EP0097015A2

EP0097015A2 - Oral irrigating appliance

Info

Publication number: EP0097015A2
Application number: EP83303273A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ronald Reid Kerr
Original assignee: Teledyne Industries Inc
Current assignee: TDY Industries LLC
Priority date: 1982-06-14
Filing date: 1983-06-07
Publication date: 1983-12-28
Also published as: EP0097015A3; JPS592738A

Abstract

A nozzle (10) for an oral hygiene appliance, for scrubbing teeth an massaging dental gums with liquid jets, has a nozzle tip (18) insertable into a person's mouth for issuing the liquid jets through apertures (34) in a lateral nozzle front face (20) and has a hollow nozzle shaft (12) releasable to a hose for supplying liquid to the nozzle tip.

A rotary distributor (30) is provided in the nozzle tip (18) and is driven by the supplied liquid for distributing the supplied liquid in the form of individual jets successively through the openings (34) at respective different times.

Description

The present invention relates to an oral irrigating appliance. More particularly, it pertains to a device insertable within the mouth of the user and typically containing the entire means for achieving the delivery of spaced-apart pulsating jets to tooth and gum surfaces.
The oral hygiene art includes numerous approaches with respect to the application of a pulsating flow of water to the teeth and gums of the user. Representative of the prior art are US Patents 3 227 158, 3 393 673, 3 425 410 and 4 302 186. Those approaches all involve use of a unit which includes a pump that receives water and produces pulses that are projected through a small nozzle against the surface of the teeth and gums.
The same applies to the hydraulic actuators disclosed in US Patent 3 720 486, a variant of which appeared on the market under the designation "BROXOJET 3007" equipped with nozzle tips of the sprinkler type having a core movable in an opening for self-cleaning purposes and in order to define a number of apertures forming jets issuing simultaneously from the side of the tip.
Another approach has been to adapt a mouth rinsing device directly to a faucet. In that case, the adapter is attached to a sink faucet and causes a pulsating flow to be delivered through a jet tip for application to the teeth.
In all the aforesaid approaches, the aim has been to develop a pulsating jet of the water that is delivered to the teeth and gums. Each different approach involves the requirement for a base unit or attachable apparatus that contains pulsating apparatus. This meant that the user has either had to put up with the expense and inconvenience of apparatus that has to occupy space on the countertop or which has to be adapted to a faucet as a pulsating apparatus.
It is, accordingly, a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved oral irrigation apparatus that is capable of achieving the basic aims of such prior-art apparatus but yet is much simpler and is more convenient.
A related object of the present invention is a new and improved device fully capable of achieving at least many of the aims in the foregoing apparatus and yet which yields increased effectiveness of action upon the teeth and gums of the user.
A nozzle according to the subject invention, for an oral hygiene appliance for scrubbing teeth and massaging dental gums with liquid jets, has a nozzle tip insertable into a person's mouth for issuing the liquid jets through apertures in a lateral nozzle front face and has a hollow nozzle shaft releasably attachable to a hose for supplying liquid to the nozzle tip. This nozzle according to the invention is characterized by a rotary distributor in the nozzle tip driven by the supplied liquid for distributing the supplied liquid in the form of individual jets successively through the apertures at respective different times.
Specific ways of carrying out the invention are described in detail below with reference to the drawings which illustrate only a specific embodiment, and which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of an appliance constructed in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a fragmentary and enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the appliance shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the appliance shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the appliance which incorporates a first alternative; and
Figure 6 is a like view with a still different alternative.

An appliance 10 is composed of an elongated hollow tube 12 on the lower end of which is a ferrule 14 which terminates in a coupling 16 designed to interfit and seal with a mating coupling to which a hose is attached. That hose (not shown) leads to a source of fluid such as a water faucet. As well-known in the prior art, ultimate couplings to such a water faucet may simply be by means of resilient sleeve that fits over its protruding outer end.
At the upper end of conduit 12 is a housing 18 which has a front face 20. Conduit 12 communicates into a manifold 22 that surrounds a circular wall 24. The turbine 25 thus has a curved housing 24 delimiting the inside of a curved liquid path 22, the outside of which is delimited by the nozzle tip housing or tip 18 itself.
Mounted within wall 24 in a free-floating manner is a turbine 25 which has a plurality of radially-outward projecting vanes 26 on a common hub. A slanted opening 28 in the wall or curved housing 24 allows liquid received under pressure through conduit 12 to impact against the vanes and cause turbine 25 to rotate. The distributor 30 is free floating in the nozzle tip 18 along with the turbine 25. The distributor 30 may be a shutter 31 formed inwardly on the turbine 25. Shutter 31 rides against a front wall 32 of housing 18. Included in front wall 32 are a circumferentially-spaced succession of outlet openings of nozzle apertures 34. The shutter 31 is rotatable relative to the nozzle apertures 34 for sequentially opening and closing the nozzle apertures at respective different times.
In a working unit, by way of example, conduit 20 has the length of about 9 cm-, housing 18 has an external diameter about 15 mm, turbine 25 has a diameter of about 8 mm and outlet 34 has a diameter of about 0.8 mm.
In the manner of rotating-turbine shower heads, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patents 3 801 019, 3 958 756 and 4 190 207, turbine 25 causes water inletted or fed through conduit 12 to be outletted or projected as a series of pulsating jets in succession from each of outlets 34. Unlike those constructions, however, the preferred embodiments of the subject invention guide the water along a supply liquid path 35 lying in a plane 36 extending through the turbine 25 at at least approximately right angles to the axis of rotation 37 of the turbine. In the illustrated embodiment, the supply liquid path 35 communicates with the curved liquid path 22 and lies in the plane 36 which extends through the curved liquid path 22 and the turbine 25.
The user connects the appliance to the source of water, such as an outlet faucet, adjusting the flow of water from that source to provide an invigorating pulsation when the unit is placed in the mouth and when he can sense that pulsation as applied against his gums. With regard to gum massage, this gives the same beneficial massaging affect as discussed in the above mentioned patents. In addition, the user is instructed to direct face 20 of the appliance over each and every tooth and the crevices or spaces therebetween. In doing that, the successive pulsations of jets from outlets 34 give a scrubbing action which has been found to be very beneficial in removing remaining foodstuffs.
In view of the foregoing, the appliance is greatly simplified as compared with the prior-art machinery-type oral irrigating appliances. Yet, it is fully capable of achieving all of massaging, cleaning and scrubbing. The scrubbing may be even more effective than with the case of a single pulsating jet outletted against the teeth or gums of the user.
In Figures 2 and 4, outlets 34 are oriented parallel to the axis of rotation 37 of turbine 25. That yields a scrubbing area essentially the same as the circle defined by the outlets. Three outlets are illustrated, that number representing what is believed to be an optimum. However, the number of such outlets may ve varied.
In the alternative of Figure 5, outlets 34a are oriented to emit diverging jets of the liquid through wall 32a. That increases the area incrementally being cleaned and, therefore, may reduce the total time required for irrigating all surfaces.
In any case, turbine 25, and the amount of liquid flow permitted at normal faucet pressures preferably are designed and selected to achieve an effective pulsation rate at any one orifice between 1200 and 3600 pulses per minute. While faster pulse rates enable more vigorious scrubbing action, it is desired that the pulse rate be selected so that the gum tissues can rebound between successive pulses.
While the basic utility involves an economical substitute for the irrigation appliances described in the above mentioned patents, enhanced effectiveness of the scrubbing and massaging action may be obtained by supplying the appliance 10 with a liquid that is delivered in pulses. That is, appliance 10 may be connected to the apparatus disclosed in any of the initially mentioned patents, for example so as to receive a pulsating input of the liquid. Accordingly, the disclosures in those patents are incorporated herein by reference.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.

Claims

1. Nozzle (10) for an oral hygiene appliance for scrubbing teeth and massaging dental gums with liquid jets, having a nozzle tip (18) insertable into a person's mouth for issuing the liquid jets through apertures (34) in a lateral nozzle front face (20) and having a hollow nozzle shaft (12) releasably attachable to a hose for supplying liquid to the nozzle tip,
characterized by
a rotary distributor (30) in the nozzle tip (18) driven by the supplied liquid for distributing the supplied liquid in the form of individual jets successively through the apertures (34) at respective different times.

2. Nozzle as claimed in claim 1,
characterized in that
the distributor (30) is driven by a turbine (25) located in the nozzle tip (18) and rotated by the supplied liquid.

3. Nozzle as claimed in claim 2,
characterized in that
the liquid is supplied to the turbine (25) along a liquid path (35) lying in a plane (36) extending through the turbine at at least approximately right angles to an axis of turbine rotation (37).

4. Nozzle as claimed in claim 2,
characterized in that
the turbine (25) has a curved housing (24) delimiting a curved liquid path (22) inside the nozzle tip (18) and having a slanted opening (28) for supplying operating liquid to the turbine.

5. Nozzle as claimed in claim 4,
characterized by
a supply liquid path (35) communicating with the curved liquid path (22) and lying in a plane (36) extending through the curved liquid path and the turbine (25).

6. Nozzle as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that
the turbine (25) and distributor (30) are free floating in the nozzle tip (18)

7. Nozzle as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 6,
characterized in that
the distributor (30) is a shutter (31) rotatable relative to the nozzle apertures (34) for sequentially opening and closing the nozzle apertures at respective differnt times.

8. Nozzle as claimed in any of the claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that
the apertures (34) are slanted (32a, 32b) relative to the front face (20).

9. Nozzle as claimed in claim 8,
characterized in that
the apertures (34a) are oriented to emit diverging jets of liquid through a wall (32a) in the nozzle front face (20).

10. Nozzle as claimed in claim 8,
characterized in that
the apertures (34b) are oriented to converge to a point in front of a wall (32b) in the nozzle front face (20).