Electric toothbrush with integrated water flosser

Abstract

An electric toothbrush with integrated water flosser includes a handle, a brush head having a plurality of bristles for brushing teeth and a liquid spray nozzle for spraying a pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid, a liquid reservoir, a liquid pump for providing liquid from the reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle, and a motor for moving the bristles of the brush head and operating the liquid pump to supply the high-pressure liquid to the liquid spray nozzle. One or more manually-activated switches are provided for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation including: (a) both moving the bristles and simultaneously spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle at the same time; (b) moving the bristles but not spraying any liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; and (c) spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle but not moving the bristles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric toothbrush with water flosser comprising:
 a handle forming an internal cavity;   a brush head extending from the handle and having a plurality of bristles configured for brushing teeth and a liquid spray nozzle configured for spraying a pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid between the teeth and gums;   a liquid reservoir configured to hold liquid;   a liquid passage extending from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle;   a liquid pump located within the internal cavity;   a motor located within the internal cavity and having at least one rotatable drive shaft operatively connected to the brush head to selectively move the bristles to brush the teeth and operatively connected to the liquid pump to selectively operate the liquid pump to supply liquid through the liquid passage from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle; and   at least one manually-actuated switch operatively connected to the motor for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation including:
 (a) both moving the bristles and spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; and 
 (b) moving the bristles but not spraying any liquid from the liquid spray nozzle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid passage extends through at least a portion of a drive shaft for the brush head. 
     
     
         3 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the brush head is selectively removable from the body. 
     
     
         4 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , further comprising an electric power source located within the internal cavity and operatively connected to the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid out of and parallel to the bristles. 
     
     
         6 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid above and at an acute angle relative to the bristles. 
     
     
         7 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid at the top of the brush head. 
     
     
         8 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         9 . A handheld electric toothbrush with water flosser comprising:
 a handle forming at least one internal cavity;   a brush head extending from the handle and having a plurality of bristles configured for brushing teeth and a liquid spray nozzle configured for spraying a high-pressure stream of liquid between the teeth and gums;   a liquid reservoir located within the internal cavity and configured to hold liquid;   a liquid passage extending from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle;   a liquid pump located within the internal cavity;   a motor located within the internal cavity and having at least one rotatable drive shaft operatively connected to the brush head to selectively move the bristles to brush the teeth and operatively connected to the liquid pump to selectively operate the liquid pump to supply liquid through the liquid passage from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle;   an electric power source located within the internal cavity and operatively connected to the motor to selectively rotate the drive shaft; and   at least one manually-actuated switch operatively connected to the motor for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation including:
 (a) both moving the bristles and spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; 
 (b) moving the bristles but not spraying any liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; and 
 (c) spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid to the liquid spray nozzle but not moving the bristles. 
   
     
     
         10 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid passage extends through at least a portion of a drive shaft for the brush head. 
     
     
         11 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 9 , wherein the brush head is selectively removable from the body. 
     
     
         12 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid above and at an acute angle relative to the bristles. 
     
     
         13 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid at the top of the brush head. 
     
     
         14 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 9 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         15 . An electric toothbrush with water flosser comprising:
 a base unit configured to be supported on a horizontal support surface and including:
 a liquid reservoir located within the base unit and configured to hold liquid; and 
   a handheld unit operably connected to the base unit and including:
 a handle forming at least one internal cavity; 
 a brush head extending from the handle and having a plurality of bristles configured for brushing teeth and a liquid spray nozzle configured for spraying a high-pressure stream of liquid between the teeth and gums; 
 a liquid passage extending from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle; 
 a liquid pump located within the internal cavity; 
 a motor located within the internal cavity and having at least one rotatable drive shaft operatively connected to the brush head to selectively move the bristles to brush the teeth and operatively connected to the liquid pump to selectively operate the liquid pump to supply liquid through the liquid passage from the liquid reservoir to the liquid spray nozzle; and 
 at least one manually-actuated switch operatively connected to the motor for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation including:
 (a) both moving the bristles and spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; 
 (b) moving the bristles but not spraying any liquid from the liquid spray nozzle; and 
 (c) spraying the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid from the liquid spray nozzle but not moving the bristles. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid passage extends through at least a portion of a drive shaft for the brush head. 
     
     
         17 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the brush head is selectively removable from the body. 
     
     
         18 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid above and at an acute angle relative to the bristles. 
     
     
         19 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle is positioned to spray the pulsating high-pressure stream of liquid at the top of the brush head. 
     
     
         20 . The electric toothbrush of  claim 15 , wherein the liquid spray nozzle comprises a flexible material.