TIP FOR ORAL IRRIGATOR

Abstract

A oral irrigator tip for an oral irrigator. The oral irrigator tip may include a shaft portion with a base, an apex, and a transitional portion linking the base to the apex. The shaft portion may be straight or angled. The shaft portion may be hollow from the base to the apex to define a fluid passage, thus permitting fluid to flow along the shaft portion. A retaining feature may be formed on the shaft portion to facilitate retention of the oral irrigator tip by an oral irrigator. A connector may join a nozzle to the shaft portion. Attached to the connector may be a bristle element, which may include multiple individual bristles glued or otherwise affixed to the connector. The bristles may be arranged in a circular pattern; water may flow around the individual bristles or through the center of the bristles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an oral irrigator, showing the oral irrigator with an embodiment of an oral irrigator tip.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of an oral irrigator tip.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the oral irrigator tip of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of an oral irrigator tip.

FIG. 5 is a partial exploded perspective view of the oral irrigator tip of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-section view of the oral irrigator tip of FIG. 2, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section view similar to FIG. 6, showing another embodiment of the bristle element.

FIG. 8 is a partial exploded perspective view similar to FIG. 5, showing another embodiment of an oral irrigator tip including a nozzle fixedly attached to a shaft portion.

Claims

1. An oral irrigator tip, comprising: a nozzle including an outlet opening and an inlet opening in fluid communication with the outlet opening; anda bristle element proximate the outlet opening of the nozzle.

2. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the bristle element at least partially comprises a truncated cone.

3. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the bristle element comprises a plurality of bristles.

4. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, further comprising: a shaft portion including a fluid passage;the shaft portion configured to provide fluid communication between the oral irrigator and the nozzle.

5. The oral irrigator tip of claim 4, wherein the nozzle is fixedly joined to the shaft portion.

6. The oral irrigator tip of claim 4, wherein the shaft portion is configured to be removably coupled to the oral irrigator.

7. The oral irrigator tip of claim 4, wherein the shaft portion comprises a base, an apex, and a transitional portion linking the base to the apex.

8. The oral irrigator tip of claim 7, further comprising a connector configured to be removably coupled to the apex.

9. The oral irrigator of claim 8, wherein the connector is removably coupled to the apex.

10. The oral irrigator of claim 9, wherein the connector is configured to be removably coupled to the nozzle.

11. The oral irrigator of claim 10, wherein the connector is removably coupled to the nozzle.

12. The oral irrigator tip of claim 8, wherein the bristle element at least partially extends through the connector.

13. The oral irrigator tip of claim 12, wherein the bristle element is attached to the connector.

14. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is placed within the bristle element.

15. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises rubber.

16. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the nozzle comprises plastic.

17. The oral irrigator tip of claim 1, wherein the bristle element is movable relative to the nozzle.

18. The oral irrigator tip of claim 4, wherein the shaft portion comprises a retaining feature.

19. The oral irrigator tip of claim 18, wherein the retaining feature comprises a groove.

20. The oral irrigator tip of claim 4, wherein the shaft portion comprises an anti-rotation feature.