DEVICE FOR CLEANING INTERDENTAL SPACES

Abstract

A device for cleaning interdental spaces includes a housing that forms a handle. The device also includes a brush holder for holding an interdental brush, and a drive device which is configured to generate rotational and translational movement of the brush holder and/or of an interdental brush held in the brush holder.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A device for cleaning interdental spaces, the device comprising: a housing forming a handle; a brush holder associated with said housing for holding an interdental space brush; and a drive device configured to generate a rotational and a translational movement of at least one of said brush holder or an interdental space brush held in said brush holder; said drive device having an eccentric transmission driving said brush holder for translational movement.

15. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, which further comprises a connecting rod connected between said eccentric transmission and at least one of said brush holder or the interdental space brush.

16. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, wherein said drive device has a driver sleeve, and a magnetic coupling couples said brush holder to said driver sleeve.

17. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 16, wherein said housing is fluid-tightly closed between said driver sleeve and said brush holder.

18. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, wherein said drive device is electromechanical.

19. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 17, wherein said drive device includes an electric motor.

20. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 16, wherein said drive device includes an electric motor having a motor shaft connected to said driver sleeve.

21. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 16, which further comprises: a closed housing pot surrounded by said driver sleeve in a pot-shaped manner; two driver magnets carried by said driver sleeve; said brush holder sitting in said housing pot; and a coupling magnet carried by said brush holder for coupling to said two driver magnets to transfer the rotation and the translation from said driver sleeve to said brush holder.

22. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, wherein said brush holder is elbowed and has a flexible shaft for transferring movement to the interdental space brush.

23. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, which further comprises control electronics configured to perform a recurrent rotation reversal of said brush holder.

24. The device for cleaning interdental spaces according to claim 14, wherein said brush holder is configured for holding a double-sided interdental space brush.

Description

[0025] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail on the basis of a drawing, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic, partially broken-open view of a device for cleaning interdental spaces,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows, in a view according to FIG. 1, an alternative exemplary embodiment of the device for cleaning interdental spaces,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows, in a view according to FIG. 1, a further exemplary embodiment of the device for cleaning interdental spaces,

[0029] FIG. 4 shows, in a view according to FIG. 1, yet a further exemplary embodiment of the device for cleaning interdental spaces,

[0030] FIG. 5 shows, in a schematic developed view, three variants of a guide slot for translationally moving an interdental space brush of the device for cleaning interdental spaces,

[0031] FIG. 6 shows, in a view according to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a brush holder of the device for cleaning interdental spaces, and

[0032] FIG. 7 shows, in a view according to FIG. 1, a further exemplary embodiment of the brush holder of the device for cleaning interdental spaces.

[0033] Parts that correspond to one another are always provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

[0034] A device for cleaning interdental spaces is schematically shown in FIG. 1 in a partially sectional and partially broken-open view of and will be referred to hereinafter as an “interdental cleaner 1”. This interdental cleaner 1 comprises a housing 2, which, with a portion thereof, forms a handle 3, by means of which the interdental cleaner 1 can be gripped and guided by a user. Furthermore, the interdental cleaner 1 comprises a brush holder 4, which, when operated as intended, holds an interdental space brush, or “interdental brush 6” for short. In addition, the interdental cleaner 1 comprises a drive device 8, which is designed to set the interdental brush 6 in rotation and to move it to and fro in the longitudinal direction—i.e. to effect a translational movement.

[0035] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the drive device 8 comprises an electric motor 10, a control electronics 12, and an energy store 14. The electric motor 10, when operated as intended, generates the rotation of the interdental brush 6. To generate the translation, the drive device 8 comprises a spindle drive 16. This in turn comprises a threaded spindle 18, which is coupled to the motor shaft 20 rotationally fixedly, but displaceably in the direction thereof. The latter is realized, for example, via a polygonal profile or a tongue-and-groove connection with play. The threaded spindle 18 is connected here rigidly to the brush holder 4. In addition, the spindle drive 16 comprises a spindle nut 22, which is held immovably in the housing 2. The threaded spindle 18 is thus displaced in rotation in its longitudinal direction.

[0036] The drive device 8 additionally comprises two end switches 24. As soon as these are triggered by the threaded spindle 18, the control electronics 12 initiates a rotation reversal of the electric motor 10, so that the threaded spindle 18 moves back again in the direction of the other end switch 24 and at the same time rotates the interdental brush 6 in the other direction.

[0037] The control electronics 12 is coupled to buttons, not shown in greater detail, by means of which the movement of the interdental brush can be activated and/or the movement speed can be varied.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment. For the translational movement, the drive device 8 comprises, instead of the spindle drive 16, an (electric) solenoid 26, which cooperates with a return spring 28 and, upon activation, moves the brush holder 4 with the interdental brush 6 relative to the return spring 28 in the longitudinal direction to the interdental brush 6.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment. For the translational movement, the drive device 8 comprises an eccentric transmission 30. A rotational movement is transferred in this transmission by means of a connecting rod 32 into the translational movement to and fro.

[0040] Furthermore, the interdental cleaner 1 comprises a magnetic coupling 34 between the motor shaft 20 and the brush holder 4. Here, a driver sleeve 36 is connected to the motor shaft 20 for conjoint rotation. The driver sleeve 36 surrounds a closed housing pot 38, likewise in a pot-like manner and carries two driver magnets 40. The brush holder 4 sits in the housing pot 38 and in this embodiment carries a coupling magnet 42. This coupling magnet 42 couples to the (oppositely poled) driver magnets 40. Both a transfer of rotation and a transfer of the translation of the driver sleeve 36 thus occur.

[0041] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment that has been varied in relation to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3. The eccentric transmission 30 is not provided in this case. For the translation of the brush holder 4, a guide slot 44 is incorporated into the driver sleeve 36 and a sliding block 46 engages in said guide slot. The sliding block is immovably connected to the housing 2. The guide slot 44 here describes a curve that is positioned at an incline to the axis of the motor shaft 20.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows, by way of example, two different profiles of the curve described by the guide slot 44, in a developed view over a revolution U of the driver sleeve 36. The uppermost curve forms a sine curve, in which case a complete stroke H of the brush holder 4 is performed per revolution U of the driver sleeve 36.

[0043] The lower curve represents a reduction, wherein the guide slot 44 (in a developed view) reproduces a horizontal eight and thus crosses itself once. Consequently, only a half stroke H is thus performed with one revolution U.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a variant of the brush holder 4. The brush holder 4 is elbowed here and has a flexible shaft 48. The rotation and the translation can thus be transferred to the interdental brush 6 over the elbow.

[0045] The brush holder 4 in this case optionally also has a coding ring 49, so as to be able to assign a brush holder 4 user-specifically in each case, for example by means of color coding.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows a further variant of the brush holder 4. The brush holder 4 is designed here to hold a double brush, i.e. two different interdental brushes 6, on a support 50. The two interdental brushes 6 are secured here to the support 50 in a manner directed 180 degrees away from one another and can be rotated in the brush holder 4. For example, the support 50 is mounted in a slot, tensioned against a spring 52 and can be displaced against the spring force into a region of the brush holder 4 in which a pivoting of the support 50 is released.

[0047] The subject matter of the invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments. Rather, further embodiments of the invention can be deduced by a person skilled in the art from the above description. In particular, the individual features of the invention described on the basis of the various exemplary embodiments and the design variants of these features can also be combined with one another in a different way.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 1 interdental cleaner [0049] 2 housing [0050] 3 handle [0051] 4 brush holder [0052] 6 interdental brush [0053] 8 drive device [0054] 10 electric motor [0055] 12 control electronics [0056] 14 energy store [0057] 16 spindle drive [0058] 18 threaded spindle [0059] 20 motor shaft [0060] 22 spindle nut [0061] 24 end switch [0062] 26 solenoid [0063] 28 return spring [0064] 30 eccentric transmission [0065] 32 connecting rod [0066] 34 magnetic coupling [0067] 36 driver sleeve [0068] 38 housing pot [0069] 40 driver magnet [0070] 42 coupling magnet [0071] 44 guide slot [0072] 46 sliding block [0073] 48 shaft [0074] 49 coding ring [0075] 50 support [0076] 52 spring [0077] H stroke [0078] U revolution