Patent Publication Number: US-2020276003-A1

Title: Oral irrigator

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 14/956,017, filed Dec. 1, 2015, entitled “Oral Irrigator,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/086,051, filed Dec. 1, 2014, entitled “Waterproof Cordless Oral Irrigator,” and to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/132,319 filed Mar. 12, 2015, entitled “Waterproof Cordless Oral Irrigator,” the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to health and personal hygiene equipment and more particularly, to oral irrigators. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Oral irrigators typically are used to clean a user&#39;s teeth and gums by discharging a pressurized fluid stream into a user&#39;s oral cavity. The fluid impacts the teeth and gums to remove debris. Many oral irrigators include electrical components, such as batteries, a motor, or the like. For example, typically oral irrigators include a motor driven pump that pumps fluid from a reservoir to the tip. Often oral irrigators are used in a wet environment, such as a bathroom and some users may even take the irrigators into the shower or bath, but conventional oral irrigators are not waterproof, merely water resistant. Hence, conventional oral irrigators may be protected from splashes and incidental fluid contact, but as they are not waterproof may not protect electronic components when submersed in water or exposed to large amounts of water. When water and other fluids reach the electronic components, the fluids can cause the oral irrigator to malfunction and may even prevent the oral irrigator from operating completely. As such, there is a need for an oral irrigator that is waterproof. 
     SUMMARY 
     One example of the present disclosure may take the form of an oral irrigator pump. The oral irrigator pump may include a motor, a pump body, a connecting rod, and a diaphragm seal. The connecting rod may be at least partially received within the pump body and movably connected to the motor and the motor moves the connecting rod between a first position and a second position within the pump body. As the connecting rod moves from the first position to the second position, the diaphragm seal deforms from a first orientation to a second orientation. 
     Another example of the present disclosure may take the form of an oral irrigator. The oral irrigator may include a reservoir, a tip fluidly connected to the reservoir, a motor having a drive shaft, and a pump fluidly connected to the reservoir and the tip. The pump may include a pump body including a pump inlet fluidly connected to the reservoir and a pump outlet fluidly connected to the tip, a pinion gear placed on the drive shaft and including a plurality of pinion gear teeth that curve along their length, and a driven gear including a plurality of driven gear teeth that mesh with the pinion gear teeth. In this embodiment, the pinion gear teeth and the driven gear teeth are spiral gears with beveled edges. The pump may also include a connecting rod eccentrically connected to the driven gear and a piston connected to a first end of the connecting rod and received within the pump body. In operation, movement of the drive shaft of the motor causes the pinion gear to rotate, which causes the driven gear to rotate, translating the connecting rod and moving the piston laterally within the pump body to pull fluid from the reservoir and push the fluid to the tip. 
     Yet another example of the present disclosure may take the form of an oral irrigator including a handle fluidly connected to a reservoir and a tip latch assembly connected to the handle. The tip latch assembly may include a latch with an integrally formed biasing structure and at least one prong selectively movable from an engaged position to a disengaged position. The tip latch assembly may also include a tip release button engaging at least one surface of the latch. To operate the latch, a user exerts a force on the tip release button, which causes the tip release button to exert a force against the at least one surface of the latch, overcoming a biasing force exerted by the biasing structure and causing the at least one prong to move from the engaged position to the disengaged position. When the user removes the force from the tip release button, the biasing structure exerts the biasing force on the tip release button as the at least one prong moves from the disengaged position back to the engaged position. 
     Another example of the present disclosure may take the form of a waterproof oral irrigator. The waterproof oral irrigator may include a body including a front shell and a rear shell connected together to define a cavity, an interior housing received within the cavity, and a control assembly connected to an outer surface of the interior housing and positioned between an interior surface of the front shell and the interior housing. The waterproof oral irrigator may also include a first sealing member connected to the front shell and the interior housing, where the first sealing member surrounds the control assembly. 
     Yet another example of the present disclosure may take the form of an oral irrigation assembly including an oral irrigator and a charging unit. The oral irrigator includes a housing, at least one rechargeable battery received within the housing, and at least one housing magnet connected to the housing. The charging unit is selectively connectable to the housing of the oral irrigator and is configured to provide a charge to the at least one rechargeable battery. The charging unit includes at least one charger magnet connected to the charging unit, such that the at least one housing magnet and the at least one charger magnet cooperate to removably connect the charging unit to the housing of the oral irrigator. 
     While multiple examples are disclosed, still other examples of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative examples of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a front isometric view of an oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 1B  is a side elevation view of the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 1C  is a rear elevation view of the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 2A  is a front elevation view of the oral irrigator with a charging unit connected thereto. 
         FIG. 2B  is a side elevation view of the oral irrigator with the charging unit connected thereto. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear isometric view of a front shell for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 5A  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator taken along line  5 A- 5 A in  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 5B  is an enlarged view of the cross-section view of  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the oral irrigator with select elements removed. 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator taken along line  8 A- 8 A in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of the cross-section view of  FIG. 8A . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator taken along line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 10A  is an isometric view of the drive assembly and the pump assembly with certain elements removed from clarity. 
         FIG. 10B  is a cross-section view of the drive and pump assemblies taken along line  10 B- 10 B in  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 11A  is a top isometric view of a diaphragm seal of the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 11B  is a cross-section view of the diaphragm seal taken along line  11 B- 11 B in  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 11C  is a cross-section view of a diaphragm seal included a beaded engagement wall taken along a line similar to  11 B- 11 B in  FIG. 11A . 
         FIG. 12  is an enlarged cross-section view of the oral irrigator similar to  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 13A  is an isometric view of a tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 13B  is a cross-section view of the tip latch assembly taken along line  13 B- 13 B in  FIG. 13A . 
         FIG. 14  is an enlarged top isometric view of the oral irrigator with the tip collar removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 15  is a top plan view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16A  is an isometric view of a latch chassis for the tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 16B  is an isometric view of a latch for the tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 16C  is a top-front isometric view of the latch of  FIG. 16B . 
         FIG. 17  is a top isometric view of a tip release button for the tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 18A  is a top isometric view of a tip collar for the tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 18B  is a bottom isometric view of the tip collar of  FIG. 18A . 
         FIG. 18C  is a cross-section view of the tip collar taken along line  18 C- 18 C in  FIG. 18A . 
         FIG. 19  is a rear isometric view of a charging unit for the oral irrigator. 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-section view of the charging unit taken along line  20 - 20  in  FIG. 19 . 
         FIG. 21  is an exploded view of a coil assembly for the charging unit of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 22  is an isometric view of the charging unit connected to the oral irrigator with select components removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 23A  is a partial cross-section enlarged view of the oral irrigator similar to  FIG. 12  during an upstroke of the pumping assembly. 
         FIG. 23B  is a partial cross-section enlarged view similar to  FIG. 23A  during a transition between the upstroke position and down-stroke position. 
         FIG. 23C  is a partial cross-section enlarged view similar to  FIG. 23A  during a down-stroke of the pumping assembly. 
         FIG. 24  is a simplified view of the tip latch assembly with select elements removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 25  is a cross-section view of another example of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 1  taken along line similar to line  5 A- 5 A in  FIG. 1B . 
         FIG. 26  is bottom plan view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 1  including a slide latch. 
         FIG. 27  is an enlarged cross-section view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 26  taken along line  27 - 27  in  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 28  is an isometric view of a latch for the slide latch of  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 29  is a bottom plan view of the reservoir for the oral irrigator of  FIG. 26 . 
         FIG. 30A  is a top isometric view of a venting assembly for the battery compartment. 
         FIG. 30B  is a cross-sectional view of the venting assembly of  FIG. 30A  taken along line  30 B- 30 B in  FIG. 30A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some examples of the present disclosure include a cordless oral irrigator. The cordless oral irrigator may include an integrated handle and reservoir to allow the irrigator to be held in a user&#39;s hand without requiring cords or hoses extending to a base station to provide fluid communication to a reservoir and/or electrical communication to a power source. The oral irrigator of the present disclosure may include a body, a tip, a reservoir, a control panel, a power source, and a drive assembly. The power source in many embodiments will be a battery or other rechargeable component that can provide portable electricity to the drive assembly. However, it should be noted that multiple aspects of the present disclosure can be incorporated into a countertop oral irrigator. 
     The oral irrigator may include a number of waterproofing elements that help to ensure that water (and other fluids) do not enter into certain compartments or reach certain components, e.g., the motor and battery. In one example, the oral irrigator may include three separate waterproof compartments, one for the control assembly, one for a charging assembly, and one for the motor and batteries. The waterproofing elements may allow the oral irrigator to be waterproof and be able to function even if dropped into a meter or more of water. The waterproofing elements seal the outer surface of the oral irrigator to prevent water from entering into the internal compartments, as well seal internal compartments within the irrigator, so that if there are internal leaks within the oral irrigator, fluid from the reservoir, pump, and/or tip does not damage any electrical components. The waterproofing elements are discussed in more detail below, but some examples include seals between the control panel and the body or housing, overmolded buttons on the control panel, and ultrasonically welding a portion of the control panel to the body of the oral irrigator. Alternatively or additionally, the oral irrigator may include components that are coated with a super-hydrophobic coating to help protect electronic components from damage. The waterproofing elements allow the oral irrigator to receive an IPX7 waterproof rating under the International Protection Marking standard, which means that the device is suitable in immersion in fluid up to 1 meter. 
     In some embodiments the drive assembly may include a motor, a pump, and a linkage connecting the pump to the motor. The linkage may include a pinion gear and a driven gear, with the pinion gear being received around a drive shaft of the motor and the driven gear meshing with the pinion gear. In one example the driven gear and the pinion gear are bevel gears mounted on shafts arranged approximately 90 degrees relative to one another. The gears of the linkage may be configured to transmit an eccentric motion to the pump, which will be discussed in more detail below. In one embodiment, both the pinion gear and the driven gear may include helical or spiral-shaped gear teeth. That is, the gear teeth on both gears may be curved along their length. The spiral shape of the pinion gear and the driven gear of the present disclosure, although they may be more difficult to machine and manufacture, have a reduced noise level as compared to straight teeth gears. 
     Conventional oral irrigating devices typically include gears, such as crown gears, with substantially straight gear teeth having a 90 degree pitch cone. Crown gears are relatively easy to manufacture, allow larger tolerances, and have a high efficiency, but with crown gears only one set of teeth carries the load at a time. In particular, with straight cut gears (such as crown gears), the load cannot be distributed. On the contrary, with the spiral shape of the gears of the present disclosure, multiple teeth can carry the load at a time, which increases the load that can be handled by the linkage, as well as makes the gears less susceptible to failure. 
     The spiral shape of the gear teeth further have effectively larger sized teeth as compared to a similarly sized crown gear since the teeth extend diagonally rather than straight across. Also, the angle of the teeth of the gears engages more gradually, since the pitch is less than 90 degrees. The gradual engagement of the teeth of the spiral gears reduces the noise, as well as allows the gears to mesh more smoothly. Spiral gears have an increased durability as compared to crown gears and therefore have improved reliability and create less noise. However, spiral gears require tight tolerances to manufacture as the axial, radial, and vertical positions, as well as the shaft angle, should be correct to allow the gear to run smoothly and avoid excessive wear. Further, spiral gears have a greater sliding friction as compared to crown gears and therefore may be less efficient than crown gears. 
     In some embodiments, the oral irrigator may include a diaphragm seal that seals the pump from the electrical components of the oral irrigator (e.g., the motor and the power source). The diaphragm seal connects to a piston rod or connecting rod of the pump that moves a piston to pump fluid from the reservoir to the tip. The diaphragm seal includes a rod aperture through which the piston rod is received. The diaphragm seal is secured to the position rod and is secured to a pump body or other location along an exterior of the pump. The diaphragm is connected so that as the connecting rod moves to drive the piston, the diaphragm moves correspondingly, but does not rub against any surfaces as it moves. This increases the durability of the diaphragm as it reduces wear due to friction and, because the diaphragm does not experience friction during use, the diaphragm does not reduce the efficiency of the pump. 
     The oral irrigator may also include a removably attachable charging device. The charging device may selectively attach to the body and charge the power source, such as the battery, when connected. As an example, the charging device may include one or more magnets that magnetically couple to one or more body magnets positioned with the body of the oral irrigator. When the charging device is connected to the body, a first induction coil of the charging device is positioned to align with a second induction coil in the body of the oral irrigator so as to induce a current flow in the second induction coil. In some embodiments, the charging device may generally conform to the shape of the oral irrigator body. This allows the charging device to more securely connect to the body, as well as provide an aesthetically pleasing uniform appearance between the body of the oral irrigator and the charger. Further, the charger may also include a plurality of cooling grooves defined on a side of the charger housing. The cooling grooves allow airflow between the oral irrigator and the charger when the oral irrigator is charging, which dissipates heat and helps to prevent damage to components, such as the housing of the irrigator and/or charger, due to the heat generated by the coils during charging. 
     Overview of the Oral Irrigator 
     Turning to the figures,  FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrate various views of an oral irrigator  100  in accordance with the present disclosure,  FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate the oral irrigator  100  with a removable charger attached thereto,  FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the oral irrigator  100  of  FIG. 1A . With reference now to  FIGS. 1A-1C , the oral irrigator  100  may include a body  102 , a reservoir  104 , a tip  106 , and a control panel  108 . The removable tip  106  connects to the body  102  and is releasable through a tip release button  120 . A tip collar  110  may surround the tip  106  at the connection to the body  102 . The various components of the oral irrigator will be discussed in more detail below. 
     The body  102  may be contoured to comfortably fit in the hand of a user. For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C  the body  102  may include a broad bottom that tapers upward to form a waist having a smaller diameter than the bottom, the body  102  then expands outwards again to form a top portion. The location of the waist may be selected so as to be about three-quarters of the height from the bottom of the body  102 , or in other locations that may be desired or determined comfortable for a user&#39;s hand to grip the irrigator  100 . The shape of the body  102  may also be selected to be a shape that is aesthetically appealing, while still allowing a user to comfortably grip the body  102 . 
     The body  102  may also include one or more gripping elements. As one example, the body  102  may include a grip surface  118  (see  FIG. 10 ) on a back surface of the body  102 . The grip surface  118  includes a plurality of raised ridges, bumps, or other features, that increase the friction coefficient of the body  102  to help a user hold the body  102  without slipping. Other gripping features may be defined on other elements of the irrigator  100 , such as the reservoir  104 , tip collar  110 , and so on, as discussed in more detail below. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the body  102  may include a front shell  138  and a back shell  140  that connect together to form the outer housing for the irrigator  100 . The two shells  138 ,  140  may be connected together to define a cavity that receives various internal components of the oral irrigator  100 , e.g., the drive assembly and power assembly. The shells  138 ,  140  may be configured with various internal features that are configured to receive and support various components of the irrigator  100 , as well as features that allow the two shells to connect together in a sealing manner. In one embodiment, the front shell  138  may be somewhat longer than the rear shell  140  as the rear shell  140  is shaped to accommodate the reservoir  104 . However, in other embodiments, the two shells may be substantially the same length and/or shape. 
     The front shell  138  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 4  is a rear isometric view of the front shell  138  of the body  102 . With reference to  FIGS. 1A, 3, and 4 , the front shell  138  may include one or more sealing features  142 ,  144  extending from an interior surface  150  of the front shell  138 . The sealing features  142 ,  144  may be generally oval shaped and define a compartment for receiving one or more components of the oral irrigator  100 , e.g., the control and power assemblies. The sealing features  142 ,  144  also are configured to accommodate one or more sealing gaskets, such as O-rings or other sealing members, to protect the components positioned within the sealing features  142 ,  144  from fluid. 
     The front shell  138  may further include a plurality of connecting posts  152   a - 152   k . The connecting posts  152   a - 152   k  may assist in aligning the front shell  138  with the back shell  140  as well as connecting the two shells  138 ,  140  together. For example, the connecting posts  152   a - 152   k  may be configured to align with corresponding posts on the rear shell  140  and receive fasteners, e.g., press fit pins, screws, or other mechanisms, to secure the posts  152   a - 152   k  of the front shell  138  with those on the rear shell  140 . Some of the connecting posts  152   a - 152   k  may instead be used to connect various internal components as well. 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1A, 3, and 4 , the front shell  138  of the body  102  may also include a window panel  146 . The window panel  146  seats within an aperture formed in the front shell  138  and connects along an edge to the front shell  138 . Additionally, the front shell  138  includes a plurality of light windows  148   a ,  148   b ,  148   c ,  148   d . The light windows  148   a ,  148   b ,  148   c ,  148   d  may include a transparent material positioned in front or otherwise allow light to be transmitted therethrough. The window panel  146  may be welded ultrasonically to the body  102  once the control assembly and power assembly have been electrically connected together, as discussed in more detail below. Thus, the window panel  146  allows select components of the oral irrigator to be connected together and accessible during assembly, but after assembly, the panel  146  can be ultrasonically welded to the front shell  138  to prevent fluids from leaking into the body  102 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4 , the front shell  138  may also include a plurality of cavities to receive one or more magnets which, as described in more detail below, are used to selectively connect the charger to the oral irrigator  100  and/or to activate the charger. For example, a first magnet recess  446  may be defined on an interior of the shell  138  within a portion surrounded by the second sealing feature  144 . Two magnet pockets  448   a ,  448   b  may be defined on opposing longitudinal sides of the sealing feature  144 . It should be noted that the magnet pockets  448   a ,  448   b  may be defined in any location as desired, but typically will be located adjacent the location of the power assembly and circuit board  196  (see  FIG. 6 ), so as to align the charger unit  134  with the induction coils and other related components. 
     The control panel  108  may be connected to the front shell  138  of the body  102 . With reference to  FIGS. 1A, 2A, and 3 , the control panel  108  includes a power button  112  and a mode button  114  that provide an input mechanism to allow a user to operate the oral irrigator  100 . The two buttons  112 ,  114  are connected to and extend away from the front shell  138 . The two buttons  112 ,  114  may be compressed to selectively change a state of the oral irrigator  100 , such as turning the irrigator  100  on or off or changing the mode of the irrigator  100 , as will be discussed in more detail below. In one embodiment, the buttons  112 ,  114  are overmolded with the front shell  138 , which helps to further waterproof the oral irrigator  100 . For example the buttons  112 ,  114  may be formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material and the front shell  138  may be a thermoplastic material so that when the buttons  112 ,  114  are molded to the front shell  138  a chemical bond is formed so that the seal between the buttons  112 ,  114  and the front shell  138  is waterproof. The buttons  112 ,  114  may also include raised areas that form contacts for switches on the control assembly as will be discussed in more detail below. 
     The reservoir  104  of the oral irrigator  100  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 5A  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator  100  taken along line  5 A- 5 A in  FIG. 1B .  FIG. 5B  is an enlarged view of  FIG. 5A . With reference to  FIGS. 1B, 10, 3, 5A, and 5B , the reservoir  104  may be removable from the body  102  or may be formed integrally therewith. In embodiments where the reservoir  104  is removable, the user may refill the reservoir  104  while it is connected to the body  102  through a fill port  122  or may remove the reservoir  104  to refill it through the port or an aperture defined on a top end of the reservoir  104 . The reservoir  104  may have a generally L-shape body that defines a fluid cavity  154 . The horizontal extension of the reservoir  104  may include a stepped platform  158  extending from the top surface which helps to increase the capacity of the reservoir. In one embodiment, see, e.g.,  FIG. 25 , the reservoir  104  may further include a latch  477  that assists a user in removing the reservoir  104  from the oral irrigator  100 . 
     The refill port  122  is defined as an aperture through an outer sidewall of the reservoir  104 . A port recess  132  may surround the refill port  122  and define a generally oval shape recessed compartment in the outer surface of the reservoir  104 . A lid  124  is movably connected to the reservoir  104  by a hinge  126 . The lid  124  extends over the refill port  122  and includes a flange  164  that is received into the port recess  132 . An O-ring  156  (see  FIG. 5A ) sits around the flange  164  to seal against the walls of the refill port  122 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 5A , the reservoir  104  may include an outer sidewall  166  with two alignment grooves  168   a ,  168   b  (see  FIG. 3 ) defined longitudinally along its height. The top surface of the reservoir  104  defines a main port  160  that is fluidly connected to the reservoir cavity  154 . A reservoir lip  170  extends upwards from the top surface of the reservoir  104  and surrounds the main port  160 . The main port  160  defines a larger diameter aperture to allow the reservoir  104 , when removed, to be filed more quickly than through the refill port  122 . Additionally, the main port  160  fluidly connects the rear shell  140  to the reservoir  104 . 
     The oral irrigator  100  may further include a reservoir hose  206  that extends into the reservoir  104  from a tube protrusion feature  165  extending from a surface of the rear shell and a tube  202  that fluidly connects a pump body  200  to a reservoir hose  206  (see  FIG. 6 ). With brief reference to  FIG. 25 , in some embodiments, a filter  479  may be connected to a bottom end of the reservoir hose  206 . The filter  479  may filter the fluid from the reservoir  104  prior to the fluid being provided to the tip  106 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 1B , the reservoir  104  may also include one or more finger grips  116  defined on the outer surface. The finger grips  116  may be recessed from the outer surface and optionally may include one or more raised elements, such as ridges, that assist a user in griping the reservoir  104 . The finger grips  116  assist a user in removing the reservoir  104  from the body  102  and in griping the reservoir  104  when refilling it. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the finger grips  116  may be omitted from the oral irrigator  100  or may be positioned at other locations on the outer surface of the irrigator. 
     The internal components of the oral irrigator  100  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 6  is a front elevation view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 1A  with the front shell  138  and the back shell  140  removed for clarity.  FIG. 7  is a side elevation view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 6 . With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the oral irrigator  100  may include an upper housing  184  and a lower housing  182 . The two housings  182 ,  184  define interior compartments for receiving various elements of the oral irrigator  100 , as well as provide a chassis structure for anchoring components to the outer walls thereof. Each of the housings  182 ,  184  may include a raised flange  208 ,  210  extending from a sidewall configured to receive a sealing member, such as gaskets  212 ,  214  or O-rings. The two housings  182 ,  184  are configured to be connected together and received within the body  102  and act as a chassis for the irrigator, supporting the various components within the body. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 12 , the lower housing  182  may define a dry compartment  276  that receives components of the pump assembly  176  and the drive assembly  178 . The lower housing  182  may be fluidly sealed from the wet components of the pump assembly  176 , discussed in more detail below. The wet and dry compartments may be aligned so as to be generally parallel with one another, which reduces the form factor and diameter of the oral irrigator. The lower housing  182  includes a sealing end  278  defined on a terminal end of the lower housing  182 . The sealing end  278  includes an annular groove  280  defined in a top surface thereof. The annular groove  280  defines an outer wall  282  and an inner wall  284  on the sealing end  278  of the lower housing  182 . The sealing end  278  further defines a rod aperture  286  extending through the top surface thereof and in communication with the dry compartment  276  of the lower housing  182 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 5B , the oral irrigator  100  may also include a drive mount  304 . The drive mount  304  is configured to support the motor  172  and other components of the drive assembly  178  as discussed in more detail below. The drive mount  304  may be a somewhat rigid member received within the lower housing  182  and secured thereto. In other embodiments, the drive mount  304  may be omitted and the lower housing  182  may include integral features that may be used to secure the motor  172  to the lower housing  182 . 
     With reference again to  FIG. 6 , the oral irrigator  100  may include a first circuit board  204  having a power switch  186 , a mode switch  188 , a plurality of indicator lights  190   a ,  190   b ,  190   c ,  190   d  and may include a processing element, such as a microprocessor. The power switch  186  and the mode switch  188  are selected by the user to selectively activate the irrigator  100  and to change the mode of the irrigator  100 , respectively. The indicator lights  190   a ,  190   b ,  190   c ,  190   d , illuminate and/or vary an emitted light color to indicate a change in status of the irrigator  100 . The indicator lights  190   a ,  190   b ,  190   c ,  190   d  may be light emitting diodes, organic light emitting diodes, or substantially any other type of light emitting component. 
     The oral irrigator  100  may include a second circuit board  196  in electrical communication with the first circuit board  204  via a plurality of connection wires  192 . The second circuit board  196  may include a secondary coil assembly  194  and other components, such as one or more electrical components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, microprocessor, or the like), for charging the oral irrigator  100 , discussed in more detail below. 
     Drive and Pump Assemblies 
     The drive assembly  178  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 8A  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator taken along line  8 A- 8 A in  FIG. 1B .  FIG. 8B  is an enlarged view of the oral irrigator of  FIG. 8A .  FIG. 9  is a cross-section of the oral irrigator taken along line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 10 .  FIG. 10A  is an isometric view of the drive assembly with select elements removed for clarity.  FIG. 10B  is a cross-section view of the drive assembly taken along line  10 B- 10 B in  FIG. 10A . With reference to  FIGS. 8A-10B , the drive assembly  178  is configured to pump fluid from the reservoir  104  to the tip  106 . The drive assembly  178  may include a pump assembly  176 , a motor  172 , and a linkage  174  interconnected between the pump assembly  176  and the motor  172 . 
     The motor  172  includes a drive shaft  216  connected thereto which is rotatably driven by the motor  172 . The motor  172  may be any type of suitable motor depending on the desired output of the oral irrigator. The linkage  174  or transmission includes a drive or pinion gear  218 , a driven gear  220 , and a gear pin  224 . As will be discussed in more detail below, the linkage  174  transforms the rotational movement of the drive shaft  216  to longitudinal movement of a piston of the pump assembly  176 . 
     The pinion gear  218  includes a plurality of gear teeth  230  on an outer surface or engagement surface thereof. The gear teeth  230  are spiral shape and extend along a curve from a top edge  234  of the outer surface to a bottom edge  236  of the outer surface. In other words, rather than extending in a substantially straight line, the gear teeth  230  wrap around a portion of the outer perimeter of the pinion gear  218 . Additionally, the pinon gear  218  may include a frustum or conical shape having a larger bottom end diameter than a top end diameter, i.e., the pinon gear may have a tapered shape that narrows towards the top end of the component. The shape of the pinion gear may allow the gear teeth to mesh as desired with the driven gear. 
     The driven gear  220  may be oriented at substantially a 90 degree angle with respect to the pinion gear  218 . The driven gear  220  includes a plurality of gear teeth  232  extending outwards from an engagement surface of the driven gear  220 . In some embodiments, the gear teeth  232  may also extend outwards relative to the center of the driven gear  220  such that the outer perimeter of the gear  220  expands from the beginning of the teeth to an end point of the teeth. The gear teeth  232  are configured to mesh with the gear teeth  230  of the pinion gear  218 . Similar to the pinion gear  218 , the gear teeth  232  of the driven gear  220  may be helically shape and may extend at a curve from the interior of the driven gear  220  towards an outer edge of the driven gear  220 . In this manner, the gear teeth  232  start and end at an angle with respect to each other. 
     In other examples, the gears  218 ,  220  may be hypoid gears having curved teeth, but with shaft axes that are offset from one another. Also, it should be noted that in some embodiments, different types of gears may be used together. For example, the pinion gear  218  may be a helical gear whereas the driven gear  220  may be a face gear. 
     The driven gear  220  may also include an eccentric shaft  226  including a cam surface  222  and a gear pin aperture  228  defined through a center of the driven gear  220 . The eccentric shaft  226  is offset from a center (and gear pin aperture) of the driven gear  220 , the offset depends on the desired fluid pressure delivery, the pump characteristics, and/or the rotational speed of the motor  172 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 10B , the eccentric shaft  226  may be positioned closer to one edge of the driven gear  220  to define the eccentricity. The eccentric shaft  226  may include a crescent shaped opening  238  therethrough. The crescent shaped opening  238  assists in controlling the rotational inertia of the driven gear  220  as it rotates by reducing the total inertia of the gear, as well as simplifies the manufacture of the gear  220  and reduces material costs. The pin aperture  228  receives the gear pin  224  and is used to secure the driven gear  220  in position and forms an axle about which the gear rotates. The eccentric shaft  226  may be formed integrally with the driven gear  220  or may be a separate component connected thereto. Typically, the eccentric shaft  226  will have a larger width than the width of the driven gear  220 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8B, 10A, and 10B , the pump assembly  176  will now be discussed. The pump assembly  176  may include a pump body  200 , a connecting rod  240 , a piston  248 , an inlet valve body  250  having an inlet reed valve  252 , and an outlet valve body  424  having an outlet reed valve  254 . The pump assembly  176  is driven by the drive assembly  178  to pump fluid from the reservoir  104  to the tip  106 . 
     The connecting rod  240  or piston rod is driven by the driven gear  220  and connects to the piston  248 . The connecting rod  240  may include a ball  242  on a first end and a gear aperture  262  on a second end. The gear aperture  262  is defined by a cylindrical wall extending from the second end of the connecting rod  240  and is configured to be placed around the eccentric shaft  226  of the gear. The gear aperture  262  includes a radius that substantially matches a radius of the eccentric shaft  226  of the driven gear  220  so as to form a tight connection with the eccentric shaft  226 , such that the connecting rod will move with the eccentric shaft rather than rotate about the connecting shaft. The connecting rod  240  may include a first securing rib  244  and a second securing rib  246  spaced apart from and below the first securing rib  244  along the shaft of the connecting rod  240 . The two ribs  244 ,  246  extend around an outer perimeter of the connecting rod  240  shaft and are annular shaped following the outer surface of the connecting rod. The two ribs  244 ,  246  may be positioned in the middle or upper portion of the connector rod  240 . In other embodiments, the connecting rod  240  may include other types of securing features, other than ribs, such as, but not limited to, protrusions, nubs, apertures, fasteners, adhesive, or the like. 
     The pump body  200  defines a volume as pump chamber  260  for receiving fluid from the reservoir and is configured to receive the piston  248  and a portion of the connecting rod  240 . The pump body  200  includes a pump inlet  256  and a pump outlet  258  arranged substantially perpendicularly to the pump inlet  256 . The pump body  200  includes a piston section  239  having a substantially cylindrical shape that terminates in a receiving section  241  having a frustum shape terminating in a connecting flange  243 . The connecting flange  243  forms the bottom end of the pump body  200  and includes a plurality of fastening brackets  245  configured to receive fasteners that secure the pump body  200  to the lower housing. The connecting flange  243  also acts to better seal the pump chamber and fluid passageways within the pump. 
     The top end of the pump body  200  includes a pump head  247  defining the pump inlet  256  and pump outlet  258 , optionally, the pump head  247  includes a connecting portion that receives one or more fasteners to secure the top end of the pump body  200  to the outlet valve body  424 . A valve receiving section  251  is defined on a top end of the pump head  247  and defines a valve chamber for receiving an outlet valve. The valve receiving section  251  may include a cylindrical wall extending upwards from a bottom wall that defines the outlet  258 . Below and oriented perpendicular to the pump outlet, an inlet valve receiving section  249  is formed on the side of the pump head  247 . The inlet valve receiving section  249  is configured to receive and connect to the inlet valve  250 . For example, the inlet valve receiving section  249  may include a wall structure that mates with or receives the inlet valve  250  to fluidly connect the valve to the inlet of the pump. The pump body  200  is configured to have a pump chamber and other components that are substantially aligned with one another to allow the oral irrigator to have a smaller diameter and thus easier to be held by users having smaller hands (e.g., children). 
     A pump fluid passage  264  is defined within the pump body  200  and fluidly connects the pump inlet  256  to a pump chamber  260  and fluidly connects the pump chamber  260  to the pump outlet  258 . In one embodiment, the fluid passageway  264  extends longitudinally along a length of the pump body  200  and the pump chamber  260  is located at a first end of the fluid passageway  264  and the pump outlet  258  is located at a second end of the fluid passageway  264  with the pump inlet  256  being positioned between the pump chamber  260  and the pump outlet  258 . In this embodiment, the pump inlet  256  may define an intersection in the fluid passageway  264  creating a T-shape lumen through the pump body  200 . In this example, the pump inlet  256  is substantially perpendicularly oriented relative to the pump outlet and pump chamber  260 . Additionally, in some embodiments, the pump inlet  256  may be positioned lower on the pump body  200  as compared to the pump outlet which is formed at the top end of the pump body  200 , such that as fluid is pumped out of the pump body  200 , the fluid passes the fluid inlet into the pump body  200 . 
     The inlet reed valve  252  is positioned in or on the inlet valve body  250  at the pump inlet  256 . The inlet reed valve  252  is selectively opened and closed to regulate the flow of fluid to and from the pump body  200 . The inlet reed valve  252  includes a flap that opens inwards toward the fluid passageway  264  of the pump body  200 . The outlet reed valve  254  is positioned on top of the pump outlet  258  and selectively controls flow into and out of the pump body  200 . The outlet reed valve  254  may be substantially similar to the inlet reed valve  252  and may include a flap that opens outwards away from a top end of the pump body  200 . Operation of the reed valves will be discussed in more detail below during a discussion of the operation of the oral irrigator  100 . Other types of inlet and outlet one-way valves may be used as well. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 8B and 10B , the piston  248  has a generally cylindrically shaped body with a rod cavity  266  defined on a bottom end  268  and configured to receive a portion of the connecting rod  240 . The piston  248  also includes a sealed top end  270  forming a pedestal with an annular groove  272  defined on the top surface. The groove  272  defines a flexible top wall  271  for the piston that expands outwards to form a seal against the internal walls of the pump, while still allowing the piston to move smoothly within the pump, as discussed in more detail below. The piston  248  is configured to selectively pull and push fluid within the pump body  200  as it is moved by the connecting rod  240 . In some embodiments, the piston may have a diameter that varies in shape along its length, the shape is selected based on the shape of the pump body and allows the piston to seal against the walls of the pump, while still move within the pump. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8B , the inlet valve body  250  may be substantially cylindrically shaped having an integrated tube or a tube connector extending downward perpendicularly from the top surface. The inlet valve body  250  defines a fluid passageway that is in selective communication with the pump fluid passageway  264 . The inlet valve body  250  may also include fastening apertures to receive fasteners to secure the inlet valve body  250  to the pump body  200 . 
     The outlet valve body  424  may be a somewhat tube shaped member having a plurality of grooves and flanges defined an outer surface thereof, as shown in  FIG. 8B . The outlet valve body  424  may define a main outlet pathway  426  that is fluidly connected to an inlet chamber  432  fluidly connected to the pump outlet  258 . The inlet chamber  432  may have a larger diameter than the outlet pathway  426 . The outlet pathway  426  varies in diameter along its length and at top end expands outward to form the tip cavity  428  that is configured to receive a portion of the tip  106 . The annular grooves on the outer surface of the outlet valve body  424  may be configured to receive one or more sealing members  436 ,  440 ,  442 , such as O-rings, seal-cups, or the like. Additionally, a bottom end of the outlet valve body  424  may include a flange  430  that is used to secure to the outlet valve body  424  to the pump body  200  as will be discussed below. 
     The oral irrigator  100  may also include one or more sealing members that seal the pump from the electrical components of the power assembly.  FIG. 11A  is a top isometric view of a diaphragm seal for the oral irrigator.  FIG. 11B  is a cross-section view of the diaphragm seal taken along line  11 B- 11 B in  FIG. 11A .  FIG. 12  is an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG. 9 . With reference to  FIGS. 11A-12 , the oral irrigator  100  may include a diaphragm seal  274  that seals the pump assembly  176  from the lower housing  182 . The diaphragm seal  274  may be formed of a flexible and waterproof material. For example, in some embodiments the diaphragm seal  274  may be elastomeric, rubber (one example being nitrile butadiene rubber), or a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). In embodiments where the diaphragm seal  274  is a TPE material, the seal may be overmolded to one or more components of the pump assembly  176 , such as to the connecting rod and/or lower housing, as discussed in more detail below. 
     The diaphragm seal  274  includes a seal top surface  302  with a rod aperture  292  defined through a center thereof. The seal top surface  302  extends radially outwards from the rod aperture  292  and then downwards at an angle to define a flexible skirt  296 . The skirt  296  may be conical or frustum shaped and may define a hollow space in the seal  274 . The skirt  296  is flexible and is configured to deform and resiliently return to its original shape. At a bottom end of the skirt  296 , a crease  298  or bend is defined as the diaphragm seal  278  extends back upwards and outwards. As will be discussed in more detail below, the depth of the crease  298  varies as the seal is deformed during operation of the pump. A beaded flange  288  extends radially outwards from a top end of the crease  298 . The beaded flange  288  has a substantially flat top surface  294  while the bottom surface  300  is convexly curved forming an annular bead on the bottom surface. The top surface  294  may be substantially flat and configured to be received between the pump body and the lower housing  182 . 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 11A-12 , the diaphragm seal  274  further includes an engagement wall  290  surrounding and defining the rod aperture  292 . The engagement wall  290  forms a sidewall conforming to the shape of the rod aperture  292  and extends partially above the seal top surface  302  and extends partially into the hollow space defined by the flexible skirt  296 . In this manner, the engagement wall  290  defines a cylindrically shaped flange that is seated within the rod aperture  292 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 11A-12 , the engagement wall  290  of the diaphragm seal  274  is a cylindrically shaped flange. However, in other embodiments, the engagement wall  290  may take other forms, in order to create a better seal and/or match the configuration of the connecting rod.  FIG. 11C  illustrates a cross-section view of another example of the diaphragm seal  274 . With reference to  FIG. 11C , the diaphragm seal  275  may be substantially the same as the diaphragm seal  274  of  FIGS. 11A and 11B . However, in this example, the engagement wall  291  is a bead extending around and defining the rod aperture  292 . In particular, the engagement wall  291  bead includes a rounded outer surface, similar to an O-ring, rather than the relatively straight edges of the engagement wall  290 . 
     Tip Latch Assembly 
     The tip latch assembly will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 13A  is a side elevation view of the tip latch assembly for the oral irrigator  100 .  FIG. 13B  is a cross-section of the tip latch assembly taken along line  13 B- 13 B in  FIG. 13A .  FIG. 14  is a top isometric view of the oral irrigator with the tip collar removed to illustrate certain features. With reference to  FIGS. 13A-14 , the tip latch assembly  306  releasably secures the tip  106  to the oral irrigator  100 . The tip latch assembly  306  allows a user to remove a tip, insert a new tip  106 , as well as rotate the tip  106 . The tip latch assembly  306  may include a latch  318 , a tip release  120 , a latch chassis  308 , a return spring  316 , a detent spring  310 , and the tip collar  110 . 
     The latch chassis  308  supports various components of the tip latch assembly  306  to the oral irrigator  100 .  FIG. 16A  is a top isometric view of the tip latch chassis. With reference to  FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 16A , the latch chassis  308  includes a support plate  338  with a tip support column  322  extending above and below the support plate  338 . The tip support column  322  defines a passage in which the tip  106  may be received. A top end of the tip support column  322  includes two slots  328  defined as U-shaped cutouts positioned across from one another on the column  322 . Additionally, two latch windows  336  are defined through the sidewalls of the column  322 . The latch windows  336  are aligned with one another and may be rectangular shaped cutouts configured to receive tangs of the latch  318 , discussed in more detail below. Two alignment ribs  326  extend longitudinally along a portion of a length of the tip column  322  and are positioned approximately above a center of the latch windows  336  on the outer surface of the tip column  322 . An outer wall  324  extends downwards from the support plate  338  and surrounds the tip support column  322 . The outer wall  324  is separated from the tip support column  322  to define an annular compartment between the outer wall  324  and the column  322 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 16A , the latch chassis  308  may also include a brace  340  extending upwards from an edge of the support plate  338 . The brace  340  is a curved wall that follows the curvature of the support plate  338 . The brace  340  includes two leg notches  342  defined as cutouts through a sidewall to the brace  340  and extending inwards towards a center portion of the brace  340 . Two posts  314   a ,  314   b  extend upwards from a top end of the brace  340  and a fastening aperture  334  is defined between the two posts  314   a ,  314   b . A spring recess  344  is defined as a generally circular recess in the outer surface of the brace  340 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 14 and 16A , the latch chassis  308  includes two latch posts  320   a ,  320   b  extending upwards from the support plate  338  on an opposite edge of the plate  338  from the brace  340 . The latch chassis  308  may further include a plurality of fastener brackets  332  extending outwards from a support bracket  331  of the support plate  338 . The fastener brackets  332  may include fastening apertures and may be configured to connect to fastening mechanisms to secure the chassis to the oral irrigator  100 . As such, the configuration, size, and location of the fasteners brackets  332  may be varied based on the type of fastening mechanisms used. 
     With reference again to  FIG. 14 , the detent spring  310  may be a U-shaped resilient member that includes two spring arms  346 . The spring arms  346  extend substantially parallel to each other and include a detent  348  formed on a terminal end thereof. 
     The latch  318  of the tip latch assembly  306  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 15  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator taken along line  15 - 15  in  FIG. 1B .  FIGS. 16B and 16C  are various views of the latch  318 . With reference to  FIGS. 14-16C , the latch  318  includes a biasing structure  352  formed at a first end and a pair of engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  extending generally parallel to each other from either end of the biasing structure  352 . The biasing structure  352  forms a flexible and resilient element of the latch  318  and is formed integrally with the latch  318 . For example, in one embodiment, the biasing structure  352  is a plastic component formed in a undulating or wave pattern that provides flexibility to the structure. As shown in  FIGS. 16B and 16C , the biasing structure  352  may be formed in a W shape with rounded corners. However, other structures providing flexibility to the structure are envisioned and the above-mentioned examples are merely illustrative only. 
     The engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318  include a first portion  366  and a second portion  368 , with the first portion  366  being connected to the biasing structure  352  and the second portion extending from the first portion  366 . The engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  may be mirror images of each other and so the discussion of any component for one of the arms  350   a ,  350   b  may be understood to apply to the other arm. Each arm  350   a ,  350   b  may include a fastening aperture  354   a ,  354   b  defined on a top surface and extending through a height or a portion of the height of the engagement arm  350   a ,  350   b.    
     The ends of the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  are configured to both engage with the tip release  120  as well as the tip  106 , as discussed in more detail below. The engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  include a tang  356   a ,  356   b  extending towards the opposite arm  350   a ,  350   b  from an interior surface  358  of its respective arm  350   a ,  350   b . The tang  356   a ,  356   b  includes a locking surface  370  that is somewhat parallel to the extension of the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b . Additionally, a top surface  364  of each tang  356   a ,  356   b  slopes downwards as it extends outwards from the top surface of the engagement arm  350   a ,  350   b  to transition into the locking surface  370 . The ends of the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  include an actuation surface  360  that begins at the terminal end of each engagement arm  350   a ,  350   b  and extends at an angle in towards the opposite engagement arm and towards the biasing structure  352 . For example, the actuation surface  360  may extend at an angle of about 45 degrees from the end of the engagement arm  350   a    350   b . A lip  362  is formed at the end of the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b ; the lip  362  defines a relatively flat surface that is perpendicular to the top surface of the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b.    
     With reference to  FIG. 17 , the tip release  120  of the tip latch assembly  306  will now be discussed in more detail. The tip release  120  includes an input surface  378  or button that is configured to extend outside of the oral irrigator  100  body. In some embodiments, the input surface  378  may be curved to substantially match the curvature of the tip ring  388  or other exterior surface of the oral irrigator  100 . The tip release  120  also includes two actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  that extend outward from a rear side of the tip release  120 . The actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  are substantially parallel to one another and may be mirror images of each other. In some embodiments, each of the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  include a stop  374  projecting outwards from an interior surface of the actuation prong  372   a ,  372   b  towards the opposite prong  372   a ,  372   b . The stops  374  may be located along a length of each respective actuation prong  372   a ,  372   b  and the location of each stop  374  may be selected based on a desired extension of the input surface  378  from the tip ring  388 . In other words, the stops  374  may determine the amount that the input surface  378  extends outwards from the exterior of the oral irrigator. The stops  374  help to prevent the tip release  120  from disconnecting from the tip release assembly  306 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 17 , a terminal end  376  of each actuation prong  372   a ,  372   b  may have a flat surface and an angled surface  379 . The angled surface  379  may correspond to the angle of the actuation surface  360  of the latch  318 . For example the angled surface  379  may be a beveled edge where the angle of the bevel from the terminal end  376  substantially matches as an opposing angle to the angle of the actuation surface  360  of the latch  318 . 
     The tip release  120  may also include a spring seat  380  including a stud  382  portion. The spring seat  380  is formed as a cylindrical extension that extends from a back wall  390  of the tip release  120 . The spring seat  380  seats within a recess  384  formed in the back wall  390 . The stud portion  382  has a smaller diameter than the spring seat  380  and extends outward from the spring seat  380 . The diameter differential between the stud  382  and the seat  380  defines a seat configured to receive a spring  316  as discussed in more detail below. 
     The tip collar  110  allows a user to change the orientation of the tip  106 .  FIGS. 18A-18C  are various views of the tip collar  110 . With reference to  FIGS. 18A-18C , the tip collar  110  is generally frustum shaped and includes a relatively flat top end  396  transitioning into a skirt  392  extending outward and downward at an angle therefrom. A bottom end  410  of the skirt  392  defines a bottom of the collar  110 . A plurality of finger grips  394  extend outward from and longitudinally along an outer surface of the skirt  392 . The finger grips  394  are spatially separated from one another and extend at spaced intervals around the skirt  392 . 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 18A-18C , an inner collar  406  extends downward from the top end  396  of the collar  110 . The inner collar  406  defines a tip passageway  398  therethrough, the tip passageway  398  being configured to substantially match the diameter of the support column  322  of the support plate. The tip passageway  398  may vary in diameter along its length. For example, a first shelf  404  and a second shelf  402  may be formed at two separate locations along the length of the tip passageway  398 . The first shelf  404  may be positioned closer to the top end  396  of the collar  110  than the second shelf  402 . With reference to  FIGS. 18A and 18C , a keyed sidewall  400  having a plurality of facets or angled walls are defined on the interior sidewall of the inner collar  406 . The facets of the keyed sidewall  400  extend in length between the first shelf  404  and the second shelf  402 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 18B , the tip collar  110  further includes a plurality of fluted feedback teeth  408  along an outer surface of the inner collar  406 . The feedback teeth  408  are cylindrical bumps extending longitudinally along a length of the inner collar  406 . In one embodiment, the feedback teeth  408  extend only along a portion of the inner collar  406 . However, the length and other dimensions of the feedback teeth  408  may be varied as desired. 
     Assembly of the Oral Irrigator 
     Assembly of the oral irrigator  100  will now be disused in more detail. It should be noted that the below discussion is meant as illustrative only and that although certain components are discussed as being assembled in a particular order, the components of the oral irrigator  100  may be assembled in any manner as desired. With reference to  FIGS. 5B and 5A , in one embodiment, the drive assembly  178  may be coupled together first. In this example, the motor  172  may be secured to the drive mount  304  with two fasteners  205   a ,  205   b . The motor  172  may be positioned so that the drive shaft  216  extends through a bottom wall of the drive mount  304 . The pinion gear  218  may then be received around the drive shaft  216  and secured thereto. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5B and 10A , the connecting rod  240  is placed around the cam  226  of the driven gear  220 . The driven gear  220  is arranged so as to be substantially perpendicular to the pinion gear  218  where the teeth of both gears  218 ,  220  mesh together. The driven gear  220  is also mounted between the two sidewalls of the drive mount  304 . The gear pin  224  is then connected to a first sidewall of the drive mount  304 , through the gear aperture  262  in the driven gear  220  and out through a second sidewall of the drive mount  304  to secure the driven gear  220  and connecting rod  240  in position. 
     The drive assembly  178  may be received in the lower housing  182 . With reference to  FIGS. 5B and 12 , the drive assembly  178  is connected to the lower housing  182  such that the lower portion of the connecting rod  240 , the driven gear  220 , and the pinion gear  218  are positioned within the dry cavity  276 . Once the drive assembly  178  is positioned within the lower housing, with reference to  FIGS. 11B and 12 , the diaphragm seal  274  may then be connected to the connecting rod  240 . In particular, the connecting rod  240  may be slid through the rod aperture  292  and the engagement wall  290  of the seal  274  may be positioned between the upper rib  244  and the lower rib  246  on the outer surface of the connecting rod  240 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the engagement wall  290  of the seal  274  may be dimensioned so as to be exactly the same thickness as the space between the ribs  244 ,  246 , so as to prevent the seal  274  from sliding along the outer surface of the connecting rod  240  when the connecting rod  240  moves. In instances where the diaphragm seal  275  of  FIG. 11C  is used, rather than the diaphragm seal  274  of  FIGS. 11A and 11B , the rounded or bead engagement wall  291  may be positioned between the upper rib  244  and the lower rib  246 , with the rounded outer surface of the bead engaging the outer surface of the connecting rod  240 . Additionally, similar to the engagement wall  290 , the engagement wall  291  may be dimensioned so as to fit within the space between the ribs  244 ,  246 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 10B , the ball  242  of the connecting rod  240  may then be connected to the piston  248 . Specifically, the ball  242  may be received into the rod cavity  266  defined on the bottom end  268  of the piston  248 , the rod cavity  266  may snap fit or otherwise frictionally fit around the ball  242 . The connecting rod  240  extends through the rod aperture  286  defined in the top end of the lower housing  182  and the diaphragm seal  274  seats on the sealing end  278  of the lower housing  182 . In particular, with reference to  FIG. 12 , the beaded flange  288  of the seal  274  is positioned in the annular grove  280  between the inner wall  284  and the outer wall  282  of the lower housing  182 . In this embodiment, the seal  274  extends from the annular groove  280  upward and over the inner wall  284  and then downward so that the crease  298  extends along a portion of the interior surface of the inner wall  284 . 
     Once the drive assembly  178  is connected to the lower housing  182 , the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  may be connected to the lower housing  182 . In particular, with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 8A , the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  may be received into respective battery cavities in the lower housing  182 . A battery cable  416  may extend between terminals for the two batteries  412   a ,  412   b  to electrically couple them together. A seal  414  may be positioned around the battery cap  198 , which may then be inserted into a bottom end of the lower housing  182  and connected thereto with a plurality of fasteners  418 . In another embodiment, as shown, for example in  FIG. 25 , the battery cap  198  may be ultrasonically welded to the lower housing  182 . In this embodiment, the seal  414  and the fasteners  418  may be omitted as the cap may be connected to the lower housing  182  in a substantially leak proof and secured manner. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , after the battery cap  198  is connected, the power circuit board  196  may be connected to the lower housing  182 . In particular, the circuit board  196  may be positioned within a recess defined by the flange  208  on the outer surface of the lower housing  182 . The circuit board  196  may be secured to the lower housing  182  by one or more fasteners. Additionally, the circuit board  196  may be electrically connected to the motor  172  and batteries  412   a ,  412   b  by one or more wires connected to the various components within the lower housing  182  and extending through an aperture in the sidewall of the lower housing  182  to connect to the circuit board  196 . 
     The circuit board  196  may be assembled prior to connecting it to the lower hosing  182  and the secondary coil  194  assembly may be positioned on the circuit board  196  and mounted to the lower housing  182  with the circuit board  196 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 8B , the drive assembly  178  may then be connected to the pump body  200 . In particular, the piston  248  may be received into the pump chamber  260  and the bottom end  422  of the pump body  200  may seal against the flange top surface  294  of the diaphragm seal  274 . One or more fasteners may then be used to secure the bottom end  422  of the pump body  200  to the seal end  278  of the lower housing  182 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 8B , the reed valves  252 ,  254  may be positioned over the pump inlet  256  and pump outlet  258 , respectively. The inlet valve body  250  may then be connected to the valve receiving section  249  of the pump body  200  and may optionally include a seal  438 , such as an O-ring, around an outer surface to seal against the outer surface of the inlet valve body  250  and interior surface of the valve receiving section  249  of the pump body  200 . Additionally, the outlet valve body  424  may be connected to a top end of the pump body  200  by being received in the valve receiving section  251 . For example, the outlet valve body  424  may be inserted into the valve receiving section  251  with the inlet chamber  432  being aligned with the outlet reed valve  254 . As with the inlet valve  250 , a seal  436  (such as an O-ring or cup seal) may be positioned on an outer surface of the portion of the outlet valve  424  that is received into valve receiving section  251  of the pump body  200  to seal the connection between the two components. Fasteners  434  may then be used to secure the outlet valve body  424  to the top end of the pump body  200 . 
     Once the outlet valve body  424  is connected to the pump body  200 , the upper housing  184  may be connected to the assembly. With reference to  FIGS. 5B-8B , the pump body  200  and outlet valve body  424  may be received into bottom end of the upper housing  184 . A seal  440  may seal against the outer surface of the outlet valve body  424  and the upper housing  184 . In some embodiments, the outer flange  210  of the upper housing  184  may extend downwards and outwards over a portion of the lower housing  182  and be aligned with the flange  208  of the lower housing  182  (see,  FIG. 7 ). 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , the control assembly  180  may be connected to the upper housing  184 . In particular, the control assembly  180  may be positioned within the recessed area defined by the flange  210  of the upper housing  184  and connected to the upper housing  184  with a plurality of fasteners. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7 and 8B , when the upper housing  184  is connected to the pump assembly  176 , the hose  202  is connected to the bottom tube portion of the inlet valve body  250 . The hose  202  may be secured in place with friction fit, one or more hose clamps, adhesive, and/or other types of fasteners. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the alignment and securing magnets  450   a ,  450   b  and the activation magnet  420  for the charger may be connected to the front shell  138 . For example, with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the activation magnet  420  may be received within the magnet recess  446  and the two lateral magnets  450  may be positioned in the magnet pockets  448   a ,  448   b  defined on either side of the sealing feature  144 . It should be noted that in embodiments where a non-magnetic charger or a power cord are used the magnets and magnet pockets can be omitted. 
     After magnets  420 ,  450  are connected to the front shell  138 , with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the front and rear shells  138 ,  140  may be connected together around the pump and drive assemblies  176 ,  178 . The front shell  138  may be connected to and around a portion of the upper and lower housings  182 ,  184 . In particular, the first sealing wall  142  may be placed around the gasket  214  positioned around the flange  210  on the upper housing  184 . The sealing feature  142  compresses the gasket  214  and defines a seal around the interior section of the flange  210  to form a first waterproof compartment. The power button  112  of the front shell  138  aligns with the power switch  186  on the control assembly  180  and the mode button  114  aligns with the mode switch  188 . The window  146  section of the front shell  138  is aligned with the bottom portion of the control assembly  180  so that the LED windows  148   a ,  148   b ,  148   c ,  148   d  align with the LEDs  190   a ,  190   b ,  190   c ,  190   d.    
     The second sealing feature  144  of the front shell  138  may be positioned around the outer edge of the second flange  208 , compressing the gasket  212  between the feature  144  and the flange  208  to form a second waterproof compartment. A plurality of fasteners, such as press fit pins or screws, may be connected to the lower and upper housings  182 ,  184  and into the connecting posts  152   a - 152   k  to secure the front shell  138  to the upper housing  184  and the lower housing  182 . It should be noted that depending on the type of fasteners used, the connecting posts may be omitted. 
     In some embodiments, the connection wires  192  may then be connected to the control assembly  180  and the power circuit board  196  after the front shell  138  has been connected to the upper and lower housings. In these embodiments, the window panel  146  may not be connected to the front shell  138  until the connection wires  192  are connected. Once the connection wires  192  are connected, the window panel  146  is ultrasonically welded to the front shell  138 . The welding connection helps to prevent fluid from entering into the front shell  138  through the window  146  by creating a leak-proof seal, but because the panel  146  may be added after the connection wires  192  have been connected, the wires may be accessible during manufacturing and assembly of oral irrigator  100 . 
     To connect the rear shell  140  to the oral irrigator  100 , the hose  202  is connected to the tube projection feature  165  on the rear shell  140  and the reservoir  206  hose is connected to the opposite side of the feature  165 , fluidly connecting the reservoir hose  206  to the hose  202  (see  FIG. 5B ). As shown in  FIG. 5B , the rear shell  140  may include a dividing wall  452  that extends outwards from an interior surface of the rear shell  140  and then extends downwards parallel to the lower housing  182 . In this manner, the dividing wall  452  acts to fluidly separate the reservoir  154  from the housings  182 ,  184 . The rear shell  140  may then be secured to the front shell  138  and the lower and upper housings  182 ,  184 . 
     Once the two shells  138 ,  140  are connected, the reservoir hose  206  is connected to the hose  202  and the reservoir  104  may be secured to the oral irrigator  100 . With reference to  FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 9 , the reservoir  104  may be connected to the bottom end of the rear shell  140 . The upper rim  170  of the reservoir  104  is connected to a ledge in the rear shell  140  and the battery platform  158  of the reservoir  104  is positioned beneath the battery cap  198  (see  FIG. 5A ). The battery platform  158  is raised to provide an increased capacity for the reservoir. The battery cap  198  and the diaphragm seal  274 , along with the interior surface of the lower housing  182  act to define a third waterproof compartment for the oral irrigator. 
     The tip latch assembly  306  may then be connected to the top end of the outlet valve body  424 . In one embodiment, the top end of the outlet valve body  424  may be positioned between the outer wall  324  and the tip support column  322  of the latch chassis  308 . A seal  442  may be positioned around the outlet valve body  424  to seal against the interior surface of the outer wall  324  of the latch chassis  308 . 
     Once the latch chassis  308  is connected, the remaining components of the tip latch assembly  306  may be connected and secured to the oral irrigator  100 . With reference to  FIGS. 14 and 16 , a first end of the return spring  316  is positioned within the spring recess  344  and a second end of the return spring  316  is placed onto a portion of the stud  382  on the tip release  120 . The tip release  120  is then connected to the latch chassis  308  as the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  are inserted into the leg notches  342  on the latch chassis  308 . The actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  are positioned so that the stops  374  on each prong  372   a ,  372   b  are positioned on an interior side of the brace  340  (see  FIG. 14 ), as will be discussed in more detail below, this positioning of the stops  374  helps to prevent inadvertent removal of the tip release  120 . 
     After the tip release  120  is connected to the latch chassis  308 , the latch  318  may be connected to the chassis  308 . With reference to  FIGS. 14, 16A-16C , the fastening apertures  354   a ,  354   b  of the latch  318  are received around the posts  320   a ,  320   b  of the latch chassis  308 . The engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318  are oriented so as to extend across the latch chassis  308  and interface with the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  of the tip release  120  for purposes of selectively releasing the tip  106  as will be discussed in more detail below. Further, the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318  seat beneath the ribs  326  positioned on either side of the tip support column  322  on the latch chassis  308 . The tangs  356   a ,  356   b  of each engagement arm  350   a ,  350   b  are partially received into the latch windows  336  also defined on opposing sides of the tip support column  322  (see  FIG. 13B ). 
     The tip ring  388  may be connected to the tip latch assembly  306 . For example, with reference to  FIG. 14 , the tip release  120  may be positioned through an aperture defined through a sidewall of the tip ring  388  and a plurality of fasteners may be inserted through fastening apertures defined on both the tip ring  388  and on the fastener brackets  332  of the latch chassis  308 . The fasteners secure the tip ring  388  to the latch chassis  308  and to the two shells  138 ,  140 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 14 , the detent spring  310  may be connected to the latch chassis  308 . In one embodiment, the detent spring  310  may be a flexible, integral component that includes two post apertures that are received around the posts  314   a ,  314   b  of the latch chassis  308 . A fastener  312  may then be received through a fastening aperture defined in the top surface of the detent spring  310  and the fastening aperture  334  defined on the top surface of the brace  340  of the latch chassis  308 . The detent spring  310  may be oriented so that the arms  346  extend inwards towards and extend on either side of the tip support column  322  of the latch chassis  308 . In one embodiment, the terminal end of the arms  346  may be configured to align in part with the ribs  326  on the tip support column  322 . 
     Once the tip latch assembly  306  is connected to the oral irrigator  100 , the tip collar  110  is connected to the tip latch assembly  306 . With reference to  FIG. 13B , the inner collar  406  of the tip collar  110  is received around the outer surface of the tip support column  322  of the latch chassis  308 . Additionally, the arms  346  of the detent spring  310  are positioned around the outer surface of the inner collar  406  of the tip collar  110  and each detent  348  prong on the arms  346  engages a channel between a respective pair of teeth  408  on the outer surface of the inner collar  406 . The rim  330  of the tip support column  322  seats on top of the second shelf  402  on the interior of the tip passageway  398  of the tip collar  110 . The slots  328  defined in the tip support column  322  provide flexibility to the tip support column  322  to allow it to flex radially inward as the inner collar  406  is placed around the tip support column  322  to allow the two components to be more easily connected. 
     Once the tip collar  110  is connected, the tip  106  may be inserted into the oral irrigator  100 . With continued reference to  FIG. 13B , the tip  106  is slid into the tip passageway  398  in the tip collar  110  and extends into the tip support column  322 . The bottom of the tip  106  causes the latch  318  to open to allow the tip  106  to pass by the latch windows  336  and the engagement tangs  356   a ,  356   b  extend into the tip column  322  to grip the tip  106 , securing it in position. The identifier ring  128  around the outer surface of the tip  106  is configured to seat on the first shelf  404  of the tip collar  110  once the tip  106  is in the proper position. With reference to  FIG. 5B , the bottom end of the tip  106  is received in part into the outlet valve body  424  and is fluidly connected to the pump body  200 . 
     Operation of the Oral Irrigator 
     Operation of the oral irrigator  100  will now be discussed in more detail. With reference to  FIGS. 1A and 6 , when the power button  112  is selected by a user, the button  112  compresses, compressing the power switch  186  on the control assembly  180 . The power switch  186  causes the control assembly  180  to transmit a signal to activate the motor  172 . The speed of the motor  172  may be varied by a user selecting the mode button  114 , which activates the mode switch  188 . The mode switch  188  varies the average value of the voltage transmitted to the motor to vary the speed of the motor  172 . In one embodiment, the motor may be powered by a pulse width modulation signal that is used to vary the motor speed and the mode switch  188  may be used to change the output of the motor by selectively changing the signal applied thereto. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5B and 10B , as the motor  172  is powered the motor drive shaft  216  rotates, causing the pinion gear  218  to rotate. The gear teeth  230  of the pinion gear  218  mesh with the gear teeth  232  on the driven gear  220 . The helical shape of the gears  230 ,  232  causes the teeth to engage along their entire length, increasing the torque transmitted between the pinion gear  218  and the driven gear  220 . The rotation of the pinion gear  218  causes the driven gear  220  to rotate about the gear pin  224 . The connecting rod  240 , connected to the cam  226  of the driven gear  220  also begins to move. The cam  226  acts to convert the rotational movement of the motor drive shaft  216  and driven gear  220  into a longitudinal reciprocal displacement of the piston  240  within the pump body  200 . 
       FIG. 23A  is a partial cross-section enlarged view of the oral irrigator during an upstroke of the pump assembly.  FIG. 23B  is a partial cross-section enlarged view of the oral irrigator transitioning between the upstroke and a down-stroke.  FIG. 23C  is a partial cross-section enlarged view of the oral irrigator during the down-stroke. With reference to  FIGS. 23A-23C , the piston  248  moves longitudinally within the pump cavity  260  to varyingly increase and decrease the volume of the pump cavity  260 . As the piston  248  moves due to the movement of the connecting rod  240 , the diaphragm seal  274  moves therewith to maintain the seal between the pump cavity  260  and the drive assembly. As can be seen by comparing  FIGS. 23A-23C , the depth of the crease  298  increases as the piston  248  moves from the upstroke position to the down-stroke position. The bellows allows the seal  274  to deform with movement of the connecting rod  240  without introducing friction into the system. 
     Due to the bellows of the seal  274  forming the crease  298 , the seal  274  allows the piston to reciprocate linearly without introducing friction into the system. In particular, the diaphragm seal  274  deforms as the connecting rod  240  moves longitudinally and as the perimeter edge forming the beaded flange  288  of the diaphragm seal  274  is clamped and prevented from moving, the seal  274  does not rub against any surfaces as it deforms, reducing the risk of wear and tear on the seal  274 . Additionally, as there is substantially no friction between the seal  274  and the connecting rod  240 , parasitic energy losses are reduced as compared to conventional oral irrigators with piston seals, as the motor  172  does not have to overcome friction in addition to the energy required to deform the seal  274 . The configuration of the diaphragm seal allows it to stay in position relative to the connecting rod and pump body, even at high frequencies such as those typically used with oral irrigators. Additionally, the diaphragm seal allows the omission of a radial shaft seal or lip seal that are typically placed on rotary elements, such as the motor or driven gear. These seals are prone to leak and wear over time and create friction on the rotary element, which requires more energy to operate and reduces the efficiency of the irrigator. 
     With reference to  FIG. 8B , on a down-stroke of the piston  248 , a vacuum is created in the pump body  200 , which causes fluid to flow from the reservoir cavity  154  into the reservoir hose  206 , into the hose  202 , and into the inlet valve body  250 . The fluid flows through the passageway defined in the inlet valve body  250  and causes the flap of the reed valve  252  to open, allowing the fluid to flow into the pump chamber  260 . With continued reference to  FIG. 8B , on an upstroke of the piston  248 , the connecting rod  240  forces the piston  248  upwards, thus pushing the fluid in the pump chamber  260  upwards into the pump fluid passageway  264  towards the pump outlet  258 . The fluid forces the reed valve  254  open and closes the inlet reed valve  252  so that the fluid flows into the inlet chamber  432  of the valve outlet body  424 . The fluid then enters the outlet passageway  426  and flows into the tip  106  connected to the outlet valve body  424  and is expelled into a user&#39;s oral cavity. 
     With reference to  FIG. 13B , if a user wishes to vary the orientation and position of the tip  106 , he or she may grip and rotate the tip collar  110 . As the tip collar  110  rotates, the teeth  408  on the inner collar  406  are rotated past the arms  346  and the detent spring  310  deforms slighting and the detents  348  on the arms  346  of the return spring  310  provide haptic feedback to the user. As the tip collar  110  rotates, the tip  106  which is engaged with the keyed sidewall  400  of the tip collar  110  rotates therewith. Thus, the tip collar  110  allows a user to more easily rotate the tip  106  to a desired location as the tip collar  110  provides a larger gripping surface than rotating the tip  106  itself and also provides feedback via the teeth  408  regarding the rotational movement of the tip  106 . 
     Tip Release Operation 
     The operation of the tip latch assembly  306  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 24  is a cross-section view of the oral irrigator  100  with select elements removed for clarity. With reference to  FIGS. 15, 16B, 17, and 24 , to release the tip  106 , the user exerts a force F on the input surface  378  of the tip release  120 . The force F overcomes the biasing force exerted by the retention spring  316  and the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  translate laterally towards the latch  318 . As the tip release  120  moves laterally, the spring  316  is compressed. The chamfered or angled surfaces  378  on the ends of the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  interface with the actuation surface  360  of the latch  318  and the terminal ends  372  of each prong  372   a ,  372   b  exert a portion of the force F against the actuation lip  362  of each engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318 . For example, each side may exert half of the force F, and the force F is translated into a perpendicular force component due to the interface of the angled faces of the tip release  120 , and then into torque around pins  320  (which is resisted by biasing element  352 ). 
     The force exerted by the tip release  120  causes the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318  to pivot in the rotation direction R. In particular, the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  pivot around the posts  320   a ,  320   b . This pivoting motion causes the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  of each arm  350   a ,  350   b  to pivot away from the center of the oral irrigator  100  and move out of the latch windows  336  in the latch chassis  308 . With reference to  FIG. 13B , the movement of the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  causes the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  to disengage from the groove  317  formed in the tip  106 . Once the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  are disengaged from the groove  317 , the tip  106  can be easily removed by the user. 
     With reference again to  FIGS. 15 and 24 , once the user force F is removed from the tip release  120 , the retention spring  316  exerts a biasing force in the opposite direction of the user force F and the tip release  120  moves laterally away from the latch  318 . As the tip release button  120  moves, the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  disengage from the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  and the biasing structure  352  of the latch  318  exerts a biasing force to cause the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  to move into the latch windows  336  of the latch chassis  308 . That is, biasing structure  352  of the latch  318  will return to its natural shape after being deformed by the user force F and will move back inward when the force F is removed. If a new tip  106  has been inserted into the tip support column  322 , the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  will be inserted into the groove of the tip  106  and if a tip is not inserted, the tangs  356   a ,  356   b  will protrude into the interior passage of the tip support column  322 . 
     It should be noted that in some embodiments, the retention spring  316  may be omitted and the biasing force of the biasing structure  352  of the latch  318  may be configured to exert a sufficient force to not only pivot the engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  back to a locked position, but also force the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b  of the release button  120  laterally away from the latch  318  to the locked orientation. 
     The movement of the tip release button  120  by the retention spring  316  is limited by the stops  374  on the interior surfaces of the actuation prongs  372   a ,  372   b . In particular, with reference to  FIGS. 15 and 24 , the stops  374  abut against the brace  340  to prevent further movement away from the latch  318  to help prevent the button  120  from being inadvertently removed from the tip latch assembly  306 . 
     With the latch assembly  306 , both engagement arms  350   a ,  350   b  of the latch  318  may engage with the tip  106  in the locked position. This structure is more reliable than conventional tip latch assemblies where a single arm engaged with the tip  106 . Further, the dual-arms allow greater assembly tolerances and help to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the tip  106  from the oral irrigator  100 . Further, the integrated biasing structure  352  of the latch  318  reduces the complexity and number of components for the tip latch assembly  306 , which makes manufacturing easier as the chances for error during assembly are reduced. The biasing structure  352  allows the latch  318  to be created as a single part and thus a single mold is needed to form the latch  318  of the present disclosure as compared to other latch assemblies including separate biasing elements. 
     The Charger and Charging the Oral Irrigator 
     The charger  134  for the oral irrigator  100  will now be discussed in more detail.  FIG. 19  is a rear isometric view of the charger  134 .  FIG. 20  is a cross-section view of the charger taken along line  20 - 20  in  FIG. 19 .  FIG. 21  is an exploded view of a primary charging coil assembly  478  for the charger  134 . With reference to  FIGS. 19-21 , the charger  134  may include a charger housing  454 , a power cord  136 , a primary coil assembly  478 , and interior electronic components. Each will be discussed in turn below. 
     The charger housing  454  may define a somewhat oval shaped body having a curved interior surface  460  configured to match the exterior curve of the front shell  138  of the oral irrigator  100 , as well as be aesthetically appealing. The interior source  460  may include two cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  that extend parallel to each other from a top end to a bottom end of the charger  134 . The cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  allow airflow between the charger  134  and the oral irrigator  100  when the charger is connected. The shape and dimensions of the cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  may be configured not only to enhance airflow but also to provide an aesthetically appealing appearance for the charger  134 . The exterior surface  480  may be convexly curved and bow outwards at a middle section (see  FIG. 20 ). In some embodiments, the exterior surface  480  may be removable from the charger housing  434  and may connect to the sidewalls of the charger  434 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the charger  134  may also include a power cord  136  electronically coupled via a wire  474  to a circuit board  472  positioned within the charger housing  454 . The power cord  136  extends from a sidewall of the charger housing  454  and may include a strain relief  458  section at the connection location to help prevent the cord from being damaged due to bending and flexing at the connection to the housing  454 . In some embodiments, an O-ring  473  may be received between the strain relief  458  and the charger housing  453  to help prevent fluids from entering into the charger housing. 
     Adjacent the outer edges of each of the cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  the charger  134  may include one or more magnet pockets  464   a ,  464   b  configured to receive one or more magnets  476   a ,  476   b  (see  FIG. 20 ). 
     The charger  134  may also include one or more activation switches that activate the charger  134  when it is connected to the oral irrigator  100 . In one embodiment, the activation switch  487  may be a Hall effect sensor that interacts with magnet  420  on the oral irrigator to activate the charger  134 . This type of activation prevents the charger from being activated when it is not in a position to charge the oral irrigator  100 , which reduces power consumption and increases the energy efficiency of the irrigator  100  and charger. Other types of sensors or switches may also be used, for example, mechanical or optical switches, that switch the charger into a charging mode once it is secured to the body of the oral irrigator  100 . However, in embodiments where waterproofing is desired, a magnetic sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, may be preferred as the sensor is not affected by fluids, such as water or mouthwash and the magnets can be concealed within the housings of the oral irrigator and charger to allow for a cleaner aesthetic appearance. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 20 and 21 , the charger  134  also includes the primary coil assembly  478 . The primary coil assembly  478  may include a primary coil  466 , a bobbin  468 , and a core  470 . The primary coil assembly  478  may be substantially similar to the secondary coil assembly  486 . For example, with reference to  FIG. 22 , the secondary coil assembly  194  in the lower housing  112  of the oral irrigator  100  may include a secondary coil  486 , a bobbin  488 , and a core  490 , each being substantially similar to its counterpart in the primary coil assembly  478 . As will be discussed in more detail below, the coil assembly  478  is configured to couple with circuit board  196  in the oral irrigator  100  to charge the batteries  412   a ,  412   b.    
     In one embodiment, the primary coil  466  and the secondary coil  486  may include a plurality of twisted copper wires, such as Litz wires, and each of the multiple wires may be insulated from each other. In these embodiments, the coils  466 ,  486  may allow for fast inductive charging of the oral irrigator  100 , while having a low amount of heat generation. In conventional charging devices for oral care products, such as electric toothbrushes, an inductive coil may be made from a solid enameled copper wire. However, these types of coils have a low charging rate to prevent heat generation. On the contrary by using the twisted wires for the coils  466 ,  486 , the multiple wires reduce the heat generated by the coils during charging due to reduced skin effect and proximity effect losses. This allows the charger  134  to be made of plastic or other low-heat resistant products since the heat generated by the coils  466 ,  486  is much lower. Further, the coil  466 ,  486  configurations with multiple wires charges faster than conventional single-wire structures as current has multiple pathways to flow. 
     It should be noted that in some embodiments, the primary coil  466  and the secondary coil  486  may be made with multiple parallel wires, rather than twisted wires. As another example, in some embodiments, the coils  466 ,  486  may be braided, woven, or otherwise formed. The wires forming the coils  466 ,  486  may be substantially any type of multiple wire arrangement and may be round or rectangular in cross section and may include a core, such as a fiber core that the wires are wound around, and/or may include insulating sleeves or the like around the group of wires, individual wires, or the like. 
     The core  470  may be a ferrite core or other type of magnetic core. In one embodiment, the core  470  may be “E” shaped and include a central prong and two peripheral prongs on either side of the central prong. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 20 and 21 , to assemble the charger  134 , the coil assembly  478  is connected together. In particular, the primary coil  466  is wound around the outer surface of the bobbin  468  and the central prong of the core  470  may be inserted through a center of the bobbin  468  with the outer prongs be positioned on a top and a bottom of the bobbin  468  and primary coil  466 . The coil assembly  478  is then mounted to the circuit board  472 , which may be a printed circuit board, and electronically connected to the connection wire  474 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 19 and 20 , the magnets  476   a ,  476   b  may be inserted into the respective magnet pockets  464   a ,  464   b  in the charger housing  434 . The coil assembly  478  and circuit board  472  can then be received into the charger housing  434  and the connection wire  474  may be electrically connected to the power cord  136 . The exterior surface  480  may then be connected to the charger housing  434  and secured thereto. 
     Operation of the charger  134  to charge the batteries of the oral irrigator  100  will now be discussed in more detail. With reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the user aligns the charger  134  with the outer surface of the front shell  138  of the oral irrigator  100 . In particular, the interior surface  460  is aligned and abuts the outer surface of the front shell  138 . The magnets  476   a ,  476   b  of the charger  134  are attracted to and align with the magnets  450   a ,  450   b  connected to the front shell  138  to align the charger  134  with the power assembly circuit board  196  and secure the charger  134  to the oral irrigator  100 . Additionally, the activation switch  487  interacts with the magnets within the front shell  138  to turn on the charger  134 . For example, when the activation switch is a Hall effect sensor, as the charger  134  is secured in position, the magnet activates the Hall effect sensor, allowing the charger to begin to charge the batteries of the oral irrigator. 
     Once the charger  134  is connected to the oral irrigator  100 , the user may connect the power cord  136  to an electrical source, such as a wall outlet, battery, or the like. Once connected to a power source, the charger  134  causes a current to be induced in the coil assembly  194  of the oral irrigator.  FIG. 22  is a simplified diagram illustrating the operation of the charger  134 . With reference to  FIG. 22 , during charging, current is transmitted from the power cord  136  of the charger  134  to the primary coil assembly  478  via the circuit board  472  and wire  474 . Current moves through the primary coil  466 , which creates a magnetic field due to the core  470 . As the two coil assemblies  194 ,  478  for the oral irrigator  100  and charger  134  are separated by a small gap  456  (defined by the thickness of the front shell  138  and the charger housing  454 ); the magnetic field generated by the primary coil assembly  478  induces a current in the secondary coil  486  of the secondary coil assembly  194 . The current induced in the secondary coil  486  is then transmitted to the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  to charge the battery pack. 
     As discussed above, due to the twisted copper wire configuration of the coils  466 ,  486  the charge currents generated are larger as compared to conventional inductive charging devices. This allows the oral irrigator  100  to charge more quickly than conventional inductive devices. Additionally, the multiple wires reduce heat generated by the coils during charging, which reduces the risk of damage to other components of the oral irrigator  100 , such as the shell  138 , housings, etc., and helps to prevent the outer surfaces of the oral irrigator  100  from becoming heated, which could present a risk to a user. 
     Further, the cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  allow airflow to flow between the charger  134  and the outer surface of the oral irrigator  100 , even when the charger  134  is connected to the irrigator  100 . The cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  may be spaced around the primary coil assembly  478  to allow heat dissipation from the coil assembly  478  during charging. The heat dissipation provided by the cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b  helps to cool the coil  478  and helps to prevent the heat generated during charging from damaging other components, such as the charger housing  454  and/or oral irrigator housing. This allows the charger housing  454  to be made out of plastics or other similar materials as the risk of melting or other damage is minimized by the cooling grooves  462   a ,  462   b.    
     With continued reference to  FIG. 22 , during charging, the microprocessor  484  or microcontroller (or other processing element), which may be on the main circuit board  204  and/or the circuit board  196 , may monitor the status of the batteries  412   a ,  412   b . When the voltage (or other characteristic, e.g., a “battery full signal”) sensed by the microprocessor  484  drops below a predetermined threshold, the microprocessor  484  may determine that the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  are charged to a desired percentage. The microprocessor  484  may then deactivate the charger to preserve energy. For example, the microprocessor  484  may send a signal to the charger  134  to indicate that the connection to the power supply should be deactivated. By deactivating the charging process when the batteries have been fully charged, the lifespan of the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  may be increased. For example, in some instances the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  may be nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries  412   a ,  412   b  and overcharging the batteries once they have reached capacity may reduce the life span. Because the charging system of the oral irrigator  100  may monitor the charging capacity of the batteries during charging, and deactivate the charging when capacity is reached, the batteries  412   a ,  412   b  may have an increased life span as compared to conventional batteries. Further, because the charging system terminates charging when capacity is reached, the charging system is more energy efficient. 
     Slide Latch for the Removable Reservoir 
     As discussed above, in some embodiments, the reservoir  104  may be removable from the body  102 . In these embodiments, the oral irrigator  100  may include a latching system to selectively secure and release the reservoir  104  from the body  102 .  FIGS. 26-28  illustrate a slide latch for the oral irrigator. With reference to  FIGS. 26-28  in this embodiment, a latch assembly  500  may include a latch  516  and a button  518  connected thereto. The latch assembly  500  is connected to reservoir  104  and assists in securing the reservoir  104  to the body  102 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 28 , the latch  516  may be formed as a latch body  538  that defines a void area  521  surrounded by a perimeter  523 . A first finger  526  and a second finger  528  may each extend from the perimeter  523  into the void area  521  parallel to each other. The two fingers  526 ,  528  are connected on one end to the latch body  538  and are free on the opposite end so that the fingers  526 ,  528  are flexible relative to the latch body  538 . The two fingers  526 ,  528  may be secured on opposite ends relative to each other so that the secured end of the first finger  526  is adjacent to the free end of the second finger  528  and vice versa. Each of the fingers  526 ,  528  may include a securing element on their respective free ends. For example, the first finger  526  may include a nub  524  formed on its free end and the second finger  528  may include a tang  520  formed on its free end. The two securing elements may be oriented so as to extend upwards from a top surface  525  of the latch  516 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 27 and 28 , the latch  516  may also include two pegs  522   a ,  522   b  extending from a bottom surface  527  of the latch body  538 . The pegs  522   a ,  522   b  may be parallel to each and extend from the latch body  538  so as to border the ends of the fingers  526 ,  528  on the bottom surface  527 . The button  518  of the latch assembly  500  may be connected to the latch  516  via the pegs  522   a ,  522   b . For example, the pegs  522   a ,  522   b  may include apertures  529  defined therein may extend through the latch body  538  to the top surface  525  and that may be configured to receive corresponding pegs on the button  518 . This may allow the button  518  to be removable from the latch  516 . However, in other embodiments, the latch  516  and the button  518  may be formed as an integral, single component or be permanently connected to one another. 
     With reference to  FIG. 29 , in embodiments including the latch assembly  500 , the reservoir  104  may include a latch cavity  504  or recess defined on a bottom surface  502 . The latch cavity  504  may include a track  506  for the latch  516 , the track  506  including a first end and a second end forming a first stop  508  and a second stop  510 , respectively. The latch cavity  504  may also include a first detent  534  and a second detent  536  aligned adjacent to and set off from the track  506 . The bottom surface  502  of the reservoir  104  may also include an unlock icon  530  and a lock icon  532  painted, molded, etched, or otherwise formed in the bottom surface  502 . Alternatively, the icons may be attached via adhesive or the like (e.g., as a decal or sticker). The unlock icon  530  corresponds to a position of the latch  516  where the reservoir  104  is removable from the body  102  and the lock icon  532  corresponds to a position of the latch  516  where the reservoir  104  is secured to the body  102 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 26-29 , the latch assembly  500  may be connected to the reservoir  104  and body  102  so that the latch  516  is arranged in the latch cavity  504  with the first finger  526  being aligned with the first and second detents  534 ,  536  and the second finger  528  being aligned with the track  506 . The tang  520  is positioned between the first stop  508  and the second stop  510  within the track  506  and the nub  524  is positioned within one of the detents  534 ,  536 . The button  518  is connected so as to face away from the bottom surface  502  of the reservoir  104 . 
     Operation of the latch assembly  500  will now be discussed in more detail. With continued reference to  FIGS. 26-29 , in the locked position, the latch  516  may be positioned so that a first end of the button  518  abuts against the body  102  and the latch body  538  extends between a first shelf  512  and a bottom surface  514  of the front shell  138  of the body  102 . The first shelf  512  and the bottom surface  514  act to sandwich the latch  516  therebetween and prevent vertical movement of the latch  516 . This restraint assists in securing the reservoir  104  to the body  102 . The reservoir  104  may be restrained from lateral movement by the flange  171  that seals against the interior surface of the front shell  138 . Thus, when in the locked position, the latch assembly  500  helps to prevent the reservoir  104  from being removed from the body  102 . 
     To unlock the reservoir  104 , a user slides the button  518  in the DU direction towards the unlock icon  530 . As the button  518  slides, the latch  516  moves correspondingly, and the first finger  526  flexes downward and the nub  524  disengages from the first detent  534  and slides towards the second detent  536 , flexing upwards to seat the nub  524  in the second detent  536 . At the same time, the second finger  528  moves within the track  506  and the tang  520  moves from abutting against the second stop  510  to abutting against the first stop  508 . Once the tang  520  abuts against the first stop  508  and the nub  524  is seated in the second detent  536 , the latch  516  is positioned in the unlock position and adjacent the unlock icon  530 . This lateral movement of the latch  516  within the latch cavity  504  locates the latch  516  so that the latch  516  is no longer positioned between the first shelf  512  and the bottom surface  514  of the front shell  138 . With the latch  516  disengaged from the front shell  138 , a user may move the reservoir  104  vertically downwards away from the body  102  and front shell  138 , disconnecting the flange  171  of the reservoir  104  from its sealed position, allowing the reservoir  104  to be removed. 
     To secure the reservoir  104  back to the body  102 , the reservoir  104  flange  171  is repositioned within the body  102  and the bottom surface  502  of the reservoir  104  is aligned with the bottom surface  514  of the front shell  138 . Once aligned, the user slides the button  518  in the lock direction DL towards the lock icon  532 . As the button  518  moves laterally, the latch  516  moves correspondingly and seats between the first shelf  512  and the bottom surface  514  and the fingers  526 ,  528  move to the locked positions, with the nub  524  seated in the first detent  534  and the tang  520  positioned adjacent the second stop  510 . In these embodiments, the tang  520  and nub  524  provide haptic and audible feedback to a user to indicate that the latch  516  has moved to the unlocked or locked positions. 
     It should be noted that in embodiments where the reservoir  104  is removable from the body  102 , other latching or securing mechanisms may be used as well. For example, a spring latch including a molded integral spring body may be used. The type of latch or securing assembly may be varied based on the shape and configuration of the reservoir and body. 
     Battery Venting 
     In some embodiments, the oral irrigator includes a venting assembly for the battery compartment.  FIGS. 30A and 30B  illustrate various views of the venting assembly. With reference to  FIGS. 30A and 30B , the venting assembly  600  is formed as a part of the battery cap  198  and includes a vent  608  that attaches to the battery cap  198 . As will be discussed below, the vent  608  provides mitigation for battery outgassing and will equalize the pressure within the battery compartment. Depending on the configuration of the oral irrigator and batteries, the vent assembly  600  may be positioned on a number of different walls of the battery compartment. However, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 30A and 30B , the venting assembly  600  is formed as part of the battery cap  198 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 30A and 30B , the battery cap  198  in this example includes one or more battery stabilizing walls  604  extending upwards from a top surface  610  of the cap base  602 . The stabilizing walls  604  may be shaped so as to match the diameter and shape of the batteries and may be modified depending on the configuration and desired stabilization of the batteries. The top surface  610  of the cap base  602  may be raised or elevated relative to the edge of the base  602 , which allows the reservoir to have an increased capacity as discussed above. The top surface  610  may also include a plurality of positioning brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d  that are used to position the vent  608  on the battery cap  198 . The positioning brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d  may be substantially any type of configuration, but in one embodiment are L or U shaped brackets having rounded corners. The positioning brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d  may be spaced apart from one another and are typically configured so that the vent  608  can be positioned within a space defined between each of the brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d.    
     With reference to  FIG. 30B , the battery cap  198  also includes a venting aperture  614  defined through the top surface  610  of the cap base  602 . The venting aperture  614  is positioned in generally a central region between each of the positioning brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d . The venting aperture  614  has a diameter selected to allow proper venting for the battery cavity and may be determined based on the size, number, and type of batteries used for the oral irrigator  100 . 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 30B , in some embodiments, the venting assembly  600  may also include an attachment protrusion  612  extending upwards from the top surface  610 . The attachment protrusion  612  may surround the venting aperture  614  but be spaced apart therefrom by a groove  616  concentric with the venting aperture  614 . The attachment protrusion  612  is used to form a seal with the vent  608  as will be discussed in more detail below. 
     The vent  608  is positioned over the venting aperture  614  and is a material impermeable to fluids, but allows gases and air to pass therethrough. For example, the vent  608  may be a laminated product of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or porous ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE), such as DeWAL  235   ep  by DeWal Industries. The vent  608  is sized and shaped so as to cover the vent aperture  614  and may be varied as desired. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 30A and 30B , the connection of the venting assembly  600  will now be discussed in more detail. The vent  608  is positioned between the positioning brackets  606   a ,  606   b ,  606   c ,  606   d  and over the vent aperture  614  and the attachment protrusion  612 . The vent  608  typically may be centered over the vent aperture  614 , but as long as the vent  608  is positioned so as to completely cover the vent aperture  614  and the attachment protrusion  612 , it does not need to be centered (e.g., as shown in  FIG. 30A ). Once the vent  608  is aligned with the venting aperture  614  and the attachment protrusion  612 , the vent  608  is attached to the battery cap  198 . For example, a heat staking process may be used that heats the vent  608  and the battery cap  198  so that the material forming the attachment protrusion  612  melts to the vent  608  material and fuses therewith. As the material from the attachment protrusion  612  melts to the battery cap  198 , a seal is formed around the venting aperture  614 , which acts to prevent liquids from entering in or exiting the battery compartment via the venting aperture  614 , as well as secures the vent  608  to the battery cap  198 . After the vent  608  is attached to the battery cap  198 , the battery cap  198  is connected to the oral irrigator as discussed above. 
     In operation, the venting assembly  600 , in particular the vent  608  and venting aperture  614  allow gasses, such as gases due to outgassing from the batteries, to pass through the battery cap  198  and exit the battery compartment. This allows the pressure within the battery compartment and other locations within the dry compartments to be equalized with ambient pressure. This equalization feature helps to prevent the sealing features, such as the diaphragm seal  274 , from being damaged due to variations in air pressure (e.g., shipping the product from a low altitude to a high altitude). 
     CONCLUSION 
     As discussed above, the oral irrigator of the present disclosure may be waterproof and be able to be immersed within 1 meter of water without damage to the internal components. Further, internal leakage, such as leakage from the pump, may be sealed from reaching any electronic components. In some embodiments, the oral irrigator may also include a waterproofing spray, such as a super-hydrophobic coating, on certain electronic components, such as the batteries, circuit boards, and so on. In these embodiments, the coating may repel water and some fluids and thus further help to prevent damage to the electronic components due to fluid. 
     It should be noted that any of the features in the various examples and embodiments provided herein may be interchangeable and/or replaceable with any other example or embodiment. As such, the discussion of any component or element with respect to a particular example or embodiment is meant as illustrative only. It should be noted that although the various examples discussed herein have been discussed with respect to oral irrigators, the devices and techniques may be applied in a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, toothbrushes, bath appliances, or the like. 
     All directional references (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader&#39;s understanding of the examples of the invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention unless specifically set forth in the claims. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, joined and the like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between the connection of elements and relative movement between elements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. 
     In some instances, components are described by reference to “ends” having a particular characteristic and/or being connected with another part. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present invention is not limited to components which terminate immediately beyond their point of connection with other parts. Thus the term “end” should be broadly interpreted, in a manner that includes areas adjacent rearward, forward of or otherwise near the terminus of a particular element, link, component, part, member or the like. In methodologies directly or indirectly set forth herein, various steps and operations are described in one possible order of operation but those skilled in the art will recognize the steps and operation may be rearranged, replaced or eliminated without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.