US3342178A

US3342178A - Dental sprayers or atomizers

Info

Publication number: US3342178A
Application number: US413206A
Authority: US
Inventors: Freedman Hyman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-11-23
Filing date: 1964-11-23
Publication date: 1967-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-09-19

Description

p 9, 1967 H. FREEDMAN 3,342,178

DENTAL SPRAYERS OR ATOMIZERS Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE TOR. ee man Sept. 19, 196 7 H. FREEDMAN 3,342,178

DENTAL SPRAYERS OR ATOMIZERS Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

INVENTOR re edman United States Patent 3,342,178 DENTAL SPRAYERS 0R ATOMIZERS Hyman Freedman, 200 W. 58th St., New York, N.Y. 10019 Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,206 8 Claims. (Cl. 128-1731) This invention relates to Sprayers or atomizers and particularly those of the type used in dental work such as those disclosed for example, in my Patent No. 3,001,288 and in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 398,197.

It is an object of the invention to provide an atomizer or sprayer which can be used in conjunction with a dental mirror, and by which an intermittent or interrupted spraying is automatically obtained without requiring effort on the part of the operator. It is an object of the invention to provide a novel form of water supply receptacle for the sprayer; which receptacle will be unbreakable and which will avoid the spilling out of its liquid contents when the sprayer is tilted or turned upside down.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel form of mirror mounting on the sprayer and by which the mirror will be firmly maintained in the required position yet readily released for repositioning or removal when desired, and it is an object of the invention to provide a simple and effective heating or sterilizing device for the sprayer.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sprayer or atomizer constructed according to the invention and to which a dental mirror is attached;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of the sprayer;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mirror with the cone removed from the stem and shown in section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the mirror holder, showing the cone fitted therein;

FIG. 6 is a view of one end of the mirror stem showing a different type of coupling element mounted thereon;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of FIG. 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a portion of the sprayer with a portion of the liquid-supply bag shown in section;

FIG. 10 shows how the liquid-supply bag tends to hang vertically when the sprayer is tilted or turned upside down;

FIG. 11 shows how the bag is threadably attached to the spray head or manifold;

FIG. 12 shows a construction in which a water-supply bottle is attached to the spray head by means of a balland-socket 0r universal joint;

FIG. 13 shows the plug by which the spray tubes are coupled to the spray head or manifold;

FIG. 14 is a view as seen from the forward end of the spray head, and

FIG. 15 shows a form of heating or sterilizing means for the sprayer.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 9 and 10, there is therein shown a sprayer or atomizer and attached mirror of generally known type adapted for dental use and which includes a head or manifold 1 to which is detachably coupled a liquid or watersupply receptacle 2. At 3 is shown a water siphoning tube which communicates in the known manner with a passage extending through the head 1, said passage being in communication with a flexible suction tube 4 extending downwardly from the head 1 and entering into the water-supply receptacle 2 as clearly shown in FIG. 9.

The liquid or water-supply receptacle 2, in the form shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, consists of a thin, bladder-like flexible bag which can be composed of rubber, plastic, or other suitable flexible and watertight material. It is attached at its mouth to an internally threaded collar or coupling ring 5 to enable it to be threadably coupled to the threaded nipple 6 on the lower part of the head 1. A washer 7 (FIG. 1) may be used in the joint between the sleeve 5 and the shoulder 8 on the spray head 1. The material of which the bag 2 is made is shatterproof as distinguished from the glass bottles generally used on atomizers of this kind.

The tube shown at 9 constitutes an air-supply tube, and it communicates in the known manner with an air passage extending through the head 1, such passages being connected to an air-supply hose 10 extending from the rear end of the head 1 and connected to a suitable source of air under pressure. At their forward ends, the water tube 3 and the air tube 9 are connected into a spray head or nozzle 11. Said nozzle may, if desired, be constructed in the manner shown in my Patent No. 3,001,288 wherein the nozzle has a forwardly-directed nozzle portion 12 provided with a spray outlet 113. The nozzle is also provided with a spray outlet 14 directed upwardly toward the dental mirror 15. The spray outlet 13 thus directs a water spray toward the tooth being operated] on, while a spray from outlet 14 is directed toward the mirror 15 to cleanse the same. The forward ends of the

tubes

3 and 9 are connected into the nozzle 11 in such a manner that the water or other liquid 50 is siphoned from the bag 2 and sprayed from the outlets 13 and 14.

The spray device or atomizer can, if desired, include a lamp located adjacent to the mirror in the manner disclosed, for example, in my co-pending patent application No. 398,197, such lamp being omitted from the present disclosure to facilitate and more clearly show the features of the present invention.

The water tube 3 is provided near its forward end with a vent hole 16 extending through its wall and said hole is normally closed by means of a valve 17 which, as clearly shown in FIG. 4, consists of a U-shaped plate straddling the water tube 3 over the hole 16. The valve 17 has no sealing lining and thus establishes a metal-tometal contact with the surface of the tube 3.

The valve 17 is formed on or attached to the upper end of a blade or leaf 18 of a flexible or springy nature, attached at its lower end by screw 19 to a clamp 20 embracing the

tubes

3 and 9. This arrangement is such that the springiness of the blade or leaf 18 tends to normally hold the valve 17 in closed position over the hole 16 to thereby close the same and permit the flow of water through the tube 3 to be sprayed by the siphoning action of the air through the tube 9. The springiness of the blade 18 is such that it permits the valve to act as a flutter valve and to vibrate constantly from closed to open position as the water flows through the tube 3, thus causing the valve 17 to repeatedly and rapidly open and close whereby the spray through the outlets 13 and 14 will be intermittent. This effect is greatly desirable for it enables the operator to inspect the work during the skips in the spraying, during which skips the valve is open. The valve thus vibrates in operation, automatically causing a constant repeated interrupted spraying action.

The

tubes

3 and 9 are connected at their rear ends into a connection plug 29 clearly shown in FIG. 13. The plug 29 has a tapered portion 21 frictionally fitted into an opening 22 in the forward portion 26 of the spray head 1. Near one end, the plug is formed with an annular groove 23 and near its opposite end beyond the tapered part 21 of the plug there is formed another annular groove, shown at 24. Said groove is interrupted to form a lateral passage 25.

The coupling of the spray tubes to the head 1 by means of a tapered plug is known. However, such coupling as presently employed, sometimes permits the spraying unit, consisting of the tubes and spray nozzle and the mirror carried by the tubes to become inadvertently detached or separated from the head 1 during the use or handling of the sprayer. A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means by which the inadvertent separation of the spray unit from the head 1 will be prevented.

Provided on the forward end of the extension 26 of the head 1 is an upturned lip 27 shaped to permit it to enter into the groove 24 by way of the lateral passage 25. When the plug is inserted in the opening 22 and is rotated to cause it to become disaligned from the passage 25, a locking effect between the lip 27 and the groove 24 is secured and the plug 20 cannot then be withdrawn from the opening 22. The passage 25 is so positioned on the plug that when it is registered with the lip 27 to permit the plug to be either inserted or withdrawn, the spray unit will be located in a position which it seldom if ever requires during the spraying operation.

The mirror 15 is provided with a stem 28 having its free end formed with the threads 29, Threadably adjustable on said threaded area of the stem is a cone 30, said cone being internally threaded at 31 to enable it to be received on the threads 29 on the stem 28.

At 32 is shown the mirror holder which consists of a sleeve formed or mounted on the leaf 18. Said sleeve is provided with a conical opening 33 extending through it and into which the cone 30 on the end of the stem 28 is received. The mirror is, in this embodiment of the invention, fitted on the sprayer by having its stem passed through the conical opening 22 to an extent to cause the threaded end of the stem to project beyond the holder 32 at the rear thereof. The cone 30 is then threaded on the threaded part of the stem. Then the mirror is pulled forwardly, or upwardly as viewed in FIG. 1 as indicated by the arrow therein, thus causing the cone to enter into the opening 33 and wedge itself therein with sufiicient force to hold the mirror against both rotative and axial movement. Rotative adjustment of the mirror is attained by pushing the mirror backwardly or opposite to the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1, until the cone 30 is moved out of the conical opening 33. The mirror can then be adjusted to the required angle and then become fixed by pulling it forwardly to cause the cone to become wedged in the conical opening 33.

Since the mirror is attached to the valve spring 18, it will be obvious that the valve can be opened at any time by pressing the mirror against the teeth or gums of the patient. This is described in detail in my co-pending application Ser. No. 398,197.

Another means for attaching the mirror is disclosed in FIGS. 6 to 8 inclusive. Therein the threaded end portion 29 of the stem 28 threadably receives an internally threaded sleeve 35, formed on its peripheral surface with a pair of diametrically opposite, longitudinally extending ribs 36. The sleeve 35, when threadably mounted on the stem 28, is adapted to be received in a mirror holder 37 in the form of a tube mounted in place of the holder 32 on the spring 18. When the sleeve 35 is inserted into the tube 37 the ribs 36 will enter into and engage slots 38 in the tube with a snap action, thus holding the mirror against displacement but permitting it to be withdrawn when desired by the application of suflicient force imposed on it to spring the ribs out of the slots 38.

The water supply bag shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, being of bladder-like form and composed of thin, very flexible material, has a number of substantial advantages. Most sprayers or atomizers of this type employ a glass water bottle and they often leak at the joint between the water bottle and head particularly when the sprayer is used in a tilted or upside down position. When the present sprayer is tilted or turned upside down as indicated in FIG. 10, the bag 2 will swing down in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 10, to a substantially vertical position so that no spilling of the contents will occur. Since the siphon tube 4 is also composed of a soft and flexible material it will flex along with the bag 2 without collapsing or causing interruption of the water flow. The bag can also be used as a shut-ofl. valve for controlling the water flow by merely pinching the bag in its neck portion between the fingers while similarly closing the tube 4.

A possible alternative for the flexible bag 2 is shown in FIG. 12 wherein a conventional water bottle 40 is provided with a closure cap 44 threaded on it or otherwise detachably secured on the top of the bottle. Said cap includes a spherical socket member 42 which receives a ball 43 provided on a sleeve 44 threadably received on the threaded nipple 6 of the head 1. This arrangement, while not permitting complete upside down positioning of the atomizer while the bottle is held vertically, provides for the use of the atomizer at various angles without spillage of the bottle contents. Other forms of universal connection between the bottle and the spray head are possible.

For maintaining the sprayer and its liquid warm or at elevated temperature, the arrangement shown in FIG. 15 can be used. Said arrangement employs a heating coil 45 which can be of the type known as an immersion heater. The heater 45 may be suitably mounted on any convenient support handy to the operator and when the sprayer is inserted within the coil of the heat, the heat generated by the heater will be transmitted to the

tubes

3 and 9 and other adjacent parts of the sprayer including the liquid contents of the bag 2 to warmthe same. If desired, by voltage regulation, the temperature can be controlled for either merely heating the sprayer or else for sterilizing the same.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. An atomizer comprising, an air supply tube and a water supply tube, a spray nozzle to which the tubes are connected, the water supply tube having a vent opening, a valve attached to the tubes and normally closing the vent opening, said valve being a springy element mounted to enable it to repeatedly open and close with a fluttering action under the pressure of the water passing through the water tube toward the spray nozzle thereby causing intermittent interruption of the spray emanating from the nozzle.

2. An atomizer according to claim 1, wherein the valve consists of a spring-mounted metallic plate partly embracing the water tube over the vent opening therein and establishing a metal-to-metal contact therewith.

3. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror comprising, a sprayer, a valve support carried thereon, a dental mirror having a stem, a socket mounted on the valve support, said socket having a conical opening extending through it, a cone fitted at one end of the stem and attached thereto, the cone being fitted in the conical opening with a wedglng fit therein to thereby attach the mirror to the socket.

4. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror as provided for in claim 3, wherein the cone fitted on the stem and attached thereto is entered into the conical 1) opening from the rear thereof to attain the wedging fit between the cone and said opening.

5. An atomizer for dental mirrors comprising, a water supply tube, a springy leaf type flutter valve operative over an opening in the supply tube, a mirror holder on the valve, a mirror having a stem provided with a threaded end, a threaded sleeve fitted on said threaded end, the sleeve being fitted within the holder and the sleeve and holder having co-operating means for holding the sleeve for axial displacement out of the holder during the normal use of the mirror.

6. An atomizer for dental mirrors according to claim 5, wherein the co-operating means on the sleeve and holder are radial ribs on the sleeve and slots in the walls of the holder with which the ribs engage.

7. An atomizer including a mounting for a dental mirror, a spray nozzle for ejecting a fluid toward the mirror, a fluid supply tube connected to the spray nozzle, said tube having a vent opening, a valve blade attached to the tube and movable to cover or uncover the vent opening, a mirror holder carried by the blade, said mirror holder having a conical opening extending through it, a mirror having a stem provided with a threaded end, a cone fitted threadably on said end, said cone being received in the conical opening with a wedging fit to thereby attach the stem to the holder.

8. An atomizer according to claim 7, wherein the valve blade is a flutter valve operative on the tube for securing automatic intermittent spraying, the cone being freed from the conical opening by being forced. rearwardly out of the said opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,550 10/1916 Brush 128--11 1,738,863 12/1929 Bragdon 239347 1,915,490 6/1933 Gere 251337 3,027,644 4/ 1962 Piseitelli 32-69 3,091,405 5/1963 Knapp et al. 239-453 20 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

I. W. HINEY, JR., Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN ATOMIZER COMPRISING AN AIR SUPPLY TUBE AND A WATER SUPPLY TUBE, A SPRAY NOZZLE TO WHICH THE TUBES ARE CONNECTED, THE WATER SUPPLY TUBE HAVING A VENT OPENING, A VALVE ATTACHED TO THE TUBE AND NORMALLY CLOSING THE VENT OPENING, SAID VALVE BEING A SPRING ELEMENT MOUNTED TO ENABLE IT TO REPEATEDLY OPEN AND CLOSE WITH A FLUTTERING ACTION UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE WATER PASSING THROUGH THE WATER TUBE TOWARD THE SPRAY NOZZLE THEREBY CAUSING INTERMITTENT INTERRUPTION OF THE SPRAY EMANATING FROM THE NOZZLE.