Force-controlled clamping mechanism for oral care device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to oral care devices and force control mechanisms for use in such oral care devices. For example, the oral care device of the present disclosure may be a full or partial mouthpiece, or a multi-faceted brush head, and may include one or more scrubbing blocks having a constant force spring assembly. Each of the scrubbing blocks may include one or more sets of cleaning elements that contact a portion of the subject's oral cavity (e.g., teeth, gums, etc.) and provide mechanical cleaning functionality when the device is moved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to force control mechanisms and oral care devices, and more particularly, to oral care devices incorporating such force control mechanisms. Background Art

[0002] Brushing mouthpieces are an alternative to more conventional manual and / or powered toothbrushes, which provide cleaning of only a small area within the oral cavity at a time and require the subject to move the brush head to cover all areas of the oral cavity. In contrast, brushing mouthpieces have the potential to shorten the subject's oral care routine and are less dependent on the subject's behavior than conventional toothbrushes. However, providing oral care devices that can perform effective cleaning functions even in the presence of large differences in jaw / tooth size between subjects remains a significant challenge. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a force control clamping mechanism for an oral care device is provided. The force control clamping mechanism may include: a first protrusion having a first group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the first protrusion; a second protrusion having a second group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the second protrusion, wherein the side wall of the first protrusion is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion, so that the first group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the first protrusion toward the side wall of the second protrusion, and the second group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the second protrusion toward the side wall of the first protrusion; and a spring system connected to the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the spring system being configured to enable the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other.

[0004] In one aspect, the force controlled clamping mechanism can be configured to receive a foreign object between a sidewall of the first protrusion and a sidewall of the second protrusion such that the first set of cleaning elements and the second set of cleaning elements contact the foreign object.

[0005] In one aspect, receiving a foreign object between the first and second projections may cause displacement of the first and second sets of cleaning elements.

[0006] In one aspect, displacement of the first and second sets of cleaning elements generates a force on the spring system causing the first and second projections to move toward and / or away from each other.

[0007] In one aspect, the sidewalls of the first protrusion are substantially parallel to the sidewalls of the second protrusion.

[0008] In one aspect, the spring system can be configured to enable the sidewall of the first protrusion and the sidewall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other while the sidewall of the first protrusion remains substantially parallel to the sidewall of the second protrusion.

[0009] In one aspect, the force controlled clamping mechanism can have a clamping value (C) between 30% and 70%, wherein BL is the length of the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements, w is the distance between the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion, and T w is the thickness of the foreign object.

[0010] In one aspect, the spring system can include one or more elastic constant force mechanisms.

[0011] In one aspect, the elastic constant force mechanism can also be a bistable mechanism.

[0012] In one aspect, the spring system includes one or more constant force coil springs.

[0013] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a force control toothbrush block is provided. The force control toothbrush block may include: a first protrusion having a first group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the first protrusion; a second protrusion having a second group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the second protrusion, wherein the side wall of the first protrusion is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion, so that the first group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the first protrusion toward the side wall of the second protrusion, and the second group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the second protrusion toward the side wall of the first protrusion; a block backing structure; and a spring system connecting the first protrusion and the second protrusion to the block backing structure, the spring system being configured to enable the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other.

[0014] In one aspect, the force controlled toothbrush block can be configured to receive one or more teeth between the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion so that the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements contact the one or more teeth, wherein receiving the one or more teeth causes displacement of the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements so that the force applied to the spring system causes the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other, and wherein the side wall of the first protrusion remains substantially parallel to the side wall of the second protrusion.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an oral care device is provided. The oral care device may include: at least one force control brushing block fixed to a flexible oral piece body, the flexible oral piece body being configured to receive at least one area of ​​a set of teeth of a subject when the flexible oral piece body is inserted into the oral cavity of the subject. In one aspect, each force control brushing block may include: a first protrusion having a first group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the first protrusion; a second protrusion having a second group of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the second protrusion, wherein the side wall of the first protrusion is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion, so that the first group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the first protrusion toward the side wall of the second protrusion, and the second group of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the second protrusion toward the side wall of the first protrusion; a block backing structure; and a spring system connecting the first protrusion and the second protrusion to the block backing structure, the spring system being configured to enable the side wall of the first protrusion and the side wall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other.

[0016] In one aspect, an oral care device can include two or more force control brushing blocks secured to a flexible mouthpiece body.

[0017] In one aspect, each force-controlled toothbrush block can be configured to receive one or more teeth between the sidewall of the first protrusion and the sidewall of the second protrusion so that the first and second groups of cleaning elements contact the one or more teeth, the one or more teeth being from an area of ​​a group of teeth of the subject received by the flexible oral piece body. In one aspect, for each force-controlled toothbrush block: receiving one or more teeth from an area of ​​a group of teeth of the subject causes displacement of the first and second groups of cleaning elements such that the force applied to the spring system causes the sidewall of the first protrusion and the sidewall of the second protrusion to move toward and / or away from each other, and the sidewall of the first protrusion remains substantially parallel to the sidewall of the second protrusion.

[0018] These and other aspects of various embodiments will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In the drawings, like reference numerals generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed primarily upon illustrating the principles of the various embodiments.

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control mechanism for brushing teeth according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 2 Schematic diagram showing a conventional multi-head toothbrush mechanism.

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control mechanism having angled cleaning elements according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control mechanism having angled sidewalls according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control block for brushing according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0025] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control block for brushing according to aspects of the present disclosure, the force control block having an extended protrusion.

[0026] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a determined clamping amount of a force control mechanism according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 8 is a bubble chart illustrating some simulated cleaning performance according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0028] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a region of a subject's mouth and the movement of a single force control mass along that region in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.

[0029] Fig.10 The diagram is along Fig. 9 Graph of the elongation of a spring system when moving along a certain path.

[0030] Fig.11 is a side view of one embodiment of a force control block according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0031] Fig.12 It is a graphic Fig.11 A cross-sectional view taken along line D.

[0032] Fig.13A is a diagram illustrating the deformation that a constant force mechanism may undergo when used in a spring system according to the present disclosure.

[0033] Fig. 13B It is a graphic Fig.13A A graph of the reaction force of a constant force mechanism as it undergoes deformation.

[0034] Fig.14A and Fig. 14B is a schematic diagram illustrating relative movement of protrusions of a force control block according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0035] Fig.15A is a schematic diagram illustrating a bistable constant force mechanism according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0036] Fig. 15B It is a graphic Fig.15A Force graph of a bistable mechanism when undergoing elastic deformation.

[0037] Fig.16A , Fig. 16B and Fig. 16C is a schematic diagram illustrating a coil spring type constant force mechanism in different arrangements according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0038] Fig.17 is a schematic diagram illustrating a force control block having a coil spring type constant force mechanism according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present disclosure relates to oral care devices. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a force control mechanism used in a brush block of an oral care device. In some embodiments, the oral care device may include a full oral piece, a partial oral piece, a multi-faceted toothbrush, etc. As described herein, the oral care device may include one or more brush blocks attached to a flexible oral piece body, and the flexible oral piece body may accommodate an area of ​​a subject's oral cavity. Each of these brush blocks provides a group of cleaning elements, which are used to contact the area of ​​the subject's oral cavity and provide a mechanical cleaning function when the device moves along the teeth of the subject. Therefore, the cleaning elements of each brush block must reach a sufficient portion of the surface area to be cleaned. However, if the cleaning elements are too close to the surface area to be cleaned, effective cleaning cannot be achieved. Therefore, considering the variability of tooth width between different subjects and even in a single subject's oral cavity, the design of an oral care device and a single brush block remains a major challenge. According to the present disclosure, oral care devices and brush blocks are suitable for having a force control mechanism to deliver effective cleaning functions to a wide range of subjects, regardless of how the size of the subject's oral features vary.

[0040] Go to Figure 1 , according to certain aspects of the present disclosure, an exemplary embodiment of a force control mechanism 100 is shown in an XYZ coordinate system. As shown, the force control mechanism 100 may include a first protrusion 102 and an opposing second protrusion 104, the first protrusion 102 and the second protrusion 104 being connected by a spring system 106. The protrusions 102, 104 may include side walls 108, 110, respectively, and the side walls 108, 110 are opposite to each other. In some embodiments, the side walls 108, 110 are substantially parallel to each other, such as Figure 1 shown.

[0041] In one aspect, the projections 102, 104 can be formed of a rigid and / or semi-rigid material that is capable of resisting tooth bending. In other words, the side walls 108, 110 of the projections 102, 104 are preferably separated by the same or substantially the same distance along the entire z-axis length of the side walls 108, 110 in the x-axis. Figure 2 , the protrusions 202 , 204 of the conventional device 200 are closer together along the x-axis at the first ends 220 , 222 , and are further apart along the x-axis at the second ends 224 , 226 .

[0042] In some embodiments, the protrusions 102, 104 can include one or more groups of cleaning elements 114, 116, respectively, which are attached to and arranged along the side walls 108, 110 of the respective protrusions 102, 104. For example, the one or more groups of cleaning elements 114 attached to the side wall 108 of the first protrusion 102 can extend toward the side wall 110 of the second protrusion, and the one or more groups of cleaning elements 116 attached to the side wall 110 of the second protrusion 104 can extend toward the side wall 108 of the first protrusion 102.

[0043] In some embodiments, the cleaning elements 114, 116 may include, but are not limited to, bristles. In other embodiments, the cleaning elements 114, 116 may include silicone posts, woven fabrics, etc. In other embodiments, the cleaning elements 114, 116 may include a combination of bristles, posts, fabrics, etc.

[0044] Although the cleaning elements 114, 116 are grouped in at least Figure 1 104, it is contemplated that one or more groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 do not extend at a 90° angle from the respective sidewalls 108, 110 toward the opposite sidewalls 108, 110. In other words, one or more groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 may extend at an angle from the respective sidewalls 108, 110 of the respective protrusions 102, 104 toward the opposite sidewalls 108, 110 of the opposite protrusions 102, 104. For example, Figure 3 As shown, the force control mechanism 100 has a centerline L1 that bisects the first and second protrusions 102, 104, but also has multiple groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 extending from the respective sidewalls 108, 110 at an angle toward the opposing protrusions 102, 104. In some embodiments, the groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 can be angled in different planes and at different angles.

[0045] In one aspect, the area between the sidewalls 108, 110 of the first and second protrusions 102, 104 can be configured to receive a foreign object such that the different sets of cleaning elements 114, 116 contact the foreign object. In some embodiments, the foreign object can be at least one area of ​​a set of teeth 112 of a subject. More specifically, the foreign object can include one or more teeth of the subject. In other embodiments, the foreign object can include the gums of the subject or a portion thereof.

[0046] In some embodiments, the sidewalls 108 and / or the sidewalls 110 of the first and second protrusions 102 and 104 may be flat, respectively. Figures 1 to 3 In other embodiments, sidewall 108 and / or sidewall 110 may be curved or angled. Figure 4 As shown, the first protrusion 102 includes side walls 108A, 108B having cleaning elements 114, and the second protrusion 104 includes side walls 110A, 110B having cleaning elements 116. In one aspect, regardless of the shape of the protrusions 102, 104, the faces 108, 110 can be oriented vertically (i.e., without rotation, such as Figure 2 ) and / or maintain their relative orientation when receiving the subject's teeth 112.

[0047] As described above, the first and second protrusions 102, 104 of the force-controlled clamping mechanism 100 can be connected via a spring system 106. In some embodiments, the spring system 106 can be configured and / or adapted to enable the side walls 102, 104 of the first and second protrusions 102, 104 to move toward and / or away from each other. In certain embodiments, the spring system 106 is also configured and / or adapted to enable non-rotational movement of the first and second protrusions 102, 104, so that the receiving area of ​​the force-controlled clamping mechanism 100 can accommodate objects of different sizes (e.g., teeth 112) while maintaining the relative orientation of the first and second side walls 108, 110. In some embodiments, the spring system 106 is configured and / or adapted to enable the receiving area of ​​the force-controlled clamping mechanism 100 to be telescopic while the side walls 108, 110 remain substantially vertical (i.e., do not rotate or tilt toward or away from the received object).

[0048] Go to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , such non-rotational movement of the force controlled clamping mechanism 100 is shown according to aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, the force control clamping mechanism 100 is incorporated into a force control brush block 500 , which includes the force control clamping mechanism 100 and a block backing structure 502 .

[0049] In some embodiments, the spring system 106 of the force control clamping mechanism 100 can connect the first and second protrusions 102, 104 together, for example, at corresponding horizontal portions 504, 506 of the first and second protrusions 102, 104, respectively. In one aspect, the force control clamping mechanism 100 can then be connected and / or secured to the backing structure 502 via one or more sliding connections 508, 510. In some embodiments, the first and second protrusions 102, 104 can also be connected together without the spring system 106. Instead, each protrusion 102, 104 can be connected to the backing structure 502 (e.g., via the spring system 106) via the spring system 106. Fig.11 , Fig.12 , Fig.14A , Fig. 14B , Fig.17 as shown in the embodiments of the present invention and as discussed below).

[0050] However, in one aspect, the projections 102, 104 achieve a translational degree of freedom in the width direction (i.e., the x-axis), so that the projections 102, 104 can move inwardly and outwardly relative to the surface of the received object (e.g., tooth 112). In some embodiments, the projections 102, 104 are restricted from translation and rotation in other directions.

[0051] In some embodiments, the scrubbing block 500 may include one or more flexible seals to prevent dirt, residual toothpaste, etc. from accumulating within the block 500. In one aspect, a flexible seal 512 may be connected between the projections 102, 104 and / or between the projections 102, 104 and the backing structure 502. Alternatively, one or more areas of the scrubbing block 500 may not include any flexible seals to facilitate allowing the block 500 to be cleaned by a subject.

[0052] In other embodiments, one or more brush blocks 500 can be incorporated into the oral care device 514 by fixing the brush block 500 to the device body 516, which is configured to receive at least one area of ​​a set of teeth of the subject when the oral care device 514 is inserted into the subject's oral cavity. In one aspect, the oral care device 514 may include two or more brush blocks 500. On the other hand, the device body 516 may allow the subject to move the oral care device 514 along its upper and lower jaws and / or lower jaws to receive other areas of a set of teeth of the subject. In addition, by moving the oral care device 514 in the subject's oral cavity, the cleaning elements 114, 116 of the brush block 500 will provide a cleaning function for the subject's oral cavity. In some embodiments, the oral care device 514 may be, for example but not limited to, a complete oral piece, a partial oral piece and / or a multi-head brush.

[0053] like Figure 5As shown, the side walls 108, 110 of the corresponding protrusions 102, 104 are spaced apart by at least a first width W1, and as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, the sidewalls 108, 110 of the corresponding protrusions 102, 104 are spaced apart by at least a second width W2. For reference, the width (e.g., W1, W2, etc.) can be measured in the x-axis direction, such as Figure 5 and Figure 6 By calibrating the spring system 106, the x-axis translation of the protrusions 102, 104 can be controlled to accommodate foreign objects (e.g., teeth 112) of different sizes. In other words, the force generated by the cleaning elements 114, 116 acting on the foreign object (e.g., tooth 112) can be used to control the width (e.g., W1, W2, etc.) between the first and second protrusions 102, 104. Therefore, an effective cleaning function can be achieved on a plurality of foreign objects (e.g., teeth 112) of different sizes.

[0054] In some embodiments, the displacement of the first and second groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 due to contact with the foreign object 112 is referred to herein as the amount of clamping or clamping value "C". In one aspect, the clamping value (C) can be expressed as a percentage of the protruding cleaning element length. In other aspects, the clamping value (C) can depend on the width of the block (i.e., the distance between the opposing side walls 108, 110) and / or the thickness of the tooth. In other aspects, the amount of clamping (C) can be equal on the outside and inside of the foreign object (e.g., the lingual and buccal sides of the tooth 112).

[0055] For example, see Figure 7 The clamping amount (C) 702 can be expressed in terms of the protruding cleaning element length ("BL") 704, the block width ("w") 706, and the tooth width ("T w ”) 708. In some embodiments, the clamping amount (C) 702 can be determined according to Equation 1:

[0056]

[0057] Where C is the clamping amount, BL is the length of the first or second set of cleaning elements 114, 116, w is the distance between the side wall 108 of the first protrusion 102 and the side wall 110 of the second protrusion 104, and T w is the thickness of the foreign object 112 .

[0058] In some embodiments, the clamping value (C) 702, the tooth width (T w ) 708 and block width (w) 706 are known, the target cleaning element length (BL) 704 can be determined according to Equation 2:

[0059]

[0060] Where C is the clamping amount, BL is the length of the first or second set of cleaning elements 114, 116, w is the distance between the side wall 108 of the first protrusion 102 and the side wall 110 of the second protrusion 104, and T w is the thickness of the foreign object 112 .

[0061] In an embodiment, the clamping value (C) 702, the tooth width (T w ) 708 and the cleaning element length (BL) 704 are known, the target block width (w) 706 can be determined according to Equation 3:

[0062] w=T w +2BL*(1-C) Equation (3)

[0063] Where C is the clamping amount, BL is the length of the first or second set of cleaning elements 114, 116, w is the distance between the side wall 108 of the first protrusion 102 and the side wall 110 of the second protrusion 104, and T w is the thickness of the foreign object 112 .

[0064] See also Figure 8 , shows the cleaning performance of four simulations using different constant clamping values ​​and a simulation using a constant force spring system 106. As shown, the horizontal axis represents cleaning along the gums, the vertical axis represents interdental cleaning, and the size of each bubble corresponds to the resultant average force in the spring. In particular, a first bubble graph 802 for a clamping block of fixed width at C = 57%, a second bubble graph 804 for a clamping block of fixed width at C = 50%, a third bubble graph 806 for a clamping block of fixed width at C = 36%, a fourth bubble graph 808 for a clamping block of fixed width at C = 43%, and a bubble graph 810 of a brushing block 100 (i.e., a clamping block 100 of variable width) with a constant force spring system 106 are shown. As shown, the bubble graph 810 is generated with a spring system 106 having a constant force of 0.5N, but other forces may also be envisioned.

[0065] Observe the bubble charts 802, 804, 806, 808 for fixed width blocks. Figure 8 It can be seen that these blocks are very sensitive to the amount of grip, and therefore to the tooth size. For example, comparing bubble graphs 802, 806, a reduction in grip from C = 57% to C = 36% results in a significantly smaller average force (i.e., smaller bubble size), and an increase in the area fraction of the gingival surface being cleaned, but a significant decrease in the area fraction of the interdental surface being cleaned.

[0066] Similarly, comparing bubble graphs 802, 804, decreasing the amount of grip from C = 57% to C = 50% results in a smaller average force (ie, smaller bubble size), an increase in the area fraction of the gingival being cleaned, and a decrease in the area fraction of the interdental surface being cleaned.

[0067] In contrast, comparing bubble graphs 802, 804 and bubble graph 808, a reduction in grip from C = 57% or C = 50% to C = 43% resulted in a smaller average force (i.e., a smaller bubble size), but no increase in interdental cleaning or gum cleaning. That is, while interdental cleaning was found to be reduced and gum cleaning was increased in simulation 806 at C = 36%, both interdental and gum cleaning were found to be reduced in simulation 808 at C = 43%.

[0068] However, simulation 810 with constant force spring system 106 exhibited the best overall cleaning performance in the gingival and interdental areas when compared to fixed width simulations 802, 804, 806, 808. In addition, at C=57% and C=50%, the average force applied by the blocks in simulation 810 was less than the average force applied by the blocks in both simulations 802, 804. In particular, constant force spring simulation 810 exhibited an interdental cleaning area fraction greater than 0.3 and a gingival cleaning area fraction of approximately 0.55.

[0069] In embodiments, the force control clamping mechanism 100, the force control brushing block 500, and / or the mouthpiece 514 for brushing teeth can provide improved interdental cleaning and / or improved gum cleaning. In one aspect, improved interdental cleaning and / or improved gum cleaning are provided with a lower average applied force (i.e., not requiring as much force as conventional systems).

[0070] In an embodiment, the force-controlled clamping mechanism 100, the force-controlled brushing block 500 and / or the oral piece 514 for brushing teeth can provide a gap cleaning performance of at least about 0.3, which is measured as an area fraction of the gap space, including at least about 0.35, at least about 0.4, at least about 0.45, at least about 0.5, at least about 0.55, at least about 0.6, at least about 0.65, at least about 0.7, at least about 0.75, at least about 0.8, at least about 0.85, at least about 0.9, at least about 0.95, at least about 0.99, and ranges based on any combination of the above points.

[0071] In an embodiment, the force controlled clamping mechanism 100, the force controlled brushing block 500 and / or the oral piece 514 for brushing teeth can provide a gum cleaning performance of at least about 0.5, which gum cleaning performance is measured as an area fraction of the gum space, including at least about 0.55, at least about 0.6, at least about 0.65, at least about 0.7, at least about 0.75, at least about 0.8, at least about 0.85, at least about 0.9, at least about 0.95, at least about 0.99, and ranges based on any combination of the above points.

[0072] See also Fig. 9 and Fig.10 , other aspects of the force control clamping mechanism 100, the force control brushing block 500, and the oral care device 514 will be described below. In particular, Fig. 9 The force control toothbrushing block 500 is shown moving from position A to position B along a region 912 of a subject's mouth, the region 912 including the area formed by the block 500 and / or oral care device 514 ( Fig. 9 One or more teeth 112 (not shown) received by the tooth. Fig.10 The spring system 106 of the block 500 is shown extending as the block 500 moves from position A to position B. As shown, the block 500 begins to widen when the cleaning elements 114, 116 are most bent over the widest portion of the tooth 112, and retracts again after the cleaning elements 114, 116 pass the tooth 112 and are positioned in the next interproximal area 914. Fig.10 It can also be seen in Figure 1 that the length of the spring system 106 has a variation of about 1.5 mm, which corresponds to an effective clamping difference of about 10% for this particular simulated bristle length. However, the simulation demonstrates that the constant force spring system 106 can effectively vary the effective clamping amount (C) to provide improved cleaning in different areas.

[0073] In an embodiment, the maximum clamping difference provided by the force-controlled clamping mechanism 100, the force-controlled brushing block 500 and / or the oral care device 514 can be about ±1%, about ±2%, about ±3%, about ±4%, about ±5%, about ±6%, about ±7%, about ±8%, about ±9%, about ±10%, about ±15%, about ±20%, about ±25%, about ±30%, about ±35%, about ±40%, about ±45%, about ±50%, and ranges based on any combination of the above points.

[0074] Now go to Figures 11 to 17 , other aspects of the spring system 106 used in the force control clamping mechanism 100, the force control brushing block 500, and the oral care device 514 are shown and described below.

[0075] In embodiments, the spring system 106 in the force control clamping mechanism 100, the force control brushing block 500, and the oral care device 514 is configured to provide a constant or nearly constant force within an operable range. In one aspect, one or more components of the spring system 106 can be formed from a polymer composition, a metal, and / or a metal alloy by molding, rapid prototyping, three-dimensional printing, etc. In some embodiments, the spring system 106 or a portion thereof can be incorporated or otherwise attached to the backing structure 502 of the block 500 and / or the device body 516.

[0076] In some embodiments, the spring system 106 may include an elastic constant force mechanism configured to provide a constant or nearly constant force within an operable range. Fig.11 , a force control toothbrushing block 500 having a force control mechanism 100 is shown. As shown, the force control mechanism 100 includes first and second protrusions 102, 104, and groups of cleaning elements 114, 116 extending from respective sidewalls 108, 110. In one aspect, the first and second protrusions 102, 104 can be connected via a spring system 106. As shown, the spring system 106 independently connects each protrusion 102, 104 to a backing structure 502 of the block 500.

[0077] See also Fig.12 , showing the Fig.11 5. The cross section taken along the line D shown in FIG. 5. In particular, each spring system 106 includes a constant force mechanism 1202, 1204, which includes a number of interconnected curved struts connected to the backing structure 502. As shown, a portion of the backing structure 502 is disposed between the protrusions 102, 104 and the spring system 106. However, in some embodiments, the constant force mechanisms 1202, 1204 may also be directly connected, attached, or otherwise incorporated into the respective protrusions 102, 104.

[0078] Each constant force mechanism 1202, 1204 can be configured to provide a constant or nearly constant force within a desired operable range, respectively. In one aspect, the operable range can be defined based on the displacement of the mechanism 1202, 1204 and / or its components. For example, Fig.13A The displacement of the constant force mechanisms 1202 and 1204 is shown As shown, when force F1 is applied to constant force mechanisms 1202 , 1204 , constant force mechanisms 1202 , 1204 undergo elastic deformation. Fig.12 The x-axis and y-axis shown in A represent displacement / distance and show how the constant force mechanism 1202, 1204 may deform under force F1. Fig. 13B, shows a generalized graph of the reaction force generated by the constant force mechanism 1202, 1204 as a function of the input displacement. As shown, within the operable range 1302, the constant force mechanism 1202, 1204 can be configured to provide a constant and / or nearly constant force.

[0079] In an embodiment, the design of the constant force mechanisms 1202, 1204 can be configured such that the operable range 1302 is suitable for the brushing block 500 and the oral care device 514. In one aspect, the operable range 1302 of each constant force mechanism 1202, 1204 can be about 1 mm to about 20 mm, including about 1 mm to about 10 mm, about 1 mm to about 5 mm, and about 5 mm to about 10 mm.

[0080] Therefore, see Fig.14A and 14B The force control toothbrush block 500 including the force control mechanism 100 can be configured so that the spring system 106 can achieve unidirectional (e.g., x-axis) translation of the protrusions 102, 104. More specifically, the spring system 106 of such a block 500 can be extended with a constant / nearly constant force (e.g., Fig. 14B as shown) or contraction (as Fig.14A ), such as the forces generated when the cleaning elements 114, 116 are displaced by a foreign object (e.g., one or more teeth 112). In one aspect, the cleaning elements 114, 116 can be displaced without using a sliding joint or connection (e.g., Figure 5 In the case of the connector 508 shown, non-rotational movement of the protrusions 102, 104 is achieved, and the flexible sealing cover 512 may or may not be present.

[0081] As described herein, the force control mechanism 100 (particularly the spring system 106) of the present disclosure is generally configured to allow the protrusions 102, 104 to translate in the x-axis direction without rotating / tilting at an angle in the y-axis or z-axis direction. However, it should be understood that the toothbrush block 500 and / or the oral piece 514 can also enable the protrusions 102, 104 to translate vertically. In particular, the toothbrush block 500 and / or the oral care device 514 can allow the protrusions 102, 104 to translate vertically so that the side walls 108, 110 maintain their orientation relative to each other. In certain embodiments, for example, the toothbrush block 500 of the oral care device 514 may include a connector (not shown) that connects the backing structure 502 of the block 500 to the oral piece body 514, wherein the connector allows the block 500 to extend and retract in the z-axis direction without the protrusions 102, 104 being able to rotate or tilt at an angle relative to each other.

[0082] Go to Fig.15A and Fig. 15B, another constant force mechanism 1502 in the spring system 106 for the force control block 500 is shown. According to the present disclosure, the constant force mechanism 1502 can be a bistable mechanism, including one or more inelastic members 1504, 1506, 1508 connected together with a number of interconnected curved struts 1510, 1512. When a force (such as force F1) is applied to a portion of the constant force mechanism 1502 (e.g., the inelastic member 1504), the curved struts 1510, 1502 undergo elastic deformation, causing the inelastic members 1506, 1508 to extend outward in the x-axis direction. In particular, the elastic struts 1510, 1512 can be connected (e.g., through the inelastic member 1506).

[0083] In one aspect, the constant force mechanism 1502 can prevent the toothbrush block 500 and / or the oral care device 514 from being mechanically shocked or suddenly overloaded again. Fig. 15B As shown, the constant force mechanism 1502 can provide a constant or nearly constant force 1514 within a target operable range 1516, but if the force 1514 reaches a threshold 1518 that forces the spring system 106 to displace beyond the target operable range 1516 (or when this occurs), the force 1514 drops to zero.

[0084] In one aspect, constant force mechanism 1502 may be formed from polymer compositions, metals, and / or metal alloys by molding, rapid prototyping, three-dimensional printing, and the like.

[0085] In an embodiment, the constant force mechanism 1502 or a portion thereof may be incorporated or otherwise attached to the backing structure 502 and / or the mouthpiece body 516 of the block 500. For example, one or more non-elastic members 1504, 1506, 1508 may be attached to or otherwise form a part of the force control clamping mechanism 100, the backing structure 502 and / or the device body 516. In particular, one non-elastic member 1508 of each mechanism 1502 may be attached or otherwise incorporated in the protrusion 102, 104, while another non-elastic member 1508 may be attached or otherwise incorporated in the backing structure 502 and / or the device body 516.

[0086] Go to Fig.16A , Fig. 16B and Fig. 16C , shows another constant force mechanism 1602 in the spring system 106 for the force control block 500. As shown, the constant force mechanism 1602 can be a constant force coil spring. In some embodiments, the constant force mechanism 1602 can be set on a freely rotatable spool 1614, such as Fig.16A In some embodiments, the constant force mechanism 1602 may be disposed within the cavity 1606 of the retaining member 1608, as shown. Fig. 16BIn some embodiments, the constant force mechanism 1602 can be attached to the non-moving member 1610 and used to push the back side of the movable member 1610 .

[0087] For example, see Fig.17 , a coil spring type constant force mechanism 1602 for use in a toothbrushing block 500 according to various aspects of the present disclosure is shown. In particular, the toothbrushing block 500 includes a force control mechanism 100, which includes first and second protrusions 102, 104 and a backing structure 502 as described above. A sealing connector 512 can be used to seal one or more components of the block 500 (for example, to prevent fluids and / or solids from accumulating within the block 500). The constant force mechanism 1602 can then be disposed between the movable members 1612 and attached to the non-moving backing structure 502. In this way, when a force is generated due to the displacement of the cleaning elements 114, 116, the force will be transmitted to the constant force mechanism 1602 through the movable member 1612, thereby allowing non-rotational movement of the protrusions 102, 104.

[0088] It should be understood that all combinations of the above concepts and other concepts discussed in more detail below (assuming that these concepts are not mutually inconsistent) are considered part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. In particular, all combinations of the subject matter claimed at the end of this disclosure are considered part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be understood that terms explicitly adopted herein may also appear in any disclosure incorporated by reference and should be given the meaning most consistent with the specific concepts disclosed herein.

[0089] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions incorporated by reference, literature definitions, and / or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.

[0090] Unless expressly stated otherwise, the indefinite articles "a", "an" and "a" used in the specification and claims should be understood to mean "at least one".

[0091] The phrase "and / or" as used in the specification and claims herein should be understood to mean "one or both" of the elements it connects, i.e., elements that appear in conjunction in some cases and not in conjunction in other cases. Multiple elements listed with "and / or" should be understood in the same manner, i.e., "one or more" of the elements it connects. In addition to the elements specifically identified with "and / or", other elements may optionally be present, whether or not related to those specifically identified elements.

[0092] In the specification and claims herein, "or" should be understood to have the same meaning as "and / or" defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, "or" or "and / or" should be interpreted as inclusive, i.e., including at least one, but also including more than one of a plurality or list elements, and optionally, other items not listed. Only explicitly stated terms, such as "only one" or "exactly one", or "consisting of..." as used in the claims, mean including exactly one of a plurality or list elements. In general, when preceded by an exclusive term, such as "either...", "one of...", "only one of...", or "exactly one of...", the term "or" as used herein should only be interpreted as indicating an exclusive option (i.e., "one or the other, but not both").

[0093] In the specification and claims herein, when referring to a list of one or more elements, the phrase "at least one" should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the list of elements, but does not necessarily include every specifically listed element in the at least one element list, and does not exclude combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that in addition to the elements in the list of elements specifically identified by the phrase "at least one", other elements may optionally be present, whether or not related to those specifically identified elements.

[0094] In the claims and the above description, all transitional phrases, such as "includes", "comprising", "carrying", "having", "containing", "involving", "supported by", "consisting of", etc., should be understood as open-ended, i.e., intended to include but not be limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

[0095] It should also be understood that, in any method claimed herein that includes one or more steps or actions, the order of the method steps or actions is not necessarily limited to the order of the method steps or actions described herein unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0096] Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims and other claims to which the applicant may be issued.

[0097] Although a number of inventive embodiments are described and illustrated herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art can easily foresee various other devices and / or structures for performing the functions described herein, and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more advantages described herein, and each such variation and / or modification is considered to fall within the scope of the inventive embodiments described herein. More generally, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are exemplary, and the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations depend on one or more specific applications to which the teachings of the present invention are applied. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using only routine experimental methods, many equivalents of the specific inventive embodiments described herein. Therefore, it should be understood that the above embodiments are presented only in an exemplary manner, and that, within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, the inventive embodiments may be practiced in other ways than those specifically described and claimed herein. The inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, toolbox, and / or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods (if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent) is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A force control clamping mechanism (100) for an oral care device, comprising: a first protrusion (102) having a first set of cleaning elements (114) attached to a side wall (108) of the first protrusion (102); a second protrusion (104), the second protrusion (104) having a second set of cleaning elements (116) attached to a side wall (110) of the second protrusion (104), wherein the side wall of the first protrusion (102) is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion (104), such that the first set of cleaning elements (114) extends from the side wall (108) of the first protrusion (102) toward the side wall (110) of the second protrusion (104), and the second set of cleaning elements (116) extends from the side wall (110) of the second protrusion (104) toward the side wall (108) of the first protrusion (102); and A spring system (106) is connected to the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104), and the spring system (106) is configured to enable a side wall (108) of the first protrusion (102) and a side wall (110) of the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other.

2. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) is configured to receive a foreign object (112) between a side wall of the first protrusion (102) and a side wall of the second protrusion (104) such that the first and second groups of cleaning elements contact the foreign object (112).

3. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 2, wherein: Receiving the foreign object (112) between the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104) causes displacement of the first and second groups of cleaning elements.

4. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 3, wherein: The displacement of the first and second groups of cleaning elements generates a force on the spring system (106) causing the first and second protrusions (102, 104) to move toward and / or away from each other.

5. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The side wall of the first protrusion (102) and the side wall of the second protrusion (104) are substantially parallel.

6. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 5, wherein: The spring system (106) is configured to enable the side walls of the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other while the side walls of the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104) remain substantially parallel.

7. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The force-controlled clamping mechanism (100) has a clamping value (C) between 30% and 70%, wherein BL is the length of the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements, w is the distance between the side wall of the first protrusion (102) and the side wall of the second protrusion (104), and T w is the thickness of the foreign object (112).

8. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The spring system (106) includes one or more elastic constant force mechanisms (1202, 1204, 1502).

9. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 8, wherein: The elastic constant force mechanism (1202, 1204) is also a bistable mechanism (1502).

10. The force controlled clamping mechanism (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The spring system (106) includes one or more constant force coil springs (1602).

11. A force-controlled toothbrush block (500), comprising: a block backing structure (502) and a force control clamping mechanism (100) operably connected to the backing structure; Wherein, the force control clamping mechanism (100) comprises: a first protrusion (102) having a first set of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the first protrusion (102); a second protrusion (104), the second protrusion (104) having a second set of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the second protrusion (104), wherein the side wall of the first protrusion (102) is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion (104), so that the first set of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the first protrusion (102) toward the side wall of the second protrusion (104), and the second set of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the second protrusion (104) toward the side wall of the first protrusion (102); A spring system (106) connects the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104) to the block backing structure, and the spring system (106) is configured to enable the side walls of the first protrusion (102) and the side walls of the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other.

12. The force-controlled toothbrush block (500) according to claim 11, wherein: The force control toothbrush block is configured to receive one or more teeth (112) between the sidewall of the first protrusion (102) and the sidewall of the second protrusion (104) so ​​that the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements contact the one or more teeth (112). wherein receiving the one or more teeth (112) causes displacement of the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements such that a force applied to the spring system (106) causes a side wall of the first protrusion (102) and a side wall of the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other, and Wherein, the side wall of the first protrusion (102) and the side wall of the second protrusion (104) remain substantially parallel.

13. An oral care device (514), comprising: at least one force control toothbrush block (500) secured to a flexible mouthpiece body (516), the flexible mouthpiece body (516) being configured to receive at least one area of ​​a set of teeth (112) of a subject when the flexible mouthpiece body is inserted into the subject's mouth; Wherein, each force-controlled toothbrushing block (500) comprises: a first protrusion (102) having a first set of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the first protrusion (102); a second protrusion (104), the second protrusion (104) having a second set of cleaning elements attached to a side wall of the second protrusion (104), wherein the side wall of the first protrusion (102) is opposite to the side wall of the second protrusion (104), so that the first set of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the first protrusion (102) toward the side wall of the second protrusion (104), and the second set of cleaning elements extends from the side wall of the second protrusion (104) toward the side wall of the first protrusion (102); a block backing structure; and A spring system (106) connects the first protrusion (102) and the second protrusion (104) to the block backing structure, and the spring system (106) is configured to enable the side walls of the first protrusion (102) and the side walls of the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other.

14. The oral care device (514) of claim 13, wherein: The oral care device (514) includes two or more force-controlled brushing blocks (500) secured to the flexible mouthpiece body (516).

15. The oral care device (514) of claim 13, wherein: Each force control toothbrush block (500) is configured to receive one or more teeth (112) between the side wall of the first protrusion (102) and the side wall of the second protrusion (104), so that the first group of cleaning elements and the second group of cleaning elements contact the one or more teeth (112), and the one or more teeth (112) are from the area of ​​the subject's set of teeth (112) received by the flexible mouthpiece body, and For each force-controlled brushing block: receiving the one or more teeth (112) within the region from a set of teeth (112) of the subject causes displacement of the first and second sets of cleaning elements such that a force applied to the spring system (106) causes a side wall of the first protrusion (102) and a side wall of the second protrusion (104) to move toward and / or away from each other, and The side wall of the first protrusion (102) remains substantially parallel to the side wall of the second protrusion (104).

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