Fluid Dental Pick

Abstract

A fluid emitting dental pick device for cleaning is having a handle defined by a body having an interior cavity. A pick component engaged to one end of the body bifurcates a pressurized fluid stream into two individual fluid streams projecting in opposing directions to clean both sides of the teeth concurrently. An optional reservoir holding a secondary fluid can also be employed which mixes fluid from the reservoir into the pressurized fluid stream which is delivered to the teeth with the two individual fluid streams.

Claims

1. A fluid emitting dental pick, comprising: a handle having a body, said body having a first end opposite a second end and having an exterior surface covering an interior cavity; a first fluid pathway running through said body from an outlet at said first end to an inlet; a pick component having an engagement end and a distal end, and having an axial conduit running therethrough defining an axis of said pick component; said engagement end of said pick component in a sealed engagement with said exit of said first fluid pathway at said first end of said body; said distal end of said pick component having a first opening and having a second opening and having a gap in-between said first opening and said second opening; said first opening and said second opening both in a respective communication with said axial conduit; said inlet of said first fluid pathway engageable with a pressurized fluid supply; and said first opening emitting a first fluid stream from said pressurized fluid supply, across said gap in a first direction; said second opening emitting a second fluid stream from said pressurized fluid supply, across said gap in a second direction opposing said first direction of said first fluid stream; and whereby both sides of teeth positioned within said gap are cleaned by said first and second fluid streams.

2. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: said first opening positioned on said distal end to emit said first fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 25-70 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component; and said second opening positioned on said distal end to emit said second fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 25-60 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component.

3. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: said first opening positioned on said distal end to emit said first fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 30-60 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component; and said second opening positioned on said distal end to emit said second fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 30-60 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component.

4. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: said first opening positioned on said distal end to emit said first fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 40-50 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component; and said second opening positioned on said distal end to emit said second fluid stream across said gap at an angle between 40-50 degrees relative to said axis of said pick component.

5. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: said pick component having a first curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening; and said pick component having a second curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening.

6. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 2, additionally comprising: said pick component having a first curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening; and said pick component having a second curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening.

7. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 3, additionally comprising: said pick component having a first curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening; and said pick component having a second curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening.

8. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 4, additionally comprising: said pick component having a first curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening; and said pick component having a second curved fork portion extending between said distal end of said pick component and said first opening.

9. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: a fluid housing positioned in said interior cavity; said fluid housing having a second fluid pathway extending from a reservoir within said fluid housing and said first fluid pathway; and whereby fluid positioned within said reservoir is communicated through said second fluid pathway to said first fluid pathway and mixed within said pressurized fluid supply.

10. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 1, additionally comprising: said sealed engagement of said engagement end of said pick component with said exit of said first fluid pathway at said first end of said body, is a removable engagement.

11. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 9, additionally comprising: said sealed engagement of said engagement end of said pick component with said exit of said first fluid pathway at said first end of said body, is a removable engagement.

12. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 10, additionally comprising: said pick component being one of a plurality of removably engageable pick components.

13. The fluid emitting dental pick of claim 11, additionally comprising: said pick component being one of a plurality of removably engageable pick components.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0025] FIG. 1 depicts a mode of the device showing input adapted to sealably engage a pressurized fluid source being communicated into the body of the device where internal conduits communicate a first fluid stream to both of two opposing openings on both sides of a gap at the distal end of the engaged pick component.

[0026] FIG. 2 depicts a partially exploded view of the device showing the removably engageable fluid housing configured for operative engagement within a recess formed in the handle of the device, whereafter a cover is engaged to the body over the installed fluid housing. Also shown is the preferred fluid stream exit angles relative to the center axis of the pick component.

[0027] FIG. 3. shows the first fluid stream from the inlet engaged to a pressurized fluid source and the second fluid stream from the reservoir in the fluid housing which may be mixed using a valve or venturi to exit from opposing openings across a gap at the distal end of the engaged pick component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0028] In this description, any directional prepositions if employed, such as up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, first, second, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device or depictions as such may be oriented are describing such as it appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Such terms of direction and location are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device herein has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0029] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-3, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there is seen in FIG. 1, the device 10 configured for use. As can be seen, an input conduit 11 configured to connect to a pressurized fluid source 12 of a pressurized fluid supply, is operatively engaged with an inlet 13 in the body 14 in sealed engagement to a fluid pathway 19 (FIG. 3) running through an interior cavity 21 of the body 14 of the device 10. This fluid pathway 19 in the simplest mode, communicates a first fluid stream from the pressurized fluid source 12, through the fluid pathway 19 to an outlet 23 at a first end of the body 14 and into an axial conduit 15 of the pick component 16 which defines an axis of an engaged pick component 16.

[0030] At the distal end of the pick component 16, opposite an engagement end which is removably engageable to the body 14 where the axial conduit 15 in sealed engagement with an outlet 23 of the fluid pathway 19, (FIG. 3). As can be discerned from FIGS. 1-3, the pressurized fluid stream from the fluid pathway 19, is bifurcated and exits under pressure, from the pick component 16, from openings 18 and 20 situated on opposite sides of the gap 22. The fluid exits under pressure in respective fluid streams with a first fluid stream exiting from opening 18 and projecting across said gap 22, and a second fluid stream exiting from opening 20 and projecting in an opposing direction across said gap 22 from the first fluid stream exiting opening 18.

[0031] The openings 18 and 20 may be situated on respective forks 25 at the distal end of the pick component 16. The gap 22 between the openings 18 and 20, is adapted to allow for the passage of the teeth and gum line of a user therethrough to position the two opposing 18 and 20 and the respective exiting fluid streams through the openings 18 and 20, on both sides of the teeth and gums of a dental arch of the user during use. In other words, one opening 18 or 20 will be situated on the inside of the dental arch closest to the tongue, and the other opening 18 or 20 will be situated on the outside of the dental arch on an opposite side of the teeth from the tongue.

[0032] As noted, preferably the two openings 18 and 20 emitting the respective first and second fluid streams on either side of a gap 22, are formed on the forks 25 or other structures, which are shaped to position the openings 18 and 20, to emit the first and second fluid streams at opposing angles A, to the center axis C of the pick component 16 shown in the gap 22 of FIG. 2. In a preferred mode of the device 10, the shape of two forks 25 at the bifurcated tip at the distal end of the pick component 16, position the openings 18 and 20, to provide the opposing fluid first and second streams exiting from the respective openings 18 and 20, at opposing angles to the axis C of the pick component 16, of between 25 to 70 degrees, relative to the extension of that axis C, as shown in FIG. 2. Particularly preferred are first and second fluid stream opposing angles of between 30-60 degrees and 40-50 degrees. The forks 25 or similar structures can be formed to change this emission angle of the opposing first and second fluid streams, and to adjust the size of the gap 22. Since each fork 25 has an internal conduit between the axial conduit 15 and its respective opening 18 or 20, a curved shape is preferred to maximize the fluid flow therethrough to the respective opening 18 and 20.

[0033] The pick component 16 may be removably engageable at the engagement end which is opposite the distal end having the gap 22 therein. In such a removable engagement, the axial passage 15 is placed in a sealed connection to the outlet 23 of the fluid pathway 19 running through the body 14 defining the handle. It may also be from a kit of pick components 16, where each member of the kit including a plurality of pick components 16, having varying with gaps 22, such that it may be changed to provide a pick component 16 with the proper sized gap 22, for a particular user's teeth and gum dimensions, since tooth size varies.

[0034] In FIG. 2, as noted, there is shown an exploded view of the device 10 showing the removably engageable fluid housing 24 which is dimensioned for operative positioning within a recess 26 formed in the handle defined by the body 14 of the device 10. A cover 28 is sized and adapted to removable engage with the body 10 and cover over the installed fluid housing 24.

[0035] Also shown in FIG. 2 is an in inlet 30 having an internal conduit for a second fluid stream or which is within a section of the fluid pathway 19. In this mode, the inlet 30 is configured for a sealed removable engagement with the fluid housing 24 such that fluid contained in the interior cavity of the fluid housing 24 is communicated into the internal conduit of the inlet 30, and thereafter and into internal conduits of the fluid pathway 19 running within in the body 14 forming the handle. As shown in FIG. 3, the second fluid stream communicates through the second conduit 32 to a venturi or valve 34, where it may be mixed into the first fluid stream running through the fluid pathway 19 carrying pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid source 12.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows the first fluid stream from the inlet 13 engaged with the pressurized fluid source 12 communicating through a first conduit 36 of a fluid pathway 19, which as noted runs through the body 14 defining a handle, and is in fluid communication with the axial passage 15 of the pick component 16 at the engagement end. Fluid, in all modes, is discharged in the opposing pressurized fluid streams, from opposing openings 18 and 20, at the preferred angles relative to the axis of the pick component 16, through a bifurcation of the fluid stream at the distal end of the pick component 16.

[0037] The second fluid stream if present, flows from the fluid housing 24 through the second conduit 32 to a junction with the first conduit 36 and into the fluid pathway 19. This junction may be a valve adapted to mix the two fluid streams at a designated ratio, or may be a venturi adapted for such. Alternatively, the mixing of the first fluid stream with the second may be handled by action of the user to press an actuator which will open the valve or venturi at the junction 34, and mix the second fluid stream with the first fluid stream for a discharge of the mixed fluid streams from the opposing openings 18 and 20 for the duration of activation by the user. For example, the actuator 40 may be a depressible button connected by a shaft which opens the valve or actuates the venturi to mix the two fluid streams during actuation.

[0038] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the fluid pick dental hygiene device and system herein have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that upon reading this disclosure and becoming aware of the disclosed novel and useful device and system herein disclosed, that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may occur to and be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions, as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.