Device for operating a pump so as to produce therefrom a pulsating jet of liquid

Claim 2

Apparatus for medical care, particularly oral hygiene, which comprises a pump unit, a jet nozzle, and a conduit for connecting said pump unit with said jet nozzle, said pump unit including means for supplying a stream of spaced liquid pressure pulses through said conduit to said nozzle which rise and fall between a low pressure and an approximately constant peak pressure, and means for cyclically varying the pulse recurrence frequency of said pressure pulses.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said pulse recurrence frequency varies between a minimum value of 600-2,500 pulses per minute and a maximum value of 3,500-5,000 pulses per minute at a cyclic rate of 70-600 cycles per minute.

Claim 4

ApparaTus according to claim 2 in which said cyclic rate is 200-400 cycles per minute.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said pulse recurrence frequency has an intermediate frequency of 2,500-3,500 pulses per minute and varies cyclically at least + or - 20 percent of said intermediate frequency at a cyclic rate between 2 percent and 25 percent of said intermediate frequency.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 in which said cyclic rate is between 6 percent and 12 percent of said intermediate frequency.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which a said means for supplying a stream of spaced liquid pressure pulses includes a pump having a driven member, a driving motor having a shaft, and planet-gear mechanism for coupling said motor shaft with said pump driven member, b said planet-gear mechanism including a sun-wheel, an internal gear, planet wheels engaging said sun-wheel and internal gear, and a planet-wheel carrier on which said planet wheels are rotatably mounted, c one of said sun-wheel and planet-wheel carrier being coupled to said motor shaft and the other to said pump driven member, d and said means for cyclically varying the pulse recurrence frequency includes means for oscillating said internal gear about the axis thereof at a frequency substantially lower than the pulse recurrence frequency.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said means for oscillating said internal gear includes a gear driven by said motor shaft and having an eccentric pin mounted thereon, and a radially disposed slot on said internal gear engaged by said eccentric pin.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said means for oscillating said internal gear includes a gear driven by said motor shaft and having an eccentric pin mounted thereon, an eccentric pin mounted on said internal gear, and a bifurcated member pivotally mounted for oscillation about a fixed axis spaced from the axis of said internal gear, said eccentric pins engaging the bifurcation of said bifurcated member between said fixed axis and the axis of said internal gear.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said means for oscillating said internal gear includes a gear driven by said motor shaft and having an eccentric pin mounted thereon, and a connecting rod pivotally connected at one end thereof to said eccentric pin and at the other end thereof to said internal gear at a point spaced from the axis of the internal gear.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said pump is a reciprocating piston pump driven by a piston rod, and including a slotted member fixed with said piston rod with the slot thereof extending transverse to the rod, said other of the sun-wheel and planet-wheel carrier having an eccentric pin attached thereto, said eccentric pin engaging said slotted member for reciprocating the piston rod.

Claim 12

In oral hygiene, the method of cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums which comprises forming a pulsating jet of spaced liquid pressure pulses which rise and fall between a low pressure and an approximately constant peak pressure and in which the pulse recurrence frequency of said pressure pulses cyclically varies, and directing said pulsating jet against the surfaces to be treated.

Claim 13

In oral hygiene, the method of cleaning the teeth and massaging the gums which comprises forming a pulsating jet of spaced liquid pressure pulses which rise and fall between a low pressure and an approximately constant peak pressure and in which the pulse recurrence frequency of said pressure pulses cyclically varies, and directing said pulsating jet against the surfaces to be treated.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 11 in which said pulse recurrence frequency varies between a minimum value of 600-2,500 pulses per minute and a maximum value of 3,500-5,000 pulses per minute at a cyclic rate of 70-600 cycles per minute.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 12 in which said cyclic rate is 200-400 cycles per minute.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 11 in which said pulse recurrence frequency has an intermediate frequency of 2,500-3,500 pulses per minute and varies cyclically at least + or - 20 percent of said intermediate frequency at a cyclic rate between 2 percent and 25 percent of said intermediate frequency.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 14 in which said Cyclic rate is between 6 percent and 12 percent of said intermediate frequency.