Oral health device having a handle with a manifold switching mechanism
An oral health device includes an oral insert and a fluid delivery system. The oral insert includes a plurality of manifolds for conveying fluid to orifices in the oral insert. The fluid delivery system including a manifold switching mechanism that selectively delivers pressurized fluid to a manifold selected from the plurality of manifolds. The manifold switching mechanism selectively aligns a gateway with one of the manifolds.
1. An oral health device, comprising:
an oral insert including a plurality of manifolds for conveying fluid to orifices in the oral insert; and
a fluid delivery system including a manifold switching mechanism that selectively delivers pressurized fluid to a manifold selected from the plurality of manifolds, wherein the manifold switching mechanism selectively aligns a gateway with one of the manifolds.
2. The oral health device of claim 1 , wherein the manifold switching mechanism is an axial seal.
3. The oral health device of claim 1 , wherein the manifold switching mechanism includes a manifold disc and a manifold selector disc.
4. The oral health device of claim 3 , wherein the fluid delivery system includes a bias mechanism that applies a force to the manifold selector disc.
5. The oral health device of claim 3 , wherein a low friction material is located between the manifold disc and the manifold selector disc.
6. The oral health device of claim 5 , wherein the low friction material is held in place using one or more anti-rotation keys.
7. The oral health device of claim 3 , wherein the manifold disc includes a first plurality of holes.
8. The oral health device of claim 7 , wherein each hole of the first plurality of holes corresponds to one of the manifolds.
9. The oral health device of claim 8 , wherein the manifold selector disc includes an opening.
10. The oral health device of claim 9 , wherein the opening has a shape that exposes one of the first plurality of holes and covers remaining holes of the first plurality of holes during a cleaning phase.
11. The oral health device of claim 9 , wherein the opening has a shape that exposes a first portion of a first hole of the first plurality of holes and a second portion of a second hole of the first plurality of holes during a transition phase.
12. The oral health device of claim 7 , wherein a low friction material located between the manifold disc and the manifold selector disc includes a second plurality of holes, wherein a first number of holes included in the first plurality of holes is equal to a second number of holes included in the second plurality of holes.
13. The oral health device of claim 3 , wherein the manifold selector disc includes an opening and a cutout portion.
14. The oral health device of claim 13 , wherein a first volume of the opening is substantially equal to a second volume of the cutout portion.
15. The oral health device of claim 13 , wherein the opening is located diametrically opposite to the cutout portion.
16. The oral health device of claim 3 , wherein the manifold selector disc is coupled to a planetary gear carrier.
17. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier includes three planet gears.
18. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier includes a sun gear that is coupled to a motor via a motor shaft.
19. The oral health device of claim 18 , wherein an O-ring seal is located on the motor shaft between the sun gear and the motor.
20. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier has a gear ratio of 7:1.
21. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier causes the manifold selector disc to rotate counterclockwise.
22. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier causes the manifold selector disc to rotate clockwise.
23. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier is coupled to a point contact bearing.
24. The oral health device of claim 16 , wherein the planetary gear carrier includes a stub shaft.
25. The oral health device of claim 24 , wherein the stub shaft is asymmetrical.
26. The oral health device of claim 25 , wherein the asymmetrical stub shaft is configured to fit through a shaft opening of the manifold selector disc.
27. The oral health device of claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery system includes a fluid reservoir and a handle, wherein the fluid reservoir includes the fluid and is coupled to the handle, wherein the handle includes the manifold switching mechanism.