Treatment element for an appliance for cleaning dental interstices, a method and device for the production thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a treatment element ( 1 ), which can be mounted onto an appliance for cleaning dental interstices. Said element comprises a shank ( 2 ), provided with bristles that radiate outwards ( 3 ). The brush head has a substantially polygonal, in particular triangular form ( 5 ). Said head can have a series of zones of different diameters along the shaft ( 2 ) and in particular, tapers ( 6 ) towards its end.

1 . Treatment element ( 1 ) for an appliance for cleaning dental interstices, which treatment element ( 1 ) can be mounted on such an appliance and comprises a shaft ( 2 ) from which bristles ( 3 ,  13 ,  23 , . . . ,  63 ) project radially, characterized in that the treatment element ( 1 ) is a brush head having an essentially polygonal shape in cross section.  
   
   
       2 . Treatment element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the cross section is essentially a triangle.  
   
   
       3 . Treatment element according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the longest bristles ( 23 ) in each cross section are in each case essentially the same length, so that the triangular shape is an equilateral triangle.  
   
   
       4 . Treatment element according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the triangle forms an isosceles triangle having an angle of less than 60 degrees opposite the base line.  
   
   
       5 . Treatment element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the connecting line ( 6 ) of the longest bristles ( 23 ,  33 ), in the longitudinal direction of the shaft ( 2 ), runs at different radial distances from the latter ( 2 ) and/or in that the side lines ( 35 ) of the treatment element ( 1 ), in cross section, are arched concavely towards the shaft ( 2 ).  
   
   
       6 . Treatment element according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the connecting line ( 6 ) of the longest bristles ( 23 ,  33 ), in the longitudinal direction of the shaft ( 2 ), run at periodically different radial distances from the latter ( 2 ).  
   
   
       7 . A method for producing a polygonal treatment element, said method comprising the steps of: 
 fixing a blank in a mounting rotatable about a first axis, the blank having bristles of substantially equal length extending radially from the first axis;    providing a milling tool rotatable about a second axis extending parallel to the first axis;    fixing the blank in a first position;    arranging the second axis at a distance from the blank;    milling a first straight edge of the bristles in cross-section by the milling tool;    rotating the blank a predetermined angle about the first axis to a second position;    milling a second straight edge of the bristles in cross-section by the milling tool such that the first straight edge and the second straight edge enclose 180 degrees minus the predetermined angle about the first axis;    rotating the blank the predetermined angle about the first axis to a third position;    milling a third straight edge of the bristles in cross-section by the milling tool such that the second straight edge and the third straight edge enclose 180 degrees minus the predetermined angle about the first axis;    eventually repeating said rotating and milling steps until a last straight edge forms the predetermined angle with the first straight edge; and then    ejecting the blank from the milling tool.    
   
   
       8 . Device for producing a treatment element according to  claim 7 , characterized in that it has a first mounting for accommodating a blank and has a milling tool arranged parallel to the first mounting, in which case the blank can be fixed in the first mounting and can be rotationally indexed by predetermined angles, and in that, with the milling tool, initially and after each rotation, by rotation about its axis, an essentially straight cut edge of the bristle tips of the blank can be produced in cross section until the treatment element has been produced with sections, adjacent to one another in cross section, of straight cut edges.  
   
   
       9 . A method for producing a treatment element, said method comprising the steps of: 
 fixing a blank in a mounting rotatable about a first axis, the blank having bristles of substantially equal length extending radially from the first axis such that outer ends of the bristles form a cylindrical outer contour;    providing a milling tool rotatable about a second axis extending parallel to the first axis;    arranging the blank at a radial distance from the second axis of the milling tool such that a cutting surface of the milling tool contacts the cylindrical outer contour, the radial distance defining a first machining position of the blank;    varying the radial distance between the blank and the second axis of the milling tool via an eccentric thereby moving the blank between the first machining position and a second machining position of the blank, the cutting surface of the milling tool being spaced from the cylindrical outer contour of the blank in the second machining position; and    rotating the blank about the first axis such that the milling tool produces a plurality of straight edges of the bristles in cross-section as the blank intermittently moves between the first machining position and the second machining position thereby enclosing an angle of 180 degrees minus a predetermined angle with one another about the first axis by the plurality of straight edges.    
   
   
       10 . Device for producing a treatment element according to  claim 9 , characterized in that it has a first mounting for accommodating a blank and has a milling tool arranged parallel to the first mounting, in which case the blank can be fixed and rotated in the first mounting, in that the axis of the milling tool or of the blank runs via an eccentric, so that the radial distance of milling tool and blank varies, and in that, with the milling tool, by rotation about its axis, essentially straight cut edges of the bristle tips of the blank can be gradually produced in cross section until the treatment element has been produced with sections, adjacent to one another in cross section, of straight cut edges.  
   
   
       11 . A method for producing a treatment element for cleaning dental interstices, said method comprising the steps of: 
 fixing a blank at a first rotational position about a first axis, the blank having a shaft and bristles of substantially equal length extending from the shaft;    locating a milling tool adjacent the treatment element such that an outer cutting surface of the milling tool is in contact with the bristles;    rotating the milling tool about a second axis parallel to the first axis thereby milling a first concave edge of bristles in cross-section from the blank;    locating the blank away from the milling tool such that the outer cutting surface of the milling tool is not in contact with the bristles;    rotating the blank about the first axis to a second rotational position thereby milling a second concave edge of bristles in cross-section from the blank; and    forming other concave edges of bristles in cross-section on other sides of the blank by intermittently moving the blank to a position in contact with the bristles and a position not in contact with the bristles and intermittently rotating the blank to a plurality of rotational positions thereby forming a substantially polygon cross-section of the blank.    
   
   
       12 . (canceled)  
   
   
       13 . The method as defined in  claim 1  further including the step of varying the distance between the first axis and the second axis via an eccentric.  
   
   
       14 . Device for producing a treatment element ( 1 ) for an appliance for cleaning dental interstices, which treatment element ( 1 ) can be mounted on such an appliance and comprises a shaft ( 2 ) from which bristles ( 3 ,  13 ,  23 ,  63 ) project radially, which treatment element ( 1 ) is a brush head having an essentially polygonal shape in cross section, said device comprising a rotatable mounting in which a blank having bristles of essentially the same length projecting from the shaft is fixed, a milling tool adjacent the rotatable mounting rotatable about an axis which runs parallel to the rotatable mounting, said mounting locating the blank in a first position with the axis of the milling tool arranged at a distance from the blank, and the milling tool producing essentially a first straight milled edge in cross section in the blank.  
   
   
       15 . A device as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein said rotatable mounting is rotationally indexed by predetermined angles by movement and in that, with the milling tool, initially and after each rotation, by rotation about its axis, an essentially straight cut edge of the bristle tips of the blank can be produced in cross section until the treatment element has been produced with sections, adjacent to one another in cross section, of straight cut edges.  
   
   
       16 . A device as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the radial of the milling tool and blank varies due to an eccentric.