Interdental brush

Abstract

The invention relates to an interdental brush including an interchangeable cleaning element formed by a wire with bristles attached to the distal end thereof, which is removably and securely attached to a support connected to a handle. The attachment system allow the head to be easily replaced without needing tools while ensuring stable attachment during use. This design extends the useful life of the brush by enabling the handle and the support to be reused, reducing costs and waste. The brush has an ergonomic design with the axis of the head being inclined with respect to the handle and may include wear indicators on the bristles, antimicrobial coatings on the support and texturing on the handle to improve hygiene and grip. The invention thus provides an improved technical solution with respect to conventional interdental brushes with non-replaceable heads or unstable attachment.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] INTERDENTAL BRUSH

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention, as stated in the present descriptive memorandum, refers to an interdental brush with an interchangeable element that provides, to the function for which it is intended, advantages and characteristics, which are described in detail below.

[0005] The object of the present invention is an interdental brush that has the advantageous feature of having an interchangeable element where the bristles are attached to a wire, which is easily interchangeable, since it can be removed and anchored to the handle support preferably without the use of tools.

[0006] This technical feature allows the interdental brush to be easily recyclable by being able to separate the parts made of different materials; for example, the interchangeable element made of wire, the support made of plastic and the handle made of wood.

[0007] Thanks to the interdental brush that is the subject of this invention, it is possible to discard only the replaceable element and reuse the handle with a new replaceable element. This advantage reduces waste and the cost to the user of a new interdental brush. This feature also allows for changing the type of brush, for example, to a thicker one, without having to purchase a new holder and handle.

[0008] FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The field of application of the present invention falls within the sector of the industry dedicated to the manufacture of oral hygiene products, focusing particularly on the field of toothbrushes.

[0010] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is known, the interdental brush is an oral hygiene tool designed to clean the spaces between teeth, areas where a conventional toothbrush cannot easily reach. These spaces, called interdental areas, are prone to the accumulation of bacterial plaque and food debris, which can lead to problems such as cavities, gum disease (gingivitis, periodontitis), and bad breath if not properly cleaned.

[0011] Generally, the interdental brush consists of a handle or grip, to be held with the fingers, which can be made of plastic or other similar material, and a part where the bristles are incorporated, which, made up of filaments of variable thickness, are inserted radially in a distal portion of a braided or helically wound wire and which may be covered in plastic to avoid damage to the gums.

[0012] The problem is that, after several uses, due to the thinness and malleability of the wire, the part where the bristles are incorporated usually breaks, causing it to separate from the handle, which means that the useful life of this type of brush is usually very short.

[0013] The objective of the present invention is to provide the market with an improved type of toothbrush that allows for a longer lifespan, at least in the handle part, allowing the head to be replaced when it is used with a new one, as well as allowing the part that incorporates the bristles to be replaced with another with a different type of bristles, more or less thick, avoiding having to acquire brushes of different thicknesses to perform interdental hygiene of different areas of the teeth.

[0014] This feature has not only ecological effects, as it is only necessary to discard the interchangeable element and not the entire interdental brush set, but it also impacts the replacement price of the interdental brush, as it is only necessary to buy the new interchangeable element instead of an entire interdental brush set.

[0015] Patent W02001012012A1 (Asahi Brush Kabushiki Kaisha, 2000) discloses an interdental brush with an interchangeable part. However, the interchangeable part not only comprises the wire and bristles but also includes a plastic component to facilitate attachment to the rest of the interdental brush. Patent EP1862090B1 (TePe AB, 2007) also discloses an interdental brush with an interchangeable part, consisting of the wire with bristles, which is attached to the handle by pressure. This configuration does not prevent the interchangeable part from being easily detached from the handle during use of the interdental brush.

[0016] Thus, a second objective of the present invention is to allow the secure anchoring of the interchangeable element in the handle, that is, that it does not easily detach from the handle during the use of the interdental brush, preferably without the use of tools.

[0017] Furthermore, and with reference to the current state of the art, it should be noted that, at least as far as the applicant is concerned, there is no knowledge of any other interdental brush that has technical, structural and constitutive characteristics equal to or similar to those of the one claimed herein.

[0018] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The interdental brush proposed by the invention represents an ideal solution to achieve the aforementioned objectives, which, at the same time, constitutes an improvement over the current state of the art, with the characterizing details that make it possible and that distinguish it being conveniently included in the final claims that accompany this description.

[0020] Specifically, what the invention proposes, as previously mentioned, is an interdental brush that, conventionally formed from a wire with bristles fixed to a distal portion thereof, a wire support and a holding handle, has the particularity of comprising an interchangeable element, consisting of the wire with bristles fixed to a distal portion thereof, which is securely attached to the support associated with the handle in a removable and interchangeable manner, making it easy to both extract the head to be replaced and anchor the new head to the handle support provided for this purpose, preferably without the use of tools.

[0021] In this document, "wire" refers to any elongated, flexible, and malleable element. The wire to which the bristles are attached preferably has a diameter of between 0.15 and 0.45 mm.

[0022] The wire where the bristles are attached is preferably made of medical grade stainless steel (316L) or polymeric monofilament.

[0023] The bristles attached to the wire are preferably made of PA6.12 or PBT material and have a diameter of between 0.05-0.15mm.

[0024] The bristles attached to the wire preferably have a bristle density of between 40-80 tufts per centimeter.

[0025] The interchangeable element, i.e., the wire with the bristles, preferably includes wear indicators such as color-changing filaments (thermochromic or pH-reactive) or mechanical indicators such as calibrated bristle shortening or wear bands.

[0026] These dimensional specifications of the wire and bristles are calibrated for interdental spaces between 0.6-3.2mm.

[0027] The support element where the wire with the bristles is attached is preferably made of a biocompatible polymer, such as PP, ABS, or a PC-ABS mixture.

[0028] The support element to which the wire with the bristles is attached preferably has an antimicrobial surface coating that reduces biofilm. The antimicrobial agent is preferably one or a combination of the following: Ag+ (5-15 ppm), Cu2+ (10-25 ppm), ZnO (0.5-2.0 wt%), or quaternary ammonium compounds. The antimicrobial agent is integrated into the support surface by melt bonding, surface coating, or ion implantation.

[0029] The shaft of the interchangeable element, after being fixed to the handle support, is preferably positioned at an angle of between 120° and 170° relative to the handle axis, and more preferably at an angle of 145° ± 5°. The handle, which includes the support where the wire with the bristles is fixed, preferably has a length of 95–120 mm and a grip diameter of 8–12 mm.

[0030] The handle preferably has a surface texture (e.g., Ra 3, 2-6, 3 pm) to allow for greater wet grip stability.

[0031] The handle preferably features an overmolding, for example, with a soft touch, useful for thumb support or for incorporating identification markers. The identification markers can be raised dots (inspired by Braille), geometric shapes, or textural variations.

[0032] The invention contemplates various options for fixing the interchangeable element to the support associated with the handle.

[0033] Thus, in one embodiment, the proximal end of the wire of the interchangeable element is held anchored in the aforementioned support, after being inserted through a through hole, where, by means of a sliding element provided by the support, it is bent at the rear end keeping it held and preventing it from moving.

[0034] The through-hole of the holder extends from the front end of the holder to the rear end, such that the bristle-free wire, once inserted into the through-hole, protrudes from the back of the holder. The protruding portion of the wire is bent by sliding a sliding element along a channel.

[0035] In another embodiment, the support also features a through hole where the proximal end of the wire is inserted and bent by means of a hinged cover provided in the support to keep it in place and prevent it from moving.

[0036] In another embodiment, the proximal end of the wire of the interchangeable element is pierced into the handle support, which is made of a material soft enough to be pierced, such as silicone. It is then secured in the cavity created by inserting it pierced along its longitudinal axis. The securing effect can be increased by inserting it in a spiral shape, taking advantage of the wire's helical configuration. In another embodiment, the proximal end of the wire of the interchangeable element is pierced into the end of the handle support and bent together with it, as the support is made of a sharp and malleable material.

[0037] In another embodiment, the handle support has a hole for inserting the proximal end of the wire of the interchangeable element, which hole extends through a laterally open protrusion as an entry channel to facilitate the introduction of the wire and by means of an additional sleeve-shaped piece, said wire entry channel is compressed, preventing it from coming out.

[0038] And, in another embodiment, the handle support, which has an angled configuration with a part that can be opened, has a vertical hole through which the wire is driven and an internal longitudinal groove, such that, once the wire is driven in, it is bent and fitted into the longitudinal groove, then the support is closed.

[0039] Preferably, the interdental brush of the invention comprises a system for verifying the correct insertion of the interchangeable element into the fixing support.

[0040] The verification system relies on the dimensional relationship between the length of the bristle-free portion of the replaceable element and the length of the wire housing in the mounting bracket. Specifically, the length of the bristle-free portion of the replaceable element must be less than the length of the wire housing in the mounting bracket. This dimensional relationship allows the user to easily verify that the replaceable element has been inserted correctly when, during the insertion process, the bristles make contact with the bracket.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, the verification system follows the following equation.

[0042] L < (Lodging + deformation - 1.5mm)

[0043] Where:

[0044] L = Length of the interchangeable element without cleaning means Lalojamiento = Internal length of the housing ódeformación = Deformation space (typically 2-3mm) 1 ,5mm = Maximum over-insertion tolerance

[0045] The verification system allows the bristles of the interchangeable element to contact the holder precisely at the correct insertion depth, providing immediate tactile feedback, preventing damage to the interdental brush from over-insertion of the interchangeable part, confirming availability for locking the interchangeable part, and verifying alignment for proper retention of the interchangeable part.

[0046] Finally, it should be noted that, since there can be several sizes of interchangeable element, with different wire thicknesses, generally three: small, medium and large, in order to access interdental spaces of different dimensions, preferably, two different sizes of support are provided to anchor the different sizes of existing head, one for a small to medium head range and another for a medium to large range.

[0047] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] To complement the description being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a sheet of drawings is attached to this descriptive document as an integral part thereof, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0049] Figure 1-A shows a schematic perspective view of an example of the interdental brush according to the invention, represented with the interchangeable element separated from the handle, showing its general configuration and essential parts, in particular the handle support for anchoring the removable interchangeable element; Figure 1-B shows a perspective view similar to the previous one, of another example of the interdental brush according to the invention, also represented with the interchangeable element separated from the handle, in this case with another type of support provided with a sliding element; Figures 2-A and 2-B show schematic views, in side perspective and in section, of the first embodiment of the interdental brush of the invention shown in Figure 1-B, specifically an option with a sliding element in the handle support; Figure 2-C.- Shows a rear perspective view of another embodiment of the support shown in figures 2-A and 2-B, in this case represented with the tab in the raised position and provided with protrusions to facilitate its movement; figure number 2-D.- Shows a sectional view of the complete handle with the support according to the variant shown in figures 2-A to 2-C; figures number 3-A and 3-B.- Show two schematic sectional views of a second embodiment of the interdental brush of the invention, specifically an option with a hinged cover on the handle support, having been represented respectively with the cover open and with the cover closed, the end of the wire fixed; figures number 4-A and 4-B.Figures 5-A and 5-B show two perspective and section views of another embodiment of the brush of the invention, in this case with the handle support made of a sharp material, represented with the wire not inserted and after insertion. Figures 6-A and 6-B show two section and elevation views of another embodiment of the interdental brush of the invention, in this case with the handle support made of a malleable material, represented before and after bending it with the wire inserted. Figures 7-A and 7-B show two elevation and section views of another embodiment of the brush, in this case with an open hole in the form of an entry channel for the wire and a fixing sleeve on the handle support, represented with said sleeve before and after placing it on the entry channel.- They show two views, in section and side elevation, of another embodiment of the brush of the invention, in this case with the handle support bent in the shape of an L and provided with a detachable part and an internal groove to fit the wire.

[0050] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0051] In view of the aforementioned figures, and in accordance with the numbering adopted, one can observe in them an example of a non-limiting embodiment of the interdental brush of the invention, which comprises what is described in detail below.

[0052] Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the brush (1) of the invention is of the type comprising a wire (4) with bristles (5) fixed to a distal portion thereof, a support (6) for the wire (4) and a handle (2) for holding it.

[0053] And, based on this already known configuration, the brush (1) is distinguished, essentially, by the fact that the wire (4) with bristles (5) fixed to a distal portion thereof forms part of an interchangeable element (3) that is attached to the support (6) associated with the handle (2) in a removable and interchangeable manner, the interchangeable element (3) being easily removable and attachable preferably without the use of tools.

[0054] Preferably, said support (6) has an approximately L-shaped configuration that determines an angle, at least less than 180°, between the interchangeable element (3) and the handle (2) to provide ergonomics to the brush (1) in its use within the oral cavity.

[0055] Referring to Figures 1-B and 2-A to 2-D, it can be seen how, in a preferred embodiment, the handle support (6) (2) has a through hole (7) extending from a front end (7.1) to a rear end (7.2) and a sliding element (8) that, fitted into a guide channel (7.3) made in the rear part of the support body (6) where the through hole (7) opens at its rear end (7.2), slides between a lower position that covers it (Figures 2-A and 2-B) and an upper position that does not cover it (Figure 2-C), such that, after the wire (4) is inserted through the through hole (7) so that a part protrudes from the rear end (7.2), when the sliding element (8) is lowered to the lower position, the wire (4) bends and holds it in place, preventing it from moving.

[0056] In this option, preferably, the support (6) has an L-shaped configuration.

[0057] Furthermore, preferably, the sliding element (8) has a protrusion (8.1) to facilitate its sliding movement simply by pushing it with the thumb. Thus, to raise the tab (8) and facilitate the insertion and removal of the interchangeable element (3), simply push this protrusion (8.1) with your thumb from below to raise the tab (8). And, to close it again, simply push the protrusion (8.1) with your thumb from above to lower the tab (8).

[0058] Also, preferably, on the outer surface of the part that defines the sliding element (8) of the support (6) there are provided roughnesses (8.2) that further favor the upward or downward pushing action to open or close it simply with the thumb.

[0059] In any case, preferably, on the inner face of the sliding element (8) there is a locking stop (8.3) that fits into the guide channel (7.3) where it is embedded when in the lower position, so that it is fixed preventing it from moving or coming out of its position, making the interchangeable element perfectly cohesive, unless sufficient force is applied to reopen the tab.

[0060] Referring to Figures 3-A and 3-B, it can be seen that, in another embodiment similar to the previous one, the handle support (6) (2) also has a through-hole (7) extending from a front end (7.1) to a rear end (7.2) and, in this case, a hinged cover (80) which, in the closed position, covers the rear end (7.2) of said through-hole (7), such that, after the wire (4) is inserted through the through-hole (7), with a portion protruding from the rear end (7.2), closing the hinged cover (80) bends the wire (4) and holds it in place, preventing it from moving. In this embodiment, preferably, the support (6) also has an L-shaped configuration.

[0061] In any case, preferably, the hinged cover (80) has a protrusion (80.1) that fits into a recess (80.2) provided for this purpose in the rear of the support (6). In a preferred embodiment, the portion of the interchangeable element (3) that does not include the bristles (5) has a length shorter than the sum of the length of the through-hole (7) and the space where the bent wire portion (4) is housed, such that when the bristles

[0062] (5) stop at the front end (7.1) of the through hole (7) indicating to the user that the interchangeable element (3) cannot be inserted and thus ensuring that the wire (4) of the interchangeable element is properly housed inside the handle (6), i.e., does not protrude from it once the tab (8) or the cap (80) is closed.

[0063] This feature does not prevent the user from placing the interchangeable element (3) in the holder (6) in such a way that the bristles (5) of the interchangeable element do not touch the front end (7.1) to achieve an interdental brush with a longer interchangeable element (3).

[0064] Referring to figures 4-A and 4-B, it can be seen how, in another embodiment option, the support

[0065] (6) The handle (2) is made of a soft, puncture-resistant material, such as silicone, so that the wire (4) is secured to it by pricking it in, inserting it directly under pressure, and optionally, twisting it to take advantage of the helical configuration of the wire (4). In this option, preferably, the support (6) has an L-shaped configuration.

[0066] Referring to Figures 5-A and 5-B, it can be seen that, in another embodiment, the handle support (6) (2) is made of a soft, pliable, and malleable material, such that the end of the wire (4) of the interchangeable element is secured by piercing it directly into the support and can then be bent together with the support (6) to give the assembly an L-shape. In this embodiment, the support (6) does not initially have an L-shape, as it is bent after the wire (4) is inserted into it.

[0067] Referring to Figures 6-A and 6-B, it can be seen that, in another embodiment, the handle support (6) has a blind hole (9) that, at its front end, defines a channel-shaped protrusion (9.1) to facilitate the insertion of the wire (4). A locking sleeve (10) fits into this channel, compressing it and preventing the wire (4) from slipping out. Preferably, the locking sleeve (10) threads onto the protrusion of the channel (9.1), and both parts have threaded threads and grooves for this purpose. In this preferred embodiment, the support (6) has an L-shaped configuration.

[0068] And, referring to Figures 7-A and 7-B, it can be seen how, in another embodiment, the L-shaped support (6) of the handle (2) has a detachable portion (6.1), for example, snap-on, and internally includes a vertical hole (11) through which the wire (4) is inserted and a longitudinal groove (12) where, once the wire (4) is inserted, it bends and fits, becoming fixed when the detachable portion (6.1) is closed over it. Finally, it should be noted that, preferably, two different sizes of support (6) are provided to anchor the different sizes of interchangeable element (3) to the handle (2), so that small to medium-sized interchangeable components (3) can be anchored to a smaller one, and medium to large interchangeable components (3) can be anchored to a larger one.

[0069] Having sufficiently described the nature of the present invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it is not considered necessary to make its explanation more extensive so that any expert in the field can understand its scope and the advantages that derive from it.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.- Interdental brush comprising an interchangeable element (3) that is attached to a support (6) associated with a handle (2) in a removable and interchangeable manner, characterized in that the interchangeable element (3) consists of a wire (4) with bristles (5) attached to a distal portion thereof and in that the interchangeable element (3) is attached to and removed from the support (6) associated with the handle (2).

2. Interdental brush according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of the interchangeable element, after being fixed in the handle support, is positioned at an angle with respect to the axis of the handle at an angle of between 120 o - 170°, and preferably with an angle of 145°±5°.

3. Interdental brush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the handle support (6) (2) comprises a through hole (7) extending from a front end (7.1) to a rear end (7.2) and a sliding element (8) which, fitted into a guide channel (7.3) made in the rear part of the support body (6) where the through hole (7) opens at its rear end (7.2), slides between an upper position that does not cover it and a lower position that covers it, such that, after the wire (4) is inserted through the through hole (7) so that a part of it protrudes from the rear end (7.2), when moving the sliding element (8) from the upper position to the lower position the wire (4) bends and is held in place preventing it from moving. 4.- Interdental brush according to claim 3, characterized in that the sliding element (8) has a protrusion (8.1) to facilitate its sliding movement.

5. Interdental brush according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a locking stop (8.3) is provided on the inner face of the sliding element (8) which fits into the guide channel (7.3) where it is fitted when it is in the lower position.

6. Interdental brush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the handle support (6) (2) has a through hole (7) extending from a front end (7.1) to a rear end (7.2) and a hinged cover (80) which, in the closed position, covers the rear end (7.2) of said through hole (7), such that, after the wire (4) is inserted through the through hole (7), so that a part protrudes from the rear end (7.2), when the hinged cover (80) is closed the wire (4) bends and is held in place, preventing it from moving.

7. Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part of the interchangeable element (3) that does not comprise the bristles (5) has a length less than the sum of the length of the through hole (7) and the space where the part of the bent wire (4) is housed, such that the bristles (5) touch the front end (7.1) of the through hole (7) indicating to the user the correct placement of the interchangeable element (3) so that the wire (4) of the interchangeable element is correctly housed within the handle (6). 8.- Interdental brush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support (6) of the handle (2) is made of a soft, puncture-resistant material, such as silicone, where the wire (4) is fixed by pricking it, inserting it directly under pressure, or rotating it. 9.- Interdental brush according to claim 1, characterized in that the support (6) of the handle (2) is made of a soft, puncture-resistant, and malleable material, where the wire (4) of the interchangeable element is fixed by directly piercing it and can then be bent together with the support (6) to give the assembly an L-shaped configuration.

10. Interdental brush according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support (6) of the handle (2) has a blind hole (9) with an inlet channel-shaped protrusion (9.1) where a locking sleeve (10) fits, which compresses said inlet channel (9.1) and prevents the wire (4) from coming out. 11.- Interdental brush according to claim 2, characterized in that the support (6) of the L-shaped handle (2) internally comprises a vertical hole (11) through which the wire (4) is placed, a longitudinal groove (12) where the wire (4) is placed after being bent and fitted, and a detachable portion (6.1) that fits into the end of the L, causing the wire (4) to be fixed inside the longitudinal groove (12). 12.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wire where the bristles are preferably attached has a diameter of between 0.15-0.45mm. 13.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wire where the bristles are attached is made of medical grade stainless steel (316L) or polymeric monofilament. 14.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristles attached to the wire are made of PA6.12 or PBT material and have a diameter of between 0.05-0.15mm. 15.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bristles attached to the wire have a bristle density of between 40-80 tufts per centimeter. 16.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interchangeable element includes wear indicators such as color-changing filaments (thermochromic or pH-reactive) or mechanical indicators such as calibrated bristle shortening or wear bands. 17.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element where the wire with the bristles is fixed is made of a biocompatible polymer, such as PP, ABS, or a PC-ABS mixture. 18.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element where the wire with the bristles is fixed has an antimicrobial surface coating. 19.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle has a surface texture (for example Ra 3, 2-6, 3 pm) to allow greater wet grip stability. 20.- Interdental brush according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle has an overmolding useful for example for thumb support or for including identification markers.

Images