Patent ID: 7147468

Claim:
A hand held oral irrigation device for irrigating an oral cavity with a fluid, the device comprising: a reservoir for storing the fluid; a body; and an elongated nozzle; wherein the reservoir comprises: a shelf portion defined about a bottom portion of the reservoir; and a base at a bottom end of the reservoir; a reservoir inlet conduit positioned along the base of the reservoir so that fluid is drawn from the bottom of the reservoir; a fluid access valve fluidly coupling with said inlet conduit, the fluid access valve comprising: a channel defined within the reservoir extending from the shelf to the base, said channel receiving said inlet conduit and fluidly coupled thereto; a seal positioned about a top end of the channel; a spring extending upwardly from the base within the reservoir; and a ball positioned within the channel between said seal and said spring; wherein the reservoir defines a first major diameter at a lower end of the oral irrigation device and the body and reservoir combine to define a second major diameter at an upper end of the oral irrigation device, the first major diameter being larger than the second major diameter.