GB2293977A - Dental accessory adaptor - Google Patents

Abstract

An adaptor is used to add removably an accessory, e.g. a fibre optic handpiece illumination system, a heated air/water syringe, or an ultrasonic scaler to a dental unit without the need for permanent fixings and avoiding the alternative of having free-standing components. The adaptor has its own hanger/s 2 which accommodates the accessory instrument and a clip or plug 3 which slots in to a hanger 4 on the original unit 14. The adaptor case 1 houses those components required to provide all necessary services in the correct configuration to the accessory, the tubings to which 13 are permanently attached to the adaptor. Links to the original service are made by connecting the threaded fittings on the ends of original service tubes 18 to a manifold 17 attached to the case of the adaptor. If required a low voltage electrical supply is connected at the socket 11. <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE DENTAL ACCESSORIES ADAPTOR This invention relates to an adaptor which enables accessories to be added removably to a dental unit.

Dental units provide air or electrically driven motors (handpieces) and other devices which are used by dentists in tooth restoration. Basic equipment provides, via flexible tubing, air to propel the motor turbines and water which acts as a coolant. The configuration of the tubes supplying these services has several variants depending upon the type of instrument being driven.

Drive-air and water-coolant tubings terminate in a ferrule and threaded nut which is tightened by hand to the matching thread on the appropriate handpiece or to a thread on a quick-connector which in turn is linked to those handpieces which have a relevant fitting. Units normally have more than one handpiece each of which is activated by the same foot control. Selection of handpieces is achieved either by manual switching or automatically when the handpiece is lifted from its hanger. Handpieces when not in use are placed in designated hangers on the dental unit.

Facilities, other than the basic ones described, are available. They include the provision for the supply of services to handpieces with built in fibre-optic illumination, heated water to syringes and air operated tooth-scalers. They can be part of original equipment or added later as an accessory when, if it is feasible they can be built into the body of a unit by an engineer, attached permanently to the outside of the unit casing or components and connections can be free-standing. These options all have their own disadvantages by way of impracticability, cost, inconvenience and reduced safety.

An alternative way of adding accessories whilst avoiding these disadvantages is desirable.

The present invention provides a means of using an adaptor to secure releasably accessories to a dental unit, comprising a casing which houses those components required to adapt the original equipment services to those required by the accessory. This enclosure has its own hanger or hangers for the accessory instrument/s.

Additionally it has either an adaptable clip or alternatively a plug which replicates the shape of the standard sized nuts which terminate handpiece tubings as previously described. The plug option will not be referred to again but can always be used as an alternative to an adjustable clip.

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which FIGURE 1 Shows in perspective the adaptor and its external features.

FIGURE 2 Shows part of the original dental unit with a hanger, its tubing and connecting nut.

FIGURE 3 Shows the adaptor clipped to the dental unit and the original dental unit tubing connected to the accessory.

Referring to the drawing the adaptor comprises a case 1 a hanger 2 and an adjustable clip 3 by means of which the adaptor is removably secured to the original equipment hanger 4. There could be more than one hanger 2 but for simplification this option is not referred to again.

The case 1, comprised of plastic or other material, has a preferred outline shape which is rectangular but could by any other appropriate shape provided that the rear wall 5 is so formed as to be adaptable with the clip 3 so that stability of the adaptor is ensured when it is in place in the hanger 4. Extending from the near wall 5 is the clip 3 mentioned above. This clip could be any shape provided that it fits securely into the variety of hangers 4 normally encountered on original equipment.

For additional security it could comprise two diverging flanges 6/7. These diverging flanges could be releasably but firmly secured in the hanger 4 by adjustment to the horizontal screw 8. Whichever shape is employed the clip 3 is so formed so as to permit movements of the plunger 9 in the hanger 4. As an alternative to adjustable flanges the clip 3 can utilize the resilience of the material from which it is constructed to ensure a firm fit in the hanger 4.

At the front wall 10 of the case 1 is a hanger 2 which accepts the nut 12 which terminates the adaptor tubing 13. For clarity the instruments which would be attached to nut 12 are not shown. In the example the hanger is recessed and is an integral part of the case but it could also be attached as is the hanger 4 on the original equipment 14.

In the rear wall of the hanger 2 concavity is a plunger 15 which is pushed outwards from the case by spring or air pressure when the nut 12 is lifted out, of the hanger 2. This plunger is pushed inwards when the nut is replaced. This movement is transferred to the original equipment hanger plunger 16 (if fitted) and this in turn operates an air or electric switch in the original equipment 14 thereby extending any automatic selection facility on the original equipment to the accessory.

Entering the case 1 is a removable or fixed connector 17 with an external thread and tubing configuration both of which are specified by the user to match the nut 18 and tubing 19 on his/her original dental unit 14.

In its removable form the connector 17 will consist of the male plug of a handpiece quick connector which is already commercially available. It is used where the original equipment has tubings and handpieces with quick release connectors as described in the background to the invention. Where the connector 17 is a removable type, the female socket is either attached to the outside of the case 1 (not shown) or accommodated within the case itself. The removable quick connectors are not described in detail being the subject of a prior art.

Leaving the case 1 are the permanently or removably attached tubings 13 which lead to the nut and fittings 12 appropriate to the accessory to be used. As previously described these fittings are located in the hanger 2 on the adaptor case 1 when the accessory instrument is available but not in use.

For clarity Figures 1 and 2 show the nuts 12/18 and tubings 13/19 removed but it will be seen that they can be located in their respective hangers 2/4 and releasably held. Also for clarity the tubings 13/19 which may be coiled or straight have been shortened and represented by dotted lines.

At the side of the case is located an electrical socket 11 which accepts input from a low voltage supply or from signal sending devices associated with the accessory.

To add the accessory, the tubing 19 and nut 18 are unhooked from the original equipment hanger 4 and screwed by hand to the threaded connector 17. As described this connector may be fixed to the case 1 or may terminate in a male plug which is pushed into the female socket (not shown) on or in the case 1. The clip 3 at the back of the adaptor case 1 is placed in the now vacated original equipment hanger 4. Any adjustment which may very occasionally be required to ensure a secure fit of the clip to an oversized hanger 4 can be made with the adjusting screw 8 as described or this secure fit may be achieved by the resilience of the material and/or the shape of the clip 3.

The example Figures 1, 2, 3 illustrates the adaptor being used to provide services via the nut and ferrule 12 for a new fibre optic handpiece (not shown). In this instance the adaptor case 1 accommodates an air-operated electrical switch, a time-delay relay and a facility for changing the configuration of the original tubings to that required by the accessory. These housed components are not shown nor are they further discussed because they are the subject of prior art. Because a low voltage electrical supply is needed in this instance a connection is made at the socket 11 using a plug which in turn is connected to a mains transformer. Any automatic selection of tubing-in-use previously activated by pilot switch 16 is reproduced by pilot switch 15 in the adaptor hanger 2 via a sliding plunger (not shown) passing through the body of the case 1.

As a further example the adaptor can be used to introduce via the socket 11 a low voltage current to the heating element which is incorporated in the water and air tubings of syringes, driers and tooth scalers which are commercially available but may not be fitted to the original equipment.

In another example the socket 11 can be used to receive a plug connected to the electronic signal-sending devices for onward transmission of signals to the accessory. A specific application of this example relates to the deployment of ultrasonic scalers.

Claims (1)

1. (1) An adaptor to secure releasably accessories to a dental unit, comprising a casing which houses those components required to adapt the original equipment services to those required by the accessory, the enclosure has its own hanger for the accessory instrument together with an adaptable clip or a plug to fit a variety of original equipment hangers.

   (2) An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear wall of the casing is adapted to co-operate with a clip or a plug in order to prevent movement of the adaptor.

   (3) An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein an accessory is powered automatically upon being lifted from the adaptor hanger by a linkage with the original equipment automatic switching.

   (4) An adaptor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim

   3 where a clip is adaptable to fit a variety of shapes or original equipment hangers whether the original equipment has manual or automatic switching.

   (5) An adaptor essentially as described herein with reference to figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawing.