US2512059A - Massaging and cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1950 J. T. HAEUSSER 2,512,059

MASSAGING AND CLEANING DEVICE Filed Jan, 15, 1948 ////I//////////' ///l I///////// INVENTOR Jkn fffizeusser ATTORNEY-5 Patented June 20, 1950 ohn T. Haeusser, Albany, N. Y.

. Application January13, 1948', Serial No. 1,982

This invention relates to anew and" useful improvement in a device for massaging and cleaning and is especially'adapted -for use in so treating teeth and gums.

It is well known-that many people require their teeth and gums to be massaged and cleaned, but it is sometimes diflicult to find ordinary brushes with bristles of just the right stifl'ness, since some people can use a brush with very stiff bristles and others whose teeth and gums 1 Claim. (Cl. 12862) are-more tender require a softer brush. Furthermore', the bristles being closely spaced on an ordinary brush do not very readily enter very deeply into the spaces between the teeth where often food lodges. Because of this difficulty many people are required to use dental floss in addition to the ordinary toothbrush in order to effectively remove all food particles from between their teeth.

In massaging teeth and especially the gums thereof an important consideration is to have a device which is firm in one sense and yet flexible enough on those portions coming in contact with the gum so as not to bruise or irritate them. In the use of ordinary tooth brushes for this purpose, there is no variation in the stiffness of the bristles from the bottom to the top thereof.

This invention aims to provide a device which will overcome these disadvantages and avoid the deficiencies above mentioned and enables one to massage the gums effectively'while at the same time not subjecting them to stiff rubbing action and in the same device providing rubbing elements for the teeth which are so formed as to enable them effectively to get down in between the teeth and remove particles of food.

A still further object is to provide a simple, economical device which can be used to gently massage the teeth and the gums and other portions of the mouth by a combination of pressure and suction.

Still another object is to provide a simple article which will more efficiently retain on itself the medicine, cleansing material and the like at its point of contact with the gums and the teeth so that smaller quantities of such material need be used.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the detailed specification hereinafter set forth, especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms the invention com-" prises a brush having a body portion, the top surface of which has formed therein a series of concave recesses with common intervening walls, the tops of which are relatively thin and flexible to project into the spaces between the I teeth for cleansing purposes and the concavity of'which recesses will act as retainers for the cleansing material. The recesses also act as suction cups when pressure is applied to the device so as to enhance the massaging action of the device on the teeth and the gums and adjoining parts of the mouth. The top sectional shape of the cavities is somewhat rectangular with curved corners, a shape which will permit easy and certain action on the portions of the teeth where they join the gums. The common walls between the recesses are relatively broad at the bottom but taper to a relatively thin edge i at the top so as to be flexible for massaging purposes and certainly project into the narrow depressions between the teeth for proper cleaning results. The breadth at the bottom of the common walls and the thinness at the top are achieved by forming the wall faces with intersecting concave curves. Preferably, these cavities are formed on a common base which can be connected to 'the' body of the brush which may have a proper- .handle. In a preferred form the cavities and thesupporting base on which they may be formed are molded of some suitable material such as rubber or the like, and this unit may be attached to the body of the brush in any suitable manner adapting it to be removed when sufiiciently worn and replaced by a new unit.

A present preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side view of the device with the upper portion broken away;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a .plan view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through a modified form of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now merely to the specific forms of the invention illustrated in the drawings, it will be seen that the novel unit comprising my invention includes a base portion In preferably of rubber or similar material adapted to be seated in a recess ll formed in the body ll of a brush provided 'with a suitable handle l3. Instead of the base In being seated in a recess, it may be formed as shown in Fig. 4 with a central bore l4 into which the body portion 15 of the brush may be inserted. In this case the handle l3 will be provided with a shoulder IE to limit the insertion of the body l5 and properly relate the elements.

A base made of rubber or similar material is preferably molded and has formed on its upper surface a series of closely spaced concave cavities lgenerally nominated by the numeral l1. These cavities are preferably molded integral with the base II), but it is within the purview of this invention that they may be formed separately and attached to the support or base in any suitable manner. Each cavity preferably is in horizontal section rectangular with curved corners 18. Common walls l9 between the cavities H are formed preferably by;two concave curves. The walls are broad relatively at the bottom and taper to a relatively thin top edge as shown. This breadth -.at the bottom with a gradual taper gives the wall sufiicient-funda- 4 a combined pressure and suction action; will afford a recess to receive the cleansing material and get it to the surfaces to be treated without so much loss and in action will force it more effectively on to the said surface. The common intervening walls with their thin upper edges will afford an eiiicient flexible means to enter the depressions between the teeth to effectively remove any solid matter which may have lodged therein and also to more thoroughlyclean these portions. The device is simple and economical -adapted to either form of handle shown. The

soft smooth surfaces without shanp pointed *bristl'es permit vigorous action on the teeth and mental strength and firmness to permit vigorous massaging and scrubbing actionwithout rapid deterioration. Near the top of each :wall its curvature is interrupted by another intercepting concave curve which more rapidly reduces its thickness; whereby it terminates at the top in a narrow elongated edge 20. As seen in Fig. 3, it willbe noted that the cavities extend practically the full width of the base I!) transversely ofthelengthof the base thus ivimr plenty of supportand a 'narrowupper edge the full width of the device which gives ample-surface forthe massagingof teeth and-gums. The provisionof the double concave curvature to the walls gives a narrow relatively thinner upper portion which results in this portion being somethat more :fiexible and sum'ciently-so-to efiect the scrubbing and massaging of the teeth-without being so stiff asnot to give somewhat'and avoid irritating and injuring thegums. The narrowness of the upper edges also permits them to enter the spaces -or indentations between the teeth to effectively remove foodparticles. Pressure on the device will forceit against the teeth and permit the cavities to act as pumps and suction devices to ionce contained cleansing material into and between the ums and teeth and to massage the gums more effectively.

It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a 5 simple, strong, compact, durable device which can massage the teeth and gums Y efiectivelywith ,togivethem plenty of exercise and increase the circulation in the gums without creating any soreness or irritation therein.

While the invention has been described in detail; and shown with-respect to the accompanying drawing, it ,isnot to be limited to such details,

since -many changes and modifications maygbe made in the invention without departingirom the spirit and scope thereof. -I-Ience, it-isdesired to coverany and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within portion having-upstanding walls at each side thereof, and-a plurality of spaced transversely extending walls connecting the side walls andcoloperating therewith to define a plurality of segregated cavities adapted to contain a dentifrice,

said transverse walls and said side walls being adapted to clean and massage the teeth and g-u ns JOHN T. HAEUSSER.

("REFERENCES QIVTED Y Thefollowing references are of record ill-the file of this patent:

UNITED sTATEs PA'I'ENTS Number Date Name 742;639 Harlan Oct. 27,1908 1,209,516- v.Thompson Dec. l9, 1:916

' 1,892,068- =Metzler- "i "Dec. 27, L932

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