Tip ejection assembly for an oral irrigator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039906-B2
Application number	US-201816013610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2018
Priority date	Nov 27, 2013
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

An oral irrigator including a handle housing defining a cavity, a tip removably connected to the handle housing, and a tip release assembly connected to the handle housing. The tip release assembly includes a tip eject button slidably connected to the handle housing and movable between a first position and a second position and a latch connected to the handle housing and positioned within the cavity. Movement of the tip eject button from the first position to the second position moves the latch laterally across the cavity from an engage position to a disengage position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oral irrigator comprising:
a handle housing defining a cavity;
a tip removably connected to the handle housing; and
a tip release assembly connected to the handle housing comprising:
a tip eject button slidably connected to the handle housing and movable along a longitudinal dimension of the handle housing between a first position and a second position; and
a latch connected to the handle housing and positioned within the cavity, wherein movement of the tip eject button from the first position to the second position moves the latch laterally across the cavity from an engaged position to a disengaged position.

2. The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the latch is along an axis perpendicular to the movement of the tip eject button.

3. The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the tip is removably connected to an end of the handle housing, and wherein the second position is closer to the end of the handle housing than the first position.

4. The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the latch comprises an integrally formed spring, wherein in the disengaged position the spring is compressed against an interior surface of the handle housing.

5. The oral irrigator of claim 4 , wherein the integrally formed spring comprises a pair of spring legs that extend from a latch body.

6. The oral irrigator of claim 5 , wherein the latch further comprises a chamfered wall positioned on an opposite side of the latch body from the spring legs, wherein the chamfered wall engages the tip-eject button to cause the latch to move from the engaged position to the disengaged position when the tip-eject button moves from the first position to the second position.

7. The oral irrigator of claim 6 , wherein the tip-eject button further comprises:
an exterior slider portion; and
an interior slider portion operably coupled to the exterior slider portion; wherein
the exterior slider portion is positioned on an exterior of the handle housing; and
the interior slider portion is positioned within an interior of the handle housing.

8. The oral irrigator of claim 7 , wherein the interior slider portion engages the chamfered wall.

9. The oral irrigator of claim 7 , wherein the interior slider and the exterior slider are connected to one another by a neck that extends through the handle housing.

10. The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the tip further comprises an annular recess, wherein in the engaged position, the latch is seated within the annular recess and in the disengaged portion, the latch is disengaged from the annular recess.

11. The oral irrigator of claim 10 , wherein the latch comprises an interior lip, wherein the interior lip is configured to selectively seat within the annular recess of the tip.

12. The oral irrigator of claim 1 , further comprising:
a collar operably coupled to the handle housing; and
a spring coupled to the handle housing and engaged with the collar so as to bias the collar separated from an upper end of the handle housing.

13. The oral irrigator of claim 12 , wherein
when the tip is connected to the handle housing, the tip compresses the spring to position the collar against the upper end of the handle housing; and
when the tip is disconnected from the handle housing, the spring biases the collar such that the collar is separated from the upper end of the handle housing.

14. The oral irrigator of claim 13 , wherein the tip further comprises a flange that engages the collar when the tip is connected to the handle housing.

15. An oral irrigator comprising:
a handle fluidly connected to a reservoir;
a jet tip removably coupled to a first end of the handle and fluidly connected to the reservoir via the handle; and
an ejection assembly connected to the handle and operable to selectively secure and release the jet tip from the handle, the ejection assembly comprising:
an actuator extending from the handle and slidable along a first axis, wherein the first axis is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle; and
a latch received within the handle and slidable along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;

wherein the actuator is operably coupled to the latch such that movement of the actuator along the first axis causes the latch to move along the second axis from an engaged position where the latch is engaged with the jet tip to a release position where the latch is disengaged from the jet tip.

16. The oral irrigator of claim 15 , wherein the latch defines a spring that biases the latch along the second axis toward the engaged position.

17. The oral irrigator of claim 16 , wherein the spring comprises one or more latch legs extending from a latch body of the latch.

18. The oral irrigator of claim 17 , wherein the latch further comprises a chamfered wall positioned on an opposite side of the latch body from the latch legs, wherein the chamfered wall engages the actuator to cause the latch to move from the engaged position to the release position when the actuator moves along the first axis.

19. The oral irrigator of claim 17 , wherein the one or more latch legs comprise a pair of latch legs that extend laterally apart from each other along a side of the latch body opposite the actuator.

20. An oral irrigator comprising:
a handle fluidly connected to a reservoir;
a jet tip removably coupled to a first end of the handle and fluidly connected to the reservoir via the handle; and
an ejection assembly connected to the handle and operable to selectively secure and release the jet tip from the handle, the ejection assembly comprising:
an actuator extending from the handle and slidable along a first axis; and
a latch received within the handle and slidable along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;

wherein the actuator is operably coupled to the latch such that movement of the actuator along the first axis causes the latch to move along the second axis from an engaged position where the latch is engaged with the jet tip to a release position where the latch is disengaged from the jet tip;
wherein the latch defines a spring that biases the latch along the second axis toward the engaged position;
wherein the spring comprises one or more latch legs extending from a latch body of the latch; and
wherein the latch further comprises a chamfered wall positioned on an opposite side of the latch body from the latch legs, wherein the chamfered wall engages the actuator to cause the latch to move from the engaged position to the release position when the actuator moves along the first axis.

Assignees

• Water Pik Inc

Inventors

• Taylor Kurt M
• Luettgen Harold A
• Johnson Jeremy James

Classifications

• A61C1/0092

  Pumps specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• A61C1/0007

  Control devices or systems (fluid temperature control in air and water supply systems of dental machines or apparatus A61C1/0069) · CPC title

• A61C17/0202 Primary

  Hand-pieces · CPC title

• A61C17/0205

  Container filling apparatus · CPC title

• A61C2204/00

  Features not otherwise provided for · CPC title