Surgery: kinesitherapy – Kinesitherapy – Device with applicator having specific movement
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-27
2001-06-12
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Surgery: kinesitherapy
Kinesitherapy
Device with applicator having specific movement
C433S080000, C601S163000, C601S164000, C601S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06245032
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to a jet nozzle for a device for the cleaning and care of teeth and gums, in particular for a handle section of an oral irrigator, with a nozzle head having a discharge port from which a liquid in the form of a single jet is dischargeable.
A jet nozzle of this type is known from European Patent Specification No. EP 0 175 881 B2. This specification describes an electrically powered oral irrigator for oral and dental hygiene which includes a handle section to which a jet nozzle is attachable. The jet nozzle is provided with a nozzle head having a discharge port from which a single jet is dischargeable. Further, the nozzle head accommodates means for selectively enabling the single jet to be fanned out, resulting in a multiple jet. With the oral irrigator in operation, water is pumped to the jet nozzle and thus to the nozzle head. The single or multiple jet produced enables a user of the oral irrigator to care for and cleanse the oral cavity and in particular teeth and gums.
It is an object of the present invention to further develop the known jet nozzle with a view to improving the care and cleaning effect.
According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in that the nozzle head receives therein an impeller rotary about an axis of rotation, that the impeller includes a bore disposed at an angle to the axis of rotation, and that the bore is intended to direct the liquid to the discharge port.
In operation of the device of the present invention, the impeller is set in rotation about the axis of rotation by the liquid pumped to the nozzle head. This also involves a rotation of the bore extending within the impeller equally about the axis of rotation. By arranging the bore at an angle to the axis of rotation, the bore moves on the surface of a cone. In consequence, the single jet exiting from the bore revolves likewise on the surface of a cone. The result thereby achieved is that the liquid pumped through the bore, upon exiting from the bore, is distributed relatively uniformly on the surface of the cone as a revolving single jet.
It will thus be seen that, to obtain a multiple jet, the single jet, rather than being fanned out in some way, is maintained as a single jet. To produce the effect of a multiple jet, the single jet is set in rotation, that is, it is subjected to continuous deflection.
This has the advantage that the single jet does not become diffuse by fanning out which diminishes the cleaning effect of the single jet, but rather, the full cleaning effect of the concentrated single jet is maintained. The deflection of the single jet by rotation affords the added advantages of a multiple jet, which include in particular a simpler and more comprehensive cleansing of individual teeth by the user. Overall, the present invention makes a jet nozzle available in which the advantages of a single jet, in particular its superior cleaning action, also apply fully to a multiple jet.
In a particularly advantageous further development of the present invention, the angle has a value in the range from about 10 degrees to about 40 degrees, preferably of about 25 degrees. With the angle between the axis of rotation and the bore having such values, an opening cone can be produced. Further, the cone on which the single jet revolves can be adjusted to a size corresponding approximately to the size of a single tooth. A particularly good and thorough tooth cleaning action is thereby accomplished. At the same time, manipulation of the device of the present invention by its user is facilitated.
In an advantageous configuration of the present invention, the impeller includes a core piece as well as a plurality of approximately radially outwardly extending blades, the bore extending in the core piece, and the inlet orifice of the bore being arranged between two blades. This represents a particularly simple and hence economical configuration, in particular in terms of the manufacture of the jet nozzle of the present invention. Particularly suitably, the impeller is fabricated from a plastic material using in particular an injection molding method.
In a further advantageous configuration of the present invention, the discharge port of the nozzle head is arranged coaxially with the axis of rotation, and the outlet orifice of the bore is equally arranged approximately coaxially with the axis of rotation, said outlet orifice of the bore and said discharge port of the nozzle head being arranged adjacent to one another. The outlet orifice of the bore thus forms the upper part or the tip of the cone on which the single jet revolves. The downstream discharge port of the nozzle head is configured such that the revolving single jet exiting from the bore is not impeded by the discharge port.
In another advantageous aspect of the present invention, a supply tube is provided on which the nozzle head is mounted, the longitudinal axis of the supply tube and the axis of rotation of the impeller being arranged at a relative distance. This distance ensures that the liquid fed through the supply tube to the nozzle head does not impinge upon the impeller centrally, but eccentrically. This means that the liquid strikes the blades of the impeller, thus setting the impeller in rotation. By reason of the relative distance of the longitudinal axis of the supply tube to the axis of rotation of the impeller, a cross afflux is accomplished in a particularly simple and yet effective manner, causing rotation of the impeller.
In an advantageous further development of the present invention, the longitudinal axis of the supply tube and the axis of rotation of the impeller are disposed at a relative angle in the range from about 60 degrees to about 90 degrees, preferably of about 75 degrees. This results in an inclined position of the supply tube in the direction of the discharge port of the nozzle head. The flow conditions in the interior of the nozzle head are thereby improved, so that the deflection of the single jet within the nozzle head results only in a negligible reduction of the flow rate of the single jet. The cleaning effect of the single jet is not diminished by the rotary motion.
In an advantageous configuration of the present invention, the nozzle head is provided with a spacer which surrounds the discharge port of the nozzle head preferably conically, is arranged approximately coaxially with the axis of rotation, and extends in the direction of the liquid exiting from the discharge port. The user may engage the nozzle head with its spacer directly against the tooth to be cleaned. The spacer ensures that the single jet exiting from the nozzle head impinges substantially only upon the tooth to be cleaned, excluding adjacent teeth. The spacer further avoids any accidental discharge of splash water from the oral cavity which may cause undesired soiling. In this regard, the spacer acts as a splash guard. Further, the length of the spacer in the direction of the liquid exiting from the discharge port may be selected such that the cone formed by the revolving single jet has just about the size of the tooth to be cleaned. This further adds to improving the tooth cleaning action, in addition to further simplifying the operation of the device of the present invention for its user.
In an advantageous further development of the present invention, the spacer includes at least one notch. This notch enables the liquid exiting from the nozzle head to drain off also in cases where the spacer is directly engaged against a tooth.
Moreover, the spacer may advantageously include bristles or bristle tufts, or it may be integrally formed with the nozzle head.
Further features, advantages and application possibilities of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description of embodiments illustrated in more detail in the accompanying drawing. It will be understood that any single feature and any combination of single features described and/or represented by illustration form the subject-matter of the present invention, irrespective of their summary in the claims and their back-refe
Sauer Michael
Schaefer Norbert
Stolper Michael
Braun GmbH
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Wilson John J.
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