ORAL IRRIGATOR

• US 20100209870A1
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Taylor, Kurt Michael, Thomas, Brenda Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,403,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0205 Container filling apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/028 with intermittent liquid flow

Abstract

An oral irrigator has a pump, a discharge nozzle and a pressure control. The pump has a generally constant operating speed and feeds the discharge nozzle. The pressure control is adapted to modify a discharge pressure at the nozzle without a significant change in pump speed. The pressure control modifies a level of fluid flow restriction between the pump and the nozzle. The modification of the level of fluid flow restriction is accomplished by modifying aspects of a fluid flow path extending through the pressure control. The aspects modified include the diameter, length and/or number of direction changes of the fluid flow path.

Claims

1. A handheld oral irrigator comprising:

a moveable member externally accessible to a housing of the oral irrigator and configured to adjust an output pressure of fluid discharge from the oral irrigator, the moveable member having a first joint member extending into the housing of the oral irrigator;

a linkage coupled to the first joint member comprising;

a second joint member moveably coupled to the first joint member; and

a yoke coupled to the second joint member, the yoke defining a generally oblong aperture; and

a linear valve moveably coupled to the yoke, wherein movement of the moveable member displaces the linear valve within a fluid pathway to adjust the output pressure of fluid discharge from the oral irrigator.