JP6347350B2 - Tooth bleaching equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tooth bleaching apparatus for supplying tooth bleaching fluid to teeth.

  The tooth bleaching device generates radical species that act on the pigment molecules of the tooth, and bleaches the teeth by supplying the radical species to the teeth. As an example, a medical tooth bleaching device used by a dentist is known. This medical tooth bleaching apparatus generates radical species from an oxygen bleaching agent by irradiating the oxygen bleaching agent with ultraviolet rays or by applying heat to the oxygen bleaching agent. Irradiation or heating with ultraviolet rays is performed while supplying an oxidizing bleaching agent into the oral cavity. For this reason, the peroxide contained in the oxygen-based tooth bleach comes into contact with the teeth or gums, or the teeth or gums are irradiated with ultraviolet rays, or the teeth or gums are heated by ultraviolet rays. Or the gums may be damaged.

In consideration of such influence on teeth or gums, home tooth bleaching devices that generate radical species without using an oxygen-based tooth bleach are known. Patent Document 1 discloses an example thereof.
The tooth bleaching device of Patent Document 1 includes a gas cylinder that stores a gas for forming plasma, and a plasma generation cell that generates plasma containing radical species that are active ingredients from the gas in the gas cylinder. The tooth bleaching device of Patent Document 1 further includes an applicator tube including a plasma discharge port, and a hose connecting the plasma generation cell and the applicator tube.

  The user of the tooth bleaching apparatus drives the plasma generating cell while holding the applicator tube so that the plasma discharge port faces the tooth to be bleached. Plasma generated by the plasma generation cell is supplied to the teeth via an applicator tube.

Special table 2012-513455 gazette

  When the user uses the tooth bleaching device of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to maintain the posture of the hand holding the applicator tube so that the plasma discharge port of the applicator tube does not deviate from the tooth to be bleached. For this reason, the tooth bleaching device of Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of ease of use.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use tooth bleaching device.

A tooth bleaching device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a generating device for generating a tooth bleaching fluid for bleaching teeth, a supply port for supplying the tooth bleaching fluid generated by the generating device, and exhausting the tooth bleaching fluid. The mouthpiece includes a curved element having a guide surface for guiding the tooth bleaching fluid, and the supply port and the exhaust port open to the guide surface.

  According to one form of the tooth bleaching apparatus, the ease of use can be provided to the user.

1 is a block diagram of a tooth bleaching apparatus according to a first embodiment. The perspective view of the tooth bleaching apparatus of Embodiment 2. FIG. The top view of the mouthpiece of Embodiment 2. FIG. The top view of the mouthpiece of Embodiment 2. FIG. Sectional drawing of the Z5A-Z5A line | wire of FIG. 3 in Embodiment 3. FIG. Sectional drawing of the Z5B-Z5B line | wire of FIG. 3 in Embodiment 3. FIG. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a tooth bleaching apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. Sectional drawing of the discharge part of Embodiment 5. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece according to the sixth embodiment. Sectional drawing of the mouthpiece of Embodiment 6. FIG. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mouthpiece according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a seventh embodiment. Sectional drawing of the mouthpiece of Embodiment 7. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a tooth bleaching apparatus according to an eighth embodiment. FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the mouthpiece according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mouthpiece according to an eighth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mouthpiece according to a ninth embodiment. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a mouthpiece according to a ninth embodiment. Sectional drawing of the Z19A-Z19A line | wire of FIG. Sectional drawing of the Z19B-Z19B line | wire of FIG.

(An example of a form that the tooth bleaching device can take)
[1] A tooth bleaching device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a generating device that generates a tooth bleaching fluid for bleaching teeth, a supply port that supplies the tooth bleaching fluid generated by the generating device, and the tooth bleaching A mouthpiece having an exhaust port for exhausting fluid.

  According to this tooth bleaching apparatus, the user can hold the mouthpiece, which is an object for supplying tooth bleaching fluid into the oral cavity, to hold the object at a position suitable for tooth bleaching. That is, the user can bleach the teeth without having to hold the object supplying the tooth bleaching fluid by hand. Thus, the tooth bleaching device can provide ease of use to the user. Further, since the mouthpiece includes the exhaust port, the tooth bleaching fluid in the oral cavity is exhausted out of the oral cavity through the exhaust port even if the user does not breathe through the mouth. For this reason, compared with the case where a user exhausts the tooth bleaching fluid by mouth breathing, the burden placed on the user is small. The tooth bleaching device also contributes to providing the user with ease in this respect.

[2] According to one embodiment of the tooth bleaching apparatus, the mouthpiece includes a curved element having a guide surface for guiding the tooth bleaching fluid.
According to this tooth bleaching apparatus, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied into the oral cavity is guided along the guide surface of the bending element, and thus easily flows along the teeth. For this reason, teeth are bleached more efficiently compared to the case where the tooth bleaching device does not include a bending element.

[3] According to one embodiment of the tooth bleaching apparatus, at least one of the supply port and the exhaust port opens in the guide surface.
When the supply port opens in the guide surface, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the supply port into the oral cavity easily reaches the teeth. For this reason, compared with the case where a supply port does not open to a guide surface, a tooth | gear is bleached efficiently. Further, when the exhaust port opens in the guide surface, the tooth bleaching fluid existing around the teeth tends to flow into the exhaust port. For this reason, compared with the case where an exhaust port does not open to a guide surface, a tooth bleaching fluid is exhausted efficiently.

  [4] According to one aspect of the tooth bleaching device, the tooth bleaching device further includes a connecting portion that connects the generating device and the mouthpiece, and the connecting portion communicates directly or indirectly with the supply port. And an exhaust passage communicating directly or indirectly with the exhaust port.

  According to this tooth bleaching apparatus, since the user can wear the mouthpiece even at a position away from the generating apparatus, it is easy to take a relatively free posture when bleaching teeth. In this respect, the tooth bleaching apparatus contributes to providing the user with ease of use.

[5] According to one embodiment of the tooth bleaching device, the tooth bleaching device further includes a suction part for sucking the tooth bleaching fluid, and the exhaust passage communicates with the suction part.
According to this tooth bleaching device, when the suction unit is driven, the tooth bleaching fluid in the oral cavity is sucked by the suction unit, and the mouthpiece exhaust port, the exhaust passage, the connecting unit, and the generating device are in this order. Exhausted outside. For this reason, the possibility that the tooth bleaching fluid may stay in the oral cavity and cause discomfort to the user is further reduced.

  [6] According to one embodiment of the tooth bleaching apparatus, the connecting portion has a double pipe structure, and an inner passage in the double pipe structure is one of the supply passage and the exhaust passage, The outer passage in the tube structure is the other of the supply passage and the exhaust passage.

  According to this tooth bleaching device, the user can easily draw the mouthpiece when the user wears the mouthpiece, as compared with the case where a plurality of connecting portions formed individually are provided. In this respect, the tooth bleaching apparatus contributes to providing the user with ease of use.

(Embodiment 1)
With reference to FIG. 1, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 is demonstrated.
The tooth bleaching device 10 includes a generating device 30 that generates a tooth bleaching fluid that bleaches teeth, a mouthpiece 100 that supplies or exhausts tooth bleaching fluid, and a connecting unit 20 that connects the generating device 30 and the mouthpiece 100. . An example of a tooth bleaching fluid is a gas containing charged fine particle water, and the radical species contained in the charged fine particle water is an example of an active ingredient that bleaches teeth.

  The generating device 30 includes a discharge unit 40 that generates charged fine particle water containing radical species, a housing 34 that houses various components including the discharge unit 40, and a discharge unit 40 for generating charged fine particle water. A switch 37 forming a trigger is provided.

  The housing 34 includes a connection portion 35 to which the connecting portion 20 is connected, and an exhaust port 33 that communicates the space inside the housing 34 with the outside of the housing 34. The housing 34 further includes a supply passage 31 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid to the connecting portion 20 and an exhaust passage 32 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid exhausted from the connecting portion 20 to the exhaust port 33. The supply passage 31 and the exhaust passage 32 are partitioned from each other so that fluids flowing through the passages do not mix.

  The connection portion 35 includes a connection passage 36 that communicates the space inside the housing 34 with the outside of the housing 34. The supply passage 31 communicates the outlet of the discharge unit 40 and the connection passage 36. The exhaust passage 32 communicates the exhaust port 33 and the connection passage 36.

  The mouthpiece 100 includes a connecting portion 110 to which the connecting portion 20 is connected, and a supply port 103 and an exhaust port 104 that communicate the space inside the mouthpiece 100 with the outside of the mouthpiece 100. The supply port 103 and the exhaust port 104 are partitioned from each other so that fluids passing through the respective passages do not mix.

  The mouthpiece 100 further includes a supply passage 101 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid supplied to the inside of the mouthpiece 100 through the connection portion 110 to the supply port 103, and teeth that have flowed into the exhaust port 104 from the outside of the mouthpiece 100. An exhaust passage 102 for guiding the bleaching fluid to the connection 110 is provided. The supply passage 101 and the exhaust passage 102 are partitioned from each other so that fluids flowing through the passages do not mix.

  The connection part 110 includes a connection passage 111 that communicates the space inside the mouthpiece 100 with the outside of the mouthpiece 100. The supply passage 101 communicates the connection passage 111 and the supply port 103. The exhaust passage 102 communicates the connection passage 111 and the exhaust port 104.

  The connecting unit 20 includes a supply passage 21 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the generating device 30 to the mouthpiece 100 and an exhaust passage 22 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid exhausted from the mouthpiece 100 to the generating device 30. . The supply passage 21 and the exhaust passage 22 are partitioned from each other so that fluids flowing through the passages do not mix.

  An example of the connecting portion 20 is a single tubular object, and includes a supply passage 21 and an exhaust passage 22 therein. Another example of the connecting portion 20 is two tubular objects, including a supply passage 21 inside one object and an exhaust passage 22 inside the other object.

  According to the state in which the connecting portion 20 is inserted into the connection passage 36 of the generation device 30, the passage of the generation device 30 and the passage of the connection portion 20 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 31 of the generating device 30 communicates with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20. The exhaust passage 32 of the generating device 30 communicates with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20.

  According to the state in which the connecting portion 20 is inserted into the connection passage 111 of the mouthpiece 100, the passage of the mouthpiece 100 and the passage of the connecting portion 20 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 101 of the mouthpiece 100 communicates with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20. The exhaust passage 102 of the mouthpiece 100 communicates with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20.

The operation of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 will be described.
The user wears the mouthpiece 100 in the mouth and holds the mouthpiece 100 by closing the mouth. Thereafter, when the switch 37 is switched from OFF to ON, the discharge unit 40 starts to operate, and the discharge unit 40 generates a tooth bleaching fluid containing charged fine particle water. The tooth bleaching fluid generated by the generation device 30 flows in the order of the supply passage 31 of the generation device 30, the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20, and the supply passage 101 of the mouthpiece 100.

  The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 101 is supplied from the supply port 103 into the oral cavity. For this reason, the charged fine particle water reaches the tooth, and the radical species contained in the charged fine particle water take electrons from the colored organic substance attached to the tooth. For this reason, the coloring organic substance is decomposed and the teeth are bleached.

  On the other hand, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the oral cavity flows into the exhaust passage 102 via the exhaust port 104, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and the exhaust passage 32 of the generator 30, and passes through the exhaust port 33 of the generator 30. The air is exhausted outside the generator 30.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The tooth bleaching device 10 includes a generating device 30 and a mouthpiece 100. According to this structure, the user can hold | maintain the object in the position suitable for tooth bleaching by mounting | wearing the mouthpiece 100 which is an object which supplies a tooth bleaching fluid in an intraoral area. That is, the user can bleach the teeth without having to hold the object supplying the tooth bleaching fluid by hand. For this reason, the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 can provide the user with ease of use.

  (2) According to the configuration of (1) above, when the user is using the tooth bleaching apparatus 10, the user's hand is less likely to get tired. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 also contributes to providing the user with ease in this respect.

  (3) According to the configuration of (1) above, the user can freely use his / her hand while using the tooth bleaching apparatus 10. This allows the user to perform other tasks while bleaching the teeth. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 also contributes to providing the user with ease in this respect.

  (4) According to the configuration of the above (1), compared to the case where the user has an object for supplying the tooth bleaching fluid to the teeth by hand, the user is using the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 while the teeth are being used. The position of the supply port 103 is difficult to shift. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied into the oral cavity from the supply port 103 is efficiently supplied to the teeth.

  (5) The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 includes a connecting portion 20. According to this configuration, since the user can wear the mouthpiece 100 even at a position away from the generating device 30, it is easy to take a relatively free posture when bleaching teeth. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 also contributes to providing the user with ease in this respect.

  (6) When the user is using the tooth bleaching device 10, it is difficult for the user to breathe through the mouth. For this reason, it is difficult to exhaust the tooth bleaching fluid supplied into the oral cavity through the mouthpiece 100 by mouth breathing. On the other hand, the mouthpiece 100 includes an exhaust port 104. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid in the oral cavity is exhausted outside the oral cavity via the exhaust port 104 and the exhaust passage 102 even if the user does not breathe through the mouth. For this reason, compared with the case where a user exhausts the tooth bleaching fluid by mouth breathing, the burden placed on the user is small. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 also contributes to providing the user with ease of use in this respect.

  (7) According to the configuration of (6) above, it is difficult for the oral cavity to be filled with the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the generating device 30. For this reason, the possibility that the user feels uncomfortable by filling the oral cavity with the tooth bleaching fluid is reduced.

(Embodiment 2)
With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 2 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment includes the following configuration that is not clearly described in the description of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10.
The generation device 30 and the connection unit 20 include a connection structure that allows the user to arbitrarily select a state where the connection unit 20 is connected to the generation device 30 and a state where the connection unit 20 is separated from the generation device 30. The mouthpiece 100 and the connecting part 20 include a connection structure that allows the user to arbitrarily select a state where the connecting part 20 is connected to the mouthpiece 100 and a state where the connecting part 20 is separated from the mouthpiece 100.

  An example of the connecting portion 20 is a hose that connects the connecting portion 35 of the housing 34 and the connecting portion 110 of the mouthpiece 100. An example of the material constituting the hose is a highly flexible resin. The hose has a double pipe structure constituted by an inner pipe 23 and an outer pipe 24. A supply passage 21 is formed in the inner tube 23. An exhaust passage 22 is formed between the inner tube 23 and the outer tube 24.

FIG. 3 shows a planar structure of the mouthpiece 100.
The mouthpiece 100 has, for example, a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line in the left-right direction in the plan view, and can take various sizes according to the age of the user. An example of the material constituting the mouthpiece 100 is silicone rubber.

  In addition to the connection portion 110, the mouthpiece 100 includes an outer bending element 120 that is curved so as to guide tooth bleaching fluid, an occlusal element 130 protruding from the outer bending element 120, and an inner bending element 140 protruding from the occlusal element 130. Prepare. The occlusal element 130 and the inner bending element 140 are curved following the shape of the outer bending element 120. The mouthpiece 100 further includes a tooth receiving space 105 surrounded by the outer bending element 120, the occlusal element 130, and the inner bending element 140.

  The outer curved element 120 includes a supply passage 101, an exhaust passage 102, a supply port 103, and an exhaust port 104, and further includes a guide surface 121 that guides tooth bleaching fluid. The supply passage 101 and the exhaust passage 102 are formed inside the outer bending element 120, and are mutually separated by a part of the outer bending element 120 so that the tooth bleaching fluid flowing through the respective passages is not mixed. The supply port 103 and the exhaust port 104 open to the guide surface 121 and are also mutually separated by a part of the outer curved element 120 so as not to mix the tooth bleaching fluid passing through the respective ports.

  According to an example, the supply passage 101 has the following form. The supply passage 101 and the supply port 103, and the exhaust passage 102 and the exhaust port 104 are formed along the extending direction of the outer curved element 120. The supply passage 101 and the exhaust passage 102 are formed side by side in the height direction of the outer curved element 120. The exhaust passage 102 is formed so as to sandwich the supply passage 101 in the height direction of the outer curved element 120.

  According to the example shown in the figure, the curved portion that follows the shape of the outer curved element 120 in the supply passage 101 and the curved portion that follows the shape of the outer curved element 120 in the exhaust passage 102 are curved outward. The elements 120 substantially overlap in plan view. In FIGS. 3 and 4, a part of the surface forming the exhaust passage 102 is displayed at a position shifted from the supply passage 101, so that the presence of the supply passage 101 and the exhaust passage 102 is shown in these drawings. Has been.

  The occlusal element 130 includes an inner surface 131 and an outer surface 132 that project inwardly of the outer curved element 120 and form a relatively front-back relationship. The inner bending element 140 is an element protruding in the height direction of the mouthpiece 100 from the inner surface 131 of the occlusal element 130, and includes a guide surface 141 facing the guide surface 121 of the outer bending element 120.

The operation of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The user attaches the mouthpiece 100 to the oral cavity so that the upper teeth or the lower teeth are arranged in the tooth accommodating space 105 of the mouthpiece 100, and bites the occlusal element 130 with the upper teeth and the lower teeth. Hold the piece 100. According to the state in which the mouthpiece 100 is attached to the oral cavity, the guide surface 121 of the outer bending element 120 faces the tooth surface across a part of the tooth receiving space 105, and the guide surface 141 of the inner bending element 140 is the tooth. It faces the back surface of the tooth across a part of the accommodation space 105. Further, the inner surface 131 of the occlusal element 130 contacts the upper jaw teeth, and the outer surface 132 of the occlusal element 130 contacts the lower jaw teeth.

  The outline arrow of FIG. 4 has shown roughly the flow of the tooth bleaching fluid which passes through the connection part 20 and the mouthpiece 100, and is supplied in an oral cavity, and the flow of the tooth bleaching fluid which reaches a tooth | gear. The black arrows in FIG. 4 indicate the flow of tooth bleaching fluid exhausted from the oral cavity to the mouthpiece 100, and tooth bleaching that passes through the mouthpiece 100 and the connecting portion 20 and is exhausted to the generating device 30 (see FIG. 2). The flow of fluid is roughly shown. 5A, FIG. 5B, FIG. 10, FIG. 11, FIG. 13, FIG. 16, FIG. 19A, and FIG. 19B, the white arrow and the black arrow indicate the tooth bleaching fluid indicated by each arrow in FIG. Fig. 2 shows a flow of tooth bleaching fluid similar or similar to the flow.

  The tooth bleaching fluid generated by the generation device 30 flows in the order of the supply passage 31 of the generation device 30, the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20, and the supply passage 101 of the mouthpiece 100. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 101 is supplied from the supply port 103 to the tooth receiving space 105. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied to the tooth accommodating space 105 reaches the front teeth TF or the back teeth TR, and the teeth are bleached.

  The tooth bleaching fluid in the tooth accommodating space 105 is guided by the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 and flows in the tooth accommodating space 105 along the teeth. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper or lower teeth and the teeth are bleached.

  On the other hand, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the tooth accommodating space 105 flows into the exhaust passage 102 through the exhaust port 104, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and the exhaust passage 32 (see FIG. 1) of the generating device 30, and is generated. The air is exhausted from the exhaust port 33 of the device 30 to the outside of the generating device 30.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 2, in addition to the effects (1) to (7) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 1, the following effects are further obtained.
(8) The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 includes a connecting portion 20 having a double tube structure. According to this configuration, the user can easily draw the mouthpiece 100 when the user wears the mouthpiece 100 as compared with a case where a plurality of connecting portions formed individually are provided. In this respect, the tooth bleaching apparatus contributes to providing the user with ease of use.

  (9) The mouthpiece 100 includes the outer curved element 120. According to this configuration, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied to the tooth accommodating space 105 is guided by the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120, so that it easily flows along the teeth. For this reason, compared with the case where the mouthpiece 100 does not include the outer curved element 120, the teeth are efficiently bleached.

  (10) The supply port 103 opens in the guide surface 121 of the outer bending element 120. According to this configuration, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the supply port 103 into the oral cavity can easily reach the teeth. For this reason, compared with the case where the supply port 103 does not open to the guide surface 121, teeth are bleached efficiently.

  (11) The exhaust port 104 opens in the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120. According to this configuration, the tooth bleaching fluid existing around the teeth easily flows into the exhaust port 104. For this reason, compared with the case where the exhaust port 104 does not open to the guide surface 121, the tooth bleaching fluid is efficiently exhausted.

(Embodiment 3)
With reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 3 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment includes the following configuration that is not clearly described in the description of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment.

  FIG. 5A shows the front teeth TF and the surroundings in the oral cavity of the user wearing the mouthpiece 100. FIG. 5B shows the back teeth TR and the periphery thereof in the oral cavity of the user wearing the mouthpiece 100.

  According to an example, the height of the tooth accommodation space 105 is set so that the root portion of the front tooth TF and the back tooth TR with the gum G is accommodated in the tooth accommodation space 105. The height of the tooth accommodating space 105 is a distance from the inner surface 131 of the occlusal element 130 to the top surface of the outer curved element 120 or the top surface of the inner curved element 140.

  According to an example, the width of the tooth accommodating space 105 is set such that a guide passage 106 that is a gap of an appropriate size is formed between the guide surface 121 of the outer bending element 120 and the front teeth TF and the back teeth TR. . The width of the tooth accommodating space 105 is the distance between the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 and the guide surface 141 of the inner curved element 140 in the direction in which the occlusal element 130 protrudes from the guide surface 121.

  According to an example, the width of the opening of the tooth accommodating space 105 is such that the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 and the guide surface 141 of the inner curved element 140 are moderately spaced from the root portion of the anterior tooth TF and the back tooth TR with the gum G. It is set so that it contacts at a certain pressure. Note that, according to the illustrated example, the width of the opening of the tooth accommodating space 105 is set to the same size as the width of the tooth accommodating space 105.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, according to the state in which the mouthpiece 100 is attached to the oral cavity, the incision edge of the maxillary front tooth TF contacts the inner surface 131 of the occlusal element 130, and the incision edge of the lower jaw front tooth (not shown). Contacts the outer surface 132 of the occlusal element 130. The guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 forms a guide passage 106 with the front teeth TF. The guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 is in close contact with the surface of the base portion of the anterior tooth TF in the upper gum G. The guide surface 141 of the inner bending element 140 is in close contact with the back surface of the base portion of the front tooth TF in the upper gum G.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, according to the state where the mouthpiece 100 is attached to the oral cavity, the occlusal surface of the maxillary back teeth TR contacts the inner surface 131 of the occlusal element 130, and the occlusal surface of the lower jaw back teeth (not shown). Contacts the outer surface 132 of the occlusal element 130. A guide passage 106 is formed between the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 and the back tooth TR. The guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120 is in close contact with the surface of the root portion of the back tooth TR in the upper gum G. The guide surface 141 of the inner curved element 140 is in close contact with the back surface of the root portion of the back tooth TR in the upper gum G.

With reference to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, operation | movement of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 5A, the tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 to the supply passage 101 of the mouthpiece 100. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 101 is supplied to the guide passage 106 from an intermediate portion of the supply port 103. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches the front teeth TF, and the teeth are bleached. Further, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the vicinity of the front tooth TF flows into the exhaust passage 102 through the exhaust port 104 opened above or below the supply port 103, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20, and the mouthpiece. 100 is exhausted to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, the tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 101 is supplied to the guide passage 106 from a portion closer to the end than the intermediate portion of the supply port 103. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches the back teeth TR, and the teeth are bleached. Further, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the vicinity of the back tooth TR flows into the exhaust passage 102 through the exhaust port 104 opened above or below the supply port 103, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20, and the mouthpiece. 100 is exhausted to the outside.

  The tooth bleaching fluid in the guide passage 106 flows through the guide passage 106 along the teeth by being guided by the guide surface 121 of the outer curved element 120. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper and lower teeth and is bleached.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the third embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (11) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the second embodiment, the following effects are further obtained.
(12) The width of the tooth accommodation space 105 is set with the intention of forming the guide passage 106 between the outer bending element 120 and the front teeth TF and the back teeth TR. According to this configuration, the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the supply port 103 to the guide passage 106 can easily flow along the teeth. For this reason, the difference in the degree of bleaching among a plurality of teeth is difficult to increase.

  (13) According to the configuration of (12), the supply port 103 is not easily blocked by teeth. For this reason, the flow of the tooth bleaching fluid from the supply port 103 toward the guide passage 106 is hardly hindered. For this reason, a tooth bleaching fluid is efficiently supplied to a tooth compared with the case where the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 does not contain the structure of said (12).

(Embodiment 4)
With reference to FIG. 6, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 4 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the fourth embodiment includes the following configuration that is not clearly described in the description related to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment.

  In addition to the housing 34 and the discharge unit 40, the generation device 30 rectifies the power supplied from the commercial power supply 80, and the drive circuit 52 that changes the frequency of the power supplied from the power supply unit 51 and outputs it. Is provided. The generation device 30 further includes a resonance circuit 53 that expands the voltage supplied from the drive circuit 52, and a laminated piezoelectric transformer 54 that converts the voltage supplied from the resonance circuit 53 into a high voltage and outputs the voltage. The generation device 30 further includes an air pump 55 that supplies air to the discharge unit 40, and a control unit 56 that controls the drive circuit 52, the discharge unit 40, and the air pump 55. The housing 34 accommodates the discharge unit 40, the power supply unit 51, the drive circuit 52, the resonance circuit 53, the laminated piezoelectric transformer 54, the air pump 55, and the control unit 56.

  The power supply unit 51 includes, for example, a diode bridge, and includes a rectifier circuit that full-wave rectifies AC power supplied from the commercial power supply 80 and a capacitor that removes noise from the power rectified by the rectifier circuit.

  The drive circuit 52 is electrically connected to the power supply unit 51 and includes, for example, a single-phase full-bridge inverter. This inverter includes two arms connected in parallel, and each arm includes two MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors) connected in series. The drive circuit 52 generates AC power having a frequency higher than the frequency of AC power supplied from the commercial power supply 80 by switching on and off the four MOSFETs.

  The resonance circuit 53 is, for example, a series-type LC resonance circuit, and includes a circuit configuration in which the drive circuit 52, the reactor, and the primary electrode of the multilayer piezoelectric transformer 54 are connected in series, and is supplied from the drive circuit 52. The electric power is enlarged and supplied to the laminated piezoelectric transformer 54.

  The laminated piezoelectric transformer 54 includes the primary electrode electrically connected to the resonance circuit 53 and the secondary electrode electrically connected to the electrode of the discharge unit 40, and is supplied from the resonance circuit 53. The AC power is transformed, and the transformed AC power is output to the electrode of the discharge unit 40. In addition, an example of the electrode of the discharge part 40 is the atomization electrode 41 shown by FIG.

  The discharge unit 40 generates a discharge by the electric power supplied from the laminated piezoelectric transformer 54 to generate charged fine particle water. The discharge generated by the discharge unit 40 is, for example, corona discharge. The radical species contained in the charged fine particle water generated by the discharge contains OH radicals.

  The air pump 55 is disposed at a location where air can be supplied toward the electrode of the discharge unit 40 and the periphery thereof. When the air pump 55 is driven, air flows so as to pass through the electrode of the discharge unit 40 and its surroundings. The electrode of the discharge unit 40 and the air supplied to the periphery thereof flow into the supply passage 21 of the connecting unit 20 through the supply passage 31 of the generation device 30 together with the charged fine particle water generated by the discharge unit 40.

  The control unit 56 controls the operation of the drive circuit 52 by outputting a control signal to each MOSFET of the drive circuit 52. The control unit 56 further controls the operation of the air pump 55 by outputting a control signal to the air pump 55. For example, the control unit 56 starts the operation of the drive circuit 52 and the air pump 55 based on the switch 37 of the generating device 30 being turned on.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (13) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the third embodiment, the following effects are further obtained.
(14) The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 includes an air pump 55. According to this configuration, the tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the generating device 30 to the mouthpiece 100 by the discharge pressure of the air pump 55. For this reason, the flow of the tooth bleaching fluid which goes to the oral cavity from the production | generation apparatus 30 is formed appropriately. For this reason, compared with the case where the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 does not include the air pump 55, the teeth are bleached more efficiently.

(Embodiment 5)
With reference to FIG. 7, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 5 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the fifth embodiment includes the following configuration that is not clearly described in the description of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the fourth embodiment.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a model of the discharge unit 40. The discharge part 40 cools the atomization electrode 41 which produces | generates charged fine particle water, the counter electrode 42 arrange | positioned across the atomization electrode 41 and space, the cooling module 44 which cools the atomization electrode 41, and the cooling module 44 Cooling fins 45 are provided.

  An example of the material constituting the atomizing electrode 41 is a conductive metal. The body 41 </ b> B of the atomizing electrode 41 is installed on a cooling insulating plate 44 </ b> A that constitutes the cooling module 44. For example, a spherical head 41A is formed at the tip of the body 41B. The shape of the body portion 41B is, for example, a truncated cone shape that becomes thinner from the cooling module 44 side toward the head portion 41A side.

  An example of the material constituting the counter electrode 42 is a conductive metal. The counter electrode 42 is grounded. The counter electrode 42 is formed with a curved portion having a shape similar to a hemispherical shape, for example. In this curved portion, a discharge port 43 communicating with a space existing between the atomizing electrode 41 and the counter electrode 42 and a space existing outside the counter electrode 42 is formed.

  The cooling module 44 includes the cooling insulating plate 44 </ b> A that absorbs the heat of the atomizing electrode 41, and the Peltier module 44 </ b> B that cools the cooling insulating plate 44 </ b> A and the atomizing electrode 41. An example of the material constituting the cooling insulating plate 44A is a material having high thermal conductivity and electric resistance, and an example thereof is alumina. The cooling insulating plate 44A is disposed between the atomizing electrode 41 and the Peltier module 44B.

  An example of the material constituting the cooling fin 45 is a material having high thermal conductivity, and an example thereof is alumina. The cooling fins 45 are attached to the Peltier module 44B so that the Peltier module 44B is sandwiched between the cooling fins 45A. For this reason, the heat of the Peltier module 44 </ b> B is released through the cooling fins 45.

  The control unit 56 is electrically connected to the Peltier module 44B, which is a part of the discharge unit 40, and controls the operation of the Peltier module 44B. The atomization electrode 41 is cooled by the Peltier module 44B by the operation of the Peltier module 44B. For this reason, water adheres to the surface of the head 41A of the atomizing electrode 41 and the surface of the body 41B, and the atomizing electrode 41 is condensed. When power is supplied from the laminated piezoelectric transformer 54 to the atomizing electrode 41 in a state where the atomizing electrode 41 is condensed, water adhering to the surface of the head portion 41A and the body portion 41B of the atomizing electrode 41 is removed. It collects on the surface of the head 41A by the Coulomb force, and the Taylor cone C is formed on the head 41A.

  When a discharge is generated between the atomizing electrode 41 and the counter electrode 42 in a state where the Taylor cone C is formed on the head 41A, charged fine particle water containing radical species is generated from the Taylor cone C. The charged fine particle water flows into the supply passage 31 (see FIG. 1) of the generator 30 through the discharge port 43 of the counter electrode 42 together with the air supplied from the air pump 55 (see FIG. 6).

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (14) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the fourth embodiment, the following effects are further obtained.
(15) The discharge unit 40 supplies water to the atomizing electrode 41 by cooling the atomizing electrode 41 with the cooling module 44. According to this structure, compared with the structure which supplies water to the atomization electrode 41 from the tank for water absorption, for example, the production | generation apparatus 30 is easy to reduce in size.

(Embodiment 6)
With reference to FIGS. 8-11, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 6 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment includes a mouthpiece 200 shown in FIG. 8 instead of the mouthpiece 100 of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  The mouthpiece 200 has, for example, a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line in the left-right direction in plan view, and can take various sizes according to the age of the user. An example of the material constituting the mouthpiece 200 is silicone rubber.

  The mouthpiece 200 includes a supply port 203 and an exhaust port 204 that communicate the space inside the mouthpiece 200 with the outside of the mouthpiece 200. The mouthpiece 200 further includes a connection portion 210 to which the connecting portion 20 is connected, a supply passage 201 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid supplied to the inside of the mouthpiece 200 through the connection portion 210 to the supply port 203, and an exhaust port. An exhaust passage 202 for guiding the tooth bleaching fluid that has flowed into 204 to the connecting portion 210 is provided.

  The mouthpiece 200 further includes a curved element 220 that is curved to guide the flow of tooth bleaching fluid, a hollow body 230 that connects the connecting part 210 and the curved element 220, and a partition element 270 that is disposed inside the body 230. Is provided. The mouthpiece 200 further includes two bars 240 protruding from the bending element 220, two rims 250 protruding from the periphery of the trunk 230, and two ribs 260 formed between the bending element 220 and the rim 250. . Each crosspiece 240 is curved following the shape of the bending element 220.

  The mouthpiece 200 further includes a back surface of the bending element 220, a top surface of the torso 230, and an upper lip receiving space 205 surrounded by a side surface of one rim 250, and a back surface of the bending element 220, a bottom surface of the torso 230, In addition, a lower lip accommodating space 205 surrounded by a side surface of one rim 250 is provided.

  According to one example, the connecting portion 210, the bending element 220, the barrel 230, the two bars 240, the two rims 250, and the two ribs 260 are integrally molded resin elements, and the partition element 270 is the resin element. Is a resin element molded separately.

FIG. 9 shows an exploded perspective structure of the mouthpiece 200.
An example of the barrel 230 is an oval tube. An element accommodating space 280 into which the partition element 270 is inserted is formed in the body 230 and the bending element 220. The compartment element 270 includes a plurality of support protrusions 271 for maintaining the shape of the compartment element 270 such that the exhaust passage 202 is formed between the inner surface of the barrel 230 and the inner surface of the curved element 220, and the supply passage 201 and A supply port 203 is provided.

  The partition element 270 is inserted into the element accommodating space 280, and the support protrusion 271 is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the body 230, whereby the partition element 270 is fixed to the body 230, and the mouthpiece 200 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, according to the mouthpiece 200, the element accommodation space 280 is partitioned by the partition element 270, and the element storage that exists between the inner surface of the trunk 230 and the inner surface of the bending element 220 and the outer surface of the partition element 270. A part of the space 280 constitutes the exhaust passage 202 and the exhaust port 204.

  The connection unit 210 includes a connection passage 211 that allows the element accommodating space 280 of the mouthpiece 200 to communicate with the outside of the mouthpiece 200. The supply passage 201 communicates the connection passage 211 and the supply port 203. The exhaust passage 202 communicates the connection passage 211 and the exhaust port 204.

  The bending element 220 includes a guide surface 221 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid. An exhaust port 204 that is an opening of the element accommodating space 280 opens to the guide surface 221 and surrounds the supply port 203 with the partition element 270 therebetween.

  The upper bar 240 is formed at the upper edge of the bending element 220 and protrudes inward of the bending element 220. The lower bar 240 is formed at the lower edge of the bending element 220 and protrudes inward of the bending element 220. An R portion is formed at the tip of each crosspiece 240.

  The two rims 250 face each other with a gap in the direction of the central axis of the trunk 230. The two ribs 260 are formed from the back surface of the bending element 220 to the rim 250 along the back surface of the bending element 220 and the side surface of the body 230.

FIG. 11 shows a planar structure of the mouthpiece 200.
An example of the connecting portion 20 is a hose configured by the inner tube 23 and the outer tube 24 as in the second embodiment. According to the state where the connecting portion 20 is inserted into the connection passage 211 of the mouthpiece 200, the passage of the mouthpiece 200 and the passage of the connecting portion 20 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 201 of the mouthpiece 200 communicates with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20. The exhaust passage 202 of the mouthpiece 200 communicates with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which the mouthpiece 200 is attached to the user's oral cavity.
The user arranges the upper lip RU in the upper lip storage space 205, arranges the lower lip RL in the lower lip storage space 205, arranges the upper crosspiece 240 between the upper lip RU and the gum G, The mouthpiece 200 is held by disposing the lower beam 240 between the RL and the gum G.

  When the mouthpiece 200 is attached to the oral cavity, the bending element 220, the trunk 230, one rim 250, and the two ribs 260 are in contact with the upper lip RU and the lower lip RL, respectively. Further, the upper crosspiece 240 comes into contact with the maxillary gum G, so that a guide passage 206 is formed between the guide surface 221 of the bending element 220 and the maxillary teeth and gum G. Further, when the lower crosspiece 240 contacts the lower jaw gum G, a guide passage 206 is formed between the guide surface 221 of the bending element 220 and the lower jaw teeth and gum G. The R portion of each crosspiece 240 gives a soft touch to the gum G.

The operation of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.
As shown in FIG. 10, the tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 to the supply passage 201 of the mouthpiece 200. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 201 is supplied from the supply port 203 to the guide passage 206. As shown in FIG. 11, the tooth bleaching fluid in the guide passage 206 flows through the guide passage 206 along the teeth by being guided by the guide surface 221 of the bending element 220. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper and lower teeth and is bleached.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the guide passage 206 flows into the exhaust passage 202 through the exhaust port 204. Exhaust gas in the exhaust passage 202 passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and the exhaust passage 32 (see FIG. 1) of the generator 30 and is exhausted from the exhaust port 33 of the generator 30 to the outside of the generator 30.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (15) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the fifth embodiment, the following effects are further obtained.
(16) The mouthpiece 200 includes a curved element 220 that can form a guide passage 206 between the upper and lower teeth. According to this configuration, when the user wears the mouthpiece 200 on the oral cavity, the upper teeth and the lower teeth are bleached together. For this reason, compared with the case where the mouthpiece 200 does not include the bending element 220, the time taken to bleach the teeth is shortened.

(Embodiment 7)
With reference to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 7 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the seventh embodiment includes a mouthpiece 300 shown in FIG. 12 instead of the mouthpiece 100 of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  The mouthpiece 300 includes a connection part 210, a bending element 220, a body 230, two rims 250, and two ribs 260, which are parts common to the mouthpiece 200 of the sixth embodiment. The mouthpiece 300 includes a supply passage 201, an exhaust passage 202, a supply port 203, and an exhaust port 204, which are parts common to the mouthpiece 200 of the sixth embodiment. The mouthpiece 300 is different from the mouthpiece 200 of the sixth embodiment in the following points.

  The mouthpiece 300 includes two occlusal elements 310 that protrude from the bending element 220 and two thick portions 320 that also protrude from the bending element 220. Each occlusal element 310 and each thick part 320 are curved following the shape of the bending element 220.

  One occlusal element 310 is formed from one edge of the supply port 203 to one end of the bending element 220, and protrudes from the guide surface 221 toward the inside of the bending element 220. The other occlusal element 310 is formed from the other edge of the supply port 203 to the other end of the bending element 220, and protrudes from the guide surface 221 toward the inside of the bending element 220.

  One thick portion 320 is formed at one end of the bending element 220 and protrudes from the guide surface 221 toward the inside of the bending element 220. The other thick part 320 is formed at the other end of the bending element 220 and protrudes from the guide surface 221 toward the inside of the bending element 220.

FIG. 13 shows a state where the mouthpiece 300 is attached to the user's oral cavity.
The user holds the mouthpiece 300 by biting each occlusal element 310 with the upper and lower jaw teeth. When the mouthpiece 300 is attached to the oral cavity, the guide surface 221 above the occlusal element 310 forms a guide passage 330 between the upper teeth surface and the upper gum surface G. Further, the guide surface 221 below the occlusal element 310 forms a guide passage 330 between the lower jaw tooth surface and the lower jaw gum G surface.

  Each thick-walled portion 320 is a base portion of the first and second molars in the upper gum G, and a base portion of the first and second molars in the lower gum G. To touch. For this reason, the state in which the guide passage 330 is formed is easily maintained.

The operation of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 to the supply passage 201 of the mouthpiece 300. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 201 is supplied from the supply port 203 to the guide passage 330. The tooth bleaching fluid in the guide passage 330 flows through the guide passage 330 along the teeth by being guided by the guide surface 221 of the bending element 220. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper and lower teeth and is bleached.

  The tooth bleaching fluid existing in the guide passage 330 flows into the exhaust passage 202 through the exhaust port 204. Exhaust gas in the exhaust passage 202 passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and the exhaust passage 32 (see FIG. 1) of the generator 30 and is exhausted from the exhaust port 33 of the generator 30 to the outside of the generator 30.

According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the seventh embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (16) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the sixth embodiment, the following effects are further obtained.
(17) The mouthpiece 300 includes an occlusal element 310. According to this configuration, the guide passage 330 formed between the guide surface 221 and the upper teeth and the guide passage 330 formed between the guide surface 221 and the lower teeth are partitioned by the occlusal element 310. The Therefore, a flow of tooth bleaching fluid is formed for each group of upper and lower jaw teeth, and the flow of tooth bleaching fluid along the teeth is stabilized as compared with the case where the mouthpiece 300 does not include the occlusal element 310.

(Embodiment 8)
With reference to FIG. 14 and FIG. 15, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 8 is demonstrated. In the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the eighth embodiment, the connecting part 60 and the mouthpiece 400 shown in FIG. 14 are used instead of the connecting part 20 and the mouthpiece 100 of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. Prepare. In addition, according to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 8, the effect similar to the effect obtained by the mouthpiece 200 of Embodiment 6 is acquired.

  The connecting part 60 includes a supply connecting part 63 and an exhaust connecting part 64 which are two tubular objects. According to the illustrated example, the supply connecting portion 63 and the exhaust connecting portion 64 are integrated. The supply connecting portion 63 includes a supply passage 61 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid supplied from the generating device 30 to the mouthpiece 400. The exhaust connection portion 64 includes an exhaust passage 62 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid exhausted from the mouthpiece 400 to the generating device 30.

  The housing 34 includes a supply connection portion 35A to which the supply connection portion 63 is connected and an exhaust connection portion 35B to which the exhaust connection portion 64 is connected. The supply connection portion 35A includes a supply connection passage 36A that communicates the supply passage 31 of the generation device 30 with the outside of the generation device 30. The exhaust connection part 35 </ b> B includes an exhaust connection passage 36 </ b> B that communicates the exhaust passage 32 of the generator 30 and the outside of the generator 30.

  According to the state in which the connecting portion 60 is inserted into the supply connecting portion 35A and the exhaust connecting portion 35B of the generating device 30, the passage of the generating device 30 and the passage of the connecting portion 60 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 31 of the generator 30 communicates with the supply passage 61 of the supply connection portion 63 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 62 of the exhaust connection portion 64. The exhaust passage 32 of the generator 30 communicates with the exhaust passage 62 of the exhaust connection portion 64 and does not communicate with the supply passage 61 of the supply connection portion 63.

  The mouthpiece 400 differs from the mouthpiece 200 of the sixth embodiment in the following points, and has substantially the same configuration as the mouthpiece 200 of the sixth embodiment in other points. The mouthpiece 400 includes a connection portion 410 instead of the connection portion 210 of the mouthpiece 200, and includes a partition element 440 instead of the partition element 270 of the mouthpiece 200. The mouthpiece 400 further includes a supply port 403 instead of the supply port 203, an exhaust port 404 instead of the exhaust port 204, a supply passage 401 instead of the supply passage 201, and an exhaust passage instead of the exhaust passage 202. 402.

  According to one example, the connecting portion 410, the bending element 220, the trunk 230, the two bars 240, the two rims 250, and the two ribs 260 are integrally molded resin elements, and the partition element 440 is the resin element. Is a resin element molded separately.

  The connection unit 410 includes a supply connection unit 420 to which the supply connection unit 63 is connected, and an exhaust connection unit 430 to which the exhaust connection unit 64 is connected. The supply connection portion 420 includes a supply connection passage 421 that allows the element accommodating space 280 of the trunk 230 to communicate with the outside of the mouthpiece 400. The exhaust connection portion 430 includes an exhaust connection passage 431 that allows the element accommodating space 280 of the trunk 230 to communicate with the outside of the mouthpiece 400.

  According to the state in which the connecting portion 60 is inserted into the connection portion 410 of the mouthpiece 400, the passage of the mouthpiece 400 and the passage of the connecting portion 60 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 401 of the mouthpiece 400 communicates with the supply passage 61 of the supply connection portion 63 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 62 of the exhaust connection portion 64. The exhaust passage 402 of the mouthpiece 400 communicates with the exhaust passage 62 of the exhaust connection portion 64 and does not communicate with the supply passage 61 of the supply connection portion 63.

FIG. 15 shows an exploded perspective structure of the mouthpiece 400.
The compartment element 440 includes a plurality of support protrusions 441 for retaining the shape of the compartment element 440 such that an exhaust passage 402 is formed between the inner surface of the barrel 230 and the inner surface of the curved element 220, and the supply passage 401 and A supply port 403 is provided.

  The partition element 440 is inserted into the element accommodating space 280, and the support protrusion 441 is brought into close contact with the inner surface of the body 230, whereby the partition element 440 is fixed to the body 230, and the mouthpiece 400 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 14, according to the mouthpiece 400, the element accommodation space 280 is partitioned by the partition element 440, and the element storage that exists between the inner surface of the trunk 230 and the inner surface of the bending element 220 and the outer surface of the partition element 440. A part of the space 280 constitutes an exhaust passage 402 and an exhaust port 404. The supply passage 401 communicates the supply connection passage 421 and the supply port 403. The exhaust passage 402 communicates the exhaust connection passage 431 and the exhaust port 404. An exhaust port 404 that is an opening of the element accommodating space 280 opens in the guide surface 221 and surrounds the supply port 403 with the partition element 440 therebetween.

The operation of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 will be described with reference to FIG.
The tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the supply passage 61 of the supply connecting portion 63 to the supply passage 401 of the mouthpiece 400. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 401 is supplied from the supply port 403 into the oral cavity. The tooth bleaching fluid in the oral cavity flows in the oral cavity along the teeth by being guided by the guide surface 221 of the bending element 220. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper and lower teeth and is bleached.

  The tooth bleaching fluid existing in the oral cavity flows into the exhaust passage 402 through the exhaust port 404, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and the exhaust passage 32 (see FIG. 1) of the generator 30, and exhausts the generator 30. The air is exhausted from the port 33 to the outside of the generator 30.

(Embodiment 9)
With reference to FIGS. 17-19B, the structure of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 9 is demonstrated. The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the ninth embodiment includes a mouthpiece 500 shown in FIG. 17 instead of the mouthpiece 100 of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

  The mouthpiece 500 has, for example, a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line in the left-right direction in plan view, and can take various sizes according to the age of the user. An example of the material constituting the mouthpiece 500 is silicone rubber.

  The mouthpiece 500 includes a connecting portion 510 to which the connecting portion 20 (see FIG. 18) is connected, an outer bending element 520 that is curved so as to guide the flow of tooth bleaching fluid, and the connecting portion 510 and the outer bending element 520. A hollow body 530 is provided. The mouthpiece 500 further includes two crosspieces 540 protruding from the outer curved element 520, two rims 550 protruding from the periphery of the trunk 530, an occlusal element 560 protruding from the outer curved element 520, and an inner side protruding from the occlusal element 560. A bending element 570 is provided. An example of the barrel 530 is an oval tube. Each crosspiece 540, the occlusal element 560, and the inner curved element 570 are curved following the shape of the outer curved element 520.

  The mouthpiece 500 further includes a tooth accommodating space 505, an upper lip accommodating space 507, and a lower lip accommodating space 507. The tooth receiving space 505 is formed by being surrounded by the outer bending element 520, the occlusal element 560, and the inner bending element 570. The upper lip storage space 507 is formed so as to be surrounded by the back surface of the outer curved element 520, the top surface of the body 530, and the side surface of one rim 550. The lower lip storage space 507 is formed so as to be surrounded by the back surface of the outer curved element 520, the bottom surface of the body 530, and the side surface of one rim 550.

  As shown in FIG. 19A, the mouthpiece 500 further includes a supply passage 501, an exhaust passage 502, two supply ports 503, and two exhaust ports 504. The supply passage 501 includes an inlet supply passage 50 </ b> A formed inside the outer curved element 520 and the body 530, and an outlet supply passage 50 </ b> B formed inside the occlusal element 560. The exhaust passage 502 is formed inside the outer curved element 520 and the body 530. The supply port 503 communicates the outlet supply passage 50 </ b> B that is a space inside the mouthpiece 500 and the outside of the mouthpiece 500. The exhaust port 504 communicates the exhaust passage 502 that is a space inside the mouthpiece 500 and the outside of the mouthpiece 500.

  As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the outlet supply passage 50 </ b> B and the supply port 503 are formed, for example, along the extending direction of the occlusal element 560. The exhaust port 504 is formed along the extending direction of the outer curved element 520, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 18, the connection portion 510 includes a connection passage 511 that allows the inlet supply passage 50 </ b> A and the exhaust passage 502 to communicate with the outside of the mouthpiece 500. The supply passage 501 communicates the connection passage 511 and the supply port 503. The exhaust passage 502 communicates the connection passage 511 and the exhaust port 504.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the outer curved element 520 includes a guide surface 521 that guides the tooth bleaching fluid. One exhaust port 504 is open at a portion of the guide surface 521 above the occlusal element 560. The other exhaust port 504 (see FIG. 19A) is open at a portion of the guide surface 521 below the occlusal element 560.

  The upper bar 540 is formed at the upper edge of the outer curved element 520 and protrudes inward of the outer curved element 520. The lower crosspiece 540 is formed at the lower edge of the outer curved element 520 and projects inward of the outer curved element 520. An R portion is formed at the tip of each crosspiece 540. The two rims 550 are opposed to each other with a gap in the direction of the central axis of the trunk 530.

  The occlusal element 560 has an upper side 561 and a lower side 562 that project inward of the outer curved element 520 and form a relatively front-back relationship. The inner curved element 570 is an element protruding in the height direction of the mouthpiece 500 from the upper side 561 of the occlusal element 560 and includes a guide surface 571 facing the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520.

  As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the upper supply port 503 opens on the upper side 561 of the bite element 560, and the lower supply port 503 opens on the lower side 562 of the bite element 560. The upper supply port 503 and the lower supply port 503 are opposed to each other with an outlet supply passage 50 </ b> B formed inside the occlusal element 560. The flow passage area of the outlet supply passage 50B is larger than the flow passage area of the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20, the flow passage area of the inlet supply passage 50A, and the flow passage area of the supply port 503.

  The formation position of the supply port 503 in the occlusal element 560 is set to a position closer to the outer curved element 520 in the direction in which the occlusal element 560 protrudes from the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520.

FIG. 18 shows a planar structure of the mouthpiece 500.
An example of the connecting portion 20 is a hose constituted by the inner tube 23 and the outer tube 24 as in the second embodiment. According to the state where the connecting portion 20 is inserted into the connection passage 511 of the mouthpiece 500, the passage of the mouthpiece 500 and the passage of the connecting portion 20 form the following connection relationship. The supply passage 501 of the mouthpiece 500 communicates with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20. The exhaust passage 502 of the mouthpiece 500 communicates with the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20 and does not communicate with the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20.

  FIG. 19A shows the front teeth TF and the surroundings in the oral cavity of the user wearing the mouthpiece 500. FIG. 19B shows the back teeth TR and the periphery thereof in the oral cavity of the user wearing the mouthpiece 500.

  The height of the tooth accommodation space 505 is set so that, for example, the root portion of the front tooth TF and the back tooth TR with the gum G is accommodated in the tooth accommodation space 505. The height of the tooth accommodating space 505 is the distance from the upper surface 561 of the occlusal element 560 to the top surface of the outer curved element 520 or the top surface of the inner curved element 570.

  The width of the tooth accommodating space 505 is set so that, for example, a guide passage 506 that is a moderately large gap is formed between the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520 and the front teeth TF and the back teeth TR. The width of the tooth accommodating space 505 is the distance between the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520 and the guide surface 571 of the inner curved element 570 in the direction in which the occlusal element 560 protrudes from the guide surface 521.

  For example, the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520 and the guide surface 571 of the inner curved element 570 have a moderate pressure with the root portion of the front tooth TF and the back teeth TR with the gum G. Set to touch. The width of the opening of the tooth accommodating space 505 is the distance between the tip of the crosspiece 540 and the guide surface 571 of the inner curved element 570 in the direction in which the occlusal element 560 protrudes from the guide surface 521.

  As shown in FIG. 19A, according to the state where the mouthpiece 500 is attached to the oral cavity, the upper lip RU is arranged in the upper lip accommodating space 507, and the lower lip RL is arranged in the lower lip accommodating space 507. In addition, the incision edge of the upper jaw front tooth TF contacts the upper side surface 561 of the occlusal element 560, and the incision edge of the lower jaw front tooth TF contacts the lower side surface 562 of the occlusion element 560.

  A guide passage 506 is formed between the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520 and the front tooth TF. The upper crosspiece 540 contacts the surface of the base portion of the front tooth TF in the upper gum G. The lower crosspiece 540 is in close contact with the surface of the base portion of the anterior tooth TF in the lower gum G. The guide surface 571 of the inner curved element 570 is in close contact with the back surface of the base portion of the front tooth TF in the upper gum G and the back surface of the base portion of the front tooth TF in the lower gum G. The R portion of each crosspiece 540 gives a soft touch to the gum G.

  19B, according to the state in which the mouthpiece 500 is attached to the oral cavity, the occlusal surface of the maxillary back tooth TR contacts the upper side 561 of the occlusal element 560, and the occlusal surface of the lower jaw back tooth TR is the occlusal element. Contact the lower surface 562 of 560.

  A guide passage 506 is formed between the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520 and the back tooth TR. The upper crosspiece 540 is in close contact with the surface of the base of the back tooth TR in the upper gum G. The lower crosspiece 540 is in close contact with the surface of the base portion of the back tooth TR in the lower gum G. The guide surface 571 of the inner curved element 570 is in close contact with the back surface of the root portion of the back tooth TR in the upper gum G and the back surface of the root portion of the back tooth TR in the lower gum G.

With reference to FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B, operation | movement of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 is demonstrated.
As shown in FIG. 19A, the tooth bleaching fluid is supplied from the supply passage 21 of the connecting portion 20 to the inlet supply passage 50 </ b> A that is the supply passage 501 of the mouthpiece 500. The tooth bleaching fluid in the supply passage 501 is decelerated by flowing from the inlet supply passage 50A into the outlet supply passage 50B. The tooth bleaching fluid in the outlet supply passage 50B is supplied to the guide passage 506 from an intermediate portion of the supply port 503. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches the front teeth TF, and the teeth are bleached. Further, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the vicinity of the front tooth TF flows into the exhaust passage 502 through the exhaust port 504 opened above or below the occlusal element 560, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20, and the mouthpiece. The air is exhausted to the outside of 500.

  As shown in FIG. 19B, the tooth bleaching fluid in the outlet supply passage 50 </ b> B is supplied to the guide passage 506 from a portion closer to the end than the intermediate portion of the supply port 503. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches the back teeth TR, and the teeth are bleached. Further, the tooth bleaching fluid existing in the vicinity of the back teeth TR flows into the exhaust passage 502 through the exhaust port 504 opened above or below the supply port 503, passes through the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting portion 20, and the mouthpiece. The air is exhausted to the outside of 500.

  The tooth bleaching fluid in the guide passage 506 flows through the guide passage 506 along the teeth by being guided by the guide surface 521 of the outer curved element 520. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid reaches approximately all of the upper and lower teeth and is bleached.

  According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the ninth embodiment, in addition to the effects (1) to (9) and the effects (11) to (17) obtained by the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of the eighth embodiment, Furthermore, the following effects can be obtained.

  (18) According to the mouthpiece 500, the outlet supply passage 50B is formed inside the occlusal element 560, and the supply port 503 is opened on each of the upper side 561 and the lower side 562 of the occlusal element 560. According to this configuration, when the tooth bleaching fluid inside the mouthpiece 500 passes through the outlet supply passage 50B and the supply port 503, the flow direction of the tooth bleaching fluid changes greatly. For this reason, the tooth bleaching fluid tends to stay in the outlet supply passage 50B. For this reason, the active ingredient existing in the outlet supply passage 50B is likely to diffuse into the tooth bleaching fluid. For this reason, a tooth bleaching fluid having a small difference in the concentration of active ingredients is supplied from the supply port 503 to the guide passage 506. For this reason, it is hard to produce a difference in the degree of bleaching in each part of one tooth and the degree of bleaching in different teeth.

  (19) The outlet supply passage 50B is formed inside the occlusal element 560. According to this configuration, as compared with the case where a passage having the same volume as the outlet supply passage 50B is formed inside the outer bending element 520, there is a large room for setting the thickness of the outer bending element 520 to be thin. When the thickness of the outer bending element 520 is set to be thin, the user can easily wear the mouthpiece 500.

(Modification)
The description regarding each embodiment is an illustration of the form which the tooth bleaching apparatus of this invention can take, and it does not intend limiting the form which the tooth bleaching apparatus of this invention can take. In addition to the embodiments, the tooth bleaching apparatus of the present invention can take, for example, modifications of the embodiments shown below.

  -According to the modification of the connection part 20 of Embodiment 1-5, the supply channel | path 21 of the connection part 20 is directly connected to the supply port 103 of the mouthpiece 100. FIG. Note that the same modification is established for the connecting portions 20 and 60 of the second to ninth embodiments.

  -According to the modification of the connection part 20 of Embodiment 1-5, the exhaust passage 22 of the connection part 20 is directly connected to the exhaust port 104 of the mouthpiece 100. FIG. Note that the same modification is established for the connecting portions 20 and 60 of the second to ninth embodiments.

-According to the modification of the mouthpiece 100 of Embodiment 1-5, the some supply port 103 and the some exhaust port 104 are formed.
-The modification of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 1-5 is provided with the two mouthpieces 100 and the two connection parts 20. FIG. One mouthpiece 100 is used to bleach the upper teeth. The other mouthpiece 100 is used for bleaching the lower jaw teeth. One mouthpiece 100 is connected to the generating device 30 by one connecting portion 20. The other mouthpiece 100 is connected to the generating device 30 by the other connecting portion 20. According to the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of this modification, the user can bleach the upper and lower teeth simultaneously by wearing the two mouthpieces 100 together.

-The tooth bleaching apparatus 10 which changed the said modification further is replaced with the two connection parts 20, and is provided with the common connection part which connects the two mouthpieces 100 and the production | generation apparatus 30. FIG.
-The modification of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 1-5 is further provided with the suction part 70 shown by FIG. An example of the suction unit 70 is a suction pump, which is disposed inside the housing 34 of the generation device 30. The suction unit 70 is connected to the exhaust passage 32 of the generator 30, sucks the gas in the exhaust passage 32, and exhausts the gas from the exhaust port 33 to the outside of the generator 30. According to this modification, when the suction part 70 is driven, the tooth bleaching fluid in the oral cavity is sucked by the suction part 70, the exhaust port 104 of the mouthpiece 100, the exhaust passage 102, the exhaust passage 22 of the connecting part 20, and Then, the gas flows in the order of the exhaust passage 32 of the generator 30 and is exhausted to the outside of the generator 30 through the exhaust port 33. For this reason, the possibility that the tooth bleaching fluid may stay in the oral cavity and cause discomfort to the user is further reduced. This modification is similarly established in the sixth to ninth embodiments.

According to yet another modification, the suction unit 70 is disposed outside the generation device 30 and is connected to the mouthpiece 100 by a connecting unit different from the connecting unit 20.
-The modification of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of Embodiment 4 is provided with a manual air pump instead of the electric air pump 55.

-The modification of the production | generation apparatus 30 of Embodiment 4 replaces with the power supply part 51, and is provided with a primary battery or a secondary battery.
-The modification of the resonance circuit 53 of Embodiment 4 is equipped with the circuit structure by which the secondary side electrode of the laminated piezoelectric transformer 54, the reactor, and the atomization electrode 41 of the discharge part 40 were connected in series.

-The modification of the discharge part 40 of Embodiment 5 replaces with the cooling module 44, and is provided with the apparatus which condenses the atomization electrode 41 or the apparatus which supplies a water | moisture content to the atomization electrode 41.
According to the modification of the mouthpiece 500 of the ninth embodiment, the plurality of supply ports 503 are formed in the occlusal element 560.

  -According to the modification of the mouthpiece 500 of Embodiment 9, the part which forms the lower tooth | gear accommodation space 505 of the outer side bending element 520 and the inner side bending element 570, and the lower supply port 503 are abbreviate | omitted. Is done. According to this variant, only the upper teeth are bleached by the user using the mouthpiece.

  -According to the modification of the mouthpiece 500 of Embodiment 9, the part which forms the upper tooth | gear accommodation space 505 of the outer side bending element 520 and the inner side bending element 570, and the upper supply port 503 are abbreviate | omitted. . According to this variant, only the lower teeth are bleached by the user using the mouthpiece.

  -According to the modification of the mouthpiece 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 of each embodiment, it is formed of a material different from silicone rubber and having flexibility. Examples of the material are elastomer rubber, soft vinyl chloride, and ethylene-propylene-diene rubber.

-The modification of the production | generation apparatus 30 of each embodiment supplies direct-current power to the discharge part 40, and generates the discharge in the discharge part 40 with the electric power.
-The modification of the production | generation apparatus 30 of each embodiment produces | generates the discharge of a form different from a corona discharge like a glow discharge or an arc discharge.

-The modification of the production | generation apparatus 30 of each embodiment produces | generates the tooth bleaching fluid which has a form of a plasma.
-According to the modification of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of each embodiment, the connection parts 20 and 60 are integrated with at least one of the production | generation apparatus 30 and the mouthpiece 100,200,300,400,500.

-According to the modification of the tooth bleaching apparatus 10 of each embodiment, the production | generation apparatus 30 and the mouthpiece 100,200,300,400,500 are connected directly.
The above detailed description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, each of the above-described embodiments, or one or a plurality of modifications, includes room for being combined with each other as necessary. Technical features or subject matter of the present disclosure may be present in fewer than all features of a particular embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the present disclosure is determined based on both the right conferred by the claims and the full scope of equivalents.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Teeth bleaching apparatus 20: Connecting part 21: Supply passage 22: Exhaust passage 23: Inner pipe 24: Outer pipe 30: Generator 70: Suction part 100: Mouthpiece 101: Supply passage 102: Exhaust passage 103: Supply port 104 : Exhaust port 120: outer curved element 121: guide surface 200: mouthpiece 201: supply passage 202: exhaust passage 203: supply port 204: exhaust port 220: curved element 221: guide surface 300: mouthpiece 400: mouthpiece 401: Supply passage 402: Exhaust passage 403: Supply port 404: Exhaust port 500: Mouthpiece 501: Supply passage 50A: Inlet supply passage 50B: Outlet supply passage 502: Exhaust passage 503: Supply port 504: Exhaust port 520: Outer curved element 521 : Guide surface

Claims (4)

A generating device for generating a tooth bleaching fluid to bleach teeth;
A supply port for supplying the tooth bleaching fluid generated by the generating device, and a mouthpiece formed with an exhaust port for exhausting the tooth bleaching fluid,
The mouthpiece includes a curved element formed with a guide surface for guiding the tooth bleaching fluid;
The guide surface is formed to face the tooth surface,
The supply port and the exhaust port open in the guide surface. A connecting portion that connects the generating device and the mouthpiece;
The connecting portion includes a supply passage that communicates directly or indirectly with the supply port, and an exhaust passage that communicates directly or indirectly with the exhaust port.
The tooth bleaching apparatus according to claim 1 . A suction part for sucking the tooth bleaching fluid;
The exhaust passage communicates with the suction portion
The tooth bleaching apparatus according to claim 2 . The connecting portion has a double-pipe structure;
The inner passage in the double pipe structure is one of the supply passage and the exhaust passage, and the outer passage in the double pipe structure is the other of the supply passage and the exhaust passage.
The tooth bleaching apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 .