Interdental Brush

Abstract

The present invention discloses an interdental brush, the interdental brush of the present invention comprises a handle including a gripping portion, a brush coupling portion provided at a front end of the gripping portion and a bending portion provided on the gripping portion for allowing the brush coupling portion to be bent with respect to the gripping portion in the first direction and for restraining a bending of the brush coupling portion in the second direction which is opposite to the first direction; and a brush portion coupled to the brush coupling portion of the handle. Due to the above structure, the interdental brush of the present invention can clean conveniently and easily an interdental space between molar teeth as well as an interdental space between front teeth. In particular, the brush portion of the interdental brush can be inserted simply and accurately into an interdental space between molar teeth placed in a narrow space.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to an interdental brush.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] An interdental brush is used in dentistry and at home to clean in a space between adjacent teeth (hereinafter, referred to as "interdental space), this interdental brush is an available device for removing effectively alien substance, plaque and the like placed in the interdental space.

[0005] Such interdental brush is classified into the I-type interdental brush 101 in which a handle 110 and a brush portion 120 are disposed on a straight line as shown in FIG. 1 and the L-type interdental brush 201 in which a front end portion 211 of a handle 210 is substantially perpendicular to a brush portion 220 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0006] In general, in the I-type interdental brush, since the handle and the brush portion are disposed on a straight line, it is very difficult to insert the brush portion into an interdental space between the molar teeth. Due to the above difficulty, the I-type interdental brush has been mainly utilized for cleaning the interdental space between front teeth.

[0007] And, since the L-type interdental brush has a structure in which the brush is bent perpendicularly with respect to a front end portion of the handle, as compared with the I-type interdental brush, it is more easy to insert the brush portion into an interdental space between the molar teeth. On the grounds of the above structure, the L-type interdental brush has been mainly utilized for cleaning the interdental space between the molar teeth.

[0008] In addition, since the L-type interdental brush can also clean the interdental space between the front teeth, the L-type interdental brush has been more widely utilized than the I-type interdental brush and various kinds of L-type interdental brushes have been sold in the market.

[0009] As the typical examples of the L-type interdental brush, there are a L-type interdental brush, as shown in FIG. 2, in which a brush portion is insert-coupled integrally with a front end portion of a handle bent perpendicularly and a L-type interdental brush, disclosed in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-0225939, in which a brush portion is coupled detachably and perpendicularly to a front end portion of a handle.

[0010] In the meantime, as another type interdental brush, as disclosed in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-0225939, a brush-rotating type interdental brush in which a brush portion is coupled rotatably to a front end portion of a handle has been developed.

[0011] In the above brush-rotating type interdental brush, the brush portion can be rotated about a hinge. The user can rotate the brush portion to dispose the brush portion and the handle on the straight line or to dispose the brush portion perpendicular to the handle. In order to clean the interdental space between the front teeth and the interdental space between the molar teeth, as a result, the use can utilize the interdental brush in which the brush portion and the handle are disposed on the straight line or the brush portion is perpendicular to the handle.

[0012] In the meantime, as another example of interdental brush, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 4-62130, a brush-free-bending type interdental brush in which a brush wire is freely bent or a neck portion which can be bent freely is formed on a front end portion of a handle in a brush wire is inserted has been developed.

[0013] In the above brush-free-bending type interdental brush, the user can convert a shape of the brush portion into a desired shape by bending the brush portion, and so the brush portion can be bent appropriately and then utilized at the time of cleaning the interdental space between the front teeth and the interdental space between the molar teeth.

[0014] However, the conventional interdental brushes as described above have the following drawbacks.

[0015] Since the L-type interdental brush has a structure in which the brush portion is bent into a "L" shape with respect to the handle, a space between a molar tooth and a cheek is narrow. Accordingly, when the brush portion is inserted into the interdental space between molar teeth, the user feels an inconvenience.

[0016] In addition, since a space between a molar tooth and a cheek is narrow, the brush portion is not inserted into the interdental space while the brush portion is in contact with a molar, and so the brush portion is frequently bent at an outside of the interdental space.

[0017] In the brush-rotating type interdental brush, the user should rotate the brush portion every time, and so it is very inconvenient to utilize the interdental brush.

[0018] Also, in the brush-free-bending type interdental brush, the user should bend the brush portion every time, and so it is very inconvenient to utilize the interdental brush. In addition, since the brush portion is bent in the arbitrary direction by an external force, the brush portion is caught on an entrance of the interdental space in the molar teeth range, and so the brush portion is not inserted in the interdental space and is frequently bent to an outside of the interdental space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Accordingly, the present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an interdental brush which can clean conveniently an interdental space between front teeth as well as an interdental space between molar teeth and can insert accurately and simply a brush portion into an interdental space in a molar tooth region having a narrow space.

[0020] In order to achieve the above object, an interdental brush according to the present invention comprises a handle including a gripping portion, a brush coupling portion provided at a front end of the gripping portion and a bending portion provided on the gripping portion for allowing the brush coupling portion to be bent with respect to the gripping portion in the first direction and for restraining a bending of the brush coupling portion in the second direction which is opposite to the first direction; and a brush portion coupled to the brush coupling portion of the handle.

[0021] Here, the bending portion consists of a bending groove and a bending-restraining groove formed on both surfaces of a front end portion of the gripping portion, the bending groove and the bending-restraining groove are formed in the direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion, and it is preferable that both inner surfaces of the bending groove make a certain angle with each other and both inner surfaces of the bending-restraining groove are narrowly spaced from each other.

[0022] In addition, it is preferable that the both inner surfaces of the bending groove make an acute angel with each other and both side surfaces of the bending-restraining groove are disposed parallel to each other.

[0023] Also, it is preferable that the gripping portion has a curved shape, the bending portion is formed on a first curved surface of the gripping portion to be corresponded to an interdental space of the user, and the bending-restraining groove is formed on a second curved surface being opposite to the first surface.

[0024] At this time, it is desirable that the gripping portion has friction surfaces formed on both sides thereof.

[0025] In addition, it is preferable that the brush portion has a core wire which is insert-injected into the brush coupling portion or the brush portion is coupled detachably to the brush coupling portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional interdental brush;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another shaped conventional interdental brush;

[0029] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an interdental brush according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 are side views illustrating a bending function of a front portion of the interdental brush shown in FIG. 3;

[0031] FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 are views showing a state that the interdental brush according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is in use;

[0032] FIG. 10 is a side view of an interdental brush according to another embodiment of the present invention which is in use; and

[0033] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 are partial perspective views showing various coupling structures of the interdental brush according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an interdental brush according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 are side views illustrating a bending function of a front portion of the interdental brush shown in FIG. 3.

[0036] As shown in the drawings, an interdental brush 1 according to the present invention comprises a handle 3, a brush portion 5 coupled with a front end of the handle 3 to clean a space between adjacent teeth (hereinafter, referred to as "interdental space") and a brush cap 7 protecting the brush portion 5.

[0037] The handle 3 comprises a gripping portion 10 that allows a user to grip the handle securely, a brush coupling portion 20 and a bending portion 30 provided at a front end of the gripping portion 10 for connecting the gripping portion 10 and the brush coupling portion 20. Here, the brushing coupling portion 20 can be bent toward the user's tooth by the bending portion 30. It is preferable that the handle 3 is formed of soft synthetic resin material and the gripping portion 10, the brush coupling portion 20 and the bending portion 30 are formed integrally with each other through an injection molding process.

[0038] It is preferable that the gripping portion 10 of the handle 3 has a curved shaped. The shape of the handle 3 corresponds to a curved range from a molar tooth to a front tooth in a planar curved structure of the row of teeth of the user. Due to the structure of the gripping portion 10 of the handle 3, the gripping portion 10 occupying almost all the handle 3 can be closed approached closely to the row of teeth of the user. It will be apparent that, in the handle, the grasping portion 10 which can be elastically transformed has various shapes including a line shape

[0039] In addition, it is preferable that the gripping portion 10 of the handle 3 has the strength to allow a force to be transmitted to the brush portion 5 when the user moves the handle 3 as well as the flexibility by which the gripping portion can be corresponded to a curved structure of the row of teeth of the user. Due to the above property of the gripping portion of the handle, when the interdental brush washes an interdental space, an appropriate force is transmitted to the brush portion 5 and the user feels less a feeling of alien substance in an oral cavity.

[0040] Friction surfaces 15 are formed on both side surfaces of a longitudinal mid area of the gripping portion 10 to enable the user to grip stably the gripping portion. The friction surfaces 15 are formed as flat faces to enable the user to grip easily the gripping portion through her/his a thumb finger and index finger and it is preferable to form micro protrusions on the friction faces for preventing the user's fingers from being slid.

[0041] In the meantime, as described above, the brush portion 5 is coupled to the brush coupling portion 20 of the handle 3. It is preferably that, as shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, a rear end portion of a core wire 5a of the brush portion 5 is insert-injected into the brush coupling portion 20.

[0042] Here, as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG, 12, as the coupling structure of the brush portion 5, a shape fitting structure 21 or a screw-coupling structure 23 formed at a rear end of the brush portion 5 and the brush coupling portion 20 of the handle 3 may be employed, and so the brush portion 5 and the brush coupling portion 20 of the handle 3 can be coupled detachably to each other. Due to the above coupling structure, the brush portion 5 which is worn away or transformed can be replaced with new one while the handle 3 is continuously utilized so that it is possible to prevent an extravagance of the resource and to utilize sanitarily the brush portion 5 always.

[0043] On the other hand, the bending portion 30 of the handle 3 consists of a bending groove 31 for allowing the brush coupling portion 20 to be bent in the first direction with respect to the gripping portion 10, a bending-restraining groove 33 for restraining a bending of the brush coupling portion 20 in the second direction which is opposite to the first direction, and a connecting piece 35 disposed between the bending groove 31 and the bending-restraining groove 33.

[0044] The bending groove 31 and the bending-restraining groove 33 are formed in the direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion 10. In addition, the connecting piece 35 has a structure by which the gripping portion 10 and the brush coupling portion 20 are connected to each other and is automatically formed when the bending groove 31 and the bending-restraining groove 33 are formed through an injection mold process.

[0045] In both grooves, the bending groove 31 is formed such that both inner surfaces constituting the bending groove 31 are met at a certain angle. In particular, it is preferable that both inner surfaces constituting the bending groove 31 are met at an obtuse angle when the brush portion 5 and a front portion of the gripping portion 10 are arranged on a substantial straight line. Due to the configuration of the bending groove 31, when both inner surfaces of the bending groove 31 are in contact with each other, the brush coupling portion 20 can be bent at nearly right angle with respect to the front portion of the gripping portion 10 as shown in FIG. 5.

[0046] The above bending groove 31 is formed on a first face 11 of the both curved faces of the gripping portion 10, the first face 11 being corresponded to the interdental space of the user. Due to the above bending groove 31, the brush portion 5 is directed to the interdental space of the user when the brush coupling portion 20 is bent.

[0047] Here, as long as the brush coupling portion 20 can be bent at right angle with respect to the front portion of the gripping portion 10, it will be apparent that the bending groove 31 can be formed with various shapes such as a circular arc shaped groove.

[0048] And, the bending-restraining groove 33 is formed on a second curved face 13 of the gripping portion 10, the second face 13 being opposite to the first face 11 corresponding to the interdental space. Both inner surfaces of the bending-restraining groove 33 are adjacently spaced from each other at a narrow gap. It is preferable that the both inner surfaces constituting the bending-restraining groove 33 are disposed parallel to each other and a gap between both inner surfaces becomes minimized.

[0049] The above configuration of the bending-restraining groove 33 is provided to allow both inner surfaces of the bending-restraining groove 33 to be in contact with each other and to restrain the brush coupling portion 20 from being bent toward the second face 13 of the gripping portion 10 when a force is exerted to the brush coupling portion 20 and the brush coupling portion is bent to the first surface 11 by the above force. Due to the above bending-restraining groove 33, the brush portion 5 is not bent arbitrarily toward a cheek within the molar teeth range in the mouth.

[0050] Here, the bending-restraining groove 33 can be formed such that both inner surfaces of the bending-restraining groove 33 make the minimum angle with each angle so as to restrain the brush coupling portion 20 from being bent toward the second surface 13 which is opposite to the first face 11 corresponding to the interdental space.

[0051] Like an interdental brush 1' shown in FIG. 10, the bending portion 30 can consist of only the bending portion 31 formed on one side face of the gripping portion 10 and the connecting piece 35 connecting the brush coupling portion 20 and the gripping portion 15.

[0052] In the meantime, it is preferable that the brush cap 7 has the hollow tube shape having opened front and rear ends for allowing the brush cap to surround the brush portion 5 and to be press-fitted to a front end portion of the gripping portion 10. The brush cap 7 having the above shape prevents the brush portion 5 from being contaminated when the interdental brush 1 is not utilized. In addition, the structure of the brush cap 7 having opened front and rear ends promotes a drying of the brush portion 5. It will be apparent that the brush cap 7 can have the tube shape in which only the front end is closed.

[0053] Below, a process for cleaning an interdental space in the molar teeth area using the interdental brush 1 according to the present invention having the above structure is illustrated with reference to FIG. 7 to FIG. 9.

[0054] Firstly, as shown in FIG. 7, the brush portion 5 of the interdental brush 1 is entered between a cheek and a molar tooth in an oral cavity and a front end portion of the brush portion 5 is moved to the interdental space to be cleansed. Then, a front end portion of the brush portion 5 becomes in contact with a tooth adjacent to an entrance of the interdental space to be cleaned.

[0055] In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the bending portion 30 (that is, the connecting piece 35) is bent by the bending groove 31 and the user's force transmitted from the gripping portion 10 so that the brush coupling portion 20 and the brush portion 5 are moved toward the interdental space.

[0056] At this time, the bending portion 30 is not bent toward the cheek in the user's oral cavity by the bending-restraining groove 33. In other words, two inner surfaces constituting the bending-restraining groove 33 become in contact with each other, and so the bending portion 30 is not bent toward the cheek. As a result, the brush coupling portion 20 and the brush portion 5 can be moved toward only the interdental space.

[0057] Then, the user pushes continuously the gripping portion 10 in the arrow direction in FIG. 9, the brush portion 5 directed to the interdental space is easily entered into the corresponding to the interdental space (see FIG. 9).

[0058] In the above state, if the user pushes and pulls repeatedly the gripping portion 10, the brush portion 5 is reciprocated smoothly in the interdental space to clean the interdental space.

[0059] By means of the interdental brush performing the above function, an interdental space between the molar teeth placed at a deep inside the oral cavity can be easily cleansed.

[0060] In the interdental brush according to the present invention as described above, a bending of the brush coupling portion in the one direction is allowed, but a bending of the brush coupling in the opposite direction is restrained by the bending portion formed at a front end portion of the gripping portion so that the brush portion is not directed outward and can be easily entered into the interdental space in the narrow space between the molar tooth and the cheek.

[0061] And, in the oral cavity, the moment that the brush portion becomes in contact with an entrance of the interdental space, the brush coupling portion is moved naturally to the interdental space, and so the user can utilize conveniently the interdental brush.

[0062] Due to the above structure, the interdental brush according to the present invention can clean conveniently and easily the interdental space between the molar teeth as well as the interdental space between the front teeth. In particular, the brush portion of the interdental brush can be inserted simply and accurately into the interdental space between the molar teeth placed in the narrow space.

[0063] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An interdental brush, comprising; a handle including a gripping portion, a brush coupling portion provided at a front end of the gripping portion and a bending portion provided on the gripping portion for allowing the brush coupling portion to be bent with respect to the gripping portion in the first direction and for restraining a bending of the brush coupling portion in the second direction which is opposite to the first direction; and a brush portion coupled to the brush coupling portion of the handle.

2. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the bending portion consists of a bending groove and a bending-restraining groove formed on both surfaces of a front end portion of the gripping portion, the bending groove and the bending-restraining groove are formed in the direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the gripping portion, and both inner surfaces of the bending groove make a certain angle with each other and both inner surfaces of the bending-restraining groove are narrowly spaced from each other.

3. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the both inner surfaces of the bending groove make an acute angel with each other and both side surfaces of the bending-restraining groove are disposed parallel to each other.

4. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the gripping portion has a curved shape, the bending portion is formed on a first curved surface of the gripping portion to be corresponded to an interdental space of the user, and the bending-restraining groove is formed on a second curved surface being opposite to the first surface.

5. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the gripping portion has friction surfaces formed on both sides thereof.

6. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the brush portion has a core wire which is insert-injected into the brush coupling portion

7. The interdental brush according to claim 1, wherein the brush portion is coupled detachably to the brush coupling portion.