GB1560220A

GB1560220A - Buccal cotton roll holder

Info

Publication number: GB1560220A
Application number: GB276078A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Sturdivant J E
Current assignee: Sturdivant J E
Priority date: 1978-01-24
Filing date: 1978-01-24
Publication date: 1980-01-30

Description

(54) BUCCAL COTTON ROLL HOLDER (71) I, JACK EDWARD STURDI VANT, of Oakwood Road, Route No. 4, Ames, Iowa 50010, United States of America, a citizen of the United States of America do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- Cotton roll holders have been previously provided for isolating the lower buccal teeth from the cheek and tongue so that the teeth may be maintained in a dry condition while dental work is being performed. The previous buccal cotton roll holders were generally unsatisfactory due to the amount of space that they occupied in the patient's mouth which seriously hampered the performance of dental work. The buccal cotton roll holders described in applicant's previous U.S.Patent Nos. 3,805,389 and 3,739,4?7 represent a distinct improvement over the prior art devices and this invention represents an improvement over applicant's earlier devices with respect to buccal cotton roll holders. The instant invention is intended to be of the disposable type which eliminates the need for sterilization of the holders after use.

Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved buccal cotton roll holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lower buccal cotton roll holder which restrains the cheek and tongue from interference with the teeth on one side of the patient's jaw so that a dentist may conveniently work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disposable lower buccal cotton roll holder comprising a pair of parallel spaced apart supports having cotton rolls secured thereto by adhesive or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lower buccal cotton roll holder which does not interfere with the performance of dental work and which can conveniently be clamped directly to the middle area of a patient's chin for effective securement.

A preferred object of the invention is to provide a lower buccal cotton roll holder which is composed of a plastics material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cotton roll holder which is economical in manufacture, durable in use, refined in appearance, and not bulky.

According to the present invention there is provided a cotton roll holder, comprising a supporting post having a vertical leg portion, parallel spaced apart first and second cotton roll supporting members secured to said supporting post and extending rearwardly from the outer end portion of said supporting post so that said supporting post lies substantially in a vertical plane passing equi-distant between said cotton roll supporting members and a lower chin clamping portion slidably secured to said supporting post, in which said lower chin clamping portion is vertically slidably secured to said vertical leg portion with its longitudinal axis positioned at an angle with respect to the vertical plane in which said supporting post lies whereby the orientation of said chin clamping portion is angularly disposed with respect to said cotton roll supporting members and said supporting post, said vertical leg portion being substantially square in cross-section and slidably extending through a substantially square aperture in said chin clamping portion to prevent relative rotation of said chin clamping portion in a horizontal plane on said vertical leg portion.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cotton roll holder of this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cotton roll holder of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the cotton roll holder of Fig. 2 along line 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the cotton roll holder; and Fig. 5 is a top view showing the cotton roll holder positioned in a patient's mouth.

As heretofore mentioned, one of the problems with prior art buccal cotton holders, besides their bulk, is a device which can be effectively clamped to the patient's chin for rigid securement and which at the same time effectively holds the tongue and the cheek from interfering with the teeth on one side of the patient's jaw. The most effective clamping position for a cotton roll holder is directly under the middle area of a patient's chin. In order to utilize this area of a patient's chin for clamping of cotton roll holders, prior art devices have utilized complicated bulky structures which filled a large area of the patient's mouth.In accord with the present invention, the chin clamping portion of the cotton roll holder is angularly disposed with respect to the cotton roll supporting members such that the middle portion of the chin can be utilized for clamping, with the result being that the cotton roll supporting members are angularly disposed so that one will fit neatly between the cheek. and the teeth on one side of the patient's jaw, with the other of the supporting members fitting on the other side of the patient's teeth and restraining the tongue from interfering with the teeth. As a result, the cotton roll holder can be compact and only fill a small portion of the patient's mouth, making the patient more comfortable, the device itself more economical, easier to handle and more efficient.

The cotton roll holder of Fig. 1 is referred to generally by the refernce numeral 10 and is comprised of an inverted L-shaped supporting post generally depicted at 12 which has a vertical leg portion 12a, and a horizontal leg portion 1 2b, with the horizontal leg portion 12b extending in a generally rearward direction and terminating in an outer end, 12c.

A lower chin clamp 14 is slidably secured to the vertical leg portion 12a by means of slot 16 and its orientation with the rest of the buccal cotton roll holding device will be hereinafter described. At the lower end of vertical leg portion 12a is a forwardly bent portion 18 which prevents chin clamp 14 from sliding off of vertical leg portion 12a.

A first elongated cotton roll supporting member 20 is secured to rearwardly extending outer end 12c of horizontal leg portion 12b by an arcuate connecting portion, referred to herein for purposes of description as 22. A second elongated cotton roll supporting member 24 is spaced apart from and in general parallel relationship to the first elongated cotton roll supporting member 20. A vertically disposed inverted U-shaped connecting bridge 26 connects the cotton roll support 24 by one of its end to a rearwardly extending outer end portion 12c of the horizontal leg portion 12b and is secured by its other end to a second arcuate connecting portion 28 which is secured to the outer end 12c of horizontal leg portion 12b. Secured to the underneath surface of first cotton roll support 20 and second cotton roll support 24 are cotton rolls 30 and 32.Cotton rolls 30 and 32 are secured by use of suitable adhesives, glues or the like.

As best seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the longitudinal axis of chin clamp 14 is in a different vertical plane than the longitudinal axis of either of cotton roll supports 20 and 24. This is accomplished by having slot 16 angularly disposed with respect to the horizontal axis of the handle portion 34 of clamp 14.The angle of slot 16 is preselected so that the orientation of chin clamp 14 with respect to the cotton roll support members 20 and 24 is such that when in use, see Fig. 5, chin clamp 14 will fit directly under the middle area of a patient's chin, and the second elongated cotton roll support 24, and its associated cotton roll 32 will fit between the cheek 36 of the patient and the teeth 38 on one side of the patient's jaw with connecting bridge 26 extending over the anterior teeth of the patient and cotton roll support 20 and its associated cotton roll 30 fitting on the other side of teeth 38 and restraining the patient's tongue 40 from interfering with the work area on the teeth on the preselected side of the patient's jaw.

As can be seen, the entire remaining portion of the patient's mouth is empty and free from restraining apparatus. Thus, only the portion of the patient's mouth which is being worked on is in fact restrained. This results in considerable more comfort for the patient.

In addition, the device of the present invention has as an advantage that the most effective securement area of the patient's chin, i.e., the middle portion, can be utilized for the chin clamp 14. Thus as can be seen, the design of the buccal cotton roll holder allows both the patient and the dentist maximum ease of operation and use and minimizes the discomfort to the patient as well as providing a buccal cotton roll holder which is compact, economical of manufacture, and easily disposable.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A cotton roll holder, comprising a supporting post having a vertical leg portion, parallel spaced apart first and second cotton roll supporting members secured to said supporting post and extending rearwardly from the outer end portion of said supporting post so that said supporting post lies substantially in a

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the cotton roll holder; and Fig. 5 is a top view showing the cotton roll holder positioned in a patient's mouth. As heretofore mentioned, one of the problems with prior art buccal cotton holders, besides their bulk, is a device which can be effectively clamped to the patient's chin for rigid securement and which at the same time effectively holds the tongue and the cheek from interfering with the teeth on one side of the patient's jaw. The most effective clamping position for a cotton roll holder is directly under the middle area of a patient's chin. In order to utilize this area of a patient's chin for clamping of cotton roll holders, prior art devices have utilized complicated bulky structures which filled a large area of the patient's mouth.In accord with the present invention, the chin clamping portion of the cotton roll holder is angularly disposed with respect to the cotton roll supporting members such that the middle portion of the chin can be utilized for clamping, with the result being that the cotton roll supporting members are angularly disposed so that one will fit neatly between the cheek. and the teeth on one side of the patient's jaw, with the other of the supporting members fitting on the other side of the patient's teeth and restraining the tongue from interfering with the teeth. As a result, the cotton roll holder can be compact and only fill a small portion of the patient's mouth, making the patient more comfortable, the device itself more economical, easier to handle and more efficient. The cotton roll holder of Fig. 1 is referred to generally by the refernce numeral 10 and is comprised of an inverted L-shaped supporting post generally depicted at 12 which has a vertical leg portion 12a, and a horizontal leg portion 1 2b, with the horizontal leg portion 12b extending in a generally rearward direction and terminating in an outer end, 12c. A lower chin clamp 14 is slidably secured to the vertical leg portion 12a by means of slot 16 and its orientation with the rest of the buccal cotton roll holding device will be hereinafter described. At the lower end of vertical leg portion 12a is a forwardly bent portion 18 which prevents chin clamp 14 from sliding off of vertical leg portion 12a. A first elongated cotton roll supporting member 20 is secured to rearwardly extending outer end 12c of horizontal leg portion 12b by an arcuate connecting portion, referred to herein for purposes of description as 22. A second elongated cotton roll supporting member 24 is spaced apart from and in general parallel relationship to the first elongated cotton roll supporting member 20. A vertically disposed inverted U-shaped connecting bridge 26 connects the cotton roll support 24 by one of its end to a rearwardly extending outer end portion 12c of the horizontal leg portion 12b and is secured by its other end to a second arcuate connecting portion 28 which is secured to the outer end 12c of horizontal leg portion 12b. Secured to the underneath surface of first cotton roll support 20 and second cotton roll support 24 are cotton rolls 30 and 32.Cotton rolls 30 and 32 are secured by use of suitable adhesives, glues or the like. As best seen in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the longitudinal axis of chin clamp 14 is in a different vertical plane than the longitudinal axis of either of cotton roll supports 20 and 24. This is accomplished by having slot 16 angularly disposed with respect to the horizontal axis of the handle portion 34 of clamp 14.The angle of slot 16 is preselected so that the orientation of chin clamp 14 with respect to the cotton roll support members 20 and 24 is such that when in use, see Fig. 5, chin clamp 14 will fit directly under the middle area of a patient's chin, and the second elongated cotton roll support 24, and its associated cotton roll 32 will fit between the cheek 36 of the patient and the teeth 38 on one side of the patient's jaw with connecting bridge 26 extending over the anterior teeth of the patient and cotton roll support 20 and its associated cotton roll 30 fitting on the other side of teeth 38 and restraining the patient's tongue 40 from interfering with the work area on the teeth on the preselected side of the patient's jaw. As can be seen, the entire remaining portion of the patient's mouth is empty and free from restraining apparatus. Thus, only the portion of the patient's mouth which is being worked on is in fact restrained. This results in considerable more comfort for the patient. In addition, the device of the present invention has as an advantage that the most effective securement area of the patient's chin, i.e., the middle portion, can be utilized for the chin clamp 14. Thus as can be seen, the design of the buccal cotton roll holder allows both the patient and the dentist maximum ease of operation and use and minimizes the discomfort to the patient as well as providing a buccal cotton roll holder which is compact, economical of manufacture, and easily disposable. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A cotton roll holder, comprising a supporting post having a vertical leg portion, parallel spaced apart first and second cotton roll supporting members secured to said supporting post and extending rearwardly from the outer end portion of said supporting post so that said supporting post lies substantially in a

vertical plane passing equi-distant between said cotton roll supporting members and a lower chin clamping portion slidably secured to said supporting post, in which: said lower chin clamping portion is vertically slidably secured to said vertical leg portion with its longitudinal axis positioned at an angle with respect to the vertical plane in which said supporting post lies whereby the orientation of said chin clamping portion is angularly disposed with respect to said cotton roll supporting members and said supporting post.

said vertical leg portion being substantially square in cross-section and slidably extending through a substantially square aperture in said chin clamping portion to prevent relative rotation of said chin clamping portion in a horizontal plane on said vertical leg portion.

2. A cotton roll holder constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.