US3452745A - Hand-operated pulsating cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1969 S. M. HUTCHINSON ETAL HAND-OPERATED PULSATING CLEANING DEVICE Filed Sept. 23, 1966 Sheet 3 1 F. .7 z a 25: d i U M M j m H 1 fi 1 Z 7 g July 1, 1969 s. M. HUTCHINSON ET AL 3,452,745

HAND-OPERATED PULSATING CLEANING DEVICE Filed Sept; 23. 1966 Shet 2 of 2 INVENTORS. DZEYMaU/P/M 07Z'////Vf0 damn/v pi /72 3,452,745 HAND-OPERATED PULSATING CLEANING DEVICE Seymour M. Hutchinson, Plainview, and Adrian N. Spitz,

Massapequa, N.Y., assignors of thirty-seven and onehalf percent each to Seymour M. Hutchinson, Plainview, N.Y., and Adrian N. Spitz, Massapequa, N.Y., and twenty-five percent to Jordan I. Kunik, New York,

' Filed Sept. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 581,589

Int. Cl. A61h 9/00 U.S. Cl. 128-66 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hand-held and hand pumped device for cleaning the teeth and gums by means of pulsating liquid jet streams.

This invention relates to dental therapeutic devices and, more particularly, to a hand operated water pump device having a probe outlet for directing jet streams of liquid onto and between the teeth of the operator.

There have been in existence several teeth cleaning and gum stimulating devices that operate on the principle of projecting jet streams onto and between the teeth and along the gums. One such machine has a tank which is filled with water and which has an electric motor operated pump which delivers said water in a pulsating stream against the gums and against the teeth by way of a probe or jet pipe. While this instrument is fairly satisfactory in use, it suffers the disadvantage of being quite expensive and not readily or conveniently portable.

Another device is an arrangement for attaching a hose to the spigot of a wash basin or the like whereby the jet stream is projected through a hand-held jet pipe onto the teeth and gums. This latter device normally produces a non-pulsating stream which is not as efiicient as a pulsating the stream for cleaning between the teeth and stimulating the gums. Means for producing pulsations in this latter device are quite inconvenient and require inordinate dexterity of which few people are capable. Also, the force of the stream is not conveniently controllable.

According to the present invention, we have devised a lightweight, portable apparatus for producing pulsating jet streams of water against the teeth and gums which is easily portable, and is completely self-contained. This new apparatus carries its own reservoir of water and has a finger operated pumping action producing pulsating jet streams through a jet pipe. The pulsating streams are easily produced by a trigger-like mechanism which is engageable with the forefinger in a manner similar to that in operating a toy water pistol. Means are also provided for conducting the water stream through a rotatable jet nozzle for directing the pulsating jet stream into desired locations in the mouth as the apparatus is moved by the operators hand. While the forefinger of the operator reciprocally works the trigger-action pump, his thumb simultaneously manipulates the freely rotatable jet pipe for pointing the jet nozzle in the desired direction.

It is also contemplated that the device of the present invention may also be utilized as a spray device for treating and cleansing the throat areas of the oral cavity as well as an irrigating and cleansing device for other anatomical cavities and orifices. The feature of the replaceable nozzle and jet renders this device amenable for use by different people. The interchangeability of nozzles and jets ensures requisite sanitary conditions that should obtain with the use of devices of this kind.

The apparatus herein is of practical benefit in that it is small enough to be hand-held and hand operated and incorporates a self-contained easily refillable reservoir of ied States Patent liquid that is projected through the nozzle for cleansing purposes. The liquid with which the reservoir is filled may be water alone, or water mixed with mouth wash, detergents, medicinal materials, or the like, which are generally or specifically beneficial for the particular anatomical orifice or cavity that is to be cleansed or treated.

The device herein may be made of molded, inexpensive plastics, or the like, which are light in weight and which are readily portable from place to place.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent from the specification.

The features of novelty which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth herein and will best be understood, both as to their fundamental principles and as to their particular embodiments, by reference to the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the jet stream dental device of the present invention, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in phantom outline;

FIGURE 2 is similar to FIGURE 1, some parts being omitted, showing a vertical partial section View of the device with the reservoir being filled with liquid;

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical central section view of a portion of the pumping and valve mechanisms of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged section view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a left end elevation of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 2, some parts being shown in elevation;

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 10 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary partial section view showing the manner in which the jet pipe is connectible to the rotating wheel, some parts being shown in elevation and separated.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated a dental jet stream apparatus, generally designated 11, and having a body portion 12 in the form of a lightweight hollow pistol made of rigid, molded plastic material or the like, having a hollow horizontal barrel portion 13 and a hollow handle 14 enclosing a reservoir 15, said handle being integrally molded or otherwise connected to said barrel portion. Handle 14 has a circular aperture 16 in the rear wall thereof which accomodates a removable plug 17 which normally seals or closes said aperture with a liquidtight seal. Plug 17 has an integrally formed rim 18 extending externally of said handle in order to provide a purchase for manual removal and insertion of said plug. Plug 17 has a stem 19 on the inner end thereof, said stem being flexible and terminating in disc 21. Disc 21 is greater in diameter than aperture 16 whereby plug 17 may be removed for refilling reservoir 15 without danger of losing said plug. Plug 17 may be removed and water can be poured into reservoir 15 after which said plug is reinserted into aperture 16 with a force fit in order to retain the water in said reservoir.

Mounted in reservoir 15 is a pump mechanism shown in greater enlarged detail in FIGURE 3. Said pump comprises a vertical inlet pipe 22, the lower open end of which extends to a short distance from the bottom wall of handle 14 and is normally immersed in the liquid in the reservoir. Inlet pipe 22 is connected at its upper end to a perpendicularly arrayed pump cylinder 23, said cylinder having a chamber 24 in which a coil spring 26 is mounted. One end of said spring is encircled around an inwardly extending boss 27 at the right of said chamber while the other end of said spring bears against a piston 28 which has an annular collar 29 which is movable reciprocably along the inner wall of said cylinder. Collar 29 serves to maintain said piston in a proper work ing alignment within cylinder 23.

Integrally formed at the right end of cylinder 23 is an outwardly extending journal bearing 31 which axially accommodates the reciprocating shaft 32 of trigger 33 connected at the outer end thereof. The inner end of shaft 32 abuts the outer surface of piston 28 whereby the inward movement of said shaft causes said piston to move inwardly into said cylinder against the action of spring 26.

Trigger 33 has an upwardly extending lug 34 which moves reciprocably within a channel 36 formed within the bottom portion of barrel 13 whereby said trigger is maintained in an aligned condition for convenient manipulation by the index finger of the operators hand. Journal bearing 31 is mounted with a liquid-tight fit within an enlarged section 37 in the forward wall of handle 14.

Aligned axially with inlet pipe 22 and extending upwardly from cylinder 23 is an outlet pipe 38 whereby fluid under pressure from the inward motion of piston 28 is caused to flow upwardly through said outlet pipe.

Intermediate its ends, inlet pipe 22 has an interior constricted annular shoulder 39 against which the head 41 of elongated valve element 42 normally rests. Shoulder 39 serves as a valve seat for valve head 41. Located in the lower end of outlet pipe 38 is a valve plate 43 having a central aperture 44 whose annular edge serves as a valve seat for valve head 46 of elongated valve element 47. Both valve elements 42 and 47 are made of lightweight materials that are suitable for performing their respective one-way valve functions.

When trigger 33 is retracted against the action of spring 26 and piston 28 moves inwardly into cylinder 23 wherein positive pressure is increased, valve head 41 is urged downwardly against valve seat 39 closing olf inlet pipe 22 while, at the same time, valve head 46 is urged upwardly away from valve seat 44 thereby opening outlet pipe 38. When trigger 33 is released, piston 28 moves outwardly under the action of spring 26 whereby the negative pressure in cylinder 23 causes valve head 41 to rise upwardly away from valve seat 39 while valve head 46 is urged downwardly against valve seat 44. Accordingly, each leftward stroke of piston 28 causes liquid from reservoir 15 to move upwardly through inlet tube 22 into cylinder 23 while each rightward stroke of piston 28 causes liquid from cylinder 23 to move upwardly through outlet tube 38. Since the inward and outward motions of piston 28 alternate with each other, the flow of liquid through outlet pipe 38 will be manifested in the form of pulsations, the frequency of which will be equal to the frequency of oscillation of trigger 33 and piston 28. The force of the pulsating stream flowing through outlet tube 38 will be a function of the speed with which trigger 33 and piston 28 are retracted against the action of spring 26.

Connected to vertical outlet pipe 38 is a 90 elbow joint 51 which extends through partition 52 which forms a top closure for reservoir 15 and separates the latter from hollow barrel 13. Partition 52 has an apertured integrally formed boss 53 through which elbow 51 extends with a resilient O-ring 54 made of rubber of the like, forming a liquid tight seal therebetween.

Integrally molded or otherwise formed on the interior of barrel 13 is a pair of spaced apart vertically split journal bearings 56 and 57 which rotatably support respective end portions of an elongated hollow shaft 58. See FIGURE and 9, for example. Integrally formed or otherwise mounted on shaft 58 intermediate its ends is a knurled wheel 59, the periphery of which extends freely upwardly and sidewardly from barrel 13 through arcuate lateral slot 61 in said barrel.

Connected to the horizontal portion of elbow 51 is one end of a short junction tube 62, the other end of which terminates in a beveled tip 63 which extends partially into the axial aperture 64 of the rear portion of shaft 58. See FIGURES 5 and 10. Spaced a short distance from the end of tip 63 is an annular recess 66 in the surface of tube 62, said recess accommodating an inner portion of a resilient O-ring 67 made of rubber or the like, the outer portion of said O-ring being nested in an annular recess 68 in the interior of aperture 64. By this means, shaft 58 and wheel 59 are freely rotatable relative to junction tube 62.

Integrally formed in the forward end of barrel 13 is a journal bearing 71 which rotatably supports elongated probe or jet tube 72, one portion of which extends inwardly into barrel 13 and terminates in a beveled tip 73 which extends partially into the axial aperture 64 of the forward portion of shaft 58. Spaced a short distance from the end of tip 73 is an annular recess 74 in the surface of tube 72, said recess accommodating the inner portion of a resilient O-ring 76, the outer portion of said O-ring being nested in an annular recess 77 in the interior of aperture 64.

Jet tube 72 is also movable longitudinally through bearing 71 whereby said tube may be removably inserted by snap action between recess 74 and O-ring 76. When tip 73 is secured in shaft 58 by means of the action of O-ring 76, the latter is of sufficient thickness to frictionally engage both recesses 74 and 77, whereby the rotation of wheel 59 and shaft 58 also causes the equi-angular rotation of tube 72 around its axis. This is in contrast to the lesser friction exerted by O-ring 67 which permits the free rotation of wheel 59 and shaft 58 relative to pipe 62 while at the same time it establishes a liquid-tight seal therebetween. O-ring 76 also establishes a liquid-tight seal between shaft 58 and tube 72 while at the same time said tube may be disconnected by pulling longitudinally thereon for replacement with a substitute tube 72 of the same dimensions.

That portion of tube 72 that extends outwardly from barrel 13 terminates in a jet nozzle 78 which in the embodiment shown in the drawings is arranged at approximately a right angle relative to the axis of said tube. Nozzle 78 is rotatable with tube 72 and its mouth 79 may be directed at any angle within 360 for directing a jet stream of liquid in the desired direction by rotating wheel 59.

Liquid that is pumped by the action of trigger 33 and piston 28 flows in intermittent pulses through tube 38, elbow 51, tube 62, shaft 58, tube 72, and nozzle 78, and emerges in pulsating streams from mouth 79 of said nozzle.

In operation, the handle 14 of the apparatus is grasped in the hand with a pistol-like grip with the forefinger extending over trigger 33. The thumb or another finger is positioned on the rim of knurled wheel 59 and nozzle 78 is inserted into the oral cavity with the mouth 79 of nozzle 78 directed into the desired position relative to barrel 13 by manipulation of wheel 59. Thereafter, trigger 33 is repeatedly retracted and released in pistol-like manner thereby creating corresponding repeated jet streams of fluid emerging under pressure from mouth 79 of nozzle 78. By manipulation of wheel 59 simultaneously with the repeated retractions of trigger 33, the pulsing jet stream may be directed against the spaces between the teeth, under and around bn'dgework, and along the gums adjacent the teeth, the operators hand moving from side to side or up and down, as may be convenient or necessary. This process is continued until the liquid or solution in reservoir 15 is exhausted, after which said reservoir may be refilled with liquid or solution and the process continued, if desired or necessary.

It will be noted that the operator has complete control of the degree of pressure or force of the pulsating jet streams which impinge upon and between his teeth and upon his gums so that he will derive the optimum benefits of the cleansing and massaging action of the apparatus that are commensurate with the idiosyncrasies of the tooth and gum conditions in his mouth. This control is achieved by the operator manipulating trigger 33 at a fast or slow rate, or gradations in between, that will produce proportionate jet stream pressures that are most comfortable for him.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be substituted therefor without departing from the principles and true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable cleaning device for anatomical cavities comprising a housing, a hand grip on said housing, a fluidcontaining reservoir chamber in said housing, a pump connected to said reservoir, a stationary outlet tube connected to said pump, a finger-operated actuator for said pump to produce intermittent pulsations of fluid therefrom through said outlet tube, a rotatable hollow shaft mounted in said housing, one end of said shaft being connected with a liquid-tight seal to said outlet tube, an elongated probe tube rotatably mounted on said housing, the inner end of said tube being detachably connected to the other end of said shaft with a liquid-tight seal, the connection between said shaft and said probe tube being such that the rotation of said shaft causes the equi-angular rotation of said tube around its axis, a nozzle on the external end of said probe tube, a finger operated portion on said shaft extending through said housing for rotation of the latter and of said tube to cause said nozzle to direct pulsating streams of fluid in a desired direction.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the connection between said shaft and said outlet tube comprises an annular recess on the periphery of said outlet tube,

an annular recess on the interior of said shaft and a resilient O-ring nested in both of said annular recesses, said O-ring providing a liquid-tight seal between said outlet tube and said shaft while permitting said shaft to rotate relative to said outlet tube.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the connection between said shaft and said probe tube comprises an annular recess in the periphery of said tube, an annular recess in the interior of said shaft and a resilient O-ring nested in both of said recesses to produce a liquidtight seal therebetween, said O-ring being of a suitable thickness and having frictional characteristics to cause the rotation of said probe tube when said shaft is rotated, said O-ring being suitably resilient to provide a snapaction detachable connection between said shaft and said tube.

4. A device according to claim 1 and further comprising an elongated journal bearing on said housing, said probe tube being rotatable within said bearing and movable longitudinally in respect thereof when said tube is to be removed from and inserted into said housing, for detachable connection to said shaft.

5. A device according to claim 1 and further comprising a hollow chamber in said housing, a partition separating said reservoir chamber from said hollow chamber, said shaft, a portion of said probe tube and a portion of said outlet tube being located in said hollow chamber,

said outlet tube extending through said partition, and a liquid-tight seal between said outlet tube and said partition.

6. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pump actuator and wherein said rotating portion on said shaft are located on said housing in suitable positions relative to each other for simultaneous operation by different fingers of the same hand that holds the hand grip.

7. A device according to claim 1 and further comprising an aperture in said housing through which said reservoir is refillable with liquid and a liquid-tight removable closure for said aperture.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein said fingeroperated portion on said shaft comprises a circular wheel coaxially mounted on said shaft, an opening in said housing through which at least a portion of the periphery of said wheel extends, said wheel being finger-operated to cause the rotation of said shaft and said probe tube.

9. A hand carried and hand operated cleaning device for the oral cavity comprising a housing, a reservoir chamber in said housing, an elongated hollow barrel adjacent said housing, a partition between said reservoir chamber and said barrel, a pump mechanism in said reservoir, an inlet tube in said reservoir connected to said pump, an outlet tube connected to said reservoir extending through said partition into said barrel, at least a portion of said reservoir being grasped by the hand, a trigger element externally positioned relative to said reservoir, a shaft on said trigger element connected to said pump, said trigger element being movable by a finger with a hand grasping said reservoir, the intermittent reciprocable movement of said trigger causing liquid in said reservoir to be pumped therefrom by said pump through said outlet to a rotatable shaft mounted in said barrel, an axial aperture in said shaft, means connecting said outlet tube with one end of said aperture, a drive wheel of enlarged diameter mounted on said shaft intermediate its ends, an arcuate slot in said barrel, at least an arcuate portion of the periphery of said drive wheel extending outwardly of said slot for manipulation by either a thumb or finger of the hand grasping the reservoir, an elongated probe tube mounted rotatably and axially relative to said barrel, the inner end of said probe tube being removably connected to the other end of said aperture of said shaft, said probe tube being rotatable on its axis to the same degree with the rotation of said drive wheel, a nozzle 0n the outer end of said probe tube, said nozzle being rotatable around the axis of said tube to the same degree as the rotation of said drive wheel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,734 2/1936 Meitzler 128-224 3,088,207 5/1963 Borsuk 128-234 3,144,867 8/1964 Trupp et al. 128-234 3,227,158 1/1966 Mattingly 12866 L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 128--234

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