdental liquid cleaning with a valve can be achieved by using a suitable interdental space sensor. Such sensors can detect, for example, a larger distance by a distance sensor or a darker area of the interdental space, or they can detect the gingival curvature. The sensor can be, for example, an optical sensor such as a 2D or 3D camera with recognition software or a laser profile. Additionally, it can be an acoustic sensor such as ultrasonic imaging, a mechanical sensor, or any different physical measurement principle capable of detecting the contrast between the teeth and the interdental space. When the sensor detects the interdental space, a pressure change can be caused by changing the power of the pumping system of the oral cleaning system to open the valve, for example, electrically or hydraulically.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor as described above is included in another part of the oral cleaning system, such as a support unit. Thus, the oral cleaning system includes a sensor for detecting the spatial alignment of the interdental space with the orifice, and the oral cleaning system is configured to open the valve when the sensor detects the spatial alignment of the interdental space with the orifice. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes one or more sensors, such as a pressure sensor or a pump motor power sensor inside the support unit and / or inside the cleaning head.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the valve is configured to be opened by a manual, electric or hydraulic actuator.

[0035] There are many different possible valve designs known. They can be actuated in a variety of different ways. For example, a manual actuator, an electric actuator or a hydraulic drive actuator can be used. Additionally, the valve can be configured to be actuated manually by the user. Since no electric actuator is required, manual opening (or for example by biting etc.) can result in a compact valve system, but this may be less attractive to the user and may be too complex to perform well. Additionally, there are many available examples of electric valves in the art for use in this embodiment of the present invention. The disadvantage of such valves may be the higher cost and complexity associated with the electronics required in the brush head part. Additionally, the valve required in the brush head part of the system is small. While electric valves are typically too large, thus this application requires miniaturization. This size is mainly for the motor / actuator that drives the valve to open, while closing can be accomplished by a spring system. A hydraulic system using fluid pressure to open the valve may be more attractive as the system is available anyway and can be very compact. The hydraulic actuator for opening the valve can be hydraulically controlled. Many valve designs are known in the art that require a specific threshold pressure to open, such as a duckbill valve. The valve requires a certain threshold force or pressure to open. When the pressure in the hydraulic system temporarily increases, the force is high enough to open the valve. When the force drops, it typically closes again using a spring system. The valve can also be operated in the reverse manner, i.e., closed during the normal high-pressure mode in the hydraulic system and opened by elastic or spring force when the pressure in the system drops.

[0036] In one embodiment of the present invention, the brush is shaped to create increased brush friction when in the interdental space, thereby creating increased fluid hydraulic pressure in the first fluid channel, and the valve is configured to be opened by the increased fluid hydraulic pressure or during the increased fluid hydraulic pressure.

[0037] When the brush is designed to obtain increased frictional resistance in the interdental space, in this embodiment of the present invention, a cleaning head with a hydraulic drive valve can be considered without a sensor. For example, if the brush trim mimics the concave shape of the interdental space, e.g., with tapered tufts that are very well adapted to the interdental space, this will obtain increased frictional resistance in the interdental space. Since the contact area of the bristles with the teeth in the interdental space is larger compared to the outer surface of the teeth, the frictional force of the brush will be greater at the interdental space. By giving the brush a specific geometry so that it is partially stuck between the teeth rather than on other tooth surfaces, increased frictional force can be obtained. An alternative method is to add only one or two longer bristle tufts that will be partially stuck in the interdental space. These tufts can also be of different materials, e.g., rubber parts that increase frictional force when pushed into the interdental space. Additionally, during at least a partial rotational or side-to-side movement of the brush, the frictional force can be greater than during an up-and-down movement. The increased frictional force will increase the reaction force pushing the fluid in the hydraulic system, as the hydraulic motor will experience a restraining force, which will increase the pressure. The valve can be configured such that this pressure increase exceeds the threshold pressure of the valve and causes an automatic ejection at the interdental space. Preferably, for more reliable operation, a pressure sensor can also be included in the hydraulic system before the hydraulic motor to detect this pressure change. When the pressure increases due to increased friction, the pressure sensor can prompt the pump mechanism to provide an additional pressure rise to ensure an appropriate ejection pulse is generated in the interdental space. As an alternative to the pressure sensor, the electrical power entering the pump mechanism can be measured, which also increases with the increase in pressure. Then, a fluid ejection can be made by briefly increasing the pressure in the hydraulic system, with the pressure exceeding the elastic force that keeps the valve closed. When the pressure drops to the normal brush drive pressure on the outer surface of the teeth, the valve closes again and the ejection stops.

[0038] It should be understood that the feature of opening the valve "during an increase in the hydraulic pressure of the fluid" also includes embodiments where the pressure is detected, for example, under a support unit, and subsequently triggering the opening in another way, e.g., with an increased pressure pulse. Those skilled in the art will understand that the opening of the valve can thus occur during the time when there is an increasing hydraulic pressure of the fluid.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning head further includes an interdental brush configured to brush the entrance of the interdental space and configured to be activated by the fluid discharged for interdental liquid cleaning.

[0040] In addition to the brush for brushing, the cleaning head further includes an interdental brush, which is configured to preferably brush the entrance to the interdental space between the teeth, such as the visible portion of the proximal surface of adjacent teeth. In this embodiment of the invention, the discharge fluid of the interdental jet can also be used to actuate a separate brush element designed to brush the entrance to the interdental space. A very high-pressure fluid eruption is released at the interdental space. Although the mass is quite small, the fluid is discharged at a very high speed, thereby generating a high momentum. This pulse generated by the regular release and removal of the fluid jet can be used to further cause the brushing motion of the separate interdental brush. The forward momentum of the fluid eruption also causes a backward momentum of the orifice. When the orifice is attached to the movable interdental brush, the toothbrush will thus start to move. In this embodiment of the invention, since these jet events only occur at the interdental space, a preferred feature may be to actuate the interdental brush with the fluid eruption. The pulse can also additionally initiate or enhance a resonance-type motion to increase the amplitude of the specially designed small interdental brush. If the eruptions are repeated, the interdental brush can be mounted on a spring with a resonance frequency of the eruption frequency, thereby obtaining a high amplitude of the interdental brush.

[0041] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a support unit for an oral cleaning system according to claim 9.

[0042] As described above, the support unit can be combined with the cleaning head to form an oral cleaning system.

[0043] A support unit for an oral cleaning system that combines brushing and interdental liquid cleaning to clean teeth can be attached to the attachment section of the cleaning head such that the fluid provided by the support unit is forwarded to the first fluid channel of the cleaning head and such that the fluid received back from the second fluid channel of the cleaning head is retained in the fluid reservoir of the support unit. To provide fluid, the support unit includes a pump mechanism that is configured to receive fluid from the fluid reservoir and deliver the fluid to the first fluid channel of the cleaning head attached to the support unit. In an alternative embodiment, the pump mechanism is configured to receive fluid from the second fluid channel of the cleaning head and supply pressurized fluid to the fluid reservoir, which in turn supplies pressurized fluid to the first fluid channel of the cleaning head.

[0044] Many different pumps are known in the art and the inventors have found that they can be used as pump mechanisms in this embodiment of the present invention. Reciprocating pumps, such as plunger pumps commonly used in rinsers, will provide pulsating pressure such that the brush movement frequency can vary. This is not necessarily a disadvantage for cleaning, but for user experience, a more constant pressure pump may be preferred. Rotary positive displacement pumps are preferred because they can self-prime and have a continuous pressure output. Another advantage of such a rotary pump system is that it can drive a hydraulic motor more efficiently because the return flow still having kinetic energy can be used as the input to the pump, thus reusing the remaining energy in a closed-loop system. Since the closed-loop may lose liquid during injection into the inter-tooth space, it is necessary to refill the circuit from a fluid reservoir. This would be a problem if the pressure everywhere in the closed-loop system is higher than atmospheric pressure because the reservoir would be at atmospheric pressure. To avoid the need for another pump to supplement the fluid in the pressurized fluid circuit, a Venturi design can be used.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, the support unit includes an energy source for providing energy to the pump mechanism.

[0046] Preferably, the pump mechanism is an electric pump that uses electricity to pump fluid. As the energy source, a battery or a rechargeable battery can be used to provide a wireless oral cleaning system that most users prefer. However, an electrical connection to a wall socket is also possible.

[0047] In one embodiment of the present invention, the support unit includes an attachment section that includes a first opening configured to be in fluid communication with a first fluid channel of the cleaning head of the oral cleaning system when the support unit is attached to the cleaning head, and a second opening configured to be in fluid communication with a second fluid channel of the cleaning head of the oral cleaning system when the support unit is attached to the cleaning head.

[0048] The attachment section of the support unit is configured to be attached to the attachment section of the cleaning head such that the first fluid channel of the cleaning head is in fluid communication with the first opening of the support unit, and such that the second fluid channel of the cleaning head is in fluid communication with the second opening of the support unit. The first opening is configured to provide pressurized fluid from the pump mechanism. The second opening is configured to receive fluid from the second fluid channel and transfer the fluid onto the fluid reservoir of the support unit.

[0049] The support unit is a handle. The handle can be configured to be held in the hand of a user of the oral cleaning system. The user can guide the cleaning head relative to the teeth by means of the handle.

[0050] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an oral cleaning system according to claim 12.

[0051] This oral cleaning system that combines brushing and interdental liquid cleaning for cleaning teeth includes a cleaning head and a support unit as described in the previous embodiments. Compared with the prior art, one advantage of this oral cleaning system is that, for example, a large amount of energy can be transmitted from the support unit to the cleaning head using hydraulic fluid, thus eliminating the need for complex and failure-prone mechanical energy transmission. Depending on the mechanical design, the brush can move with various different displacements. In addition, the hydraulic system continuously delivers high-pressure fluid to the cleaning head, which can be easily tapped to generate short bursts of interdental liquid cleaning. Since the bursts are generated only in the interdental spaces, the fluid volume of the fluid reservoir can be limited to less than 50 ml, preferably less than 20 ml, to operate comprehensively on all teeth, especially all interdental spaces. In addition, the hydraulic system provides a great deal of design freedom to add, for example, brushes with independent brush movements, and even multi-surface brushes. A multi-surface brush can be provided, where the tongue brush moves differently from the buccal / labial brush and also differently from the occlusal brush, thus optimizing the movements on all different tooth surfaces.

[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, the oral cleaning system includes a plurality of cleaning heads as described in any one of the preceding claims, each cleaning head being configured to clean a separate surface of the teeth, and the oral cleaning system being configured to simultaneously clean the separate surfaces of the teeth or multiple teeth.

[0053] An oral cleaning system can be provided that includes a plurality of cleaning heads connected to a support unit, preferably three cleaning heads. This provides the possibility of using one oral cleaning system to simultaneously clean different surfaces of the teeth. A multi-surface cleaning system can be provided, where the movement of the tongue brush is different from that of the buccal / labial brush and also different from that of the occlusal brush, thus optimizing the movements on all different tooth surfaces. Since no magnetoelectric elements are required, the hydraulic motors or actuators can be very small. Therefore, a plurality of hydraulic motors or actuators can be placed in the brush heads driven by a single pump in the support unit to support the independent movements of different brushes or brush parts. This provides many advantages for the multi-brush system of the present invention. For example, 3- or 6-brush systems can be designed, but brushes with different moving parts can also be designed. Even a full dentition brush bite using multiple types of brushes can be designed. In addition, this enables the use of the optimal brush movement for each tooth part. And it allows for multi-brush flexibility because when different brushes are driven by one shaft, the different brushes do not need to be in a rigid connection state. This can provide a more comfortable feeling for the user and can improve cleaning because it better adapts to the individual anatomy in the user's oral cavity. Flexibility in user comfort is a major requirement for such oral cleaning concepts because the main complaint of users of multi-brush systems sold on the market is discomfort during use.

[0054] Since this embodiment also covers systems for multiple teeth, this also includes larger cleaning systems, such as full oral applications.

[0055] In one embodiment of the present invention, an oral cleaning system includes two opposing brushes configured to grip the teeth with a certain clamping force and configured to detect the interdental space, e.g., detect the distance between the brushes or the clamping angle.

[0056] On the sides of the teeth, the two brushes are further apart, but at the interdental space, they are closer together with a smaller clamping angle. This works best with a narrow vertical brush design, e.g., tufted filaments. If such a toothbrush is moving, the clamp will start to vibrate more violently in the interdental space, which can also be detected by a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor, or the electrical power of a pump. This will be described in more detail in the context of the embodiments shown in Figure 6a and Figure 6b the embodiments shown.

[0057] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for cleaning teeth using a combination of a good brush and interdental liquid cleaning is provided. The method includes the steps of pumping a fluid from a fluid reservoir in a support unit through a first fluid channel to a cleaning head connected to the support unit, actuating a hydraulic motor with the fluid to drive the brush of the cleaning head to clean the teeth, discharging the fluid for interdental liquid cleaning through an orifice of the cleaning head, and guiding at least a portion of the fluid from the cleaning head back to the fluid reservoir through a second fluid channel.

[0058] According to the method of cleaning teeth combining a brush and interdental liquid cleaning, a pump mechanism pumps a fluid from a reservoir through a first fluid channel of the cleaning head to a hydraulic motor. The pressurized fluid is used to rotate the hydraulic motor, which in turn drives the brush to clean the teeth. Controlled by a valve, a portion of the fluid can be discharged through the valve through the orifice to facilitate cleaning the interdental space using fluid jets. Another portion of the fluid is guided from the hydraulic motor back to the reservoir of the support unit through a second fluid channel, where it is stored in the reservoir and can be guided to the pump mechanism again.

[0059] Advantageously, the advantages provided by any of the above aspects apply equally to all other aspects, and vice versa.

[0060] Referring to the exemplary embodiments described below, the above aspects and embodiments will become apparent and be elucidated. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the following drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] Figure 1 A schematic arrangement of an oral cleaning device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0062] Figure 2 A schematic arrangement of a cleaning head according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0063] Figure 3 Shows a schematic arrangement of a handle according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] Figure 4a Shows a rear view of a schematic arrangement of a cleaning head according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 4b Shows a front view of a schematic arrangement of a cleaning head according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] Figure 5 Shows a top view of a schematic arrangement of a cleaning head during tooth cleaning according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] Figure 6a and Figure 6b Shows different views of a schematic arrangement of a multi - brush oral cleaning system including three cleaning heads according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention during tooth cleaning.

[0068] Figure 7 Shows a schematic arrangement of an interdental brush system having an interdental brush driven by fluid injection according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0069] Figure 1Shows a schematic arrangement of an oral cleaning device 100 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The oral cleaning device includes a cleaning head 200 and a handle 300. The handle holds an energy source 330, such as a battery, which powers a pump mechanism 340. There may be an electronic circuit to allow the user to control the on / off operation, different power or mode settings of the pump mechanism via buttons. The handle 300 also houses a fluid reservoir from which fluid flows into the pump, which then pressurizes the fluid through a first liquid channel 210 towards the cleaning head 200. An elongated portion, a neck 205, extends from the handle 300 to the cleaning head 200 and allows the cleaning head 200 to easily access the oral cavity. The neck 205 can be removed together with the cleaning head to replace the cleaning head 200, as is the case with most electric toothbrushes, but the neck 205 can also be permanently attached to the handle 300 when only replacing the brush 240 itself. The pressurized fluid 110 powers a hydraulic motor 230 which drives the brushing motion of the brush 240. This motion can have various forms, depending on the design of the motion transmission. A typical hydraulic motor 230 will have an impeller 231 which is driven to rotate by the pressure difference across the impeller 231. The rotation can be transmitted directly to the brush 240 to cause the brush 240 to rotate, but through different configurations known in the art, the rotation can also be transmitted to lateral oscillations or even pulsations. The pressure of the fluid 110 is additionally used to drive a fluid burst ejection from the cleaning head 200, aimed at cleaning the interdental space 130. Preferably, the amount of fluid 110 used to clean the entire interdental space 130 is limited to no more than 100 ml, but preferably less than 20 ml, so that the user does not have to spit out too much and lose the fluoride in the toothpaste and feel discomfort. Additionally, the volume of the fluid reservoir 350 needs to be small enough to allow easy gripping of the toothbrush. One way to achieve low volume usage is to limit the fluid ejection to the location of the interdental space 130, while only some additional ejections may be acceptable. The portion of the fluid 100 that is not discharged through the orifice 250 for cleaning the interdental space 130 is guided back to the handle 300 through a second fluid channel 220 and received in the fluid reservoir 350.

[0070] Figure 2Shows a schematic arrangement of the cleaning head 200 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the cleaning head 200 is separated from the handle 300. The attachment section 280 is not connected to the handle 300. In addition, a valve 260 is shown, configured to allow fluid 110 to flow through the orifice 250 into the interdental space 130 when the valve 260 is in the open configuration. When the valve 260 is closed, all of the fluid 110 used to drive the hydraulic motor 230 is directed back to the second fluid channel 220 to be received by the fluid reservoir 350. In addition, a sensor 270 is shown, which in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is mounted on the brush. The sensor 270 is configured to detect the spatial alignment of the cleaning head 200 and in particular the orifice 250 with the interdental space 130.

[0071] Figure 3 Shows a schematic arrangement of the handle 300 according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The handle 300 of the cleaning head 200 not attached to the handle 300 is shown. Thus, a first opening 310 and a second opening 320 are shown in the figure, which are respectively configured to be connected to the first fluid channel 210 and the second fluid channel 220. The fluid connection is configured such that fluid 110 can flow from the pump mechanism 340 of the handle 300 through the first fluid channel 210 to the cleaning head 200, and such that fluid 100 can flow back from the cleaning head 200 through the second fluid channel 220 into the fluid reservoir 350 of the handle 300.

[0072] Figure 4a Shows a rear view of a schematic arrangement of the cleaning head 200 according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this rear view, an impeller 231 of the hydraulic motor 230 is shown, which is configured to be driven by a fluid flow from the first fluid channel 210 to the second fluid channel 220.

[0073] Figure 4b Shows a front view of a schematic arrangement of the cleaning head according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A brush 240 is shown, which has an elongated shape in this exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The brush is driven by the rotation of the impeller 231 of the hydraulic motor 230 and can also rotate, for example. Located at the center of the brush 240 is an orifice 250 for discharging fluid, thereby cleaning the interdental space 130 by means of fluid injection.

[0074] Figure 5 Shows a top view of a schematic arrangement of the cleaning head during tooth cleaning according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 4a and Figure 4bAlso shown in a top view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is the elongated brush 240 of the cleaning head 200 when aligned with the interdental space 130 between two teeth 120. The brush 240 can rotate freely on the outer side of the tooth 120, but in the interdental space 130, it may be trapped due to increased friction which increases the resistance. By virtue of the elongated shape of the toothbrush 240 which can fit with the elongated shape of the entrance of the interdental space 130, the rotation of the toothbrush 240 is hindered. When the brush rotates across the interdental space 130, the rotation of the brush 240 is subject to increased resistance or friction. Consequently, the rotation of the impeller 231 of the hydraulic motor 230 is also inhibited, which results in an increase in the pressure 110 of the fluid. The increased pressure of the fluid 110 can exceed the threshold of the valve 260 and the liquid 110 can be discharged through the orifice 250, thereby cleaning the interdental space 130.

[0075] Figure 6a and Figure 6bShows different views of a schematic arrangement of a multi - brush oral cleaning system including three cleaning heads 200 according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention during tooth cleaning 120, showing a three - brush system for brushing the inner, outer and occlusal tooth surfaces, wherein the three brushes 240 are each driven by a compact hydraulic motor 230. The three tooth surfaces are simultaneously brushed by the brushes 240, and the interdental space 130 is cleaned from both sides by the fluid 110 discharged through the orifices 250. Thus, the operation time is significantly reduced. The impeller 231 of the hydraulic motor 230 is drawn relatively large, but can be designed more compactly for the user's comfort, thus also reducing the size of the cleaning head 200. Since the neck of the cleaning head 200 does not need to transmit mechanical energy, the neck can be relatively flexible, allowing the cleaning head 200 to comfortably adapt to the dentition. Thus, a more comfortable experience is obtained when using this oral cleaning system. For example, the neck 205 of the occlusal cleaning head can be rigid, which allows the user to control the pressure on the occlusal surface without affecting comfort. The brushing pressure of the inner (lingual) and outer (buccal / labial) cleaning heads 200 can be controlled by the spring characteristics of the necks of these cleaning heads 200, which can be freely selected to optimize comfort and cleaning. For example, depending on the size of the brush that can be provided, an optimized force of 0.5 to 2 N can be provided for each brush 240. This will ensure the comfort of the gums as the user will not apply too much pressure on the side brushes that contact the gums. Fluid ejection can be discharged from the bottom of the side brushes, but can also be selected to be ejected from the middle when the brush has a hollow brush axis, or ejected from the top down to clean the sulcus. Multiple jets can also be combined. If the ejection is from the occlusal side, it is also beneficial to clean the interdental space 130 from top to bottom. In this type of oral cleaning system 100, two opposing toothbrushes 240 are clamped onto the teeth 120 with a certain clamping force, and the detection of the interdental space 130 can also be done by detecting the distance or clamping angle between the brushes 240. On the side surface of the teeth 120, the two brushes 240 are further apart, but at the interdental space 130, they are closer together with a smaller clamping angle. This works best when using a narrow vertical brush design, such as tufted filaments. If such a brush 240 is moving, the clip will start to vibrate more violently in the interdental space 130, which can also be detected by a vibration sensor, a pressure sensor or the electrical signal of the pump. Figure 6b The first fluid channel 210 and the second fluid channel 220 shown for guiding / steering from and to the handle 300 may include branches to facilitate the supply of fluid 110 to each cleaning head 200.

[0076] Figure 7Shows a schematic arrangement of an interdental brush system 400 having an interdental brush 440 driven by fluid ejection according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The interdental brush 440 is mounted on a spring 445 or on a flexible portion of the base body of the interdental brush 440. Thus, it makes possible the resonant movement of the interdental brush 440, which will occur when subjected to pulsed excitation. The fluid ejection can be a hydraulic actuator of the interdental brush 440. When the ejection of the fluid 110 is discharged through the orifice 250 from one side of the interdental brush 440, the interdental brush 440 will be pushed back and forth and will vibrate at its resonant frequency. Preferably, this resonant oscillation occurs along the direction of the interdental space, thereby providing additional brushing of the tooth surface at the entrance of the interdental space 130.

[0077] Although the present invention has been described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such description and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations of the disclosed embodiments can be understood and achieved by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention by studying the drawings, the disclosure, and the dependent claims.

[0078] In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

[0079] List of reference signs:

[0080] 100 Oral cleaning system

[0081] 110 Fluid

[0082] 120 Teeth

[0083] 130 Interdental space

[0084] 200 Cleaning head

[0085] 205 Neck

[0086] 210 First fluid channel

[0087] 220 Second fluid channel

[0088] 230 Hydraulic motor

[0089] 231 Impeller

[0090] 240 Brush

[0091] 250 Orifice

[0092] 260 Valve

[0093] 270 Sensor

[0094] 280 Attachment Segment

[0095] 290 Interdental Brush

[0096] 300 Support Unit / Handle

[0097] 310 First Opening

[0098] 320 Second Opening

[0099] 330 Energy Source

[0100] 340 Pump Mechanism

[0101] 350 Fluid Reservoir

[0102] 400 Interdental Brush System

[0103] 440 Interdental Brush

[0104] 445 Spring

Claims

1. A cleaning head (200) for an oral cleaning system (100) for cleaning teeth (120) using a combination of brushing and interdental fluid cleaning. The oral cleaning system (100) includes the cleaning head (200) and a support unit (300). The support unit (300) has a fluid reservoir (350) for containing a fluid (110). The cleaning head (200) comprises: brushes (240) for brushing the teeth (120), an orifice (250) for discharging a portion of the fluid (110) for interdental cleaning, a hydraulic motor (230) for driving the brushes (240), a first fluid channel (210) for delivering the fluid (110) from the support unit (300) to the hydraulic motor (230) and the orifice (250), and a second fluid channel (220) for delivering at least a portion of the fluid (110) from the hydraulic motor (230) back to the support unit (300), wherein the support unit (300) further comprises: a pump mechanism (340) for pumping the fluid (110) from the fluid reservoir (350) into the first fluid channel (210) of the cleaning head (200), wherein the support unit (300) is configured to receive at least a portion of the fluid (110) from the hydraulic motor (230) through the second fluid channel (220) of the cleaning head (200), and to direct the portion of the fluid (110) towards the fluid reservoir (350), and wherein the support unit (300) is a handle.

2. The cleaning head (200) according to claim 1, wherein, the hydraulic motor (230) is configured to drive the brushes (240) based on fluid flow in the first fluid channel (210) of the cleaning head (200).

3. The cleaning head (200) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein, the cleaning head (200) includes at least one valve (260). The at least one valve (260) is connected to the orifice (250) and is configured to allow fluid (110) to flow through the orifice (250) into the interdental space (130) when the valve (260) is in an open configuration.

4. The cleaning head (200) according to claim 3, wherein, the valve (260) is located within the hydraulic motor (230), and wherein the cleaning head (200) is configured to discharge the fluid (110) through the valve (260), through the orifice (250), and through the brushes (240).

5. The cleaning head (200) according to claim 4, wherein, the cleaning head (200) includes a sensor (270) for detecting spatial alignment of the interdental space (130) with the orifice (250), and Wherein, the cleaning head (200) is configured to open the valve (260) when the sensor (270) detects that the space between teeth (130) is aligned with the orifice (250).

6. The cleaning head (200) according to any one of claims 4 to 5, wherein the valve (260) is configured to be opened by a manual, electric or hydraulic actuator.

7. The cleaning head (200) according to claim 4, wherein, the brush (240) is shaped to create an increased brush friction when in the space between the brush teeth (130), thereby creating an increased hydraulic pressure of the fluid (110) in the first fluid passage (210), and wherein the valve (260) is configured to be opened during the increased hydraulic pressure of the fluid (110).

8. The cleaning head (200) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 above, wherein, the cleaning head (200) further includes an interdental brush (290), wherein the interdental brush (290) is configured to brush the entrance of the space between teeth (130), and wherein the interdental brush (290) is configured to be activated by the fluid (110) discharged for interdental liquid cleaning.

9. A support unit (300) for an oral cleaning system (100), the oral cleaning system (100) using a combination of brushing and interdental liquid cleaning to clean teeth (120), the oral cleaning system (100) having the support unit (300) and a cleaning head (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, the support unit (300) comprises: a fluid reservoir (350) for containing the fluid (110), a pump mechanism (340) for pumping the fluid (110) from the fluid reservoir (350) into the first fluid passage (210) of the cleaning head (200), wherein the support unit (300) is configured to: receive at least a portion of the fluid (110) from the hydraulic motor (230) through the second fluid passage (220) of the cleaning head (200), and to direct the portion of the fluid (110) towards the fluid reservoir (350) and / or directly towards the pump inlet of the pump mechanism, and wherein the support unit (300) is a handle.

10. The support unit (300) according to claim 9, wherein the support unit (300) includes an energy source (330) for powering the pump mechanism (340).

11. The support unit (300) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, the support unit (300) includes an attachment section, wherein the attachment section includes: a first opening (310) configured to be in fluid connection with the first fluid passage (210) of the cleaning head (200) when the support unit (300) is attached to the cleaning head (200), and A second opening (320) configured to be in fluid communication with the second fluid passage (220) of the cleaning head (200) when the support unit (300) is attached to the cleaning head (200).

12. An oral cleaning system (100) for cleaning teeth (120) using a combination of brushing and inter-dental fluid cleaning, the oral cleaning system (100) comprising: a cleaning head (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and a support unit (300) according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the support unit (300) is attached to the cleaning head (200).

13. The oral cleaning system (100) according to claim 12, wherein, the oral cleaning system (100) comprises a plurality of cleaning heads (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein each of the cleaning heads (200) is configured to clean a separate surface of the teeth (120), and wherein the oral cleaning system (100) is configured to simultaneously clean the separate surfaces of the teeth or multiple teeth (120).

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