Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With means to vibrate or jiggle discharge
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2001-10-23
Scherbel, David A. (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With means to vibrate or jiggle discharge
C239S381000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305617
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related in general to the field of dental hygiene devices. More particularly, the invention is related to an oscillating disk dental hygiene device (WATERFLOS™).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many dental hygiene devices are on the market today. Some devices such as WATERPIK® generate a high-energy pulsating water jet for cleaning teeth. This method of cleaning is particularly useful when dental braces are installed. Pulsating water jets are also used for massaging the gums. These devices typically use a small reservoir of water as a water source. Complex mechanisms powered by electricity are used to create pulsating water waves and to expel them at high velocity.
The conventional devices have proven to be helpful in increasing and maintaining healthful teeth and gums and are recommended by dental professionals. However, these devices are inconvenient to use because the water reservoir must be refilled after each use and kept clean. The amount of water that can be used in each cleaning session without refill is also limited by the size of the reservoir. Furthermore, traditional devices are expensive, bulky and not portable for travel, and their complex mechanisms have many parts, which may wear and break down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is a need for dental hygiene devices that do not require complex mechanisms or the use of electricity. Furthermore, there is a need for a portable dental hygiene device that can be easily transported and is also easy to use. The proposed device is much smaller, easily portable and needs less cleaning after each use. It does not require electricity or contain complex working mechanisms, and most importantly it is less expensive to manufacture. This will be of benefit to all consumers, particularly lower income populations that need dental hygiene the most.
In one aspect of the invention, an oscillating disk dental hygiene device includes a quick coupling assembly having a first stage adapted to be coupled to a water source fixture such as bathroom faucet and a second stage adapted to be quickly attachable and detachable from the first stage; a main housing defining a water chamber and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being coupled with the second stage of the quick coupling assembly as a unit; and a disk defining at least one opening therein and being disposed in the water chamber. The disk is adapted to oscillate between a first substantially neutral position and a second position substantially obstructing the outlet discharge opening, when water entering the water chamber via the inlet has a pressure within a predetermined range, the oscillating disk creates a pulsating water stream exiting the water chamber via the outlet discharge. A hand-held nozzle is coupled to the outlet through flexible tubing and is adapted to concentrate and direct the pulsating water stream into a pulsating water jet nozzle.
In another aspect of the invention, a pulsating water wave generator includes a quick coupling assembly adapted to be coupled to a water source, and a main housing defining a water chamber and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being joined with the quick coupling assembly. A disk defining at least one opening therein is disposed in the water chamber; the disk has a reinforced center section and a surface area substantially greater than the outlet size. The disk is adapted to oscillate between a first substantially neutral position and a second position substantially obstructing the outlet discharge opening when water entering the water chamber via the inlet is within a predetermined pressure range. The oscillating disk creates a pulsating water stream exiting the water chamber via the outlet.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of generating a pulsating water jet to clean teeth and massage gums is provided. The method includes the steps of 1) Coupling an inlet of a pulsating water wave generator of an oscillating disk dental hygiene device onto a water source; 2) Providing water at a predetermined water pressure that enters the inlet and reaches the chamber of the pulsating water wave generator, then permits the water to flow through at least one opening defined in a free-floating disk positioned in the water chamber, the disk having an inlet side and an outlet side; 3) increasing the water pressure to a preset range at the inlet side of the disk due to a higher volume of pressurized water flowing into the inlet side than the amount of water able to discharge from the inlet side of the disk through the hole (or holes) in the disk to the outlet side (discharge side of the disk). This creates unbalanced pressure and pushes the disk against a biasing spring and toward a discharge opening protruding into the water chamber leading out to the outlet; 4) continuing to permit the water to flow through the at least one opening in the disk so connecting inlet and outlet sides of the disk and making it one body of water. As soon as the disk is close to closing the discharge opening, the discharge side is no longer at atmospheric pressure, to a point where water pressure on both sides of the disk should be equalized or almost equalized. The sudden surge of pressure at the discharge side wet surface, with the combined deflection rate of the compressed disk and the biasing spring causes the outlet side pressure to become greater than the inlet side. The pressure imbalance causes the disk to instantaneously return towards its neutral position spaced from the discharge opening. This action will be repeatedly instantly and will cause rapid oscillation. The rate of the oscillation is determined by the water discharge speed, distance of disk oscillation and the design of the device. In principle, if the discharge speed is two meters per second and the disk oscillation distance is 1 mm, the oscillation speed could be 1,000 cycles per second or less, depending on the configuration of the design.
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Hwu Davis
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr P.C.
Scherbel David A.
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