FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a body cavity irrigation device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oral irrigation is an important step in oral hygiene, but can be difficult or even impossible for persons who have experienced stroke, dementia, oral surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy etc. and so on to perform without help. Oral irrigation involves a few steps: taking in a mouthful of water, swirling it around the mouth without swallowing, and then spitting it out in such a way that most of the debris leaves the mouth. If one or more of these steps are difficult to complete, because of pain (e.g. after radiotherapy), weakness (e.g. after surgery, trauma, or stroke), or inability to follow instructions (e.g. dementia), then even if the teeth are well- cleaned by brushing, dental caries can still form due to inadequate oral irrigation to remove debris from the mouth after brushing as many persons requiring assistance with oral hygiene are being cared for at home or in a community healthcare setting where their care givers currently do not have an effective tool to assist them in this function.

In other situations, such as during abdominal surgery, there is also a need to effectively remove undesirable matter such as necrotic debris, intestinal waste and so on from the abdominal cavity, to minimize post-surgical complications.

There is therefore a need for a low cost, easy-to-operate body cavity irrigation device for effective removal of unwanted matter from a body cavity such as the mouth, abdominal cavity, nasal passages and so on, for both medical and veterinary use, in order to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation where necessary.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Disclosed is a multi-use, handheld body cavity irrigation device that allows a user to irrigate a body cavity of a human person or animal (such as the mouth, abdominal cavity, nasal passages and so on) by delivering a cleaning liquid (such as water or another appropriate cleaning liquid) into the body cavity and to draw out used liquid together with unwanted matter that may be present in the body cavity. According to a first aspect, there is provided a body cavity irrigation device comprising: a reservoir to store therein a supply of cleaning liquid; an elongate nozzle, the nozzle comprising a delivery channel and a suction channel; a liquid pump forming a fluid communication between the reservoir and the delivery channel, wherein activation of the liquid pump draws cleaning liquid from the reservoir and dispenses the cleaning liquid from the nozzle through the delivery channel; a used liquid chamber having a chamber inlet in fluid communication with the suction channel of the nozzle; and a suction pump discrete from the liquid pump wherein activation of the suction pump draws fluid into the used liquid chamber through the suction channel of the nozzle.

The suction pump may comprise an air pump in fluid communication with a chamber outlet of the used liquid chamber.

The suction pump may be motorized and after activation continuously draws fluid into the used liquid chamber until the suction pump may be deactivated.

A tip of the nozzle may be provided with an upstanding rim surrounding an inlet of the suction channel and an outlet of the delivery channel.

The reservoir, the liquid pump, the used liquid chamber and the suction pump may be provided in a housing, and wherein a base of the nozzle may be connected to an opening in the housing.

The housing may comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion separably attachable to the second portion, wherein the liquid pump and the suction pump are provided in the first portion, and wherein the reservoir and the used liquid chamber are provided in the second portion.

The first portion may comprise an openable lid for maintenance access to parts of the device provided in the first portion.

The used liquid chamber may be at least partially defined by the second portion. The second portion may have a discharge cover removable from the second portion without requiring separation of the first portion from the second portion to allow discharge of used liquid from the used liquid chamber when the discharge cover may be removed from the second portion.

The housing may include an adaptor provided at the opening and configured for connection of the base of the nozzle thereto.

The reservoir may be provided in the used liquid chamber.

The device may include a delivery tubing forming the fluid communication between the liquid pump and the delivery channel.

The device may include a suction tubing forming the fluid communication between the chamber inlet and the suction channel.

The adaptor may be configured for connection of the delivery tubing thereto and to form a fluid communication between the delivery tubing and the delivery channel.

The adaptor may be configured for connection of the suction tubing thereto and to form a fluid communication between the suction tubing and the suction channel.

Electrical components of the liquid pump and the suction pump may be spaced apart from a housing in which the reservoir, the liquid pump, the used liquid chamber and the suction pump are provided.

The reservoir, the liquid pump, the used liquid chamber and the suction pump may be provided in a housing, wherein the nozzle is spaced apart from the housing by the delivery tubing and the suction tubing, and wherein the nozzle is separable from the delivery tubing and the suction tubing for sterilization of at least the nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily put into practical effect there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the description being with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a body cavity irrigation

device.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective interior view of a first portion of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section side view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1 depicted with a first portion of the device opened. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 dismantled into a first portion and a

second portion.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective exploded assembly view of a first portion of the device of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a tip of an exemplary nozzle of the body cavity irrigation

device.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of the body cavity

irrigation device.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of a third exemplary embodiment of the body cavity

irrigation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of a body cavity irrigation device 100 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 in which the same reference numerals are used to denote the same or similar parts.

For all embodiments, the body cavity irrigation device 100 comprises a reservoir 20 to store therein a supply of a cleaning liquid 200 and an elongate nozzle 50 comprising a delivery channel 52 and a suction channel 53 that are not in fluid communication with each other. The delivery channel 52 and suction channel 53 both run along an entire length of the nozzle 50. The cleaning liquid 200 may be any appropriate liquid such as clean water or a wash preparation. The device 100 also comprises a liquid pump 22 forming a fluid communication between the reservoir 20 and the delivery channel 52, wherein activation of liquid pump 22 draws the cleaning liquid 200 from the reservoir 20 and dispenses the cleaning liquid 200 from the nozzle 50 through the delivery channel 52. For all embodiments, the liquid pump 22 forms a fluid communication between the reservoir 20 the delivery channel 52. The device 100 preferably also includes a delivery tubing 21 having an inlet 21N that is in fluid communication with the liquid pump 22 and an outlet 2 IX that is in fluid communication with an inlet 52N of the delivery channel 52. The liquid pump 22 draws the cleaning liquid 200 from the reservoir 20 and passes the cleaning liquid 200 to the delivery tubing 21 when the liquid pump 22 is manually activated by a user of the device 100. Preferably, the liquid pump 22 includes a draw tube 29 extending from the liquid pump 22 to a bottom of the reservoir 20 for the liquid pump 22 to take up a predetermined volume of cleaning liquid 200 from the reservoir when the liquid pump 22 is activated. Alternatively, the liquid 22 pump may be motorized such that a one-time manual activation of the liquid pump 22 results in continuous dispensing of the cleaning liquid 200 from the reservoir 20 to the delivery tubing 21 until the liquid pump 22 is manually deactivated by the user.

In addition to the device 100 being configured to deliver the cleaning liquid 200 to any specific location in a person’s body cavity, the device 100 is also configured to remove used liquid 300 together with any unwanted matter that may be present in the body cavity. Accordingly, the device 100 includes a used liquid chamber 30 having a chamber inlet 30N in fluid communication with the suction channel 53 of the nozzle 50, and a suction pump 33 that is discrete from the liquid pump 22, wherein activation of the suction pump 33 draws used liquid 300 through the suction channel 53 of the nozzle 50 into the used liquid chamber 30. The suction pump 33 is configured to be selectably activated simultaneously with the liquid pump 22 or alternately with the liquid pump 22.

For all embodiments, the used liquid chamber 30 has a chamber inlet 30N and a chamber outlet 30X. The suction pump 33 may comprise an air pump having an air inlet 33N and an air outlet 33X. The suction pump 33 is preferably motorized such that a one-time activation of the suction pump 33 results in the device 100 continuously drawing fluid into the used liquid chamber 30 until the suction pump 33 is deactivated. A suction tubing 31 is preferably provided wherein an inlet 3 IN of the suction tubing 31 is in fluid communication with the outlet 53X of the suction channel 53. An outlet 3 IX of the suction tubing 31 is in fluid communication with the chamber inlet 30N. The chamber outlet 30X is in fluid communication with the suction pump 33. An air suction tubing 37 may be provided between the chamber outlet 30X and the air inlet 33N of the suction pump 33 to facilitate passage of air from the used liquid chamber 30 into the suction pump 33. Upon activation of the suction pump 33, air is drawn out of the used liquid chamber 30 into the suction pump 33 to create a low pressure volume in the used liquid chamber 30. The low pressure volume automatically draws fluid into the used liquid chamber 30 via the suction channel 53 and the suction tubing 31. A used liquid suction tube 39 in fluid communication with the suction tubing 31 may be provided in the used liquid chamber 30, extending from the chamber inlet 30N to a bottom of the used liquid chamber 30, so as to minimize liquid in the used liquid chamber 30 from being drawn into the suction pump 33 and damaging the suction pump 33.

For all embodiments, to minimize the nozzle tip 59 from developing undesirable suction adhesion with body cavity mucosa of the person on whom the device 100 is being used when the suction pump 33 is activated, the nozzle tip 59 is preferably provided with an upstanding rim 57 surrounding both the suction channel inlet 53N and the delivery channel outlet 52X, as shown in FIG. 7. In this way, the suction channel inlet 53N and the delivery channel outlet 52X are inset from a free edge of the nozzle tip 59. A cross-sectional area defined by the rim 57 is thus larger than a cross-sectional area of the suction channel inlet 53N, so that the rim 57 at the nozzle tip 59 distributes suction force provided by the suction pump 33 over a larger area (as defined by the rim 57) compared to a smaller area defined by the suction channel inlet 53N. Accordingly, suction pressure experienced by body cavity mucosa in contact with the rim 57 is reduced compared to suction pressure that would be experienced by body cavity mucosa in direct contact with the suction channel inlet 53N if no rim was provided. Providing the rim 57 therefore reduces formation of undesirable suction adhesion between the nozzle tip 59 and the body cavity mucosa, allowing the nozzle tip 59 to be smoothly moved about in the body cavity to suck out used liquid 300 and debris from any desired location in the body cavity. Additionally, when the nozzle tip 59 is occluded e.g. by the person’s cheek tissues, presence of the rim 57 creates a volume defined by at least the cheek tissues and the rim 57 over the delivery channel outlet 52X and the suction channel inlet 53N, so that outflow from the delivery channel outlet 52X will flow back into the suction channel inlet 53N. This facilitates dis-engagement of the nozzle tip 59 from the person’s cheek tissues due to reduction in the pressure, as well as allowing debris in tight spaces to be sucked up.

By providing a nozzle having a delivery channel and a suction channel together with a liquid pump and discrete suction pump, the presently disclosed body cavity irrigation device can be selectably operated to simultaneously irrigate and suction liquid from a body cavity or to alternately irrigate and suction liquid from the body cavity. The device thus removes the need to provide separate irrigation and suction devices, thereby saving cost and also shortening and simplifying the washing and used liquid removal process for home as well as institutional use. Notably, the ability of the device to simultaneously perform both irrigation and liquid suction is particularly advantageous for rinsing of the mouth as this avoids building up of liquids in the mouth that may lead to inadvertent aspiration of liquid into the airways.

In a first exemplary embodiment of the device 100 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the device 100 includes a housing 10 in which the reservoir 20 and the used liquid chamber 30 are provided, and to which the nozzle 50 is attached. The first exemplary embodiment is particularly suited for use as a low cost, easy-to-operate oral irrigation device for caregivers to perform adequate rinsing of the mouth for persons who are unable to do so themselves.

In the first exemplary embodiment, the housing 10 has an opening 12 for dispensing of the cleaning liquid 200 therethrough into the nozzle 50. Preferably, the opening 12 is located adjacent a top of the housing 10. The liquid pump 22 is also provided in the housing 10, the liquid pump 22 forming a fluid communication between the reservoir 20 and the opening 12. The liquid pump 22 draws the cleaning liquid 200 from the reservoir 20 and passes the cleaning liquid 200 through the opening 12 when the liquid pump 22 is manually activated by a user of the device 100. The delivery tubing 21 is provided between the liquid pump 22 and the opening 12. The delivery tubing 21 has an inlet 21N that is in fluid communication with the liquid pump 22 and an outlet 2 IX located at the opening 12 in fluid communication with the delivery channel inlet 52N.

In the first exemplary embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the liquid pump 22 may comprise a lever 40 provided through the housing 10 for a user to activate the liquid pump 22 by the user manually depressing the lever 40. In alternative embodiments, the liquid pump 22 may be activated by other appropriate means such as a button or an on/off switch provided on the housing 10 (not shown). Where the liquid pump 22 is motorized, in the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and FIG. 5, when the lever 40 is kept manually depressed by the user, the device 100 may be configured to continuously dispense the cleaning liquid 200 until the user releases the lever 40. Similarly, in alternative embodiments, the device 100 may continuously dispense the cleaning liquid 200 when a button is pressed once or an on/off switch is put to the“on” position, and dispensing of the cleaning liquid 200 only stops when the button is pressed again or the switch is put to the“off’ position.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, an inlet 52N of the delivery channel 52 and an outlet 53X of the suction channel 53 are located at a base 58 of the nozzle 50 where the nozzle 50 is removably attached to the housing 10 at the opening 12. An outlet 52X of the delivery channel 52 and an inlet 53N of the suction channel 53 are located at a free tip 59 of the nozzle 50. The inlet 52N of the delivery channel 52 is configured to be in fluid communication with the outlet 2 IX of the delivery tubing 21 provided in the housing 10. In this way, the nozzle 50 allows the user to manually direct the cleaning liquid 200 to any desired location in the person’s body cavity by placing the tip 59 of the nozzle 50 at the desired location.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the suction tubing 31 is provided in the housing 10 where an inlet 31N of the suction tubing 31 is located at the opening 12 of the housing 10 and is in fluid communication with the outlet 53X of the suction channel 53. The suction pump 33 is preferably activated and deactivated by an on/off switch 38 provided on the housing 10. A battery compartment 36 may be provided in the housing 10 to power the motorized suction pump 33.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the housing 100 preferably includes an adaptor 60 provided at the opening 12 for easy and removable connection of the base 58 of the nozzle 50, the outlet 21X of the delivery tubing 21 and the inlet 31N of the suction tubing 31 thereto, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The adaptor 60 is configured to provide the following fluid communications:

a) between the delivery tubing outlet 2 IX and the delivery channel inlet 52N; and

b) between the suction channel outlet 53X and the suction tubing inlet 3 IN.

Importantly, the device 100 is readily taken apart for the various components to be cleaned and easily assembled after cleaning. Accordingly, in the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the housing 10 preferably comprises a first portion 10-1 and a second portion 10-2 as shown in FIG. 5. In a preferred embodiment, the first portion 10-1 is provided on top of the second portion 10-2. The first portion 10-1 and the second portion 10-2 are configured to be separably attachable to each other. This may be achieved by providing a threaded connection between the first portion 10-1 and the second portion 10-2 so that the first portion 10-1 may be screwed onto the second portion 10-2. The opening 12, nozzle 50, delivery tubing 21, suction tubing 31, lever 40 and main body of the liquid pump 22 are preferably provided in the first portion 10-1 of the housing 10 while the suction pump 33 and battery compartment 36 are preferably located in the first portion 10-1.

The first portion 10-1 preferably further comprises an openable lid 19. In a preferred embodiment, the lid 19 may have a hinged engagement 18 with the first portion 10-1, as shown in FIG. 4. The suction pump 33 and battery compartment 36 are preferably attached to an underside of the lid 19 while the on/off switch 38 is preferably located on top of the lid 19 on the outside of the housing 10. Opening of the lid 19 allows batteries in the battery compartment 36 to be replaced or removed when not in use, and allows the liquid pump 22 to be removed or at least accessed from the housing 10 for cleaning and maintenance. Opening of the lid 19 also allows the delivery tubing 21 and suction tubing 31 to be removed for cleaning and/or replacement.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the used liquid chamber 30 is preferably at least partially defined by the second portion 10-2 of the housing 10, as shown in FIG. 3. The second portion 10-2 preferably has a removable discharge cover 10-3 to allow discharge of used liquid 300 from used liquid chamber 30 when the discharge cover 10-3 is removed, without requiring separation of the first portion 10-1 from the second portion 10-2. A threaded connection may be provided between the discharge cover 10-3 and the second portion 10-2 so that the discharge cover 10-3 may simply be screwed onto the second portion 10-2. In a preferred embodiment, the discharge cover 10-3 may be provided at a lower end of the second portion 10-2 away from the first portion 10-1.

In the first exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the reservoir 20 is preferably entirely contained within the used liquid chamber 30 in the second portion 10-2 of the housing 10, as can be seen in FIG. 3. An opening of the reservoir 20 is preferably provided at an upper end 10-2U of the second portion 10-2 to allow the draw tube 29 to extend from the pump 22 (provided in the first portion 10-1) into the reservoir 20 (provided in the second portion 10-2), and for easy refilling of the reservoir with the cleaning liquid 20 when the top- portion 10-1 is separated from the second portion 10-2.

In other embodiments, the device 100 may be configured for use in an operating theatre, for example, to remove surgical debris and blood. Accordingly, in a second exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 8, electrical components of the liquid pump and suction pump may be spaced apart from a housing 10 in which the reservoir, used liquid chamber, liquid pump and suction pump (not visible) are provided, the nozzle 50 being attached to the housing 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the electrical components (not visible) of the liquid pump and suction pump may be provided in a casing 90 and separably connected to the liquid pump and the suction pump in the housing 10 via appropriate wiring 91. In this way, the electrical components may be kept separate from the other parts of the device 100 in order for the other parts to be readily removed for sterilization.

In a third exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 9, the reservoir, the liquid pump, the used liquid chamber and the suction pump (not visible) may be provided in a housing 10 while the nozzle 50 is spaced apart from the housing 10 by the delivery tubing 21 and the suction tubing 31. The nozzle 50 is configured to be separable from the delivery tubing 21 and the suction tubing 31 to allow the nozzle 50 to be removed for sterilization. Preferably, the delivery tubing 21 and the suction tubing 31 are also configured to be readily separable from the liquid pump and suction pump respectively in the housing 10 to allow the delivery tubing 21 and suction tubing 31 to be also removed for sterilization. In this way, the third exemplary embodiment of the body cavity irrigation device 100 is also suited for use in surgical applications as the nozzle 50 and tubings 21, 31 can be readily sterilized before use and the other non- sterilized components can be kept at a distance from the body cavity during use. In an alternative configuration of the third exemplary embodiment (not shown), the tubings 21, 31 may be integrally provided as a single tubing having two channels therein.

The second and third exemplary embodiments of the device 100 may be configured to be selectably powered by battery or mains electricity using a power cable and appropriate electrical wiring (not shown) in connection with the liquid pump and suction pump. Switches (not shown) may be provided on the casing 90 or housing 10 for the second and third embodiments respectively to turn on and off the suction pump 33 and liquid pump 22 as desired.

Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations in details of design, construction and/or operation may be made without departing from the present invention. For example, while it has been described above that the device comprises a single housing, it will be appreciated that the device may be configured to provide the reservoir and used liquid chamber in separate housings. While it is preferred for the reservoir to be provided within the used liquid chamber defined at least partially by the second portion of the housing in the first exemplary embodiment, the used liquid chamber may alternatively be provided as a separate chamber within the second portion and the reservoir may be provided outside the used liquid chamber. While the lid of the first portion of the housing has been described above as being openable by a hinge, the lid may alternatively be configured to be entirely removed. While the suction pump has been described above as being preferably motorized, alternatively, the suction pump may be simultaneously activated together with the liquid pump when the user manually activates the liquid pump, e.g. by depressing the lever in the embodiment depicted in the figures. This may be achieved by connecting the lever to a diaphragm (not shown) provided on the suction pump such that depressing the lever also displaces the diaphragm to enlarge an air volume in the suction pump, thereby creating a low pressure in the suction pump that automatically draws air out of the used liquid chamber. While the suction pump has been described above as an air pump, the suction pump may alternatively comprise a peristaltic pump that can similarly function to suck fluid into the used liquid chamber through the suction channel of the nozzle. The device may also optionally include a removable light source that allows inspection of the body cavity during / after use of the device.