Adjustable assembly and nozzle for providing various liquid/air output flow patterns

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017224452-A1
Application number	US-201515521726-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A oral irrigator device ( 10 ) for cleaning teeth, including a system ( 14 ) for producing a stream of liquid/air bursts and a nozzle ( 16 ) connected to the system, and through which the stream of liquid/air bursts are directed. The nozzle can include a guidance tip ( 26 ) including a base portion ( 30 ), a tip portion ( 28 ), and an orifice ( 31 ) through which the stream of liquid/air bursts exits at a flow output pattern, and a flow output pattern selection mechanism ( 90, 90 ′) connected to or positioned within the guidance tip. A flow output pattern selection mechanism can be configured to be selectively actuated and to vary, upon the actuation the flow output pattern between a first flow output pattern to at least a second flow output pattern.

First claim

1 .- 7 . (canceled)

8 . A nozzle for use on an oral irrigator device, comprising:
a channel concentrically positioned within the nozzle through which a stream of liquid air/bursts are directed; a guidance tip including a base portion, a tip portion, and an orifice through which the stream of liquid/air bursts exits at a flow output pattern; and a flow output pattern selection mechanism connected to or positioned within said guidance tip, and configured to be selectively actuated and to vary, upon said actuation: the flow output pattern between a first flow output pattern to at least a second flow output pattern;
wherein said base portion is substantially circular in configuration, and said flow output pattern selection mechanism further comprises a band concentrically positioned around said base portion and configured to be selectively circumferentially rotatable between a first position, wherein said first flow output pattern is selected, and at least a second position, wherein said second flow output pattern is selected;
wherein said flow output pattern selection mechanism further comprises an outlet portion of channel with an outlet diameter that is configured to be:
squeezed such that the outlet diameter is decreased when said band is selectively circumferentially rotated from said second position to said first position; and
released such that the outlet diameter is increased when said band is selectively circumferentially rotated from said first position to said second position.

9 . The nozzle of claim 8 , wherein said first flow output pattern of the stream of liquid/air bursts has a first diameter at a first predetermined distance from said orifice, and said second flow output pattern of the stream of liquid/air bursts has a second diameter at the first predetermined distance from said orifice, wherein said first diameter is less than said second diameter.

10 .- 11 . (canceled)

12 . The nozzle of claim 8 , wherein at least said outlet portion of said channel

13 .- 14 . (canceled)

15 . A oral irrigator device for cleaning teeth, comprising:
a handle portion containing a system for producing a stream of liquid/air bursts;
and a nozzle according to claim 8 , wherein the nozzle is connected to said handle portion.

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Chang Yu-Wen
• Kovacevic Milivojevic Milica
• Lavezzo Valentina
• Baragona Marco

Classifications

• A61C17/028 Primary

  with intermittent liquid flow · CPC title

• A61C17/0217

  having means for manually controlling the supply of two or more fluids, e.g. water and air · CPC title

• A61H13/005

  Hydraulic gum massage · CPC title

• A61C17/0202

  Hand-pieces · CPC title

• A61C1/0015

  Electrical systems · CPC title