Oral irrigation device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2021-12-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
【0007】 本開示によれば、電池収納部の小型化を図ることが可能な口腔洗浄装置を得ることができる。
Smart Images

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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an oral irrigator.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, an oral irrigator driven by a battery built into a device body is known.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003] <According to this disclosure, it is possible to obtain an oral irrigation device that can achieve miniaturization of the battery compartment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0008] [Figure 1] This figure schematically shows the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment housed in a tank. [Figure 3] This is a side view showing the disengaged state of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment in its stored position. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment in a state where it has been pulled out from the tank. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment housed in a tank, with some parts omitted. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment in a state where it has been pulled out from the tank, with some parts omitted. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the tank of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, viewed from one side above. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, viewed from another direction above. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, seen from below. [Figure 11] This is a rear view showing the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment. [Figure 12] This figure shows the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, and is a side view showing the lower end side enlarged in an inverted state of the device body. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, and is a perspective view of the main body of the device with the battery cover open, viewed from below. [Figure 14] This is a diagram showing the main body of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment, and it is a rear view showing the main body of the device with the battery cover open. [Figure 15] This is a diagram showing the main body of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment, and it is a side view showing an enlarged view of the lower end side in a state where the main body of the device with the battery cover open is inverted. [Figure 16] This is a diagram showing the main body of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment, and it is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the lower end side in a state where the main body of the device with the battery cover removed is inverted. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view of the battery cover of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment as viewed from the inside. [Figure 18] This is a perspective view of the battery cover of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment as viewed from the outside. [Figure 19] This is a plan view showing the battery cover of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 20] This is a rear view showing the battery cover of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a side view showing the battery cover of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 22] This is a side view showing the cover body of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 23] This is a side view showing the battery base of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [[ID=3 / 0]] [Figure 24] This is a plan view showing the battery base of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 25] This is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the back side of the battery base of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 26] This is a side view showing the leaf spring of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment. [Figure 27] This is a diagram showing the battery storage part of the oral cleaning device according to this embodiment, and it is a cross-sectional view showing a partially enlarged state where the battery is inserted in the correct position and the battery cover is attached. [Figure 28]This is a diagram showing the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment, and is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the battery inserted in the reverse position and the battery cover attached. [Figure 29] This is a diagram showing the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view showing a partially enlarged view with the battery and battery cover removed. [Figure 30] This figure schematically shows an example of an engagement groove formed in the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment. [Figure 31] This figure schematically shows a first modified example of the engagement groove formed in the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment. [Figure 32] This figure schematically shows a second modified example of the engagement groove formed in the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment. [Figure 33] This figure schematically shows a third modified example of the engagement groove formed in the battery compartment of the oral irrigator according to this embodiment. [Figure 34] This figure shows the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, and is a rear view showing the main body of the device with the battery cover in a half-open state but not protruding from the large diameter portion. [Figure 35] This figure shows the main body of the oral irrigation device according to this embodiment, and is a rear view showing the main body of the device with the battery cover in a half-open state and protruding from the large diameter portion. [Figure 36] This is a side view showing a modified oral irrigation device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted.
[0010] The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.
[0011] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the vertical direction will be defined and described with the oral irrigation device positioned so that the nozzle is located on the upper side.
[0012] (Embodiment) As shown in Figure 1, the oral irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment comprises a tank 2, a device body 3, and a nozzle 4.
[0013] Tank 2 is formed as a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening at the top and a closed bottom end. Inside Tank 2, there is a storage section 2a capable of storing liquid. While water can be used as the liquid stored in the storage section 2a, it is not limited to water and various other liquids can be used. For example, a cleaning solution containing a cleaning agent mixed with water can be used.
[0014] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the device body 3 is supported in the tank 2 in such a way that it can slide vertically (in the longitudinal direction of the device body 3). At this time, the device body 3 is supported in the tank 2 so as to be slidable, with at least its lower end positioned within the storage section 2a.
[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the main body of the device 3 is slid to the lower side of the tank 2 so that it is stored inside the tank 2, allowing the oral irrigator 1 to be stored in a more compact state when not in use. Also, as shown in Figure 4, the main body of the device 3 is slid to the upper side of the tank 2 so that it is pulled out to the top of the tank 2, allowing more liquid to be supplied to the storage section 2a of the tank 2. With the main body of the device 3 pulled out to the top of the tank 2, the nozzle 4 is attached to the main body of the device 3, and liquid is supplied to the storage section 2a of the tank 2, making the oral irrigator 1 usable.
[0016] As described above, the oral irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment is a tank-type retractable oral irrigation device in which the device body 3 is slidably supported in the tank 2 between a stored state where it is housed in the tank 2 and a pulled-out state where it is pulled out from the tank 2. In other words, when the oral irrigation device 1 is not in use, the nozzle 4 can be removed from the device body 3 and the device body 3 can be pushed into the tank 2 for storage. The oral irrigation device 1 can then be used by pulling out the device body 3 from the tank 2 and attaching the nozzle 4 to the device body 3.
[0017] In this embodiment, the device body 3 is detachably supported by the tank 2, and can be removed from the tank 2 by pulling the device body 3 upward. Then, with the lower end of the device body 3 inserted into the tank 2, the device body 3 can be attached to the tank 2 by pushing the device body 3 downward.
[0018] Furthermore, tank 2 is made of polypropylene resin or similar material so that it can be washed in a dishwasher, and is formed in a transparent or translucent container shape to enhance its design. In addition, tank 2 has a perfectly circular horizontal cross-sectional shape so that it can be rotated relative to the main body of the device 3.
[0019] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the tank 2 comprises a substantially cylindrical tubular body 21 with openings at the top and bottom, and a bottom wall 22 that is detachably attached to the tubular body 21 while closing the lower opening of the tubular body 21. By making the bottom wall 22 of the tank 2 removable from the tubular body 21 in this way, the liquid in the storage section 2a can be discharged without removing the main body of the device 3 from the tank 2.
[0020] The bottom wall 22 comprises a roughly disc-shaped bottom wall body 221 and a peripheral wall 222 that extends upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom wall body and is detachably attached to the cylindrical body 21. One method for attaching and detaching such a bottom wall 22 to the cylindrical body 21 is to provide a screw structure on the peripheral wall 222 and the cylindrical body 21, so that the cylindrical body 21 and the bottom wall 22 can rotate relative to each other. In this embodiment, the height of the peripheral wall 222 is set so that, with the bottom wall 22 removed from the cylindrical body 21, the user's fingers can reach the bottom surface (the upper surface: inner surface of the bottom wall body 221). This makes it possible to clean the inner surface of the tank 2 without using a long cleaning brush or the like.
[0021] Furthermore, a packing 2221, acting as a sealing member, is positioned between the cylindrical body 21 and the peripheral wall 222. This packing 2221 is detachably mounted in a groove formed continuously in the circumferential direction on the outer surface of the peripheral wall 222. When the bottom wall 22 is attached to the cylindrical body 21 with the peripheral wall 222 inserted inside the cylindrical body 21, the packing 2221 is made to be in close contact with the cylindrical body 21 and the bottom wall 22. In this way, the space between the cylindrical body 21 and the bottom wall 22 is sealed by the packing 2221 acting as a sealing member. Alternatively, a groove may be provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical body 21, and the packing may be detachably mounted in this groove to seal the space between the cylindrical body 21 and the bottom wall 22.
[0022] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the main body of the device 3 is equipped with a housing 31 that constitutes the outer casing, and this housing 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends in the vertical direction closed. In addition, the housing 31 (main body of the device 3) is also formed with a circular cross-sectional shape so that it can be rotated relative to the tank 2.
[0023] Therefore, in this embodiment, the housing 31 comprises a substantially disc-shaped top wall 311, a substantially cylindrical circumferential wall 312 extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the top wall 311, and a substantially disc-shaped bottom wall 313 provided to close the opening on the lower side of the circumferential wall 312.
[0024] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the top wall 311 has a nozzle mounting section 3111, which is formed in a hollow, elongated shape and is detachably fitted with a nozzle 4 capable of discharging (squirting) liquid from its tip. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 10, the bottom wall 313 has a tube mounting section 3133 to which a tube 5 is attached.
[0025] In this embodiment, the tube 5 is integrally attached to the tube attachment portion 3133, and is positioned within the storage portion 2a of the tank 2 when the device body 3 is slidably attached to the tank 2. The liquid stored in the storage portion 2a is then introduced into the housing 31 (inside the device body 3) via this tube 5.
[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a coil spring 6 is arranged around the tube 5 to maintain its longitudinal orientation. By arranging such a coil spring 6 around the tube 5, the tube 5 can be wound around without bending when the device body 3 is stored in the tank 2, allowing the tube 5 to be neatly stored inside the tank 2. In addition, by arranging the coil spring 6 around the tube 5, the tube 5 can be neatly unwound from its wound state when the device body 3 is pulled out of the tank 2.
[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a flow path 32 is formed inside the housing 31 (device body 3) that allows the liquid introduced via the tube 5 to pass through and be supplied to the nozzle 4. In this embodiment, the flow path 32 is provided inside the housing 31 (device body 3) such that one end communicates with the inner space of the nozzle mounting portion 3111 and the other end communicates with the inner space of the tube attachment portion 3133. In this way, the liquid introduced via the tube 5 is supplied to the nozzle 4 by passing through the flow path 32.
[0028] In this embodiment, the flow path 32 includes an intake passage 321 located upstream of the flow path 32 and a discharge passage 322 located downstream of the flow path 32, and the intake passage 321 and the discharge passage 322 are connected via a pump 323. By operating the pump 323, the liquid in the storage section 2a is drawn up by the tube 5, passed through the flow path 32, and discharged (spurted) from the tip of the nozzle 4.
[0029] Pump 323 comprises a motor 3231, a cam 3232, a piston 3233, and a pump chamber 3234. The motor 3231 is driven by power supplied from a battery 7 housed inside the main body 3 of the device. The battery 7 used in this case may be, for example, a dry cell battery or a rechargeable battery (a rechargeable battery in the shape of a dry cell battery) that has the same shape as a dry cell battery and is compatible with it.
[0030] The cam 3232 is a component that converts the rotation of the motor 3231 into an axial operating force, and the piston 3233 is a component that reciprocates along the vertical direction of the device body 3 by the axial operating force converted by the cam 3232. The end of this piston 3233 is located in the pump chamber 3234, and the volume of the pump chamber 3234 changes due to the reciprocating motion of the piston 3233. This pump chamber 3234 is in communication with the intake passage 321 and the discharge passage 322, respectively, which are provided inside the device body 3. An intake valve (not shown) is provided between the pump chamber 3234 and the intake passage 321, and a discharge valve (not shown) is provided between the pump chamber 3234 and the discharge passage 322.
[0031] Then, when the motor 3231 drives the piston 3233 to move in a direction that increases the volume of the pump chamber 3234, the liquid in the tank 2 flows into the pump chamber 3234 via the tube 5 and the suction passage 321. Subsequently, with the liquid flowing into the pump chamber 3234, when the piston 3233 moves in a direction that decreases the volume of the pump chamber 3234, the liquid in the pump chamber 3234 is supplied to the nozzle 4 via the discharge passage 322. The liquid supplied to the nozzle 4 is then discharged (spurted) to the outside from the tip of the nozzle 4.
[0032] Thus, in this embodiment, the oral irrigation device 1 is powered by a battery 7.
[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 to 15, the peripheral wall 312 comprises a large-diameter portion 314 with a relatively large diameter and a small-diameter portion 315 which has a smaller diameter than the large-diameter portion 314 and is connected to the lower end of the large-diameter portion 314. In this embodiment, the small-diameter portion 315 is formed only on the lower end side of the peripheral wall 312, and the majority of the peripheral wall 312 is the large-diameter portion 314.
[0034] Furthermore, a button 3141 that can be pressed inward is provided at the upper end of the large-diameter section 314, and by pressing this button 3141, the nozzle 4 can be removed from the housing 31 (device body 3). In addition, a power switch 3142 for starting or stopping the oral irrigation device 1 (switching the power on and off) is provided on the large-diameter section 314.
[0035] Furthermore, the large-diameter section 314 has a groove-shaped nozzle storage section 3143 formed along the height direction of the device body 3, which is capable of housing the nozzle 4. When the oral irrigation device 1 is not in use, the nozzle 4 removed from the device body 3 can be stored in the nozzle storage section 3143, and the device body 3 can be pushed into the tank 2, thereby storing the nozzle 4 inside the tank 2. In this way, the nozzle 4 removed from the device body 3 can be handled together with the device body 3, making it easier to manage the nozzle 4.
[0036] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, in this embodiment, a drying hole 213 is provided above the side surface of the cylindrical body 21 of the tank 2, penetrating the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 21. When the device body 3 is housed in the tank 2, the drying hole 213 is positioned opposite the nozzle storage section 3143 of the device body 3. This allows the nozzles 4 housed in the nozzle storage section 3143 to dry more efficiently. Furthermore, when the device body 3 is pulled out of the tank 2, the drying hole 213 is positioned opposite the bottom wall side of the nozzle storage section 3143 of the device body 3. This allows the liquid accumulated in the nozzle storage section 3143 during use of the oral irrigation device 1 to be discharged through the drying hole 213.
[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the large-diameter portion 314 is formed such that its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 21, allowing the large-diameter portion 314 to slide up and down within the storage portion 2a of the tank 2 (inside the cylindrical body 21). On the other hand, the small-diameter portion 315 is formed such that its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the peripheral wall 222 of the bottom wall 22, so that when the device body 3 is stored in the tank 2, the small-diameter portion 315 is inserted inside the peripheral wall 222 of the bottom wall 22.
[0038] Furthermore, when the main unit 3 is pulled out from the tank 2, the main unit 3 and the tank 2 are locked together, preventing the main unit 3 from being retracted into the tank 2 when using the oral irrigation device 1. Similarly, when the main unit 3 is retracted into the tank 2, the main unit 3 and the tank 2 are locked together, preventing the main unit 3 from being pulled out from the tank 2.
[0039] Specifically, as shown in Figures 8 to 15, a pull-out projection 3144 is provided at the lower end of the outer circumference of the large-diameter portion 314, projecting radially outward. Also, as shown in Figure 7, a pull-out recess 211 is provided at the upper end of the inner circumference of the cylindrical body 21 of the tank 2, which is releasably engaged with the pull-out projection 3144. Then, as shown in Figure 6, when the device body 3 is pulled out of the tank 2, the pull-out projection 3144 and the pull-out recess 211 engage, so that the device body 3 is held in the pulled-out state in the tank 2.
[0040] In this embodiment, the pull-out projections 3144 are formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the large-diameter portion 314, and multiple projections (two in this embodiment) are provided in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, the pull-out recess 211 is formed continuously in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical body 21 and is designed to engage with the multiple pull-out projections 3144.
[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pull-out projection 3144 is positioned so as to overlap with the tank 2 when the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, in a front view. This ensures that when the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, the pull-out projection 3144 is not exposed from the tank 2 in a front view, thereby concealing unnecessary protrusions and enhancing the aesthetic appearance.
[0042] Furthermore, a groove is formed around the entire circumference of the lower end of the outer circumference of the large-diameter portion 314, and a packing 3145, which serves as a sealing member, is detachably fitted into this groove. When the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, the packing 3145 is made to be in close contact with the large-diameter portion 314 and the cylindrical body 21. In this way, the space between the housing 31 (device body 3) and the cylindrical body 21 is sealed by the packing 3145, which serves as a sealing member. Alternatively, a groove may be provided on the inner circumference of the cylindrical body 21, and a packing may be detachably fitted into this groove to seal the space between the housing 31 (device body 3) and the cylindrical body 21.
[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 to 15, a storage projection 3151 is provided on the outer circumference of the small-diameter portion 315, projecting radially outward. As shown in Figure 5, a storage recess 2222 is provided on the inner circumference of the peripheral wall 222 of the bottom wall 22, which releasably engages with the storage projection 3151. When the device body 3 is stored in the tank 2, the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 engage, so that the device body 3 is held in the stored state in the tank 2.
[0044] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the storage projection 3151 is formed to extend in the circumferential direction of the small diameter portion 315, and multiple (two in this embodiment) storage recesses are provided in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, the storage recesses 2222 are formed in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall 222 so as to be longer than the circumferential length of the storage projection 3151, and multiple (two in this embodiment) storage recesses are provided in the circumferential direction.
[0045] In this way, when the device body 3 is stored in the tank 2, the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 engage with each other, allowing the device body 3 to be held in the stored position relative to the tank 2. At this time, as shown in Figure 5, the tube 5 is stored between the device body 3 and the tank 2 in a state where it has been wound multiple times. Thus, in this embodiment, when the device body 3 is stored, the space (storage section 2a) formed between the lower surface of the device body 3 and the upper surface of the bottom wall 22 of the tank 2 can be effectively utilized as a tube storage space 2b for storing the tube 5.
[0046] Furthermore, it is preferable that the height of the tube storage space 2b formed when the device body 3 is stored be greater than the diameter (tube diameter) D1 of the tube 5. This prevents the tube 5, which is stored in a wound state multiple times, from being crushed by the device body 3 when the device body 3 is stored.
[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the storage projection 3151 is also designed to overlap with the tank 2 when the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, in a front view. In this way, when the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, the storage projection 3151 is not exposed from the tank 2 in a front view, thus concealing unnecessary protrusions and enhancing the aesthetic appearance.
[0048] However, when the device body 3 is attached to the tank 2, if the storage projection 3151 is not exposed from the tank 2 in a front view, it is difficult to visually confirm the engagement and disengagement states of the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222, even if the tank 2 is made transparent. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, a marker is provided on the part of the tank 2 that is visible from the outside, allowing the engagement state of the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 to be confirmed.
[0049] Specifically, a marker projection 3146 is provided at the upper end of the outer circumference of the large-diameter portion 314, projecting radially outward. A marker recess 212 is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical body 21, which engages with the marker projection 3146 when the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 are engaged. By visually observing the engagement state of the marker projection 3146 and the marker recess 212, users can recognize that the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 are engaged.
[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the marker recess 212 has a bottom portion that engages with the marker projection 3146, and inclined surfaces 2121 that slope upward from the bottom in the circumferential direction are provided on both sides. In this way, when the device body 3 is rotated relative to the tank 2, the marker projection 3146 moves while sliding along the inclined surface 2121 so that the engagement between the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 is released. That is, by rotating the device body 3 in the stored state relative to the tank 2, the marker projection 3146 is moved along the inclined surface 2121, and the device body 3 is moved upward so as to come out of the tank 2. In this way, the inclined surface 2121 can assist in releasing the engagement between the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222.
[0051] When the marker projection 3146 has finished moving along the inclined surface 2121, the marker projection 3146 is positioned at the opening edge of the cylindrical body 21, allowing the user to recognize that the engagement between the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 has been released. In this embodiment, the user can recognize that the engagement between the storage projection 3151 and the storage recess 2222 has been released by visually confirming the release of the engagement between the marker projection 3146 and the marker recess 212.
[0052] Furthermore, in this embodiment, liquid can be supplied to the storage section 2a inside the tank 2 even when the tank 2 is placed on its side.
[0053] Specifically, a liquid supply hole 214 is formed in the side (cylindrical body 21) of the tank 2, allowing liquid to be injected into the storage section 2a. This liquid supply hole 214 is positioned below the packing 3145 when the device body 3 is pulled out of the tank 2. Furthermore, when the device body 3 is stored in the tank 2, the liquid supply hole 214 is positioned above the packing 3145. This prevents the liquid supply hole 214 from interfering with the packing 3145, thereby maintaining the sealing performance of the packing 3145. The liquid supply hole 214 is then closed by the liquid supply lid 24.
[0054] In this embodiment, the liquid supply lid 24 is provided with a closing portion having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the liquid supply hole 214. The contour of the closing portion is formed as a track ellipse, with curved surfaces on both sides in the vertical direction and straight surfaces on both sides in the horizontal direction. The outer surface of the closing portion is curved to conform to the side shape of the tank 2, thereby enhancing its aesthetic appeal.
[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the liquid supply lid 24 is attached to the tank 2 via a hinge 241 so as to be able to open and close vertically, and a packing 242, which acts as a sealing member, is detachably installed between the liquid supply hole 214 and the liquid supply lid 24. When the liquid supply lid 24 closes the liquid supply hole 214, the space between the liquid supply hole 214 and the liquid supply lid 24 is sealed by the packing 242.
[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the end of the liquid supply lid 24 is positioned within the range of the side surface of the tank 2 when viewed from the front with the liquid supply lid 24 open. In other words, the end of the liquid supply lid 24 opposite to the hinge 241 is positioned so that, when viewed from the front with the liquid supply lid 24 open, it does not protrude from the lower end of the side surface of the tank 2. This prevents the end of the liquid supply lid 24 from interfering with surrounding members when the liquid supply lid 24 is open, thereby reducing the impact on the hinge 241.
[0057] As described above, the oral irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment is a device powered by a battery 7. Therefore, such an oral irrigation device 1 is equipped with a battery compartment 10 in which the battery 7 is housed.
[0058] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the main body of the device 3 is equipped with a battery storage section 10, and this battery storage section 10 is equipped with a main body 11 provided in the housing 31. In this embodiment, the main body 11 is composed of a battery base 111 that is arranged inside the housing 31 and is capable of holding a battery 7, and a part of the housing 31 that faces the battery 7 held by the battery base 111. The inside of the main body 11 is a storage space 110 in which the battery 7 can be stored. That is, the space defined by the battery base 111 and the part of the housing 31 that faces the battery 7 held by the battery base 111 is the storage space 110 in which the battery 7 can be stored. Thus, in this embodiment, a storage space 110 is formed inside the housing 31, and the battery 7 is built into the housing 31.
[0059] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 16, the storage space 110 is formed to open downwards when the oral irrigation device 1 is placed in its normal position. That is, the storage space 110 is formed to penetrate the bottom wall 313 of the housing 31 in the vertical direction, and the opening formed in the bottom surface 3131 of the bottom wall 313 is the opening 110a of the storage space 110.
[0060] Then, by inserting the battery 7 into the storage space 110 from the opening 110a side (lower side: bottom wall 313 side), the battery 7 is built into the housing 31. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, two batteries 7 are arranged in the housing 31 (storage space 110) in a straight line in the vertical direction with their longitudinal directions substantially aligned in the vertical direction. In this way, in this embodiment, a vertically elongated storage space 110 is formed inside the housing 31. This makes the battery storage section 10 smaller in the radial direction and saves space, allowing for more effective use of the space inside the housing 31. In this embodiment, the two batteries 7 are connected in series. That is, the two batteries 7 are held in the battery base 111 inside the housing 31 with the cathode 71 of one battery 7 in contact with the anode 72 of the other battery 7.
[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the battery storage section 10 is further equipped with a battery cover 12 that closes the opening 110a of the storage space 110. This battery cover 12 is detachably attached to the main body 11, and by removing the battery cover 12 from the main body 11, the battery 7 can be inserted and removed when replacing it. Thus, the oral irrigation device 1 according to this embodiment is a battery-replaceable device in which the battery 7, which serves as the power source, can be replaced.
[0062] In this embodiment, the battery cover 12 closes the storage space 110 that opens downwards when the oral irrigator 1 is placed in its normal state. Therefore, in the normal state of the oral irrigator 1, the battery cover 12 is located below the main body 11. That is, when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, it is attached below the housing 31 of the device body 3 in the normal state of the oral irrigator 1. Furthermore, since the oral irrigator 1 according to this embodiment is a tank-type retractable oral irrigator, when the tank 2 is attached to the device body 3, the battery cover 12 is stored inside the tank 2.
[0063] As described above, in this embodiment, the battery cover 12 is positioned on the underside of the main body 11 in the normal state of the oral irrigator 1, making the battery cover 12 less visible. Furthermore, when the tank 2 is attached to the main body 3 of the device, the battery cover 12 is stored inside the tank 2, so that the battery cover 12 can be hidden inside the tank 2. This improves the appearance and design of the oral irrigator 1. Also, by storing the battery cover 12 inside the tank 2, it is possible to prevent dirt (such as food debris) generated during the use of the oral irrigator 1 from adhering to the battery cover 12. Furthermore, by storing the battery cover 12 inside the tank 2, it is possible to prevent dust from accumulating on the battery cover 12 when the oral irrigator 1 is stored (for example, when it is placed on a sink or the like when not in use).
[0064] Furthermore, when the tank 2 is attached to the main body 3 of the device, if the battery cover 12 is stored inside the tank 2, the nozzle 4 will be attached to the side of the main body 3 opposite to the side where the battery cover 12 is attached. Therefore, when using the oral irrigation device 1, it becomes possible to prevent the liquid discharged from the nozzle 4 from coming into contact with the battery cover 12.
[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the battery cover 12 is equipped with terminals (cathode terminal 17 and anode terminal 18) that are electrically connected to the electrodes (cathode 71 and anode 72) of the battery 7, so that power is not supplied (power cannot be supplied to the motor 3231) when the battery cover 12 is not attached to the main body 11. Specifically, a terminal that is electrically connected to one electrode of the battery 7 is provided on the rear (upper) side of the main body 11, so that when the battery 7 is inserted and held in the storage space 110, the terminal is electrically connected to one electrode of the battery 7. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 23, a terminal is provided on the rear wall (top wall) of the battery base 111, so that when the two batteries are held in the battery base 111, one electrode of the rear (upper) battery 7 is in contact with the terminal. Then, in this state, by attaching the battery cover 12 to the main unit 11, the terminals on the battery cover 12 are electrically connected to the other terminal of the battery 7 on the front (lower) side. This allows power to be supplied to the motor 3231.
[0066] By the way, in order to allow the battery 7 to be inserted into and removed from the storage space 110, it is necessary to provide a certain amount of clearance between the battery 7 stored in the storage space 110 and the main body 11. For this reason, the battery 7 stored in the storage space 110 is designed to be able to move to some extent radially within the storage space 110. Also, when electrically connecting the terminals (cathode terminal 17 and anode terminal 18) to the battery 7, at least one of the terminals is made springy in order to ensure contact pressure with the battery 7. Here, the cathode 71 of the battery 7 is a flat surface, and the anode 72 is a convex part. In other words, the area of the part of the battery 7 that comes into contact with the terminal is smaller on the anode 72 side than on the cathode 71 side. For this reason, the cathode terminal 17 is usually made springy so that even if the battery 7 is displaced, electrical connection and contact pressure can be ensured more reliably.
[0067] Therefore, if the terminal attached to the battery cover 12 is designated as the cathode terminal 17, it is necessary to ensure a more reliable electrical connection and contact pressure, which requires the cathode terminal 17 to be made larger.
[0068] Furthermore, miniaturizing the spring structure may cause the spring to weaken or break. Therefore, to suppress spring weakening or breakage, it is necessary to further enlarge the cathode terminal 17 to increase the spring's strength.
[0069] Thus, attaching the cathode terminal 17 to the battery cover 12 resulted in the battery cover 12 becoming larger, which presented a problem.
[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, by attaching the anode terminal 18 to the battery cover 12, the battery compartment 10 in which the battery 7 is housed can be made more compact.
[0071] Specifically, the battery cover 12 has only the anode terminal 18 out of the cathode terminal 17 which is electrically connected to the cathode 71 of the battery 7 and the anode terminal 18 which is electrically connected to the anode 72 of the battery 7. Thus, in this embodiment, the battery cover 12 is provided with terminals that connect to the battery 7, but the cathode terminal 17 is not provided, and only the anode terminal 18 is provided.
[0072] Furthermore, the main unit 11 has a cathode terminal 17 that is electrically connected to the anode terminal 18 of the battery cover 12 via the battery 7.
[0073] Thus, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 17, the battery cover 12 that closes the opening 110a of the storage space 110 has only the anode terminal 18 among the cathode terminal 17 and anode terminal 18, and as shown in Figure 23, the cathode terminal 17 is provided on the main body 11 side.
[0074] This prevents the radial size of the battery cover 12 from becoming larger compared to the case where the cathode terminal 17 is provided on the battery cover 12 side. As described above, the anode 72 of the battery 7 is a convex portion, and the tip of this relatively small convex portion is brought into contact with the anode terminal 18, thereby electrically connecting the anode 72 of the battery 7 to the anode terminal 18. Therefore, even considering the displacement of the battery 7, the conductive portion 181 of the anode terminal 18 only needs to be formed in the central part of the storage space 110. In other words, the area of the conductive portion 181 of the anode terminal 18 can be made smaller than the area of the battery 7 when viewed along the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the upper end surface of the anode terminal 18 is the conductive portion 181 that contacts the anode 72 of the battery 7.
[0075] In this way, the opening area of the storage space 110 (the area of the opening 110a) can be made as small as possible, allowing for miniaturization of the battery cover 12 while also reducing the size (radial size) of the main body 11 to which the battery cover 12 is attached. Thus, in this embodiment, the battery storage section 10 can be miniaturized by attaching the anode terminal 18 to the battery cover 12.
[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cathode terminal 17 is given spring properties. That is, the cathode terminal 17 has a spring portion 171. By providing the cathode terminal 17 with a spring portion 171 in this way, it is possible to ensure a sufficient contact pressure (contact pressure between the battery 7 and the terminal).
[0077] Furthermore, the battery cover 12 is not provided with a cathode terminal 17 having a spring structure, while the cathode terminal 17 having a spring structure is provided at the back of the storage space 110 formed in the main body 11. When the oral irrigation device 1 is placed in its normal state, the battery cover 12 is positioned below the main body 11.
[0078] This ensures that when the oral irrigator 1 is placed in its normal position, the spring portion 171 of the cathode terminal 17 is positioned above the battery 7 housed in the storage space 110. This minimizes the load of the battery 7 on the spring portion 171, thereby preventing the spring portion 171 from becoming worn out. Furthermore, by ensuring that the cathode terminal 17 with a spring structure is not provided on the battery cover 12 side, it becomes possible to prevent the spring portion 171 from coming off when replacing the battery 7, etc.
[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 25, the spring portion 171 comprises a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173. The leaf spring 172 is spirally formed, and one end (upper end) is connected to a terminal body 174 which is fixed to the cathode terminal holding portion 15 of the main body 11. The other end (lower end) of the leaf spring 172 has a battery contact portion 1721 which contacts the cathode 71 of the battery 7. The coil spring 173 is positioned inside the spirally formed leaf spring 172 to support the battery contact portion 1721.
[0080] In this embodiment, the cathode terminal holding portion 15 is provided on the top wall of the battery base 111 and includes a mounting portion 151 to which the terminal body 174 is attached, and a boss 152 formed at the center of the lower end of the mounting portion 151 so as to protrude downward. The upper end of the coil spring 173 is supported by the boss 152. In other words, in this embodiment, the coil spring 173 has its upper end supported by the boss 152 and its lower end supports the battery contact portion 1721 of the leaf spring 172.
[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the amount of downward protrusion of the boss 152 is set to an amount that allows the battery contact portion 1721 to contact the boss 152 when the length of the coil spring 173 is longer than its compressed length. This prevents the coil spring 173 from compressing further, even if a large load in the compression direction is applied to the spring portion 171, such as when the battery 7 is inserted upside down or when the device (oral irrigator 1 or device body 3) is dropped. In other words, when a large load in the compression direction is applied to the spring portion 171, the contact of the battery contact portion 1721 with the boss 152 prevents the coil spring 173 from compressing to its compressed length. This suppresses plastic deformation of the leaf spring 172 and coil spring 173 due to a large load in the compression direction. The compressed length of the coil spring 173 is the length when the coil spring 173 is most compressed.
[0082] Thus, in this embodiment, the boss 152 is provided with the function of a compression restricting part that restricts the compression of the spring portion 171 when the length of the coil spring 173 is longer than its compressed length. In other words, the main body 11 is equipped with a boss (compression restricting part) 152 that restricts the compression of the spring portion 171 when the length of the coil spring 173 is longer than its compressed length. Note that the compression restricting part only needs to be able to restrict the compression of the spring portion 171 before the coil spring 173 is compressed to its compressed length, and it does not necessarily need to be a boss 152. For example, it is also possible to attach the terminal body 174 to the mounting portion 151 such that one end (upper end) of the leaf spring 172 and the coil spring 173 is located on the rear side (upper side) of the mounting portion 151, so that the battery contact portion 1721 comes into contact with the mounting portion 151 before the coil spring 173 is compressed to its compressed length. In this case, the mounting portion 151 itself will function as a compression restricting part.
[0083] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 26, the battery contact portion 1721 is machined to have a convex shape, and a convex portion 17211 that protrudes toward the battery 7 is provided on the battery contact portion 1721. This makes the contact between the cathode terminal 17 and the battery 7 more stable. In addition, a groove is formed on the upper side of the battery contact portion 1721 (the side where the coil spring 173 is located) by burring, and the other end (lower end) of the coil spring 173 is engaged with this groove. This prevents the coil spring 173 from shifting relative to the leaf spring 172. Thus, in this embodiment, the battery contact portion 1721 (leaf spring 172) has a displacement suppression portion 17212 that suppresses displacement of the coil spring 173. This makes it possible to more reliably suppress the detachment of the leaf spring 172 and the coil spring 173.
[0084] While it is possible to secure contact pressure with the battery 7 by forming the spring portion 171 using only the coil spring 173, the coil spring 173 is generally made of iron, so using only the coil spring 173 would result in high conductor resistance. Consequently, using only the coil spring 173 would cause a voltage drop, reducing the voltage (motor output) applied to the motor 3231.
[0085] Therefore, in this embodiment, the conductive resistance is minimized by using a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173. For this reason, in this embodiment, the leaf spring 172 is formed using a material with low conductive resistance. Materials with low conductive resistance include phosphor bronze and silver, but it is preferable to form the leaf spring 172 using phosphor bronze, which can be obtained relatively inexpensively. This makes it possible to obtain a spring portion 171 with low conductive resistance at a low cost.
[0086] Furthermore, if the spring portion 171 is formed using only the leaf spring 172, it is possible to create a spring portion 171 with low conductive resistance, but in order to ensure the strength of the leaf spring 172, it is necessary to enlarge it (make it a wide leaf spring). As a result, it becomes difficult to miniaturize the battery housing portion 10.
[0087] In contrast, by using a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173 as in this embodiment, it is possible to create a spring section 171 that can secure contact pressure with the battery 7 while suppressing voltage drop. Furthermore, by using a spring section 171 that includes a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173, it becomes possible to miniaturize the spring section 171 while ensuring spring strength. As a result, it becomes possible to ensure current flow even if the battery 7 used is the smallest battery according to the specifications, and it becomes possible to suppress the spring section 171 from deteriorating even if the battery 7 used is the largest battery according to the specifications.
[0088] In this way, by providing the spring portion 171 with a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173, it is possible to form a spring portion 171 with a simpler configuration that can secure contact pressure while suppressing voltage drop, and the size of the spring portion 171 can be made more compact.
[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 22, the battery cover 12 comprises a cover body 16, to which the anode terminal 18 is attached. Specifically, the cover body 16 comprises a flat plate portion 161 and an insertion portion 162 that is connected to the inner surface (upper surface) 161b side of the flat plate portion 161 so as to protrude upward, and is inserted into the storage space 110 when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11.
[0090] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, the flat plate portion 161 is substantially elliptical in plan view (viewed along the vertical direction), and is housed in a storage recess 3132 formed in the bottom wall 313 of the housing 31 when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11. Therefore, as shown in Figure 16, in this embodiment, the opening 110a of the storage space 110 is formed to communicate with the storage recess 3132 of the bottom wall 313.
[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the storage recess 3132 is formed in the bottom wall 313 so as to open downward and to the side, and when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the flat plate portion 161 is stored in the storage recess 3132. Moreover, as shown in Figure 12, when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the outer peripheral surface 1611 of the flat plate portion 161 is made substantially flush with the outer surface of the small diameter portion 315. That is, as shown in Figure 11, when the device body 3 is viewed from below with the battery cover 12 attached to the main body 11, the entire flat plate portion 161 is located inside the small diameter portion 315, and the outer peripheral surface 1611 of the flat plate portion 161 constitutes a part of the contour of the small diameter portion 315.
[0092] As described above, in this embodiment, the oral irrigator 1 comprises a device body 3 in which the main body 11 is housed, and when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the outer circumference of the battery cover 12 is positioned to follow the outer circumference of the bottom surface 3131 of the device body 3. This prevents the battery cover 12 from protruding unnaturally from the device body 3 when it is attached to the main body 11, thereby improving the appearance and design of the oral irrigator 1.
[0093] Furthermore, the tip (upper end) of the insertion portion 162 is an anode terminal mounting portion 1621 to which the anode terminal 18 is attached, and the portion of the anode terminal 18 attached to the tip surface (lower surface) 1621a of the anode terminal mounting portion 1621 is the energized portion 181 of the anode terminal 18.
[0094] Then, as shown in Figure 27, with the battery cover 12 attached to the main body 11, the energizing portion 181 of the anode terminal 18 contacts the anode 72 of the battery 7 to make an electrical connection. In this embodiment, the battery 7 is stored and held in the storage space 110 with the anode 72 positioned on the lower side.
[0095] However, the storage space 110 is a long, narrow space in the vertical direction, and the battery 7 can be inserted into the storage space 110 with the anode 72 facing upwards, provided that its longitudinal direction is roughly aligned with the vertical direction. In other words, the battery 7 can also be inserted into the storage space 110 in reverse. If the battery 7 is inserted into the storage space 110 in reverse, there is a risk that the oral irrigation device 1 may malfunction.
[0096] Therefore, in this embodiment, if the battery 7 is inserted in reverse into the storage space 110, it will not be energized (power cannot be supplied to the motor 3231). Specifically, a rib 16211 is formed on the tip of the cover body 16 (the tip surface 1621a of the anode terminal mounting portion 1621) that protrudes above the energized portion 181 of the anode terminal 18. This rib 16211 is formed in a position where the battery 7 is located and where there is no protrusion of the anode 72 when viewed along the vertical direction. In this way, when the battery 7 is inserted with the anode 72 positioned downwards, the protrusion of the anode 72 can contact the energized portion 181, as shown in Figure 27. On the other hand, when the battery 7 is inserted with the anode 72 positioned upwards, the rib 16211 contacts the cathode 71 of the battery 7, as shown in Figure 28, so that a gap is formed between the energized portion 181 and the cathode 71. In other words, when the battery 7 is inserted with the anode 72 positioned on the upper side, contact between the energizing part 181 and the cathode 71 is prevented by the rib 16211.
[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is sealed by a sealing member, thereby preventing liquid from entering the storage space 110 and spilling onto the battery 7.
[0098] Specifically, a mounting groove 163 is provided around the entire circumference of the insertion portion 162 of the cover body 16, and an O-ring 19, which serves as a sealing member, is detachably attached to this mounting groove 163. This makes it possible to visually confirm the presence of the O-ring (sealing member) 19 when attaching the battery cover 12 to the main body 11. This makes it possible to more reliably confirm that the O-ring (sealing member) 19 is detached compared to when attaching the O-ring (sealing member) to the main body 11. Therefore, it becomes possible to more reliably prevent attaching the battery cover 12 to the main body 11 when the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is not sealed.
[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, the main body 11 has an inner wall 13 that extends upward in the vertical direction around the entire circumference of the opening 110a, so that when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the entire outer circumference 191 of the O-ring 19 is in close contact with the inner wall 13. In this way, the space between the battery cover 12 (insertion portion 162) and the main body 11 (inner wall 13) is sealed by the O-ring 19 acting as a sealing member. At this time, since the mounting groove 163 is formed below the anode terminal 18 attached to the anode terminal mounting portion 1621 (the base side of the insertion portion 162: the flat plate portion 161 side), the entire anode terminal 18 is also housed inside the part sealed by the O-ring 19.
[0100] In this embodiment, with the battery cover 12 attached to the main body 11, the opening 110a side is sealed by the O-ring (sealing member) 19, relative to the battery 7 and terminals (cathode terminal 17 and anode terminal 18). In other words, by providing the O-ring (sealing member) 19 that seals the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11, the storage space 110 in which the battery 7 of the oral irrigator 1 is housed is made waterproof. As a result, the oral irrigator 1, which is powered by the battery 7, can be used in a state that prevents liquid from entering the storage space 110.
[0101] Alternatively, a groove may be provided in the main body 11 (inner wall 13), and an O-ring may be detachably attached to this groove so that the space between the battery cover 12 (insertion portion 162) and the main body 11 (inner wall 13) is sealed.
[0102] In this embodiment, the battery cover 12 is configured such that it can be switched between an attached state and an unattached state by rotating the cover body 16, as shown in Figures 10 to 15. That is, the battery cover 12 has a cover body 16 that is rotatably attached to the main body 11 and can be switched between an attached state and an unattached state. The battery cover 12 is opened and closed by rotating the entire battery cover 12 (the cover body 16 and the O-ring 19). In this embodiment, the shape of the opening 110a is circular, and the shape of the insertion part 162 that is inserted into this opening 110a is approximately cylindrical, so that the cover body 16 can be rotated when switching between an attached state and an unattached state.
[0103] The state in which the battery cover 12 is attached is the state in which the opening 110a of the storage space 110 is closed and the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is sealed with an O-ring (sealing member) 19. The state in which the battery cover 12 is not attached is the state in which the seal between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 by the O-ring (sealing member) 19 is released and the battery cover 12 can be removed from the main body 11.
[0104] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when removing the battery cover 12 from the main unit 11, such as when replacing the battery 7, the battery cover 12 can be opened and closed without using a coin or other object. In other words, the battery cover 12 can be opened and closed by the user, making it easier to replace the battery 7.
[0105] Specifically, the cover body 16 has an operating rib 1612 that allows the user to hook their finger into it to switch between the attached and unattached states of the battery cover 12. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 18, the operating rib 1612 is formed to protrude downward toward the outer surface (bottom surface) 161a side of the flat plate portion 161. That is, the operating rib 1612 is provided to protrude along the longitudinal direction of the battery 7. This ensures that the height (protrusion height L1) of the operating rib 1612 is secured, thereby improving the operability when opening and closing the battery cover 12.
[0106] As described above, in the oral irrigation device 1 shown in this embodiment, the battery cover 12 can be switched between attached and unattached states by rotating the cover body 16. The cover body 16 can be rotated by hooking a finger onto the operating rib 1612 and switching between attached and unattached states of the battery cover 12. In other words, the opening and closing operation of the battery cover 12 can be performed by hand.
[0107] This eliminates the need to use a coin or other object to remove the battery cover 12 from the main unit 11 when replacing the battery 7, etc.
[0108] For example, if the battery cover 12 is to be removed from the main body 11 using a coin or the like, it would be inconvenient because the coin or the like would need to be prepared in advance. However, as in this embodiment, if the battery cover 12 is to be removed from the main body 11 by hooking a finger onto the operating rib 1612, the battery cover 12 can be removed from the main body 11 without having a coin or the like on hand, thus eliminating the inconvenience of having to prepare a coin or the like when replacing the battery 7. Therefore, the opening and closing operation of the battery cover 12 becomes easier, and the battery 7 can be replaced more easily.
[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, when the device body 3 is stored, the operating rib 1612 is located on the central side of the tube storage space 2b, and the tube 5 is located outside the operating rib 1612 in the tube storage space 2b. This allows the shape of the tube 5 to be wound around the outside (outer circumference) of the operating rib 1612 when the tube 5 is stored in the tube storage space 2b. In other words, it allows the tube 5 to be wound with a relatively large radius of curvature, thereby suppressing the possibility of the tube 5 being crushed or damaged. Thus, in this embodiment, the operating rib 1612 is located inside the tube 5 stored in the tube storage space 2b.
[0110] Furthermore, the protruding height L1 of the operating rib 1612 is made smaller than the diameter D1 of the tube 5. This ensures that the operating rib 1612 can be more reliably placed in the tube storage space 2b when the device body 3 is in its stored state. It also helps to prevent the tube 5 from being crushed or damaged by the operating rib 1612.
[0111] The protruding height L1 of the operating rib 1612 is preferably set to 3.5 mm or more and 4.5 mm or less. Setting the protruding height L1 of the operating rib 1612 within the above range makes it possible to suppress interference with mating parts (for example, tubes 5 located in the same tube storage space 2b) while preventing deterioration of the operability of the operating rib 1612.
[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 19, the operating rib 1612 is provided at an eccentric position from the pivot center C1 of the cover body 16. Specifically, when the device body 3 is viewed from below, the operating rib 1612 is present in only one of the regions divided by a straight line passing through the pivot center C1 of the cover body 16. At this time, the operating rib 1612 is positioned outside the outer circumference 191 of the O-ring (sealing member) 19.
[0113] This ensures that the operating rib 1612 is located away from the opening 110a into which the battery 7 is inserted, thereby reducing the operating force (torque) required to open and close the battery cover 12. In other words, it allows the cover body 16 to be rotated with relatively little force, further improving the operability when opening and closing the battery cover 12.
[0114] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cover body 16 is provided with an engaging portion that can be releasably engaged with an engaging portion formed on the main body 11, thereby preventing the cover body 16 from coming off the main body 11 while it is attached. This ensures that the battery cover 12 maintains the closed state of the opening 110a of the storage space 110, and more reliably prevents the battery cover 12 from coming off the main body 11.
[0115] Specifically, as shown in Figure 17, an engaging claw 164 is provided on the outer circumference of the insertion portion 162 of the cover body 16, protruding radially outward. As shown in Figure 16, an engaging groove 131 is provided on the inner surface of the inner wall 13 of the main body 11, into which the engaging claw 164 engages.
[0116] In this embodiment, a pair of engaging claws 164 are formed on both sides of the pivot center C1 of the cover body 16, and engaging grooves 131 are formed in the inner wall 13 at the portions corresponding to each engaging claw 164.
[0117] In this way, by providing the engaging claws 164 on the battery cover 12 side and the engaging grooves 131 on the main body 11 side, the opening diameter of the storage space 110 (the diameter of the opening 110a) can be made smaller. For example, if the engaging claws were provided on the main body 11 side, the opening diameter of the storage space 110 would need to be widened by the amount of the engaging claws, but by providing the engaging claws 164 on the battery cover 12 side, it becomes unnecessary to widen the opening diameter of the storage space 110. Therefore, the opening diameter of the storage space 110 can be made smaller.
[0118] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 20, the operating rib 1612 is positioned outside the engaging claw 164 with respect to the rotation center C1 of the battery cover 12, which rotates when switching between the attached and unattached states. In other words, the operating part of the operating rib 1612 (the part where the finger is hooked during operation) is located outside the virtual circle that includes the outer circumference of the engaging claw 164 (the region where the rotation center C1 of the battery cover 12 does not exist) when viewed along the rotation axis C of the cover body 16. By doing so, the operating rib 1612 is operated outside the virtual circle that includes the outer circumference of the engaging claw 164, thereby further improving the operability when opening and closing the battery cover 12.
[0119] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operating rib 1612, mounting groove 163, and engaging claw 164 are integrally molded with the cover body 16, so that the cover body 16 is made from a single part. This reduces the number of parts, making it possible to simplify the structure and reduce costs. It is also possible to make at least one of the operating rib 1612, mounting groove 163, and engaging claw 164 from a separate component, while allowing the entire battery cover 12 to rotate when opening or closing the battery cover 12.
[0120] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 29, the engagement groove 131 has an opening 1311a that opens towards the battery cover 12, and is equipped with a front engagement groove 1311 that allows the engagement claw 164 to move towards the back of the storage space 110. The engagement groove 131 is also equipped with a rear engagement groove 1312 that is connected to the rear of the storage space 110 of the front engagement groove 1311, and allows the engagement claw 164 to move in the rotational direction of the battery cover 12 within the storage space 110. In this embodiment, the opening 110a side of the storage space 110 is substantially cylindrical, and the circumferential direction of the storage space 110 on the opening 110a side is the rotational direction of the battery cover 12. By providing the engagement groove 131 with such a front engagement groove 1311 and rear engagement groove 1312, the shape of the engagement groove 131 is such that the rear side (upper side) is bent in the circumferential direction. This allows the battery cover 12 to be opened and closed using two actions: pushing the battery cover 12 inward and rotating the battery cover 12 in the circumferential direction. When the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the engaging claw 164 is engaged with the rear engaging groove 1312.
[0121] Thus, in this embodiment, the operation of opening and closing the battery cover 12 is simplified, while preventing the battery cover 12 from coming off the main body 11.
[0122] The rear engagement groove 1312 is defined on both sides (both vertically) of the battery 7 in the longitudinal direction by a first rear wall portion 13121 located on the battery cover 12 side (lower side) and a second rear wall portion 13122 located on the rear side (upper side) of the storage space 110. Therefore, when attempting to remove the battery cover 12 while it is attached to the main body 11, the engagement claw 164 introduced into the rear engagement groove 1312 catches on the first rear wall portion 13121, maintaining the closed state of the opening 110a of the storage space 110 by the battery cover 12. In other words, by ensuring that the engagement claw 164 is introduced into the rear engagement groove 1312, the battery cover 12 is locked in a closed state over the opening 110a of the storage space 110.
[0123] Furthermore, the front engagement groove 1311 is defined on both sides in the circumferential direction (the rotation direction of the battery cover 12) of the storage space 110 by the first front wall portion 13111 connected to the first rear wall portion 13121 and the second front wall portion 13112 connected to the second rear wall portion 13122. Therefore, when the battery cover 12 is pushed inward, the engagement claw 164 is introduced from the opening 1311a into the front engagement groove 1311 and moves inward (upward) along the longitudinal direction of the battery 7. Then, with the engaging claw 164 pushed all the way to the back (upper) side of the front engaging groove 1311, the battery cover 12 is rotated to one side in the rotational direction (closing direction), causing the engaging claw 164 to be introduced into the rear engaging groove 1312, and the battery cover 12 is locked in a position that closes the opening 110a of the storage space 110.
[0124] On the other hand, when the battery cover 12, which is in the locked state, is rotated to the other side of the rotational direction (opening direction), the engaging claw 164 is introduced from the rear engaging groove 1312 to the front engaging groove 1311, making it possible to remove the battery cover 12 from the main body 11. In this state, when the battery cover 12 is pulled towards the front, the engaging claw 164 moves towards the front (downward) side along the longitudinal direction of the battery 7 within the front engaging groove 1311, and is released from the opening 1311a to the outside of the engaging groove 131. In this way, the battery cover 12 is removed from the main body 11.
[0125] As shown in Figures 29 and 30, the first front side wall portion 13111 is inclined away from the first rear side wall portion 13121 as it approaches the opening 1311a, and the second front side wall portion 13112 is inclined away from the second rear side wall portion 13122 as it approaches the opening 1311a.
[0126] Furthermore, another example of an engagement groove 131 in which the rear side (upper side) is bent in the circumferential direction (the rotational direction of the battery cover 12) is, as shown in Figure 31, one in which the first front side wall portion 13111 and the second front side wall portion 13112 extend in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction) of the battery 7.
[0127] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 32, the first front side wall portion 13111 is inclined to move away from the first rear side wall portion 13121 as it approaches the opening 1311a, but in some cases the second front side wall portion 13112 extends in the longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the battery 7.
[0128] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 33, the first front side wall portion 13111 extends in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction) of the battery 7, but in some cases the second front side wall portion 13112 is inclined away from the second rear side wall portion 13122 as it approaches the opening 1311a.
[0129] In the case shown in Figure 31, the battery cover 12 is pushed inward (upward) so that the engaging claw 164 moves to the back (upward) side of the front engaging groove 1311, and then the battery cover 12 is rotated in one direction (closed direction) to lock it. To release the lock, the battery cover 12 is rotated in the other direction (open direction) so that the engaging claw 164 faces the opening 1311a of the front engaging groove 1311, and then the battery cover 12 is pulled forward (downward).
[0130] In this embodiment, as described above, since the cathode terminal 17 has a spring portion 171, if you release your hand after pushing the battery cover 12 all the way in (upwards), the battery cover 12 will be pushed forward (downwards) by the biasing force of the spring portion 171, causing the engaging claw 164 to move forward (downwards). At this time, if the engaging claw 164 moves so that it faces the first front side wall portion 13111 in the circumferential direction (the rotation direction of the battery cover 12), it will not be possible to lock the battery cover 12 even if it is rotated to one side in the rotation direction (the closing direction). Thus, when the first front side wall portion 13111 and the second front side wall portion 13112 extend in the vertical direction, depending on the amount of movement of the engaging claw 164 due to the biasing force of the spring portion 171, it may be necessary to rotate the battery cover 12 while pushing it, which can result in poor operability.
[0131] In contrast, as shown in Figures 30 and 32, if the first front side wall portion 13111 is tilted away from the first rear side wall portion 13121 as it approaches the opening 1311a, it becomes unnecessary to rotate the battery cover 12 while pressing it. That is, even if the engaging claw 164 moves so that it faces the first front side wall portion 13111 in the circumferential direction (the direction of rotation of the battery cover 12) due to the biasing force of the spring portion 171, the engaging claw 164 can be introduced into the rear engaging groove 1312 simply by rotating the battery cover 12. Specifically, simply rotating the battery cover 12 causes the engaging claw 164 to move along the tilted first front side wall portion 13111, and the engaging claw 164 that has moved along the first front side wall portion 13111 is introduced into the rear engaging groove 1312.
[0132] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 31 and 32, if the second front side wall portion 13112 extends in the longitudinal direction (up and down direction) of the battery 7, when releasing the locked state, it is necessary to rotate the battery cover 12 to the other side of the rotation direction (opening direction) so that the engaging claw 164 faces the opening 1311a of the front side engaging groove 1311, and then pull the battery cover 12 towards the front (downward) side.
[0133] In contrast, as shown in Figures 30 and 33, if the second front side wall portion 13112 is tilted away from the second rear side wall portion 13122 as it approaches the opening 1311a, it becomes unnecessary to pull the battery cover 12 towards the front (downward) when releasing the locked state. That is, by simply rotating the battery cover 12 in the other direction of rotation (opening direction), the engaging claw 164 can be moved along the tilted second front side wall portion 13112, and the engaging claw 164 can be moved to the opening 1311a.
[0134] Therefore, as shown in Figure 30, by inclining the first front side wall portion 13111 and the second front side wall portion 13112, the operability of both opening and closing the battery cover 12 can be improved. For this reason, in this embodiment, the first front side wall portion 13111 and the second front side wall portion 13112 are inclined.
[0135] The shape of the engagement groove 131 can also be any of the shapes shown in Figures 31 to 33.
[0136] This type of engagement groove 131 simplifies the opening and closing operation of the battery cover 12 while preventing the battery cover 12 from coming off the main body 11.
[0137] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the engaging claw (engaging portion) 164 is formed below the mounting groove 163 into which the O-ring (sealing member) 19 is fitted (on the base side of the insertion portion 162: on the flat plate portion 161 side). Therefore, when the battery cover 12 is attached to the main body 11, the mounting groove 163 is located further back in the storage space 110 than the engaging claw (engaging portion) 164. This ensures that the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is sealed further back (above) than the engaging claw (engaging portion) 164 that engages with the engaging groove (engaged portion) 131, thereby more reliably preventing liquid from entering the part of the storage space 110 where the battery 7 is stored.
[0138] However, if the engagement groove (engaged portion) 131 and the engagement claw (engaged portion) 164 are engaged on the front (lower) side of the O-ring (sealing member) 19, there is a possibility that liquid may enter the engagement groove (engaged portion) 131 when the oral irrigator 1 is used. If liquid enters the engagement groove (engaged portion) 131, there is a possibility that the liquid in the engagement groove (engaged portion) 131 may enter the battery 7 side when the battery cover 12 is removed from the main body 11.
[0139] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 16 and 27, a sealing rib 141 is formed around the entire circumference of the peripheral edge 14 of the opening 110a of the storage space 110 in the main body 11 (the peripheral edge of the opening 110a on the lower surface of the device body 3), which contacts the battery cover 12 when installed. In this way, when the battery cover 12 is installed on the main body 11, the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is sealed by the sealing rib 141 on the front side (lower side: outer side) of the engaging claw (engaging part) 164 and the engaging groove (engaged part) 131. This prevents liquid from entering the groove-shaped engaged part (engaging groove 131) when using the oral irrigation device 1, and prevents liquid accumulated in the groove-shaped engaged part (engaging groove 131) from entering the back of the storage space 110 when the battery cover 12 is removed from the main body 11. Thus, in this embodiment, a double sealing structure is used to more reliably suppress the intrusion of liquid into the storage space 110.
[0140] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the battery cover 12 is rotated from the mounted state to the unmounted state, as viewed along the pivot axis C of the cover body 16, at least a portion of the cover body 16 protrudes from the device body 3. When the cover body 16 is rotated between the mounted and unmounted states, and the entire battery cover 12 is inside the device body 3 (not protruding from the device body 3) as viewed along the pivot axis C of the cover body 16, the gap between the battery cover 12 and the body 11 is sealed by the O-ring (sealing member) 19. In this way, even when the battery cover 12 is not securely mounted on the body 11 (half-open state), the gap between the battery cover 12 and the body 11 is sealed, making it possible to more reliably prevent liquid from entering the storage space 110.
[0141] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 11 and 34, when the entire battery cover 12 is located inside the contour of the large-diameter portion 314 when the device body 3 is viewed from below, the gap between the battery cover 12 and the main body 11 is sealed by the O-ring (sealing member) 19. Such a configuration can be formed, for example, by positioning the engaging claw 164 within the inner engaging groove 1312 of the engaging groove 131 when the entire battery cover 12 is located inside the contour of the large-diameter portion 314 when the device body 3 is viewed from below.
[0142] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the outer diameter of the large-diameter portion 314 is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical body 21. Therefore, as shown in Figures 14 and 35, when at least a part of the battery cover 12 protrudes from the device body 3 when viewed along the pivot axis C of the cover body 16, the tank 2 cannot be attached to the device body 3. In this way, if the battery cover 12 is not closed (when the storage space 110 is not sealed), the device body 3 cannot be inserted into the tank 2. In other words, when the tank 2 can be attached to the device body 3, the storage space 110 is always sealed.
[0143] This makes it possible to prevent the use of the oral irrigator 1 when liquid is allowed to enter the storage space 110, thereby suppressing liquid from entering the storage space 110 when the oral irrigator 1 is in use.
[0144] In the above-described embodiment, a tank-type retractable oral irrigator 1 in which the main body 3 is slidably supported on the tank 2 was illustrated, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the present disclosure can also be applied to a tank-separated oral irrigator 1 as shown in Figure 36. In the tank-separated oral irrigator 1 shown in Figure 36, the tank 2 is detachably attached to the main body 3. A nozzle 4 is detachably attached to the main body 3.
[0145] Furthermore, when the tank-separated oral irrigator 1 is powered by batteries, the battery compartment can be made more compact by attaching the anode terminal to the battery cover. The battery cover can also be configured to allow switching between the attached and unattached states by rotating the cover body, and an operating rib can be provided on the cover body to allow switching between the attached and unattached states by hooking a finger onto it. In this case, the operating rib can protrude along the longitudinal direction of the battery, or along the radial direction of the battery.
[0146] Furthermore, when positioning the battery cover downwards and having the operating rib protrude along the longitudinal direction of the battery, it is preferable to form a recess in the bottom wall of the device body 3 and form the battery storage section so that the operating rib is positioned within the recess. This prevents the operating rib from protruding from the lower end of the device body 3, and allows the operating rib to be hidden within the recess in the normal mounting position.
[0147] [Effects / Effects] The following describes the characteristic configuration of the oral irrigation device shown in the above embodiment and its modifications, and the effects obtained thereby.
[0148] The oral irrigation device 1 shown in the above embodiment and its modifications is a device that has a battery compartment 10 in which a battery 7 is housed and is powered by the battery 7.
[0149] This battery storage unit 10 comprises a main body 11 having a storage space 110 in which the battery 7 is stored, and a battery cover 12 that closes the opening 110a of the storage space 110.
[0150] Here, the battery cover 12 has only the anode terminal 18 out of the cathode terminal 17 which is electrically connected to the cathode 71 of the battery 7 and the anode terminal 18 which is electrically connected to the anode 72 of the battery 7.
[0151] The main unit 11 has a cathode terminal 17 that is electrically connected to the anode terminal 18 of the battery cover 12 via the battery 7.
[0152] As described above, in the oral irrigation device 1 shown in the embodiment and its modified form, the battery cover 12 that closes the opening 110a of the storage space 110 has only the anode terminal 18 among the cathode terminal 17 and anode terminal 18.
[0153] This makes it possible to suppress the increase in the radial size of the battery cover 12 compared to when the cathode terminal 17 is provided on the battery cover 12 side. As a result, it becomes possible to reduce the size (radial size) of the main body 11 to which the battery cover 12 is attached, and thus make it possible to miniaturize the battery storage section 10.
[0154] Furthermore, the cathode terminal 17 may have a spring portion 171, and the battery cover 12 may be positioned below the main body 11 in the normal state.
[0155] Thus, by using a cathode terminal 17 with a spring structure, it becomes possible to secure a sufficient contact pressure (contact pressure between the battery 7 and the terminal).
[0156] Furthermore, in the oral irrigation device 1 shown in the above embodiment and its modified form, the cathode terminal 17 having a spring structure is not provided on the battery cover 12 side, which makes it possible to prevent the spring portion 171 from coming off when replacing the battery, etc.
[0157] Furthermore, in the normal mounting position of the oral irrigation device 1, the spring portion 171 of the cathode terminal 17 is located above the battery 7, thus minimizing the load of the battery 7 on the spring portion 171. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress the deterioration of the spring portion 171.
[0158] Furthermore, the spring portion 171 may include a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173.
[0159] This allows for a simpler configuration of the spring section 171, which can secure contact pressure while suppressing voltage drop. As a result, it becomes possible to ensure more reliable current flow and prevent a decrease in the output of the drive source such as the motor 3231.
[0160] Furthermore, if the spring section 171 is equipped with a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173, it becomes possible to ensure power supply even if the battery 7 used is the smallest battery according to the specifications, and even if the battery 7 used is the largest battery according to the specifications, it becomes possible to suppress the deterioration of the spring section 171.
[0161] Furthermore, if the spring section 171 is equipped with a leaf spring 172 and a coil spring 173, there is the advantage that the spring section 171, which can ensure contact pressure while suppressing voltage drop, can be made more compact.
[0162] Furthermore, the main body 11 may be equipped with a boss (compression restricting portion) 152 that restricts the compression of the spring portion 171 when the length of the coil spring 173 is longer than the compressed length.
[0163] This design makes it possible to suppress the compression of the spring portion 171 before the coil spring 173 compresses to its full length, even if a large compressive load is applied to the spring portion 171, such as when the battery 7 is inserted incorrectly or when the device (oral irrigation device 1 or device body 3) is dropped. Therefore, it becomes possible to suppress the plastic deformation of the leaf spring 172 and coil spring 173 caused by a large compressive load.
[0164] Furthermore, the leaf spring 172 may have a displacement suppression portion 17212 that suppresses displacement of the coil spring 173.
[0165] This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the leaf spring 172 and the coil spring 173 from coming apart.
[0166] Furthermore, the leaf spring 172 may have a protrusion 17211 that extends toward the battery 7.
[0167] This makes it possible to stabilize the contact between the cathode terminal 17 and the battery 7, thereby more reliably preventing poor conductivity from occurring when the oral irrigation device 1 is in use.
[0168] Furthermore, the battery cover 12 may include a cover body 16 to which the anode terminal 18 is attached. When the battery 7 is placed in the battery storage compartment 10 with the cathode 71 facing the anode terminal 18, a rib 16211 may be formed on the cover body 16 to prevent the cathode 71 of the battery 7 from coming into contact with the anode terminal 18.
[0169] This makes it possible to prevent power from being supplied when battery 7 is inserted in reverse, thus more reliably preventing the oral irrigation device 1 from malfunctioning.
[0170] [others] The contents of the nozzle for the oral irrigation device and the oral irrigation device described herein have been explained above. The embodiments and their modifications described above are for illustrative purposes only. Therefore, various changes, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc., can be made within the scope of the claims or their equivalents.
[0171] For example, it is possible to create a nozzle for an oral irrigation device or an oral irrigation device by appropriately combining the configurations described in the above embodiment and its modified form.
[0172] Furthermore, while the above embodiment and its modifications illustrate a tank-type retractable oral irrigation device 1 in which the device body 3 is extended by rotating the device body 3 relative to the tank 2, the invention is not limited to this. For example, it is possible to create a tank-type retractable oral irrigation device in which the device body 3 is extended by pulling the device body 3 in the sliding direction.
[0173] Furthermore, the oral irrigation device can be any type of device as long as it is a battery-replaceable device that allows for the replacement of the battery 7 as the power source. In other words, it can be an oral irrigation device that is designed to allow for the replacement of batteries when dry cell batteries or rechargeable batteries reach the end of their lifespan. For example, it can be a device that uses dry cell batteries, or a device that uses rechargeable batteries. If a device uses rechargeable batteries, it can be configured to charge the rechargeable batteries after removing them from the device, or to charge them while they are housed in the device.
[0174] Furthermore, the specifications of the device itself, the tank, and other details (shape, size, layout, etc.) can be changed as needed. [Industrial applicability]
[0175] As described above, the oral rinsing device according to this disclosure can be miniaturized, and therefore can be used in various types of oral rinsing devices, including those for home and commercial use. [Explanation of symbols]
[0176] 1. Oral irrigation device 7 batteries 10 Battery compartment 11 Main unit 12 Battery cover 16 Cover body 17 Cathode terminal 18 Anode terminal 71 Cathode 72 Anode 110 storage space 110a aperture 152 Boss (Shrinkage Control Section) 171 Spring section 172 Leaf spring 173 Coil Springs 16211 Rib 17211 Convex part 17212 Positional displacement suppression unit
Claims
1. An oral irrigation device having a battery compartment for housing a battery, and being powered by the battery, The aforementioned battery compartment is A main body having a storage space in which the aforementioned battery is housed, A battery cover that closes the opening of the aforementioned storage space, Equipped with, The aforementioned battery comprises a battery body with a cathode formed at one end, and an anode formed at the other end of the battery body as a projection smaller in diameter than the battery body. The battery cover has only the anode terminal among the cathode terminal that is electrically connected to the cathode of the battery and the anode terminal that is electrically connected to the anode of the battery. The main body has a cathode terminal that is electrically connected to the anode terminal of the battery cover via the battery, The anode terminal is plate-shaped, Of the cathode terminal and anode terminal, only the cathode terminal has a spring portion. The battery cover comprises a cover body to which the anode terminal is attached, The cover body is provided with ribs to prevent the cathode of the battery from coming into contact with the anode terminal when the battery is stored in the battery compartment with the cathode facing the anode terminal. The ribs are formed so as to protrude from the region of the cover body that does not face the anode and from the region that faces the battery body in the direction of insertion of the battery into the battery housing. Oral irrigation device.
2. The battery cover is located on the underside of the main body in the normal state. The oral irrigation device according to claim 1.
3. The aforementioned spring section comprises a leaf spring and a coil spring. The oral irrigation device according to claim 2.
4. The main body is equipped with a compression restricting portion that restricts the compression of the spring portion when the length of the coil spring is longer than the compressed length. The oral irrigation device according to claim 3.
5. The leaf spring has a displacement suppression part that suppresses displacement of the coil spring. The oral irrigation device according to claim 3 or claim 4.
6. The leaf spring has a protrusion that extends toward the battery side. The oral irrigation device according to any one of claims 3 to 5.