Abstract: An oral cleaning device (100) including: a nozzle portion (30) configured to direct a plurality of liquid droplets; an actuator (120); a mode selector (130); a liquid reservoir (38) wherein in operation liquid is moved from the liquid reservoir into an orifice (36) at the proximal end of the nozzle; a system (12, 13, 14, 24) configured to drive a plunger or piston element (16) toward the proximal end of the nozzle to create a spray of liquid droplets when the moving air comes into contact with the liquid; a control unit (15) configured to control the system to drive the plunger a predetermined number of times in response to a single actuation of the actuator, where the control unit is further configured to accept input from the user via the mode selector, and the mode selector is configured for the user to select a number of liquid bursts that will be delivered in response to a single actuation of the actuator.

Abstract: An actuator or sensor device comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) arrangement which extends between fixed opposite ends. The electroactive polymer arrangement comprises a passive carrier layer and an active electroactive polymer layer, wherein at or adjacent the ends, the passive carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted with one over the other in a first order, and at a middle area between the ends, the carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted in an opposite order. This enables internal stresses and moments within the electroactive polymer arrangement to be used more effectively to contribute to displacement or actuation force.

Abstract: An actuator device comprises an EAP structure which deforms in response to a drive signal applied to the device, a device output being derived from movement of the EAP structure. A delay arrangement is used such that the mechanical output from the device is not generated for a first range or type of applied drive signals, and said device output is generated for a second range or type of applied drive signals. This device is for example particularly suitable for use in a passive matrix system.

Abstract: An actuation device comprises at least one electroactive polymer (EAP) layer (52) attached to a carrier (50) and a mechanical structure (56, 58) which defines at least two stable states. The EAP layer is adapted, when driven, to interact with the mechanical structure to switch between the at least two stable states, wherein the mechanical structure retains the electroactive polymer layer in the selected stable state in a non-driven state. In this way, two or more stable states for the device are defined, which can be retained when the EAP is no longer driven.

Abstract: An oral cleaning device comprises a body which carries a set of projections. An actuator device is associated with one or more of the projections in the form of an electroactive polymer structure for adjusting a position of the associated one or more projections. This enables dynamic control of the cleaning function.

Abstract: A bending actuator device or sensor device for sensing bending comprises a stack of electroactive polymer units. The adjacent electroactive polymer units in the stack are slidable relatively to each other. This means that, for an actuator for example, an increased actuation force is enabled without requiring increased driving voltage, and it also avoids the problems of stress build up by allowing sliding between the units.

Abstract: A oral irrigator device (10) for cleaning teeth, including a system (14) for producing a stream of liquid/air bursts and a nozzle (16) connected to the system, and through which the stream of liquid/air bursts are directed. The nozzle can include a guidance tip (26) including a base portion (30), a tip portion (28), and an orifice (31) through which the stream of liquid/air bursts exits at a flow output pattern, and a flow output pattern selection mechanism (90, 90?) connected to or positioned within the guidance tip. A flow output pattern selection mechanism can be configured to be selectively actuated and to vary, upon the actuation the flow output pattern between a first flow output pattern to at least a second flow output pattern.

Abstract: A nozzle (12) for an oral irrigator device (10) having a guidance tip (34) with an orifice at one end, and a dynamic nozzle actuator (64) positioned within said guidance tip. The orifice (36) is configured to expel a fluid as one of a jet, a spray, or any combination thereof. The dynamic nozzle actuator (64) comprises at least one responsive material adapted for being energized and configured to implement at least one dynamic actuation of an effective channel (62) for dynamically influencing at least one of (i) a direction of fluid expelled from the orifice (36), (ii) an angle of fluid expelled from the orifice (36), (iii) a cross-sectional width of fluid expelled from the orifice (36), and (iv) any combination thereof.

Abstract: A nozzle (12) for an oral irrigator device (10) having a guidance tip (34) with at least one orifice (36) at one end, and a nozzle spacer assembly (58) positioned around the at least one orifice (36). The at least one orifice is configured to expel a fluid as one of a jet, a spray, or any combination thereof. The nozzle spacer assembly (58) comprises at least two pairs of pliable spacers (60) that extend from the surface (35) for ensuring that the area at an entrance of an interproximal space between two teeth are treated, and (ii) establishing an improved angle of impact of the fluid expelled from the orifice.

Abstract: An oral cleaning device (100) including: a nozzle portion (30) configured to direct a plurality of liquid droplets; an actuator (120); a mode selector (130); a liquid reservoir (38) wherein in operation liquid is moved from the liquid reservoir into an orifice (36) at the proximal end of the nozzle; a system (12, 13, 14, 24) configured to drive a plunger or piston element (16) toward the proximal end of the nozzle to create a spray of liquid droplets when the moving air comes into contact with the liquid; a control unit (15) configured to control the system to drive the plunger a predetermined number of times in response to a single actuation of the actuator, where the control unit is further configured to accept input from the user via the mode selector, and the mode selector is configured for the user to select a number of liquid bursts that will be delivered in response to a single actuation of the actuator.