# US 10,945,912 B2 · Oral irrigator with variable output fluid characteristics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,912 B2 - Document ID: US10945912B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/588,538 - Filed: 2017-05-05 - Published: 2017-08-24 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Water Pik, Inc. - Applicants: Water Pik, Inc. - Inventors: Harold A. Luettgen; Gordon Haszier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945912B2 ## CPC - A61H 13/005: {Hydraulic gum massage} - A61C 1/0015: {Electrical systems} - A61C 1/0092: {Pumps specially adapted therefor} - A61C 17/0205: {Container filling apparatus} - A61C 17/028: with intermittent liquid flow - A61H 2201/1223: Frequency controlled AC motor - A61H 2201/5005: for controlling frequency distribution, modulation or interference of a driving signal - A61H 2201/5043: Displays - A61H 2230/255: used as a control parameter for the apparatus - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) ## Abstract An oral irrigator including a reservoir, a tip in fluid communication with the reservoir, a pump in fluid communication with the tip and the reservoir, where the motor drives the pump. The oral irrigator also includes a control module electrically coupled to the motor to vary an output of the motor. During a normal mode, the control module drives the motor to output a normal pulse rate, a normal flow rate, and a normal fluid pressure as the fluid exits the tip and during a massage mode, the control module drives the motor to output a massage pulse rate, a massage flow rate, and a massage fluid pressure as the fluid exits the tip. The massage pulse rate is lower than the normal pulse rate, the massage fluid pressure is lower than the normal fluid pressure, and the massage fluid pressure is lower than the normal fluid pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oral irrigator comprising: a reservoir; a tip in fluid communication with the reservoir; a pump in fluid communication with the tip and the reservoir, wherein the pump pumps fluid from the reservoir to the tip; a motor connected to the pump, wherein the motor drives the pump; and a control module electrically coupled to the motor to vary an output of the motor, wherein: during a normal mode, the control module drives the motor to output a normal fluid pulse rate, a normal flow rate, and a normal fluid pressure as the fluid exits the tip; during a massage mode, the control module drives the motor to output a massage fluid pulse rate, a massage flow rate, and a massage fluid pressure as the fluid exits the tip, wherein the massage fluid pulse rate is lower than the normal fluid pulse rate, and the massage fluid pressure is lower than the normal fluid pressure; during the normal mode the control module drives the motor at a first voltage magnitude and a first voltage frequency; and during the massage mode the control module drives the motor at a second voltage magnitude and a second voltage frequency. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the massage fluid pulse rate defines a pause in fluid exiting the tip sufficient to allow blood to return to the gum tissue before the fluid resumes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the normal fluid pulse rate is approximately 26 pulses per second and the massage fluid pulse rate is approximately 2 pulses per second. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the massage flow rate is between 40 to 60 percent of the normal flow rate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the massage flow rate is between 150 to 200 ml/minute. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the normal fluid pressure is above 90 psi and the massage fluid pressure is below 90 psi. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises: a pump body; a piston positioned within the pump body and movable relative thereto; and a drive linkage coupling the piston to the motor, wherein as the motor rotates, the piston is moved between a first position and a second position within the pump body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising: a linkage assembly coupling the pump to the motor; and a gearbox covering the linkage assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising: one or more light emitting diodes coupled to the control module, wherein when the massage mode is selected, the one or more light emitting diodes are illuminated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The oral irrigator of claim 9, wherein the normal pulse rate is determined based on a reciprocating motion of the pump. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, wherein during the normal mode, the control module provides a substantially constant control signal to the motor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising: a housing; a chassis positioned to the housing and supporting the pump and motor; and one or more isolators coupled between the chassis and the housing, wherein the isolators absorb vibrations from the motor and the pump. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The oral irrigator of claim 1, further comprising a pressure control actuator that independent of the normal mode or the massage mode allows a user to vary an outlet fluid pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The oral irrigator of claim 13, wherein the pressure control actuator mechanically adjusts one or more characteristics of a fluid flow path between the reservoir and the tip to vary the outlet fluid pressure. ### Claim 15 An oral irrigation device comprising: a fluid reservoir; a reciprocating pump in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir; a tip in fluid communication with the pump; a motor operably connected to the pump, wherein the motor drives the pump to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir to the tip; a mechanically adjustable valve that varies one or more fluid path characteristics of a flow path between the reservoir and the tip to change an outlet fluid pressure of fluid exiting the tip; and a processing element in electrical communication with the motor, wherein the processing element performs the following operations: responsive to receiving a first user input, the processing element varies a voltage applied to the motor to vary a fluid output pressure of the fluid exiting the tip; and responsive to receiving a second user input, the processing element varies a frequency applied to the motor to vary a fluid pulse rate of the fluid exiting the tip. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The oral irrigation device of claim 15, wherein: the motor comprises a drive shaft coupled to a gear shaft and a drive gear; and the pump comprises a piston coupled to the drive gear.