IRRIGATION DEVICE FOR PERSONAL HYGIENE

Abstract: An irrigation device for personal hygiene comprises a torch-like case (1) containing a battery electrical source (7) for supplying, through a manually-operated external control member (23), an electric motor which drives a centrifugal pump (13) into which lead an intake pipe (15) for an irrigating liquid and a delivery pipe (17) connected to a tube (18) having a shaped end (20) with delivery nozzles (21) for the liquid.

Description: Irrigation device for personal hygiene The present invention concerns an irrigation device for personal hygiene. It is well known that personal hygiene, particularly that of women, has great importance from both the hygiene aspect and the sanitary aspect. Until now, rudimentary devices, for example of the disposable rubber syringe type and the like, or complicated devices connected to wall-mounted installations have been used for the practising of women's personal hygiene, which prove decidedly uneconomical, not very practical, and wholly unsuitable for domestic use. The object of the present invention is to avoid the aforesaid disadvantages and provide an extremely simple and practical irrigation device for personal hygiene,, which can ensure considerable manageability and high efficiency in the practising of physiological hygiene. According to the invention this object is achieved by an irrigation device for personal hygiene, characterised in that it is constituted by a torch-like case containing a battery electrical source for supplying, through a manually-operated external control member, a direct current electric motor which drives a centrifugal pump housed in the torch case and to which lead an intake pipe and a delivery pipe for an irrigating liquid, the delivery pipe being fitted with an interchangeable tube having a tip of a shape suitable for insertion in place and for intimate - 2 - irrigation and having delivery nozzles for the irrigating liquid. A further characteristic of the device according to the invention is- that the external control member for the electric motor is constituted by a push-button with automatic return so that, as„soon as the user stops pressing the button, the electric supply to the motor is cut off and the device is deactivated. The invention will now be described in detail with particular reference to the appended drawings ^ provided purely by way of non—limiting example,in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the irrigation device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is an axial section of the device of Figure 1. As apparent from the drawings, the irrigation device in question is constituted essentially by a container 1 with a handgrip 3, in the example illustrated a cylindrical-sectioned handgrip of the flashlight type. A head 5, also cylindrical in section, is fitted onto the handgrip 3. The handgrip 3 houses an electrical supply source consisting, in the illustrated example, of two torch-type dry batteries 7 placed in series and resting at the bottom of the container 1 on a contact 9 subject to the action of a helical compression spring 10. At the opposite end the batteries 7 are connected to direct current electric motor 11 fitted in the head 5 and connected axially to a centrifugal pump 13 to which lead an axial intake pipe 15 and a radial delivery pipe 17. A tube 19 having at its free end a tip 20 of a shape and section suitable for insertion into the intimate part to be irrigated and having a ring of delivery nozzles 21 is press-fitted onto the delivery pipe 17 and is thus removable. The handgrip 3 is provided adjacent the head 5 with an external control member in the form- of a push-button which acts, through a helical return spring 25, on a moving contact 27 arranged to connect the pole 9 with the circuit of the electric motor 11. In use, the intake pipe 15 is connected to a container of irrigating liquid and the tip 20 of the tube 19 is inserted into the intimate part to be irrigated. The exertion of manual pressure on the button 23 closes the electric circuit and thus supplies the electric motor 11 which rotates the pump 13 by means of which the irrigating liquid is sprayed through the delivery nozzles 21. As soon as the user relaxes the pressure on the button 23, the latter is urged into the rest position by the spring 25, automatically and immediately stopping the operation of the motor-pump unit 11, 13. It is clear that the tube 19 is interchangeable and that the tip 20 can be shaped andperforated in a different - 4 - manner according to the specific requirements of use. Naturally, the details of construction and the forms of embodiment of the device can be widely varied from what has been described and illustrated, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Irrigation device for personal hygiene, characterised in that it is constituted by a torch-like case (1) containing a battery electrical source (7) for supplying, through a manually-operated external control member (23), a direct current electric motor (11) which drives a centrifugal pump (13) housed in the case (1) and to which lead an intake pipe (15) and a delivery pipe (17) for an irrigating liquid, the delivery pipe (17) being fitted with an interchangeable tube (19) having a tip (20) of a shape suitable for insertion inplace and having delivery nozzles (21) for the irrigating liquid. 2. Device according to Claim 1,characterised in that the control member is constituted by a push-button (23) with an automatic return spring (25).

Inventors: BIGANO PIETRO, BIGANO, PIETRO
Applicants: BIGANO PIETRO, BIGANO, PIETRO
Application year: 1985
Main classification: A61M7
IPC codes: A61M3