A method and apparatus for fractionating liquid jets into a plurality of unitary, discrete liquid droplets for successively impacting a selected area, for example in the oral cavity, for stimulating the gum tissues and for cleaning the teeth and interdental spaces. Such a system for the practice of body care, for example, oral hygiene, generally comprises a reservoir for the liquid to be fractionated, a nozzle member for directing the fractionated jet against the area to be stimulated and cleaned, a pump for supplying the liquid under pressure from the reservoir to the nozzle member, and a suitable conduit for transferring the liquid from the reservoir to the pump and from the pump to the nozzle member. In a first embodiment, means are provided for producing vibrations and transferring the vibrations to the nozzle member to cause the liquid jet to divide into a plurality of unitary, discrete liquid droplets after exiting from the nozzle member. The parameters for the production of such liquid droplets are disclosed and include the ejection velocity of the jet, the fluid flow velocity through the nozzle, the nozzle opening diameter, the frequency of pulsation, the diameter of the formed droplets, and the distance from the tip at which the liquid droplets are completely formed and separated. The effect of the rugosity of the nozzle, the surface tension of the fluid, and the efficiency of the system are also disclosed. In a second embodiment, the physical construction of the nozzle effectively fractionates the jet and comprises an obturating member disposed in the free end of the nozzle member which includes a plurality of passages located therethrough. The cross-sectional area of each of the passages is much smaller than the adjacent liquid conduit of the nozzle member.
A handpiece has a cavitation orifice therein. A pump supplies water from a reservoir through the cavitation orifice to produce cavitation in the water downstream from the orifice. This cavitation produces OH radicals and ions in the water flow. The water flow is directed onto dental surfaces. The OH radicals and ions have been proven effective against bacterium.
An oral and personal hygiene device for cleansing portions of the human anatomy by means of ultrasonic vibrations. The disclosed embodiment includes a fluid compartment, an ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic implement surrounding the transducer, and a fluid delivery pump which is connected between the compartment and the ultrasonic implement. The fluid delivery pump is operable to fill a human anatomical cavity with fluid and is designed to shut itself off once the cavity has been filled. The ultrasonic implement delivers ultrasonic vibrations from the transducer to the fluid within the cavity whereby ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted in the form of cavitating action to all regions of the cavity for removal of foreign material such as food particles. During this cavitating action, the ultrasonic implement remains virtually stationary and is not required to be moved in and around the cavity to assure cleansing of all areas.
A method and apparatus for moisturizing and therapy of the mouth and throat is disclosed. A nebulized fine pulsating liquid spray of relatively small droplets is applied. The pressure and temperature of the spray are controlled to obtain optimum penetration. A liquid pulse generator and moisturizing break-up nozzle are employed for practicing the method.
A method for inducing a state of conciousness in a human being by bombarding the body with a fluid pulsating at a frequency corresponding with the frequency of brainwaves normal to the state being induced. A method is also disclosed for producing a concentrated fluid discharge by completely and rapidly blocking a flowing fluid stream under pressure, accumulating the resulting pressure rise and completely and rapidly releasing a concentrated fluid pulse. The invention includes apparatus for a producing a cyclic fluid discharge with a frequency from 1/2 to 120 pulses per second. Another method is disclosed for reducing fluid consumption without restricting fluid passageways by cyclically interrupting the flow of fluid and controlling the percentage of time during each cycle that fluid is allowed to flow.
A small, but nevertheless high-flow fluidic oscillator has a dual level body portion including an interaction chamber in a first level. An inlet plenum supplies fluid to a supply nozzle which enters directly into the inlet end of the interaction chamber to direct a jet flow from the supply nozzle, through the interaction chamber and out of an outlet opening. A fluid passage is located at least partly in the second level of the body portion, and connecting passages on either side of the supply nozzle connect the fluid passage to the inlet end of the interaction chamber. The walls of the interaction chamber converge from the inlet end toward a neck portion and thereafter diverge and then converge again at the outlet so that a fluid column extends between the jet flow and the sidewalls of the interaction chamber, and moves cyclically back and forth through the fluid passage and the connecting passages to obtain interaction between the fluid column and the jet flow without the need for control nozzles.
