Patent ID: 8961174
Filing Date: 2015-02-24
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for use in a liquid droplet system for cleaning teeth for producing successive bursts of air and successive bursts of liquid with one motor assembly, comprising: a single motor having an output shaft; a motor drive gear attached to the motor output shaft a first compound gear having a first gear portion and a second gear portion; a second compound gear having a first gear portion and a second gear portion, the second gear portion having a first part with teeth spaced around a circumference thereof and a remainder of the second gear portion having no teeth around the circumference thereof, wherein the motor drive gear drives the first gear portion of the first compound gear and wherein the second gear portion of the first compound gear drives the first gear portion of the second compound gear; an air cylinder; a mixing chamber at a distal end of the air cylinder, the mixing chamber having an exit nozzle for a mix of liquid and air; a rack member having a distal sealing end which mates with an interior surface of the air cylinder in a fluid-tight relationship, wherein the second gear portion of the second compound gear mates with and drives the rack; a spring member mounted such that as the rack is moved by action of the second gear portion of the second compound gear the spring compresses; and a liquid pump connected to the second compound gear such that as the second compound gear turns, successive bursts of liquid are directed into the mixing chamber, and wherein when the remainder of the second gear portion having no teeth around the circumference thereof comes adjacent to the rack, such that there is no connection between the second compound gear and the rack, the spring moves the rack within the air cylinder at such a rate to produce bursts of air to the mixing chamber such that a resulting mix stream of droplets exit at high velocity through the nozzle for cleaning of the teeth.