Patent · US Expired

Teeth cleaning implement with integrated fluid dispenser

US5642994A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
8References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 26, 1995
Grant dateJul 1, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 26, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C1/087
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fluid storage and dispensing container for cleaning teeth, which includes a modified prophy angle headpiece that attaches to existing hand-held prophy cup dental instrument handpieces. The headpiece has an integrated passage through the headpiece by which a fluid is dispensed from the fluid container to the rotatable prophy cup. The headpiece has a lumen through the angle that won't tear or close under flow pressure. The headpiece has a shelf on a top surface for guiding placement of the fluid container, and a snap-fit retaining clip at a base of the headpiece for securing a plurality of different fluid containers. A preferred embodiment of a fluid storage container is a flexible tube that is depressed by a finger or thumb to dispense a fluid such as prophylactic paste or a polishing lubricant to the prophy cup.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.