U.S. patent application number 11/561941 was filed with the patent office on 2007-05-24 for fluid driven toothbrush.
Invention is credited to Chung-Ting Tsai.
Application Number | 20070113360 11/561941 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37764409 |
Filed Date | 2007-05-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070113360 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tsai; Chung-Ting |
May 24, 2007 |
FLUID DRIVEN TOOTHBRUSH
Abstract
A fluid driven toothbrush includes: a brush-mounting shank
defining a fluid channel and a disc-receiving chamber that is in
fluid communication with the fluid channel and that is defined by a
chamber-defining surface; and a brush head including a disc that
extends axially and rotatably into the disc-receiving chamber and
that is rotatable about a rotation axis. The brush head further
includes a plurality of angularly disposed vanes centered at the
rotation axis, protruding axially from the disc, and disposed in
the disc-receiving chamber. Each of the vanes has a free end face
in sliding contact with the chamber-defining surface of the
disc-receiving chamber. The fluid channel has a curved discharging
end section extending in a tangential direction relative to the
disc so as to generate a tangential flow in the disc-receiving
chamber.
Inventors: |
Tsai; Chung-Ting; (Taichung,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
P. O. BOX 5257
NEW YORK
NY
10150-5257
US
|
Family ID: |
37764409 |
Appl. No.: |
11/561941 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 17/032 20190501;
A61C 17/222 20130101; A46B 13/008 20130101; A61C 17/3427 20130101;
A61C 17/30 20130101; A61C 17/22 20130101; A46B 13/06 20130101; A46B
2200/1066 20130101; A46B 11/063 20130101; A46B 5/0095 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/029 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/06 20060101
A46B013/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 24, 2005 |
TW |
094220374 |
Claims
1. A fluid driven toothbrush comprising: a brush-mounting shank
defining a fluid channel and a disc-receiving chamber that is in
fluid communication with said fluid channel and that is defined by
a chamber-defining surface; and a brush head including a disc that
extends axially and rotatably into said disc-receiving chamber and
that is rotatable about a rotation axis, said brush head further
including a plurality of angularly disposed vanes centered at the
rotation axis, protruding axially from said disc, and disposed in
said disc-receiving chamber; wherein each of said vanes has a free
end face in sliding contact with said chamber-defining surface of
said disc-receiving chamber; and wherein said fluid channel has a
curved discharging end section terminated at said disc-receiving
chamber and extending in a tangential direction relative to said
disc so as to generate a tangential flow in said disc-receiving
chamber to push said vanes in sequence to thereby rotate said
disc.
2. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 1, wherein each of said
vanes has a first axial end connected to said disc, and a second
axial end opposite to said first axial end, and is formed with a
recess extending axially from said second axial end to said first
axial end and radially from said free end face toward the rotation
axis, said disc being formed with a plurality of jet holes, each of
which is axially aligned and is in fluid communication with said
recess in a respective one of said vanes.
3. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 2, wherein said fluid
channel is defined by a channel-defining surface that has a
discharging end edge, said discharging end edge having a leading
edge portion and a trailing edge portion with respect to a flowing
direction of the tangential flow, said free end face of each of
said vanes having a trailing edge with respect to the flowing
direction of the tangential flow, said recess in each of said vanes
being defined by a recess-defining surface that extends inwardly
from said trailing edge of said free end face of the respective one
of said vanes, said recess-defining surface of said recess in each
of said vanes facing toward and being aligned with said discharging
end edge of said channel-defining surface of said fluid channel in
the tangential direction when said trailing edge of said free end
face of the respective one of said vanes coincides with said
leading edge portion of said discharging end edge of said
channel-defining surface.
4. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 1, further comprising a
handle connected detachably to said brush-mounting shank and formed
with a fluid passage that is in fluid communication with said fluid
channel.
5. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 4, wherein said handle has
a connecting end portion that is formed with an inner retaining
groove, said brush-mounting shank having a connecting end portion
that extends into said connecting end portion of said handle and
that is formed with a retaining boss engaging said inner retaining
groove in said connecting end portion of said handle.
6. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 5, further comprising a
regulator valve that is mounted in said fluid passage in said
handle.
7. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 5, wherein said
brush-mounting shank further has a circular end portion opposite to
said connecting end portion and defining said disc-receiving
chamber.
8. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 7, wherein said brush head
further includes a cylindrical shaft that defines the rotation axis
and that is formed with an axially extending inner threaded hole,
and a cylindrical central sleeve that projects axially from said
disc and that is sleeved rotatably on said shaft, each of said
vanes extending radially from said central sleeve toward said
chamber-defining surface of said disc-receiving chamber, said
circular end portion of said brush-mounting shank having a base
wall that has a peripheral edge, and a surrounding wall that
extends axially from said peripheral edge of said base wall, said
discharging end section of said fluid channel terminated at said
surrounding wall of said circular end portion, said fluid driven
toothbrush further comprising a fastener extending through said
base wall of said circular end portion of said brush-mounting shank
to engage threadedly said inner threaded hole in said shaft.
9. The fluid driven toothbrush of claim 1, wherein said discharging
end section of said fluid channel is tapered toward said
disc-receiving chamber.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application
No. 094220374, filed on Nov. 24, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates to a fluid driven toothbrush, more
particularly to a fluid driven toothbrush including a disc that is
provided with bristles and that is driven to rotate by a
tangentially flowing fluid.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional toothbrush that includes a
hollow handle 11, a battery unit 14, a motor 15 connected
electrically to the battery unit 14 and having an output shaft that
is provided with a cam 151, a lever 16 connected to an urging
member 162 and driven by the cam 151 to swing back and forth, an
elastic tube 12 connected to an open end of the handle 11 and in
contact with the lever 16 so as to vibrate when the lever 16 swings
back and forth, and a brush head 13 provided with bristles 131 and
connected to the elastic tube 12 so as to co-vibrate with the
elastic tube 12.
[0006] FIG. 2 illustrates an oral irrigator that includes a seat
21, a water container 22 formed on the seat 21 and provided with a
cylinder-and-piston assembly 23, an irrigator jet tip 243, and an
irrigator handle 242 connected to the water container 22 through a
tube 241.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a fluid
driven toothbrush including a brush head that is capable of being
driven to rotate by an injected fluid flow without using electrical
power as required by the aforesaid conventional toothbrush.
[0008] According to this invention, there is provided a fluid
driven toothbrush that comprises: a brush-mounting shank defining a
fluid channel and a disc-receiving chamber that is in fluid
communication with the fluid channel and that is defined by a
chamber-defining surface; and a brush head including a disc that
extends axially and rotatably into the disc-receiving chamber and
that is rotatable about a rotation axis. The brush head further
includes a plurality of angularly disposed vanes centered at the
rotation axis, protruding axially from the disc, and disposed in
the disc-receiving chamber. Each of the vanes has a free end face
in sliding contact with the chamber-defining surface of the
disc-receiving chamber. The fluid channel has a curved discharging
end section terminated at the disc-receiving chamber and extending
in a tangential direction relative to the disc so as to generate a
tangential flow in the disc-receiving chamber to push the vanes in
sequence to thereby rotate the disc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional toothbrush;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a conventional oral
irrigator;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of
a fluid driven toothbrush according to this invention for
connecting to a faucet;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the
preferred embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating how a
brush-mounting shank engages a handle of the preferred
embodiment;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating how a
flow rate can be controlled through a regulator valve mounted in
the handle of the preferred embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration
of a brush head of the preferred embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred
embodiment viewed from a radial direction;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines
IX-IX in FIG. 8;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines
X-X in FIG. 8;
[0020] FIGS. 11 and 12 are fragmentary sectional views to
illustrate how the brush head is driven to rotate by a fluid flow
and how the fluid flow flows through the brush head; and
[0021] FIGS. 13 and 14 are fragmentary schematic views to
illustrate the preferred embodiment in a state of use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] FIGS. 3 to 8 illustrate the preferred embodiment of a fluid
driven toothbrush according to this invention connected to a faucet
100 through a hose 32 and a connector 200. The connector 200 has
first and second outlet ports 201, 202 and a two-way valve 203 for
controlling discharge of the fluid flow through a selected one of
the first outlet port 201 and the second outlet port 202.
[0023] The fluid driven toothbrush includes: a brush-mounting shank
41 defining a fluid channel 414 (see FIG. 8) and a disc-receiving
chamber 413 (see FIG. 4) that is in fluid communication with the
fluid channel 414 and that is defined by a chamber-defining surface
413'; and a brush head 50 including a disc 51 (see FIG. 7) that
extends axially and rotatably into the disc-receiving chamber 413
and that is rotatable about a rotation axis (Z). The brush head 50
further includes a plurality of angularly disposed vanes 512
centered at the rotation axis (Z), protruding axially from the disc
51, and disposed in the disc-receiving chamber 413. Each of the
vanes 512 has a free end face 510 in sliding contact with the
chamber-defining surface 413' of the disc-receiving chamber 413
(see FIGS. 7 and 9). The fluid channel 414 has a curved discharging
end section 415 (see FIG. 9) terminated at the disc-receiving
chamber 413 and extending in a tangential direction relative to the
disc 51 so as to generate a tangential flow in the disc-receiving
chamber 413 to push the vanes 512 in sequence to thereby rotate the
disc 51. The discharging end section 415 of the fluid channel 414
is tapered toward the disc-receiving chamber 413, thereby
increasing the pushing force of the fluid flow acting on the vanes
512.
[0024] In this embodiment, each of the vanes 512 has a first axial
end 5125 (see FIG. 7) connected to the disc 51, and a second axial
end 5126 opposite to the first axial end 5125, and is formed with a
recess 5121 extending axially from the second axial end 5126 to the
first axial end 5125 and radially from the free end face 510 toward
the rotation axis (Z). The disc 51 is formed with a plurality of
jet holes 5112, each of which is axially aligned and is in fluid
communication with the recess 5121 in a respective one of the vanes
512 (see FIG. 8). The disc 51 is provided with bristles 53 (see
FIGS. 4, 8, and 10) disposed opposite to the vanes 512. A flange
511 extends radially from the disc 51 so as to define a shoulder
517 therebetween. The chamber-defining surface 413' is formed with
a neck 417 that is in sliding contact with the shoulder 517 (see
FIG. 8).
[0025] The fluid channel 414 is defined by a channel-defining
surface 414' (see FIGS. 8 and 9) that has a discharging end edge
416. The discharging end edge 416 has a leading edge portion 4161
and a trailing edge portion 4162 (see FIG. 9) with respect to a
flowing direction of the tangential flow. The free end face 510 of
each of the vanes 512 has a trailing edge 5101 with respect to the
flowing direction of the tangential flow. The recess 5121 in each
of the vanes 512 is defined by a recess-defining surface 5121' (see
FIG. 7) that extends inwardly from the trailing edge 5101 of the
free end face 510 of the respective one of the vanes 512. The
recess-defining surface 5121' of the recess 5121 in each of the
vanes 512 faces toward and is aligned with the discharging end edge
416 of the channel-defining surface 414' of the fluid channel 414
in the tangential direction with respect to the disc 51 when the
trailing edge 5101 of the free end face 510 of the respective one
of the vanes 512 coincides with the leading edge portion 4161 of
the discharging end edge 416 of the channel-defining surface 414
(see FIG. 9), there by guiding the fluid flow through the
respective jet hole 5112 in the disc 51.
[0026] A handle 31 is connected detachably to the brush-mounting
shank 41 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), and is formed with a fluid passage
314 that is in fluid communication with the fluid channel 414. The
handle 31 has a connecting end portion 313 that is formed with an
inner retaining groove 315. The brush-mounting shank 41 has a
connecting end portion 411 that extends into the connecting end
portion 313 of the handle 31 and that is formed with a retaining
boss 4111 engaging the inner retaining groove 315 in the connecting
end portion 313 of the handle 31. A regulator valve 33 (see FIG. 6)
is mounted in the fluid passage 314 in the handle 31, and is in the
form of a ball valve.
[0027] The brush-mounting shank 41 further has a circular end
portion 412 opposite to the connecting end portion 411 and defining
the disc-receiving chamber 413. The brush head 50 further includes
a cylindrical shaft 55 (see FIGS. 4, 7, and 8) that defines the
rotation axis (Z) and that is formed with an axially extending
inner threaded hole 551, and a cylindrical central sleeve 518 that
projects axially from the disc 51 and that is sleeved rotatably on
the shaft 55. Each of the vanes 512 extends radially from the
central sleeve 518 toward the chamber-defining surface 413' of the
disc-receiving chamber 413. The circular end portion 412 of the
brush-mounting shank 41 has a base wall 4121 (see FIG. 8) that has
a peripheral edge, and a surrounding wall 4122 that extends axially
from the peripheral edge of the base wall 4121. The discharging end
section 415 of the fluid channel 414 terminates at the surrounding
wall 4122 of the circular end portion 412 of the brush-mounting
shank 41. A fastener 52 extends through the base wall 4121 of the
circular end portion 412 of the brush-mounting shank 41 to engage
threadedly the inner threaded hole 551 in the shaft 55.
[0028] FIGS. 11 to 14, in combination with FIGS. 3 and 9,
illustrate how the fluid driven toothbrush brushes and rinses
simultaneously the teeth when in a state of use. In operation, tap
water flows through the fluid passage 314 in the handle 31 and the
fluid channel 414 in the brush-mounting shank 41 and into the
disc-receiving chamber 413, and pushes the vanes 512 in sequence to
rotate the brush head 50 (see FIG. 11), thereby enabling brushing
of the teeth. At the same time, the tap water further flows through
the jet holes 5112 so as to generate water jets to rinse and clean
the teeth during brushing (see FIGS. 12, 13, and 14).
[0029] By virtue of the design of the vanes 512 and the discharging
end section 415 of the fluid channel 414 extending in the
tangential direction, the fluid driven toothbrush of this invention
can be used to brush teeth efficiently. Moreover, with the
inclusion of the jet holes 5112 in the disc 51 of the brush head
50, the fluid driven toothbrush of this invention is capable of
perform brushing and rinsing simultaneously.
[0030] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretations and equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *