Dental water jet with storage container reservoir cover

• US 9,050,157 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boyd, Brian, Williams, Brian R., Taylor, Kurt M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSAI, MICHAEL JASPER
• Application Number:
  US12/981,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20110097683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 601154-165, 206/63.5, 206/83, 206/209, 206/210, 206/229, 206/361, 206/369, 206/372, 206/438, 206/439, 206/535, 206/538, 206/557, 206561-563, 206/581, 132/227, 132/272, 132/286, 132308-310, 132/312, 132/313, 132/315, 220/23.83, 220 2387- 2389, 220/505, 220/572, 220/913, 433/77, 433 79- 90, 433/97, 433/163
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0084 Supply units, e.g. reservoir arrangements, specially adapted pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0092 Pumps specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/02 Rinsing or air-blowing devices, e.g. using fluid jets or comprising liquid medication combined with receptacles for spittle A61C17/14; combined with power-driven cleaning or polishing devices A61C17/16
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/02 Protective casings, e.g. boxes for instruments; Bags A61C5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 13/005 Hydraulic gum massage
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/24 Bypassing

Abstract

A dental water jet provides a pressurized water stream for cleaning gums and teeth. The embodiment includes a base unit defining a cavity. The cavity contains a pump, which may move pressurized water from a reservoir to a tip in fluid communication with the pump. A flow control knob may be turned to selectively adjust the water pressure supplied by the tip between a minimum and a maximum value. The reservoir may be removed from the base unit so that it may be filled with the fluid. The reservoir may support a container for storing tips or other items. Fluid may flow from the reservoir and ultimately into the tip to provide oral irrigation and/or cleaning of the teeth, gums, and tongue.

Claims

1. A dental water jet having a storage container comprising

a base housing enclosing a pump system;

a handle with a removable tip fluidly connected to the pump system; and

a fluid reservoir supported by the base housing and further comprising

a reservoir base supported by the base housing; and

a reservoir wall extending from the reservoir base, wherein the reservoir base and the reservoir wall define a volume for holding a fluid;

wherein the storage container is configured as a reservoir cover, is removable relative to the fluid reservoir, and further comprises

a container base including a surface operative to be received within the fluid reservoir;

a lid connected to and movable relative to the container base;

at least one first ventilation aperture defined in the container base for ventilating the fluid reservoir below the storage container;

at least one second ventilation aperture defined in the lid for ventilating the storage container when the lid is in a closed position; and

a dam wall formed around the at least one first ventilation aperture that prevents liquid drainage in the storage container from entering the fluid reservoir;

wherein the container base and the lid define for at least one movable position a substantially enclosed volume for storing at least one item.

2. The dental water jet of claim 1, wherein the lid is pivotable relative to the container base.

3. The dental water jet of claim 1, wherein the container base further includes at least one pair of tip walls configured to receive and retain a tip therebetween.

4. The dental water jet of claim 1, wherein the container base further includes at least one tip column configured to support a tip including a tip fluid passage in a generally vertical orientation when the tip column receives the tip fluid passage.

5. The dental water jet of claim 4, wherein the at least one tip column is substantially cylindrical.

6. The dental water jet of claim 1, wherein the first ventilation aperture is positioned below the second ventilation aperture.

7. The dental water jet of claim 1, wherein the storage container further comprises a rear wall extending from the container base towards the fluid reservoir adjacent and parallel to the reservoir wall.

8. A dental water jet having a storage container comprising

a base enclosing a pump system;

a handle with a removable tip fluidly connected to the pump system; and

a fluid reservoir removably positioned within a cavity formed in the base comprising

a reservoir base supported by the base; and

a stepped reservoir wall extending from the reservoir base, wherein the reservoir base and the reservoir wall define a volume for holding a fluid;

wherein the storage container is configured as a reservoir cover, is removable relative to the reservoir, and further comprises

a container base including a surface operative to be received within the fluid reservoir;

a lid connected to and hinged relative to the container base;

at least one reservoir aperture defined on the container base for ventilating the fluid reservoir below the storage container;

a dam wall formed around the at least one reservoir aperture to substantially prevent liquid drainage in the storage container from entering the fluid reservoir and

at least one pair of tip walls formed on the container base and configured to receive and retain a tip therebetween;

wherein the container base and the lid for at least one hinged position define a substantially enclosed volume for storing at least one item.

9. The dental water jet of claim 8 further comprising at least one container aperture defined in the lid for ventilating the storage container when the lid is in a closed position.

10. The dental water jet of claim 8, wherein the at least one reservoir aperture is positioned below the at least one container aperture.

11. The dental water jet of claim 8, wherein the container base further includes at least one tip column configured to support a tip including a tip fluid passageway in a generally vertical orientation when the at least one tip column receives the tip fluid passage.

12. The dental water jet of claim 11, wherein the at least one tip column is substantially cylindrical.

13. A dental water jet having a storage container comprising

a base housing enclosing a pump system;

a handle with a removable tip fluidly connected to the pump system; and

a fluid reservoir comprising

a reservoir base supported by the base housing; and

a reservoir wall extending from the reservoir base, wherein the reservoir base and the reservoir wall define a volume for holding a fluid;

wherein the storage container is configured as a reservoir cover, is removable relative to the reservoir, and further comprises

a container base including a surface operative to be received within the fluid reservoir;

a lid connected to and moveable relative to the container base;

a reservoir aperture defined on the container base for ventilating the fluid reservoir below the storage container; and

a dam wall formed around the reservoir aperture in the container base that prevents liquid drainage in the storage container from entering the reservoir base;

wherein for at least one correlative position the container base and the lid define a substantially enclosed volume for storing at least one item.

14. The dental water jet of claim 13 further comprising at least one container aperture defined in the lid for ventilating the storage container when the lid is in a closed position.

15. The dental water jet of claim 14, wherein the container aperture is positioned above the reservoir aperture.

16. The dental water jet of claim 13 further comprising at least one pair of tip walls formed on the container base and configured to receive and retain a tip therebetween.

17. The dental water jet of claim 13 further comprising a tip column formed on the container base and configured to support a tip including a tip fluid passageway in a generally vertical orientation when the at least one tip column receives the tip fluid passage.

18. The dental water jet of claim 13, wherein the dam wall extends from the container base towards the lid.