DEVICE FOR CLEANING TEETH

The present invention relates to a device for cleaning teeth and adapted to be connected to a water supply according to claim 1.

Such a device is known from DE 202 15 308 Ul. The cleaning device according to the invention can be used in the shower or is suitable for being connected to a water tap of a sink. The cleaning device is attached before the shower or the tap and a part of the flow of water will be diverted to the cleaning device. Due to the fact that the passageway for water at the end of the nozzle is reduced, the water force will be intensified. The water will clean the teeth and remove all undesirable residues.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved a device for cleaning teeth and adapted to be connected to a water supply. A further purpose of the invention is to provide such a device which is easy to use. Still another purpose of the present invention is to provide a device which can be manufactured easily and against relatively low costs .

According to the invention the device for cleaning teeth and adapted to be connected to a water supply is characterized in that the water connector valve comprises a valve element and a seat cooperating with the valve element, said valve element being arranged axially with respect to the second water outlet opening, and that the valve is operable by means of an actuator arranged axially around the valve element and the second water outlet opening.

The amount of water which will be diverted to the cleaning device is adjustable at the side of the water

connector. This construction provides a relatively large ease of control and is thereby easily to manufacture.

Advantageous features concerning the water connector are given in claims 2-8. The cleaning device is furthermore provided with a wall holder to be connected to a wall of a sanitary room, wherein the wall holder comprises a compartment for receiving at least part of the hand-held part. In this way the handheld part can be put away after use. Preferably one or more openings having a form corresponding to the form of one end of the nozzle of the hand-held part are provided in the wall holder. This end of the nozzle is releasably attachable to a housing of the handheld part. One or more spare nozzles can be put away in the wall holder such that more than one user can use the cleaning device, each having its own personal nozzle available in the wall holder.

Advantageous features of the hand-held part of the cleaning device are given in claims 12-19. The hand-held part is preferably provided it with a valve to close the flow of water out of the nozzle. The valve operable from the outside by means of a switch. In a preferred embodiment the switch is connected to a slider which is slidably arranged in the housing. According to a first embodiment the slider houses the valve element and the housing is provided with a protrusion for contacting the valve element when the slider is moved. In a second embodiment the slider comprises a protrusion which is brought into contact with the valve element for operating it. Furthermore, the valve element is preferably spring-biased in direction of its seat for closing the passageway for water to the nozzle when the switch is released.

The present invention will be further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings shows :

Figure 1 an overall view of a cleaning device according to the present invention;

Figure 2A a perspective cross-sectional view of a water connector in a first operation mode;

Figure 2B a perspective cross-sectional view of a water connector in a second operation mode; Figure 3 a wall holder in exploded view;

Figure 4 a hand-held part with part of the housing removed, and

Figure 5 a cross-sectional view of figure 4.

In figure 1 a device for cleaning teeth and adapted to be connected to a water supply according to the invention is shown. The device comprises a hand-held part 1 provided with a nozzle 2, a water connector 3 for connecting the handheld part 1 to the water supply and a wall holder 4. The hand-held part 1 is connected to the water connector 3 by means of a water hose 5. Furthermore, in the wall holder 4 spare nozzles 2 are placed.

The hand-held part 1 comprises a switch 6 for actuating a valve in the hand-held part 1, whereas the water connector comprises a rotating knob 7 for actuating a water connector valve in the water connector 3.

In figures 2A and 2B perspective cross-sectional views of the water connector 3 in two different modes of operation are shown. The water connector 3 comprises a water inlet opening 20 for introducing water into the water connector 3, a first water outlet opening 21 for passing water to a shower or tap and a second water outlet opening 22 for passing water to the nozzle 2 of the hand-held part 1. The passageway from the water inlet opening 20 to the second

water outlet opening 22 is closable by means of a water connector valve which consists of valve elements 23 and a seat 24. The valve element 23 is arranged axially with respect to the second water outlet opening 22. The water connector valve 23,24 is operable by means of the rotating knob 7 which is axially arranged around the valve element 23 and the second water outlet opening 22.

The water connector 3 further comprises a T-shaped connector piece 25. The rotating knob 7 is connected to the T-shaped connector piece 25 by means of screw thread 26.

Furthermore the valve element 23 is slidably arranged in the T-shaped connector piece 25. The rotating knob 7 is rotatable connected to the valve element 23 by means of an inwardly directed rib 27 which cooperates with a groove 28 of the nozzle element 23. The valve element 23 is locked in rotational direction in the T-shaped connector piece 25 by- means of a protrusion 29 which protrudes in a notch 30 provided in the T-shaped connector piece 25. At its lower end the valve element 23 has a host connecting end 31 for connecting the water hose 5 to the water connector 3. A fastener 32 connects the water hose 5 fixedly to the hose connecting end 31 of the water connector 3.

In figure 2A a first mode is shown wherein the valve 23, 24 of the water connector 3 is closed, which means that water will only flow to the shower or tab from the water inlet opening 22. Upon rotation of knob 7, the valve element 23 will slide in downward direction and come loose from its seat 24. The valve will open (see figure 2B). Figure 2B shows the other extreme position wherein the complete water flow from the water inlet opening 20 will flow to the second water outlet opening 22 and to the hand-held part 1. The passageway to the first water outlet opening 21 is closed off by means of a blocking element 33 integrally connected to the valve

element 23. Several positions between the two extreme positions shown in figures 2A and 2B respectively are possible dependent on the position of knob 7 with respect to the T-shaped connector piece 25. The flow of water which will be diverted to the hand-held part 1 of the cleaning device can thus be set at the water connector 3 by means of knob 7.

In figure 3 an exploded view of the wall holder 4 according to the invention is shown. The wall holder 4 consists of a male and female part 40, 41 respectively. Furthermore a suction cup 42 is provided with which the wall holder 4 can be removably attached to a wall. The suction cup 42 can be attached by means of a bayonet closure 43 to the female part 41 of the wall holder 4. The female part 41 is further provided with a compartment 44 for receiving the hand-held part 1. Due to a decreasing cross-sectional dimension of the compartment seen from the top to the bottom thereof en the fact that the housing 8 of the hand-held part 1 has an increasing cross-sectional dimension from its end connected to the water hose 5 to its end connected to the nozzle 2, the hand-held part 1 will stay securely connected to the wall holder 4 when it is slid into the compartment 44 by a user.

Furthermore the female part 41 is provided with recessed portions 45 corresponding to recessed portions 46 in the male part 40 of the wall holder 4. The recessed portions 45, 46 form together openings with a form that corresponds to the form of an outer end 47 of the nozzles 2.

Finally, the female part 41 has several locking cavities 48 which cooperate with locking pins 49 on the male part 40 for locking the two parts 40, 41 of the wall holder together.

In figure 4 the inside of hand-held part 1 is shown. The housing 8 of hand-held part 1 consists of two parts 8a,

8b which can be fixedly connected to each other. Between those housing parts 8a, 8b several components are arranged. The water hose 5 is passed between the two housing parts 8a, 8b to a hose connecting end 50. The water hose 5 is fixed to the hose connecting end 50 by means of a fastener 51.

Connected to the hose connecting end 50 is an intermediate part 52. The intermediate part 52 comprises a first compartment for receiving a spring 53 and a valve element 54, and a second compartment for receiving a slider 55 having a protrusion 56 and a cam 57. At the upper end of intermediate part 52 a nozzle connector 58 is arranged. Nozzle connector 58 and intermediate element 52 together form the second compartment for slider 55, which is slidably arranged in this second compartment. Nozzle connector 58 comprises a protruding part 59 in which the water outlet 60 is located. The protruding part 59 protrudes in an opening 61 of the housing 6 of the hand-held part 1. The form of this opening 61 corresponds to the form of the outer end 47 of the nozzle 2. The outer end 47 and the opening 61 together form a bayonet closure for connecting the nozzle 2 to the housing 6 of the hand-held part 1.

The switch 6 is attached to the cam 57 of the slider 55. The switch 6 is slidably arranged at the outside of the housing 6. In the position shown in figure 5, the switch 6 is in its rest mode. In this mode the valve element 54 is in contact with its seat 62 and closes off the passageway from the water inlet opening 63 to the water outlet opening 60. When the switch 6 is slid from its position shown in figure 5 to its other extreme position (downwardly in the drawing) , the slider 55 with its protrusion 56 will move the valve element 54 out of contact with its seat 62 against the spring force of spring 53. The valve 54, 62 is open and water will flow from the water inlet opening 63 through the slider 55 to

the water outlet opening 60 and nozzle 2. After use, switch 6 is released and spring 53 provides for closure of the valve 54, 62.