US20040191724A1 - Ultrasonic swivel insert - Google Patents
Ultrasonic swivel insert Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20040191724A1 US20040191724A1 US10/818,252 US81825204A US2004191724A1 US 20040191724 A1 US20040191724 A1 US 20040191724A1 US 81825204 A US81825204 A US 81825204A US 2004191724 A1 US2004191724 A1 US 2004191724A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- insert
- handpiece
- tip
- ultrasonic
- bearing
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C17/00—Devices for cleaning, polishing, rinsing or drying teeth, teeth cavities or prostheses; Saliva removers; Dental appliances for receiving spittle
- A61C17/16—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices
- A61C17/20—Power-driven cleaning or polishing devices using ultrasonics
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C1/00—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design
- A61C1/02—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design characterised by the drive of the dental tools
- A61C1/07—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design characterised by the drive of the dental tools with vibratory drive, e.g. ultrasonic
Definitions
- the invention pertains to ultrasonic inserts of a type used in medical/dental treatments. More particularly, the invention pertains to such inserts with enhanced operating efficiency and user comfort.
- Ultrasonic scalers are used in dental offices for de-plaqueing teeth. Unlike manual scalers, these instruments are powered i.e., the tip of the instrument vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency allowing quick and easy debridement. The operator has less hand fatigue as most of the energy for removing the plaque comes from the generator that powers the instrument. The dental practitioner need only lightly touch the tip of the instrument at an angle to the tooth surface to dislodge the plaque.
- Known ultrasonic scalers such as scaler 10 illustrated in FIG. 1A, have a handpiece 12 a coupled at one end 12 a - 1 to a cable 12 b which includes a hose, to provide a fluid, and conductors to provide electrical energy.
- the other end of the cable 12 b terminates at an electrical generator and fluid source 12 c .
- One type of fluid is water.
- the other end of the handpiece 12 a - 2 is hollow and is intended to receive a replaceable insert 14 with a transducer 14 a (magnetostrictive or piezoelectric) carried on the insert.
- the transducer 14 a extends from a proximal end of the insert 14 into the hollow body 12 a - 2 .
- An ultrasonically vibrated tip 14 b extends from a distal end of the insert.
- Known magnetostrictive ultrasonic inserts function by exciting a stack of thin nickel plates at a frequency equal to the stack's natural frequency.
- the excitation is induced through an electrical generator in unit 12 c , which supplies a current to a coil embedded in the handpiece.
- the operator tunes the generator (manual tuning) until it reaches the resonance frequency i.e., attains the natural frequency of the insert.
- auto-tune units automatically lock on the insert resonance frequency once powered on.
- the stack starts vibrating. This vibration of the stack is amplified and transmitted to the tip 12 b by means of a connecting body or concentrator.
- the connecting body is made from material that provides good sound transmission efficiency.
- the fluid path through the handpiece 12 a needs to be sealed such that no leakage occurs until the fluid stream exits from the insert at the very tip through a fluid delivery channel.
- ultrasonic inserts do not have any moving parts other than the minuscule displacement of the nickel stack, the connecting body or the tip.
- the dental practitioner will need to repeatedly re-orient the location of the insert tip 14 b with respect to tooth surface depending on which tooth of the mouth is being cleaned.
- the practitioner will typically take the insert out of the patient's mouth, rotate the insert 14 , and tip 14 b , inside the handpiece 12 a locating tip 14 b at a desired angular position. Both hands are used for this rotation as the frictional forces that produce a tight fit of the insert 14 in handpiece 12 a must be overcome.
- the process of reorienting the tip must be carried out numerous times. This is not only time consuming but also interrupts the ease and smooth flow of work.
- a rotatable ultrasonic insert has a body section which carries a bearing for rotatably engaging an ultrasonic handpiece.
- the body is rotatable, about an axial centerline.
- Rotation can be effected by applying a force only to the insert. In response, the insert rotates but the handpiece does not. Hence, single handed, two finger rotation is possible.
- a swivel feature is located at the gripping region of the insert, i.e., close to the treatment tip, where the practitioner would typically position his or her fingers.
- the swivel allows the insert to rotate 360 degrees without any limitation. This enables the practitioner to position the insert, and the tip, at any angular orientation without having to take the insert out of the patient's mouth.
- the swivel also allows rotation of the gripping region and tip without having to rotate the handpiece and/or the supply cord. This removes the resistance from the operator's hand and reduces hand fatigue.
- a large diameter grip or handle not only reduces finger fatigue but also transmits a larger torque to the swivel feature for the same amount of force.
- An elastomeric handle carried by the body, comfortably interfaces with a user's fingers.
- the user can rotate the elastomeric handle and the insert with two fingers relative to the handpiece. Hence, during treatment there will be no need to rotate the handpiece.
- the elastomeric material allows for a positive grip since it deforms under finger pressure and becomes locally non-cylindrical in shape.
- the preferred material is silicone. Silicone is not only repeatedly sterilizable under most sterilization processes found in dental offices but also provides good traction with respect to the type of gloves which are commonly used in dental offices.
- the elastomeric handle engages the body only at a region of minimal ultrasonically induced, vibration.
- the limited connectivity between the body and the elastomeric handle minimizes build up of heat between the body and that handle. It also avoids damping ultrasonic vibrations transmitted along the body.
- a method of assembly includes:
- an adaptor has an external periphery which can be slidably and releasibly inserted into the opening in the handpiece.
- a standard ultrasonic insert is inserted through the adaptor into the handpiece. The insert can then be rotated relative to the handpiece with a rotational force applied only thereto.
- the adaptor can be snap fitted onto an exterior periphery of a handpiece.
- FIG. 1A illustrates a prior art ultrasonic scaler having an insert and handpiece
- FIG. 1B illustrates one aspect of usage of the prior art insert/handpiece combination of FIG. 1A;
- FIG. 2A illustrates an insert in accordance with the present invention
- FIG. 2B illustrates the insert of FIG. 2A in a handpiece as in FIG. 1A and aspects of usage thereof;
- FIGS. 3A, B and C are various views of an ultrasonic insert body in accordance with the present invention.
- FIGS. 4A, B, C and D are various views of a snap-fit rotary bearing usable with the body of FIG. 3A;
- FIGS. 5A, B, C and D are various views of a torque lock in accordance with the present invention.
- FIGS. 6A, B and C are various views of a swivel housing in accordance with the present invention.
- FIGS. 7A, B are various views of a cone usable in an insert in accordance with the present invention.
- FIGS. 8A, B and C illustrate steps in assembling an insert in accordance with the present invention
- FIG. 9A is a side sectional view of an insert in accordance with the invention illustrating the relationship of various elements assembled in the steps of FIGS. 8A, B and C;
- FIG. 9B is an enlarged sectional view illustrating aspects of a section of FIG. 9A;
- FIG. 10A is a side sectional view of a handpiece carrying a snap-on adaptor in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 10B is an enlarged partial side view of the handpiece and adaptor of FIG. 10A with a conventional ultrasonic insert positioned therein;
- FIG. 10C is an over-all view of an insert as in FIG. 1 combined with an adaptor as in FIG. 10A;
- FIG. 11A is an enlarged side view of an alternate embodiment of an insert in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 11B is an enlarged partial side sectional view of the insert of FIG. 11A inserted into a handpiece of an ultrasonic scaling unit, generally of a type illustrated in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 11C is a side view of a portion of the handpiece of FIG. 11B;
- FIG. 11D is a side view of a collar threadable onto the handpiece of FIG. 11B;
- FIGS. 12A, B are top and side views of a preferred form of an ultrasonic transducer.
- FIG. 12C is an end view of the transducer of FIG. 12B.
- FIG. 2A illustrates an insert 20 in accordance with the present invention.
- the insert 20 includes a transducer 20 a which is illustrated as a magnetostrictive transducer. Alternately, it could be a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
- the transducer is rigidly coupled to an elongated body 20 b which is covered in part by a cylindrical, elongated deformable elastomeric grip 20 c .
- the grip 20 c terminates in a cone 20 d which is positioned between the grip 20 c and operative treatment applying tip 20 e.
- insert 20 operates in accordance with the principals of known ultrasonic dental instruments as discussed above relative to FIG. 1A.
- insert 20 also carries a rotary bearing 24 which exhibits a hollow cylindrical stem section 24 a which defines a cylindrical region 24 b which receives a sealing O-ring 24 c .
- the hollow member 24 a terminates at a disc 24 d of larger diameter.
- a planar surface 24 d - 1 of disk 24 is adjacent to stem 24 a
- the rotary bearing member 24 is rotatable relative to the body 20 b , gripping member 20 c and tip 20 e .
- the member 24 is fixed, the body 20 b , gripping member 20 c and tip 20 e are readily rotatable therein.
- FIG. 2B illustrates the standard ultrasonic handpiece 12 a , cable 12 b and generator 12 c , discussed above, of a type found in dental offices.
- the insert 20 is slidably receivable, in a direction 16 a , in the hollow end 12 a - 2 of the handpiece 12 a.
- the cylindrical stem 24 a of the rotary bearing 24 slides into the hollow handpiece 12 a .
- the O-ring 24 c slidably engages the interior periphery of the handpiece 12 a providing a fluid seal and reliably engaging the insert 20 with the handpiece 12 a
- insert 20 When installed in the handpiece 12 a , as illustrated in FIG. 2B, insert 20 can be rotated relative to handpiece 12 a with rotary forces applied to the deformable gripping member 20 c for purposes of orienting the tip 20 e relative to a tooth being de-plaqued. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the practitioner need not restrain the handpiece 12 a while rotating the insert 20 . Additionally, insert 20 is relatively rotatable relative to handpiece 12 a using only two of the practitioner's fingers. Thus, the orientation of the tip 20 e can be continuously altered with only two of the practitioner's fingers, requiring only one hand, while the scaling operation proceeds. This will reduce operator fatigue and substantially shorten the time necessary for the scaling process. The expected torque needed to rotate insert 20 preferably will be less than 2.0 inch-oz.
- the insert 20 can be removed from the handpiece by pulling it axially from the handpiece in a direction 16 b and sterilized. The same insert or a different insert can then be subsequently inserted into handpiece 12 a to treat the next patient. It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to ultrasonic inserts which utilize either magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducers without limitation.
- FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3 C illustrate different views of the body 20 b of the insert 20 .
- body portion 20 b is attached to a first end 20 a - 1 of transducer 20 a as would be understood by those of skill in the art.
- An elongated cylindrical extension 20 b - 1 extends axially from transducer 20 a toward tip 20 e.
- the elongated cylindrical metal member 20 b - 1 is caused to vibrate axially, in response to electro-magnetic signals received at transducer 20 a from handpiece 12 a .
- the signals are produced by generator 12 c .
- This axial ultrasonic vibration is in turn coupled to the tip 20 e and used for effecting de-plaqueing of the subject tooth T, in a spray of fluid M, illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3C.
- a pair of notches 20 b - 2 , 20 b - 3 is formed on elongated body member 20 b - 1 in a region of substantially zero axial ultrasonic vibration. While a pair of notches 20 b - 2 , - 3 has been illustrated in FIG. 3B, it will be understood that a single notch, or three notches could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, the exact shape of the generally rectangular notches 20 b - 2 , - 3 is not a limitation of the present invention.
- An interior or base plane 20 b - 2 ′, 20 b - 3 ′ of each notch 20 b - 2 , - 3 is parallel to a plane through the central axis of tip 20 e .
- This notch/tip configuration facilitates energy transmission along insert 20 without increasing the risk of a mechanical fracture due to potential fatigue stress.
- An elongated fluid flow slot 20 b - 4 extends axially in the region where the body 20 b - 1 interfaces with the tip 20 e . As discussed subsequently, fluid for the spray M flows therethrough.
- FIGS. 4A, B, C and D illustrate different views and additional details of rotary bearing 24 .
- the cylindrical stem 24 a is hollow and defines an interior peripheral surface 24 e which is adjacent to the elongated body portion 20 b , see FIG. 2A.
- the bearing member 24 carries a second O-ring 24 c - 1 in a cylindrical region 24 d - 2 which is adjacent to a plurality of radially disposed spring-loaded fingers indicated generally at 24 g.
- the fingers 24 g each terminate at a barbed free end, such as 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 with preferably four such fingers disposed radially about the annular surface 24 d - 2 .
- a barbed free end such as 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 with preferably four such fingers disposed radially about the annular surface 24 d - 2 .
- the ends 24 g - 1 , - 2 . . . -n are limitations of the present invention.
- the fingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 4 are deflectable radially inward during assembly and are biased radially outwardly to return to their undeflected condition, illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B.
- the second O-ring 24 c - 1 which is positioned adjacent annular surface 24 d - 2 cooperates with O-ring 24 c to provide a sealed fluid flow path between handpiece 12 a and cone 20 d . Cooling fluid flows from handpiece 12 a through aperture 24 - 1 , FIG. 4 c , and past the fingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 4 . It will be understood that the number of fingers 24 g is not a limitation of the present invention.
- FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate various views of a torque lock 30 which couples a torque due to force applied to deformable gripping member 20 c by the user's fingers to the body 20 b and treatment tip 20 e .
- the torque lock 30 is preferably molded of a sterilizable thermoplastic which, as discussed below, permits it to deform during assembly without fracturing.
- the torque lock 30 has a hollow body section 32 a with an exterior periphery 32 b and an internal circumferential periphery 32 c .
- the torque lock is molded with a slot 34 a formed in the body 32 a which permits outward radial deformation of sections 34 b and 34 c , adjacent the slot 34 a , as the torque lock 30 is slid onto the elongated body portion 20 b - 1 .
- Surfaces 36 a , 36 b slidably engage the notches 20 b - 2 , - 3 of the elongated member 20 b - 1 .
- the torque lock 30 Once the torque lock 30 has been installed on the body member 20 b - 1 at the slots 20 b - 2 , - 3 , it will be fixedly located at a region of substantially zero axial ultrasonic vibration. This minimizes a build-up of heat between the vibrating body 20 b - 1 and the torque lock 30 .
- the cross section of the connecting body portion 20 b - 1 through the notches 20 b - 2 , - 3 will have a large enough cross-sectional area to transmit ultrasonic vibrations without constriction.
- FIGS. 6A, B, C illustrate various views of a housing 40 which is press fit over torque lock 30 and which slidably and lockingly engages barbed fingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , and - 4 of the rotary bearing 24 .
- the housing 40 has an elongated generally cylindrical body 42 a with a smooth exterior periphery 42 b .
- the body 42 a terminates at an end 42 c adjacent an annular shoulder 42 d.
- the shoulder 42 d in turn has an end surface 42 d - 1 .
- the end surface 42 d - 1 is adjacent to and rotates relative to annular surface 24 d - 3 of bearing 24 .
- the annular member 42 d exhibits an internal cylindrical peripheral surface 42 d - 2 which traps O-ring 24 c - 1 in position, forming a fluid seal with bearing 24 when surface 42 d - 1 is positioned adjacent to surface 24 d - 3 .
- the housing 40 can rotate relative to bearing 24 but is not movable axially relative thereto.
- the housing 40 has an interior, cylindrical peripheral surface 42 b - 1 which surface deflects the barbed fingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 4 radially inwardly when the housing 40 is slid onto the fingers 24 g .
- the fingers 24 g which have been inwardly radially deflected by the surface 42 b - 1 engage a cylindrical slot 42 b - 2 with a snap fit.
- the radially compressed fingers 24 g expand outwardly radially and the barbed ends 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , 4 lock into the slot 42 b - 2 precluding axial motion of the housing 40 away from surface 24 d - 3 of bearing 24 .
- housing 40 As the housing 40 is slidably engaging the barbed fingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 4 and internal cylindrical peripheral surface 42 b - 3 engages exterior cylindrical peripheral surface 32 b of torque lock 30 with a press or interference fit.
- the press fit between torque lock 30 and housing 40 locks those two parts together precluding either axial linear movement or rotary movement therebetween.
- the end 42 b of housing 40 carries a plurality of threads 42 b - 4 .
- the snap fit between the housing 40 and the rotary bearing 24 , in combination with the O-ring 24 c - 1 provide a sealed fluid flow path from inflow periphery 24 e of bearing 24 through outflow end surface 42 b - 5 of housing 40 .
- This fluid flow seal precludes fluid leakage.
- the exterior cylindrical surface 24 g ′ of each of the fingers 24 g rotatably engages the internal cylindrical surface 42 b - 1 of the housing 40 .
- This provides a pair of rotatable bearing surfaces which permit smooth two finger rotation of the deformable member 20 c and the treatment tip 20 e .
- a medically acceptable, sterilizable, lubricant is preferably provided between the bearing surfaces to improve rotational smoothness and further reduce friction and required torque.
- FIGS. 7A and 7B are views of cone 20 d which is carried by rotatable housing 40 .
- Cone 20 d has an internal flow path 50 a which is sealed by O-ring 50 b .
- Cone 20 d includes a set of threads 52 .
- Cone 20 d is coupled to housing 40 by the rotatable engagement of threads 42 b - 4 of housing 40 and 52 of cone 20 d.
- the O-ring 50 b precludes leakage between an end 50 c and a region of body portion 20 b - 1 which extends therethrough. Fluid exits cone 20 d via fluid flow channel 20 b - 4 in the body portion 20 b - 1 . Fluid exits the cone 20 d in the channel 20 b - 4 as a stream. The stream of fluid impacts the vibrating tip 20 e and creates a smooth spray pattern M suited for cooling and cleaning tissues. Adhesives, such as epoxy, can be used to permanently attach the cone 20 d to the housing 40 .
- FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8 C illustrate the steps of assembly of the insert 20 .
- Groove 20 b ′- 1 in body section 20 b ′ provides a positive gripping surface usable during assembly by manufacturing fixtures to block axial movement of the insert 20 .
- initial steps of assembly of the insert 20 include sliding rotary bearing member 24 past operative tip 20 e onto body portion 20 b - 1 .
- the torque lock 30 is then slid onto the operative element 20 e and forced along the elongated body 20 b - 1 , which in turn forces elements 34 b, c radially outward until surfaces 36 a, b thereof slidably engage the slots 20 b - 2 , - 3 .
- This slidable engagement with the slots in the body member 20 b locks the torque lock 30 to the body member 20 b and traps the bearing member 24 against a portion 20 b ′ of the body 20 b precluding axial movement thereof.
- the bearing member 24 continues to be rotatable relative to the elongated body portion 20 b.
- the housing 40 is then slid onto and past the operative element 20 e and forced onto the rotary bearing 24 , thereby radially inwardly deflecting the barbefingers 24 g - 1 , - 2 , - 3 , - 4 and also press fit onto external peripheral surface 32 b of torque lock 30 adjacent to disc 24 d .
- the inwardly deflected fingers 24 g expand into radial slot 42 b - 2 , axially locking the housing 40 to the bearing 24 while still permitting relative rotary motion therebetween.
- the circular elastomeric gripping member 20 c can be slid onto housing 40 either before or after the cone 20 d is threadably engaged therewith.
- the gripping region 20 c has an inner diameter which is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the housing 40 .
- the member 20 c thus elastically attempts to contract around the housing 40 which minimizes unintended slippage of the grip 20 c relative to the housing 40 .
- Member 20 c can also be permanently attached to housing 40 with adhesive.
- FIG. 9A illustrates a side sectional view of an assembled insert 20 in accordance with the method of steps of FIGS. 8A, B and C.
- FIG. 9B is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of FIG. 9A further illustrating the relationships of the various elements therein.
- tip 20 c will be formed and heat treated prior to the start of the assembly process illustrated in FIG. 8A.
- housing 40 By forming housing 40 as a separate element from core 20 d , the length of each is less than the combined length of 20 d and 40 . Hence, each can be independently slid over exemplary curved tip 20 e though the assembled combination 20 d and 40 will not slide over tip 20 e.
- FIG. 10A illustrates a snap-on plastic adaptor 70 which is intended to be used with a standard handpiece, such as the handpiece 12 a .
- handpiece 12 a includes an annular depression 12 c adjacent to open end 12 a - 2 .
- the adaptor 70 snap-fits onto the handpiece 12 a at the groove 12 c.
- Adaptor 70 has a body section 72 a which carries an annular locking protrusion 72 b which slidably engages the slot 12 c locking the adaptor 70 thereto.
- the adaptor 70 also includes a bearing 74 a which is carried in an interior region 74 b of the body 72 a .
- An O-ring seal 74 c can be positioned adjacent to the bearing 74 a to minimize the likelihood of leakage from fluid flowing through the handpiece 12 a into an insert coupled thereto.
- the insert 70 defines a channel 76 a which co-extends with and abuts channel 12 d in handpiece 12 a .
- the channels 76 a and 12 d receive a standard insert such as the insert 14 , which is to be rotatably coupled to handpiece 12 a and to be energized thereby.
- FIG. 10B illustrates added details of standard insert 14 coupled to adaptor 70 for rotation relative to handpiece 12 a .
- the adaptor 70 in combination with handpiece 12 a and insert 14 provide a sealed fluid flow path between the interior peripheral surface 12 b of the handpiece and tip 14 b of the insert.
- a user can rotate insert 14 relative to handpiece 12 a by applying rotary forces to the grip 14 c in a manner analogous to the way in which rotary forces are applied to the grip 20 c of rotatable insert 20 previously described.
- insert 70 a standard handpiece, in combination with standard inserts, such as the insert 14 , can cost effectively provide improved convenience and comfort for the practitioner. It will be understood, if desired, that the insert 70 could be color coded.
- the insert 70 can be molded of any sterilizable plastic such a thermoplastic material commercially available and known as polyphenylsulfone. It will also be understood that a plurality of snap-fit fingers, such as the fingers 72 b , can be molded in housing 72 a for purposes of releasibly attaching the adaptor to the handpiece 12 a.
- FIG. 10C is an over-all view of insert 14 coupled to handpiece 12 a via adaptor 70 .
- FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an alternate form of an adaptor 80 usable with a handpiece 82 .
- the adaptor 80 includes a cylindrical body section 80 a which carries a bearing 80 b which could be implemented as a plastic ring bearing.
- the bearing 80 b is carried in a cylindrical slot 80 c in housing 80 a.
- Housing 80 a also carries an O-ring seal 80 d in a second slot 80 e .
- the body 80 a terminates at a plurality of deflectable locking fingers 80 f .
- the body 80 a is hollow and defines an internal peripheral cylindrical surface 80 g.
- Insert 80 is slidably receivable into handpiece 82 with a snap-fit.
- the exterior surfaces of the fingers 80 f slidably engage a locking slot 82 a formed in an interior peripheral surface 82 b of the handpiece 82 .
- the interior peripheral surface 82 b also includes a slot 82 c for receipt of the O-ring seal 80 e , and, a slot 82 d which receives the rotary bearing 80 b carried by the insert 80 .
- the O-ring 80 d provides a fluid seal between handpiece 82 and an insert, such as the insert 14 shown in part in phantom, which has been slidably inserted into the adaptor 80 in contact with the internal peripheral cylindrical surface 80 g .
- the insert 14 When so-inserted, the insert 14 can be rotated, along with adaptor 80 relative to the handpiece 82 so as to promote the convenience and comfort of a practitioner.
- a collar 86 is threadable onto the end of the handpiece 82 to trap the adaptor 80 in place and prevent axial movement thereof.
- FIGS. 12 A-C illustrate details of a preferred structure of stack 20 a .
- stiffness of the stack can be increased. This in turn promotes continued alignment of the stack relative to central axis HP-A, see FIG. 2B, while the insert 20 is being rotated.
- the improved alignment minimizes the likelihood of the stack 20 a rubbing against internal peripheral surface 12 d during rotation, hence eliminating a possible source of friction and noise.
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- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
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- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
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Abstract
An ultrasonic insert carries a rotary bearing adjacent to the transducer. The bearing slidably engages an ultrasonic handpiece. When seated in the handpiece, the insert is substantially decoupled, on a rotary axis, from the handpiece. A rotary force need only be applied to the insert to rotate it in the handpiece. Alternately, an adaptor can be inserted into the handpiece. The adaptor slidably receives a conventional ultrasonic insert. The conventional insert can be easily rotated with a force applied only thereto, relative to the handpiece.
Description
- This is a Utility Application claiming the benefit of the earlier filing date of Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/223,447, filed Aug. 4, 2000 and Ser. No. 60/270,687, filed Feb. 22, 2001.
- The invention pertains to ultrasonic inserts of a type used in medical/dental treatments. More particularly, the invention pertains to such inserts with enhanced operating efficiency and user comfort.
- Ultrasonic scalers are used in dental offices for de-plaqueing teeth. Unlike manual scalers, these instruments are powered i.e., the tip of the instrument vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency allowing quick and easy debridement. The operator has less hand fatigue as most of the energy for removing the plaque comes from the generator that powers the instrument. The dental practitioner need only lightly touch the tip of the instrument at an angle to the tooth surface to dislodge the plaque.
- Known ultrasonic scalers, such as
scaler 10 illustrated in FIG. 1A, have ahandpiece 12 a coupled at oneend 12 a-1 to acable 12 b which includes a hose, to provide a fluid, and conductors to provide electrical energy. The other end of thecable 12 b terminates at an electrical generator andfluid source 12 c. One type of fluid is water. - The other end of the
handpiece 12 a-2 is hollow and is intended to receive areplaceable insert 14 with atransducer 14 a (magnetostrictive or piezoelectric) carried on the insert. Thetransducer 14 a extends from a proximal end of theinsert 14 into thehollow body 12 a-2. An ultrasonically vibratedtip 14 b extends from a distal end of the insert. One such insert has been disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,901, entitled “Insert For Ultrasonic Scaler”, incorporated herein by reference. - Known magnetostrictive ultrasonic inserts function by exciting a stack of thin nickel plates at a frequency equal to the stack's natural frequency. The excitation is induced through an electrical generator in
unit 12 c, which supplies a current to a coil embedded in the handpiece. When theinsert 14 is placed in thehandpiece 12 a and thefrequency generator 12 c is powered on, the operator tunes the generator (manual tuning) until it reaches the resonance frequency i.e., attains the natural frequency of the insert. Alternately, auto-tune units automatically lock on the insert resonance frequency once powered on. At this time, the stack starts vibrating. This vibration of the stack is amplified and transmitted to thetip 12 b by means of a connecting body or concentrator. The connecting body is made from material that provides good sound transmission efficiency. - While the
insert 14 is operational, fluid is pumped through the cable-generator system 12 b, c and through thehandpiece 12 a to thetip 14 b of theinsert 14. The vibratingtip 14 b breaks the fluid stream into a spray. The spray not only keeps the tip cool, but also keeps the surface of the tooth cool and provides protection against tissue damage. - The fluid path through the
handpiece 12 a needs to be sealed such that no leakage occurs until the fluid stream exits from the insert at the very tip through a fluid delivery channel. Typically, ultrasonic inserts do not have any moving parts other than the minuscule displacement of the nickel stack, the connecting body or the tip. - Known magnetostrictive dental scaling ultrasonic inserts used in the U.S.A. are designed to vibrate at 25 kHz or 30 kHz frequencies. Another system, popular in Europe, uses a piezoelectric transducer.
- In using an ultrasonic scaler during a cleaning, the dental practitioner will need to repeatedly re-orient the location of the
insert tip 14 b with respect to tooth surface depending on which tooth of the mouth is being cleaned. In making this angular adjustment, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the practitioner will typically take the insert out of the patient's mouth, rotate theinsert 14, andtip 14 b, inside thehandpiece 12 a locatingtip 14 b at a desired angular position. Both hands are used for this rotation as the frictional forces that produce a tight fit of theinsert 14 inhandpiece 12 a must be overcome. During a typical treatment, the process of reorienting the tip must be carried out numerous times. This is not only time consuming but also interrupts the ease and smooth flow of work. - In areas of the mouth where the practitioner chooses not to rotate the
insert 14, the practitioner's wrist must be twisted sufficiently to achieve the same function. This twisting action is opposed by the resistance of thecable 12 b, the fluid supply hose and power conductors, which is attached to thehandpiece 12 a. - There continues to be a need for ultrasonic scalers which are more comfortable and less fatiguing to use than known instruments. Preferably, any improvements will be downwardly compatible with the numerous generators and handpieces that are already present in dental offices.
- A rotatable ultrasonic insert has a body section which carries a bearing for rotatably engaging an ultrasonic handpiece. The body is rotatable, about an axial centerline.
- Rotation can be effected by applying a force only to the insert. In response, the insert rotates but the handpiece does not. Hence, single handed, two finger rotation is possible.
- Preferably, a swivel feature is located at the gripping region of the insert, i.e., close to the treatment tip, where the practitioner would typically position his or her fingers. The swivel allows the insert to rotate 360 degrees without any limitation. This enables the practitioner to position the insert, and the tip, at any angular orientation without having to take the insert out of the patient's mouth. The swivel also allows rotation of the gripping region and tip without having to rotate the handpiece and/or the supply cord. This removes the resistance from the operator's hand and reduces hand fatigue.
- Additionally, a large diameter grip or handle, not only reduces finger fatigue but also transmits a larger torque to the swivel feature for the same amount of force.
- An elastomeric handle, carried by the body, comfortably interfaces with a user's fingers. The user can rotate the elastomeric handle and the insert with two fingers relative to the handpiece. Hence, during treatment there will be no need to rotate the handpiece.
- The elastomeric material allows for a positive grip since it deforms under finger pressure and becomes locally non-cylindrical in shape. The preferred material is silicone. Silicone is not only repeatedly sterilizable under most sterilization processes found in dental offices but also provides good traction with respect to the type of gloves which are commonly used in dental offices.
- The elastomeric handle engages the body only at a region of minimal ultrasonically induced, vibration. The limited connectivity between the body and the elastomeric handle minimizes build up of heat between the body and that handle. It also avoids damping ultrasonic vibrations transmitted along the body.
- A method of assembly includes:
- providing a body which carries an ultrasonic transducer, at one end, and, a displaced treatment applying tip at the other end;
- sliding a rotary handle past the treatment applying tip toward the bearing;
- connecting the handle to the body at a region of minimal ultrasonic vibration.
- In another aspect of the invention, an adaptor has an external periphery which can be slidably and releasibly inserted into the opening in the handpiece. A standard ultrasonic insert is inserted through the adaptor into the handpiece. The insert can then be rotated relative to the handpiece with a rotational force applied only thereto. Alternatively, the adaptor can be snap fitted onto an exterior periphery of a handpiece.
- Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims and from the accompanying drawings.
- FIG. 1A illustrates a prior art ultrasonic scaler having an insert and handpiece;
- FIG. 1B illustrates one aspect of usage of the prior art insert/handpiece combination of FIG. 1A;
- FIG. 2A illustrates an insert in accordance with the present invention;
- FIG. 2B illustrates the insert of FIG. 2A in a handpiece as in FIG. 1A and aspects of usage thereof;
- FIGS. 3A, B and C are various views of an ultrasonic insert body in accordance with the present invention;
- FIGS. 4A, B, C and D are various views of a snap-fit rotary bearing usable with the body of FIG. 3A;
- FIGS. 5A, B, C and D are various views of a torque lock in accordance with the present invention;
- FIGS. 6A, B and C are various views of a swivel housing in accordance with the present invention;
- FIGS. 7A, B are various views of a cone usable in an insert in accordance with the present invention;
- FIGS. 8A, B and C illustrate steps in assembling an insert in accordance with the present invention;
- FIG. 9A is a side sectional view of an insert in accordance with the invention illustrating the relationship of various elements assembled in the steps of FIGS. 8A, B and C;
- FIG. 9B is an enlarged sectional view illustrating aspects of a section of FIG. 9A;
- FIG. 10A is a side sectional view of a handpiece carrying a snap-on adaptor in accordance with the present invention;
- FIG. 10B is an enlarged partial side view of the handpiece and adaptor of FIG. 10A with a conventional ultrasonic insert positioned therein;
- FIG. 10C is an over-all view of an insert as in FIG. 1 combined with an adaptor as in FIG. 10A;
- FIG. 11A is an enlarged side view of an alternate embodiment of an insert in accordance with the present invention;
- FIG. 11B is an enlarged partial side sectional view of the insert of FIG. 11A inserted into a handpiece of an ultrasonic scaling unit, generally of a type illustrated in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 11C is a side view of a portion of the handpiece of FIG. 11B;
- FIG. 11D is a side view of a collar threadable onto the handpiece of FIG. 11B;
- FIGS. 12A, B are top and side views of a preferred form of an ultrasonic transducer; and
- FIG. 12C is an end view of the transducer of FIG. 12B.
- While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawing and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
- FIG. 2A illustrates an
insert 20 in accordance with the present invention. Theinsert 20 includes atransducer 20 a which is illustrated as a magnetostrictive transducer. Alternately, it could be a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. - The transducer is rigidly coupled to an
elongated body 20 b which is covered in part by a cylindrical, elongated deformableelastomeric grip 20 c. Thegrip 20 c terminates in acone 20 d which is positioned between thegrip 20 c and operativetreatment applying tip 20 e. - The
insert 20 operates in accordance with the principals of known ultrasonic dental instruments as discussed above relative to FIG. 1A. However, insert 20 also carries a rotary bearing 24 which exhibits a hollowcylindrical stem section 24 a which defines acylindrical region 24 b which receives a sealing O-ring 24 c. Thehollow member 24 a terminates at adisc 24 d of larger diameter. Aplanar surface 24 d-1 ofdisk 24 is adjacent to stem 24 a - As discussed subsequently, when installed on the
elongated body 20 b, therotary bearing member 24 is rotatable relative to thebody 20 b, grippingmember 20 c andtip 20 e. Hence, if themember 24 is fixed, thebody 20 b, grippingmember 20 c andtip 20 e are readily rotatable therein. - FIG. 2B illustrates the standard
ultrasonic handpiece 12 a,cable 12 b andgenerator 12 c, discussed above, of a type found in dental offices. Theinsert 20 is slidably receivable, in adirection 16 a, in thehollow end 12 a-2 of thehandpiece 12 a. - The
cylindrical stem 24 a of the rotary bearing 24 slides into thehollow handpiece 12 a. The O-ring 24 c slidably engages the interior periphery of thehandpiece 12 a providing a fluid seal and reliably engaging theinsert 20 with thehandpiece 12 a - When installed in the
handpiece 12 a, as illustrated in FIG. 2B, insert 20 can be rotated relative to handpiece 12 a with rotary forces applied to the deformable grippingmember 20 c for purposes of orienting thetip 20 e relative to a tooth being de-plaqued. As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the practitioner need not restrain thehandpiece 12 a while rotating theinsert 20. Additionally, insert 20 is relatively rotatable relative to handpiece 12 a using only two of the practitioner's fingers. Thus, the orientation of thetip 20 e can be continuously altered with only two of the practitioner's fingers, requiring only one hand, while the scaling operation proceeds. This will reduce operator fatigue and substantially shorten the time necessary for the scaling process. The expected torque needed to rotateinsert 20 preferably will be less than 2.0 inch-oz. - When the practitioner has concluded the de-plaqueing process, the
insert 20 can be removed from the handpiece by pulling it axially from the handpiece in adirection 16 b and sterilized. The same insert or a different insert can then be subsequently inserted intohandpiece 12 a to treat the next patient. It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to ultrasonic inserts which utilize either magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transducers without limitation. - FIGS. 3A, 3B,3C illustrate different views of the
body 20 b of theinsert 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B,body portion 20 b is attached to afirst end 20 a-1 oftransducer 20 a as would be understood by those of skill in the art. An elongatedcylindrical extension 20 b-1 extends axially fromtransducer 20 a towardtip 20 e. - The elongated
cylindrical metal member 20 b-1, as would be known to those of skill in the art, is caused to vibrate axially, in response to electro-magnetic signals received attransducer 20 a fromhandpiece 12 a. The signals are produced bygenerator 12 c. This axial ultrasonic vibration is in turn coupled to thetip 20 e and used for effecting de-plaqueing of the subject tooth T, in a spray of fluid M, illustrated in phantom in FIG. 3C. - A pair of
notches 20 b-2, 20 b-3 is formed onelongated body member 20 b-1 in a region of substantially zero axial ultrasonic vibration. While a pair ofnotches 20 b-2, -3 has been illustrated in FIG. 3B, it will be understood that a single notch, or three notches could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, the exact shape of the generallyrectangular notches 20 b-2, -3 is not a limitation of the present invention. - An interior or
base plane 20 b-2′, 20 b-3′ of eachnotch 20 b-2, -3 is parallel to a plane through the central axis oftip 20 e. This notch/tip configuration facilitates energy transmission alonginsert 20 without increasing the risk of a mechanical fracture due to potential fatigue stress. - An elongated
fluid flow slot 20 b-4 extends axially in the region where thebody 20 b-1 interfaces with thetip 20 e. As discussed subsequently, fluid for the spray M flows therethrough. - FIGS. 4A, B, C and D illustrate different views and additional details of
rotary bearing 24. As illustrated therein, thecylindrical stem 24 a is hollow and defines an interiorperipheral surface 24 e which is adjacent to theelongated body portion 20 b, see FIG. 2A. The bearingmember 24 carries a second O-ring 24 c-1 in acylindrical region 24 d-2 which is adjacent to a plurality of radially disposed spring-loaded fingers indicated generally at 24 g. - The
fingers 24 g each terminate at a barbed free end, such as 24 g-1, -2, -3 with preferably four such fingers disposed radially about theannular surface 24 d-2. Neither the number nor the exact shape of theends 24 g-1, -2 . . . -n are limitations of the present invention. As discussed in more detail subsequently, thefingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, -4 are deflectable radially inward during assembly and are biased radially outwardly to return to their undeflected condition, illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B. - The second O-
ring 24 c-1 which is positioned adjacentannular surface 24 d-2 cooperates with O-ring 24 c to provide a sealed fluid flow path betweenhandpiece 12 a andcone 20 d. Cooling fluid flows fromhandpiece 12 a through aperture 24-1, FIG. 4c, and past thefingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, -4. It will be understood that the number offingers 24 g is not a limitation of the present invention. - FIGS. 5A-5D illustrate various views of a
torque lock 30 which couples a torque due to force applied to deformable grippingmember 20 c by the user's fingers to thebody 20 b andtreatment tip 20 e. Thetorque lock 30 is preferably molded of a sterilizable thermoplastic which, as discussed below, permits it to deform during assembly without fracturing. - The
torque lock 30 has ahollow body section 32 a with anexterior periphery 32 b and an internalcircumferential periphery 32 c. The torque lock is molded with aslot 34 a formed in thebody 32 a which permits outward radial deformation ofsections 34 b and 34 c, adjacent theslot 34 a, as thetorque lock 30 is slid onto theelongated body portion 20 b-1.Surfaces notches 20 b-2, -3 of theelongated member 20 b-1. When the notches are so-engaged, thedeformable members 34 b, c move radially inwardly to a non-deformed condition. In this state,torque lock 30 is locked to thebody 20 b at thenotches 20 b-2, -3. - The interaction between the
surfaces 36 a, b, in theslots 20 b-2, -3 inhibits both rotation and translation of thetorque lock 30 relative to thebody member 20 b-1. Hence, rotating thetorque lock 30 will also rotate thebody 20 b of the insert. - Once the
torque lock 30 has been installed on thebody member 20 b-1 at theslots 20 b-2, -3, it will be fixedly located at a region of substantially zero axial ultrasonic vibration. This minimizes a build-up of heat between the vibratingbody 20 b-1 and thetorque lock 30. As will be understood by those of skill in the art, in addition to locating thenotches 20 b-2, -3 at a region of minimal axial ultrasonic vibration, preferably centered on the expected nodal point of zero vibration, the cross section of the connectingbody portion 20 b-1 through thenotches 20 b-2, -3 will have a large enough cross-sectional area to transmit ultrasonic vibrations without constriction. - FIGS. 6A, B, C illustrate various views of a
housing 40 which is press fit overtorque lock 30 and which slidably and lockingly engagesbarbed fingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, and -4 of therotary bearing 24. Thehousing 40 has an elongated generallycylindrical body 42 a with asmooth exterior periphery 42 b. Thebody 42 a terminates at an end 42 c adjacent anannular shoulder 42 d. - The
shoulder 42 d in turn has anend surface 42 d-1. When installed, theend surface 42 d-1 is adjacent to and rotates relative toannular surface 24 d-3 ofbearing 24. - The
annular member 42 d exhibits an internal cylindricalperipheral surface 42 d-2 which traps O-ring 24 c-1 in position, forming a fluid seal with bearing 24 whensurface 42 d-1 is positioned adjacent to surface 24 d-3. When so-positioned, thehousing 40 can rotate relative to bearing 24 but is not movable axially relative thereto. - When the
housing 40 is rotated relative to thebearing 24, thesurface 42 d-2 slides over O-ring 24 c-1 without excessive friction thereby enabling a practitioner to rotate thetip 20 e relative to thehandpiece 12 a with the use of force applied to elastomeric grippingmember 20 c by only two fingers. - The
housing 40 has an interior, cylindricalperipheral surface 42 b-1 which surface deflects thebarbed fingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, -4 radially inwardly when thehousing 40 is slid onto thefingers 24 g. Thefingers 24 g, which have been inwardly radially deflected by thesurface 42 b-1 engage acylindrical slot 42 b-2 with a snap fit. The radially compressedfingers 24 g expand outwardly radially and the barbed ends 24 g-1, -2, -3, 4 lock into theslot 42 b-2 precluding axial motion of thehousing 40 away fromsurface 24 d-3 ofbearing 24. - As the
housing 40 is slidably engaging thebarbed fingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, -4 and internal cylindricalperipheral surface 42 b-3 engages exterior cylindricalperipheral surface 32 b oftorque lock 30 with a press or interference fit. The press fit betweentorque lock 30 andhousing 40 locks those two parts together precluding either axial linear movement or rotary movement therebetween. Theend 42 b ofhousing 40 carries a plurality ofthreads 42 b-4. - The snap fit between the
housing 40 and therotary bearing 24, in combination with the O-ring 24 c-1 provide a sealed fluid flow path frominflow periphery 24 e of bearing 24 throughoutflow end surface 42 b-5 ofhousing 40. This fluid flow seal, as noted above, precludes fluid leakage. The exteriorcylindrical surface 24 g′ of each of thefingers 24 g rotatably engages the internalcylindrical surface 42 b-1 of thehousing 40. This provides a pair of rotatable bearing surfaces which permit smooth two finger rotation of thedeformable member 20 c and thetreatment tip 20 e. A medically acceptable, sterilizable, lubricant is preferably provided between the bearing surfaces to improve rotational smoothness and further reduce friction and required torque. - FIGS. 7A and 7B are views of
cone 20 d which is carried byrotatable housing 40.Cone 20 d has aninternal flow path 50 a which is sealed by O-ring 50 b.Cone 20 d includes a set ofthreads 52.Cone 20 d is coupled tohousing 40 by the rotatable engagement ofthreads 42 b-4 ofhousing cone 20 d. - The O-
ring 50 b precludes leakage between an end 50 c and a region ofbody portion 20 b-1 which extends therethrough. Fluid exitscone 20 d viafluid flow channel 20 b-4 in thebody portion 20 b-1. Fluid exits thecone 20 d in thechannel 20 b-4 as a stream. The stream of fluid impacts the vibratingtip 20 e and creates a smooth spray pattern M suited for cooling and cleaning tissues. Adhesives, such as epoxy, can be used to permanently attach thecone 20 d to thehousing 40. - FIGS. 8A, 8B and8C illustrate the steps of assembly of the
insert 20.Groove 20 b′-1 inbody section 20 b′ provides a positive gripping surface usable during assembly by manufacturing fixtures to block axial movement of theinsert 20. - As illustrated in FIG. 8A, initial steps of assembly of the
insert 20 include slidingrotary bearing member 24 pastoperative tip 20 e ontobody portion 20 b-1. Thetorque lock 30 is then slid onto theoperative element 20 e and forced along theelongated body 20 b-1, which inturn forces elements 34 b, c radially outward untilsurfaces 36 a, b thereof slidably engage theslots 20 b-2, -3. This slidable engagement with the slots in thebody member 20 b locks thetorque lock 30 to thebody member 20 b and traps the bearingmember 24 against aportion 20 b′ of thebody 20 b precluding axial movement thereof. The bearingmember 24 continues to be rotatable relative to theelongated body portion 20 b. - As illustrated in FIG. 8B, the
housing 40 is then slid onto and past theoperative element 20 e and forced onto therotary bearing 24, thereby radially inwardly deflecting thebarbefingers 24 g-1, -2, -3, -4 and also press fit onto externalperipheral surface 32 b oftorque lock 30 adjacent todisc 24 d. When seated on the bearingmember 24, the inwardly deflectedfingers 24 g expand intoradial slot 42 b-2, axially locking thehousing 40 to thebearing 24 while still permitting relative rotary motion therebetween. - The circular
elastomeric gripping member 20 c can be slid ontohousing 40 either before or after thecone 20 d is threadably engaged therewith. Thegripping region 20 c has an inner diameter which is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of thehousing 40. Themember 20 c thus elastically attempts to contract around thehousing 40 which minimizes unintended slippage of thegrip 20 c relative to thehousing 40.Member 20 c can also be permanently attached tohousing 40 with adhesive. - FIG. 9A illustrates a side sectional view of an assembled
insert 20 in accordance with the method of steps of FIGS. 8A, B and C. FIG. 9B is an enlarged side sectional view of a portion of FIG. 9A further illustrating the relationships of the various elements therein. - As will be understood by those of skill in the art, preferably tip20 c will be formed and heat treated prior to the start of the assembly process illustrated in FIG. 8A. By forming
housing 40 as a separate element fromcore 20 d, the length of each is less than the combined length of 20 d and 40. Hence, each can be independently slid over exemplarycurved tip 20 e though the assembledcombination tip 20 e. - FIG. 10A illustrates a snap-on
plastic adaptor 70 which is intended to be used with a standard handpiece, such as thehandpiece 12 a. As illustrated in FIG. 10A,handpiece 12 a includes anannular depression 12 c adjacent to openend 12 a-2. Theadaptor 70 snap-fits onto thehandpiece 12 a at thegroove 12 c. -
Adaptor 70 has abody section 72 a which carries anannular locking protrusion 72 b which slidably engages theslot 12 c locking theadaptor 70 thereto. Theadaptor 70 also includes a bearing 74 a which is carried in an interior region 74 b of thebody 72 a. An O-ring seal 74 c can be positioned adjacent to the bearing 74 a to minimize the likelihood of leakage from fluid flowing through thehandpiece 12 a into an insert coupled thereto. - The
insert 70 defines achannel 76 a which co-extends with and abutschannel 12 d inhandpiece 12 a. Thechannels insert 14, which is to be rotatably coupled to handpiece 12 a and to be energized thereby. - FIG. 10B illustrates added details of
standard insert 14 coupled toadaptor 70 for rotation relative to handpiece 12 a. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10B, theadaptor 70 in combination withhandpiece 12 a andinsert 14 provide a sealed fluid flow path between the interiorperipheral surface 12 b of the handpiece andtip 14 b of the insert. In this configuration, a user can rotateinsert 14 relative to handpiece 12 a by applying rotary forces to thegrip 14 c in a manner analogous to the way in which rotary forces are applied to thegrip 20 c ofrotatable insert 20 previously described. - Using
insert 70, a standard handpiece, in combination with standard inserts, such as theinsert 14, can cost effectively provide improved convenience and comfort for the practitioner. It will be understood, if desired, that theinsert 70 could be color coded. Theinsert 70 can be molded of any sterilizable plastic such a thermoplastic material commercially available and known as polyphenylsulfone. It will also be understood that a plurality of snap-fit fingers, such as thefingers 72 b, can be molded inhousing 72 a for purposes of releasibly attaching the adaptor to thehandpiece 12 a. - FIG. 10C is an over-all view of
insert 14 coupled to handpiece 12 a viaadaptor 70. - FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an alternate form of an
adaptor 80 usable with ahandpiece 82. Theadaptor 80 includes acylindrical body section 80 a which carries abearing 80 b which could be implemented as a plastic ring bearing. The bearing 80 b is carried in a cylindrical slot 80 c inhousing 80 a. -
Housing 80 a also carries an O-ring seal 80 d in asecond slot 80 e. Finally, thebody 80 a terminates at a plurality ofdeflectable locking fingers 80 f. Thebody 80 a is hollow and defines an internal peripheralcylindrical surface 80 g. -
Insert 80 is slidably receivable intohandpiece 82 with a snap-fit. The exterior surfaces of thefingers 80 f slidably engage alocking slot 82 a formed in an interiorperipheral surface 82 b of thehandpiece 82. The interiorperipheral surface 82 b also includes aslot 82 c for receipt of the O-ring seal 80 e, and, aslot 82 d which receives the rotary bearing 80 b carried by theinsert 80. It will be understood that the O-ring 80 d provides a fluid seal betweenhandpiece 82 and an insert, such as theinsert 14 shown in part in phantom, which has been slidably inserted into theadaptor 80 in contact with the internal peripheralcylindrical surface 80 g. When so-inserted, theinsert 14 can be rotated, along withadaptor 80 relative to thehandpiece 82 so as to promote the convenience and comfort of a practitioner. Acollar 86 is threadable onto the end of thehandpiece 82 to trap theadaptor 80 in place and prevent axial movement thereof. - FIGS.12A-C illustrate details of a preferred structure of
stack 20 a. By impressing a “W”bend 20 a-1 along the length of each member of the stack, as illustrated, stiffness of the stack can be increased. This in turn promotes continued alignment of the stack relative to central axis HP-A, see FIG. 2B, while theinsert 20 is being rotated. The improved alignment minimizes the likelihood of thestack 20 a rubbing against internalperipheral surface 12 d during rotation, hence eliminating a possible source of friction and noise. - From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
Claims (8)
1-69. (canceled)
70. An ultrasonic insert which is engageable with a hollow handpiece, the insert comprising:
a treatment applying tip;
an ultrasonic transducer coupled to the tip; and
a rotary bearing non-removably carried between the transducer and the tip wherein the bearing is rotatable relative to the tip.
71. An insert as in claim 70 wherein the bearing comprises a cylindrical sleeve rotatably carried adjacent to the end of the transducer.
72. An insert as in claim 70 which includes a generally cylindrical, manually grippable section between the tip and the bearing wherein the bearing is rotatable relative to the grippable section.
73. An insert as in claim 70 wherein the bearing comprises a cylindrical sleeve rotatably carried adjacent to an end of the transducer, and wherein the sleeve rotatably abuts an end of a grippable element.
74. An insert as in claim 73 wherein the sleeve includes an exterior feature slidably engageable with the handpiece.
75. An insert as in claim 73 wherein the sleeve carries an annular flange of greater diameter than the sleeve wherein the flange rotates adjacent to the grippable element.
76. A rotatable ultrasonic dental insert comprising;
a treatment applying tip, a transducer non-rotatably coupled to the tip and a handpiece engaging element, rotatably coupled to the tip, wherein the tip is rotatable relative to the engaging element by a force applied adjacent to the tip.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US10/818,252 US20040191724A1 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2004-04-05 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US22344700P | 2000-08-04 | 2000-08-04 | |
US27068701P | 2001-02-22 | 2001-02-22 | |
US09/917,101 US6716028B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2001-07-27 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
US10/818,252 US20040191724A1 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2004-04-05 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
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US09/917,101 Continuation US6716028B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2001-07-27 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
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US20040191724A1 true US20040191724A1 (en) | 2004-09-30 |
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US09/917,101 Expired - Lifetime US6716028B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2001-07-27 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
US10/346,746 Expired - Lifetime US7011520B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2003-01-17 | Two part ultrasonic swivel insert, with one part rotatable relative to the other |
US10/818,252 Abandoned US20040191724A1 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2004-04-05 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
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US09/917,101 Expired - Lifetime US6716028B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2001-07-27 | Ultrasonic swivel insert |
US10/346,746 Expired - Lifetime US7011520B2 (en) | 2000-08-04 | 2003-01-17 | Two part ultrasonic swivel insert, with one part rotatable relative to the other |
Country Status (5)
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US (3) | US6716028B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1180350B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2002113020A (en) |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20030108844A1 (en) | 2003-06-12 |
DE60125876T2 (en) | 2007-08-30 |
EP1180350B1 (en) | 2007-01-10 |
DE60125876D1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
ES2280319T3 (en) | 2007-09-16 |
JP2002113020A (en) | 2002-04-16 |
US20020040198A1 (en) | 2002-04-04 |
EP1180350A1 (en) | 2002-02-20 |
US6716028B2 (en) | 2004-04-06 |
US7011520B2 (en) | 2006-03-14 |
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