US3009468A - Denture cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1961 G. M. EBERLE DENTURE CLEANER Filed Feb. l1, 1960 ...fum w 2.,?

f "a l 3,009,468 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 3,009,468 DENTURE CLEANER George M. Eberle, Rte. 3, Bellaire, Ohio Filed Feb. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 8,181 Claims. (Cl. 134-93) This invention relates to a cleaning device and particularly to a device in which dentures can be cleaned.

The cleaning of dentures is something which must be done regularly and the cleaning should be carried out thoroughly which includes not only removing food particles and the like therefrom but also sterilizing or disinfecting the dentures.

Heretofore dentures have been brushed and soaked in a cleaning solution but this is time consuming and requires an additional container in which the dentures can be placed for the soaking operation.

The present invention proposes an arrangement for making the cleaning of dentures extremely simple but whereby -an extremely etiicient cleaning can be had in a very short time.

This invention :also proposes an arrangement in which dentures can be placed for a rapid and efficient cleaning operation with the device being of such a nature that it can be stored in an out of the way place.

This invention further proposes an arrangement for effecting rapid cleaning of the dentures by use of water under pressure which thoroughly bathes the entire surface of the dentures with the arrangement also providing for the laddition of a sterilizing chemical to the water.

The exact nature of this invention will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a perspective View of ya device according to my invention partly broken away and partly disassenrbled;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view in about the plane indicated by line 2-2 on FIGURE l but with the device closed and showing in general the flow of water through the device during a cleaning operation;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view indicated by line 3-3 on FIGURE 2 showing the manner in which a water soluble wafer of a sterilizing chemical can be inserted into the device for a cleaning operation;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the two parts of the device latch together when closed and also showing a seal element extending about the parting line of the device to prevent leakage of thel water therefrom;

FIGURE 5 is 'a sectional view indicated by line 5 5 on FIGURE 2 showing a clamp arrangement for attaching the device to -a faucet; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view indicated by line 6-6 on FIGURE 2 showing a hinge connecting the two parts of the device together.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the device illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 comprise a case having two parts 10 and 12. Part ltl has a member 14 attached to the "back thereof which is wedge shaped so that it can be received in a wedge shaped socket 16 mounted on wall 18. This provides an easy manner of supporting the device in an out o-f the way place when it is not in use but so that it will be readily available any time.

Part 10 has projecting portions 20 on the bottom receivable between the projecting portions 22 on the bottom of part 12 to form a hinge structure between the two parts which is completed by pins 24 extending through the parts Ztl' and 22.

The two parts define a substantial cavity therebetween when closed. This cavity may be made substantially waterftight by the provision of a lip or rib 26 extending about the face of part 10 which is receivable in a correspondingly shaped groove 28 in part 12. In the bottom of the groove 28 there is a rubber-like seal element 30 engageable by lip or rib 26. Any suitable means may be provided for latching the two parts in their closed position such las the vfingers 32 extending from the upper corners o-f part 12 that are adapted for snapping into notches 34 formed in the upper corners of part 10.

According -to this invention there is a perforated shell 36 in the cavity in part 10 and a perforated shell 38 in the cavity in part 12. These shells have cle-arance about all sides of the cavities in which they are located except the bottoms thereof and may be attached to the bottom Walls of the cavities -by the rivets 40.

When the device is closed :as in FIGURE 2 the shells form an enclosure within the larger enclosure formed by parts 10 and 12.

This space within the shells 36 and 38 is for receiving the dentures which are to be cleaned. Means are provided for supporting the dentures in spaced relation to the walls by the projections 42 formed in part 10 and projections 44 in part 112.

These projections extend inwardly from the inner walls of the parts and extend through the shells at the sides thereof and may provide some of the support for the shells.

As will be seen particularly in FIGURE 2 shell 38 has a recess 46 of substantial size formed therein which extends inwardly so that it is at least partially surrounded by the lower denture which is the one that is placed in shell 38.

The entire shell, including recess 46 is provided with perforations 48 so that when the inside of the device in the region outside the shells is pressured by Ia supply of water thereto, there will be a plurality of jets projected inwardly in substantially all directions against the surface of the dentures thereby providing for strong and overall washing action.

The supply of water into the inside of the device is accomplished by a nipple 50 which may be of a rubberlike material and which is attached to an aperture 52 formed in the top wall of part 10i. the nipple is formed outwardly and rivets 54 extend through the turned out portion and through the part 10 and also through a perforated plate 56 that over-lies the lower end of the nipple. The nipple is surrounded by a manual clamp 58 so that the clamp can be opened thereby permitting the nipple to be slipped on a faucet 60 whereupon t-he clamp can be closed and the connection between the faucet and the nipple will then become substantially leak-proof.

The perforated plate 56 is utilized for supporting a disinfecting wafer A62 that can be dropped into the nipple before it is placed on the faucet and which will dissolve in the water passing through the nipple whereby the dentures are sterilized simultaneously with being washed.

Water is drained in the bottom of the device through an aperture 64 which is in about the center so that t-he water entering the device at the top must pass inwardly through the apertures in shells 36 and 3-8 before it emerges from the device.

It will be understood that the invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device for cleaning dentures; a case comprising first and second parts hinged together at the bottom and there being seal means extending about the parting line of the device so when the parts are closed together the case will be water tight, said seal means comprising a The lower end ofgroove in ythe edge of one of said parts, a resilient element in the bottom of the groove, and a tongue on the other said part adapted to enter said groove and engage said resilient element when the case is closed, conduit means at the top of one of the palts for supplying water to the inside of the case under pressure, a pair of perforated shells one in each part of the case adapted for closing together when the case is closed to form a perforated enclosure within the case, said shells being attached to the bottoms of the parts of said case and having clearance from the other walls of the case whereby pressurizing of the interior of the case by a supply of water thereto will cause a plurality of jets to be projected inwardly of said shells, means for supporting the dentures within the said shells, and drain means extending from the inside of said shells through the bottom of said case, said conduit means being adapted for connection with the outlet of a faucet to support the said device thereon while water is supplied to the device from the faucet.

2. In a device for cleaning dentures; a case comprising -rst and second parts hinged together at the bottom and there being seal means extending about the parting line of the device so when the parts are closed together the case will be water tight, said seal means comprising a groove in the edge of one of said parts, a resilient element in the bottom of the groove, and a tongue on the other said part adapted to enter said groove and engage said resilient element when the case is closed, conduit means at the top of one of the parts for supplying water to the inside of the case under pressure, a pair of perforated shells one in each part of the case adapted for closing together when the case is closed to form a per forated enclosure within the case, said shells Ibeing attached to the bottoms of the part-s of said case and having clearance from the other walls of the case whereby pressurizing of the interior of the case by a supply of water thereto will cause a plurality of jets to be projected inwardly of said shells, means for supporting the dentures within the said shells, and drain means extending from the inside of said shells through the bottom of said case, said conduit means being adapted for connection with the outlet of a faucet to support the said device thereon while water is supplied to the device from the faucet, said first and second parts having elements of a releasable latch thereon to hold the case closed.

3. In a device for cleaning dentures; a pair of concave perforated shell elements adapted for being brought together in substantially edge to edge relation to form an enclosure, means in the shell elements adapted for supporting dentures to be cleaned, one of said shell elements having a recessed region in its outer wall adapted for projecting into the space between the sides of a lower denture, a case comprising two hingedly interconnected parts surrounding said shell elements in spaced relation to the tops, sides, and backs of the shell elements but connected with the shell elements at the bottoms thereof thereby forming an enclosure around the shell elements, means for supplying water under pressure to the inside of the case, and means for draining water from the inside of the shell elements through the bottom of the case, and said means for supporting dentures in said shell elements comprising portions on said case extending through the shell elements.

4. In a device for cleaning dentures; a pair of perforated shell elements adapted for being brought together in substantially edge to edge relation to form an enclosure, said shell elements being adapted for supporting dentures to be cleaned, a case comprising two hingedly connected parts surrounding said shell elements in spaced relation to the tops, sides, and backs of the shell elements but connected with the shell elements at the bottoms thereof thereby forming an enclosure around the shell elements, means for supplying water under pressure to the inside of said case, and means for draining water from the inside of the shell elements through the bottom of the case, said means for supplying water under pressure to the inside of the case comprising a nipple member extending upwardly from the top of one part of the case, a screen element adjacent the bottom of the nipple through which the water supplied to the case passes, and said screen element being adapted for receiving a wafer of a water soluble sterilizing chemical which will dissolve in the water passing through the screen whereby as the water scrubs the dentures within the shells the said dentures are also sterilized.

5. A device for cleaning dentures according to claim 4 in which the said nipple member is exible and is adapted for detachable connection with a faucet or the like for supporting the device thereon during a denture cleaning operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,244,301 Legore June 3, 1941 2,624,899 Smith Jan. 13, 1953 2,659,380 Jackson Nov. 17, 1953 2,669,243 Reynolds et al Feb. 16, 1954 2,714,443 Kuvin Aug. 2, 1955 2,721,567 Tierney Oct. 25, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 856,941 Germany Nov. 24, 1952

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