# US 2010/0167236 A1 · Non-pressurized system fore creating liquid droplets in a dental cleaning appliance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167236 A1 - Document ID: US20100167236A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/344,852 - Filed: 2008-12-29 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-29 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Inventors: DAINIA EDWARDS; TYLER G. KLOSTER; WOLTER F. BENNING - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167236A1 ## CPC - A61C 17/0202: {Hand-pieces} - A61C 1/0084: {Supply units, e.g. reservoir arrangements, specially adapted pumps} - A61C 1/0092: {Pumps specially adapted therefor} - A61C 15/00: Devices for cleaning between the teeth - A61C 17/028: with intermittent liquid flow - B05B 7/2418: {Air pumps actuated by the operator, e.g. manually actuated} - F04B 17/044: {using solenoids directly actuating the piston} - F04B 17/06: Mobile combinations - 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) - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract The appliance (10, FIG. 1) includes a body portion (27) and a nozzle portion (30) through which a spray of liquid droplets exits from a distal end thereof for cleaning of dental regions. The nozzle includes an orifice (36) at a proximal end thereof adjacent the body portion, as well as a pump (38) for moving liquid into an area of the nozzle just forward of the orifice. A mechanical system (12, 13, 14) is provided for moving a plunger or piston element (16) first away from the orifice under tension, such as a compression spring(24), and then controllably releasing the plunger or piston toward the orifice, the plunger/piston moving with sufficient force that atmospheric air which has been drawn into the appliance between the plunger or piston is forced through the orifice at a sufficiently high rate of speed to produce a spray of fluid droplets for dental cleaning when the moving air comes into contact with the liquid in the nozzle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fluid droplet appliance for dental cleaning, comprising: a dental cleaning appliance (10) having a body portion (27) and a nozzle portion (30) for exit of a spray of liquid droplets from a distal end thereof, a liquid reservoir (38) wherein in operation liquid is moved from the reservoir into an area of the nozzle near an open proximal end thereof, and a system (12, 13, 14, 24) for driving a plunger or piston element (16) toward the proximal end of the nozzle with sufficient force that air acted on by the plunger or piston element is forced or released into the nozzle at a high rate of speed, sufficient to create a spray of liquid droplets when the moving air comes into contact with the liquid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 1, including an orifice (36) at a proximal end of the nozzle portion, through which air is forced by action of the plunger or piston element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 2, wherein the appliance includes a motor (12), a battery (14) for the motor and a gear train (12), including a drive gear (13) which mates with a gear rack (18) on the plunger or piston element (16), wherein movement of the drive gear moves the plunger rearwardly of the appliance against a compression spring (24), wherein the plunger is released upon reaching a certain position relative to the compression spring, moving air through the orifice. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 3, wherein the drive gear includes an open section on its periphery, and wherein when that the open section comes into position adjacent the gear rack on the plunger or piston element, there is no engagement between the plunger or piston element, and the plunger or piston element is released. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 3, wherein the appliance includes a user-operated element (17) to actuate the appliance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 1, wherein atmospheric air is drawn into the appliance by action of the plunger or piston element being moved away from the orifice. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 6, wherein air is drawn into the appliance through the orifice or through a one-way valve in the body of the appliance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 2, wherein the system for moving a plunger or piston element includes a voice coil (60) surrounding a magnet (64) and a capacitor (62), wherein the magnet is connected to a piston member (66), and further including a source of power (68) which charges the capacitor, wherein in operation the voice coil pulls the magnet to the rear of the appliance, away from the orifice, wherein discharge of the capacitor results in the magnet moving the plunger or piston member forwardly, forcing air through the orifice (70). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 8, wherein the appliance includes a user-operated element (72) to actuate the appliance. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 8, wherein atmospheric air moves into the appliance by action of the piston being moved away from the orifice. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 2, wherein the orifice is within the range of 0.5-10 mm in diameter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 1, wherein the velocity of the liquid droplets from the distal end of the nozzle is within the range of 10-200 meters per second. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The fluid droplet appliance of claim 2, including a pump (82) which operates on the plunger or piston (84) to compress air into a valve (88) which, when released, is directed through the orifice (90) to make contact with liquid in the nozzle (92).