toothbrush

Abstract

To provide a toothbrush that can safely brush even teeth of a patient who needs care.SOLUTION: A toothbrush 1 includes: a tooth row cleaning part 3 including a plurality of brush heads disposed along a tooth row, each of the brush heads including a pair of brush parts 35 coming into contact with a front side and a rear side of a tooth row; a support member 2 for supporting the tooth row cleaning part 3 so as to be freely detached and attached; and a grip part 4 provided in the support member 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toothbrush for care. [Background technology]

[0002] For elderly people and patients who require care due to illness, poor oral hygiene can lead to a decline in swallowing and respiratory function, and can also lead to further illnesses such as pneumonia. For this reason, toothbrushes for care purposes have been proposed to help maintain oral hygiene.

[0003] For example, the toothbrush described in Patent Document 1 includes a dental cover shaped to enclose the upper or lower teeth along the teeth, a brush attached to the inside of the dental cover, and a drive unit that electrically drives the dental cover to brush against the teeth. When brushing teeth, the dental cover is placed in the mouth, and the dental cover encloses the upper or lower teeth so that the brush comes into contact with the front and back sides of the teeth. The drive unit drives the dental cover against the teeth, and the brush brushes both the front and back sides of the teeth simultaneously. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-160880 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the toothbrush described in Patent Document 1, the brush is attached to a dentition cover and cannot be partially removed. Therefore, if the brush is placed on the site of a missing tooth, the brush may come into contact with and rub against the periodontal tissue, causing damage to the periodontal tissue.

[0006] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a toothbrush that allows even patients who require care to brush their teeth safely. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The toothbrush according to the present invention comprises a tooth-cleaning part having a plurality of brush heads arranged along the tooth row, each of the brush heads having a pair of brush parts that contact the front and back sides of the tooth row, a support member that detachably supports the brush heads, and a grip part provided on the support member.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the dentition cleaning unit includes a plurality of brush heads, each of which is detachably supported by a support member. This allows the brush head at the position corresponding to the missing tooth to be removed, allowing for safe tooth brushing without damaging the periodontal tissue.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the dental appliance further comprises a vibration generating unit that vibrates the support member and the dentition cleaning unit relative to the dentition.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of brush heads of the dentition cleaning unit include left and right molar brush heads for cleaning left and right molars, left and right premolar brush heads for cleaning left and right premolars, and left and right anterior tooth brush heads for cleaning left and right anterior teeth.

[0011] In another embodiment, the plurality of brush heads of the dentition cleaning unit include a brush head provided for each tooth of the dentition.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the support member is plastically deformed. Plastic deformation means that the support member is deformed by application of external pressure and retains the deformed shape even after the external pressure is removed.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the support member includes a plurality of support parts that support the plurality of brush heads, respectively, and the support parts are connected by a plastically deformable connecting member.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, one of the brush head and the support member is formed with an engaging recess for engaging with an engaging protrusion formed on the other of the brush head and the support member.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the dental appliance further comprises a liquid suction tube provided on the support member for suctioning liquid within the oral cavity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, teeth can be brushed safely without damaging the periodontal tissues around the missing tooth. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic overall configuration of a toothbrush according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toothbrush without the dentition-cleaning part attached. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toothbrush without the dentition-cleaning part attached. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a side view seen from the direction B in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. [Figure 7] This figure shows a brush head for right molars, where (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where it is engaged with the support member, (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the tip is opened inward and outward, (C) is a plan view, and (D) is an oblique view. [Figure 8] This figure shows the right premolar brush head, where (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where it is engaged with the support member, (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the tip is opened inward and outward, (C) is a plan view, and (D) is an oblique view. [Figure 9] This figure shows a brush head for the right front teeth, where (A) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where it is engaged with the support member, (B) is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the tip is opened inward and outward, (C) is a plan view, and (D) is an oblique view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. Fig. 1 shows the appearance of toothbrush 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Toothbrush 1 according to this embodiment comprises a support member 2 that is U-shaped in plan view, a dentition-cleaning part 3 that is detachably supported by support member 2, a grip part 4 that is provided on support member 2 and has vibration-generating part 42b therein, and a liquid suction tube 5 for sucking liquid from the oral cavity. Toothbrush 1 according to this embodiment is used by a person caring for a patient (hereinafter referred to as "caregiver") or the patient himself / herself, who grasps grip part 4 and inserts toothbrush 1 into the oral cavity from the U-shaped tip side.

[0019] In this specification, the term "dentition" refers to the row of teeth, and "teeth" refers to molars, premolars, and front teeth (including canines, lateral incisors, and central incisors). Note that the dentition may not include the molars, commonly known as "wisdom teeth," which are located at the very back. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the state when toothbrush 1 is placed in contact with the upper dentition in the oral cavity is used as a reference, with the lip side defined as the front side and the throat side defined as the back side (also referred to as the "rear side"). The vertical and horizontal directions are defined as seen from the patient's perspective, with the side from the front to the back of the dentition being the inside, and the side from the back to the front being the outside. The inward and outward directions are the directions along the dentition and perpendicular to the vertical direction.

[0020] (Support member 2) 2 and 3, the support member 2 has a U-shape in plan view and includes a plurality of support parts that support the plurality of brush heads of the dentition cleaning unit 3. In this embodiment, the support member 2 includes left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B for supporting left and right molar brush heads 30A, 30B, which will be described later, left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B for supporting left and right premolar brush heads 31A, 31B, and a front tooth support part 12 for supporting left and right front tooth brush heads 32A, 32B.

[0021] Left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B are located at the tip end of the U-shape of support member 2, i.e., at the left and right positions on the rear side of toothbrush 1, and front tooth support part 12 is located at the front side. Right premolar support part 11A is located between right molar support part 10A and front tooth support part 12 with a specified gap, and left premolar support part 11B is located between left molar support part 10B and front tooth support part 12 with a specified gap.

[0022] Each of the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 of the support member 2 is made of synthetic resin. Preferred types of synthetic resin include polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyoxymethylene (polyacetal resin (POM)), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (ABS), and polylactic acid (PLA). From the viewpoint of durability, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyoxymethylene (polyacetal resin (POM)) are preferred, but the material is not limited to these, and any material can be used.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 3, the right molar support part 10A has a curved shape that follows the tooth row of the right molar. As shown in Fig. 7(A) and Fig. 7(B), the cross section perpendicular to the direction along the tooth row is substantially rectangular, and the outer side surface 13a has an engagement recess 14a formed therein for engaging with an engagement protrusion 36a of the right molar brush head 30A (described later), and the inner side surface 13b has an engagement recess 14b formed therein for engaging with an engagement protrusion 36b of the right molar brush head 30A (described later). As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the engagement recesses 14a and 14b are grooves provided in the vertical centers of the outer side surface 13a and the inner side surface 13b, which are central in the direction along the tooth row. The length of the engagement recesses 14a and 14b along the tooth row is slightly shorter than the length of the right molar support part 10A in the direction along the tooth row. The cross-sectional shapes of the engagement recesses 14a, 14b correspond to the engagement protrusions 36a, 36b of the right molar brush head 30A, and although the cross-sectional shapes are triangular in this embodiment, they are not limited to triangular shapes and may be circular, oval, or rectangular.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A, an insertion hole 15 for inserting a liquid suction tube 5 for suctioning liquid in the oral cavity (described later) is formed in the lower central portion of the right molar support part 10A in the direction along the dentition. The insertion hole 15 penetrates the right molar support part 10A in the direction along the dentition, and openings 15a are formed on both side surfaces 13c, 13d in the direction along the dentition. The insertion hole 15 branches off toward the upper surface 13e of the molar support part in the central portion in the direction along the dentition to form a branch hole 15b, and the opening 15a is formed on the upper surface 13e. In this embodiment, the insertion hole 15 is provided near the lower surface of the right molar support part 10A, but the position of the insertion hole 15 is not limited thereto and may be formed anywhere in the right molar support part 10A as long as it can hold the liquid suction tube 5. The opening 15a of the insertion hole 15 may be formed only on the upper surface 13e, or may be formed only on the side surface 13c on the far side in the direction along the tooth row. In addition, although one branch hole 15b is provided in this embodiment, multiple branch holes 15b may be provided.

[0025] The left molar support part 10B is formed in the same shape as the right molar support part 10A, and is bilaterally symmetrical. For the left molar support part 10B, the same reference numerals are used to designate components corresponding to those in the right molar support part 10A, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0026] The right premolar support part 11A will be described below in terms of differences from the right molar support part 10A. As shown in FIG. 3, the right premolar support part 11A has a curved shape that follows the dentition of the right premolars in a plan view. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the outer side surface 13a and the inner side surface 13b of the right premolar support part 11A are formed with engagement recesses 14c and 14d, respectively. The engagement recesses 14c and 14d are grooves whose cross-sectional shapes correspond to the engagement protrusions 36a and 36b of the right premolar brush head 31A, and in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is semicircular. Other configurations are similar to those of the right molar support part 10A, and corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0027] The left premolar support part 11B is formed in the same shape as the right premolar support part 11A, and is bilaterally symmetrical. For the left premolar support part 11B, the same reference numerals are used to designate components corresponding to those of the right premolar support part 11A, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the front teeth support part 12 has a right side portion 12A curved along the right front teeth row and a left side portion 12B curved along the left front teeth row, which are symmetrical to the right side portion 12A, and are integrally formed in a plan view, and has a curved shape that convex toward the front. As shown in Figure 9(A), the front teeth support part 12 has a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the direction along the teeth row that is approximately rectangular and has the same size as the right molar support part 10A. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a handle portion 40 of the grip part 4 protrudes toward the front from the apex portion that convex toward the front, i.e., the outer side surface 13a of the center in the left-right direction.

[0029] As shown in Fig. 5, an engagement recess 14e for engaging with an engagement protrusion 36e of a right front teeth brush head 32A (described later) is formed on the outer side surface 13a of the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12. The engagement recess 14e is a groove formed in the vertical center and extending from the handle portion 40 in the direction along the tooth row to a position just before the right end of the outer side surface 13a. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, an engagement recess 14f for engaging with an engagement protrusion 36b of the right front teeth brush head 32A (described later) is formed on the inner side surface 13b of the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12. The engagement recess 14f is a groove formed in the vertical center, in the direction along the tooth row of the inner side surface 13b of the right portion 12A, and has a length slightly shorter than the length of the right portion 12A in the direction along the tooth row. The cross-sectional shape of the engagement recesses 14e, 14f corresponds to that of the engagement protrusions 36e, 36f of the right front tooth brush head 32A, and in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is set to a semicircular shape with a larger radius than that of the engagement protrusions 36c, 36d of the right premolar support part 11A.

[0030] An engaging recess 14e for engaging with an engaging protrusion 36 of a left front teeth brush head 32B (described later) is formed on the outer side surface 13a of the left portion 12B of the front teeth support part 12. Furthermore, an engaging recess 14f for engaging with an engaging protrusion 36f of a left premolar brush head 31B is formed on the inner side surface 13b of the left portion 12B of the front teeth support part 12. The engaging recesses 14e, 14f provided on the outer side surface 13a and inner side surface 13b of the left portion 12B are positioned symmetrically to the engaging recesses 14e, 14f provided on the outer side surface 13a and inner side surface 13b of the right portion 12A, and have the same shape and size.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(B), an insertion hole 15 for inserting a liquid suction tube 5 for suctioning liquid in the oral cavity, described later, is formed in the lower portion of the central portion of the front teeth support part 12 (12A, 12B) in the medial-lateral direction. The insertion hole 15 penetrates the front teeth support part 12 in a direction along the dental arch, and an opening 15a is formed on the side surface in the direction along the dental arch. The insertion hole 15 branches toward the top surface 13e at the apex of the front teeth support part 12 in a plan view, forming a branch hole 15b, and an opening 15a communicating with the branch hole 15b is formed on the top surface 13e. The insertion hole 15 also branches toward the front at the apex and communicates with an insertion hole 15 formed in the handle portion 40 of the grip part 4, described later. In this embodiment, the insertion hole 15 is provided near the bottom surface of the front teeth support part 12, but may be formed anywhere in the front teeth support part 12 as long as it can hold the liquid suction tube 5.

[0032] (Connecting member 20) As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the right molar support part 10A and the right premolar support part 11A are arranged with a predetermined gap between them and are connected by a plastically deformable connecting member 20. Plastic deformation refers to the ability to deform when external pressure is applied and to retain the deformed shape even when the external pressure is removed. Both ends of the connecting member 20 are inserted into the front side surface 13d of the right molar support part 10A in the direction along the tooth row and the rear side surface 13c of the right premolar support part 11A in the direction along the tooth row, and are fixed by any fixing means such as an adhesive. The connecting member 20 is attached to the center of the support parts 10A and 11A in the medial-lateral direction, above the insertion hole 15. The connecting member 20 is made of a material such as aluminum, iron, or copper, but may be made of any material that is plastically deformable. A protective member 21 that can be elastically deformed by external pressure is disposed around the connecting member 20 to prevent the connecting member 20 from directly contacting the teeth or periodontal tissue. The protective member 21 is, for example, a sponge made of polyurethane and polyethylene foam, but is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the protective member 21 is formed to be approximately the same size and shape as the right molar support part 10A and the right premolar support part 11A. The protective member 21 is formed with a through-hole 21a for passing the connecting member 20 therethrough, and an insertion hole 21b for inserting the liquid suction tube 5 is provided at the center in the inner-outer direction, on the lower side.

[0033] The left molar support part 10B and the left premolar support part 11B, the right premolar support part 11A and the anterior tooth support part 12, and the left premolar support part 11B and the anterior tooth support part 12 are also connected by plastically deformable connecting members 20, and protective members 21 are arranged around the connecting members 20. The connecting members 20 and the protective members 21 have the same configuration as the connecting member 20 and the protective member 21 that connect the right molar support part 10A and the right premolar support part 11A, and therefore their explanation will be omitted.

[0034] Because the connecting member 20 is plastically deformable, the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B can be moved left and right and up and down relative to the anterior tooth support part 12 to adjust their positions. Furthermore, the left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B can be moved left and right and up and down relative to the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B to adjust their positions. At this time, the protective member 21 deforms to match the positions of the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B. This allows the left and right width and up and down position of the support member 2 to be adjusted to fit the size of the patient's oral cavity. In this embodiment, the left-right distance L1 between the rear ends of the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B is adjusted to be between approximately 53 mm and 63 mm, and the left-right distance L2 between the rear ends of the left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B is adjusted to be 1 to 3 mm shorter than distance L1. The toothbrush 1 of this embodiment is also available in three sizes, for example, L, M, and S, and the size to be used may be selected based on the size of the patient's oral cavity, in which case, for example, the distance L1 for the L size is adjusted to 63 mm±10 mm, the distance L1 for the M size is adjusted to 58 mm±10 mm, and the distance L1 for the S size is adjusted to 53 mm±10 mm. Furthermore, the maximum length L5 of the support member 2 in the front-to-rear direction may be set to 50 mm or more and 70 mm or less.

[0035] The length L3 of the gaps between the left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B and the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B in the direction along the tooth row, and the length L4 of the gaps between the front tooth support part 12 and the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B in the direction along the tooth row are set to lengths that prevent adjacent support parts from interfering with each other when adjusting the position of each support part 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 12; in this embodiment, lengths L3 and L4 are each set to 3.0 mm.

[0036] (Dental Cleaning Section 3) The dentition cleaning unit 3 includes multiple brush heads arranged along the dentition, and in this embodiment includes left and right molar brush heads 30A and 30B for cleaning the molars, left and right premolar brush heads 31A and 31B for cleaning the premolars, and left and right anterior tooth brush heads 32A and 32B for cleaning the anterior teeth. The left and right molar brush heads 30A and 30B, the left and right premolar brush heads 31A and 31B, and the left and right anterior tooth brush heads 32A and 32B are attached to the left and right molar support parts 10A and 10B, the left and right premolar support parts 11A and 11B, and the anterior tooth support part 12, respectively.

[0037] As shown in Figures 7(A) to 7(D), the brush head for right molars 30A is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature along the support part for right molars 10A in plan view. The brush head for right molars 30A has a U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the direction along the dentition that opens upward, and has a pair of side portions 33a, 33b extending in the vertical direction and a flat bottom portion 34 connecting the lower parts of the pair of side portions 33a, 33b. The length of the brush head for right molars 30A along the dentition direction is set to be the same as that of the support part for right molars 10A, and the length of the bottom portion 34 in the medial-lateral direction, i.e., the distance between the pair of side portions 33a, 33b, is set to be the same as the length of the support part for right molars 10A in the medial-lateral direction. Brush portions 35 that contact the front and back sides of the dentition are provided above each of the pair of side portions 33a, 33b. The brush part 35 has a configuration in which the upper part of each of the opposing surfaces of the pair of side parts 33a, 33b is a bristle-implanted surface 35a, and a plurality of bristle bundles 35b, each made of a bundle of synthetic resin filaments, are planted and fixed on the bristle-implanted surface 35a. The configuration of the brush part 35 is not limited to the above, and any form that can brush the surface of the dentition may be used. For example, the bristle bundles 35b may be replaced with a sponge brush.

[0038] Engagement protrusions 36a, 36b are formed on the underside of the opposing surfaces of the pair of side portions 33a, 33b at positions that correspond to the engagement recesses 14a, 14b when the right molar brush head 30A is attached to the right molar support part 10A. The engagement protrusions 36a, 36b are formed to a size, shape, and length that correspond to the engagement recesses 14a, 14b, and engage with the engagement recesses 14a, 14b. In this way, by making the engagement recesses 14a, 14b of the right molar support part 10A to have a size and shape that correspond to the engagement protrusions 36a, 36b of the right molar brush head 30A, displacement of the right molar brush head 30A relative to the right molar support part 10A in the up-down direction or in the direction along the tooth row is prevented.

[0039] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7(C), the length of the engaging protrusions 36a, 36b in the direction along the tooth row is slightly shorter than the length of the pair of side portions 33a, 33b in the direction along the tooth row, the length of the engaging protrusions 36a, 36b in the vertical direction is set to be the same as that of the engaging recesses 14a, 14b, and the cross-sectional shape is a triangle corresponding to the engaging recesses 14a, 14b. Note that in Figs. 7(D), 8(D), and 9(D), the bristle tufts 35b of the brush part 35 are not shown.

[0040] The brush head 30A for right molars is made of an elastically deformable synthetic resin, and the same material as that of the support member 2 can be used as the synthetic resin material.

[0041] To attach the right molar brush head 30A to the right molar support part 10A, first, as shown in Fig. 7(B), force is applied to the upper ends of the pair of side parts 33a, 33b to spread them inward and outward, deforming them, and the right molar support part 10A is placed between the pair of side parts 33a, 33b and on the bottom part 34. Then, the force applied to the pair of side parts 33a, 33b is removed, returning the pair of side parts 33a, 33b to their pre-deformation positions as shown in Fig. 7(A). At this time, the engaging protrusions 36a, 36b of the right molar brush head 30A engage with the engaging recesses 14a, 14b of the right molar support part 10A, and the right molar brush head 30A is attached to the right molar support part 10A.

[0042] The left molar brush head 30B is formed in the same shape as the right molar brush head 30A, and is bilaterally symmetrical. For the left molar support brush head, the same reference numerals are used to designate components corresponding to those in the right molar brush head 30A, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The configuration of the right premolar brush head 31A is shown in Figures 8(A) to 8(D). The following description of the right premolar brush head 31A focuses on differences from the right molar brush head 30A. The right premolar brush head 31A is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature in plan view to fit the right premolar support part 11A. The pair of side portions 33a, 33b are formed with engaging protrusions 36c, 36d for engaging with the engaging recesses 14c, 14d of the right premolar support part 11A. In this embodiment, the engaging protrusions 36c, 36d have a semicircular cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape need only correspond to the engaging recesses 14c, 14d of the right premolar support part 11A, and is not limited to a semicircular shape. The other components are identical to those of the right molar brush head 30A, and therefore are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described further.

[0044] The left premolar brush head 31B is formed in the same shape as the right premolar brush head 31A, and is bilaterally symmetrical. For the left premolar brush head 31B, the same reference numerals are used to designate components corresponding to those of the right premolar brush head 31A, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0045] 9(A) to 9(D) show the right front teeth brush head 32A. The following explanation focuses on the differences from the right molar brush head 30A. The right front teeth brush head 32A is curved with a predetermined radius of curvature along the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12 in a plan view, and is attached to the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12. Engagement protrusions 36e, 36f are formed on the pair of side portions 33a, 33b at positions that correspond to the engagement recesses 14e, 14f when the right front teeth brush head 32A is attached to the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12. The engagement protrusions 36e, 36f have a shape, size, and length that correspond to the engagement recesses 14e, 14f of the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12A, and engage with the engagement recesses 14e, 14f. In this embodiment, the engaging protrusion 36f is formed in the center in the direction along the tooth row, and as shown in Figure 9(C), its length is set to be slightly shorter than the length of the inner side portion 33b in the direction along the tooth row. The engaging protrusion 36e extends in the direction along the tooth row from the edge of a cutout portion 37 (described later) to a position just before the right end of the outer side portion 33a. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the engaging protrusions 36e, 36f is semicircular and corresponds in size to the engaging recesses 14e, 14f.

[0046] As shown in Fig. 9(D), a notch 37 is formed in the lower part of the outer side portion 33a of the right front teeth brush head 32A, at the front end in the direction along the tooth row. The notch 37 is sized so that the handle portion 40 can be inserted when attaching the right front teeth brush head 32A to the front teeth support part 12. In this embodiment, the length of the notch 37 in the direction along the tooth row is set to be approximately half the length of the handle portion 40 in the direction along the tooth row, and the length of the notch 37 in the up-down direction is set to be approximately the same as the length of the handle portion 40 in the up-down direction. When attaching the right front teeth brush head 32A to the support part, inserting the handle portion 40 into the notch 37 prevents the handle portion 40 from interfering with the outer side portion 33a of the right front teeth brush head 32A.

[0047] To attach the right front teeth brush head 32A to the front teeth support part 12, first, force is applied to the upper ends of the pair of side portions 33a, 33b to spread them inward and outward, as shown in FIG. 9(B). Then, the handle portion 40 is inserted into the notch 37 from the right side of the handle portion 40, and the front teeth support part 12 is placed between the pair of side portions 33a, 33b and on the bottom portion 34. Then, by removing the force applied to the pair of side portions 33a, 33b, the pair of side portions 33a, 33b return to their original positions, as shown in FIGS. 9(A) and 9(D). At this time, the engaging protrusions 36e, 36f of the right front teeth brush head 32A engage with the engaging recesses 14e, 14f of the front teeth support part 12, and the right front teeth brush head 32A is attached to the right portion 12A of the front teeth support part 12.

[0048] The left front teeth brush head 32B is formed in the same shape as the right front teeth brush head 32A, and is bilaterally symmetrical. The left front teeth brush head 32B is attached to the left side portion 12B of the front teeth support part 12, and the same reference numerals are used to designate the components corresponding to those of the right front teeth brush head 32A. The left front teeth brush head 32B is attached to the left side portion 12B of the front teeth support part 12.

[0049] (Gripping part 4) As shown in FIG. 1 , the gripping part 4 includes a handle portion 40 and a gripping part main body 41. The handle portion 40 connects the support member 2 and the gripping part main body 41, with its rear end connected to the support member 2 and its front end connected to the gripping part main body 41. As shown in FIG. 4 , the handle portion 40 includes a plate-shaped front side portion 40a connected to the support member 2, a plate-shaped rear side portion 40c connected to the gripping part 4, and a diagonal portion 40b connecting the front side portion 40a and the rear side portion 40c and extending diagonally upward from the front side portion 40a, thereby positioning the gripping part main body 41 above the support member 2. An insertion hole 40d for inserting a liquid suction tube 5 is formed in the center of the handle portion 40 in the left-right direction and near the bottom surface, penetrating the handle portion 40 in the front-rear direction. The insertion hole 40d communicates with the insertion hole 15 of the anterior teeth support part 12.

[0050] The grip body 41 has an outer shape that is easy for a caregiver or patient to hold by hand, and houses a watertight drive unit 42 inside for using the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment as an electric toothbrush 1. The drive unit 42 includes a battery 42a, a vibration generating unit 42b such as a vibrator that generates ultrasonic vibrations, and a control circuit (not shown) that controls the operation of the vibration generating unit 42b. Ultrasonic vibrations refer to vibrations at a frequency generated by a vibration generating unit in a typical ultrasonic electric toothbrush, e.g., a frequency of 1.2 MHz to 1.6 MHz. The vibration generating unit 42b is not limited to ultrasonic vibrations. It may also generate vibrations with a lower frequency than ultrasonic vibrations, such as sonic vibrations, or vibrations at a frequency lower than sonic vibrations and common to electric toothbrushes. The vibration generating unit 42b may also include multiple vibrators that generate multiple vibrations at different frequencies. Known configurations are used for the battery and vibration generating unit 42b. A switch (not shown) is provided on the outer surface of the grip body 41, and when a caregiver or patient turns on the switch, vibrations from the drive unit 42 are transmitted via the handle 40 to the support member 2 and dentition cleaning unit 3. A liquid suction tube 5 passes through the grip body 41.

[0051] (Liquid suction tube 5) The liquid suction tube 5 is used to aspirate saliva, water, and the like from the oral cavity. It includes a main tube 5a inserted into insertion holes 15 and 21b provided in each of the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 of the support member 2 and the protective member 21, and a branch tube 5b branching from the main tube 5a and inserted into the branch hole 15b of each of the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12. The main tube 5a and the branch tube 5b have openings 5c aligned with the openings 15a of each of the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12, and liquid is introduced into the liquid suction tube 5 through these openings 5c. The liquid suction tube 5 is connected to a suction device (not shown) via the handle 40 and the grip body 41 of the grip part 4. The suction device generates suction force to aspirate liquid through the liquid suction tube 5 and may be located either outside or inside the grip body 41. The liquid suction tube 5 is made of a synthetic resin material, such as, but not limited to, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyoxymethylene (polyacetal resin (POM)), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin (ABS), polylactic acid (PLA), etc. In addition to synthetic resin, silicone, elastomer, etc. may also be used.

[0052] (use) When using the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment on a patient's upper dentition, first, the caregiver or patient attaches each brush head 30A, 30B, 21A, 31B, 32A, and 32B of the dentition-cleaning unit 3 to each support part 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 of the support member 2. Next, force is applied to the brush heads 30A and 30B, 31A and 31B to deform the connecting member 20 so that each brush section 35 of the dentition-cleaning unit 3 fits along the patient's dentition, and the distance between the left and right molar brush heads 30A and 30B and the distance between the left and right premolar brush heads 31A and 31B is adjusted. The patient then grasps the handle body 41 and inserts the toothbrush 1 into the patient's mouth from the rear side, i.e., the side where the left and right molar brush heads 30A and 30B are located. The inner brush heads 35 of each brush head 30A, 30B, 21A, 31B, 32A, and 32B are placed in contact with the back surface of the dentition, and the outer brush heads 35 are placed in contact with the front surface of the dentition. While maintaining this position, the caregiver or patient presses the switch. Ultrasonic vibrations from the vibration generator 42b of the drive unit 42 are transmitted via the handle 40 to the support member 2 and the brush heads 35 of the dentition-cleaning unit 3. The ultrasonic vibrations of the brush heads 35 create vacuum cavities (cavitations) in the saliva, water, or other liquids in the oral cavity. The shock waves generated when these cavities burst remove and destroy plaque and bacteria adhering to the front and back surfaces of the dentition. This simultaneously cleans both the front and back surfaces of the dentition. Instead of using the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment as an electric toothbrush, a caregiver or patient may clean the front and back surfaces of the dentition by moving the toothbrush 1 in small increments. When using the toothbrush 1 of this embodiment on the lower dentition, the toothbrush 1 is turned upside down and the same movements as when using it on the upper dentition are performed.

[0053] According to this embodiment, the dentition cleaning unit 3 includes multiple brush heads 30A, 30B, 21A, 31B, 32A, and 32B, and each brush head 30A, 30B, 21A, 31B, 32A, and 32B is detachably supported on the support member 2. This allows the brush head located in a position corresponding to a missing tooth to be removed, allowing for safe tooth brushing without damaging periodontal tissue. In particular, in this embodiment, the dentition cleaning unit 3 is divided into left and right molar brush heads 30A and 30B, left and right premolar brush heads 31A and 31B, and left and right anterior tooth brush heads 32A and 32B, allowing the brush heads located in positions corresponding to missing molars, premolars, and anterior teeth to be removed.

[0054] Furthermore, this embodiment is equipped with vibration generating unit 42b, allowing toothbrush 1 to be used as an electric toothbrush. Therefore, after inserting toothbrush 1 into the patient's mouth, a caregiver or the patient can brush the patient's teeth simply by gripping gripping portion 4 to hold toothbrush 1 and driving toothbrush 1. In particular, even if the patient is bedridden or otherwise unable to brush their teeth by themselves, such as when they are unable to hold or bite toothbrush 1, the caregiver can brush the patient's teeth simply by holding toothbrush 1. Furthermore, because vibration generating unit 42b generates ultrasonic vibrations, cleaning, such as removing tartar and stains, can be performed more effectively.

[0055] Furthermore, although the size of the oral cavity and the distance between the left and right molars and premolars (width of the dentition) vary from patient to patient, according to this embodiment, the support member 2 is plastically deformable, so that the left-right spacing between the brush heads 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, and 32B supported by the support member 2 can be adjusted according to the width of the patient's dentition. In particular, in this embodiment, the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 of the support member 2 are connected by a plastically deformable connecting member 20, which allows the support member 2 to be plastically deformed. In this way, the width of the toothbrush 1 can be adjusted to fit the size of the patient's oral cavity, allowing oral care that is tailored to each patient.

[0056] Furthermore, the molar brush heads 30A, 30B and the support parts 10A, 10B for cleaning molars, the premolar brush heads 31A, 31B and the support parts 11A, 11B for cleaning premolars, and the front tooth brush heads 32A, 32B and the support part 12 for cleaning front teeth each have differently shaped engaging protrusions 36a-36f and engaging recesses 14a-14f. This prevents, for example, the molar brush heads 30A, 30B from being attached to the premolar support parts 11A, 11B, and prevents incorrect attachment of the brush heads 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, and 32B to the respective support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the liquid suction tube 5 is provided, it is possible to suck up liquid such as saliva in the oral cavity, thereby preventing aspiration.

[0058] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the engagement recesses 14a to 14f are formed in the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 of the support member 2, and engage with the engagement protrusions 36a to 36f of the brush heads 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, and 32B of the dentition cleaning part 3. However, the engagement protrusions may be formed in the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12, and engage with the engagement recesses formed in the brush heads 30A, 30B, 31A, 31B, 32A, and 32B of the dentition cleaning part 3.

[0060] Furthermore, for example, in this embodiment, the left and right molar support parts 10A, 10B and the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B are connected using the connecting member 20, and the left and right premolar support parts 11A, 11B are connected to the anterior tooth support part 12. However, the support member 2 may be formed as a single unit without being separated into the support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 12. In this case, the connecting member 20 is not used, and the support member 2 is made of a plastically deformable material, allowing the left-right width of the support member 2 to be adjusted to fit the size of the patient's oral cavity. Examples of materials that can be used to make the support member 2 include metal.

[0061] Alternatively, support member 2 may be integrally formed as support parts 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, and 12 without being separated, and support member 2 may not be subject to plastic deformation. In this case, toothbrush 1 may be prepared in three sizes, for example, L, M, and S, and the size to be used may be selected according to the size of the patient's oral cavity; for example, length L1 for size L is set to 63 mm, length L1 for size M is set to 58 mm, and length L1 for size S is set to 53 mm.

[0062] Alternatively, the liquid suction tube 5 may not be inserted into the insertion hole 15 provided in the support member 2, but the insertion hole 15 may be used as the liquid suction tube 5, and the liquid may flow directly into the insertion hole 15.

[0063] In this embodiment, the dentition cleaning unit 3 is divided into brush heads 30A and 30B for left and right molars, brush heads 31A and 31B for left and right premolars, and brush heads 32A and 32B for left and right anterior teeth, but multiple brush heads may be provided for each tooth in the dentition. In this case, if a tooth is missing, the brush head corresponding to the missing tooth is not attached to the support member 2, so that the periodontal tissue around the missing tooth is not damaged and the other teeth can be brushed reliably. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 toothbrush 2 Support member 3 Dental Cleaning Department 4 Grip part 5 Liquid suction tube 10A, 10B Right molar support parts 11A, 11B Right premolar support parts 12 Front teeth support parts 14a to 14f Engagement recess 20 Connecting member 30A, 30B Left and right molar brush heads 31A, 31B Left and right premolar brush heads 32A, 32B Brush heads for left and right front teeth 35 Brush section 36a~36f Engagement protrusion 42b Vibration generating part

Claims

1. a dentition cleaning unit including a plurality of brush heads arranged along the dentition, each of the brush heads having a pair of brush portions that contact the front and back sides of the dentition; a support member that detachably supports the brush head; a grip portion provided on the support member; Equipped with The support member is plastically deformed, The support member includes a plurality of support parts that support the plurality of brush heads, respectively. The toothbrush, wherein the support parts are connected by a plastically deformable connecting member.

2. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , further comprising a vibration generating unit that vibrates the support member and the dentition-cleaning unit.

3. 3. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of brush heads of the dentition cleaning section include left and right molar brush heads for cleaning left and right molars, left and right premolar brush heads for cleaning left and right premolars, and left and right anterior tooth brush heads for cleaning left and right anterior teeth.

4. The toothbrush according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of brush heads of the dentition cleaning part include a brush head provided for each tooth of the dentition.

5. 5. The toothbrush according to claim 1, wherein one of the brush head and the support member has an engaging recess formed thereon for engaging with an engaging protrusion formed on the other of the brush part and the support member.

6. The toothbrush according to claim 1 , further comprising a liquid suction tube provided on the support member for suctioning liquids in the oral cavity.

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