Oral care implement with liquid delivery system

摘要

An oral care implement (1) includes a head (12), a handle (10), a neck portion (11) connecting the head and the handle, and a reservoir (15) which contains at least one active agent. The implement has an activator (22) for activating a delivery device which delivers the active agent to one or more outlets (50). A powered delivery device (18) disposed in the head to deliver a liquid from the reservoir via the outlet. A wide variety of types of active agents may be administered at appropriate and accurate doses for therapeutic, hygienic, and/or other benefit.

主权项

1. An oral care implement comprising:
a handle; a head extending along a longitudinal axis and having a front surface and an opposing rear surface, the head having tooth cleaning elements, a support body, and a head plate coupled to the support body, the tooth cleaning elements mounted to the head plate and extending from a front surface of the head plate, the head plate having a proximal plane extending perpendicular to the front surface of the head and transverse to the longitudinal axis at an end of the head plate nearest the handle and a distal plane extending perpendicular to the front surface of the head and transverse to the longitudinal axis at an end of the head plate furthest from the handle; a reservoir for storing a liquid; an outlet disposed in the head and the outlet being connected to the reservoir; a piezoelectric pump disposed in the head and located entirely between the distal plane and the proximal plane to deliver the liquid from the reservoir via the outlet, the piezoelectric pump including:
a piezoelectric actuator fixed on a flexible membrane which is on a pump chamber;a first double valve flap that allows liquid to flow only from the reservoir to said pump chamber; anda second double valve flap that allows the liquid to flow only from said pump chamber toward the outlet.