Oral care device

Abstract

A mouthpiece device for oral cleaning has a dedicated mechanical structure (referred to as an anchoring member) for providing a support on which a user is able to securely hold its jaw in order to anchor a non-moving portion of the mouthpiece to a reference frame of the jaw, such that a moving portion of the mouthpiece (carrying cleaning elements) moves in a substantially predictable manner relative to the upper and lower rows of teeth. The anchoring member is mechanically supported in such a manner that the anchoring member is movable in a transverse direction (i.e., in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the mouthpiece) relative to the portion of the mouthpiece carrying the cleaning element, so as to allow, in use, the mouthpiece portion to move laterally in the mouth to reach all teeth.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of oral care devices, in particular to the field of oral care devices comprising a mouthwash portion. Background Art

[0002] Oral scrubbing devices are expected to disrupt the electric toothbrush market in the future. They have the potential to scrub faster, more consistently, and more thoroughly than a toothbrush. Challenges remain in developing such devices, such as providing a device that is comfortable and practical to use and structurally efficient enough to be affordable to the end user.

[0003] Developments in this area are widely sought.

[0004] The various elements of a dental cleaning mouthpiece are designed to move during operation, particularly the movement of the cleaning elements relative to the teeth. In practice, the elements will move relative to the most rigid point in the device-mouth system during operation. 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, so all movement will be in an upward direction only.

[0005] In an ideal scenario, the user holds the handle of the device firmly steady while avoiding biting the mouthpiece portion. In this case, the mouthpiece "floats" between the upper and lower jaws. In this case, the cleaning element performs up and down motions in both directions (up and down) relative to the body of the device. In principle, this scenario would allow for a proper brushing motion relative to the lower jaw. However, in practice, it is difficult for the user to hold the device steady enough and not let it rest on one of the jaws.

[0006] More commonly, it has been found that users typically allow the mouthpiece to rest on the lower jaw or upper jaw, particularly allowing the lower or upper row of teeth to rest on the base of the lower or upper channel of the mouthpiece. In this case, the drive motion is hindered so that only one row of teeth is exposed to the movement of the cleaning element.

[0007] US2021 / 315676 A1 discloses a dental care device customized for a specific user, comprising: a support plate having: a first portion configured to be inserted into the oral cavity; and an attachment mechanism configured to attach the dental care device to a drive assembly; and an elastomeric (elastic polymer) portion surrounding the first portion of the plate, the elastomeric portion comprising a plurality of cleaning tips and being shaped according to the dental details of the specific user. Summary of the invention

[0008] The inventors have recognised that whilst user handling may affect the anchoring points of the brushing device, design choices can be made to guide anchoring in a manner that does not cause strain on the user's arm whilst achieving correct relative movement.

[0009] In particular, the inventors have recognised that providing a dedicated anchoring member that a user can hold firmly to a portion of their mouth during use of the oral device can provide a rigid anchoring for the device whereby movement of the cleaning elements is unimpeded and the user does not experience strain as the user's arm rests during use.

[0010] For example, one design devised by the inventors is a bite block that is arranged for the user to bite with the teeth and in which the body of the mouthpiece carrying the moving cleaning elements can move relative to the bite block. The bite block anchors the positioning of the mouthpiece in a comfortable manner, allowing the cleaning elements to move freely. Since the motor is rigidly grounded between the teeth, the transmission of the brushing motion is more efficient and the motion is easy and natural for the user because the jaw can deliver much higher forces than the hands can deliver.

[0011] In developing this design, the inventors identified new challenges to optimize performance. One of these is as follows.

[0012] In a typical non-customized mouthpiece, the mouthpiece portion is undersized relative to the typical mouth, which can be very uncomfortable in the back of the mouth.

[0013] exist Figure 1 An example non-customizable mouthpiece known in the art is shown in photographic representation (left) and schematic line representation (right). This does not include the new anchoring member designed by the inventor and is undersized. The device includes a handle portion 10 and a mouthpiece portion 12. The mouthpiece portion carries an arrangement of cleaning elements 20, such as elastomeric bristles. The mouthpiece portion forms an arched profile 30 for following the contours of the user's teeth, and the mouthpiece portion defines a tooth receiving channel 16, in which the teeth are located during use and are brushed by the cleaning elements. Both rows of teeth may have upper and lower channels.

[0014] The way the device is operated is that, due to its small size, the user must move the mouthpiece laterally in either direction in order to reach the back molars.

[0015] The inventors have recognized that this need for lateral / transverse movement leads to an undesirable situation where the anchor member (e.g., bite block) needs to be released by the user when the new anchor member design is used. Upon release, the grounding function is lost, reducing the cleaning effect when moving. Additionally, it is unclear to the user when the anchor is grounded and when it is moved, which complicates the technique of using such a mouthpiece. This is highly undesirable, as the main advantage of a mouthpiece over a toothbrush is that it ensures excellent ease of use.

[0016] After identifying this problem, the inventors devised a solution, which is described herein.

[0017] The invention is defined by the claims.

[0018] According to an example according to one aspect of the present invention, an oral care device is provided. The oral care device includes a mouthpiece portion for at least partially receiving in a user's oral cavity. The body of the mouthpiece portion forms an arched profile for generally following at least a portion of the profile of the user's dental arch. The mouthpiece portion carries a collection of oral cleaning elements for mechanically engaging with the teeth during operation. For example, these may extend / upright from a surface of the mouthpiece portion body.

[0019] The device also includes a second part coupled to the mouthpiece part. For example, the second part may be a handle part, but this is not required in all cases.

[0020] The device further comprises an actuation mechanism for actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the second portion and actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the teeth when the mouthpiece portion is received in the oral cavity.In a preferred embodiment, the actuation mechanism may be configured to generate a cyclic motion.

[0021] When the mouthpiece portion is received in the oral cavity for normal use, the device also includes an anchoring member engageable by a portion of the user's oral cavity for holding the anchoring member in place relative to the jaw. For example, this may be a bite block for the user to bite, but this is not required in all cases.

[0022] The anchor member is mechanically coupled to the second portion via an anchor member coupling.

[0023] The anchor member coupling is such as to allow relative movement between the anchor member and the mouth piece portion in at least a first direction, the first direction being transverse to the direction of movement of the cleaning element.

[0024] Therefore, the oral piece of the present invention proposes using a connecting portion to connect the anchoring member to a second part of the oral piece (such as a handle or a motor in the handle), which connecting portion is rigid in the direction of brushing movement but movable in the positioning adjustment direction required to reach the entire dental arch, such as lateral movement within the mouth.

[0025] The mouthpiece portion may be independently connected to the second portion 10 via its own coupling.

[0026] It is noted that the above-mentioned at least first direction in which the anchoring member coupling allows the anchoring member to move relative to the mouthpiece portion can define a curved path. Thus, in some examples, the direction can be a direction defined by a non-linear path. Thus, more generally, it can be said that the anchoring member coupling allows relative movement between the anchoring member and the mouthpiece portion along at least a first direction or first motion path, wherein the direction or motion path is generally transverse to the direction of movement of the cleaning element.

[0027] The anchoring member may be such that the cleaning element is movable relative to the anchoring member when held by the portion of the user's mouth in normal operation, and the actuation mechanism may be operable to move the cleaning element relative to both the upper and lower jaws simultaneously.

[0028] Preferably, the anchor member coupling is further such as to at least partially prevent (eg inhibit or resist or counteract) relative movement between the anchor member and the mouth piece portion in a second direction, the second direction being substantially parallel to the direction of movement.

[0029] By preferably further preventing relative movement between the anchoring member and the mouthpiece portion in a second direction (which is the direction of movement of the cleaning element), this avoids the cleaning element movement being counteracted or absorbed by movement of the anchoring member. If the anchoring member can move in the same direction as the driving force on the cleaning element, this may result in the anchoring member simply moving to absorb the movement, and the cleaning element effectively remaining stationary relative to the moving anchoring member. The anchoring member only needs to be able to move transversely to the direction of movement, not along the direction of movement.

[0030] In some embodiments, the second part is used to remain outside the oral cavity during use when the mouthpiece part is received in the oral cavity. As already mentioned, it may be a handle part that the user holds during use. However, in a hands-free device, it may just be a second body part that, for example, houses a drive unit for driving the movement. In the context of the present invention, the second part may also be the drive unit itself, which will be explained later by way of example.

[0031] In some embodiments, the anchoring member coupling is rigid in the second direction (direction of cleaning element actuation) and flexible or pivotable in the first direction (transverse to the cleaning element actuation direction). This is one way to promote the twinning effect already introduced above.

[0032] In some embodiments, the arcuate profile defined by the body of the mouth piece portion lies in a plane, and wherein the first direction is parallel to the plane. When the mouth piece portion is received in the oral cavity, it is expected that this will be the mesio-distal direction such that the accommodated relative movement allows the mouth piece portion to be advantageously moved laterally in the oral cavity without releasing the anchoring member so that the posterior molars can be reached.

[0033] As already mentioned, in some embodiments the anchoring member is intended to be bitten by the user, for example it forms a bite block. However, this is not the only possibility. It can also be designed for the user to rest a part of their mouth or gums on it for anchoring, or even rest an external part of their mouth or face on it. In some cases, it can be designed to be held between the lips, rather than being bitten.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first direction is oriented so that when the mouthpiece portion is received in the oral cavity for normal use, it is generally perpendicular to the vertical axis extending between the maxilla and the mandible. In other words, parallel to the plane of the mouthpiece. In other words, and as already suggested, the first direction may actually be a lateral direction. It may be a mesial-distal-mesial direction in operation.

[0035] In some embodiments, the first direction can partially follow the arcuate profile of the mouthpiece portion, so that the adaptive movement of the anchoring member relative to the mouthpiece portion follows a path that is at least partially arcuate. This allows the mouthpiece body to perform partial rotational movement around the anchoring member. As will be explained, this can be achieved by a pivotal or articulated connection between the anchoring member and the second portion.

[0036] As already mentioned, in some embodiments the second portion may be a handle portion of the oral care device, wherein the handle portion houses a drive unit of the actuation mechanism for generating a driving force for the movement.

[0037] In some embodiments, the anchoring member coupling described above may comprise a connecting element extending from the anchoring member to the drive unit or from the anchoring member to the housing of the second part. This may be formed from one or more parts.

[0038] In some embodiments, the connecting element of the anchoring member coupling comprises at least a portion formed from a flexible sheet element having a plane oriented parallel to the second direction (which is the direction of movement of the cleaning element) and a normal to the plane oriented parallel to the first direction (substantially transverse to the direction of movement of the cleaning element). The sheet element is a structurally efficient way of providing a coupling that allows movement in only a single direction (the direction normal to the plane of the sheet) while being rigid to movement in any direction orthogonal to the normal (i.e., any direction parallel to the plane).

[0039] In some embodiments, the connecting element of the anchoring member coupling comprises a sheet element having a portion of a reduced thickness section midway between the second portion and the anchoring member, the reduced thickness section defining a preferential bending line of the sheet element, the preferential bending line being perpendicular to the first direction. This is another efficient variation of the above arrangement.

[0040] In some embodiments, the connecting element of the anchoring member coupling comprises a non-flexible element, and wherein the connecting element is connected to the anchoring member via a pivotable joint, or to the second part or the drive unit by a pivotable joint, such as a hinge joint that only allows rotational movement along a unidirectional axis. This is another structurally efficient way to achieve the desired twinning effect, i.e., accommodating relative movement of the anchoring members in a first direction, but not substantially in a second direction.

[0041] In some embodiments, the connecting element of the anchor member coupler extends from an outer surface of the anchor member.

[0042] However, in other envisaged embodiments, the connecting element of the anchor member coupling extends from a connection point inside the anchor member, and preferably wherein the anchor member comprises a hollow lumen for accommodating the connecting element. The connection point inside the anchor member may define, for example, a pivotable joint.

[0043] As will become clearer by reference to the figures later herein, the connecting element may be arranged to extend through at least one hole formed in (eg a wall of) the mouthpiece portion at a position facing the second portion.

[0044] For example, the mouthpiece portion may define a tooth receiving channel. The anchoring member may be supported within the tooth receiving channel. The at least one aperture may be formed by a wall that partially defines the tooth receiving channel. The at least one aperture may be sized and positioned to allow an anchoring member coupler connection element to pass through the aperture to connect to the anchoring member within the tooth receiving channel.

[0045] In some embodiments, the width through the hole in at least one direction is greater than the width of the connecting element extending through the hole, so that the hole defines a clearance region around the connecting element extending through it, allowing the connecting element to move laterally within the hole. This provides structural accommodation for movement of the anchoring member via pivotal movement of the connecting element.

[0046] In some embodiments, the device may additionally include a drive coupling that mechanically couples the driving force of the drive unit to the body of the oral piece portion that carries the cleaning element to drive the movement of the cleaning element, and this may also include a connecting element. In the present disclosure, the connecting element of the anchoring member coupling may be referred to as a first connecting element, and the connecting element of the drive coupling may be referred to as a second connecting element.

[0047] In some embodiments, the second connection element extends coaxially with respect to the first connection element. This provides a structurally efficient way to accommodate two connection elements.

[0048] In some embodiments, the first connecting element extends coaxially within an internal passage defined by the second connecting element; or the second connecting element extends coaxially within an internal passage defined by the first connecting element.

[0049] In some embodiments, the first connecting element comprises a pair of arms extending in a direction between the anchoring member and the second portion, the arms being spaced apart by a spacing, and wherein the second connecting element extends co-directionally with the first connecting element across the spacing.

[0050] In some embodiments, the drive unit may include an electric motor. In other embodiments, the actuation mechanism may be a pneumatic actuation mechanism, wherein the drive unit is a fluid pump.

[0051] 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

[0052] For a better understanding of the invention, and in order to more clearly show how the invention may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0053] Figure 1 A mouthpiece device known in the art is shown;

[0054] Figure 2 Another schematic diagram of a mouthpiece device known in the art is shown;

[0055] Figures 3 to 5 A view showing a collection of oral device devices according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figures 6 to 9 A view showing a collection of oral device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figures 10 to 11 A view showing a set of oral device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0058] Figures 12 to 14 A view showing a collection of mouthpiece devices according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] It should be understood that in indicating exemplary embodiments of the apparatus, system and method, the detailed description and specific examples are intended to be used for illustration 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 through the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are only schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to indicate the same or similar parts.

[0061] The present invention provides an oral piece device for oral cleaning, which has a dedicated mechanical structure (referred to as an anchoring member) to provide a support member on which a user can securely hold his jaw so as to anchor the non-moving portion of the oral piece to the reference frame of the jaw so that the moving portion of the oral piece (carrying cleaning elements) moves in a generally predictable manner relative to the upper and lower rows of teeth. The anchoring member is mechanically supported so that it is movable in a transverse direction (i.e., in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the oral piece) relative to the portion of the oral piece that carries the cleaning elements so as to allow the oral piece portion to move laterally in the mouth to reach all teeth during use.

[0062] The way to operate a conventional mouthpiece is that the user moves the mouthpiece sideways to reach the posterior molars. When using an anchoring member such as a bite block, this need for lateral movement leads to the undesirable situation of needing to release the bite block. After release, the grounding function is lost, reducing the cleaning effect during movement. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention provide for accommodating the relative movement of the anchoring member to allow the mouthpiece to partially reach all teeth without the user having to release the anchoring member.

[0063] Figure 1 The structure of a mouthpiece device 8 known in the art is shown, and its components have been described previously herein and therefore will not be repeated in detail.

[0064] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 Yet another (side cross-sectional) view of the mouthpiece device depicted.

[0065] In summary, the device includes a mouthpiece portion 12 for at least partially receiving in the user's mouth. The body of the mouthpiece portion forms an arched profile 30 for generally following the profile of the user's dental arch. The mouthpiece portion 12 carries a collection of oral cleaning elements 20 for mechanical engagement with the teeth during operation. The device also includes a second portion 10 coupled to the mouthpiece portion. This forms a handle portion in the illustrated example.

[0066] The device comprises an actuation mechanism for actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the second portion and, when the mouthpiece portion is received in the oral cavity, actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the teeth (preferably cyclical movement, such as alternating movement, such as periodic movement). Figure 2 The coordinate axes shown (and used consistently in this disclosure) are in the z-direction. The actuation mechanism comprises a drive unit 24 for generating an actuation drive force and a drive coupling 22 which mechanically couples the drive force to the mouthpiece portion 12 carrying the cleaning element 20 to provide movement thereof.

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown, the mouthpiece portion may define a tooth receiving channel 16 in which the teeth are located during operation and brushed by the cleaning elements. Both rows of teeth may have upper and lower channels.

[0068] Figures 3 to 5 An example mouthpiece according to at least a first set of embodiments is illustrated.

[0069] In order to assist in understanding the present disclosure, the basic features of the apparatus according to all embodiments of the present invention will first be outlined in general form. For convenience, these will be referred to as Figures 3 to 5 This is described illustratively, but is equally applicable to all other embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0070] One aspect of the present invention is an oral care device 8. The device includes a mouthpiece portion 12 for at least partially receiving in the user's oral cavity. The body of the mouthpiece portion forms an arched profile 30 for generally following the contour of the user's dental arch. The mouthpiece portion 12 carries a collection of oral cleaning elements 20 for mechanical engagement with the teeth during operation. For example, these include protruding elongated elements. For example, these include bristles or bristle-like elements. They can be elastomeric, such as silicon bristle-like elements in some examples.

[0071] The device 8 also includes a second part 10 connected to the oral piece part 12. For example, this can form a handle part. For example, the second part can be a handle part, and wherein the handle part accommodates a drive unit 24 of an actuation mechanism to generate a driving force for the movement of the cleaning elements. The actuation mechanism is used to actuate the movement of the cleaning elements 20 relative to the second part 10, and to actuate the movement of the cleaning elements relative to the teeth when the oral piece part is received in the oral cavity. In some embodiments, it can be used to actuate a cyclical movement, such as an alternating movement, such as a periodic movement. In some embodiments, the movement can be a vibrating movement. Use Figure 2The coordinate axes shown are in the z-direction. The drive unit 24 is used to generate the actuation drive force. The drive coupling 22 mechanically couples the drive force to the mouthpiece portion 12 carrying the cleaning element 20 to provide the movement thereof.

[0072] The device also includes an anchor member 32 engageable by a portion of a user's mouth for holding the anchor member in place relative to the jaw when the mouth piece portion 12 is received in the mouth for normal use.

[0073] The anchoring member 32 is mechanically coupled to the second portion 10 of the device via an anchoring member coupling 36 .

[0074] The anchor member coupling 36 allows relative movement between the anchor member 32 and the mouth piece portion 12 in at least a first direction that is transverse to the actuation movement direction of the cleaning element 20. In the illustrated example, the first direction is the direction illustrated by arrow 33. Figure 4 The coordinate axes shown in the figure are a direction in the xy plane, such as along the x direction, or, for example, along the arcuate path in the xy plane. This is also the plane including the arcuate profile 30 defined by the main body of the oral piece portion. In this example, the first direction 33 is oriented so that when the oral piece portion 12 is received in the oral cavity for normal use, it is roughly perpendicular to the vertical axis (Z) extending between the maxilla and the mandible. As mentioned, the first direction 33 can generally be a direction along any path, whether linear or curved, which is generally transverse to the actuation motion direction of the cleaning element. For example, if the anchoring member coupling is defined by a pivot or hinge (examples will be described below), the movement will generally be along a curved path in a plane transverse to the line of motion of the cleaning element. In fact, in some cases, it may be preferred to allow movement along the first direction defining the curve, because the oral piece and the dentition also roughly define the curved shape / contour. However, a curved path is not necessary for the present invention.

[0075] The above-summarized concept of the present invention will now be described by illustrating the present invention. Figures 3 to 5 Features of an example implementation of a device of the illustrated particular set of embodiments. It is to be understood that not all features of the illustrated particular set of embodiments are essential to the inventive concept and are described to aid understanding and provide examples to illustrate the inventive concept.

[0076] In the example shown, the anchoring member 32 is intended to be bitten by a user. It forms a bite block.

[0077] In the illustrated example, the bite block is positioned within the tooth receiving channel 16 of the mouthpiece portion 12 so that it is accessible to the user's teeth.

[0078] Preferably, the anchor member coupling 36 is also configured such that relative movement between the anchor member 32 and the mouth piece portion 12 in a second direction is at least partially prevented, the second direction being substantially parallel to the actuation movement direction of the cleaning element 20. In the illustrated example, the (second) direction is a direction in the zy plane (using Figures 3 to 6 ), for example substantially in the z-direction, or in other words, in the direction of a vertical axis (Z) extending between the upper and lower jaws when the mouthpiece portion 12 is received in the oral cavity for normal use.

[0079] Although through Figures 3 to 5 The drawings of FIG. 1 are not entirely clear, but the anchor member coupling 36 and the drive coupling 22 are not connected to each other. In the illustrated example, in order to accommodate the two couplings, the drive coupling 22 extends around the outside of the anchor member coupling 36. The drive coupling 22 is attached to the main body of the mouthpiece portion 12 at its distal end. The anchor member coupling 36 is attached to the anchor member 32 at its distal end. Figure 5 As shown, the anchor member coupling can extend from a point in or on the second portion 10 or its housing and can be pivotally coupled to that point so that the anchor member is movable along the first direction (in this example, the X direction). Since the anchor member 32 is not attached to the mouthpiece portion 12, it can move relative to the mouthpiece portion. Since the drive coupling 22 defines a gap extending through it around the anchor member coupling 36, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As schematically shown, the anchor member may be moved by pivoting of the anchor member coupling within the gap space.

[0080] The anchor member coupler 36 may be rigid in the second direction (Z) and flexible or pivotable in the first direction (X).

[0081] In the illustrated example, the anchor member coupling 36 and the drive coupling 22 are provided in a coaxial relationship. Figure 4 (upper left) is schematically illustrated, Figure 4 The anchor member coupling element 36 is shown extending through the drive coupling element 22. The drive coupling element 22 may be tubular, or, for example, annular in cross-section. As illustrated, while the anchor member coupling 36 may move in a first direction (X in this example), the drive coupling 22 is arranged to move in a transverse direction (Z in this example).

[0082] It is also possible to invert the coaxial arrangement so that the drive coupling connection element 22 extends coaxially within the inner bore or channel of the (e.g. tubular) anchor member connection element 36. In fact, an example of such an alternative arrangement is described later. Figures 6 to 9 shown.

[0083] If you can Figures 3 to 5 As seen, the anchor member coupler 36 comprises a connecting element extending from the anchor member 32 to a point in or on the second portion 10 (ie, in this case, the handle portion).

[0084] The connecting element of the anchor member coupling 36 may be arranged to extend through at least one hole 54 formed in the wall of the mouthpiece portion 12 at a location facing the second portion. Figure 4 (lower left) is schematically illustrated, Figure 4 The hole 54 in the bottom of the mouthpiece portion is shown without a coupling extending therethrough.

[0085] For example, the aperture 54 is formed through a region of the wall 18 that partially defines the tooth receiving passage 16 .

[0086] The at least one aperture 54 is sized and positioned to allow a connecting element of the anchor member coupler 36 to pass through the aperture for connection to the anchor member 32 within the tooth receiving passage 16 .

[0087] Now refer to Figures 6 to 9 By illustrating the previously summarized concept of the present invention, another example implementation of a device according to a specific set of embodiments is described. It is to be understood that not all features of this specific set of embodiments are essential to the present inventive concept, and that they are described to aid understanding and provide examples to illustrate the present inventive concept. This set of embodiments can be compared in all aspects to Figures 3 to 5 The embodiments are identical except for the specific configuration of the coupling 22 , 36 or its connecting elements, which connect the drive unit 24 to the mouthpiece portion 12 and the second portion 10 to the anchoring member 32 .

[0088] exist Figures 6 to 9 In the illustrated example, the anchor member is formed of two anchor member parts 32a, 32b. In this case, the anchor member coupling 36 may include a pair of connector arms extending from a point within the housing of the second part 10 and connected at their distal ends to the respective first and second parts 32a, 32b of the anchor member. These are pivotably connected to respective pivotable connection points within the second part 10.

[0089] The arms 36 are spaced apart at a spacing through which the connecting element of the drive coupling 22 extends co-axially with the connecting arm of the anchoring member coupling 36. It is connected at its proximal end to the drive unit 24 and at its distal end to the body of the mouthpiece portion 12 on which the cleaning elements are mounted. Instead of spaced apart arms, a tubular connecting element for the anchoring member coupling 36 can likewise be provided.

[0090] At the area facing the second portion 10 through which the couplings 22, 36 extend, Figure 8 A view of the bottom area of ​​the mouthpiece portion is schematically shown. In this example, there are three holes, including one hole 54 for accommodating the drive coupling connecting element 22 into the body of the mouthpiece portion, such as embedded therein. The holes also include a pair of holes 52a, 52b on either side of the first hole 54 for accommodating the corresponding anchor member connecting arm 36 through the wall 18 of the mouthpiece portion 12 so as to be connected to the anchor member 32 within the tooth receiving channel 16.

[0091] like Fig. 9 Schematically illustrated, the width (W_a) of the hole 52a in at least one direction is greater than the width of the connecting element arm / segment 36 in the same direction, so that the hole defines a clearance area around the connecting element, allowing the connecting element to move laterally within the hole. By way of illustrative example, the width W_a of each of the holes 52a, 52b can be equal to the width of an average tooth plus about 1 to 1.5 times the width of the connecting arm 36. For example, by way of illustration, this can be 8mm+2mm.

[0092] although Fig. 9 Not shown, but the same hole configuration may be provided for the other hole 52b of the other connecting arm 36 of the coupling.

[0093] Now refer to Figures 10 to 11 By illustrating the previously summarized concept of the present invention, another example implementation of a device according to a specific set of embodiments is described. It is to be understood that not all features of this specific set of embodiments are essential to the present inventive concept, and that they are described to aid understanding and provide examples to illustrate the present inventive concept. This set of embodiments can be compared in all aspects to Figures 3 to 5 and Figures 6 to 9 The embodiments are identical except for the specific configuration of the coupling 22 , 36 or its connecting elements, which connect the drive unit 24 to the mouthpiece portion 12 and the second portion 10 to the anchoring member 32 .

[0094] In this set of embodiments, the anchoring member 32 is connected to the drive unit 24 in the second part 10 via a thin flexible sheet 42 that acts as a leaf spring. It is effectively rigid in the actuation direction of the cleaning element 20 (in the illustrated example, the up-down or Z direction), but can be bent by the user in a direction transverse to the actuation direction (in this example, the xy plane) to move the mouthpiece portion 12 forward and backward on the teeth during use. The (multiple) connecting elements of the drive coupling 22 connecting the drive unit 24 to the mouthpiece portion can be rigid (at least in the z direction) to efficiently transmit the actuation drive motion.

[0095] Thus, here, using terminology consistent with terminology used throughout this disclosure, the connecting element of the anchoring member connector 36 includes at least a portion formed by a flexible sheet element 42, the plane of the flexible sheet element being oriented parallel to the direction of actuation movement of the cleaning element (z direction, or in this example, the zy plane), and the normal to the plane of the sheet 42 being oriented parallel to the direction 33 transverse to the actuation direction (i.e., the direction 33 in which the anchoring element is movable relative to the oral piece portion 12).

[0096] The sheet element 42 in the illustrated example extends from the drive unit 24 to connect to the further connector element portion 36 of the anchor member coupling, which then extends to the anchor member 32. The sheet element 42 may alternatively extend from another location in the second portion, such as a location between the drive unit 24 and the anchor member.

[0097] In this example, the drive coupling 22 is connected from the drive unit to the oral piece portion 12. The drive coupling in this example includes a pair of drive coupling connectors. Alternatively, the drive coupling can be tubular and can be coaxially arranged relative to the anchoring member coupling 36 so that the anchoring member coupling extends within an internal channel or hole defined within the drive coupling 22. The drive coupling 22 is not connected to the sheet element 42 so that it can move independently of the sheet element. The drive coupling performs the function of moving the oral piece portion (transmitting force from the drive unit 24 to the oral piece portion 12).

[0098] As a more general principle of the present invention, the preferred feature of the coupling 36 between the second part 10 and the anchoring member 32 is that it should ground the motor rigidly so that the brushing oscillation energy is optimally transmitted to the oral piece. Assuming up and down (z) oscillations, this can be achieved by, for example, making the connection rigid in the z direction. However, the connection should also be movable in the xy plane (using the same example coordinate axis) to allow the oral cleaning element 20 to reach the entire dentition, including the last part of the oral cavity. Since the teeth are close to being parallel to the xy plane, it would be ideal to combine the rigidity in the z direction to provide such a coupling member with mobility in the xy plane. By providing a sheet element 42, it is made to suppress or hinder the vibration in the vibration direction (in this example, the z direction), so that the holding force of the user biting on the anchoring member 32 can be transmitted to the motor 24 and the handle 10. In this way, the drive unit 24 is kept stationary, and all movements generated by the drive unit will enter the moving oral piece part 12 (rather than also vibrating the drive unit body and the handle 10).

[0099] Movement flexibility in the xy plane can be achieved in a number of different ways, some of which have already been discussed. Fig.10 and 11 The motivation behind this set of embodiments is to provide a structurally simple arrangement. Here, the thin sheet 42 naturally provides flexibility in the direction normal to its planar surface and provides relative rigidity in the direction parallel to its planar surface.

[0100] By way of illustration, the selected sheet material may include nylon or polypropylene. The thickness of the sheet 42 in the x-direction may be, for example, 0.2 to 1 mm (by way of illustration). The dimension of the sheet 42 in the z-direction may be, for example, 10 to 30 mm.

[0101] Relative rigidity in the z-direction may be achieved by, for example, selecting a hard material for the sheet and configuring the dimensions of the sheet in the z-direction.

[0102] With this example arrangement, a user may flex the sheet 42 to allow for desired mesial-distal movement (and back) of the mouth piece portion 12 relative to the anchoring member 32 .

[0103] It should be noted that the inventors further recognize that simple sheet embodiments may not always be optimal because the bending point cannot be well predicted. As a variation, it is proposed to provide a sheet with a specific thin area to encourage bending to occur only there. In other words, the connecting element of the anchoring member connector 36 may include a sheet element 42, which has a section portion with reduced thickness midway between the second part 10 and the anchoring member 32, and the section portion with reduced thickness defines a preferential bending line of the sheet element, which is perpendicular to the direction in which the bending is intended to occur, that is, in this case, the bending line is parallel to the z-direction. Preformed bends (e.g., (s-shaped)) can alternatively be used to form preferential bending lines to facilitate bending along a defined line.

[0104] Another alternative to using the sheet 42 is to use a hinge connection.

[0105] Now refer to Figures 12 to 14 By illustrating the previously summarized concept of the present invention, another example implementation of a device according to a specific set of embodiments is described. It is to be understood that not all features of this specific set of embodiments are essential to the present inventive concept, and that they are described to aid understanding and provide examples to illustrate the present inventive concept. This set of embodiments can be compared in all aspects to Figures 3 to 5 and Figures 6 to 9 and Figures 10 to 11 The embodiments are identical except for the specific configuration of the coupling 22 , 36 or its connecting elements, which connect the drive unit 24 to the mouthpiece portion 12 and the second portion 10 to the anchoring member 32 .

[0106] In this set of embodiments, the connecting element of the anchoring member coupling 36 comprises a rod element. The connecting element is connected to the anchoring member via a pivotable joint or to the second part or the drive unit by a pivotable joint. Figures 12 to 14 In the example illustrated in , it is connected to the anchoring member via a pivotable joint, such as a hinge joint. This only allows rotational movement along a single directional axis, for example.

[0107] exist Figures 12 to 14 In the particular example shown, the connecting element 36 of the anchor member 32 extends from a connection point within the anchor member 32 itself. For example, the anchor member defines a hollow interior cavity for accommodating the connecting element. In the example shown, the connection point within the anchor member defines a pivotable joint, such as a hinge joint.

[0108] This arrangement has some advantages, because the rotation point inside the anchor member is very well defined, and the stiffness of the material does not need to be compromised: the stiffest material can be chosen for rigid z-direction operation. Also, rotational movement in the xy plane at the pivot joint requires very little energy, because there is no spring force to overcome.

[0109] A potential disadvantage could be cleaning fluid contamination of the hinge joint inside the anchor member 32. One solution could be to locate the hinge inside the anchor member, as suggested, and seal the inner cavity of the anchor member using a sealing material or cover, such as a rubber seal.

[0110] The preferred position of the hinge joint may be at a position within the oral cavity during use, as close as possible to the (semi)circular symmetry point of the arcuate curve.

[0111] In the illustrated example, the drive coupling 22 extends in the same direction as, for example, in a coaxial relationship with, the anchor member coupling 36. For example, the anchor member coupling 36 can extend through a central hole or cavity of the drive coupling 22.

[0112] According to any embodiment of the present invention, in use, the mouthpiece portion can now be manually driven to move mesio-distal (using xy plane movement of the coordinate axes used throughout the present disclosure) relative to the anchor member firmly held by the user. Alternatively, if hands-free operation is required, the user can use the tongue to drive the movement. For full reach, only one stroke to the far right and one stroke to the far left are required, without requiring a lot of energy from the user.

[0113] If the controller 36 is operated smoothly, the tongue may indeed have enough force to drive the movement. Mechanisms may be included to reduce the force required for lateral movement to achieve tongue-driven operation. For example, the bite of the anchoring member 32 itself may assist the driving force. Additional actuators may be added to support lateral movement.

[0114] Other optional details related to the anchoring member and compatible with any embodiment of the present invention will now be briefly described.

[0115] As already discussed, in some embodiments, the anchoring member is intended to be bitten by a user. In this case, it may be referred to as a bite block.

[0116] One or more bite block parts may be used. The bite block preferably has sufficient thickness in the z-direction to provide space for the bite cleaning elements of the mouthpiece in the rear region. Preferably, it may include structural features to guide the centering and placement of the position of the mouthpiece part 12. It may have a surface with a high coefficient of friction to avoid sliding movement when biting, such as for example a (hard) rubber facing.

[0117] In some embodiments, the device may include a sensing component configured such that a user's bite on the anchoring member 32 triggers activation of the actuation mechanism. This may include a pressure sensor in the bite block or a high sensitivity motion sensor arranged in the bite block or the handle portion 10 to sense the movement of the coupling 36 between the bite block and the handle portion 10. Optimally, the trigger component may be configured such that the actuation mechanism is activated only when the bite block is well grounded between the teeth, i.e., the sensed bite meets the bite condition. This may include a bite force sensor in the bite block that initiates actuation when the force exceeds a threshold. This feature may also allow the user to control the mouthpiece brushing power very intuitively: when the bite is harder, the power increases.

[0118] Other optional details related to the actuation mechanism and compatible with any embodiment of the present invention will now be briefly described.

[0119] The drive unit may include one or more motors. The location of the motor(s) may be in the handle portion 10, where electronics and batteries may also be accommodated. Alternatively, it may be closer to the oral piece portion 12, or even arranged so that it is located in the oral cavity during use. Since the preferred motion is a z oscillation (using the coordinate system used in the present disclosure), the motor and associated mechanical system should preferably generate an up and down oscillation at a sufficiently high frequency (e.g., 20 to 200 Hz). Many systems are known in the art to produce such oscillations.

[0120] About drive coupling 22, this connection can be preferably rigid at least in the brushing oscillation direction, so that drive motion can be transmitted to cleaning element.In some embodiments, one or more bending points or hinges can also be provided in drive coupling, to accommodate mesial-distal mouthpiece movement.

[0121] With respect to the mouthpiece portion 12 itself, many alternative mouthpiece designs may be used. Also here, rigidity in the direction of brushing oscillation is preferred to efficiently transmit the actuation motion to all mouthpiece cleaning elements 20, while maintaining sufficient flexibility in the xy plane to accommodate different dentition curvatures of different individuals, and to accommodate changes in curvature when moving from a mesial position to a distal position.

[0122] As an optional additional feature, the device may include means for measuring the mesial-distal travel distance (i.e. the travel distance of the mouthpiece portion relative to the anchoring member in the first direction, e.g. relative to a predefined starting point or neutral point). This enables guidance to be provided to the user as to whether the entire dental arch has been brushed. For example, in the anchoring member coupling 36, e.g. Figures 10 to 11 In the flexible sheet 42 of the embodiment of the present invention, a simple strain gauge can be used to achieve the measurement of travel distance. For example, a calibration can be performed at the first use, where the user pushes the mouthpiece portion 12 completely backward to measure the arch length that needs to be covered. Alternatively, the system can be configured to learn the arch length of an individual over multiple uses.

[0123] In some embodiments, one or more microprocessors may be included to control one or more components, such as the drive unit and / or any sensors.

[0124] It is noted that although the embodiments illustrated in this disclosure relate to a C-shaped mouthpiece that extends completely around the user's dental arch, the mouthpiece portion may extend around only a portion of the user's dental arch. Such a mouthpiece design is sometimes referred to as a J-shaped mouthpiece.

[0125] By way of final summary, the advantages of embodiments of the present invention compared to the prior art include combining continuous occlusal grounding with the flexibility of moving the mouthpiece portion laterally in the oral cavity, thereby facilitating reaching the posterior molars with the mouthpiece portion, for example in undersized non-customized mouthpieces. This provides two important benefits. The first benefit is to provide optimal motion transmission from the drive unit to the cleaning elements on the teeth throughout the duration of use. The second benefit is to achieve optimal unconscious ease of use: the user only needs to bite on the bite block (e.g., activate the actuation mechanism, and manipulate the mouthpiece portion 12 as far as possible to the posterior molars.

[0126] One advantage is optimal grounding of the motor movement to the teeth compared to a mouthpiece that does not provide an anchoring member.

[0127] Variations of the disclosed embodiments may be understood and implemented by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention by studying the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims. 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.

[0128] 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.

[0129] If the term "suitable for" is used in the claims or description, it should be noted that the term "suitable for" is intended to be equivalent to the term "configured to".

[0130] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. An oral care device (8), comprising: a mouthpiece portion (12) for at least partially being received in the mouth of a user, wherein the body of the mouthpiece portion forms an arcuate profile (30) for generally following at least a portion of the profile of a user's dental arch, and wherein the mouthpiece portion carries a collection of oral cleaning elements (20) for mechanical engagement with teeth during operation; a second portion (10) coupled to the mouthpiece portion; an actuation mechanism (24) for actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the second portion and actuating movement of the cleaning element relative to the teeth when the mouthpiece portion is received in the oral cavity; an anchor member (32) engageable with a portion of the user's mouth for retaining the anchor member in position relative to the jaw when the mouth piece portion is received in the mouth for normal use, wherein the anchor member (32) is not attached to the mouth piece portion (12), and wherein the anchor member (32) is configured to move relative to the mouth piece portion (12); wherein the anchoring member (32) is mechanically coupled to the second portion (10) via an anchoring member coupling (36), wherein the anchor member coupling (36) is configured to allow relative movement between the anchor member (32) and the mouthpiece portion (12) in at least a first direction (X) that is transverse to a direction (Z) of movement of the cleaning element (20), and The anchor member coupling (36) is configured to at least partially prevent relative movement between the anchor member (32) and the mouthpiece portion (12) in a second direction (Z) that is substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the cleaning element.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein when the mouthpiece portion (12) is received in the oral cavity, the second portion (10) is intended to remain outside the oral cavity during use.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anchoring member coupling (36) is rigid in the second direction (Z) and is flexible or pivotable in the first direction (X).

4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arcuate profile (30) defined by the body of the mouthpiece portion (12) lies in a plane, and wherein the first direction (X) is parallel to the plane.

5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the anchoring member (32) is intended to be engaged by the user.

6. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first direction (X) is oriented so that when the oral piece portion (12) is received in the oral cavity for normal use, the first direction is substantially perpendicular to a vertical axis extending between the upper jaw and the lower jaw.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the second part (10) is a handle part of the oral care device, wherein the handle part accommodates a drive unit (24) of the actuation mechanism for generating a driving force for the movement.

8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the anchoring member connector (36) comprises a connecting element extending from the anchoring member (32) to the drive unit (24) or from the anchoring member (32) to a position in or on a housing of the second part (10).

9. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connecting element comprises at least a portion formed by a flexible sheet element (42), the plane of which is oriented parallel to the second direction and the normal of which is oriented parallel to the first direction (X).

10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the connecting element comprises a sheet element having a section of reduced thickness, the section of reduced thickness defining a preferential bending line of the sheet element, the preferential bending line being perpendicular to the first direction.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the connecting element comprises a non-flexible element and wherein the connecting element is connected to the anchoring member (32) via a pivotable joint or to the second part or the drive unit by a pivotable joint.

12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connection element extends from a connection point inside the anchoring member, and preferably wherein the anchoring member comprises a hollow lumen for accommodating the connection element.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the connection point inside the anchoring member defines a pivotable joint.

14. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the drive unit is an electric motor.

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