Ozone irrigator
First Claim
1. A portable manually operated batch operation device comprising:
- a liquid reservoir containing a batch of liquid to be ozonated;
a generator producing an ozone containing gas;
an apparatus for preventing liquid from entering the ozone generator;
a gas pumping system arranged for causing the ozone-containing gas to flow from the ozone generator to a contact region;
a controller, responsive to an on/off switch, to operate the ozone generator and the gas pumping system continuously while the device is on;
a liquid passageway arranged to receive liquid from said reservoir solely under the force of gravity, said liquid passageway conducting liquid from the liquid reservoir to the contact region, where ozone from the ozone-containing gas dissolves in the liquid;
a system for separating undissolved gas from the liquid containing dissolved ozone;
a system for preventing ozone in the separated gas from escaping into the atmosphere by passing the separated gas through an ozone reducing material before venting;
a controllable delivery system, connected to and receiving liquid containing dissolved ozone from the liquid passageway, to direct the liquid containing dissolved ozone to the point of use, where a rate of flow through the controllable delivery system is adjusted by the user; and
a liquid pumping system arranged for receiving liquid containing dissolved ozone from the contact region and causing the liquid containing dissolved ozone to move through the liquid passageway from the liquid reservoir to the controllable delivery system.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This portable appliance can be used to clean teeth by liquid (water or solution) containing dissolved ozone, which is a potent oxidizer and germ killer. Preferably, its cleaning action is enhanced by pulsations of the liquid stream. The dissolved ozone can reduce or eliminate gingivitis, gum bleeding, bad breath, teeth stains, and harmful oral bacteria. This appliance can also be used for nasal irrigation for sinusitis treatment and for ear irrigation, eye care, and general cleaning. Additionally, since its output pump is independent of the ozone dissolving system, the ozone dissolving system can be configured as an add on device for an oral irrigator such as a Water Pik™ manufactured by WaterPik Technologies, Inc. In this configuration, the ozonated liquid is delivered by either gravity or pumped flow, to the original reservoir connection with the irrigator serving as the delivery portion of this invention.
59 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A portable manually operated batch operation device comprising:
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a liquid reservoir containing a batch of liquid to be ozonated; a generator producing an ozone containing gas; an apparatus for preventing liquid from entering the ozone generator; a gas pumping system arranged for causing the ozone-containing gas to flow from the ozone generator to a contact region; a controller, responsive to an on/off switch, to operate the ozone generator and the gas pumping system continuously while the device is on; a liquid passageway arranged to receive liquid from said reservoir solely under the force of gravity, said liquid passageway conducting liquid from the liquid reservoir to the contact region, where ozone from the ozone-containing gas dissolves in the liquid; a system for separating undissolved gas from the liquid containing dissolved ozone; a system for preventing ozone in the separated gas from escaping into the atmosphere by passing the separated gas through an ozone reducing material before venting; a controllable delivery system, connected to and receiving liquid containing dissolved ozone from the liquid passageway, to direct the liquid containing dissolved ozone to the point of use, where a rate of flow through the controllable delivery system is adjusted by the user; and a liquid pumping system arranged for receiving liquid containing dissolved ozone from the contact region and causing the liquid containing dissolved ozone to move through the liquid passageway from the liquid reservoir to the controllable delivery system. - 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, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32)
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31. A method of dispensing a liquid containing dissolved ozone, comprising;
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providing a batch of liquid to be dispensed in a liquid reservoir; using an ozone generator, producing an ozone-containing gas; preventing the liquid from entering the ozone generator; pumping the ozone-containing gas from the ozone generator to a contact region; conducting liquid from the liquid reservoir to the contact region, where ozone from the ozone-containing gas is dissolved in the liquid to be dispensed; separating undissolved gas from the liquid to be dispensed; preventing ozone gas from escaping into the atmosphere by passing the undissolved gas through an ozone reducing material before venting; pumping a liquid containing dissolved ozone from the contact region and thereby causing the liquid containing dissolved ozone to move through the liquid passageway from the liquid reservoir to a controllable delivery system; and directing the liquid containing dissolved ozone to the point of use, where the rate of flow through the controllable delivery system is adjustable.
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Specification