CN203749627U - Hand-held oral irrigator - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model provides a hand-held oral irrigator. The oral irrigator comprises a main body, a terminal, a liquid accumulator, a pump, a pump body, a piston and a pump gear, wherein the terminal is separately connected to the main body; the liquid accumulator is detachably coupled to the main body; the liquid accumulator comprises a filling door, when the liquid accumulator is configured to fill the liquid accumulator when the liquid accumulator is connected to the main body; the pump is arranged in the main body, is operable to lead out fluid from the liquid accumulator through the lower surface of the main body, and is used for pushing the fluid to the terminal; the pump body is used for limiting a cavity communicated with the fluid in an inner fluid passage; the piston is positioned in the cavity of the pump body; when the piston moves downward in the cavity, a first valve is opened, and a second valve is closed; when the piston moves upward in the cavity, the second valve is opened, and the first valve is closed; when the pump gear rotates, the ball end of the pump gear moves up and down in the cavity.

Description

Hand-held oral irrigator

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to devices for rinsing a person's teeth and gums.

Background

Conventional oral irrigators typically include a large base unit having a reservoir and a separate handpiece having a tip or wand connected to the reservoir by a tube. In use, a user directs a flow or pulse of fluid by pointing the tip of the handpiece at the user's gum line at a desired location. While the benefits of conventional oral rinsing of teeth and gums are well known, oral rinsers with large base units can be difficult to carry, use, or store, for example, when a user is traveling, due to the size of the components.

The present inventors have recognized a need for a hand-held oral irrigator that is portable, easy to store and use, and provides oral irrigation benefits to the teeth and gums of the user. Various embodiments of the present invention have been developed in this context.

Disclosure of Invention

In accordance with one broad aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, disclosed herein is a hand-held oral irrigator having a tip for discharging fluid. In one example, a mouth irrigator includes a body and a reservoir for storing fluid, wherein the body and/or the reservoir define a first major diameter at a lower end of the mouth irrigator and a second major diameter at an upper end of the mouth irrigator, the first major diameter being greater than the second major diameter. In this example, by providing the device with such a geometry, the user can grip the device with one hand around the upper end around the second major diameter during use. Other geometries are also possible. The oral irrigator also includes an electrical connector having an insulating wall between two electrical prongs that reduces corrosion and enhances reliability of the electrical connector.

In one example, the reservoir may be detachable from the body such that a user may easily refill the reservoir. The reservoir may include an opening at a top end and a cover detachably mounted around the opening. In one example, the reservoir has a fluid capacity of about 120-.

In another example, the body may further include a motor, a pump, and a drive mechanism coupling the motor to the pump, the pump controllably delivering fluid from the reservoir to the tip. A three-way control structure having a first button for starting the motor, a second button for stopping the motor, and a third button for separating the tip from the body may be provided. Alternatively, an on/off controller or switch may be used to start and stop the motor.

The body may include a wall structure defining first and second portions within the body, the first portion containing the pump and the second portion containing the motor and drive mechanism, wherein the first and second portions are fluidly isolated. In this way, the wall prevents fluid from reaching the motor and other electrical components within the second portion in the body of the oral irrigator.

In one example, the drive mechanism includes a pump gear coupled to the motor, wherein the pump gear includes an eccentric displacement disk extending from the pump gear. The connecting rod may be coupled with the eccentric displacement disc by a hollow cylindrical portion of the eccentric displacement disc housing the pump gear, and the connecting rod may include an arm extending from the cylindrical portion and a ball end at an end of the arm. In this way, the eccentric rotation of the displacement disk driven by the motor is converted into a reciprocating motion of the link arm.

In another example, the pump may include: a pump head having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and an internal fluid passage in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; a pump body defining a cylindrical cavity in fluid communication with an internal fluid passage of the pump head; and a piston having a bottom and a top.

In one example, the fluid inlet of the pump is located within the body at a vertically lower position than the top or full level of fluid in the reservoir, such that fluid is gravity fed or self-fed into the pump.

The bottom of the piston may receive the ball end of the connecting rod and the piston may be located within the cylindrical cavity of the pump body. In this way, the connecting rod drives the piston within the pump body to produce the suction/suction and compression/discharge cycles of the pump.

The body may include a fluid inlet line fluidly coupling the reservoir with the fluid inlet and a fluid outlet line for fluidly coupling the fluid outlet with the tip. The reservoir may include a fluid inlet valve fluidly coupled to the fluid inlet line when the reservoir is assembled with the body.

The pump may further comprise an inlet fluid valve regulating the flow of fluid into the fluid inlet and an outlet fluid valve regulating the flow of fluid into the fluid outlet, wherein the inlet fluid valve opens and the outlet fluid valve closes when the piston moves downward within the cylindrical cavity of the pump body, introducing fluid from the inlet (coupled with the reservoir) into the cylindrical cavity of the pump body.

In another example, when the piston moves upward within the cylindrical cavity of the pump body, the inlet fluid valve closes and the outlet fluid valve opens, and fluid is driven from the cylindrical cavity of the pump body to the outlet fluid valve for delivery to the terminus.

In one embodiment, the pump of the oral irrigator includes at least one valve assembly having a reed valve therein. For example, the inlet fluid valve may comprise a first reed valve made of a pliable fibrous material, and the outlet fluid valve may comprise a second reed valve made of a pliable fibrous material.

In one example, the reservoir may include a plateau defined near a bottom of the reservoir and a base at a bottom end of the reservoir. The fluid inlet valve may further comprise: a channel defined within the reservoir extending from the land to the base of the reservoir, the channel accommodating the inlet line; a seal located around a top end of the channel; a spring extending upwardly from the base within the channel of the reservoir; a ball located within the passage between the seal and the spring; and a reservoir inlet line positioned within the reservoir along the base, the reservoir inlet line fluidly coupled to the channel to draw fluid from a bottom of the reservoir. The spring presses the ball against the seal in the channel, thereby preventing fluid from flowing out of the reservoir when the reservoir is separated from the body of the oral irrigator.

In another example, the oral irrigator is provided with a mechanism for detachably securing the tip to the body of the oral irrigator. The tip may include an annular groove, and the body may include: a tip retention structure having a cylindrical wall defining a cylindrical opening; a slit defined within the cylindrical wall; a clip having an internal lip located within the slot and extending into the cylindrical opening; and a spring for biasing the lip of the clip into the slot. In one example, when the spring is uncompressed and the tip is fully inserted into the body, the lip is received within an annular groove of the tip and secures the tip to the body.

In accordance with another broad aspect of another embodiment of the present invention, disclosed herein is a hand-held oral irrigator having a tip for discharging fluid. In one example, the device includes a reservoir for storing fluid and a body including a pump for pumping fluid from the reservoir to the tip, wherein the pump includes an inlet valve and an outlet valve, the inlet valve including a reed valve made of a flexible, non-porous fibrous material. The exit valve may also comprise a reed valve made of a flexible non-porous fibrous material.

According to another broad aspect of another embodiment of the present invention, disclosed herein is a hand-held oral irrigator comprising a reservoir and a body portion containing a pump having a fluid inlet. In one example, the pump inlet is located in the body and the reservoir is shaped such that a top of the reservoir is vertically higher than a position of the fluid inlet of the pump. Thus, when the reservoir is full or nearly full of fluid, the level of fluid in the reservoir is above the level of the pump inlet, and the pump is therefore self-priming or priming by gravity.

Other embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein. The above and other features, utilities, and advantages of various embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the following further detailed description of various embodiments of the invention and from the claims illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows a front view of a hand-held oral irrigator.

Fig. 1A shows a handheld oral irrigator and battery charger according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a hand-held oral irrigator fitted with a tip according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of an oral irrigator having a body portion, a detachable reservoir and a detachable tip according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of the oral irrigator of fig. 2, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows an exploded view of the body portion of the oral irrigator according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 illustrates various components of the fluid flow path of the body portion of the oral irrigator according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 7-7 of fig. 5 showing various components of the fluid flow path of the body portion of the oral irrigator, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a reed valve used in a pump according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 9-9 of the inlet of the pump of FIG. 7, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of a pump according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of a pump during a suction or intake stroke in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the pump during a discharge or compression stroke in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 13-13 of FIG. 10 showing a flapper position of the reed valve, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 14-14 of FIG. 11 showing a flapper position of the reed valve during a suction or intake stroke, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 15-15 of FIG. 12 showing a flapper position of the reed valve during a discharge or compression stroke, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 16 shows an exploded view of a reservoir according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 17 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the reservoir taken along section line 17-17 of fig. 3 showing the reservoir cover in an open position and the fluid inlet valve in a closed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 illustrates a portion of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 17 showing the reservoir cover in a closed position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 19-19 of FIG. 17, detailing the fluid inlet valve, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 20 shows a cross-sectional view along section line 20-20 of fig. 1.

Fig. 21 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 21-21 of fig. 20 showing the fluid inlet valve in an open position allowing fluid to enter the pump inlet line of the body from the reservoir, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 22 shows an exploded view of a tip that can be used with a handheld oral irrigator according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 23 shows a cross-sectional view of the tip taken along section line 23-23 of FIG. 3.

Fig. 24 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along section line 24-24 of the body portion of the handheld oral irrigator of fig. 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 25 illustrates a portion of a cross-sectional view of the body portion of a hand-held oral irrigator according to an embodiment of the invention, showing the distal split button in a normally locked position.

Fig. 26 illustrates a portion of a cross-sectional view of a body portion of a handheld oral irrigator according to an embodiment of the invention, showing the tip break-away button in a depressed unlocked position.

FIG. 27 shows a front view of a pump gear according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 shows a top view of a pump gear according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 29 illustrates a bottom view of a pump gear according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 30 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the pump gear taken along section line 30-30 of FIG. 27, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 31 illustrates an example of a travel bag that may be used to store a handheld oral irrigator, a battery charger and one or more tips or other accessories according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 32 is a front view of another example of an oral irrigator.

Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the oral irrigator of fig. 32 taken along line 33-33 in fig. 32.

Fig. 34 is a simplified exploded view of the oral irrigator of fig. 32.

Fig. 35 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the oral irrigator of fig. 32.

Detailed Description

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a handheld, compact, and portable oral irrigator having a detachable, refillable reservoir, to which various different tips can be fitted. Referring to fig. 1A-3, in one example, a handheld oral irrigator 50 has a body 52, a detachable refillable reservoir 54 for storing fluid, and a detachable spray tip or nozzle 56 for delivering a pressurized stream of fluid to the teeth and gums of a user. The main body 52 and the reservoir 54 are formed to have: a slim upper portion 58, such that a user can easily grasp the oral irrigator 50 around the upper portion 58; and a larger lower portion 60 to help store fluid in the reservoir 54 and provide a stable base when the oral irrigator 50 is placed in an upright orientation on a table or surface. When coupled together as shown in fig. 4, the body 52 and the reservoir 54 form the oral irrigator 50 having a generally elliptical cross-section from a lower end 62 (see fig. 4 and 20) to an upper end 64 (fig. 4). At the lower end 62, the oral irrigator 50 has a larger major diameter 66 that decreases to a smaller second major diameter 68 at a point 70 along the length of the device 50, such as at a midpoint of the oral irrigator 50. From point 70 to upper end 64, second major diameter 68 may be relatively uniform or may increase as desired.

In one example, the reservoir 54 defines a larger major diameter 66 along the lower end 62 of the oral irrigator 50, while the base 52 and portions of the reservoir 54 define a second diameter 68 that is smaller than the diameter 66. In one embodiment, the smaller diameter 68 defines an area around which a user may grip or hold the oral irrigator 50 during use.

Generally and as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the body 52 includes: a three-way control structure 80 that allows the user to turn the oral irrigator 50 on or off, or to separate the tip 56 from the body 52; a motor 82; a drive mechanism 84; and a pump 86 connected to fluid lines 88, 90 for drawing fluid from the reservoir 54 and delivering the fluid to the tip 56. Alternatively, the main body 52 may include an on/off controller or switch for activating the motor 52 and deactivating the motor 52. The body 52 also includes an end mounting mechanism 92 (fig. 25, 26) that allows a user to detachably mount the different ends to the body.

Referring to fig. 4-6, the main body 52 generally includes a motor 82 and a rechargeable battery 100 that, based on the state of the control structure 80, activates the pump 86 via the drive mechanism 84 to draw fluid from the reservoir 54 and deliver the fluid to the tip 56 in a controlled and pressurized manner. In fig. 3 and 4, the control structure 80 includes a wedge-shaped pad 102 having three buttons 104, 106, 108 integrated therein that can be pressed by a user's thumb or finger. In one example, the first button 104 controls the tip separation mechanism 92 (fig. 25, 26) to control separation of the tip 56 from the body 52; the second button 106 and the third button 108 selectively activate and deactivate electrical switches or contacts 110 connected to positive and negative terminals 114, 116 of the rechargeable battery 100 via wires or conductors 112, thereby turning the oral irrigator on and off.

Referring to fig. 5, the body 52 includes a wall structure 120, the wall structure 120 defining: a first portion 122 of the interior of the body for containing a self-contained fluid flow path 124 and related components; a second portion 126 of the interior of the body for containing the motor 82, the battery 100, the charging connector 128, and other electrical components of the oral irrigator 50. Wall structure 120 keeps portions 122 and 126 isolated, thereby preventing fluid from entering portion 126 and damaging motor 82, battery 100, or any other electrical components within portion 126.

The battery 100 is electrically coupled to the motor 82 via a wire 112 or other conductor. In fig. 4, the motor 82 includes a shaft 130 that drives a motor gear 132. In one example, the motor 82 is a DC motor that rotates at 8000- > 11200RPM under no load conditions when 2.3 volts is applied.

In fig. 5, a motor gear 132 is operatively connected to the drive mechanism 84 for driving the pump 86. In one example, as shown in fig. 5 and 24, the drive mechanism 84 includes a pump gear 140, a gear pin 142, and a connecting rod 144. The motor/gear support member 146 securely attaches the motor 82 and the gear pin 142 within the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50 and maintains a fixed orthogonal orientation between the motor 82 and the pump gear 140 so that the teeth 147 of the motor gear 132 are correctly aligned with the teeth 148 of the pump gear 140. The opposite end 150 of the gear pin 142 may be secured to the interior of the body or to an extension 152 of the wall structure 120.

Referring to fig. 27 to 30, the pump gear 140 includes: an outer disk 160 having gear teeth 148 extending therefrom; an intermediate concentric disc 162; and a displacement disc 164 serving as an eccentric shaft 166, wherein the outer disc 160 and the concentric disc 162 are both centered on a cylindrical axis 168, the gear pin 142 is positioned through the cylindrical axis 168, and the pump gear 140 rotates about the cylindrical axis 168. As shown in fig. 12 and 30, the center 170 of the shift disk 164 is shifted from the cylindrical axis 168 by some shift distance 172, the shift distance 172 being, for example, 0.081 inches or 0.091 inches. The amount of displacement distance 172 varies depending on the desired performance of the oral irrigator 50 and other design parameters such as the desired fluid pressure delivery, the mechanical structure of the pump 86, or the rotational speed of the motor 82. In one example, the eccentric shifting disk 164 has a crescent-shaped opening 174 therethrough to control the moment of inertia of the pump gear 140 as the pump gear 140 rotates and to simplify the production of the pump gear 140. In fig. 5, a seal 176 is positioned around an opening 178 in the wall structure 120, between the pump gear 140 and the wall structure 120, to prevent moisture around the pump gear 140 from entering the second portion 126 from the first portion 122.

The connecting rod 144 of the drive mechanism 84 includes a hollow cylindrical portion 180 coupled with an arm 182 terminating in a ball end 184 (fig. 6, 24). The hollow cylindrical portion 180 surrounds the eccentric shafts/shift disks 164, 166 of the pump gear 140 to receive the movement of the pump gear 140. In fig. 10 and 24, the ball end 184 of the connecting rod 144 is located within the curved inner surface 190 of the recess 192 formed in the piston 194, the piston 194 establishing the pump 86. As the pump gear 140 rotates, the ball end 184 moves up and down and pivots within a recess 192 in the piston 194, while the piston 194 also moves up and down within a cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump 86. Thus, the connecting rod 144 of the piston 194, which fits into the cylinder 196, converts the eccentric rotational motion of the displacement disk 164 into linear motion and drives the piston 194 up and down within the cylinder 196 of the pump 86. The amount of displacement distance 172 affects the distance piston 194 travels within pump body 200.

Piston 194 is sealed by the walls of cylinder 196 but also allows piston 194 to slide up and down within cylinder 196 while maintaining a sealed relationship. In one example, referring to fig. 6 and 10, the piston 194 is generally cylindrical and has an annular flange 204 and an internal seat 206 on a top surface 202 thereof, with an annular valley or recess 208 defined between the annular flange 204 and the seat 206. An internal cylindrical recess 192 is formed in the pedestal 206, the recess 192 having a first inner diameter 210 and a larger and outwardly convex second inner diameter 212 that increases toward a lower end 214 of the piston 194. Within the inner cylindrical recess 192, between the first and second inner diameters 210, 212, a curved inner surface 190 is provided for receiving the ball end 184 of the connecting rod 144 to form a ball joint.

Referring to fig. 6, 10-15, pump 86 generally includes a pump head 220 and a pump block 200. The pump head 220 includes a fluid inlet 222 and a fluid outlet 224, each in fluid communication with an internal fluid passage 226. The pump body 200 defines a cylindrical cavity 196 in fluid communication with the internal fluid passages 226 of the inlet and outlet ports 222, 224. The pump 86 also includes a piston 194 and a pair of valves 230, 232 that regulate the flow of fluid into the inlet 222 and out of the outlet 224.

Fluid inlet 222 includes an outer ring or collar portion 240 defining an opening 242, opening 242 terminating at an inner wall 244 and having a diameter greater than the diameter of inner fluid passage 226. The inlet 222 also includes a protuberance 246, the protuberance 246 extending outwardly from the inner wall 244, but not extending beyond the outer ring/collar 240. In one example, the opening 242 is circular along a portion of its perimeter that defines a straight ledge 248 (fig. 6). In one example, the fluid outlet 224 is defined by a flat outer surface 250 centered within the internal fluid passage 226. A transverse fluid passage 252 (fig. 10-12) extends from the internal fluid passage 226 to the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump body 200.

One end of the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump block 200 is in fluid communication with the internal fluid passage 226 of the pump head 220 via a transverse fluid passage 252. The other end 254 of the pump body is open so that the piston 194 can be inserted into the cylindrical cavity 196. As shown in FIG. 6, flanges 256, 258 extend outwardly and downwardly from pump body 200 and serve as support or securing members for securing pump body 200 to wall structure 120 or body 52.

Both the inlet and outlet ports 222, 224 of the pump 86 have annular grooves 260, 262 for receiving O-rings 264, 266 thereabout to form fluid-tight seals with the adjacent conduits 88, 90, 268 fitted to the inlet and outlet ports 222, 224. To form a fluid-tight seal between the piston 194 and the cylindrical cavity 196 within the pump body, the piston 194 is provided with a semi-hollow top portion 108208 (fig. 10-12), the top portion 208 having an outwardly extending outer wall 270 such that the top portion 208 of the piston 194 has an increasing diameter compared to the bottom portion 214 of the piston 194. In this way, the top 208 of the piston 194 forms a tight seal with the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump body 200, while still allowing some clearance between the lower end 214 of the piston and the inner wall of the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump body 200.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 6, 10-15, the pump 86 uses valves 230, 232, such as reed valves, made of a flexible Teflon coated fiberglass tear resistant, non-porous fiber material, such as fluorfib 100-6 from Greenbelt Industries, on both its inlet and outlet/outlets 222, 224, which makes the pump assembly 86 simpler, lighter in weight, smaller, and with fewer components than conventional spring-loaded valve assemblies. In addition, the lightweight nature of the reed valves 230, 232 also allows these valves to control/check the flow of fluid and air, thereby providing reliable priming of the pump 86. The reed valves 230, 232 act as check valves that only allow fluid flow in one direction when used as described herein. One or more reed valves 230, 232 may be used in the hand-held oral irrigator 50, or may be used in non-hand-held oral irrigators.

As shown in the example of fig. 8, in one example, the reed valves 230, 232 may include: a flat piece of material having a rim 280 for a portion of its perimeter; a flap or tongue 282 having a rounded end 284 that extends into the interior of the rim 280, forming a crescent-shaped opening 286 between the flap 282 and the rim 280. A living hinge 288 is formed between flap 282 and bezel 280 such that flap 282 is movable relative to bezel 280 about hinge 288. A corresponding force/tension relief opening or slot 290 may be provided about hinge 288 to relieve stress/tension on hinge 288 as flap 282 moves. Portions 292 of the perimeter of the reed valves 230, 232 may be straight to fit within the inlet and outlet 222, 224 of the pump head 220 (fig. 6) and ensure proper orientation within the pump 86.

As shown in fig. 10-12 and 13-15, the diameter of the flapper 282 is selected to be larger than the diameter of the internal fluid passage 226 of the inlet and outlet heads 222, 224 of the pump head 220. In this way, the flapper 282 of the reed valves 230, 232 may completely seal the internal fluid passage 226 on the inlet or outlet 222, 224 during the discharge or intake stroke of the pump 86. By offsetting the flapper 282 from the sealed position when the flapper 282 of one of the reed valves 230, 232 is in the open position, fluid can flow through the reed valve and through a portion of the crescent-shaped opening 286 of the reed valve.

In operation, as the piston 194 moves downwardly within the pump body 200, this produces a suction stroke in which fluid is introduced or drawn from the inlet 222 into the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump body 200 via the open inlet reed valve 230 (fig. 11, 14). During the suction stroke, the outlet reed valve 232 is sealed closed because the diameter of the flapper 282 is larger than the diameter of the inner fluid passage 226 and the flapper 282 is pulled under suction toward the inner fluid passage 226, which creates a seal with the edge of the outer surface 250 of the outlet 224. As the piston 194 moves upwardly within the pump body 200, this produces a compression or discharge stroke in which fluid within the cylindrical cavity 196 of the pump body 200 is expelled or pushed out of the pump body 200 via the outlet 224 (fig. 12, 15) and through the open outlet reed valve 232. During the discharge stroke, the inlet reed valve 230 is sealed closed because the diameter of the flapper 282 is larger than the diameter of the fluid passage 300 of the inlet cap 302 and the flapper 282 is pushed outward to seal the inlet 222.

Within the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50, in one embodiment, respective conduits 88, 90 connected between the reservoir 54, the pump 86 and the tip 56 define a self-contained fluid flow path. Referring to fig. 6, cylindrical pump inlet line 88 receives fluid from reservoir 54 and is in fluid communication with an inlet 222 of pump 86 and an outlet 224 of pump 86, which is in fluid communication with outlet line 90, outlet line 90 delivering fluid to an outlet fitting 304 in fluid communication with tip 56. Pump inlet line 88 provides a passage 306 through which fluid enters inlet 222 of pump body 200 via passage 303, inlet reed valve 230, during the intake stroke. In one embodiment, the pump inlet line 88 has an inlet cap 302, the inlet cap 302 being coupled with the inlet 222 around the inlet 222 and also housing the inlet reed valve 230 and the O-ring 264 to form a fluid-tight inlet (fig. 6, 7, 10, 11). The inlet reed valve 230 is located between the inner wall 307 of the inlet cap 302 and the outer ring 204 of the inlet 222. During the intake stroke, the flapper 282 of the reed valve 230 moves inwardly until it contacts the projection 246 (fig. 7, 9, 10), the projection 246 limits the inward movement of the flapper 282 (thereby opening the fluid flow path and introducing fluid into the pump body 200), but during the compression or discharge stroke, the flapper 282 of the reed valve 230 cannot move outwardly from the pump body 200 but remains closed because the inner wall 307 of the inlet cap 302 limits the outward movement of the flapper 282 (fig. 10, 11, 12, 14, 15).

The outlet reed valve 232 is located between the outer surface 250 of the outlet 224 of the pump body 200 and the inner ledge surface 308 (fig. 10) of the outlet cap 268. During a compression or discharge stroke, the protrusion 310 of the outlet cap 268 limits the maximum movement of the flaps 282 of the outlet reed valves 232 so that the flaps 282 of the reed valves 232 can move outward (thereby opening the fluid flow path into the outlet cap 268 and the outlet pipe 90), but during an intake stroke, the flaps 282 of the outlet reed valves 232 are drawn inward and their inward movement is limited by the outer surface 250 of the outlet 224, so the outlet 224 remains closed, preventing fluid from being introduced into the pump body 200 from the outlet 224 and the outlet pipe 90 (fig. 11, 12, 14, 15).

The outlet cap 268 defines an L-shaped fluid passage 312 therein and is coupled to the cylindrical outlet line 90 (fig. 5, 7). As shown in fig. 6, 10, both the inlet cap 302 and the outlet cap 268 may be fixed to the pump body 200 by bolts 314. The outlet line 90 is fluidly coupled to an outlet fitting 304, the outlet fitting 304 being in fluid communication with the tip 56. In fig. 24, the tip holding structure 320 houses various tips 56, wherein U-322 are positioned along the lower edge of the tip holding structure 320 to form a seal between the structure 320 and the interior of the outlet fitting 304, and the tips 56 can be inserted into the tip holding structure 320 to deliver fluid to the user's teeth or gums.

Referring now to fig. 16-21, a detachable refillable reservoir 54 is shown according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 16, the reservoir 54 is generally elongate, with the top portion 330 of the reservoir 54 generally having a smaller cross-section than the bottom portion 332. Due to this geometry, when the body 52 and the reservoir 54 are connected together for operation, the user can easily hold the oral irrigator 50 in the user's hand with respect to the top 330 of the reservoir 54.

In one example, the reservoir 54 can be separated from the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50 when desired by a user, for example, when the user wishes to refill the reservoir 54. Alternatively, the user may refill the reservoir 54 without disconnecting the reservoir 54 from the body 52.

A pair of slits or grooves 336 are axially defined on an interface portion 334 (fig. 3, 16) of the reservoir 54 adapted to contact or connect with the body 52 for slidably receiving a corresponding pair of parallel tongues or rails 338 (fig. 5) extending from the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50. In one example, the top end 340 of the reservoir 54 is provided with an opening 342, the opening 342 being used to refill the reservoir 54 with a fluid, such as water or other fluid. An end cap 344 having an opening 346 may be secured to the top end 340 of the reservoir 54 and define two pivot points or projections 348, and a cover 350 having recesses 352 corresponding to the projections 348 may be rotated up or down about the projections 348 as desired. A seal 354 having an O-ring 355 may be secured to a bottom 356 of the cap 350, or alternatively to the top of the opening 346, to sealably engage in the opening 346 of the end cap 344 such that a fluid-tight seal is formed about the top end 340 of the reservoir 54 when the cap 350 and seal 354 are in the closed position (fig. 18). As shown in fig. 16, one or more vents 358 are provided in the top of the reservoir end cap 344 to allow air to enter the reservoir 54 so that no vacuum is created when fluid is pumped from the reservoir 54 through the tip 56.

In one embodiment, the reservoir 54 is formed with a base 360, the base 360 having a biased closed fluid inlet valve 362 (fig. 16, 17, 19, 21) located on an interior land 364 of the reservoir 54. The fluid inlet valve 362 is normally closed and may be opened by contact with the pump inlet line 88 of the body 52 (fig. 21). In one example, the fluid inlet valve 362 includes a vertically oriented cylindrical channel 366 defined within the reservoir 54, the channel 366 having an opening 367 at one end 368 for receiving a portion of the reservoir inlet line 370 and an opening 372 at the other end terminating in the interior land 364 of the reservoir 54, at which opening 372 a sealing portion 374 having a cylindrical opening is positioned. Within cylindrical passage 366, ball 376 is urged upwardly against the bottom of seal 374 by spring 378, and when positioned within opening 367 of cylindrical passage 366, upwardly extending portion 380 of reservoir inlet conduit 370 maintains the position of spring 378. An O-ring 382 is positioned around an annular recess 384 around the upward extension 380 of the reservoir feed line 370.

When the reservoir 54 is separated from the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50, the spring 378 presses the ball 376 against the seal 374 in the channel 366, thereby preventing fluid from escaping from the reservoir 54.

Due to this positioning of the various components of the fluid flow path within the reservoir 54 and the body 52, the pump 86 is self-priming, which rapidly delivers fluid stored in the reservoir 54 to the tip 56 during operation of the hand-held oral irrigator 50. The reservoir inlet line 370 is located on the base 360 of the reservoir 54 and defines an L-shaped fluid channel (fig. 17) that receives fluid at its inlet 386 and directs the fluid to its upward extension 380 contained within the cylindrical channel 366 when the pump 86 is in the suction mode. Thus, when a user fills the reservoir 54 with fluid, fluid immediately enters the inlet 386 of the reservoir inlet line 370, and as the fluid level in the reservoir 54 rises above the position of the land 364, the fluid level in the cylindrical passage 366 also rises.

As shown in fig. 21, when the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50 is slidably connected to the reservoir 54, the tip 388 of the pump inlet conduit 88 enters the opening 372 of the sealing portion 374 and engages the ball 376, the ball 376 compresses the spring 378 and allows fluid to enter the interior of the pump inlet conduit 88 through the slit 390 in the pump inlet conduit 88.

When the liquid level within the reservoir 54 is at or near a full level, for example, whenever the fluid intake valve 362 is in an open position by contact with the end 388 of the pump intake line 88, the hydraulic pressure created by gravity or potential energy has a tendency to force fluid up and out of the fluid intake valve 362. Thus, when the reservoir 54 is at or near the full level and the end 388 of the pump inlet line 88 contacts and depresses the balls/springs 376, 378 of the fluid inlet valve 362, because the level of fluid in the reservoir 54 is above the position of the inlet 222 of the pump 86, fluid flows upward into the inlet 222 of the pump body 200 and injects fluid into the pump body 200. This self-priming effect occurs independent of the operation of the pump 86. When the user activates the oral irrigator 50 and the motor 82 activates the pump 86 to cycle between its intake and discharge strokes, fluid is rapidly delivered to the tip 56 due to the fact that the pump 86 has been primed with fluid.

The various tips 56 can be detachably secured to the oral irrigator by using the tip separation mechanism 92 shown in fig. 4, 24-26. An example of a tip 56 is shown in fig. 22 and 23, wherein the tip 56 is generally elongate, the tip 56 having a cylindrical bore 400 through which fluid flows from a bottom 402 of the tip 56 to a top 404, the tip 56 having an annular flange 406, and a logo or color-coded ring 408 mounted on the flange 406 that can be used by a user to personalize or identify their tip 56. In addition, the tip 56 may include an annular groove 410 defined in a lower portion 412 of the tip 56, the annular groove 410 being used in conjunction with the tip separation mechanism 92 to securely fit the tip 56 to the body 52 of the oral irrigator 50. A restrictor 412 may be included in the bottom end 402 of the tip 56 for controlling the amount and rate of fluid flow through the tip 56. For example, the oral irrigator 50 may be provided with tips 56 having different sizes or different restrictor 412 sizes to allow the user to control the pressure of the fluid flow delivered to the user's teeth or gums. For example, in one example, it has been found that tip 56 having an orifice size of 0.035 inches and a diameter of 0.030 inches for restrictor 412 provides a pressure of about 64psi, while in another example, it has been found that tip 56 having an orifice size of 0.026 inches and a diameter of 0.025 inches for restrictor 412 provides a pressure of about 48-52 psi.

Now, with reference to fig. 24 to 26, the tip separating mechanism 92 is described. The upper portion of body 52 includes an opening 420, and a tip control knob 422 is inserted into opening 420, which provides an inner surface 424 within opening 420 for engaging and initially guiding tip 56. A generally cylindrical shaped tip retention feature 320 receives the bottom of the tip 56 when the tip 56 is inserted into the body 52. In one example, the tip retention structure 320 includes an opening or slot 426 through a portion of its perimeter, and an inner cover 428 of the tip retaining clip 430 can pass through the opening 426.

The tip retainer clip 430 and spring 432 (fig. 5, 25, 26) are arranged such that when the tip 56 is inserted into the opening 420 of the tip holding structure 320, the outer wall of the bottom of the tip 56 pushes the lip 428 of the clip outward and compresses the spring 432, while when the lower portion of the tip 56 is fully inserted into the opening 420 of the tip holding structure 320, the inner lip 428 of the clip 430 is received in the annular recess 410 of the tip 56 to provide tactile and/or audible feedback to the user that the tip has been fully and properly inserted into the body 52 (fig. 25). The clip 430 is biased in this position under the force of the spring 432. Further, if the groove 410 is continuous around the tip 56, the tip 56 may be oriented or rotated as desired by the user once the tip 56 is fully inserted into the body 52.

When the user wishes to remove tip 56 from body 52, the user depresses tip-out button 104 on body 52 (which is preferably part of 3-way control structure 80), and tip-out button 104 pushes on protrusion 434 of tip retaining clip 430, preferably protrusion 434 positioned opposite lip 428180 of clip 430. By moving the clip 430 toward the spring 432, the spring 432 is compressed, which disengages the lip 428 of the clip 430 from the annular slot 410 of the tip 56, thereby allowing the tip 56 to be removed from the body 52 (fig. 26).

To control the pressure of the fluid stream delivered to the user's teeth or gums, various tips 56 with different orifice diameters, with or without a restriction 412, may be used. For example, a spray tip 56 having an orifice size of 0.026 inch is used for low pressure (which may be used, for example, with a restrictor having a diameter of 0.030 or 0.025 inch), 0.035 inch for low pressure, or 0.026 inch for high pressure. In one example, a battery 100 (fig. 4) may be used, such as a NiCad battery, a pair of 4/5SC NiCad rechargeable batteries. The battery 100 in the oral irrigator 50 may be charged using a charger 436 through a door 438 that can be connected to the charger connector 128.

Reducing the motor speed may also reduce the pressure of the delivered fluid, and in one embodiment, the controller 80 of FIG. 2 allows the user to select a low or high motor speed by changing the voltage potential applied to the motor accordingly. Furthermore, the displacement 172 (fig. 27-30) of eccentric shafts 164, 166 for driving piston 194 may also be selected to achieve a desired pressure or pulse frequency. In one example, a 0.081 inch shift achieves a pulse rate of 1670 pulses/minute in high frequency applications and a pulse rate of 1860 pulses/minute in low frequency applications, while a 0.091 inch shift achieves a pulse rate of 1750 pulses/minute in high frequency applications and a pulse rate of 1920 pulses/minute in low frequency applications.

Pressure control may also be provided by using an adjustable valve located in the tip 56. In one example, a valve having a dial, such as a cartridge valve, is provided in the tip 56 that allows a user to selectively adjust the pressure as the fluid flow passes through the valve in the tip 56, thereby adjusting the overall pressure of the fluid delivered by the oral irrigator 50.

By way of example only, the oral irrigator 50 may include a reservoir 54 having a capacity of about 120-200ml (i.e., 150ml) and delivering a flow rate of about 300-321 ml/min when used with a high pressure tip, thereby irrigating for about 30 seconds when used with a full reservoir 54. In one example, where a low pressure tip is used, the pressure may comprise 48-66psi, thereby flushing for approximately 27-35 seconds when used with a full reservoir 54.

Thus, as described above, it can be appreciated that various embodiments of the present invention can be used to form a hand-held portable oral irrigator having a detachable and refillable reservoir, wherein various different tips can be fitted to the oral irrigator. The compact, portable nature of embodiments of the present invention allows the use of a travel bag 440 (fig. 31) to store and carry the handheld oral irrigator 50, battery charger 442 and one or more tips 56 or other accessories according to various embodiments of the present invention.

Alternative embodiments

The oral irrigator may include a charging plug having an insulating wall. Fig. 32 shows a front view of the oral irrigator 500 with the charging plug comprising an insulating wall. Fig. 33 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the oral irrigator of fig. 32. Referring to fig. 32 and 33, in some examples, the oral irrigator 500 includes a charging plug 528 on a front surface of the housing 52. The oral irrigator 500 is substantially similar to the oral irrigator 50 shown in fig. 1A, but may include an insert for a charging plug to insulate the charging pins.

The charging plug 528 includes an insulative insert 530, and the insulative insert 530 is received in a hole defined in the housing 52. The insulating insert 530 includes an insulating wall 534 defining a first charging cavity 536a and a second charging cavity 536 b. The wall 534 separates the two chambers 536a, 536b to prevent fluid from entering one chamber into the other.

The insulating insert 530 includes a cylindrical bottom end defining an annular groove 538 around its outer surface. The bottom end 539 is configured to be received in a housing and to seal an outer wall of the housing. The insulating insert 530 further includes two pin holes defined in the bottom wall. The first cavity 536a includes a first pin hole and the second cavity 536b includes a second pin hole. In one example, the first cavity 536a may be generally D-shaped, while the second cavity 536b may be circular. In this example, a key feature of the D-shape of the first cavity 536a provides an indication to the user that a charging wire should be connected to the plug 528 in that manner. In other words, the D-shape of the first cavity 536a helps prevent a user from connecting a charging wire to the charging plug 528 in the wrong orientation.

Referring to fig. 33, the charging plug 528 may also include two electrical pins 532a, 532 b. Electrical prongs 532a, 532b are in electrical communication with battery 100 and/or motor 82. The electrical prongs 532a, 532b are configured to deliver power from the charger 436 (see fig. 1) to the battery 100 to charge it.

With continued reference to fig. 33, the insulative insert 530 is received in a bore in the outer shell 50 and the bottom end 539 extends into the cavity of the outer shell 50. The wall of the housing 50 defining the charging aperture is received in the annular groove 539 such that the insert 530 extends around both sides of the wall. The insulating insert 530 may be formed of a material configured to seal the water inlet, which is also electrically insulating. In particular, the insulating insert 530 may be a rubber material that seals the housing to prevent fluid from leaking into the housing 50 through the vent.

When the insert 530 is positioned in the housing, the two electrical pins 532a, 532b are each received in their respective pin holes defined in the insulative insert 530. Once positioned in the insert, the legs 532a, 532b are separated from each other by an insulating wall 534 separating the cavities 536a, 536 b. The outer ends of the pins 532a, 532b are recessed from the other surface of the insert 530 to help protect the pins from damage. Because the insulating wall 534 separates the pins 532a, 532b, and because of the insulating qualities of the material of the insert 530, the pins 532a, 532b are not easily corroded by water between the cross contacts. In other words, the wall 534 prevents water from connecting the pins, which can cause corrosion of the electrical pins.

With continued reference to fig. 33, the oral irrigator may also include a fill door 351. The fill door 351 selectively seals and unseals a fill hole 541 defined through a wall of the reservoir 54. The fill door 351 and fill hole 541 allow for refilling and/or emptying of the reservoir 54 without requiring separation of the reservoir 54 from the handle and body portion. The fill door 351 includes two legs 543a, 543b that extend into the reservoir 54 and an O-ring 353 that seals the fill door 351 against the outer surface of the reservoir 54.

The oral irrigator 500 may also include a dynamic seal between the electrical components and the fluid-exposed components. Fig. 34 is a simplified exploded view of the oral irrigator 500. Referring to fig. 34, the oral irrigator 500 may include a dynamic seal 550 received within the opening 178 defined in the wall structure 120. The wall structure 120 separates the wet side (second portion 126) of the housing 52 from the dry side (first portion 122) of the housing 52. The dynamic seal 550 may be a flexible seal that seals the inner surface of the wall 120 defining the opening 178 and the outer surface of the pump gear 140. As an example, the seal 550 may be a U-cup seal. In this example, the seal 550 provides a compositional seal between the two portions 122, 126 that prevents fluids from damaging electronic components, such as the motor 82 and/or the battery 100. In the oral irrigator 52, the sealing portion 176 is an over-molded material that is attached to the wall 120. The seal 176 is not as flexible as the seal 550 and therefore does not seal the pump gear 140 and the wall 120, and if the pump gear 140 is offset, the seal 176 may not seal as effectively as the seal 550. With continued reference to fig. 34, in some embodiments, the battery 100 of the oral irrigator 500 may be a nickel metal hydride battery, rather than a nickel cadmium battery as shown in fig. 5. The nickel metal hydride battery shown in fig. 34 is more environmentally friendly than the nickel cadmium battery. In particular, cadmium used in nickel cadmium batteries can be toxic and is not as effective/efficient as nickel metal hydride batteries. To accommodate the nickel metal hydride battery 100, the wall 120 in the oral irrigator 500 may include a dual battery chamber 552. In particular, the battery cavity 552 may be configured to accommodate two batteries placed side-by-side, which allows for the use of more environmentally friendly nickel metal hydride batteries in the oral irrigator 100. The oral irrigator 500 may also include a piston formed of a water resistant material. For example, as shown in fig. 33, the piston 540 is housed in the pump body. The piston 540 is configured to have a tight fit between the inner walls of the pump chamber to create a vacuum to push and draw fluid from the reservoir 54 to pump it to the tip. The sealing contact between the pump 86 and the piston 540 generally requires a high level of dimensional stability to maintain a tight seal, but not so tight as to prevent or limit movement of the piston 540, or to force the battery 100 to increase the effort to move the piston 540, which may deplete the battery 100. In one embodiment, the piston 540 is made of a nylon 12 material, rather than nylon 6-10(nylon six-ten). The use of nylon 12 material for the piston 540 makes the material waterproof and does not readily swell when exposed to water. This helps the piston 540 maintain its size and does not expand during use, increasing the reliability of the pump 86. In some embodiments, the oral irrigator 500 may include a dynamic seal for the tip exit mechanism 92. Similar to the pump 86, a seal may be used to help prevent fluid from entering the "dry" side or first portion 122 of the housing 52. In particular, the end-eject mechanism 92 shown in FIG. 24 cannot be dynamically adjusted by user-initiated end-eject. Conversely, when the tabs 434 are moved inward to separate the ends, an opening is created in the wall 120 between the first portion 122 and the second portion 126, which may allow water to enter the first or dry portion 122. Fig. 35 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the oral irrigator 500 showing the tip exit mechanism 592. In this embodiment, the tip exit mechanism 592 may include a dynamic seal that expands or adjusts during movement of the projection 434 to continuously seal the butane two portions 122, 126. In particular, the wall 120 may include a capsule 588 defined by an annular wall 582 extending outwardly from the wall 120 toward the housing 52. The protrusion 434 is received through an opening in the wall 120, and an annular wall 582 surrounds the protrusion 434. An inflatable seal 580 is located around the end of projection 434 and a gasket 586 secures the position of seal 580. During use, when a user depresses tab 434 to activate end eject mechanism 592, tab 434 moves inwardly toward the center of housing 52. Gasket 586 fixes the position of inflatable seal 580, which seals against the outer surface of protrusion 434. This sealing combination helps prevent water or other fluids from entering the dry portion 122 of the oral irrigator 500 even when the user withdraws the tip. Referring to fig. 32, the button pad 102 supporting the three buttons 104, 106, 108 may be partially wedge-shaped (similar to the pad 102 shown in fig. 1), but may include a dome oriented toward the distal end. In addition, the tip exit button 104 may be a soft portion of the button pad 102 and may include a pattern of four lines of progressively shorter length arranged in a pyramid shape with the top of the pyramid pointing upward toward the tip.

Conclusion

All directional references (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise) used herein are only for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present invention, and do not specifically limit the position, orientation, or use of the invention.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (21)

1. A hand-held oral irrigator comprising:

a body, comprising:

a body upper surface;

a lower surface of the body; and

at least one body sidewall connecting the body upper surface and the body lower surface;

a tip detachably connected to the body;

a reservoir removably coupled to the body for storing fluid, the reservoir including a fill door configured to allow the reservoir to be filled when the reservoir is connected to the body;

a pump contained within the body and operable to draw the fluid from the reservoir through the body lower surface and push the fluid to the tip, the pump comprising:

an internal fluid channel disposed between the tip and the reservoir;

a first valve that regulates a flow of fluid from the reservoir into the internal passage, the first valve comprising:

a first rim defined on a portion of a perimeter of the first valve;

a first flap portion extending into a space defined by an inner edge of the first rim to define a crescent-shaped opening between the first flap portion and the first rim; and

a first hinge portion between the first flap portion and the first bezel, the first hinge portion configured to allow the first flap portion to move relative to the first bezel;

a second valve that regulates fluid flow from the internal passage to the tip, the second valve comprising:

a second rim defined on a portion of a perimeter of the second valve;

a second flap portion extending into a space defined by an inner edge of the second rim to define a crescent-shaped opening between the second flap portion and the second rim;

a second hinge portion between the second flap portion and the second bezel, the second hinge portion configured to allow the second flap portion to move relative to the second bezel;

a pump body defining a cavity in fluid communication with the internal fluid passage;

a piston located within the cavity of the pump body, wherein the first valve is open and the second valve is closed when the piston moves downward within the cavity, and the second valve is open and the first valve is closed when the piston moves upward within the cavity,

a pump gear, comprising:

a first disk portion; and

a second disk portion extending from the first disk portion, wherein the second disk portion is displaced relative to a central axis of the first disk portion;

a gear pin coaxial with the axis of the first disk portion and about which the pump gear rotates; and

a connecting rod, comprising:

a ball end, wherein the ball end is operably connected to the piston; and

a cylindrical end, wherein the cylindrical end is operatively connected to the second disk portion;

wherein when the pump gear rotates, the ball end moves in an up and down motion within the cavity; and is

The piston is a nylon (12).

2. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the tip is detachably connected to the body upper surface.

3. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 2, wherein,

the reservoir includes:

a reservoir base;

a reservoir vertical support member adjacent the reservoir base;

a fluid chamber at least partially defined by the reservoir base and the reservoir vertical support member;

and the lower body surface is detachably mounted on the reservoir base when the body is coupled to the reservoir.

4. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 3, wherein a longitudinal axis of the tip is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the body and a longitudinal axis of the reservoir.

5. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the body is detachably connected to the reservoir.

6. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 5, wherein the pump is located between the tip and the reservoir.

7. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising an inlet channel formed in the reservoir, the inlet channel being operative to deliver liquid from the reservoir to the pump.

A seal adjacent the inlet passage, the seal selectively blocking flow of liquid through the inlet passage; and

a fluid inlet line is operatively connected to the pump, the fluid inlet line opening a seal to allow fluid to flow through the fluid inlet channel when the body is coupled to the reservoir.

8. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 7, wherein the sealing portion comprises:

a stopper element; and

a biasing element for biasing the stopper to close the inlet passage.

9. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 8, wherein,

the stopper element is a ball; and is

The biasing element is a spring.

10. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 8, wherein the inlet conduit includes a tip configured to engage with the stopper element, the tip defining a slit configured to allow fluid to enter the inlet channel when the tip engages with the stopper element.

11. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 7, wherein the seal remains open during operation of the pump.

12. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the first valve includes at least one first pressure port operatively connected to a first hinge portion.

13. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein when the first valve is open, the second valve is closed and fluid is introduced from the reservoir into the cavity of the pump body.

14. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor operatively connected to the pump gear; and

a nickel metal hydride battery in electrical communication with the motor; and

a switch in communication with the battery; wherein,

the switch activates communication between the battery and the motor; and is

When activated, the motor drives the pump gear.

15. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 14, further comprising:

a wall extending vertically within the body; wherein,

the motor and the battery are located on a first side of the wall, and the pump body is located on a second side of the wall; and is

The pump gear extends between the first side of the wall and the second side of the wall.

16. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 15, further comprising a dynamic seal located around at least a portion of the pump gear extending between the first side of the wall and the second side of the wall.

17. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 15, further comprising:

a tip exit protrusion received in a hole in the wall; and

a sealing portion located around the protrusion portion; wherein,

the seal engagement prevents fluid from entering the first side of the wall from the second side of the wall via the aperture for the tip exit tab.

18. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 14, further comprising a charging plug defined on an outer surface of the body and in electrical communication with the battery.

19. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 18, wherein the charging plug comprises:

a first plug cavity;

a second plug cavity; and

an insulating wall separating the first plug cavity from the second plug cavity.

20. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 19, further comprising: a first pin located within the first plug cavity and in communication with the battery; and a second pin located within the second plug cavity and in communication with the battery.

21. The hand-held oral irrigator of claim 19, wherein the first plug cavity has a shape that is different than a shape of the second plug cavity.