Hand held oral irrigator
First Claim
1. A hand held oral irrigation device for irrigating an oral cavity with a fluid, the device comprising:
- a reservoir for storing the fluid;
a body; and
an elongated nozzle;
whereinthe reservoir comprises;
a shelf portion defined about a bottom portion of the reservoir; and
a base at a bottom end of the reservoir;
a reservoir inlet conduit positioned along the base of the reservoir so that fluid is drawn from the bottom of the reservoir;
a fluid access valve fluidly coupling with said inlet conduit, the fluid access valve comprising;
a channel defined within the reservoir extending from the shelf to the base, said channel receiving said inlet conduit and fluidly coupled thereto;
a seal positioned about a top end of the channel;
a spring extending upwardly from the base within the reservoir; and
a ball positioned within the channel between said seal and said spring;
wherein the reservoir defines a first major diameter at a lower end of the oral irrigation device and the body and reservoir combine to define a second major diameter at an upper end of the oral irrigation device, the first major diameter being larger than the second major diameter.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to one broad aspect of one embodiment of the present invention, disclosed herein is a hand held oral irrigation device having a tip for dispensing fluids. In one example, an oral irrigation device includes a body portion, and a reservoir for storing fluids, wherein the body and/or the reservoir define a first major diameter at a lower end of the oral irrigation device, and define a second major diameter at an upper end of the oral irrigation device, the first major diameter being larger than the second major diameter. In this example, by providing such a geometry for the device, a user can grasp the device with one hand about the second major diameter during use. In another example, the body includes a pump for pumping fluids 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 flexible fabric material. The outlet valve may also include a reed valve made of flexible fabric material.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A hand held oral irrigation device for irrigating an oral cavity with a fluid, the device comprising:
-
a reservoir for storing the fluid; a body; and an elongated nozzle;
whereinthe reservoir comprises; a shelf portion defined about a bottom portion of the reservoir; and a base at a bottom end of the reservoir; a reservoir inlet conduit positioned along the base of the reservoir so that fluid is drawn from the bottom of the reservoir; a fluid access valve fluidly coupling with said inlet conduit, the fluid access valve comprising; a channel defined within the reservoir extending from the shelf to the base, said channel receiving said inlet conduit and fluidly coupled thereto; a seal positioned about a top end of the channel; a spring extending upwardly from the base within the reservoir; and a ball positioned within the channel between said seal and said spring; wherein the reservoir defines a first major diameter at a lower end of the oral irrigation device and the body and reservoir combine to define a second major diameter at an upper end of the oral irrigation device, the first major diameter being larger than the second major diameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification