Device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners

Abstract

A cleaning device (1) for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners of the type replicating in negative at least one portion of a user's dental arch is described; said device (1) comprising a grip (2), a cleaning head (3) and a supporting element (4), extending between said grip (2) and said cleaning head (3), characterized in that said cleaning head (3) comprises a first length (3') configured to at least partially embrace a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner; said first length (3') comprising a first elongated body (S') and a plurality of first bristles-like elements (6') arranged on a first portion of said first length and away therefrom.

Description

[0001] “DEVICE FOR CLEANING DENTAL RETAINERS AND / OR DENTAL

[0002] ALIGNERS”

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention concerns a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners.

[0005] Summary of the invention

[0006] As known, the use of clear dental aligners and retainers, which are kept for several years following orthodontic treatment, has become significantly widespread.

[0007] Such dental retainers or aligners typically have a cavity extending in direction of a dental arch of the user or of a portion thereof and are configured to be fit on teeth so that the aforesaid cavity houses the teeth of the arch.

[0008] Dental retainers are often also used in the absence of previous orthodontic treatment.

[0009] It is known to use conventional toothbrushes to clean these types of dental aligners or retainers.

[0010] DE20111099 and W090 / 02498 describe particular toothbrushes.

[0011] The Applicant has observed that conventional or particular toothbrushes are not adapted for these types of dental aligners or retainers since specifically designed for teeth, i.e. for a negative or complementary shape, with respect to that of the aforesaid cavity, therefore being inefficient or not allowing adequate cleaning.

[0012] The Applicant has therefore addressed the problem of making a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners which can be adapted to the cavity of the portions to be cleaned, therefore optimizing cleaning ease and efficiency compared to conventional toothbrushes.

[0013] In a first aspect, the invention therefore concerns a device for cleaning dental retainers or dental aligners of the type replicating in negative at least one portion of a user’s dental arch; said device comprising a grip, a cleaning head and a supporting element, extending between said grip and said cleaning head, and being characterized in that said cleaning head comprises a first length configured to at least partially embrace a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner; said cleaning head comprising an elongated body and a plurality of bristles-like elements arranged on a first portion of the aforesaid elongated body and away therefrom.

[0014] The Applicant has therefore achieved a new optimization of the cleaning ease and efficiency of devices for cleaning dental retainers or dental aligners compared to conventional toothbrushes.

[0015] For the purposes of the present invention, the following definitions apply:

[0016] “Cross section” of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner means a section made along a plane orthogonal to the extent direction of the dental retainer and / or dental aligner portion.

[0017] “Radial direction” means a direction substantially orthogonal to the extent direction of the filiform element or of a dental retainer length, generally away therefrom.

[0018] “Tangential or circumferential direction” means a direction orthogonal to both the axial and radial directions.

[0019] The present invention, in one or more preferred aspects, may comprise one or more of the following features.

[0020] The elongated body is preferably arranged so as to form a first concavity configured to at least partially accommodate a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

[0021] This way, it is possible to clean the outer part of the dental retainer in a single pass.

[0022] The first concavity advantageously has a maximum width measured as the maximum dimension between two points of the elongated body, of less than or equal to 20 mm.

[0023] The first concavity conveniently has a maximum depth less than or equal to 10 mm.

[0024] At least one part of the bristles-like elements radially extending away from the first elongated body preferably extends toward the centre of the aforesaid first concavity.

[0025] At least one part of the bristles-like elements radially extending away from the first elongated body toward the centre of the first concavity advantageously extends for a dimension equal to at least 35% of the aforesaid maximum width.

[0026] At least one part of the bristles-like elements radially extending away from the first elongated body toward the centre of the first concavity conveniently extends at least for a dimension equal to at most 65% of the aforesaid maximum width.

[0027] The cleaning head preferably comprises a second length comprising a second elongated body and a second plurality of bristles-like elements, said second elongated body being substantially arranged along a straight line forming a non-zero inclination with the lying plane of the first length.

[0028] Conveniently, the second length is substantially arranged along a straight line forming an inclination angle greater than or equal to 15° with respect to the extent direction of said supporting element.

[0029] The aforesaid straight line advantageously forms an inclination angle greater than or equal to 75° and less than or equal to 180° with respect to the extent direction of the supporting element.

[0030] The second length preferably extends for at least 6 mm.

[0031] The cleaning head conveniently comprises a connecting third length between the first length and the second length, the connecting third length being curvilinear and forming a second concavity with a second depth greater than or equal to 30% of the depth of the first concavity.

[0032] Said second depth preferably has a depth less than or equal to 70% of the depth of the first concavity.

[0033] The aforesaid at least one part of bristles-like elements radially extending away from the elongated body preferably extends for a dimension equal to at least 3 mm.

[0034] The aforesaid at least one part of bristles-like elements radially extending away from said elongated body advantageously extends at least for a dimension equal to at most 10 mm.

[0035] Advantageously, the cleaning device is inscribable in a circumference of radius less than or equal to 50 mm.

[0036] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the detailed description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners according to the present invention.

[0037] Brief description of the drawings

[0038] This description will be set forth hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings provided for illustration purposes only and without limitation, in which:

[0039] - figure 1 shows a schematic front view of a first embodiment of a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners according to the invention;

[0040] - figure 2 shows a schematic front view of a first embodiment of a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners according to the invention;

[0041] - figure 3 is a side view of the cleaning device of figure 2;

[0042] - figure 4 shows a schematic front view of the cleaning device of figure 2 housed in a casing for a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners;

[0043] - figure 5 shows a schematic front view of a second embodiment of a device for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners according to the invention.

[0044] Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0045] With reference to the accompanying figures, 1 generally denotes a device for cleaning dental aligners or dental retainers according to the present invention.

[0046] The cleaning device 1 is specifically designed for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners of the type replicating in negative at least one portion of a user’s dental arch, i.e. of the type shown by way of example in figure 4 with the numerical reference 20.

[0047] The cleaning device 1 comprises a grip 2, a cleaning head 3 and a supporting element 4 extending between the grip 2 and the cleaning head 3.

[0048] The grip 2 is configured to be typically gripped at least between the index finger and thumb of a hand of the user and has, for such reason, a minimum area of at least 225 mm2.

[0049] The grip 2 can be circumscribed preferably in a circumference of radius of 14 mm. The grip 2 is preferably made of plastic material, even more preferably of nontoxic and / or nonallergenic plastic material.

[0050] As an alternative, the grip 2 could be made of other materials, always non-toxic and / or nonallergenic.

[0051] Again in order to simultaneously provide a comfortable grip for the user and at the same time adequate support for the cleaning head 3, the supporting element 4 should not have excessive extent dimension.

[0052] The supporting element 4 preferably extends for a dimension L, measured along its extent direction and away from the grip 2, equal to at most 30 mm, even more preferably equal to at most 25 mm.

[0053] The supporting element 4 extends for a dimension L, measured along its extent direction, equal to at least 10 mm.

[0054] The supporting element 4 can be made of metal material or also of non-toxic and / or nonallergenic plastic material.

[0055] The supporting element 4 can be malleable and deformed to tilt the cleaning head 3 with respect to the grip 2.

[0056] The supporting element 4 is connected to the cleaning head 3 at the end opposite the grip 2.

[0057] The cleaning head 3 has a first length 3’ configured to at least partially embrace a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

[0058] “Cross section” of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner means a section made along a plane orthogonal to the extent direction of the dental retainer and / or dental aligner portion.

[0059] The first length 3' comprises a first elongated body 5' and a plurality of first bristles-like elements 6' arranged on a first portion of the first elongated body 5' itself and away therefrom.

[0060] The first elongated body 5’ could be made of the same material as the supporting element 4 and appear like an extension thereof.

[0061] In the embodiments of figures 1-3, the first elongated body 5’ appears like a metal filiform element, with a diameter of about 2 mm. The first elongated body 5’ is configured to at least partially embrace a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

[0062] In the embodiments shown in figures 1-3, the first elongated body 5’, and consequently the first length 3’, are arranged so as to form a first concavity 7’ which can at least partially accommodate a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

[0063] The aforesaid first concavity 7’ has a maximum width D measured as the maximum dimension between two points of the first elongated body 5’, of less than or equal to 20 mm and greater than or equal to 10 mm.

[0064] The aforesaid first concavity 7’ further has a maximum depth P less or equal to 10 mm and greater than or equal to 5 mm.

[0065] In the embodiments shown in figures 1-4, the first elongated element 5’ is preferably arranged so as to form a semicircle of radius D / 2 to form the aforesaid first concavity 7’, the radius of the semicircle can in this case coincide with the depth Pl.

[0066] In other words, the first concavity 7’ is formed by the first elongated body 5’ arranged in a semicircle of radius equal to D / 2 or Pl.

[0067] As previously mentioned, at least one first portion in circumferential direction of the first elongated body 5’ is provided with a plurality of first bristles-like elements 6’ extending away from the first elongated body 5’.

[0068] The whole outer surface of the first elongated body is preferably covered in circumferential direction by first bristles-like elements 6’ arranged away therefrom.

[0069] At least one part of the bristles-like elements 6 is preferably configured so that the bristles-like elements 6’ are radially arranged away from the first elongated body 5’ toward the centre of the first concavity 7’.

[0070] The part of the first bristles-like elements 6’ that radially extends away from the first elongated body 5’ toward the centre of the concavity extends at least for a dimension d equal to at least 35% of the maximum width D.

[0071] The part of the bristles-like elements 6 that radially extends away from the first elongated body 5’ toward the centre of the first concavity preferably extends for a dimension d equal to at most 65% of the maximum width D. The part of the first bristles-like elements 6 that radially extends away from the first elongated body 5’ toward the centre of the concavity extends for a dimension d equal to at least 3 mm.

[0072] The part of the first bristles-like elements 6 that radially extends away from the first elongated body 5’ toward the centre of the concavity preferably extends at least for a dimension (d) equal to at most 10 mm.

[0073] The first bristles-like elements 6’ are joined in groups, each first bristles-like element 6’ can have a diameter between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, preferably between 0.15 mm and 0.5 mm.

[0074] In the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 5, the first bristles-like elements 6’ are made of nylon.

[0075] In the embodiment shown in figure 5, the first bristles-like elements 6’ are made of plastic instead, in particular of a non-toxic and nonallergenic plastic, and have greater diameter and stiffness than those of the embodiments of figures 1-5.

[0076] In the embodiment of figure 5, the first bristles-like elements 6’ have a lower density on the outer surface of the first elongated body 5’ than those of the embodiments of figures 1-5.

[0077] In the embodiments shown in figures 2-5, the cleaning head 3 comprises a second length 3” substantially extending along a straight line arranged, with reference to figure 2, along a straight line forming a non-zero inclination with the lying plane of the first length.

[0078] The second length 3” is specifically configured to clean the inside of the dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

[0079] The outer portion of the dental retainer is therefore cleaned by the first length 3’ and its inner portion by the second length 3” in the same pass along the extent direction of the dental retainer and / or aligner.

[0080] Preferably, the second length 3” substantially extends along a straight line arranged along a direction substantially orthogonal to the plane containing the first length 3’. Preferably, the second length 3” is substantially arranged along a straight line forming an inclination angle a greater than or equal to 15° with respect to the extent direction of the supporting element 4.

[0081] Even more preferably, the second length 3” is substantially arranged along a straight line forming an inclination angle a greater than or equal to 75° and less than or equal to 180° with respect to the extent direction of the supporting element 4.

[0082] The second length 3” preferably extends for at least 6 mm along its extent direction.

[0083] The second length 3” anyhow extends along its extent direction for at most 15 mm.

[0084] According to these embodiments, a connecting third length 3”’ is placed between the first length 3’ and the second length 3”.

[0085] The second length 3” comprises a second elongated body 5” and a second plurality of bristles-like elements 6”.

[0086] The third length 3”’ also comprises a third elongated element 5”’ and a third plurality of bristles-like elements 6”’.

[0087] The second 5” and third 5”’ elongated bodies are made similarly to the first elongated body 5’ and appear like an extension thereof.

[0088] The second 6” and third 6” pluralities of bristles-like elements are also made accordingly to the first plurality of bristles-like elements 6'.

[0089] In other words, the bristles of the second 6” and third 6”’ pluralities are substantially identical in material and size.

[0090] Moreover, the second 6” and third 6”’ pluralities of bristles-like elements can be distributed on the respective second 3” and third 3”’ lengths, with the same density with which the first plurality 6’ of bristles-like elements is distributed on the first length 3’.

[0091] In other words, in the embodiments shown in figures 2-5, the first 3’, second 3” and third 3”’ lengths seem to form a single element formed by the same elongated body covered by the same type of bristles-like elements in terms of shape, material and density. The connecting third length is conveniently curvilinear and forms a second concavity 7” having a second depth P2 greater than or equal to 30% of the first depth Pl of the first concavity 7’.

[0092] The second depth P2 is preferably less than or equal to 70% of the depth of the first concavity.

[0093] In order to make the cleaning device according to the present invention easily transportable, the latter, as shown in figure 4, can be of a size so as to make it possible to enclose it in a casing which is typically used for dental retainers and / or dental aligners. For this purpose, the device can preferably be inscribable in a circumference of radius (R) less than or equal to 50 mm.

[0094] Various modifications may be made to the embodiments described in detail, all anyhow remaining within the protection scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Cleaning device (1) for cleaning dental retainers and / or dental aligners of the type replicating in negative at least one portion of a user’s dental arch; said device (1) comprising a grip (2), a cleaning head (3) and a supporting element (4), extending between said grip (2) and said cleaning head (3), characterized in that said cleaning head (3) comprises:- a first length (3’) configured to at least partially embrace a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner; said cleaning head (3) comprising an elongated body (5) and a plurality of bristles-like elements (6) arranged on a first portion of said elongated body (5) and away therefrom;- a second length (3”) comprising a second elongated element (5”) and a second plurality of bristles-like elements (6”), said second length (3”) being substantially arranged along a straight line forming a non-zero inclination with the lying plane of the first length (3); and- a connecting third length (3’”) arranged between said first length (3’) and said second length (3”)2. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said elongated body (5) is arranged so as to form a concavity (7) configured to accommodate at least partially a cross section of a portion of a dental retainer and / or dental aligner.

3. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said first concavity (7’) has a maximum width (D) measured as the maximum dimension between two points of said elongated body (5), of less than or equal to 20 mm.

4. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said first concavity (7’) has a maximum depth (Pl) less than or equal to 10 mm.

5. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that at least one part of said bristles-like elements (6) are radially arranged away from said elongated body (5) toward the centre of said first concavity (7’).

6. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said at least one part of bristles-like elements (6) radially extending away from the elongated body(5) toward the centre of said concavity extends for a dimension (d) equal to at least 35% of said maximum width (D).

7. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said at least one part of bristles-like elements (6) radially extending away from the elongated body (5) toward the centre of said concavity (7) extends at least for a dimension equal to at most 65% of a first chord (D).

8. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said second length (3”) is substantially arranged along a straight line forming an inclination angle (a) greater than or equal to 15° with respect to the extent direction of said supporting element (4).

9. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said straight line forms an inclination angle (a) greater than or equal to 75° and less than or equal to 180° with respect to the extent direction of said supporting element (4).

10. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said second length (3”) extends for at least 6 mm.

11. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said connecting third length (3”’) is curvilinear and forms a second concavity having a second depth (P2) greater than or equal to 30% of the depth (Pl) of the first concavity.

12. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one part of bristles-like elements (6) radially extending away from said elongated body (5) extends for a dimension (d) equal to at least 3 mm.

13. Cleaning device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one part of bristles-like elements (6) radially extending away from said elongated body (5) extends at least for a dimension (d) equal to at most 10 mm.

14. Cleaning device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by being inscribable in a circumference of radius (R) less than or equal to 50 mm.

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