# US 11,992,379 B1 · Oral health device having a handle with a manifold switching mechanism

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- Number: US 11,992,379 B1
- Document ID: US11992379B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/375,227
- Filed: 2023-09-29
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2023-09-29
- Assignees: Fresh Health Inc.
- Applicants: Fresh Health Inc.
- Inventors: Bruce Michael Schena
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992379B1

## CPC

- A61C 17/0211: {specially adapted for rinsing the teeth of at least one jaw simultaneously (A61C17/20 takes precedence)}
- A61C 17/0202: {Hand-pieces}
- A61C 17/028: with intermittent liquid flow
- A61C 17/36: with rinsing means
- A61H 13/005: {Hydraulic gum massage}
- 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)
- 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)

## Abstract

An oral health device includes an oral insert and a fluid delivery system. The oral insert includes a plurality of manifolds for conveying fluid to orifices in the oral insert. The fluid delivery system including a manifold switching mechanism that selectively delivers pressurized fluid to a manifold selected from the plurality of manifolds. The manifold switching mechanism selectively aligns a gateway with one of the manifolds.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An oral health device, comprising:
an oral insert including a plurality of manifolds for conveying fluid to orifices in the oral insert; and
a fluid delivery system including a manifold switching mechanism that selectively delivers pressurized fluid to a manifold selected from the plurality of manifolds, wherein the manifold switching mechanism selectively aligns a gateway with one of the manifolds.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The oral health device of claim 1, wherein the manifold switching mechanism is an axial seal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The oral health device of claim 1, wherein the manifold switching mechanism includes a manifold disc and a manifold selector disc.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The oral health device of claim 3, wherein the fluid delivery system includes a bias mechanism that applies a force to the manifold selector disc.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The oral health device of claim 3, wherein a low friction material is located between the manifold disc and the manifold selector disc.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The oral health device of claim 5, wherein the low friction material is held in place using one or more anti-rotation keys.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The oral health device of claim 3, wherein the manifold disc includes a first plurality of holes.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The oral health device of claim 7, wherein each hole of the first plurality of holes corresponds to one of the manifolds.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The oral health device of claim 8, wherein the manifold selector disc includes an opening.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The oral health device of claim 9, wherein the opening has a shape that exposes one of the first plurality of holes and covers remaining holes of the first plurality of holes during a cleaning phase.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The oral health device of claim 9, wherein the opening has a shape that exposes a first portion of a first hole of the first plurality of holes and a second portion of a second hole of the first plurality of holes during a transition phase.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The oral health device of claim 7, wherein a low friction material located between the manifold disc and the manifold selector disc includes a second plurality of holes, wherein a first number of holes included in the first plurality of holes is equal to a second number of holes included in the second plurality of holes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The oral health device of claim 3, wherein the manifold selector disc includes an opening and a cutout portion.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The oral health device of claim 13, wherein a first volume of the opening is substantially equal to a second volume of the cutout portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The oral health device of claim 13, wherein the opening is located diametrically opposite to the cutout portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 3)

The oral health device of claim 3, wherein the manifold selector disc is coupled to a planetary gear carrier.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier includes three planet gears.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier includes a sun gear that is coupled to a motor via a motor shaft.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The oral health device of claim 18, wherein an O-ring seal is located on the motor shaft between the sun gear and the motor.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier has a gear ratio of 7:1.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier causes the manifold selector disc to rotate counterclockwise.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier causes the manifold selector disc to rotate clockwise.

### Claim 23 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier is coupled to a point contact bearing.

### Claim 24 (depends on 16)

The oral health device of claim 16, wherein the planetary gear carrier includes a stub shaft.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The oral health device of claim 24, wherein the stub shaft is asymmetrical.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The oral health device of claim 25, wherein the asymmetrical stub shaft is configured to fit through a shaft opening of the manifold selector disc.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The oral health device of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system includes a fluid reservoir and a handle, wherein the fluid reservoir includes the fluid and is coupled to the handle, wherein the handle includes the manifold switching mechanism.