Dentistry – Apparatus – Having intra-oral dispensing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-13
2001-10-09
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having intra-oral dispensing means
C433S080000, C601S162000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299443
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a device for cleaning teeth and gums, with a liquid container that is joined by way of a liquid supply conduit to an inlet of a pump adapted to be driven by an electric motor, said pump, when activated, being adapted to draw a liquid from the liquid container to the inlet, and with an air supply conduit connected to the liquid supply conduit for the purpose of admixing air to the drawn liquid. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for cleaning teeth and gums, in which a liquid is adapted to be drawn from a liquid container through a liquid supply conduit to an inlet of a pump adapted to be driven by an electric motor, and in which air from, an air supply conduit joined to the liquid supply conduit is admixed to the drawn liquid.
A device of this type and a method of this type are known, from the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 27 35 427 A1.
This specification describes a device referred to as oral irrigator for cleaning teeth, in which a pump draws water from a container through a conduit and pumps it to a mouthpiece. Connected to the conduit is an air hose equipped with a valve which can be adjusted by a user. During operation of the oral irrigator, air from the air hose is admixed to the drawn water when the valve is set accordingly.
When the oral irrigator is deactivated the valve has to be closed by the user in order to prevent water escaping from the oral irrigator through the valve. This may result in operating errors by the user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for cleaning teeth and gums which enable the user to perform operations simply and reliably.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention this object is accomplished with a device of the type initially referred to in that at least a section of the air supply conduit is arranged at a level above a maximum possible level of the liquid. Furthermore, according to the invention the object is accomplished with a method of the type initially referred to in that the supply of air in the air supply conduit proceeds at least partly at a level that is above a maximum possible level of the liquid.
Neither when the device of the present invention is activated nor deactivated is it possible, therefore, for liquid to escape from the air supply conduit. The highest the liquid in the air supply conduit can rise is to the said maximum possible level, which according to the invention is positioned below the said section of the air supply conduit. This section represents in particular the highest point of the air supply conduit and is, as previously mentioned, positioned at a level above the maximum possible level of the liquid inside the device.
Consequently, the user no longer needs to watch out that no liquid emerges from the device. This is prevented automatically by the invention.
As a further result of the invention there is also no need of a separate valve or the like. Arranging the section of air supply conduit above the maximum possible level of the liquid is itself enough, without additional components, to reliably prevent the emergence of any liquid.
Elimination of the valve also means that the costs and effort for manufacturing the device of the present invention are also reduced.
In advantageous embodiments of the invention a bend in the air supply conduit, particularly one of approximately U-shape, is positioned at a level above the maximum possible level of the liquid, and/or the free end of the air supply conduit is positioned above the maximum possible level of the liquid.
In both embodiments it is guaranteed that no liquid can escape from the air supply conduit. A further advantage of the first mentioned embodiment is that, thanks to the U-shaped bend, the air supply conduit can be returned to an area of the device of the present invention where sufficient space is available to accommodate further components needing to be connected to the air supply conduit.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the air supply conduit has a filter to clean the air. This filter is arranged preferably at the free end of the air supply conduit. This ensures that all the air drawn into the air supply conduit is cleaned by the filter as it enters the conduit. Soiling of the device of the present invention is thus reliably prevented. Furthermore, considering that the air supply conduit proceeds from the filter at a level above the maximum possible liquid level as disclosed in the invention, it is guaranteed to be impossible for any liquid to reach and soil the filter.
In yet another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the air supply conduit has a throttle in particular to control the amount of air supplied by way of the air supply conduit. This throttle is arranged preferably at the free end of the air supply conduit. It is thus possible to accommodate the filter and the throttle in a common housing. With a view to the structural design of the device of the present invention this represents a further simplification and hence a further possible cost reduction. Furthermore, considering that the air supply conduit proceeds from the throttle at a level above the maximum possible liquid level as disclosed in the invention, it is guaranteed to be impossible for any liquid to reach and soil the throttle and in particular for it to block its through-hole.
It is particularly advantageous for the filter to be positioned upstream of the throttle in the direction of the supplied air. This ensures that only air which has been previously cleaned by the filter actually reaches the throttle. Soiling and hence blocking of the throttle is thus reliably prevented, particularly if the throttle has a small through-hole.
In an advantageous further aspect of the present invention, the liquid supply conduit has a constriction particularly in the area of the junction of the air supply conduit to the liquid supply conduit. By means of this constriction, air is aspirated through the air supply conduit to the liquid supply conduit and hence admixed to the liquid in simple manner. The constriction can be produced by a T-piece, for example, which affords particular economy of manufacture.
In a further advantageous feature of the present invention, the air supply conduit in the form of a hose is laid independently of the liquid container inside particularly a housing of the device. By using a hose, the air supply conduit can be laid particularly easily and flexibly in the interior of the device of the invention. Furthermore, the hose represents a particularly low-cost way of producing the air supply conduit.
All in all the present invention results in a device which has no moving parts for aspiration of the air. Consequently the device according to the invention displays greater reliability and longer life.
Further features, application possibilities and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description of embodiments of the invention illustrated in the Figures of the accompanying drawing. It will be understood that any single feature and any combination of single features described or represented by illustration form the subject-matter of the present invention, irrespective of their summary in the patent claims or their back reference, as well as irrespective of their wording and representation in the description and the drawing, respectively.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3645288 (1972-02-01), Dawkins
patent: 4193197 (1980-03-01), Kuris et al.
patent: 4201200 (1980-05-01), Hübner
patent: 5577910 (1996-11-01), Holland
patent: 27 35 427 A (1979-02-01), None
patent: 35 45 868 A (1987-06-01), None
patent: 1 310 303 A (1973-03-01), None
Gerstner Norbert
Sauer Michael
Schaefer Norbert
Stolper Michael
Braun GmbH
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Podszus Edward S.
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