Oral care device

Abstract

The present invention provides a mouthpiece device (10) for oral cleaning having a specialized mechanical structure (24) for providing a support on which a user can securely hold their jaws in order to anchor a non-moving portion of the mouthpiece to a reference frame of the jaws, such that the moving portion of the mouthpiece carrying the cleaning element (20) moves in a substantially predictable manner relative to the upper row of teeth and the lower row of teeth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of oral care devices, and in particular to powered oral care devices. Background Art

[0002] Powered teeth cleaning mouthpiece devices are known which include a mouthpiece portion received in the mouth of a user, the mouthpiece portion carrying cleaning elements which are driven to brush around all or part of the user's dental arch simultaneously.

[0003] The various elements of such tooth cleaning mouthpieces are designed to move during operation, in particular the cleaning elements move relative to the teeth. In fact, during operation, the elements will move relative to the most rigid point in the device-mouth system. For example, if an element is designed to move up and down in the mouth along an axis extending from the lower jaw to the upper jaw, but is anchored to the lower jaw, it will not be able to move downward, and all movement will therefore be in an upward direction only.

[0004] This problem is more fully illustrated in Figures 1(a) to (d), which show four example scenarios. Each scenario shows the use of a schematically illustrated oral piece device. The device has a handle portion 14 and an oral piece portion 12. The oral piece portion includes an upper portion 12a and a lower portion 12a, which include grooves designed to accommodate upper and lower rows of teeth 42. Inside each groove is a cluster of cleaning elements 20, such as bristles, which protrude toward the tooth surface received in the upper portion 12a and the lower portion 12b. An actuating mechanism 22 is provided, which is used to drive the movement of the upper groove 12a and the lower groove 12b relative to the body of the oral piece, and this is intended to cause the cleaning elements to move up and down relative to the surface of the teeth 42. In this example, the actuating mechanism 22 includes a hydraulic bladder system having an expansion / contraction bladder that drives the up / down movement.

[0005] FIG. 1( a) shows a first scenario. In this case, the user (not shown) firmly holds the device handle 14 steady and avoids biting on the mouthpiece portion (generally indicated by arrow 12). As a result, the mouthpieces 12a, 12b, 22 "float" between the upper and lower jaws. In this case, the capsule 22 moves up and down relative to the device body 14 in two directions (up and down).

[0006] In principle, this scenario would allow a correct brushing motion relative to the jaws. However, in practice, it is difficult for the user to hold the device steady enough and not let it rest against one of the jaws.

[0007] Fig. 1 (b) shows a second scenario. In this case, the user allows the mouthpiece to abut against the lower jaw, and in particular allows the lower teeth to abut against the base of the lower channel 12b. In this case, the bladder 22 can now only expand upwards (because it is blocked from below), so only the upper teeth are exposed to the movement of the cleaning elements 20, while the teeth of the lower jaw are not.

[0008] Fig. 1 (c) shows a third scenario. Here, the user allows the mouthpiece to abut against the teeth of the upper jaw. Now, the capsule 22 can only expand downwards (because it is blocked from above), so only the teeth of the lower jaw are exposed to the movement of the cleaning elements, while the teeth of the upper jaw are not.

[0009] Fig. 1(d) shows a fourth scenario. In this case, the user bites the mouthpiece from above and below, which will prevent the movement of the actuation mechanism 22 (if the actuation mechanism lacks sufficient power to resist the bite force, for example, in this case the hydraulic pump cannot deliver sufficient pressure to the bladder), or both the upper and lower jaws are caused to move by the bladder 22. However, in the latter case, no relative movement is caused between the cleaning elements 20 and the teeth.

[0010] As can be seen from the above scenario, it is difficult in practice to achieve consistent movement that is evenly applied to the upper and lower jaws using a handheld mouthpiece.

[0011] Developments in the field of powered mouthpiece cleaning devices that address one or more of the above-mentioned problems would be valuable. Summary of the invention

[0012] The inventors have realised that, although user manipulation affects the anchoring point of the brushing device, design choices can be made to guide the anchoring in a way that does not strain the user's arm, while achieving correct relative motion. The inventors propose herein a solution motivated by this purpose.

[0013] The invention is defined by the claims.

[0014] According to an example of one aspect of the present invention, an oral care device is provided. The device includes an oral piece portion for being at least partially received in the mouth of a user. The body of the oral piece portion describes an arched profile for roughly following the profile of the user's dental arch. The oral piece portion carries a set of oral cleaning elements for mechanically engaging with the teeth during use. The device includes an actuating mechanism for actuating the cyclic movement of the cleaning elements relative to the teeth when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth. The device also includes an anchoring member that can engage with a portion of the user's mouth when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, for keeping the anchoring member fixed in an appropriate position relative to the jaw, and when the anchoring member is so retained, the cleaning elements can move relative to the anchoring member, and wherein when the anchoring member is retained by the portion of the user's mouth in normal operation, the actuating mechanism can be operated to move the cleaning elements relative to the upper and lower jaws simultaneously.

[0015] The inventors have realised that the above problems can be solved by providing an anchor point that is designed to be held stationary relative to the jaws by the user during operation. The anchor point effectively provides a reference point that serves as a common fixed base for the cleaning element and the jaws so that the cleaning element can be guided to move relative to the two jaws. A simple example, described in detail below, is a bite block. Engagement with an anchor member, such as biting onto a bite block, stabilises the position of the device without requiring the user to remain stationary relative to their head.

[0016] There are different ways to define the anchoring member, each having an effect on the movement of the brushing elements.

[0017] In some embodiments, the anchoring member is part of the oral piece portion. For example, it can be an integral part of the oral piece portion, or it can be fixedly attached as a segment of the oral piece portion. This design ensures that there is no relative movement between the anchoring member and the oral piece portion body. For example, the cleaning element can be carried by a drive surface or substrate that can move relative to a stationary segment of the oral piece portion. Therefore, the cleaning element can move relative to the fixed point of the anchoring member.

[0018] However, in other cases, the anchoring member may be attached to another portion of the oral care device, but still permit the cleaning elements to move in the manner described above.

[0019] In some embodiments, when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, the actuation mechanism may be adapted to cause up / down cyclical movement of the cleaning element along an up / down vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws.

[0020] In some embodiments, the cleaning elements extend from one or more surfaces that are caused to move by an actuating mechanism (e.g., relative to a stationary section of the body of the mouthpiece portion), the actuating mechanism being used to cause movement of the cleaning elements, and wherein the actuating mechanism moves the surfaces up and down between a highest position and a lowest position. When the one or more surfaces are in their lowest position, the anchoring member may have a height along the upper and lower axis that is greater than the height of the mouthpiece body. This allows a user to grip, for example, bite the anchoring member, while still allowing vertical spacing for the cleaning elements to move up and down relative to the teeth.

[0021] The anchoring member may protrude from the device in a height dimension.

[0022] In some embodiments, the actuation mechanism is adapted to cause in-plane cyclic motion of the cleaning element along a horizontal axis, which continues perpendicularly to a vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth for normal use. Thus, different directions and modes of motion are possible, and the concepts of the present invention are not limited to up / down motion of the cleaning element.

[0023] In some embodiments, the anchoring member is adapted to be clamped by a user between upper and lower sections of the mouth at the location of the mouth.

[0024] In one set of examples, for example, the anchoring member is used to be bitten by the user. In this case, the anchoring member can be referred to as a bite block.

[0025] In another set of examples, the anchoring member may be used to clamp between the lips. In some cases, the anchoring member may be adapted to permit clamping and biting between the lips. The two are linked together because both involve the upper and lower jaws coming together in firm contact against the anchoring member, thereby holding the anchoring member stationary relative to the entire jaw.

[0026] In one set of embodiments, the mouthpiece body is shaped to extend around only a portion of the user's dental arch. For example, the mouthpiece may be J-shaped. Such a mouthpiece is designed to be manually moved to different positions by the user during a cleaning session to cover the entire mouth. For example, some designs are configured to flip over midway through a cleaning session to cover one side of the mouth and then the other side.

[0027] In this set of embodiments, in some examples, when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, with the arched contour of the oral piece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member can be arranged to be roughly positioned for engagement with the user's teeth or lips at a position along the dental arch toward the front of the mouth, which position toward the front of the mouth is offset from the symmetry center of the dental arch / mouth.

[0028] This has the effect that if the user flips the mouthpiece part, for example to clean the other side of the mouth, the position of the anchoring member will not be the same as before, and this means that the position that was previously blocked / obstructed by the anchoring member is now free to clean during the second cleaning action.

[0029] In some embodiments, the mouth piece body can be shaped to extend around more than half but less than the entire dental arch of a user when the mouth piece body is received in the mouth for normal use.

[0030] The user can flip the mouthpiece body to clean one side of the mouth and then the other side. This design allows the mouth to be cleaned in two actions. By positioning the anchoring member symmetrically offset from the front center of the mouth, this means that the specific mouth position of the anchoring member for cleaning each side of the mouth is different. This means that all teeth are cleaned during the two cleaning intervals because the anchoring member will not cover the same tooth during the entire cleaning period.

[0031] In some embodiments, the cleaning elements include a region of cleaning elements extending along an arcuate contour described by the mouthpiece body, the region having a first end and a second end, and wherein the anchoring member is located along the cleaning element region at a location inserted from one end of the cleaning element region.

[0032] Thus, there are cleaning elements on either side of the anchoring member. This ensures that as the user changes the position of the mouthpiece portion in the mouth to clean different sections of the mouth, the specific tooth with which the anchoring member is aligned changes with each change in position, and there is overlap in coverage of the cleaning element area between any two positions of the mouthpiece portion.

[0033] In some further embodiments, the mouthpiece is arranged so that when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth, with the arcuate profile of the mouthpiece portion body aligned with the profile of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member is positioned approximately for engagement by the user between the upper and lower incisors at the front of the mouth; or the anchoring member is positioned approximately for engagement by the user between the upper and lower canines at the left front or right front of the mouth. In some embodiments, the mouthpiece can be arranged so that when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth, with the arcuate profile of the mouthpiece portion body aligned with the profile of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member is positioned approximately for engagement by the user between the upper and lower molars at the back of the mouth. Thus, the position of the anchoring member can be selected to be arranged at any position in the mouth.

[0034] In some embodiments, the mouth piece body may be formed of a plurality of joined sections pivotally movable relative to each other by hinge joints, and wherein the anchoring member is located at the location of the hinge joints.

[0035] This design ensures that there is still good freedom of movement between the two engagement segments on either side of the anchoring member.

[0036] In some embodiments, the device includes a hollow member located at the periphery of the oral piece portion, the hollow member defining an internal conduit that provides a passage through the wall of the oral piece portion to an inner cavity of the oral piece portion, the inner cavity accommodating an operating element of an actuating mechanism, the hollow member having at least one section exposed on the outside of the oral piece portion, and wherein the section provides an anchoring member.

[0037] This combines the functionality of the inlet member already present on the device with the anchoring member, thus adding additional structural efficiency to the design.

[0038] In some embodiments, the actuation mechanism is a pneumatic system including a bellows within the mouthpiece portion, the bellows being configured such that expansion and contraction of the bellows causes movement of the cleaning elements in opposite respective directions.

[0039] In some examples, the internal conduit of the above-mentioned hollow member (if provided) can accommodate a pneumatic interface, wherein the pneumatic tubes split in two directions along the contour of the mouthpiece. In other examples, the hollow member can serve as an entry point for a drive shaft of a drive train mechanism.

[0040] In some embodiments, the actuation mechanism includes a drive train mechanism including motor-driven movement of one or more drive members that cause movement of the cleaning elements.

[0041] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] For a better understanding of the invention, and to more clearly show how the same may be put into practice, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0043] Figure 1 illustrates the problem motivating the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 Schematically illustrates an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 Different example positions for positioning anchoring members are illustrated;

[0047] Figure 5 and Figure 6An example embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in a J-shaped mouth piece device, wherein the anchoring member is inserted from one end of the mouth piece body; and

[0048] Figure 7 and Figure 8 An example embodiment of the invention is illustrated in which the utility tube used to carry the drive wire of the actuation mechanism doubles as the anchoring member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0050] It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, although indicating exemplary embodiments of the apparatus, system and method, are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the apparatus, system and method of the present invention will become better understood based on the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts in all drawings.

[0051] The present invention provides a mouthpiece device for oral cleaning having a dedicated mechanical structure (referred to as an anchoring member) for providing a support against which a user can hold their jaw securely so as to anchor the non-moving portion of the mouthpiece to the reference frame of the jaw so that the moving portion of the mouthpiece (which carries the cleaning elements) moves relative to the upper and lower rows of teeth in a generally predictable manner. This avoids inadvertently holding the mouthpiece in such a way that the moving portion of the mouthpiece comes into rapid engagement with one or both rows of teeth with the result that no movement occurs between the cleaning elements and that row or rows of teeth.

[0052] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The basic principles are shown in schematic form. Figure 2 shows a view of an example mouthpiece device according to one or more embodiments, and Figure 3 A cross-sectional view illustrating in greater detail the effect of the anchoring member on the movement of the cleaning elements relative to the teeth is shown.

[0053] Device 10 is an oral care device that, generally speaking, includes a mouthpiece portion 12 for being at least partially received in a user's mouth, wherein a body 16 of the mouthpiece portion describes an arcuate contour for generally following the contour of a user's dental arch. Figure 2 An example is shown in FIG. 1 , in which the mouthpiece body comprises a U-shaped profile and includes an outer arcuate wall 18a and an inner arcuate wall 18b defining a tooth receiving channel 23 therebetween. The bottom surface of the channel may be formed by another surface. There may be a pair of channels, one on the top side (e.g. Figure 2 ), one on the bottom side for receiving two rows of teeth of the user at the same time. Therefore, in cross section, the walls 18a, 18b combined with the bottom surface of the channel can generally define an H shape.

[0054] In the illustrated example, and in the preferred embodiment, the device 10 also includes a handle portion 14 that is attached to the mouthpiece portion 12. The handle portion includes a housing that can house the various electronic components of the device.

[0055] The mouthpiece portion 12 carries a set of oral cleaning elements 20 for mechanical engagement with the teeth during operation. These may be carried by a movable section or member of the mouthpiece portion, such as a drive surface or drive frame, which may be moved relative to a stationary portion of the mouthpiece portion. For example, the mouthpiece body 16 may be the stationary portion.

[0056] The apparatus further comprises an actuation mechanism 32, 34, 22 for actuating cyclical movement of the cleaning elements relative to the teeth when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth.

[0057] exist Figure 3 In the particular example shown, the actuation mechanism takes the form of a pneumatic system comprising a bellows 22 inside the mouthpiece portion, the bellows being configured such that expansion and contraction of the bellows causes movement of the cleaning elements 20 in opposite respective directions. However, other types of actuation mechanisms may obviously be used to similar effect, such as, for example, a drive train mechanism comprising a motor-driven movement of one or more drive members, which causes movement of the cleaning elements.

[0058] like Figure 3 As schematically illustrated in the specific example shown, when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, the movement caused by the actuating mechanism is an up / down cyclic movement of the cleaning element 20 along an up / down vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws. However, it should be noted that, as an alternative and / or in addition to the up / down movement, movement patterns in other directions are also possible, and the concepts of the present invention will also provide similar advantageous effects in these cases. For example, the actuating mechanism can be adapted to cause the cleaning element to cyclically move in a plane along a horizontal axis, which, when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, continues perpendicular to the vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws.

[0059] The actuating mechanism in the illustrated example is shown as including a drive unit 32 and a drive element or line 34 contained in the handle portion. In the case of a pneumatic actuation system, the drive unit may be a pump. In the case of a transmission unit, the drive unit 32 may be a motor. In the case of a pneumatic system, the drive element or pipeline 34 may be a fluid line, or in the case of a transmission mechanism, may be a drive shaft or a drive member. In either case, the drive element 34 provides a function of transmitting the force or driving power generated by the drive unit 32 to an operable moving part of the actuating mechanism, which directly applies a force for moving the cleaning element 20. In the illustrated example, this takes the form of a bellows 22 contained in the body of the oral part 12. In the illustrated example, the cleaning element 20 extends from one or more surfaces, which are caused to move by the bellows 22 of the actuating mechanism, which is used to cause the movement of the cleaning element. The actuating mechanism cyclically moves the surface up and down between the highest position and the lowest position. Therefore, this results in an upper / lower brushing action on the tooth surface. Figure 3 The view shown is a cross section of the channel 23 with the wall 18a on the front side of the channel cut away.

[0060] The oral piece portion 12 also includes an anchoring member 24 which can engage with a portion of a user's mouth when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, for holding the anchoring member 24 in a proper position relative to the jaw, the cleaning element 20 being movable relative to the anchoring member when the anchoring member is so retained, and wherein the actuating mechanisms 22, 32, 34 are operable to move the cleaning element 20 relative to both the upper and lower jaws simultaneously when the anchoring member is retained by the portion of the user's mouth in normal operation.

[0061] In the illustrated example, the anchoring member is shown in the form of a simple bite block. In other words, the anchoring member is intended to be bitten by the user. As will be further explained below, other arrangements are also possible. For example, the anchoring member 24 may be designed to be tightened between the lips. As a more general principle, any anchoring member may be provided that is suitable for being clamped by the user at the location of the mouth between the upper section and the lower section of the mouth. For example, in other cases, it may be designed to be clamped by the gums inside the mouth. However, even further possibilities than this are possible, such as resting on external areas of the upper and / or lower mouth, or resting on the chin, or even being held in whole or in part by the tongue. Therefore, the illustrated bite block is a simple example shown by way of illustration of the concept.

[0062] exist Figure 3In the illustration of , two molars bite on an anchoring member 24 in the form of a small block. The height of the block is greater than the capsule 22 in the collapsed state. More generally, it may be preferred if the anchoring member has a height along the upper and lower axis between the lower and upper jaws that is greater than the height of the mouthpiece body 16 when the one or more surfaces carrying and moving the cleaning elements 20 are in their lowest position.

[0063] As shown, with the anchoring member held between the teeth, the bladder 22, which is fixed relative to the bite block, can now expand in two directions relative to the jaw, thereby moving the cleaning elements 20 relative to the upper and lower teeth 42. The bite on the block 24 stabilizes the position of the mouthpiece portion 12 of the device 10 without requiring the user to hold it steady relative to their head.

[0064] The principle is therefore simple, but different options are possible with regard to the location in the jaw where anchoring occurs and the exact mechanics of the mouthpiece.

[0065] Figure 4 Different example possible positions 62a - 62d of the anchor member 24 about the arcuate profile of the mouthpiece body 12 are illustrated. Figure 4 An example of a mouthpiece design is illustrated in which the mouthpiece portion is shaped to extend around only a portion of the user's dental arch. It may be referred to as a J-shaped mouthpiece design.

[0066] Position 62a corresponds to a situation where the mouthpiece is designed so that when the mouthpiece portion 12 is received in the mouth for normal use, with the arcuate contour of the mouthpiece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchor member 24 is generally positioned for engagement with the user's teeth or lips at a position along the dental arch toward the front of the mouth. For example, the anchor member 24 may be generally positioned for engagement by the user between the upper and lower incisors at the front of the mouth.

[0067] Position 62b corresponds to a situation in which the oral piece is designed so that when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth, with the arched contour of the oral piece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member is roughly positioned for engagement by the user between the upper and lower canines at the left front or right front of the mouth.

[0068] Position 62d corresponds to a situation in which the oral piece is designed so that when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth, with the arched contour of the oral piece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member is generally positioned for engagement by the user between the upper and lower molars at the back of the mouth.

[0069] Position 62c corresponds to a favorable positioning, in which case the mouthpiece body is formed by a plurality of connected sections that can be pivotally moved relative to each other, for example by hinge joints or another linking device. In this case, it may be advantageous to position the anchoring member 24 at a joint in the joint between the connected sections. This design ensures that there is still good freedom of movement between the two engagement segments on either side of the anchoring member. In fact, this can be within any position range around the outline of the mouthpiece portion 12.

[0070] Not shown is the further option of using soft tissue (eg lips) as anchor point.

[0071] One consideration apparent to the inventors is that teeth contacting the anchoring member may not be cleaned by the moving cleaning elements if the teeth are intended to be retained on the anchoring member 24. This has led to a particular set of embodiments that seek to mitigate this potential problem.

[0072] In particular, according to one set of embodiments, a device is provided in which the mouthpiece portion 12 is shaped to extend around more than half of the user's dental arch but less than the entire dental arch when received in the mouth for normal use. In some examples, the mouthpiece can be a J-shaped mouthpiece. The mouthpiece portion can be designed not to brush the entire mouth in one go; the mouthpiece needs to be used twice, with the mouthpiece flipped between sessions. This allows for designs with overlap in the teeth covered.

[0073] This is due to Figure 5 and Figure 6 Schematically illustrated, Figure 5 and Figure 6 An example mouthpiece portion 12 is shown which is positioned for cleaning the front half of the mouth first ( Figure 5 ), then clean the other side of the mouth by inverting the mouthpiece ( Figure 6 ). Because the mouthpiece portion is shaped to extend beyond the symmetrical center point of the front of the mouth (indicated by arrow 63, with the dashed line showing the symmetry line a), and clean one or more teeth on the other side of the mouth (e.g., in the illustrated case, the other front tooth), there is an overlap in the teeth being cleaned. The location 62 of the anchoring member is inserted from one end 64 of the mouthpiece portion. More specifically, it is also inserted relative to the area of ​​the cleaning elements that extends along the length of the arcuate profile of the mouthpiece portion. In this way, there are cleaning elements on both sides of the anchoring member.

[0074] During use, in the first period ( Figure 5), the left front teeth are used as anchor point 62 - i.e., in this case, the user bites the anchor member with their left front incisor. As a result, during the first period, this tooth is not being cleaned. However, during the first period, the right front teeth are being cleaned. After the front half of the mouth is cleaned, the user flips the mouthpiece portion and cleans the back half of the mouth ( Figure 6 ). When the J-shape is flipped to brush the other side of the mouth, the anchor point 62 switches to the right front teeth. Therefore, in the second period, the left front teeth can now be cleaned by the cleaning element, while the right front teeth (which have been cleaned) are blocked by the anchor member.

[0075] From this example a more generally applicable principle can be derived, namely that there is a technical advantage in an embodiment in which the mouthpiece is designed such that when the mouthpiece portion 12 is received in the mouth for normal use, with the arcuate contour of the mouthpiece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchor member 24 is generally positioned for engagement with the user's teeth or lips at a position along the dental arch towards the front of the mouth that is offset from the dental arch's symmetry centre 63. This has the effect that if the user flips the mouthpiece portion, for example to clean the other side of the mouth, the position of the anchor member will not be the same as before, meaning that the position previously obstructed / blocked by the anchor member is now free to clean during a second cleaning action.

[0076] In one or more embodiments, the functionality of the anchoring member may be effectively implemented by a component that also performs another function in the context of the device. Figure 7 An example is illustrated.Here, the device includes a hollow member 70 located at the periphery of the oral piece portion 12, the hollow member defining an internal conduit, the internal conduit providing a passage through the wall of the oral piece portion to the inner cavity of the oral piece portion, the inner cavity accommodating an operating element of an actuating mechanism (e.g., a bellows 22 for a pneumatic system or a drive shaft for a mechanical system). The hollow member has at least one section exposed on the outside of the oral piece portion. In this group of embodiments, it is suggested to use this section of the hollow member 70 to provide an anchoring member 24. This combines two functions with one component, increasing structural efficiency.

[0077] For example, the hollow member 70 can be the entry point for the drive train into the mouthpiece body, or the entry point for the hydraulic tube into the mouthpiece body. The anchor point can be at the front teeth and coincide with the entry point. For example, in the case where the actuation mechanism includes a pneumatic system with bellows expansion and contraction, the anchor point can be, for example, a block (e.g., plastic) with an integrated pneumatic interface, with pneumatic tubes separated in two directions.

[0078] Figure 8Here, the actuation mechanism is a pneumatic system comprising a bellows 22 inside the mouthpiece portion 12, the bellows being configured such that expansion and contraction of the bellows causes movement of the cleaning elements 20 in opposite respective directions, and wherein the internal conduit of the hollow member 70 accommodates a pneumatic interface 76, the pneumatic tube splitting in two directions along the contour of the mouthpiece. Figure 8 The pneumatic tube is shown entering at the anchoring member 24, and the lumen of the anchoring member accommodates the interface.

[0079] In some embodiments, the device may also include a local power source, such as a battery, for powering the actuation mechanism.

[0080] In some embodiments, the device may also include a controller, such as for controlling an actuating mechanism. The controller may be implemented in a variety of ways using software and / or hardware to perform the various functions required. A processor is an example of a controller that employs one or more microprocessors that may be programmed using software (e.g., microcode) to perform the desired functions. However, the controller may be implemented with or without a processor, and may also be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware that performs some functions and a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry) that performs other functions.

[0081] Examples of controller components that may be used in various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0082] In various embodiments, a processor or controller may be associated with one or more storage media, such as volatile and non-volatile computer memory, such as RAM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM. The storage media may be encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more processors and / or controllers, perform the desired functions. The various storage media may be fixed within a processor or controller, or may be removable so that one or more programs stored thereon may be loaded into a processor or controller.

[0083] Based on the study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention. 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.

[0084] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0085] If the term "suitable for" is used in the claims or the specification, it should be noted that the term "suitable for" is intended to be equivalent to the term "configured to".

[0086] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. An oral care device (10), comprising: a mouthpiece portion (12) adapted to be at least partially received in a user's mouth, wherein the body (16) of the mouthpiece portion describes an arch-shaped contour for generally following the contour of a user's dental arch; The mouthpiece portion carries a set of oral cleaning elements (20) for mechanical engagement with teeth; an actuation mechanism (22, 32, 34) for actuating cyclical movement of the cleaning element relative to the teeth when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth; as well as An anchoring member (24) is engageable with a portion of the user's mouth when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use to hold the anchoring member in place relative to the jaw, the cleaning element being moveable relative to the anchoring member when the anchoring member is so held, and wherein the actuating mechanism is operable to move the cleaning element relative to both the upper and lower jaws simultaneously when the anchoring member is held by the portion of the user's mouth in normal operation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuation mechanism causes up / down cyclical movement of the cleaning element along an up / down vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws when the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth for normal use.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cleaning elements extend from one or more surfaces that are caused to move by the actuation mechanism, the actuation mechanism being operable to cause movement of the cleaning elements, and wherein the actuation mechanism moves the surfaces up and down between an uppermost position and a lowermost position, And wherein when the one or more surfaces are in their lowermost positions, the anchoring member has a height along the upper-lower axis that is greater than a height of the mouthpiece body.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuating mechanism is adapted to cause the cleaning element to cyclically move in a plane along a horizontal axis, wherein the horizontal axis continues perpendicular to a vertical axis extending between the upper and lower jaws when the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the anchoring member is adapted to be clamped by the user between upper and lower sections of the mouth at the location of the mouth.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the anchoring member is for biting by the user, or for clamping between the lips.

7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mouthpiece body is shaped to extend around only a portion of the user's dental arch.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: When the oral piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, with the arched contour of the oral piece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch, the anchoring member is generally positioned to engage with the user's teeth or lips at a position along the dental arch toward the front of the mouth, the position toward the front of the mouth offset from the center of symmetry of the dental arch.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the mouth piece body is shaped to extend around more than half of the user's dental arch but less than the entire dental arch when the mouth piece body is received in the mouth for normal use.

10. An apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the cleaning elements include a region of cleaning elements extending along the arcuate profile described by the mouthpiece body, the region having a first end and a second end, and wherein the anchoring member is located at a position along the cleaning element region inserted from one end of the cleaning element region.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: the arcuate contour of the mouth piece portion body aligns with the contour of the user's dental arch when the mouth piece portion is received in the mouth, the anchoring member being generally positioned for engagement by the user between upper and lower incisors at the front of the mouth; or The anchoring member is generally positioned for engagement by the user between upper and lower canines at the front left or right of the mouth.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: When the mouthpiece portion is received in the mouth, the anchoring member is generally positioned for engagement by the user between upper and lower molars at the rear of the mouth with the arcuate contour of the mouthpiece portion body aligned with the contour of the user's dental arch.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the mouth piece body is formed of a plurality of connected sections pivotally movable relative to each other by hinge joints, and wherein the anchoring member is located at the location of the hinge joints.

14. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the device includes a hollow member located at the periphery of the oral piece portion, the hollow member defining an internal conduit, the internal conduit providing a passage through the wall of the oral piece portion to the inner cavity of the oral piece portion, the inner cavity accommodating the operating elements of the actuating mechanism, the hollow member having at least one section exposed on the outer side of the oral piece portion, and wherein the section provides the anchoring member.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the actuation mechanism is a pneumatic system including a bellows within the interior of the mouthpiece portion, the bellows being configured such that expansion and contraction of the bellows causes movement of the cleaning elements in opposite respective directions; and The internal conduit of the hollow member accommodates a pneumatic interface, wherein the pneumatic tubes diverge in two directions along the contour of the mouthpiece.

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