Oral irrigator with massage mode
AssigneeWater Pik, Inc.
InventorsHarold A. Luettgen, Gordon Haszier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An irrigating device, such as an oral irrigator or a nasal irrigator. The irrigating device includes a pump and a motor connected to the pump and configured to selectively drive the pump. Additionally, the irrigating device includes a massage module in communication with the motor. During a normal mode, the pump has a first pulse rate and during a massage mode, the massage module provides a massage control signal to the motor, causing the pump to have a second pulse rate.
Claims27
An oral irrigator comprising:
- a reservoir;
- a handle including a tip, the handle and tip being in fluid communication with the reservoir;
- a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and the handle;
- a motor connected to the pump and configured to selectively actuate the pump;
- and
- a processing element in communication with the motor, wherein upon receiving a user input, the processing element provides either a first control signal or a second control signal to the motor, wherein
- the first control signal supplies a constant voltage to the motor;
- the second control signal supplies a voltage varying in at least one of magnitude or frequency;
- and
- the application of the first control signal controls a first fluid flow rate over a first time duration cycled at a first pulse rate through the tip or the second control signal controls a second, variable fluid flow rate over a second time duration cycled at a plurality of pulse rates through the tip.
An irrigating device comprising:
- a pump;
- a motor connected to the pump and configured to selectively drive the pump;
- a massage mode module in communication with the motor, wherein the massage mode module generates a normal control signal having a constant voltage and a massage control signal having a voltage varying in at least one of magnitude or frequency;
- wherein
- during a normal mode, the massage module provides the normal control signal to the motor causing the pump to cycle at a first pulse rate having a first flow rate over a first time duration;
- and
- during a massage mode, the massage mode module provides the massage control signal to the motor, causing the pump to cycle at variable pulse rate having a second flow rate for a second time duration.
A method for varying a pulse rate of a liquid deposited into an oral cavity of a user by an oral irrigator comprising
- activating a motor connected to pump;
- determining by a processing element whether a massage mode should be activated;
- if the massage mode is activated, providing a massage signal from the processing element to the motor, causing the pump to cyclically output a massage pulse at a varying pulse rate having a first flow rate over a first time duration;
- and
- if the massage mode is not activated, providing a normal signal from the processing element to the motor, causing the pump to cyclically output a constant pulse rate having a second flow rate over a second time duration;
- wherein
- the normal signal comprises a constant voltage;
- and
- the massage signal comprises a voltage varying in at least one of frequency or magnitude.
An oral irrigator comprising:
- a reservoir defining a fluid cavity;
- a pump in fluid communication with the fluid cavity;
- a motor connected to the pump and configured to selectively activate the pump;
- a handle in fluid communication with the pump;
- and
- a signal generator in communication with the motor wherein, upon receiving a user input, the signal generator provides either a first control signal supplying a voltage to the motor varying in magnitude, or frequency, or both, to control a first variable fluid flow rate with a plurality of pulse rates over a first time duration or a second control signal supplying a constant voltage to the motor to control a second, constant fluid flow rate with a constant pulse rate over a second time duration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.