FR3108493A1 - ORAL CLEANING DEVICE AND BRUSH - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an oral cleaning brush (3) comprising: an elastically deformable support wire and having the general shape of a dental arch; a first spiral and flexible sheath surrounding the support wire; a second textile sheath carrying single-strand yarns constituting the bristles of the cleaning brush (3). The invention also relates to an oral cleaning device (100) comprising: a platen (1) carrying, on a first face, two distal attachments (12) arranged in lateral portions of the platen and a drive mechanism (2 ) disposed in a central portion of the platen; two brushes (3) spaced apart from each other to define a receiving zone for a dental arch, the support wire of each brush (3) being connected by its ends to each distal attachment (12) and the wheel gear (34) being meshed in the drive mechanism (2). Figure to be published with abstract: Fig. 1

Description

ORAL CLEANING DEVICE AND BRUSH

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an oral cleaning brush as well as an oral cleaning apparatus employing these brushes. It finds its application in the field of oral hygiene and more particularly that of toothbrushes with motorized rotation.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A wide variety of oral cleaning devices are known, the best known taking the form of a toothbrush comprising a head provided with bristles, removable or not, surmounting a handle. The effectiveness of the cleaning, by the use of these brushes, depends greatly on the handling of the toothbrush which can damage the gums and the teeth of the patient if this handling is incorrect. In addition, these toothbrushes do not easily allow teeth to be cleaned in the recommended direction, namely from the gum towards the occlusal end of the teeth. This direction of brushing involves a greater effort on the part of the patient than the latter will often provide.

As a result, many people brush their teeth incorrectly to save time and exert the least amount of effort. The results of the cleaning of the oral cavity are then unsatisfactory and these bad brushings can damage the gums as well as the teeth and harm the general health of the patient.

These findings are even more true when brushing concerns disabled or elderly people. When these people must be assisted to brush their teeth, this treatment monopolizes individual help, which is not always available. This can also contribute to imperfect or even non-existent oral hygiene for a population whose health is fragile.

Documents EP3525721, WO2020017963 and EP3589233 disclose cleaning devices comprising a U-shaped support provided with bristles set in motion by vibration. This type of device is easy to use, the user inserts it in his mouth and bites it to keep it in place while cleaning. It also allows all teeth to be brushed simultaneously, greatly reducing the time needed for cleaning. Nevertheless, this type of device leads to insufficient cleaning of the teeth. The movements applied to the heads of electric toothbrushes are only really effective when the movement of the operator is adapted. The operator must adapt his way of brushing his teeth according to the movement of the brush head, the brushing must be different depending on whether it is a manual toothbrush, electric with rotary movement, oscillo-rotary , in translation, sonic, vibratory etc. Indeed, the movement of the brushes alone does not allow the teeth to be cleaned optimally. In addition, the recommended brushing direction, namely from the gum towards the occlusal end of the teeth, is a movement which aims to properly massage the gum, to propel food from the junction between the tooth and the gum towards the chewing end and not to accumulate deposits in the gingival sulcus. The direction of the vertical movement to be applied to each tooth of the same arch is the opposite of the direction to be applied to the opposing arch. However, the patient or his medical assistant tends, for reasons of saving time, to apply a single vertical movement to brush the two arches simultaneously and thus does not respect the recommended movement.

It is therefore desirable to have an easy-to-use oral cleaning device ensuring quick and effective cleaning of all the teeth of the same arch to ensure good oral hygiene.

Also known from documents DE8913203, US5177827, WO2004087003, CN203220448, KR101175068 and EP3369396 are devices comprising a U-shaped support provided with at least one pair of brushes reproducing the curvature of the dental arch. The brushes are spaced so as to accommodate the teeth between them to simultaneously clean their front and rear faces. The brushes are driven in rotation by a motor, which can be placed in a handpiece, to clean the teeth according to the recommended protocol.

The brushes fitted to this type of appliance play an important role in achieving the required level of hygiene. They also contribute to patient comfort during use of the device. The cleaning device must be renewed regularly, the brushes must be of a simple constitution, inexpensive, but still be efficient. It is also desirable that the brushes be arranged on the device to best fit the patient's dental morphology.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a cleaning brush for a cleaning device addressing at least in part these needs. It also offers an oral cleaning device to improve on the state-of-the-art oral cleaning devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With a view to achieving this object, the object of the invention proposes an oral cleaning brush comprising:

• an elastically deformable support wire and having the general shape of a dental arch;
• a first spiral and flexible sheath surrounding the support wire, the first sheath being able to rotate freely on itself around the support wire;
• a second textile sheath carrying single-strand yarns constituting bristles of the cleaning brush, the second sheath being integral with the first sheath.

According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention, taken alone or according to any technically feasible combination:

• the first sheath is made of a stainless steel wire with contiguous turns;
• a clearance between the support wire and the first sheath is greater than 0.05 mm;
• single strand wires are made of a thermoplastic material;
• the single-strand threads are sewn onto the second sheath;
• the second sheath is assembled to the first sheath by a flexible adhesive;
• the support thread has a superelastic nature;
• the support wire is made of a nickel titanium alloy;
• the cleaning brush comprises a toothed wheel traversed by the first sheath and fixed to a turn of the first sheath;
• the second sheath is made up of two parts separated from each other by the toothed wheel.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to an oral cleaning device comprising:

• a plate carrying, on a first face at least, two distal attachments arranged in lateral portions of the plate and a drive mechanism arranged in a central portion of the plate;
• two brushes, as previously mentioned, spaced apart to define a receiving zone for a dental arch, the support wire of each brush being connected by its ends to each distal attachment and the toothed wheel being meshed in the drive mechanism.

According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the invention, taken alone or according to any technically feasible combination:

• the plate is semi-rigid in thermoplastic material;
• the plate is covered with a shell forming edges;
• the drive mechanism comprises a shaft capable of being rotated by a motor, the shaft being fitted with two double-threaded worm screws on the right and on the left to drive the brushes in rotation;
• the drive mechanism comprises two intermediate toothed wheels, each intermediate toothed wheel meshing between a worm and a toothed wheel;
• the turntable has a mat for brushing the upper surface of the teeth when inserting and removing the cleaning device from the patient's mouth;
• the distal attachments are arranged on mobile arms of the plate to allow adjustment of the curvature of the brushes;
• the mobile arms include indentation notches to interact with lugs formed on the plate and position the mobile arms according to pre-established angular positions;
• the distal attachments include two attachment pillars, each pillar having an oblong lumen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which will follow with reference to the appended figures in which:

FIG. 1 represents a schematic top view of a buccodental cleaning device according to the invention;

FIG. 2a represents a schematic view illustrating the various elements constituting an oral cleaning brush according to the invention;

FIG. 2b represents the formation of the second sheath according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 represents a sectional view of a portion of a cleaning device, in accordance with the invention, illustrating its operation;

FIGS. 4a and 4b represent respectively an overall view and a side view of a distal attachment according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view at the level of the drive mechanism to illustrate the direction of rotation of the various elements making up the drive mechanism in the case of a single-sided cleaning device according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view at the level of the drive mechanism to illustrate the direction of rotation of the various elements making up the drive mechanism in the case of a double-sided cleaning device according to the invention;

Figure 7 shows a schematic top view of a cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

General presentation of the device of cleaning and its use

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a cleaning device 100 according to the invention.

With reference to this figure, and in a very general way, the cleaning device 100 comprises a plate 1 forming, on a first face 1a, a support for the various elements constituting it. The device 100 also comprises two brushes 3 having the general shape of a dental arch and connected to the plate 1 via two distal attachments 12. The brushes 3 are capable of being rotated around themselves via a drive mechanism 2 also arranged on plate 1 and to which they are connected. The brushes 3 are spaced apart from each other to define a reception area for a dental arch. The drive mechanism 2 rotates the two brushes 3 so as to brush the teeth 4 in the recommended direction, namely from the gum 4a towards the occlusal end 4b of the teeth (as shown in Figure 3).

The drive mechanism 2 is operated by an electric motor (not shown in the figures) which can be arranged on the plate 1 or, preferably, relocated in a removable handle insertable on a shaft 20 of the drive mechanism 2 The removable handle advantageously comprises means for controlling the motor, such as a start button, the motor being able to stop functioning automatically after a preprogrammed period corresponding to the time necessary for effective brushing. The removable handle may also include information storage elements to store, for example, the number of uses of the device. The removable handle can be directly connected by a cable to a power source or be equipped with a rechargeable battery to power the electric motor. In the case of a battery, the removable handle is advantageously rechargeable by placing it on a charging station. This charging station can be equipped with a monitor in order to access and visualize the stored information or give any type of additional information to the patient or his medical assistant.

In one embodiment shown in Figure 6, the cleaning device 100 is configured to simultaneously clean the patient's upper and lower dental arches. The plate 1 is then called "double-sided", that is to say that it is provided with brushes 3 on its first face 1a and on a second face, opposite the first face 1a. The brushes 3 are in this case connected to distal attachments 12 arranged on each of the faces of the plate 1. A single drive mechanism 2 may be sufficient to drive in rotation, in the appropriate direction, the four brushes 3.

The use of the cleaning device 100 is particularly simple, the user inserts it in his mouth to arrange a dental arch between the two brushes 3 by closing his jaws on the plate 1. The brushes 3 are then placed in rotation by the drive mechanism 2, for example by means of the switch present on the removable handle secured to this mechanism, which makes it possible to simultaneously brush the inside and the outside of the dental arch. The minimum usage time of the 100 cleaning device required to perform an effective cleaning of the teeth 4 is between 4 and 15s.

Detailed description of the cleaning brushes

FIG. 2a represents a schematic view illustrating the various elements constituting an oral cleaning brush 3 according to the invention.

The brush 3 comprises a support wire 30, a first spiral and flexible sheath 31 as well as a second textile sheath 32 carrying the bristles 33 of the brush. In this figure 2a, a toothed wheel 34 has also been shown making it possible to associate the brush 3 with the drive mechanism 2 in order to set it in rotation during its operation.

The support wire 30 gives the brush 3 its general shape of a dental arch. It also defines the axis around which the brush 3 is driven in rotation. It must therefore be sufficiently rigid to ensure these functions. At the same time, the support wire 30 has elastic deformation properties to enable it to accommodate accidental stresses, for example a bite, and return to its initial shape. This feature contributes to the comfort of putting the appliance 100 in the mouth and of brushing for the patient. In the absence of any stress, the support wire 30 has a shape, depending on its location on the plate 1, corresponding to the outer shape or the inner shape of the dental arch. It is also possible, by choosing an appropriate shape of the support wire 30, to adapt the brushes 3 to different mouth sizes. The support wire 30 typically has a diameter of between 0.1 and 1 mm, for example 0.5 mm.

Advantageously, the support wire 30 has a superelastic nature. A superelastic material has a deformation potential, before reaching its elastic limit, much greater than that of a conventional elastic material. Superelastic materials, unlike conventional elastic materials, are deformable at constant stress. This means that a constraint of modest amplitude makes it possible to strongly deform the part made of such a material. Once the threshold stress has been reached for it to deform elastically, the part deforms freely to its elastic limit without having to apply a high amplitude stress.

The superelastic character of the support wire 30 therefore allows it a large amplitude of deformation, even for insignificant stresses and without causing its damage. This property facilitates placing the appliance 100 in the mouth.

By way of example, the support wire 30 can be formed from a nickel titanium alloy. The proportions of nickel and titanium can be approximately equal. This type of alloy is also known as Nitinol.

The first sheath 31 is spiral and flexible, advantageously made of metallic material. It surrounds the support wire 30, and its flexible and spiral nature makes it able to rotate freely on itself, without effort, around the support wire 30 despite the curvature imposed by this wire 30. To allow this, it is advantageous to provide a clearance greater than 0.05 mm, preferably 0.1 mm, between the support wire 30 and the inner wall of the first sheath 31. The support wire 30 can be easily inserted inside the first sheath 31.

By way of example, the first sheath 31 can be formed from a stainless steel wire with contiguous turns. It typically has an inside diameter of between 0.15 and 2 mm, for example 0.6 mm, and an outside diameter of between 1 and 3 mm, for example 1.4 mm. The stainless steel wire can have a diameter of between 0.1 and 1 mm, for example 0.4 mm.

The second textile sheath 32 carrying the bristles 33 of the brush is integral with the first sheath 31 in order to be driven by its rotation, and ensure the brushing function. The second sheath 32 can for example be glued to the first sheath 31 by using a biocompatible flexible adhesive, for example silicone or polyurethane, so as not to alter the rotation of the brush 3 by stiffening the turns of the first sheath 31 between them. The second sheath 32 advantageously covers the entire surface of the first sheath 31 and its textile nature allows the protection of the mucous membranes and the teeth by preventing any direct contact with the first sheath 31, in particular when the latter is metallic. This is particularly important in the situation where the brush 3 is damaged and/or twisted and the first sheath 31 is then likely to come into direct contact against the teeth or the gums.

The bristles 33 carried by the second sheath 32 are single-strand yarns 33 and can be made of a thermoplastic material, such as Tynex® with a typical thickness of 15/100th of a millimeter. The single-strand threads 33 can be sewn onto the second sheath 32. They can be arranged on the surface of the second sheath 32 according to a variable density or to form a pattern making it possible to specifically brush selected areas of the dental arch. The wires 33 can also have variable lengths depending on their location, for example chosen to be longer at the positions corresponding to a space between two teeth. The arrangement and the length of the wires 33 forming the bristles of the brush on the second sheath 32, can be determined on a case-by-case basis by producing a custom-made brush for a given patient, or obtained by determining average positions thanks to the analysis of a large number of samples of dental arches.

According to a first embodiment shown in Figure 2b, the second sheath 32 is formed of a textile ribbon 32a. The ribbon 32a is thin, it has for example a thickness of between 0.2 and 0.4 mm, preferably 0.3 mm. It may have a width of between 1 and 3 mm, for example 2 mm. The second sheath 32 is formed by winding the strip 32a, preferably without overlap or by limiting this overlap, around the first sheath 31 as shown in Figure 2a. Advantageously, the winding direction of the ribbon 32a is chosen to be opposite to the direction of rotation of the brush 3 so that the friction force of the brushes 3 on the dental arch compresses the winding of the ribbon 32a against the first sheath 31 .

In this first embodiment, the wires 33 are assembled to the tape 32a before the latter is wound around the first sheath 31. The wires 33 can be arranged on the tape 32a to form two or more lines, parallel to each other, extending along the ribbon 32a. The wires 33 can be spaced from each other by a distance of between 0.8 and 1.2 mm, preferably 1 mm.

According to a second embodiment of the second sheath 32, the latter takes the form of a knitted textile tube which is fitted onto the first sheath 31. The internal diameter of the knitted tube is chosen to correspond substantially to the external diameter of the first sheath 31. In this second embodiment, the threads 33 are advantageously arranged so as to follow a line or several parallel lines winding in a spiral around the knitted tube. The distance separating the wires can be chosen identically to the first embodiment.

Returning to the general description of the brush represented in FIG. 2a, the brush 3 also comprises a toothed wheel 34 making it possible to associate the brush 3 with the drive mechanism 2, and to impart the rotational movement to the first and second sheaths 31, 32 around the support wire 30. This wheel 34 can be in the form of a ring defined by an inner contour and an outer contour, the teeth of the wheel 34 being formed on the outer contour of the ring. The ring is crossed by the brush 3 and fixed at an attachment point on the first sheath 31, for example by welding a point of its inner contour to a turn of the first sheath 31. In this way, the wheel toothed wheel 34 can drive the brush bristles 33 in rotation by rotation of the first sheath 31 and of the second sheath 32 around the flexible wire, and without providing stiffness to the brush 3. The toothed wheel 34 is positioned in a central zone of the brush 3 so as to be brought into correspondence with the drive mechanism 2 when the brush 3 is assembled to the plate 1 by the distal attachments 12.

To allow the assembly of the toothed wheel to the first sheath 31, the second sheath 32 can be formed of two parts separated from each other in the central zone of the first sheath 31 to allow the fixing of the toothed wheel 34. Advantageously, the toothed wheel 34 is housed inside a protective casing to prevent the brush bristles 33 from jamming and injuring the patient's mucous membranes.

Detailed description of the device of cleaning

Referring to Figure 1, the plate 1 is advantageously generally U-shaped to minimize its surface and create a central space to not constrain the movement of the patient's tongue. The plate 1 may include a projecting part 10 to allow assembly, for example by snap-fastening, of the removable handle to the plate 1 while coupling the motor to the drive mechanism 2 via the shaft 20.

The plate 1 is advantageously semi-rigid and made of an injectable plastic material of biocompatible grade such as polyethylene (PE), polyoxymethylene (POM) or acryolonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). The plate 1 can in this case be formed by molding or by 3D printing.

In order to avoid the inconvenience of the contact of the bristles of the brush 33 against the gums and the tongue, a shell 11 of flexible and biocompatible material, such as silicone, can be formed on the plate 1. The shell 11 can be fixed to the plate 1 by gluing, after the assembly of the drive mechanism 2, or overmolded at the same time as the molding of the plate 1. The shell 11 advantageously encapsulates the toothed wheel 34 and forms edges 11a to prevent contact with the brush bristles against lips and tongue. It is possible to provide the shell 11 with upper indentations to stay away from the buccal mucosal brakes.

As already mentioned, the plate 1 comprises, on a first face 1a at least, the two distal attachments 12 and the drive mechanism 2. The two brushes 3 are respectively retained by the ends of the support wires 30 at both distal attachments 12 and the toothed wheel 34 is connected to the drive mechanism 2. For this purpose, the distal attachments 12 are arranged in the side portions of the plate 1 while the drive mechanism 2 is arranged in a central portion of the plate 1. The two brushes 3 are spaced from each other to define a reception area for a dental arch. More specifically, the support wire 30 of each brush 3 is fixed by its ends to each distal attachment 12 and the toothed wheel 34 integral with the first sheath 31 is meshed in the drive mechanism 2. The support wire is thus fixed 30 to the plate 1, and the first sheath 31 can be driven in rotation around the support wire 30 to create the brushing movement.

The central placement of the drive mechanism 2, and consequently of the toothed wheel 34 on each brush 3, makes it possible to ensure rotation of the brushes 3 with the aid of a limited effort. Indeed, the transmission of the rotational movement of the toothed wheel 34 to the first sheath 31 is degraded along the first sheath by moving away from the wheel, in particular because of the friction of the bristles against the teeth. It is therefore advantageous to apply this force to the central part of the brushes 3 to obtain an easier transmission of movement over the entire length of the brushes.

Each end of the support wires 30 can be fixed to an attachment support 12a of the distal attachment 12, this support possibly taking the form of a tubular pillar perpendicular to the plate 1. An opening provided on the attachment support 12a allows one end of the support wire 30 to be attached thereto. Alternatively, this end may be provided with a cap which can be assembled at the free end of the attachment support 12a.

Figure 4a shows an example of a particularly advantageous distal attachment. This distal attachment 12 here comprises two attachment pillars 12a, integral with the plate 1 to define a U, and on which the ends of the brushes 3 are respectively fixed. The opening of the U, between the two pillars 12a, makes it possible to accommodate additional molars of a dental arch. The height of the pillars 12a as well as their spacing are chosen to be respectively compatible with the desired elevation of the brushes 3 relative to the plate 1 and with the desired spacing between the two brushes 3. Each end of the support wires 30 can be retained to a pillar 12a by crossing an opening 12b of the pillar. A support washer 35 can be arranged on the support wire 30, between the end of the sheaths 31,32 and the pillar 12a, to prevent the sheaths 31,32 from being damaged by friction and to facilitate their rotational movement. The ends of the support wire 30 may carry a stopper 36 to prevent the withdrawal of the support wire 30 from the opening 12b.

In order not to alter the operation of the brushes 3, in particular when they are crushed by the patient, by biting them for example, provision can be made to allow great freedom of movement perpendicular to the plane of the plate 1 and/or axial of the brushes 3 vis-à-vis the distal fasteners 12, in order to supplement their deformable and flexible character. It is noted that the brushes 3 rest via the bristles on the plate 1, and that it is therefore not necessary to fix them firmly to the distal attachments 12 for the device to be functional.

Thus, in the implementation example represented by FIGS. 4a and 4b, the support wire 30 protrudes from the sheaths by an additional length engaged in the opening 12b. This additional length ensures free axial movement of the support wire 30, the amplitude of which is only limited by the positioning of the stop 36.

A free vertical movement of the brush 3 (that is to say perpendicular to the plate) is also ensured thanks to the shape of the opening 12b. In the example shown, this opening 12b is in the form of an oblong slot, the height of which determines the amplitude of the possible movement. In the absence of crushing of the brush 3 by the patient, the natural positioning of the brush 3 is determined by the length of the bristles of the brush which rest on the plate.

In FIG. 4b, a dotted line shows the permitted deformation of the support wire 30, and therefore of the brush 30, by the distal attachment 12 which has just been described.

Alternatively, and in order to prevent the support wires 30 from protruding behind the distal attachments 12, the pillars may be in tubular form, the openings 12b then opening respectively into the interior spaces defined by these pillars. The support wires 30 are engaged in the openings 12b and bent so that the additional lengths of these support wires 30 run along the internal space and emerge from the side of the free end of the tubular pillars.

Advantageously, the plate 1 can comprise, between the brushes 3 at the level of the premolar-molar sectors and up to the distal face of each canine, a carpet 13 of flexible peaks, for example made of silicone, or of bristles, for example made of a thermoplastic material. This carpet 13 of spikes or bristles makes it possible to brush the upper surface of the teeth during the insertion and removal of the cleaning device 100 from the mouth of the user. It is noted that this mat is much more effective in cleaning this surface than the additional rotating brushes provided in certain state-of-the-art cleaning devices.

Some patients may have partial edentulism and the dental arch in this case may not have a molar and/or premolar. This absence results in an imperfect wedging of the device 100 in the patient's mouth, and it can then tip over. In order to solve this problem, and better position the device 100 for these patients, the plate 1 can be provided with spacers placed between the two brushes 3 at the location of the missing teeth.

The drive mechanism 2 comprises a shaft 20 forming the central axis of the mechanism 2. The central shaft 20 is rotated by an electric motor to communicate its rotational movement to the various brushes 3, as has already been detailed. The central shaft 20 opens, at one of its ends, out of the projecting part 10 of the plate 1 in order to couple to the electric motor, for example when the removable handle is snapped onto the plate 1.

In order to communicate its rotational movement to the various brushes, according to the recommended brushing direction, the shaft 20 is provided with two worm screws with double thread on the right 21b and on the left 21a. Each endless screw 21a, 21b meshes in an intermediate toothed wheel 22 in which the toothed wheel 34 of the brush meshes. This assembly of two wheels 22,34 makes it possible to optimally adjust the height of the brushes relative to the plane of the plate 1 and to clear the interdental space. The wheels can be retained by bearings arranged on plate 1.

Figure 5 illustrates the direction of rotation of the various elements of the drive mechanism 2. The shaft 20 rotates in the direction imposed by the electric motor, as indicated in this figure. The left-handed double-threaded worm 21a rotates the contacting intermediate wheel 22 counterclockwise. This intermediate wheel then drives the toothed wheel 34 secured to a brush 3 in the desired direction from the gum towards the occlusal end of the teeth. Similarly, the right-handed double-thread worm screw 21b causes the other brush 3 to turn in the desired direction.

The ratio of the number of threads of the endless screws 21a, 21b and the number of teeth of the wheels 22, 34 makes it possible to reduce the speed of rotation of the electric motor of the removable handle. For example, the reduction of a 1:12 ratio of an electric motor rotating at 6000 revolutions per minute gives a rotation at 500 revolutions per minute of the brushes.

In order to best adapt the device 100 to the morphology of a patient, and in particular to different curvatures of dental arches, it is advantageous to be able to adjust the curvature of the two brushes 3 by taking advantage of the elastically deformable nature of the support wire. 30 and the flexible nature of the sheaths 31,32. For this, the distal attachments 12 can be arranged in adjustable ways on the plate using an adjustment mechanism. FIG. 7 represents a preferred embodiment of the invention implementing such an adjustment mechanism.

In this embodiment, the distal attachments 12 are respectively arranged on movable arms 1' of the plate 1. These movable arms 1' are retained on a main part of the plate 1 (carrying the drive mechanism 2) by the through an axis 14 around which the movable arm 1' can move in rotation, along an axis perpendicular to the plate. The angular position of the mobile arms 1', and therefore of the distal attachments 12, can thus be adjusted. The mobile arms 1' can comprise indentation notches 15 interacting respectively with lugs (not shown) of the plate 1 to position the mobile arms 1' according to pre-established angular positions corresponding to the most common dental arch archetypes. Three indentation notches 15 have been provided here allowing the mobile arms 1' to be placed in a spacing configuration: narrow, median or wide. A notch 16 can be formed in the mobile arm 1' in order to facilitate the movement of the mobile arm 1' between the different positions by inserting the tip of a tool. The mats 13 of spikes or bristles are advantageously formed, in this embodiment, on the movable arms 1'. The distal attachments 12 of appliance 100 of this embodiment may be those described in earlier paragraphs of this description.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and variant embodiments can be added thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Thus, although here we have described in detail the cleaning device 100 in its “single-sided” configuration, the invention also relates to a cleaning device 100 in a “double-sided” configuration as shown in FIG. .

Claims (16)

Oral cleaning brush (3) comprising:

1. a support wire (30) elastically deformable and having the general shape of a dental arch;
2. A first spiral and flexible sheath (31) surrounding the support wire (30), the first sheath (31) being able to rotate freely on itself around the support wire (30);
3. A second textile sheath (32) carrying single-strand yarns (33) constituting the bristles of the cleaning brush (3), the second sheath (32) being integral with the first sheath (31).

Oral cleaning brush (3) according to the preceding claim, in which the first sheath (31) is formed of a stainless steel wire with contiguous turns. Oral cleaning brush (3) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the single-strand threads (33) are sewn onto the second sheath (32). Oral cleaning brush (3) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the second sheath (32) is joined to the first sheath (31) by a flexible adhesive. Oral cleaning brush (3) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the support thread (30) has a superelastic character. Oral cleaning brush (3) according to the preceding claim, in which the support wire (30) consists of a nickel titanium alloy. Oral cleaning brush (3) according to one of the preceding claims comprising a toothed wheel (34) through which the first sheath (31) passes and fixed to a coil of the first sheath (31). Oral cleaning apparatus (100) comprising:

1. a plate (1) carrying, on a first face, two distal attachments (12) arranged in lateral portions of the plate and a drive mechanism (2) arranged in a central portion of the plate;
2. two brushes (3) according to claim 7 spaced apart from each other to define a receiving zone for a dental arch, the support wire (30) of each brush (3) being connected by its ends to a clip distal (12) and the toothed wheel (34) of each brush (3) being meshed in the drive mechanism (2).

Oral cleaning device (100) according to the preceding claim, in which the plate (1) is semi-rigid in thermoplastic material. Oral cleaning device (100) according to one of Claims 8 to 9, in which the plate (1) is covered with a shell (11) forming flanges (11a). Oral cleaning device (100) according to one of Claims 8 to 10, in which the drive mechanism (2) comprises a shaft (20) capable of being rotated by a motor, the shaft being provided with two worm screw with double thread on the right (21b) and on the left (21a) to drive the brushes (3) in rotation. Oral cleaning appliance (100) according to the preceding claim, in which the drive mechanism (2) comprises two intermediate gearwheels (22), each intermediate gearwheel (22) meshing between a worm (21a, 21b) and a gear wheel (34). Cleaning appliance (100) according to one of Claims 8 to 12, in which the platen (1) is provided with a mat (13) for brushing the upper surface of the teeth during insertion and withdrawal of the appliance cleaning (100) of the patient's mouth. Cleaning device (100) according to one of Claims 8 to 13, in which the distal attachments (12) are arranged on movable arms (1') of the plate (1) to allow adjustment of the curvature of the brushes ( 3). Cleaning device (100) according to the preceding claim, in which the mobile arms (1') comprise indentation notches (15) to interact with lugs formed on the plate (1) and to position the mobile arms (1') according to pre-established angular positions. Cleaning device (100) according to one of Claims 8 to 15, in which the distal attachments (12) comprise two attachment pillars (12a), each pillar being provided with an oblong lumen.