U.S. patent application number 11/905640 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-10 for mouth cleaning device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Suehisa Kishimoto, Tomohiro Kunita, Hiroaki Shimizu, Shinichi Taniguchi.
Application Number | 20080083074 11/905640 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38819336 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080083074 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Taniguchi; Shinichi ; et
al. |
April 10, 2008 |
Mouth cleaning device
Abstract
A mouth cleaning device includes: a head portion provided with
bristles and an electrode; and a handle portion provided with an
electrode. In the mouth cleaning device, when an electric circuit
is formed from one electrode to the other electrode via a human
body by application of a voltage to the electrodes, a pulse current
having a frequency of about 4000 Hz to about 15000 Hz flows
therein.
Inventors: |
Taniguchi; Shinichi;
(Hikone, JP) ; Kishimoto; Suehisa; (Hikone,
JP) ; Kunita; Tomohiro; (Hikone, JP) ;
Shimizu; Hiroaki; (Hikone, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
Matsushita Electric Works,
Ltd.
Kadoma-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
38819336 |
Appl. No.: |
11/905640 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/22.1 ;
15/105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 15/0002 20130101;
A46B 15/0022 20130101; A61N 1/26 20130101; A46B 2200/1066 20130101;
A61C 17/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/22.1 ;
15/105 |
International
Class: |
A46B 13/00 20060101
A46B013/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 6, 2006 |
JP |
2006-275682 |
Claims
1. A mouth cleaning device comprising: a head portion provided with
bristles and an electrode; and a handle portion provided with an
electrode, wherein when an electric circuit is formed from one
electrode to the other electrode via a human body by application of
a voltage to the electrodes, a pulse current having a frequency of
about 4000 Hz to about 15000 Hz flows therein.
2. The mouth cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the pulse current
has a frequency of about 9090 Hz.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a mouth cleaning device for
improving oral hygiene by flowing a minute current in a mouth.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] As for a conventional mouth cleaning device, an electric
toothbrush or an ion toothbrush has been known. The conventional
mouth cleaning device removes plaque from teeth by flowing a minute
current in a mouth, thereby enhancing cleaning effect of brushing,
metabolism of oral tissues or blood flow. For example, Japanese
Patent No. 2560162 describes therein a toothbrush including a head
portion where bristles are arranged and a handle portion where a
battery is accommodated, wherein an electrode connected with one
pole of the battery is arranged on a part of a surface of the
handle portion, whereas an electrode connected with the other pole
of the battery is arranged on the head portion. When a user inserts
the head portion into a mouth while holding the handle portion, a
minute current flows through a body from a hand holding the handle
portion to contact portions between the head portion and teeth or
gums inside the mouth. Further, Utility Model Laid-open Application
No. S62-30849 describes therein a toothbrush that supplies a low
frequency square wave into a mouth.
[0003] However, the conventional toothbrush is not efficient in
massaging gum tissues.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In view of the above, the present invention provides a mouth
cleaning device that is efficient in massaging gum tissues.
[0005] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,
there is provided a mouth cleaning device including: a head portion
provided with bristles and an electrode and a handle portion
provided with an electrode, wherein when an electric circuit is
formed from one electrode to the other electrode via a human body
by application of a voltage to the electrodes, a pulse current
having a frequency of about 4000 Hz to about 15000 Hz flows
therein.
[0006] Preferably, the pulse current has a frequency of about 9090
Hz.
[0007] The present invention in which the pulse current having the
frequency of about 4000 Hz to about 15000 Hz is made to flow is
efficient in stimulating gum tissues and improving gum health.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The objects and features of the present invention will
become apparent from the following description of embodiments,
given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a block circuit diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary toothbrush
of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates an explanatory diagram for explaining
exemplary variations in hemoglobin oxygen saturation of the
embodiment of the present invention to; and
[0012] FIG. 4 provides an explanatory diagram for explaining
variations in an exemplary BOP (Bleeding On Probing) improvement
rate of the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT
[0013] The embodiments of the present invention will be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part
hereof. Referring to FIG. 2, there are illustrated a head portion 1
formed by arranging bristles 10 on one end side of a shaft 11 and a
handle portion 2 accommodating therein a power source (e.g.,
battery or the like) 20. The handle portion 2 includes therein a
driving shaft 21 having one end connected with the head portion 1,
an actuator 22 for moving the driving shaft 21 in an axial
reciprocating motion or the like, and a circuit board 24. Moreover,
the handle portion 2 has an electrode 23 on an outer surface
thereof, and the head portion 1 has an electrode 13 near roots of
the bristles 10.
[0014] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the electrode 23 is connected with
the positive pole of the battery 20 via an output resistor Ro1 and
a boosting circuit 3 mounted on the circuit board 24. Further, the
electrode 13 of the head portion 1 is connected with the grounded
negative pole of the battery 20 via a conduction plate 12 installed
inside the shaft 11, the driving shaft 21, and the circuit board 24
(i.e., an output resistor RO2, a current limit transistor TRa and
limit resistor Rlim 2 mounted thereon).
[0015] The circuit board 24 has a current limit circuit 4 shown in
FIG. 1, in addition to the boosting circuit 3. The current limit
circuit 4, which is formed of the control resistor Rlim1, the
current limit transistor TRa and a limit resistor Rlim2, generates
a constant base current from a reference DC voltage V.sub.R
(current limit control DC voltage) via the control resistor Rlim1,
and limits a collector current that can flow through the current
limit transistor TRa. The control resistor Rlim1 serves to adjust
the reference DC voltage V.sub.R, and can variably adjust a current
limit when it is configured as a variable resistor, according to
individual differences in a resistance of a human body, individual
differences in reaction to a current and the like. It is preferable
that the maximum value of the limited current which can flow
through the human body is lower than or equal to about 300
.mu.A.
[0016] The boosting circuit 3 boosts a battery voltage V.sub.B and
generates a voltage V.sub.h (V.sub.h>V.sub.B) under the control
of a boost control circuit 30. This voltage Vh is preferably a
voltage which allows the supply of a current of a magnitude that
enables required effects to be obtained even if a resistance of a
conduction path including a human body is not uniform. For example,
when a current of about 100 .mu.A needs to flow on the assumption
that a maximum resistance (including a contact resistance or the
like) of the path including the human body is about 150 k.OMEGA.,
the voltage Vh is about 15 V (=150 k.OMEGA..times.100 .mu.A).
[0017] If the handle portion 2 is held and the head portion 1 is
inserted into the mouth in a state where the voltage Vh generated
by the boosting circuit 3 is applied to the electrodes 13 and 23,
the current flows from an output resistor Ro1 to the current limit
transistor TRa via the electrode 23, the human body, the electrode
13, the conduction plate 12, the driving shaft 21 and an output
resistor Ro2. However, the current is limited to, e.g., about 100
.mu.A, by the aforementioned base current. Therefore, even when the
resistance of the human body is low, the current greater than or
equal to about 100 .mu.A does not flow and, also, an surge current
can be suppressed.
[0018] As depicted in FIG. 1, there is provided a transistor TRb
which temporarily blocking a current by reducing a base potential
of the pulsed current limit transistor TRa to zero at regular
intervals so that the current can flow through the human body.
[0019] FIG. 3 shows variations in hemoglobin oxygen saturation
obtained when a pulsed current, a DC current, and no current are
made to flow, wherein the saturation values are normalized with
respect to the value obtained when no current is made to flow. The
hemoglobin oxygen saturation indicates a combination ratio between
oxygen and hemoglobin in red blood cells flowing through gum blood
vessels. Since the oxygen sufficiency in tissues can be monitored
by measuring the hemoglobin oxygen saturation, it serves as an
indicator representing a state of inflammation of gums. When the
state of gum health is poor due to the inflammation of gums or the
like, oxygen supply cannot meet oxygen demand and, accordingly,
oxygen becomes insufficient (low hemoglobin oxygen saturation).
[0020] As clearly can be seen from FIG. 3, the saturation is higher
when the DC current is made to flow than when no current is made to
flow. The saturation becomes further higher when a pulsed current
of about 4545 Hz is made to flow, and highest when a pulse current
of 9090 Hz is made to flow. However, the saturation is smaller when
a pulsed current of 15000 Hz is made to flow than when the pulsed
current of 9090 Hz is made to flow.
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates variations in BOP (Bleeding On Probing)
when the pulsed current of 4545 Hz is made to flow for one month
during tooth brushing and when no current is made to flow. As a
result, it was found that the BOP was significantly improved when
the pulsed current was made to flow. Therefore, it is clear that
the gum care is effective when the pulse current of a frequency
greater than or equal to about 4000 Hz is made to flow.
[0022] The electrode 13 is a negative electrode to which a single
pole pulsed current is supplied to prevent elution of an electrode
metal. When an electrode inserted into a mouth serves as an anode,
teeth or gums serve as a cathode. In that case, a metal of the
anode is eluted, and the eluted metal is deposited on the teeth or
the gums serving as the anode. However, the anode can be made of a
material other than a metal or a material that is not eluted. If
such a material is employed as the electrode 13, the electrode 13
can be positively biased or AC-biased.
[0023] Although the head portion 1 in the above embodiment moves by
the actuator 22, the actuator 22 (or another driving unit) can be
omitted.
[0024] While the invention has been shown and described with
respect to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled
in the art that various changes and modification may be made
without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the
following claims.
* * * * *