US-12616561-B2 - Vibration isolator for oral irrigators

US12616561B2US 12616561 B2US12616561 B2US 12616561B2US-12616561-B2

Abstract

In one embodiment, an oral irrigator is disclosed. The oral irrigator may include a housing, a drive assembly positioned within the housing, a pump assembly coupled to the drive assembly and an isolator assembly coupled to at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly and configured to dampen vibrations generated by either or both of the drive assembly or the pump assembly. The isolator assembly includes a chassis operably coupled to a portion of at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly, an engagement arm coupled to and extending outwards from the chassis, and a dampener positioned between the chassis and a portion of the housing, the dampener comprising a pocket defined therein and configured to support the isolator assembly within the housing, where the engagement arm engages an engagement surface of the dampener separate from a pocket surface defining the pocket.

Inventors

Robert D. Wagner

Assignees

WATER PIK, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20240126

Claims (17)

1 . An oral irrigator comprising: a housing; a drive assembly positioned within the housing; a pump assembly coupled to the drive assembly; and an isolator assembly coupled to at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly and configured to dampen vibrations generated by either or both of the drive assembly or the pump assembly, the isolator assembly comprising: a chassis operably coupled to a portion of at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly; an engagement arm coupled to and extending outwards from the chassis; and a dampener positioned between the chassis and a portion of the housing, the dampener comprising a pocket defined therein and configured to support the isolator assembly within the housing, wherein the engagement arm engages an engagement surface of the dampener separate from a pocket surface defining the pocket, wherein the engagement arm comprises a first engagement arm and a second engagement arm, wherein the first engagement arm contacts the engagement surface of the dampener and the second engagement arm is positioned adjacent to the pocket surface of the dampener.
2 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the engagement surface forms an exterior surface of the dampener.
3 . The oral irrigator of claim 2 , wherein the exterior surface is a top surface of the dampener and is positioned above the pocket surface.
4 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement arm is coupled to the dampener at a location other than the pocket.
5 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the second engagement arm is positioned within the pocket and the engagement surface is positioned above the pocket such that the first engagement arm is positioned above the pocket.
6 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a mounting surface and the dampener includes a mounting head received through an aperture within the mounting surface and the dampener supports the chassis above the mounting surface.
7 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the chassis is operably coupled to at least one of: a drive shaft of the drive assembly; one or more gears of the drive assembly; a connecting arm of the pump assembly; or a piston of the pump assembly.
8 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , further comprising a stop coupled to at least one of the dampener or the engagement arm and configured to limit motion of the engagement arm relative to the dampener in at least one direction.
9 . The oral irrigator of claim 1 , wherein the pocket is a first pocket and the dampener comprises a second pocket, wherein the engagement surface is formed in the second pocket and the first engagement arm is at least partially received within the second pocket.
10 . An oral irrigator comprising: a housing; a vibration generating component positioned within the housing; and an isolator assembly coupled to the vibration generating component comprising: a chassis coupled to the vibration generating component; an engagement arm coupled to the chassis; and a dampener positioned between the chassis and the housing, wherein the engagement arm engages a top surface of the dampener and a bottom surface of the dampener engages the housing, wherein the engagement arm comprises a first engagement arm and a second engagement arm, wherein the first engagement arm engages the top surface of the dampener and the second engagement arm engages another surface of the dampener that is not the top surface.
11 . The oral irrigator of claim 10 , wherein the vibration generating component comprises a portion of a drive assembly or a pump assembly for the oral irrigator.
12 . The oral irrigator of claim 10 , wherein the dampener further comprises a pocket defined through a sidewall thereof.
13 . The oral irrigator of claim 12 , wherein the second engagement arm is received at least partially within the pocket.
14 . The oral irrigator of claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the second engagement arm is less than a height of the pocket.
15 . An oral irrigator comprising: a substrate; a chassis comprising an engagement arm; a vibration generating component supported by the chassis; and a dampener separating the chassis from the substrate to reduce transfer of vibrations from the vibration generating component to the substrate, the dampener including a body, and first and second slots defined on a side of the body; wherein a portion of the chassis is received in the first slot; and wherein the second slot is positioned between the first slot and the substrate to reduce transfer of vibrations to the substrate, wherein the engagement arm comprises a first engagement arm, wherein the chassis further includes a second engagement arm, and wherein a portion of the body of the dampener is positioned between the first engagement arm and the second engagement arm.
16 . The oral irrigator of claim 15 , wherein the first slot and the second slot form a continuous space in the side of the body of the dampener such that the portion of the chassis occupies the first slot and the second slot is positioned directly beneath the portion of the chassis.
17 . The oral irrigator of claim 15 , wherein the portion of the chassis comprises a portion of the engagement arm.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/441,628 filed on 27 Jan. 2023 titled “Vibration Isolator for Oral Irrigators,” and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/538,261 filed on 13 Sep. 2023 titled “Oral Irrigator,” all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to oral health devices, such as oral irrigators. BACKGROUND Many people use oral irrigators and other electronic oral health devices, such as tooth brushes, to maintain and improve oral health. Many oral irrigators include an electrically driven pump that pumps fluid from a reservoir or other fluid supply to a handle. The pump assembly and drive assembly for operating the pump typically include a motor, a pump and/or gear housing, and various linkages. During operation, the pump assembly components can generate vibrations and noise due to the moving parts, e.g., the motor can generate vibrations when the drive shaft rotates. The vibrations often may be passed through to the housing and other external components of the oral irrigator, generating noise (e.g., rattling of the parts), and cause an unpleasant user experience, as well as generate wear due to movement on the moving parts. As such, there is a need for improved vibration isolators for pump assembles and/or drive assemblies for oral irrigators and other oral health devices. SUMMARY In one embodiment, an oral irrigator is disclosed. The oral irrigator may include a housing, a drive assembly positioned within the housing, a pump assembly coupled to the drive assembly and an isolator assembly coupled to at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly and configured to dampen vibrations generated by either or both of the drive assembly or the pump assembly. The isolator assembly includes a chassis operably coupled to a portion of at least one of the drive assembly or the pump assembly, an engagement arm coupled to and extending outwards from the chassis, and a dampener positioned between the chassis and a portion of the housing, the dampener comprising a pocket defined therein and configured to support the isolator assembly within the housing, where the engagement arm engages an engagement surface of the dampener separate from a pocket surface defining the pocket. Optionally, in some embodiments, the engagement surface forms an exterior surface of the dampener. Optionally, in some embodiments, the exterior surface is a top surface of the dampener and is positioned above the pocket surface. Optionally, in some embodiments, the engagement arm is coupled to the dampener at a location other than the pocket. Optionally, in some embodiments, the engagement arm includes a first engagement arm and a second engagement arm, wherein the first engagement arm contacts the engagement surface of the dampener and the second engagement arm is positioned adjacent to the pocket surface of the dampener. Optionally, in some embodiments, the second engagement arm is positioned within the pocket and the engagement surface is positioned above the pocket such that the first engagement arm is positioned above the pocket. Optionally, in some embodiments, the pocket surface includes a first pocket surface, a second pocket surface, and a third pocket surface, wherein the second engagement arm contacts the first pocket surface and the third pocket surface and does not contact the second pocket surface. Optionally, in some embodiments, the engagement surface is positioned above the pocket and the first pocket surface forms an interior surface of the pocket, and the third pocket surface forms a bottom interior surface of the pocket; and the second engagement arm is at least partially received within the pocket. Optionally, in some embodiments, the housing includes a mounting surface and the dampener includes a mounting head received through an aperture within the mounting surface and the dampener supports the chassis above the mounting surface. Optionally, in some embodiments, the chassis does not contact the mounting surface. Optionally, in some embodiments, the mounting surface defines a bottom surface of the housing. Optionally, in some embodiments, the chassis is operably coupled to at least one of: a drive shaft of the drive assembly; one or more gears of the drive assembly; a connecting arm of the pump assembly; or a piston of the pump assembly. Optionally, in some embodiments, the chassis further defines a gear box for receiving gearing for the drive assembly. Optionally, in some embodiments, the oral irrigator includes a stop coupled to at least one of the dampener or the engagement arm and configured to limit motion of the engagement arm relative to the dampener in at least one direction. Optionally, in some embodiments, the pocket is a first pocket and the dampener includes a second pocket, wherein the engagement surface