ULTRASOUND TREATMENT DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED TONGUE TREATMENT ATTACHMENT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an ultrasonic treatment device according to patent claim 1 and an associated tongue treatment attachment according to patent claim 10.

[0002] Ultrasonic treatment devices for oral and / or dental hygiene, especially ultrasonic toothbrushes, are already known.

[0003] In particular, ultrasonic toothbrushes are already known that have a handle or grip on which a treatment attachment, in particular an ultrasonic toothbrush attachment, is arranged. This attachment is preferably designed to be removable or replaceable, so that several people can share one device and / or defective attachments can be easily and quickly replaced with new ones. A corresponding ultrasonic dental treatment device with a replaceable toothbrush attachment is known, for example, from document EP 2 637 600 B1.

[0004] Manually or electrically operated tongue cleaners are also available for oral hygiene. These are used to clean the tongue of bacteria, dead cells, and / or dirt in the form of food residue.

[0005] For example, toothbrushes, especially electric toothbrushes, are already in use, which have an additional tongue cleaning function. For this purpose, differently shaped profile elements protrude outward from the back of the brush head, which are designed to clean the tongue.

[0006] From CN 110 314 006 A an electric ultrasonic toothbrush is known which has a blowing arrangement integrated into the toothbrush to provide air flow.

[0007] Furthermore, DE 10 2019 000 770 A1 discloses a hygiene device for improving oral hygiene, which has a mouthpiece with a cavity for receiving a liquid, wherein the liquid can be released into the oral cavity through pores and / or grooves on the surface of the mouthpiece.

[0008] EP 3190991 B1 describes an ultrasonic tongue cleaning device comprising a handle and an attachable attachment for ultrasonic tongue cleaning. The attachment has a head section with an ultrasonic transducer mounted laterally within it, which generates ultrasonic pressure waves. The generated ultrasonic pressure waves serve to "clean" the surface of the tongue of existing contamination, particularly bacteria or bacterial colonies, which often also cause unpleasant bad breath. The disadvantage of this known device is that it is only intended for tongue treatment or tongue cleaning.

[0009] Based on the prior art described above, the object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic treatment device that can be used for both tooth and tongue cleaning using ultrasound, and that enables effective tongue cleaning. It is also the object of the invention to provide a tongue treatment attachment that is designed for tongue cleaning and is compatible with the handpiece of an ultrasonic treatment device for tooth cleaning.

[0010] The problem is solved by an ultrasonic treatment device according to claim 1. The problem is also solved by a tongue treatment attachment according to claim 10.

[0011] The essential aspect of the ultrasound treatment device according to the invention can be seen in the fact that the treatment attachment is designed as a removable tongue treatment attachment with a flat head section, that the flat head section has a front side forming the treatment surface and a rear side opposite this, and that the tongue treatment attachment has a recess which is open towards the rear of the flat head section for receiving the ultrasound transducer, wherein an elastic closure element is provided for hermetically sealing the recess and the elastic closure element forms an elastic closure cover which is made from a rubber-like plastic material. Particularly advantageously, the elastic closure element forms a flexible mass element which, on the one hand, ensures liquid-tight closure of the recess and, on the other hand, prevents the tongue from oscillating in a stable orrigid housing of the head section accommodates the ultrasonic transducer.

[0012] The elastic closure cap is particularly advantageously designed as a single piece. This elastic closure cap can be quickly inserted into the recess without the need for tools, and can also be removed again by simply manually pressing it into the recess.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the tongue treatment attachment, the flat head section is at least partially disc-shaped, preferably with a first and second, partially circular disc-shaped head section that merge into one another and have different diameters. This disc-shaped head section enables particularly effective cleaning of the tongue and is also user-friendly for insertion into the oral cavity.

[0014] Furthermore, the front side of the flat head section advantageously has a profile designed to remove dirt adhering to the surface of the tongue. In a preferred embodiment, this profile has several profiling elements that protrude outward from the treatment surface in a nose-like manner and can preferably be formed integrally with the flat head section. Several such profiling elements can also be arranged in groups and / or can be designed as point-shaped, circular, and / or annular in plan view. By providing differently shaped and evenly distributed profiling elements, particularly reliable removal of coarse dirt from the tongue is possible.

[0015] The ultrasonic transducer is preferably an electroacoustic piezoelectric transducer that converts supplied electrical vibration energy into mechanical vibration energy, specifically in the form of ultrasonic pressure waves. The ultrasonic transducer is preferably designed to generate ultrasonic pressure waves with a frequency of 350 kHz to 450 kHz, with the resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer (4) preferably being between 405 kHz and 425 kHz. The piezoelectric capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer is between 5 nF and 8 nF, preferably between 5.5 nF and 6 nF. The cleaning effect of an ultrasonic pressure wave generated by this ultrasonic transducer is particularly high.

[0016] In a further development of the invention, the handpiece unit is configured for selective operation of the removable tongue treatment attachment and a removable dental treatment attachment. Due to the coordination of the ultrasonic generators or ultrasonic transducers used in both the dental and tongue treatment attachments, the handpiece unit can be used for both tooth and tongue cleaning without any additional technical effort, simply by changing the attachment.

[0017] The invention also relates to a tongue treatment attachment for use on an ultrasound treatment device as described above.

[0018] Further developments, advantages, and possible applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. All described and / or illustrated features, individually or in any combination, are fundamentally part of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their reference back to them. The content of the claims is also incorporated into the description.

[0019] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the figures. They show: Fig. 1 is a perspective side view of an ultrasonic treatment device according to the invention with a tongue treatment attachment, Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the front of a tongue treatment attachment according to the invention, and Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the back of a tongue treatment attachment according to the invention.

[0020] Identical reference numerals are used in the figures for identical or equivalently functioning elements of the invention. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, only those reference numerals are shown in the individual figures that are necessary for the description of the respective figure. The invention is also illustrated by way of example in the figures using schematic views to explain the basic principle of the invention.

[0021] In Figure 1 is shown as an example in a perspective side view of an ultrasonic treatment device 1 according to the invention for cleaning teeth and tongue.

[0022] The ultrasound treatment device 1 according to the invention comprises a handpiece unit 2 and at least one removable treatment attachment 3, wherein the removable treatment attachment 3 has a head section 3.1, an adjoining elongated connecting section 3.2 and a coupling section 3.3.

[0023] The ultrasonic treatment device 1 is designed to operate a removable treatment attachment 3 for tongue cleaning in the form of a

[0024] Tongue treatment attachment and for operating at least one further treatment attachment for tooth cleaning in the form of a dental treatment attachment. The coupling sections 3.3 of the tongue treatment attachment and of the dental treatment attachment are each designed to establish an electromechanical connection with the handpiece unit 2, preferably in the form of an electromechanical plug-in coupling connection or snap-in coupling connection. For this purpose, the respective coupling section 3.3 is in at least one mechanical operative connection with the free end section of the handpiece unit 2, namely a force-fitting and / or form-fitting connection in the assembled state. At the same time, when this mechanical connection is established, an electrical connection is also established between the handpiece unit 2 and the respective treatment attachment 3 orthe electrical components provided in the treatment attachment 3, preferably in order to supply them with the electrical energy required for their operation. For this purpose, two electrical male plug contacts are usually arranged in the handpiece unit 2 or in the treatment attachment 3 in the connection area and can be connected to corresponding female plug contacts to establish the electrical connection. The electrical energy is then transmitted to the respective electrical consumer, in the present embodiment an ultrasonic transducer 4, which is used in both a tongue treatment attachment and a dental treatment attachment, via electrical lines routed in the treatment attachment 3 from the coupling section 3.3 and the connecting section 3.2 to the head section 3.

[0025] In the present embodiment, however, only the design of the tongue treatment attachment is discussed in more detail, whereby a detailed description and representation of the electromechanical connection area is omitted in the figures.

[0026] In the present embodiment, the coupling section 3.3 of the tongue treatment attachment 3 can be coupled, preferably plugged, to a frontal coupling section 2.1 of the handpiece unit 2 to establish the electromechanical connection. Furthermore, the respective treatment attachment 3 has an ultrasonic transducer 4 for generating ultrasonic pressure waves in the region of the head section 3.1. The treatment attachment 3 is preferably formed in one piece and is made, for example, of plastic or another suitable material with the required rigidity and low weight.

[0027] To supply the ultrasonic transducer 4 with electrical energy and to control it, at least one power supply unit 6 and one control unit 7 are provided in the handpiece unit 2. For this purpose, the handpiece unit 2 has a preferably cylindrical housing 2.1, preferably a plastic housing with a hermetically sealed interior, in which the power supply unit 6 and the control unit 7 are accommodated. Further functional elements of the ultrasonic treatment device 1, not shown in the figures, can also be accommodated in the housing 2.1 of the handpiece unit 2.

[0028] The handpiece unit 2 can also have an operating element 8 connected to the control unit 7, via which the ultrasound treatment device 1 can be switched on and off. Further actuating elements 9 can also be provided, which are intended for adjusting any operating modes provided by the device 1 and / or the intensity of the treatment.

[0029] Furthermore, the handpiece unit 2 can also have a display unit (not shown in detail in the figures), which can be used to display, for example, the current operating status, operating mode, and / or treatment intensity to a user. It is understood that the ultrasound treatment device 1 can also have one or more interfaces, which can be wireless or wired. A storage unit 10 can also be accommodated in the housing, which is connected to the control unit 7 and can store data and / or control routines.

[0030] According to the invention, the ultrasound treatment device 1 comprises a removable tongue treatment attachment 3 with a flat head section 3.1. The flat head section 3.1 comprises a front side 3.11 forming the treatment surface of the attachment 3 and a rear side 3.12 opposite the front side. The front side 3.11 of the flat head section 3.1 has a profile 5 designed to remove dirt adhering to the surface of the tongue. Finally, the tongue treatment attachment 3 has a recess 3.4 open toward the rear side 3.12 of the flat head section 3.1 for receiving the ultrasonic transducer 4. An elastic closure element 3.5 is provided for hermetically sealing the recess 3.4. Furthermore, the elastic closure element 3.5 is designed in the form of an elastic closure cover, which engages in the recess 3.4, preferably being inserted therein in a form-fitting manner.This creates a hermetically sealed closure of the recess 3.4 and protects the ultrasonic transducer 4 accommodated in the recess 3.4 as well as its electrical connection components from moisture.

[0031] The ultrasonic transducer 4 is preferably flat and disc-shaped and implemented in the form of a piezo-ultrasonic transducer. This has, for example, two electrical connecting lines that are routed through the connecting section 3.2 to the coupling section 3.3. The ultrasonic transducer 4 is an electroacoustic piezo-transducer that converts the supplied electrical energy or vibration energy into mechanical energy or vibration energy, specifically in the form of sound waves, in particular ultrasonic waves or ultrasonic pressure waves. For this purpose, it has at least one active piezo element, which is accommodated in a housing and connected to the electrical connecting lines. The ultrasonic transducer 4 is preferably designed to generate ultrasonic pressure waves with a frequency of 350 kHz to 450 kHz at an electrical operating voltage between 18 and 20 volts.The resonant frequency of the ultrasonic transducer 4 is preferably between 405 kHz and 425 kHz. The piezo capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer 4 is between 5 nF and 8 nF, preferably between 5.5 nF and 6 nF. The electrical operating parameters of the ultrasonic transducer 4 preferably correspond to those used in dental treatment attachments, so that no adjustment of the power supply unit 6 and / or control unit 7 of the handpiece unit 2 is required when switching from the dental treatment attachment to the tongue treatment attachment.

[0032] The closure element 3.5 is formed in one piece and made of an elastic plastic material, according to the invention a rubber-like plastic material. The cross-sectional shape of the elastic closure element 3.5 essentially corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of the recess 3.4 in the rear side 3.12 of the head section 3.1. The material thickness of the closure element 3.5 is selected such that the interior space remaining after the ultrasonic transducer 4 has been accommodated in the recess 3.4 is filled as completely as possible, i.e. the ultrasonic transducer 4 is accommodated, preferably held in a clamped manner, between the wall of the housing 2.1 forming the front side 3.11 and the closure element 3.5 inserted into the recess 3.4. The elastic design of the closure element 3.5 supports the oscillation of the ultrasonic transducer 4, especially since the wall of the housing 2.1 forming the front side 3.11 is essentially rigid.The closure element 4 forms a flexible mass element which is opposite the stable or rigid wall and thus allows the ultrasonic transducer 4, which is preferably adjacent to it, to oscillate.

[0033] The profiling 5 provided on the front side 3.11 of the tongue treatment attachment 3 can, for example, have a plurality of profiling elements 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 or groups of profiling elements 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 projecting outwards in a nose-like manner from the treatment surface or front side 3.11, which are preferably each formed integrally with the flat head section 3.1.

[0034] In the present embodiment, first to third profiling elements 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 are provided, with the first profiling element 5.1 being circularly arcuate in plan view, i.e., the first profiling element 5.1 forms a circularly arcuate projection that protrudes outward from the treatment surface like a nose. The second and third profiling elements 5.2, 5.3 are point-shaped and circular, respectively, with several second profiling elements 5.2 being arranged along two parallel lines and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA of the tongue treatment attachment 3 and being realized in the form of spherical segments.

[0035] An example is Figure 3A group of five second profiling elements 5.2 is shown, which adjoin the first, circular-arc-shaped profiling element 5.1 along the longitudinal axis LA, followed by third profiling elements 5.3, which are also circular or circular segment-like in plan view. Here, too, a group of seven third profiling elements 5.3 is provided, with one of the third profiling elements 5.3 forming a center point and the other third profiling elements 5.3 being arranged approximately evenly around this center point and spaced from it on a fictitious circular path.

[0036] All of the aforementioned profiling elements 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 are mirror-symmetrical to a plane containing the longitudinal axis LA. The circular or circular-segment-like second and third profiling elements 5.2, 5.3 preferably have different diameters.

[0037] Particularly preferably, the flat head section 3.1 of the tongue treatment attachment 3 is at least partially disc-shaped in order to ensure the most user-friendly application of the same in the oral cavity.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the flat head section 3.1 has a first and second, partially circular disc-shaped head section 3.1a, 3.1b, which merge into one another and have different diameters. The diameter of the first head section 3.1a corresponds approximately to twice the diameter of the second head section 3.1b, which merges into the connecting section 3.2. Particularly preferably, the first and second profiling elements 5.1, 5.2 are arranged in the region of the first head section 3.1a, and the third profiling elements 5.3 are arranged in the region of the second head section 3.1b, thus enabling a gradual cleaning of the tongue from coarse to fine.

[0039] The recess 3.4 can also extend over the head section 3.1 into the connecting section 3.2, which can be completely closed with the elastic closure cover 3.5. Figure 3 In the embodiment variant shown, the recess 3.4 extends, for example, over the first and second head section 3.1a, 3.1b and the connecting section 3.2 along the longitudinal axis LA, approximately until shortly before the coupling section 3.3.

[0040] The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. List of reference symbols

[0041] 1 Ultrasonic treatment device 2 Handpiece unit 3 Treatment attachment or tongue treatment attachment 3.1 Head section 3.1a First head section 3.1b Second head section 3.11 Front 3.12 Back 3.2 Connecting section 3.3 Coupling section 3.4 Recess 3.5 Closure element 4 Ultrasonic transducer 5 Profiling 5.1 First profiling elements 5.2 Second profiling elements 5.3 Third profiling elements 6 Power supply unit 7 Control unit 8 Operating element 9 Additional operating element 10 Storage unit LALongitudinal axis

Claims

1. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) comprising a handpiece unit (2) and at least one removable treatment attachment (3), which comprises a head section (3.1), an adjoining elongate connecting section (3.2) and a coupling section (3.3), wherein the coupling section (3.3) is configured for establishing an electromechanical connection to the handpiece unit (2) and the treatment attachment (3) comprises an ultrasonic transducer (4) in the region of the head section (3.1) for generating ultrasonic shockwaves, wherein the treatment attachment (3) is formed as a removable tongue treatment attachment with a flat head section (3.1), wherein the flat head section (3.1) comprises a front side (3.11) forming the treatment surface and a rear side (3.12) lying opposite said front side, and wherein the tongue treatment attachment (3) comprises a recess (3.4), which is open towards the rear side (3.12) of the flat head section (3.1), for receiving the ultrasonic transducer (4), wherein an elastic closing element (3.5) is provided for the hermetically tight closure of the recess (3.4) and the elastic closing element (3.5) forms an elastic closing cover, characterized in that the closing cover is made of a rubber-like plastic material.

2. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic closing cover (3.5) is formed in one piece.

3. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flat head section (3.1) of the tongue treatment attachment (3) is formed in a disk-shaped manner at least in sections.

4. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the flat head section (3.1) comprises a first and second, partially circular disk-shaped head section (3.1a, 3.1b), which merge into one another and which have different diameters.

5. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front side (3.11) of the flat head section (3.1) comprises a profiling (5), which is designed for removing contaminations adhering to the tongue on the surface.

6. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the profiling (5) comprises several profiling elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3), which protrude outwards in a nose-like manner from the treatment surface and which are formed integrally with the flat head section (3.1), wherein the profiling elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) are formed in a punctiform, circular and / or circular ring-shaped manner in the top view.

7. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ultrasonic transducer (4) is an electroacoustic piezo transducer, which converts supplied electrical vibrational energy into mechanical vibrational energy, namely in the form of ultrasonic shockwaves or in that the ultrasonic transducer (4) is formed for generating ultrasonic shockwaves with a frequency of 350 kHz to 450 kHz, wherein the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic transducer (4) is preferably between 405 kHz and 425 kHz.

8. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the piezo capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer (4) is between 5 nF and 8 nF, preferably between 5.5 nF and 6 nF.

9. Ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handpiece unit (2) is configured for selectively operating the removable tongue treatment attachment (3) as well as of a removable tooth treatment attachment.

10. Tongue treatment attachment (3) for use on an ultrasonic treatment apparatus (1) according to one of the preceding claims with a head section (3.1), an adjoining elongate connecting section (3.2) and a coupling section (3.3), wherein the coupling section (3.3) is formed for establishing an electromechanical connection to the handpiece unit (2) and the tongue treatment attachment (3) comprises an ultrasonic transducer (4) in the region of the head section (3.1) for generating ultrasonic shockwaves, wherein the flat head section (3.1) comprises a front side (3.11) forming the treatment surface and a rear side (3.12) lying opposite said front side, and wherein the tongue treatment attachment (3) comprises a recess (3.4), which is open towards the rear side (3.12) of the flat head section (3.1), for receiving the ultrasonic transducer (4), wherein an elastic closing element (3.5) is provided for the hermetically tight closure of the recess (3.4) and the elastic closing element (3.5) forms an elastic closing cover, characterized in that the closing cover is made of a rubber-like plastic material.

11. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to claim 10, characterized in that the elastic closing cover (3.5) is formed in one piece.

12. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the flat head section (3.1) of the tongue treatment attachment (3) is formed in a disk-shaped manner at least in sections and / or that the flat head section (3.1) comprises a first and second, partially circular disk-shaped head section (3.1a, 3.1b), which merge into one another and which have different diameters.

13. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the front side (3.11) of the flat head section (3.1) comprises a profiling (5), which is designed for removing contaminations adhering to the tongue on the surface.

14. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to claim 13, characterized in that the profiling (5) comprises several profiling elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3), which protrude outwards in a nose-like manner from the treatment surface and which are formed integrally with the flat head section (3.1), wherein the profiling elements (5.1, 5.2, 5.3) are formed in a punctiform, circular and / or circular ring-shaped manner in the top view.

15. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the ultrasonic transducer (4) is an electroacoustic piezo transducer, which converts supplied electrical vibrational energy into mechanical vibrational energy, namely in the form of ultrasonic shockwaves.

16. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the ultrasonic transducer (4) is formed for generating ultrasonic shockwaves with a frequency of 350 kHz to 450 kHz, wherein the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic transducer (4) is preferably between 405 kHz and 425 kHz.

17. Tongue treatment attachment (3) according to one of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the piezo capacitance of the ultrasonic transducer (4) is between 5 nF and 8 nF, preferably between 5.5 nF and 6 nF.