Intraoral cleaning tool

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an intraoral cleaning tool which enables ultrasonic cavitation energy to reach a target site without being attenuated, thereby more effectively cleaning the inside of the oral cavity. An intraoral cleaning tool is provided with an ultrasonic oscillator (6) having an oscillator and a horn located at the output end of the oscillator, and a reflector (8) located at a position separated from the horn, the reflector (8) being configured to emit an ultrasonic wave when the ultrasonic wave is oscillated from the horn. A part or all of the ultrasonic waves are reflected in any direction by a reflecting surface (81) of the reflector (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an oral cleaning tool.

[0002] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-209866 filed in Japan on December 27, 2022, and the contents are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] In order to prevent oral diseases such as periodontal disease and caries, it is important to control dental plaque (tartar). For the purpose of more effective dental plaque removal, manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrushes that combine the shape of bristles, the planting style of bristle bundles, and vibration mechanisms have been proposed. However, for the adjacent surfaces, the plaque under the gum margin, and the fine colored dirt attached to the uneven tooth surface, there are cases where the bristle tips of the toothbrush do not fully play a role, and physical cleaning has its limits.

[0004] To address this problem, there is ultrasonic cavitation technology that causes tiny bubbles to burst in liquid and uses the shock waves to clean objects in a non-contact manner. Ultrasonic cavitation refers to the phenomenon that by applying ultrasound to water, the gas dissolved in the water undergoes a rapid pressure change, which in turn generates shock waves by crushing it.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an oral cleaning tool including a cleaning head having a solid cleaning agent, a handle, and a vibrating unit, and the solid cleaning agent is dispersed into the oral cavity while ultrasonic cavitation is generated by the vibrating unit.

[0006] Prior Art Literature Patent Literature Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2018 / 056734 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention However, ultrasound has the characteristic of traveling in a straight line. Therefore, if the oral cleaning tool is only held in the mouth, the ultrasonic energy generated from the oral cleaning tool acts in a direction different from the target teeth (object teeth) (for example, the throat direction), and there is a problem that the energy does not fully reach the object teeth. In order to improve the cleaning effect of the oral cleaning tool using ultrasonic cavitation, it is necessary to make the energy of ultrasonic cavitation reach the target part without attenuation.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an oral cleaning tool that can more effectively clean the oral cavity.

[0009] Technical solutions to solve problems The present invention has the following aspects.

[0010] <1> An oral cleaning tool comprising an ultrasonic oscillator and a reflector, The ultrasonic oscillator comprises a vibrator and a welding head located at the output end of the vibrator. The reflector is located at a position separated from the welding head, When ultrasonic waves are oscillated from the horn, part or all of the ultrasonic waves are reflected in an arbitrary direction by the reflecting surface of the reflector.

[0011] <2> The oral cleaning tool according to <1>, wherein the reflector is located in front of the horn in a direction from the vibrator toward the axis of the horn, When viewed from the front end in the direction of the axis, a part or all of the reflector overlaps with the welding head.

[0012] <3> The oral cleaning tool according to <2>, wherein a separation distance between the horn and the reflector in the direction of the axis is within 20 mm.

[0013] <4> The oral cleaning tool according to <2> or <3>, wherein an angle formed between the reflection surface and the axis is 30° to 89°.

[0014] <5> The oral cleaning tool according to any one of <2> to <4>, wherein the reflector overlaps the horn by 50% or more of an area of ​​the horn when viewed from the front end in the direction of the axis.

[0015] <6> The oral cleaning tool according to any one of <2> to <5>, wherein the oral cleaning tool has a cover body that integrally covers the horn and the reflector, The cover body opens in a direction inclined with respect to the axis.

[0016] <7> The oral cleaning tool according to any one of <2> to <6>, wherein a surface of the reflector facing the horn is mirror-finished.

[0017] <8> The oral cleaning tool according to any one of <1> to <8>, wherein the difference between the inherent acoustic impedance of the material constituting the reflecting surface and the inherent acoustic impedance of the liquid in the oral cavity is 30×10 6 N·s / cm 3 above.

[0018] Effects of the Invention The oral cleaning tool according to the present invention can clean the oral cavity more effectively. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] existFigure 1 middle, Figure 1 (a) is a front view of an oral cleaning tool according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 (b) is a side view of the oral cleaning tool according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 (a) II-II cross-sectional view.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of an ultrasonic oscillator according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the shape of the reflector.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the shape of the reflector.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the shape of the reflector.

[0025] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the shape of the reflector.

[0026] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram showing a reflector and an ultrasonic oscillator.

[0027] exist Fig. 9 middle, Fig. 9 (a) is a diagram showing a method for cleaning the side surface of a tooth. Fig. 9 (b) is a diagram showing a method for cleaning the occlusal surface of a tooth.

[0028] Fig.10 This is a diagram explaining how to clean teeth. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] (Oral cleaning tools) The oral cleaning tool of the present invention has an ultrasonic oscillator and a reflector. Hereinafter, an example of the oral cleaning tool of the present invention will be described.

[0030] Figure 1 The oral cleaning tool 1 has a long handle portion 2 and a head 4 located at the front end of the handle portion 2. The handle portion 2 has a grip portion 22 and a neck 24 extending from the front end of the grip portion 22. The head 4 is located at the front end of the neck 24.

[0031] The head 4 has a cover body 41. The cover body 41 has a cover body 41a and a cover mouth 41b protruding from the cover body 41a in the front direction. The cover mouth 41b is formed in a quadrangular tube shape surrounded by four wall portions. The cover mouth 41b has an opening 42 at its protruding end. In the present embodiment, the cover mouth 41b has an expanded diameter portion 43 that expands toward the opening 42 at a position close to the opening 42. The cover mouth 41b is not limited to a quadrangular tube shape, but may be a cylindrical shape, or may be a polygonal tube shape other than a quadrangular tube. In addition, the cover mouth 41b may not have the expanded diameter portion 43, and may expand from the base end (the boundary with the cover body 41a) toward the opening 42. Alternatively, the cover mouth 41b may be opened in the direction from the handle 2 toward the head 4 when viewed from the front. That is, the cover mouth 41b may also have a wall portion only in a direction orthogonal to the direction from the handle 2 toward the head 4.

[0032] The cover body 41 has the elastic body 44 at the periphery of the opening 42. That is, the cover mouth part 41b has the elastic body 44 at the protruding end.

[0033] The handle 2 is, for example, a cylindrical or prismatic molded article. The raw material of the handle 2 may be, for example, resin, metal, etc. Examples of the resin include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene; polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate; polyacetal; acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS), etc.

[0034] A covering portion of an elastic body may be provided on the grip portion 22. Examples of the elastic body include olefin-based elastomers, styrene-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, and polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0035] The cover body 41a is a housing having a rectangular parallelepiped appearance. The material of the cover body 41a may be the same as or different from the material of the handle 2.

[0036] The material constituting the inner surface of the mask mouth portion 41b is preferably the same material as the material constituting the reflective surface 81 described later. If the inner surface of the mask mouth portion 41b is constituted by this material, the ultrasonic wave oscillated from the ultrasonic oscillator 6 can be propagated from the opening 42 to the oral cavity without attenuation. For example, the ultrasonic wave that collides with the cleaning target surface and is reflected is reflected toward the cleaning target surface by the inner surface of the enlarged diameter portion 43 of the mask mouth portion 41b. Therefore, the oral cavity can be cleaned more efficiently.

[0037] Examples of the material of the elastic body 44 include silicone resins, olefin-based elastomers, styrene-based elastomers, polyester-based elastomers, and polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers.

[0038] The length L1 of the oral cleaning tool 1 (the length from the rear end of the handle 2 to the front end of the head 4 ) is, for example, 50 mm to 200 mm.

[0039] The length L4 of the head 4 (the length from the boundary with the neck 24 to the front end) is, for example, 10 mm to 30 mm.

[0040] The width W4 of the head portion 4 in a front view is, for example, 5 mm to 25 mm.

[0041] The thickness T4 of the head portion 4 in a side view is, for example, 10 mm to 20 mm.

[0042] In a front view, the length L42 of the opening 42 (the length in the direction from the rear end toward the front end of the intraoral cleaning tool 1 ) is, for example, 5 mm to 25 mm.

[0043] The width W42 of the opening 42 in the front view is, for example, 5 mm to 20 mm.

[0044] The size of the opening 42 is preferably such that the opening 42 covers only the teeth when cleaning the oral cavity. Fig.10 The size of the opening 42 will be described. Fig.10 FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the cover body 41 of the head 4, showing a state in which the opening 42 is in contact with the side surface of the tooth. Fig.10 In the state where the teeth are meshed, the elastic body 44 contacts the boundary 102a between the upper teeth 100a and the gums 110a and the boundary 102b between the lower teeth 100b and the gums 110b. By setting the size of the opening 42 so that the elastic body 44 contacts the boundaries 102a and 102b, the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the opening 42 can be more effectively transmitted to the teeth, and the teeth can be cleaned more effectively. That is, by making the size of the opening 42 smaller than the distance between the boundaries 102a and 102b, the teeth can be cleaned more effectively.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the oral cleaning tool 1 has an ultrasonic oscillator 6 at a position near the head 4 in the neck 24. Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasonic oscillator 6 has a vibrator 63 and a horn 66 .

[0046] The oral cleaning tool 1 has a reflector 8 in the cover 41 of the head 4. The ultrasonic oscillator 6 and the reflector 8 are separated in the direction of the axis O1, and the front end (output end) 61 of the ultrasonic oscillator 6 is opposite to the reflection surface 81 (the surface facing the ultrasonic oscillator 6) of the reflector 8. That is, the reflector 8 is located in front of the horn 66 in the direction of the axis O1 from the vibrator 63 to the horn 66.

[0047] In the present embodiment, the axis O1 coincides with the traveling direction of the ultrasonic wave oscillated from the front end 61 of the ultrasonic oscillator 6 .

[0048] The reflector 8 and the welding head 66 are in the above-mentioned positional relationship, so when viewed from the front end of the axis O1 (that is, from Figure 1 When viewed in the X direction), the reflector 8 overlaps partly or entirely with the welding head 66.

[0049] When viewed from the X direction, the degree of overlap of the reflector 8 on the horn 66 is preferably 50% or more of the area of ​​the horn 66, more preferably 70% or more, and even more preferably 100%. If the degree of overlap is greater than the above lower limit, more ultrasonic waves can be reflected, and the oral cavity can be cleaned more effectively. In addition, when viewed from the X direction, the reflector 8 preferably overlaps with the area including the center of the end face of the horn 66.

[0050] The oral cleaning tool 1 has an oscillator (not shown) inside or outside the handle 2. The oscillator is connected to the ultrasonic oscillator 6, a power source (not shown) and a switch (not shown). The power source can be an external power source or an internal power source (battery, etc.). The switch can be set on the handle 2 or on the oscillator.

[0051] In the present invention, the vibrator 63 may be of either an electrostrictive type or a magnetostrictive type. The vibrator 63 will be described by taking an electrostrictive vibrator as an example.

[0052] The vibrator 63 includes a metal block 62 and a piezoelectric element 64. The piezoelectric element 64 is located at one end surface of the metal block 62. In the present embodiment, the metal block 62 and the piezoelectric element 64 are both cylindrical. However, the shapes of the metal block 62 and the piezoelectric element 64 are not limited to cylindrical, and may also be polygonal cylindrical.

[0053] The horn 66 is located on the end surface (the surface opposite to the metal block 62) of the piezoelectric element 64. That is, the ultrasonic oscillator 6 is sequentially arranged with the metal block 62, the piezoelectric element 64, and the horn 66. The metal block 62, the piezoelectric element 64, and the horn 66 are integrally connected by bolts 68 inserted into their interiors. In the ultrasonic oscillator 6, the front end of the head 4 side of the horn 66 becomes the front end 61 of the ultrasonic oscillator 6.

[0054] The ultrasonic oscillator 6 of this embodiment is a method of sandwiching a piezoelectric element 64 between a metal block 62 and a horn 66, but the ultrasonic oscillator 6 is not limited to this. For example, a piezoelectric element 64 may be sandwiched between two metal blocks 62 as a vibrator 63, and a horn 66 may be located at one end surface of the vibrator 63.

[0055] The size of the ultrasonic oscillator 6 can be appropriately determined in consideration of the size of the handle 2 and the like.

[0056] The welding tip 66 may be in a columnar shape with the same thickness from the rear end to the front end 61 , or may be in a shape that becomes partially or entirely thinner from the rear end toward the front end 61 .

[0057] Examples of the shape of the cross section (a cross section perpendicular to the axis O1 ) of the welding head 66 include a perfect circle, an ellipse, a flat shape, and a polygonal shape.

[0058] The raw material of the piezoelectric element 64 is, for example, a piezoelectric material such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT).

[0059] The material of the metal block 62 is, for example, an alloy containing aluminum as a main component (aluminum alloy), ceramics, etc. As the aluminum alloy, for example, duralumin can be exemplified.

[0060] The material of the horn 66 is a metal having high ultrasonic wave propagation efficiency and high strength. Examples of the material of the horn 66 include 64 titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) and stainless steel (SUS304).

[0061] The raw material of the bolt 68 is the same as the raw material of the welding head 66. The raw material of the bolt 68 and the raw material of the welding head 66 can be the same or different.

[0062] The reflector 8 faces the front end 61 of the welding head 66 and the opening 42 .

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , the shape of the reflection surface 81 of the reflector 8 is a flat surface. Thus, the ultrasonic wave S oscillated from the tip 61 is reflected in an arbitrary direction (in the present embodiment, in the direction of the opening 42 ).

[0064] The shape of the reflection surface 81 is not limited to a flat surface.

[0065] like Figure 5 Like the reflector 8a of the ultrasonic oscillator 6, the reflecting surface 81b may be a concave surface that is recessed relative to the ultrasonic oscillator 6. If the reflecting surface 81b is a concave surface, the ultrasonic wave S oscillated from the front end 61 is reflected and focused on the focal point P1.

[0066] In addition, if Figure 6 Like the reflector 8b of FIG. 81 , it may be a convex surface formed by combining two or more planes and protruding relative to the ultrasonic oscillator 6. If the reflecting surface 81b is a convex surface formed by combining planes, the ultrasonic wave S can be propagated in various directions in the oral cavity.

[0067] Furthermore, if Figure 7 The reflecting surface 81c may be a shape that is bent in a zigzag manner when viewed from the side, like the reflecting body 8c of the oral cavity. If the reflecting surface 81c is a shape that is bent in a zigzag manner, the ultrasonic wave S can be propagated in various directions in the oral cavity.

[0068] If the reflecting surface is concave as described above, the action range becomes narrower, but the ultrasonic wave S is concentrated, and the cleaning effect is improved. If the reflecting surface is convex as described above, the ultrasonic wave S is diffused, the action range becomes wider, but the cleaning effect is reduced.

[0069] like Figure 8 As shown, the separation distance L8 between the front end 61 of the ultrasonic oscillator 6 and the reflector 8 is preferably 20 mm or less, and more preferably 15 mm or less. If the separation distance L8 is below the above upper limit, the attenuation of the ultrasonic wave S is suppressed, and the cleaning effect is further improved. The lower limit of the separation distance L8 is not particularly limited, and is substantially 3 mm or more.

[0070] The separation distance L8 is the maximum distance between the front end 61 and the reflection surface 81 in the direction of the axis O1.

[0071] The inclination angle between the axis O1 and the reflecting surface 81 is θ 1 is preferably 30° to 89°, more preferably 15° to 30°.

[0072] When the reflecting surface 81 is a convex or concave surface, the inclination angle θ 1 is an angle formed by a straight line connecting both ends of the reflecting surface in a side view and the axis O1.

[0073] Preferred materials for forming the reflection surface 81 include metals such as aluminum and stainless steel.

[0074] When the oral cleaning tool 1 is used to clean the oral cavity, liquid (oral fluid) exists at least between the tip 61, the reflection surface 81, and the cleaning target surface (teeth). The difference between the inherent acoustic impedance of the material constituting the reflection surface 81 and the inherent acoustic impedance of the oral fluid is preferably 30×10 6 N·s / cm 3 More preferably, 35 N·s / cm 3 More preferably, 40 N·s / cm 3 For example, when the oral fluid is water (intrinsic acoustic impedance = 1.5 N·s / cm 3 ) In the case of a quartz crystal structure, stainless steel (specific acoustic impedance = 15.7 N·s / cm) can be selected as the material constituting the reflective surface 81. 3 ).

[0075] When the oral fluid is an aqueous solution, the difference may be calculated using the numerical value of the specific acoustic impedance of water.

[0076] The reflecting surface 81 is preferably mirror-finished. By mirror-finishing the reflecting surface 81, it is possible to prevent the ultrasonic waves S from being diffused, thereby further improving the cleaning effect.

[0077] The surface roughness Ra of the reflective surface 81 is preferably less than 200 μ m, more preferably less than 100 μ m. The surface roughness Ra is a value measured in accordance with JIS B601:1994.

[0078] (Oral cleaning method) An example of a method for cleaning the oral cavity using the oral cavity cleaning tool 1 will be described.

[0079] Fig. 9 The figure schematically shows the method of cleaning the oral cavity.

[0080] First, the oral cavity is filled with oral fluid. Examples of oral fluid include water such as tap water and distilled water; aqueous solutions containing bactericides and surfactants, etc. It should be noted that the oral fluid may be contained in the oral cavity before the oral cleaning begins, or a supply source of the oral fluid may be inserted into the oral cavity together with the oral cleaning tool 1. Examples of the supply source of the oral fluid include a tube connected to a storage tank of the oral fluid via a pump, etc.

[0081] Insert the head 4 of the oral cleaning tool 1 into the oral cavity with the opening 42 facing the cleaning target surface (teeth). When cleaning the side of the tooth 100, the opening 42 is facing the side of the tooth 100 ( Fig. 9 (a)). When cleaning the occlusal surface of the tooth 100, the opening 42 is directed toward the occlusal surface of the tooth 100 ( Fig. 9 (b)). At this time, the peripheral edge of the opening 42 is brought into contact with the surface to be cleaned, so that the oral fluid 90 is present in the cover 41 of the head 4 ( Fig.10 ).

[0082] The amount of the oral fluid 90 in the cover 41 is preferably such an amount that fills the cover 41. The smaller the air layer in the cover 41, the lower the attenuation of ultrasonic waves can be.

[0083] In a state where the space between the front end 61, the reflecting surface 81 and the cleaning object surface is filled with oral fluid, the switch of the oral cleaning tool 1 is turned on. If the switch is turned on and power is supplied to the oscillator, the oscillator supplies high-frequency power to the vibrator 63. If the piezoelectric element 64 of the vibrator 63 receives high-frequency power, it will expand and contract along the axis O1 direction to convert the high-frequency power into ultrasonic vibration. The converted ultrasonic vibration is transmitted in the welding head 66 and oscillates from the front end 61 toward the reflector 8 as an ultrasonic wave. The oscillated ultrasonic wave is reflected by the reflecting surface 81 of the reflector 8 and changes the direction of travel, and propagates in the oral fluid from the opening 42 toward the cleaning object surface. At this time, the ultrasonic wave causes the pressure of the dissolved gas in the oral fluid to change, and generates a shock wave (cavitation) by crushing. Through this shock wave, the dental plaque attached to the teeth is peeled off and crushed, thereby cleaning the oral cavity.

[0084] The operating frequency during oral cleaning is preferably 20kHz to 20MHz, more preferably 30kHz to 500kHz. If the operating frequency is within the above range, cavitation can be more effectively generated and the oral cavity can be cleaned more effectively. The operating frequency is 40kHz to 100kHz.

[0085] (Mechanism of Action) Ultrasonic waves travel in a straight line, and therefore propagate in the direction in which the long side of the ultrasonic oscillator (the stacking direction of the metal block and the piezoelectric element) extends. Therefore, if only the ultrasonic oscillator is provided in the long strip-shaped handle, the ultrasonic wave oscillates and propagates in the length direction of the handle, and it is difficult to propagate the ultrasonic wave toward all surfaces of the teeth in the oral cavity.

[0086] As described above, according to the oral cleaning tool of this embodiment, since the reflector is provided, the propagation direction of the ultrasonic wave is changed by the reflector, so that the ultrasonic wave can be propagated toward all surfaces of the tooth, such as the occlusal surface and the side surfaces, to clean the tooth.

[0087] (Other Implementations) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the head has a cover, but the present invention is not limited thereto and may not have a cover. However, it is preferable to have a cover because the ultrasonic wave propagation path (the horn tip, the reflector, and the cleaning target surface) is filled with oral fluid.

[0088] The oral cleaning tool of the present invention may be a tool in which the shape and angle of the reflector can be arbitrarily changed by the user. In addition, the oral cleaning tool of the present invention may also automatically change the shape and angle of the reflector according to the use time and the like.

[0089] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the elongated handle portion is provided, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the elongated handle portion may not be provided.

[0090] Explanation of symbols 1 Oral cleaning tools 2 handle 4 Head 6 Ultrasonic oscillator 8, 8a, 8b, 8c Reflector 41. Cover 42 Opening 63 Vibrator 66 welding head 81, 81a, 81b, 81c Reflective surface O1 axis.

Claims

1. An oral cleaning tool, comprising an ultrasonic oscillator and a reflector, The ultrasonic oscillator comprises a vibrator and a welding head located at the output end of the vibrator. The reflector is located at a position separated from the welding head, When ultrasonic waves are oscillated from the horn, part or all of the ultrasonic waves are reflected in an arbitrary direction by the reflecting surface of the reflector.

2. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein: The reflector is located in front of the welding head in the direction from the vibrator toward the axis of the welding head. When viewed from the front end in the direction of the axis, a part or all of the reflector overlaps with the welding head.

3. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein: The separation distance between the welding head and the reflector in the direction of the axis is within 20 mm.

4. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein: The angle formed by the reflecting surface and the axis is 30° to 89°.

5. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein: When viewed from the front end in the direction of the axis, the reflector overlaps the welding head by 50% or more of the area of ​​the welding head.

6. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein: The oral cleaning tool has a cover body that integrally covers the welding head and the reflector. The cover body opens in a direction inclined with respect to the axis.

7. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 2, wherein: A surface of the reflector facing the welding head is mirror-finished.

8. The oral cleaning tool according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The difference between the intrinsic acoustic impedance of the material constituting the reflecting surface and the intrinsic acoustic impedance of the liquid in the oral cavity is 30×10 6 N·s / cm 3 above.

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