CLEANING APPLIANCE

• US 20180116390A1
• Filed: 10/26/2017
• Published: 05/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: TWEEDIE, Robert Lawrence, VINCENT, Christopher Graham, FOLLOWS, Thomas James Dunning, COLEMAN, James David, WALTON, Andrew Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 11,317,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/002 pressurised at moment of use manually or by powered means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 11/0062 Brushes where the reservoir is specifically intended for being refilled when empty
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/04 with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/04 Arranged like in or for toothbrushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/50 Implements for filling root canals; Methods or instruments for medication of tooth nerve channels

Abstract

A fluid delivery system for a dental cleaning appliance includes a nozzle for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user, and a fluid conduit for conveying working fluid to the nozzle. A body of the nozzle defines a fluid chamber and a channel for conveying working fluid from the fluid chamber to a fluid outlet from the nozzle. The fluid chamber has a tangential inlet for receiving working fluid from the fluid conduit.

Claims

1. A dental cleaning appliance comprising:

a nozzle for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user; and

a fluid conduit for conveying working fluid to the nozzle,

wherein the nozzle comprises a fluid chamber extending about a longitudinal axis and a channel for conveying working fluid from the fluid chamber to a fluid outlet from the nozzle, the fluid chamber comprising a fluid inlet for conveying working fluid into the fluid chamber at an angle to the longitudinal axis.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet is arranged to convey the fluid into the fluid chamber along a path which is located in a plane which is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the path is spaced from the longitudinal axis.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet is arranged to convey the fluid into the fluid chamber along a path which is spaced from the longitudinal axis.

5. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid inlet comprises a tangential inlet for conveying the fluid substantially tangentially into the fluid chamber.

6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the fluid chamber has, in a plane which is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, a cross-section which is substantially circular in shape.

7. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the diameter of the fluid chamber is in the range from 2 to 7 mm.

8. The appliance of claim 6, wherein the fluid chamber has an outlet port located on the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the outlet port is in axial alignment with the outlet of the fluid chamber.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the outlet port is frustoconical in shape.

11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the channel is cylindrical in shape, and has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the fluid chamber.

12. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the fluid outlet has a diameter in the range from 0.5 to 1.5 mm.

13. The appliance of claim 11, wherein the transition between the channel and the fluid outlet is frustoconical.

14. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the nozzle and the fluid conduit form part of a fluid delivery system configured to deliver working fluid to the inlet of the fluid chamber at a static pressure in the range from 3 to 10 bar.

15. The appliance of claim 1, comprising a handle, and wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the handle.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the handle about an axis.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the nozzle is pivotable about the axis.

18. The appliance of claim 16, comprising a support for supporting the nozzle, the support being arranged for movement about the axis.

19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the support is pivotable about the axis.

20. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the axis is angled to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

21. The appliance of claim 20, wherein the axis is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the handle.

22. The appliance of claim 16, wherein said axis is spaced from the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.

23. The appliance of claim 22, wherein said axis is angled to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.

24. The appliance of claim 23, wherein said axis is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the fluid chamber.

25. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the nozzle is biased for movement in a direction which urges the nozzle against a user'"'"'s teeth during use of the appliance.

26. The appliance of claim 25, wherein the nozzle is biased for movement in said direction by a resilient member forming part of the fluid delivery system.

27. The appliance of claim 15, comprising a head, and a stem extending between the head and the handle, and wherein the nozzle protrudes from the head.

28. The appliance of claim 27, wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the head.

29. The appliance of claim 28, wherein the nozzle is biased for movement relative to the handle in a direction which urges the nozzle to move in a direction extending away from the head.

30. The appliance of claim 28, wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the head between a distal position and a proximal position relative to the head.

31. The appliance of claim 28, wherein the head comprises means for engaging the teeth of the user during use of the appliance, and wherein the nozzle is moveable relative to the engaging means.

32. A cleaning tool for a dental cleaning appliance comprising a handle to which the cleaning tool is detachably connectable, the cleaning tool comprising:

a stem; and

a cleaning tool conduit system comprising a nozzle for delivering a burst of working fluid to the teeth of a user, and a fluid conduit for conveying working fluid to the nozzle, wherein the nozzle comprises a fluid chamber extending about a longitudinal axis and a channel for conveying working fluid from the fluid chamber to a fluid outlet from the nozzle, the fluid chamber comprising a fluid inlet for conveying working fluid into the fluid chamber at an angle to the longitudinal axis.