Oral hygiene irrigator syringe bulb

Claim 1

An oral irrigator fluid dispensing apparatus comprising: an elastic compressible bulb having an opening and an internal cavity for holding an irrigation fluid therein and wherein the irrigation fluid always settles to a low region of the internal cavity within the bulb in any spatial orientation the bulb; a weight; a rigid nozzle having a base portion to which the bulb opening is attached, a lumen having a fluid outlet at an upper portion thereof, and a flexible, non-kinking tube, one end of said tube being coupled to a lower portion of said lumen and another fluid inlet end being attached to said weight and extending into said cavity of said bulb to provide for means for constantly maintaining said fluid inlet end of said tube in the irrigation fluid regardless of the spatial orientation of the bulb, with the tube being of a sufficient length and flexibility such that with the cooperation of the weight, the fluid of the tube is contained in said low area so as to enable the irrigation fluid to flow through the flexible tube to the nozzle regardless of the spatial orientation of said bulb; irrigation means coupled to said fluid outlet of said lumen for dispensing said irrigation fluid therefrom by compressing said bulb; a first one-way valve accommodated within said lumen in close proximity to said fluid outlet for enabling said irrigation fluid to flow from said bulb through said flexible tube, said nozzle and said irrigation means so as to be dispensed therefrom upon compression of said bulb and for preventing contaminated oral fluids from flowing into said cavity of said bulb by way of said irrigation means, said nozzle, and said flexible tube upon decompression of the bulb; and a second one-way valve for preventing flow of air and/or any additional irrigation fluid from said bulb through said flexible tube, said nozzle and said irrigation means when the bulb is compressed and permitting flow of air into the bulb during decompression.

Claim 27

A method of treating or preventing periodontal disease and/or of improving oral hygiene, said method comprising the steps of: filling an elastic compressible bulb of an oral irrigator fluid dispensing apparatus with an irrigation fluid wherein the irrigation fluid always settles to a low region within an internal cavity of the bulb in any spatial orientation of the bulb; attaching said bulb to a base portion of a nozzle of said apparatus, said nozzle including a lumen having a fluid outlet at an upper portion thereof and a flexible, non-kinking tube, one end of said tube being coupled to a lower portion of said lumen and another fluid inlet end being attached to a weight and extending into said cavity of said bulb to provide for means for constantly maintaining said fluid inlet end of said tube in the irrigation fluid regardless of the spatial orientation of the bulb, with the tube being of a sufficient length and flexibility such that with the cooperation of the weight, the fluid inlet of the tube is contained in said low region so as to enable the irrigation fluid to flow through the flexible tube to the nozzle regardless of spatial orientation of said bulb; attaching a desired probe-like device to said fluid outlet of said lumen; and irrigating interdental spaces and pathologic spaces formed between soft gum tissue and tooth root with said irrigation fluid by compressing said bulb of said apparatus so as to cause said irrigation fluid to flow through said tube and said lumen and into said desired probe-like device whereupon said irrigation fluid is dispensed to the interdental and pathologic spaces.

Claim 28

A method of treating or preventing periodontal disease and/or of improving oral hygiene, said method comprising the steps of: filling an elastic compressible bulb of an oral irrigator fluid dispensing apparatus with an irrigation fluid wherein the irrigation fluid always settles to a low region within an internal cavity of the bulb in any spatial orientation of the bulb; attaching said bulb to a base portion of a nozzle of said apparatus, said nozzle including a lumen having a fluid outlet at an upper portion thereof and a flexible, non-kinking tube, one end of said tube being coupled to a lower portion of said lumen and another fluid inlet end being attached to a weight and extending into said cavity of said bulb to provide for means for constantly maintaining said fluid inlet end of said tube in the irrigation fluid regardless of the spatial orientation of the bulb, with the tube being of a sufficient length and flexibility such that with the cooperation of the weight, the fluid inlet of the tube is contained in said low region so as to enable the irrigation fluid to flow through the flexible tube to the nozzle regardless of spatial orientation of said bulb; attaching a desired probe-like device to said fluid outlet of said lumen; and irrigating interdental spaces and pathologic spaces formed between soft gum tissue and tooth root with said irrigation fluid by compressing said bulb of said apparatus so as to cause said irrigation fluid to flow through said tube and said lumen and into said desired probe-like device whereupon said irrigation fluid is dispensed to the interdental and pathologic spaces.