Spray nozzle and dental cleaning system

Abstract

A dental cleaning system for providing a liquid jet for a mouth rinse includes a nozzle member, a nozzle attachment coupled to the nozzle member to define an axially extending chamber, a liquid duct configured to supply pressurized liquid to the chamber, a pressure piece disposed within the chamber, and a nozzle outlet extending out of the chamber and configured to discharge a cleaning jet.

1 . A dental cleaning system comprising:
 a spray nozzle;   a nozzle member;   a nozzle attachment coupled to the nozzle member to define an axially extending chamber;   a liquid duct configured to supply pressurized liquid to the chamber;   a pressure piece disposed within the chamber;   a nozzle outlet extending out of the chamber and configured to discharge a cleaning jet;   a hand piece to support the spray nozzle;   a pump adapted to be driven by an electric motor and disposed within the hand piece and connected to the liquid duct by a delivery tube; and   a storage reservoir in fluid communication with the liquid duct.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the spray nozzle is detachably connected to the hand piece, the hand piece being configured to receive a plurality of spray nozzles. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the pump is switchable between multiple modes of operation depending upon the spray nozzle connected to the hand piece. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 a sensor to detect an operating parameter of the motor; and 
 a control unit configured to receive the operating parameter detected by the sensor; 
 wherein the electric motor is controllable by the control unit as a function of an operating mode assigned to the detected operating parameter. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising at least two operating modes, including a high-pressure mode for the removal of dental plaque and a reduced-pressure mode for an oral rinse. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the operating parameter comprises rotational speed. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the operating parameter comprises torque. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 4  further comprising a pressure sensor disposed between the pump and the spray nozzle for detecting the pressure of the cleaning liquid fed to the spray nozzle, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a signal indicative of the detected pressure from the pressure sensor and the electric motor is controllable by the control unit as a function of the operating mode assigned to the detected pressure. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a crank mechanism, the crank mechanism comprising:
 a drive device; 
 a drive element adapted to be driven for rotation about an axis of rotation by the drive device; and 
 an eccentric shaft adjustably arranged on the drive element a total eccentric dimension away from and parallel to the axis of rotation. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the drive element is adapted to be driven for rotation in reversible manner and the eccentric shaft is arranged on an output element which is arranged on the drive element so as to be freely pivotal between a first and a second end position about a pivot axis arranged a first eccentricity away from and parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the output element comprises a disk that is mounted on the drive element so as to be pivotal about the pivot axis, the disk carries a crankpin that extends with a second eccentricity parallel to the axis of rotation, and the drive element comprises an axially projecting driver that is pivotal with the drive element and projects between two stops defining the two end positions along the disk. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the second eccentricity of the crankpin is greater than the first eccentricity of the disk. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first eccentricity of the crankshaft is smaller than the second eccentricity of the crankpin. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the stops comprise arcuate concentrically arranged grooves in the disk in which the driver is movable, the grooves extending preferably over an angular range of up to about 180°. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the drive shaft is operably connected to a drive gear. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a plunger pump including a pump housing and a pump chamber, the pump chamber including a pump inlet and a pump outlet; 
 a piston movably guided in the pump chamber and sealed against the wall of the pump chamber by a seal; and 
 an eccentric drive mechanism to drive the piston, 
 wherein the eccentric drive mechanism is operably connected to the piston through a crankpin extending in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the piston, the piston being slidably guided in two spaced bearings of the pump housing. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein at least one of the bearings is disposed in an end area of the displacement travel of the piston in the pump housing. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the crankpin is mounted for rotation in a sliding-block, the sliding-block being movably arranged in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the piston along a sliding-block guideway connected to the piston. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the sliding-block has a cylindrical cross section and the sliding-block guideway is constructed as a bore with a portion of the corresponding cross section being formed fast with the piston. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein a wall of the sliding-block guideway comprises an elongated hole for the crankpin to pass through, the elongated hole having a greater width than the diameter of the crankpin. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the crankpin is configured to rotate along the slider in a bearing which is inserted in a bore of the slider and the piston configured to rotate about its longitudinal axis and the slider is configured to rotate about its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         22 . A dental cleaning system, the system comprising:
 a spray nozzle;   a nozzle member;   a nozzle attachment coupled to the nozzle member to define an axially extending chamber;   a liquid duct configured to supply pressurized liquid to the chamber;   a pressure piece disposed within the chamber;   a nozzle outlet extending out of the chamber and configured to discharge a cleaning jet; and   a brush attachment connected to the spray nozzle.   
     
     
         23 . The dental cleaning system of  claim 22  wherein the brush attachment is substantially ring-shaped.