Instrument for cleaning interdental spaces
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- STREUBEL KLAUS
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing instruments for cleaning interdental spaces, such as toothpicks and dental floss, often fail to effectively remove food particles between teeth due to design limitations, leading to jamming, injury risks, and inadequate reach, while known cleaning blades tend to bend or lack depth protection and handles.
A thin, rigid cleaning blade with a geometrically designed front edge featuring a primary and secondary edge, where the primary edge guides insertion and the secondary edge performs the cleaning, combined with a handle and stop to limit immersion depth, ensuring safe and effective removal of interdental debris.
The instrument allows for smooth, safe insertion and effective cleaning between teeth without blunting or causing injury, with the secondary edge efficiently removing contaminants while the primary edge facilitates gentle insertion, reducing the risk of gum damage and improving cleaning reliability.
Smart Images
Figure DE2024200060_16012025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Instrument for cleaning interdental spaces
[0001] The invention relates to an instrument for cleaning interdental spaces, with a cleaning blade which is thin in relation to a surface orientation, wherein the cleaning blade can be inserted in a cleaning position along a cleaning direction which is parallel to the surface orientation and lingually / palatally aligned with a lingually / palatally aligned front edge into the interdental space to be cleaned in order to remove dirt located in the space by means of the front edge, wherein the cleaning blade is received on a handle at a labial / buccal rear edge for manually guiding the instrument, has a stop on an upper edge facing away from the chewing surface of the teeth in the cleaning position which limits the immersion depth of the cleaning blade in a tooth direction, projects beyond a thickness of the cleaning blade and has a lower edge arranged opposite the upper edge..
[0002] Well-known instruments for cleaning between teeth come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Toothpicks are thin, elongated instruments, usually made of wood. They usually have a point at one end for cleaning between teeth. The shape of the point often causes the instrument to become stuck between the teeth, particularly in the lower part of an interdental space. Other instruments besides dental floss cannot reliably reach the contact point between the teeth, meaning food debris cannot be reliably removed. Dental floss, on the other hand, is flexible and, unless stretched, does not retain its shape, making it difficult to target a specific contact point, for example, between two teeth. Furthermore, if the floss is under too much tension, there is a constant risk of cutting into the gums.
[0003] Furthermore, instruments for cleaning interdental spaces with a cleaning blade are known. These can be used to remove dirt from the interdental spaces with the front edge of the cleaning blade. Such cleaning blades are rectangular in shape relative to the cleaning direction and are prone to bending. Furthermore, there is a risk of injury.
[0004] DE 102012 005998 B4 relates to a cleaning device with a straight, rectangular cleaning blade aligned orthogonally to the cleaning direction.
[0005] DE 20 2004 008 436 U1 discloses a device for cleaning interdental spaces, in which a separate blade with different radii and angles can be used to remove food residue from the interdental space. However, there is neither a guard against over-insertion nor a handle.
[0006] DE 17 10 654 U relates to a device for cleaning interdental spaces, wherein a blade is designed with flowing shapes.
[0007] DE 10 2022 108 344 A1 describes a device for cleaning interdental spaces, wherein a blade is rounded and bevelled at the front and held in a handle.
[0008] DE 202004 011780 U1 discloses an instrument for cleaning teeth with a curved, one-piece blade with varying radii. This one, too, lacks a guard to prevent excessive insertion and a handle.
[0009] The object of the invention is to improve the state of the art.
[0010] The problem is solved by an instrument for cleaning interdental spaces, with a cleaning blade that is thin in relation to a surface orientation, wherein the cleaning blade can be inserted into the interdental space to be cleaned in a cleaning position along a cleaning direction parallel to the surface orientation and lingual / palatally aligned with a lingual / palatally aligned front edge in order to remove dirt located in the interdental space by means of the front edge, wherein the cleaning blade is held on a handle at a labial / buccal rear edge for manual guidance of the instrument, has a stop on an upper edge facing away from the chewing surface of the teeth in the cleaning position that limits an immersion depth of the cleaning blade in a tooth direction, projects beyond a thickness of the cleaning blade and has a lower edge arranged opposite the upper edge,wherein the front edge has a primary front edge and a secondary front edge, wherein the primary front edge is arranged facing the upper edge and the secondary front edge is arranged facing the lower edge, wherein the secondary front edge is arranged retracted relative to the primary front edge in the direction of the rear edge opposite the lingual / palatal direction, so that the primary front edge, when inserted into the interdental space to be cleaned, comes into contact with the interdental space before the secondary front edge along the cleaning direction.
[0011] The core idea of the invention is to design the front edge of the cleaning blade geometrically in several parts and to design a primary front edge and a secondary front edge with a modified geometry relative to one another, so that the primary front edge, which is aligned in the direction of the teeth and in particular protrudes relative to the teeth, initially hits the tooth or the interdental space in a lingual / palatal direction when inserted into the interdental space to be cleaned along the cleaning direction, in particular in advance, and thus enables “soft” insertion without the cleaning blade coming into blunt contact with the teeth or the interdental space. The primary front edge guides the insertion of the cleaning blade between the teeth and ensures a smooth transition to the entry of the secondary front edge.The cleaning blade itself is rigid, meaning it remains flat despite being inserted into the interdental space.
[0012] The secondary front edge, which performs the primary cleaning function, then enters the interdental space secondarily and is also inserted "softly" into the interdental space. This graduated functional sequence of the primary front edge and the secondary front edge to ensure a soft insertion of the cleaning blade into the interdental space is a key concept of the invention.
[0013] The following terms are explained in this context:
[0014] An “instrument for cleaning interdental spaces” is usually a mechanically constructed and in particular manually guided instrument for removing contaminants, such as food residue, from the space between the teeth. The instrument uses a so-called “cleaning blade”, which is designed as a flat structure and in particular “thin”, i.e. with a thickness of, for example, less than 1 / 100 of a length and / or width, or has a thickness of a few 1 / 10ths of a mm or a few 1 / 100ths of a mm. The cleaning blade can be made from various dimensionally stable materials and is designed to be used in a “cleaning position”. This cleaning position describes the position of the instrument usually assumed by a person holding the instrument when inserting the cleaning blade into the interdental space.The cleaning blade is guided parallel to the surface alignment and along a "cleaning direction." This cleaning direction runs from the outside of the mouth of the person with the teeth toward the palate and / or tongue, i.e., from outside the mouth to inside the mouth. In particular, the cleaning direction runs essentially orthogonal or largely orthogonal to the respective teeth and, for example, essentially parallel to the respective chewing surfaces. Deviations are possible during use, particularly when guided freehand.
[0015] In this context, the terms “lingual”, i.e. facing the tongue, “palatinal”, i.e. facing the palate, “labial”, i.e. facing the lips, and “buccal”, i.e. facing the mouth, are also used to describe the present invention.
[0016] The core function of the cleaning blade according to the invention is performed by a "front edge." This front edge describes an edge aligned in the thickness direction of the cleaning blade and, for example, arranged at an angle to the surface alignment, by means of which the interdental space can be cleaned. It should be noted in this regard that the cleaning blade, in particular, has a thickness that is equal to or less than a typical interdental space of a person. For example, this thickness is 0.2 mm, 0.4 mm, or 0.6 mm.
[0017] In this context, “contamination” describes, for example, food residues left between the teeth, deposits (so-called concretions), plaque or similar undesirable accumulations between the teeth.
[0018] The cleaning blade has a "handle" on a "rear edge," particularly one facing away from the front edge. The handle allows the instrument to be gripped and guided using, for example, a tweezer-like grip with two fingers. The handle can be ergonomic, friction-enhancing, and / or ribbed or textured, allowing the instrument to be guided safely even when the handle is wet or dirty.
[0019] In this context, it should also be explained that "teeth," i.e., body parts arranged in a human mouth, in particular, and intended for chewing, have a "chewing surface" that faces opposite teeth and is designed to grind food, for example. In the context of the invention, however, the teeth can also be the teeth of an animal, in particular a pet.
[0020] An “upper edge” of the cleaning blade is usually arranged above the respective chewing surface in the cleaning position, whereas a “lower edge” runs along the cleaning direction and is arranged between the teeth, i.e. in the interdental space, in the cleaning position.
[0021] A "stop" is a manual widening of the instrument compared to the thickness of the cleaning blade, whereby the stop mechanically limits the "immersion depth", i.e. the extent of the cleaning blade's maximum immersion in a direction between the upper and lower edges. The stop thus rests on a chewing surface of the teeth while the cleaning function is carried out. This prevents, in particular, injury to the gums caused by the cleaning blade penetrating too deeply in the direction of the immersion depth. It should be mentioned in this regard that the immersion depth is determined, for example, by a corresponding geometry of the cleaning blade and that different cleaning blades with different immersion depths can also be provided, whereby the different cleaning blades can then be designed to be interchangeable or customizable.Color coding for cleaning blades with different immersion depths is also possible, for example, using a colored dot on the cleaning blade or on the respective instrument by coloring the handle, for example. For example, the immersion depth is specified at approximately 5 mm, approximately 6 mm, approximately 7 mm, or even approximately 8 mm.
[0022] According to the invention, the front edge is divided into a "primary front edge" and a "secondary front edge", whereby further, for example tertiary or quaternary, front edges can be present. The respective primary and / or secondary front edge or further front edges are sub-regions of the front edge, which in particular have different geometric properties along the front edge. It should be noted in this regard that the "front edge", if it is assumed to be straight, for example, can provide a geometric reference for the primary and secondary front edges, but as a mechanical front edge it does not have to be physically closed or present as the entirety of the respective primary, secondary and / or further front edges, in particular deviating from a straight course. Rather, the primary front edge and the secondary front edge represent the actual geometric boundary of the cleaning blade in the cleaning direction.
[0023] The "primary front edge" faces the upper edge and is arranged, for example, starting from the upper edge, while the "secondary front edge" faces the lower edge and / or starts from the lower edge and extends towards the upper edge. The secondary front edge is "retracted" towards the rear edge, i.e., opposite to the cleaning direction, and is arranged, in particular, angled, bent, and / or offset relative to the primary front edge. The secondary front edge is thus geometrically arranged in such a way that it enters the interdental space to be cleaned "secondarily," i.e., only after the primary front edge has impacted the interdental space.
[0024] In one possible embodiment of the invention, the primary end edge and the secondary end edge can be arranged substantially parallel, in particular collinear, to each other. Thus, the end edge can be chamfered in the direction of the lower edge toward the trailing edge and / or have an offset between the primary end edge and the secondary end edge.
[0025] If the primary end edge and the secondary end edge are arranged "parallel," i.e., along a comparable or identical alignment, an "offset" between the primary end edge and the secondary end edge can be set or provided, for example, so that the end edge is provided with a shoulder, for example. If the primary end edge and the secondary end edge are arranged "collinearly," i.e., along an identical path and / or along an identical axis, the secondary end edge is formed at an angle, for example, at an angle between 30° and 60°, starting from the upper edge in the direction of the trailing edge to the lower edge.
[0026] In one embodiment, the primary end edge and the secondary end edge are arranged at an angle to one another. Thus, the primary end edge and / or the secondary end edge is / are beveled in the direction of the lower edge toward the trailing edge, and / or the end edge has an offset, in particular an angular offset, between the primary end edge and the secondary end edge.
[0027] In order to enable a particularly smooth transition when inserting the front edge into the interdental space, the front edge is meandering, curved and / or S-shaped.
[0028] "Meandering" describes an alternating curved shape of the front edge, with "curved" describing, for example, a single, gentle offset. The front edge can also be "S-shaped," with a curved shape indicated by an additional curve.
[0029] In particular, according to one or more of the previously described embodiments, the secondary front edge is oriented substantially orthogonally to the upper edge. Thus, after the cleaning blade has gently entered the interdental space, the secondary front edge can then particularly efficiently assume the desired cleaning function thanks to the geometric arrangement of the primary front edge. For this purpose, the primary front edge can be arranged and aligned at an angle of between 30° and 60° or 40° and 50° relative to the cleaning direction, particularly in the direction of the handle, whereby an angle of approximately 45° can be used. Angle specifications refer to a full angle of 360°.
[0030] In order to ensure safe use of the instrument and, for example, to reduce the risk of injury, the cleaning blade has a rounded edge between the primary front edge and the secondary front edge and / or between the secondary front edge and the lower edge.
[0031] In this case, "rounding" refers to a geometric shape with a quantifiable radius, which enables a smooth transition and thus reduces the risk of injury. This radius is typically approximately 1 mm to approximately 3 mm, especially approximately 1.5 mm. It should also be noted that the secondary end edge facing the lower edge may have a further rounding of the secondary end edge relative to the lower edge. This rounding can be designed analogously to the previously mentioned rounding between the primary end edge and the secondary end edge. However, its radius can also be larger, for example, 3 mm or 4 mm.
[0032] In order to be able to carry out particularly effective cleaning of the interdental space, the secondary front edge in particular can have a projection or a bead in the direction of the lower edge, wherein the projection or the bead protrudes in the cleaning direction and thus opposite to the teeth and the interdental space to be cleaned, so that food residues and other contaminants are held in particular by the projection and / or the bead on the secondary front edge, so that the sliding of food residues or other contaminants off the cleaning blade is reduced or prevented. The projection or the bead can be designed according to the rounded shapes described above, so that the risk of injury is reduced. In particular, the cleaning blade can thus be designed such that the contour of the cleaning blade at least partially follows an assumed shape of a tooth.
[0033] In one embodiment, a stop surface is formed on the handle that limits the insertion length of the cleaning blade in the labial / buccal direction and projects beyond a thickness of the cleaning blade.
[0034] Thus, for example, by adapting it to the typical width of a tooth within a row of teeth, the possible "insertion length"—that is, the width at which the cleaning blade can be inserted between the teeth—can be limited in such a way that, for example, injury to the tongue located within a row of teeth is avoided as best as possible. A corresponding stop surface with a correspondingly designed insertion length can also increase comfort during use by avoiding pain to the tongue or gums.
[0035] To enable the cleaning blade to move between the teeth during the cleaning process, the cleaning blade is designed to be flexible depending on the material, due to its thinness compared to its surface orientation. Thus, for example, the thickness of the cleaning blade is less than 1 / 50, 1 / 75, 1 / 100, or 1 / 150 of its length, with a thickness of the cleaning blade of, for example, 0.5 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.05 mm, or less than 0.05 mm being selected.
[0036] In one embodiment, the cleaning blade is made of a plastic, in particular of a polypropylene, a polyethylene and / or a polyvinyl chloride, and / or of a steel, in particular of a stainless steel and / or a rust-proof steel. It should be noted in this regard that a cleaning blade made of a stainless steel or a rust-proof steel optimally combines the flexibility of the cleaning blade with good cleaning properties and hygienic handling. In particular, with a cleaning blade made of a stainless steel or a rust-proof steel, appropriate geometries, radii and roundings can be permanently attached and precisely adjusted, thus combining a good cleaning effect with a low risk of injury in an overall durable instrument.
[0037] To maximize the cleaning ability of the instrument, the front edge is aligned orthogonally to the surface alignment, with the respective edges of the front edge being designed with an edge radius of 0.025 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, or 0.2 mm relative to the surface alignment. For this purpose or alternatively, the cleaning blade can be "tumbled," for example, i.e., moved in a drum together with abrasive particles to break their edges and create the most uniform edge radius possible, with particularly smooth transitions to the surface alignment.
[0038] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. Figure 1 shows an instrument for cleaning interdental spaces in a schematic isometric representation; Figure 2a shows the instrument of Figure 1 in a schematic side view; Figure 2b shows the instrument of Figures 1 and 2a in a frontal view; Figure 3 shows a set of teeth with teeth and the use of the instrument of the previous figures; Figure 4 shows an instrument for cleaning interdental spaces in an alternative embodiment in a schematic side view; and Figure 5 shows the instrument of Figure 4 in a frontal view.
[0039] An instrument 101 is used to clean dirt from the spaces between teeth. The instrument 101 has a base body 103 made of plastic. It should be noted that the base body can also be pressed, stamped, or forged from a different material, such as stainless steel, if, for example, a higher-quality or sterilizable version of the instrument 101 is to be produced. Milling, particularly using CAD / CAM, or casting of the instrument is also possible. Molded into the base body 103 is a handle 105 with a knurling 106. The base body 103 also forms a stop surface 107 and a blade holder 109 with a stop 111. The blade holder 109 is arranged along a longitudinal direction 191 of the instrument, starting from the handle 105, with the stop surface 107 being aligned essentially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction 191.It should be noted that the longitudinal direction 191 also describes a so-called cleaning direction when the instrument 101 is used as intended.
[0040] In a space spanned between the blade holder 109 and the stop surface 107, a cleaning blade 121 made of stainless steel is integrally received within the base body 103, for example, directly injected by injection molding. Alternatively, the cleaning blade 121 can also be interchangeably received, for example, releasably clamped, in the blade holder 109. The cleaning blade 121 has a substantially rectangular outline, with a rear edge 133 arranged in the direction of the stop surface 107, an upper edge 135 running on the blade holder 109, and a lower edge 131 running parallel to the upper edge 135 and thus parallel to the blade holder 109, but freely in space. The receptacle in the blade holder 109 and in the area of the stop surface 107 prevents bending of the cleaning blade 121. The rear edge 133, the upper edge 135 and the lower edge 131 run along imaginary rectangular sides.
[0041] In the area of a front side 181, the cleaning blade 121 has a front edge 122 which deviates from the rectangular shape and is geometrically designed as follows:
[0042] Extending from the blade holder 109, a beveled primary blade 123 is arranged at an angle of approximately 45° toward a rear side 183 opposite the front side 181. In the region of a curve 125, this beveled primary blade 123 transitions into a secondary blade 127 oriented toward the lower edge 131 and extending essentially orthogonally to the upper edge 135. A further curve 129 is arranged at the transition between the secondary blade 127 and the lower edge 131. The curves 125 and 129 serve to prevent injuries. It should be noted that the curve 129 can also be designed to protrude slightly from the secondary blade 127 toward the front side 181 (not explicitly shown in the figures due to the size ratio), in particular in a bead-like manner, in order to improve the cleaning effect of the instrument 101 (explained below).If the instrument 101 is now used as intended, the instrument 101 is grasped with two fingers at the serration 106 of the handle 105 and guided along the longitudinal direction 191 with the front edge 122 leading into an interdental space 304 between teeth 303, which are received in the gum 305. The stop 111 on the blade holder 109 is brought into contact with an upper side 311 of the respective tooth 303 and limits the insertion depth towards the gum 305, so that the lower edge 131 remains free of gum 305, thus avoiding injuries. During the insertion of the instrument 101 into the interdental space 304, the primary blade 123 first comes into contact with the teeth 303 and the interdental space 304 and, due to its angled design, glides smoothly into the interdental space 304.Then, upon further insertion of the instrument 101, the secondary blade 127 engages the interdental space 304, with the rounded portion 125 smoothly enabling this insertion. Due to its orthogonal configuration relative to the stop 111 on the blade holder 109, it can optimally push out any food residue or other contaminants from between the teeth 305. If the rounded portion 129, as described above, is configured to protrude slightly like a bead, the food residue is securely held on the secondary blade 127, thus achieving even more reliable cleaning. The secondary blade 127 can also have a slightly deviating, for example, slightly concave, shape (see also the illustration in Figure 4 for the next exemplary embodiment).
[0043] An alternative instrument 401 is constructed analogously to the previous example with respect to the cleaning blade 121, wherein corresponding reference numerals (particularly in Figures 4 and 5) are used identically. In contrast to the instrument 101, however, the instrument 401 has a modified base body 403 with a modified handle 405. As in the previous example, the base body 403 carries a blade holder 409 with a stop 411 similar to the blade holder 109 and stop 111, but the handle 405 is designed in a rounded basic shape with recessed grips 406. Furthermore, in the region of a stop surface 407 on the rear edge 133 of the cleaning blade 1211, a shoulder 441 is arranged, onto which, for example, a protective cap (protective cap not shown) for the arrangement of the blade holder 409 and cleaning blade 121 can be pushed and, for example, locked in place.
[0044] The use of the instrument 401 is analogous to the previous example along a longitudinal axis 491, which also determines the cleaning direction.
[0002] List of reference symbols 101 Instrument 103 Body 105 Handle 106 Serration 107 Stop surface 109 Blade holder 111 Stop 121 Cleaning blade 122 Front edge 123 Primary blade 125 Curvature 127 Secondary blade 129 Curvature 131 Lower edge 133 Rear edge 135 Upper edge 181 Front side 183 Rear side 191 Longitudinal direction 301 Denture 303 Tooth 304 Interdental space 305 Gum 311 Top side 401 Instrument 403 Body 405 Handle 406 Grip recesses 407 Stop surface 409 Blade holder 411 Stop 441 Shoulder 491 Longitudinal axis
Claims
Patent claims:
1. Instrument (101, 401) for cleaning interdental spaces (304), with a cleaning blade (121) which is thin in relation to a surface orientation, wherein the cleaning blade (121) can be inserted in a cleaning position along a cleaning direction (191) which is parallel to the surface orientation and lingually / palatally aligned, with a lingually / palatally aligned front edge (122) into the interdental space (304) to be cleaned, in order to remove dirt located in the interdental space (304) by means of the front edge (122), wherein the cleaning blade (121) is received on a handle (105, 405) at a labial / buccal rear edge (133) for manually guiding the instrument,has a stop (111) projecting beyond a thickness of the cleaning blade (121) and has a lower edge (131) arranged opposite the upper edge (135), characterized in that the front edge (122) has a primary front edge (123) and a secondary front edge (127), wherein the primary front edge (123) faces the upper edge (135) and the secondary front edge (127) faces the lower edge (131), wherein the secondary front edge (127) is arranged retracted relative to the primary front edge (123) in the direction of the rear edge (133) opposite the lingual / palatal direction, so that the primary front edge (123) comes into contact with the interdental space (304) to be cleaned along the cleaning direction (191) before the secondary front edge (127).
2. Instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary end edge (123) and the secondary end edge (127) are arranged substantially parallel, in particular collinear to one another, so that the end edge (122) is bevelled in the direction of the lower edge (131) towards the rear edge (133) and / or the end edge (122) has an offset between the primary end edge (123) and the secondary end edge (127).
3. Instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the primary end edge (123) and the secondary end edge (127) are arranged at an angle to one another, such that the primary end edge (123) and / or the secondary end edge (127) is / are beveled in the direction of the lower edge (131) toward the rear edge (133) and / or the end edge (122) has an offset between the primary end edge (123) and the secondary end edge (127).Instrument according to claim 3, characterized in that the front edge (122) is meandering, curved and / or S-shaped.
5. Instrument according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the secondary front edge (127) is arranged aligned substantially orthogonally to the upper edge (135).
6. Instrument according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the cleaning blade (121) has a rounded portion (125, 129) on the front edge (122) between the primary front edge (123) and the secondary front edge (127) and / or between the secondary front edge (127) and the lower edge (131).
7. Instrument according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle (105, 405) has a... A stop surface (107, 407) is formed which limits the insertion length of the cleaning blade (121) in the labial / buccal direction (191) and projects beyond a thickness of the cleaning blade (1221).
8. The instrument according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning blade (121) is designed to be flexible depending on the material due to its thin design compared to the surface orientation.
9. The instrument according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cleaning blade (121) is made of a plastic, in particular of a polypropylene, a polyethylene and / or a polyvinyl chloride and / or of a steel, in particular of a stainless steel and / or a rust-proof steel.Instrument according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front edge (122) is aligned in particular orthogonally to the surface alignment, wherein respective edges of the front edge (122) are formed with an edge radius of in particular relative to the surface alignment.