US3721006A - Finger pad for dental instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

A finger pad for utilization in connection with angled dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers, enamel hatchets, etc. The finger pad includes a piece of plastic or similar material mounted on the angled portion of the instrument and provided with pressure points contoured into the pad for reception of the tip of the operator''s finger. The contoured portions are positioned so that a direct pressure is properly directed toward the tip of the tool thereby eliminating inaccuracies. The pad can either be removably placed on the angled portion of the tool, permanently secured to the end of the tool handle or made integral therewith.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Malmin 1March 20, 1973 FINGER PAD FOR DENTAL Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock INSTRUMENTS Attorney-Freeman & Taylor [76] Inventor: Oscar Malmin, 127 East Wayne Avenue, Akron, Ohio 44301 [571 ABSTRACT [22] Filed; May 28, 7 A finger pad for utilization in connection with angled Appl. No.: 147,858

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1932 Hallowell ..32/50 3/1930 Bracht ..30/295 dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers, enamel hatchets, etc. The finger pad includes a piece of plastic or similar material mounted on the angled portion of the instrument and provided with pressure points contoured into the pad for reception of the tip of the operator's finger. The contoured portions are positioned so that a direct pressure is properly directed toward the tip of the tool thereby eliminating inaccuracies. The pad can either be removably placed on the angled portion of the tool, permanently secured to the end of the tool handle or made integral therewith.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMARZO 197s INVENTOR. 05cm? MA LM/N ATTORNEYS FINGER PAD FOR DENTAL INSTRUMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention primarily relates to hand-held dental tools and specifically relates to angled dental instruments which are operated by finger pressure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART At the present time, there are a large number of dental instruments such as pluggers, margin trimmers, enamel hatchets, etc., all of which have in common an elongate handle which is held normally between the thumb and middle finger and which have an angled projection emanating therefrom.

Typical of these tools are pluggers, which are utilized to tamp, plug, or force filler material into a cavity in the tooth. In the existing instruments, the actual working portion of the plugger, for example, is a thin angled wire-like member which has one end secured to the end of the handle while the opposed end is actually inserted into the tooth. In conventional practice, the index finger of the user is placed upon the end of the handle to apply downward pressure to the plugger.

The difficulty encountered here is that the wire extension or the operative end of the tool tends to flex about its point of attachment to the handle. This causes the tip itself, which is doing the work, to actually tend to move in a circular direction resulting in a lack of accuracy. Similar difficulties are encountered with other hand-held tools including tools in which the forces are applied from the side. Due to the fact that the actual working end of the tool is thin and flexible, it is not possible under present conditions to obtain accurate control of the ultimate end of the tip.

Applicant is not aware of any pertinent prior patent art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been discovered that the above noted disadvantages in the existing pluggers or similar hand instruments can be obviated by providing a pad or built-up member on the wire portion of the tool.

It has been found that certain areas of this pad can be contoured to receive the tip of the index finger of the user. In this fashion, it has been found that the pressure from the finger tip is more accurately directed to the tip of the tool, thereby giving the operator much greater control over the instrument than is presently the case.

It has been found that a pad of this nature can either be removably provided so as to slip onto the wire extension or can be permanently affixed to the end of the tool handle or can be made as an integral part of the tool.

Accordingly, production of an improved finger pad for dental instruments having the above noted characteristics becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects thereof becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification, considered and interpreted in view of the drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one version of the improved finger pad.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 4 showing another modification.

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Considering first FIG. 1, it will be noted that the tool or instrument per se, generally indicated by the numeral 10, includes an elongate handle 11 having a tapered or reduced diameter end 12 to which is secured the actual operative part of the instrument 13. In the form of the invention shown, the tool is what is commonly known as the plugger, which is a tool utilized to tamp, plug, or force filler material into the tooth. The operative portion 13 comprises an elongate wire-like member having a reduced diameter outboard end 15, which is the area or portion thereof which is inserted into the tooth, with the opposed end thereof being secured to the end 12 of handle 11 in conventional fashion.

As will be noted, the wire portion 13 is bent and basically L-shaped when viewed in elevation such as in FIG. 2.

With the conventional tool of this nature, the tip of the index finger of the user would be placed on the end 12 of the handle 11 to ultimately apply pressure to the tip 15. However, there is a tendency for the tool to flex about the point 16 due to the fact that the member 13 is a relatively thin wire material.

It should be noted at this point. that while a plugger has been illustrated, there are a wide variety of hand instruments of this general nature differing principally in the precise configuration of the component 13.

Referring again to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, it will be noted that a pad 20 is provided, with the pad encircling a goodly portion of the element 13 and also being secured to the end 12 of the handle 11. The method of securing is optional and could be accomplished by welding, cementing, resilient or spring lock, friction, or any other suitable securing method, depending upon the material involved in the tool and the pad.

Also, and as pointed out above, the pad 20 has a through bore 22 which receives the wire member 13.

Referring next to FIG. 3, it will be noted that there i are three contoured areas 23, 24, and 25 on the top surface of the pad 20. Thus, when a straight, downward pressure is desired on tip 15, the user would place his index finger on the contoured area 23. In view of the fact that this area lies directly above the high-point 14 of the wire 13, this pressure will be directed substantially in a straight line to the tip 15, thereby avoiding the flexing about point 16 referred to above and providing greater control. When it is desired to apply pressure from either the left or right hand side of the instrument, the index finger would be placed in either the contoured areas 24 or 25 as the case may be.

In this fashion, greater control and accuracy can be obtained.

Turning next then to FIGS. 4 and 5 which show modified forms of the invention, it will be noted that the instrument 10 per se is identical with the instrument illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. The only difference in this particular application is that the pad 20 does not encircle the end of the handle 11, but merely butts up against it as at 17. This type of pad would, of course, be made with the through central aperture 22 and could be removable if desired. The contoured areas 24, 23 and 25 would, of course, be the same and the method of operation would likewise be the same.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 for a still further modification, it will be noted that this particular modification utilizes an integral pad. Thus, the wire or operative part of the tool 13 simply has an enlarged area 120 which serves as the pad. This area has its similar contoured surfaces 124, 123 and 125 and operation is identical with the operation of the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5.

It has been shown therefore how a simple but effective and economic improvement can be made to existing hand-operated dental instruments to insure a greater accuracy and comfort for the user thereof.

It should be noted that while plastic has been referred to as the material for the pad in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, that the invention is not intended to be so limited and that any suitable material could be utilized.

It should also be stressed that while the invention has been illustrated and described primarily in conjunction with a plugger, that again, it is not intended to be so limited and could be utilized equally well with any suitable hand-operated instrument requiring the application of pressure by the user.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the Patent Statutes, it is to be understood that modifications can be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with an angled hand operated dental tool for applying vertical pressure having a handle and a projecting, elongate operative member that projects from one end of said handle and has an operative portion that has its longitudinal axis disposed at a substantially right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle, the improvement comprising;

A. an enlarged pressure-receiving area carried by said operative member and overlying said longitudinal axis of said operative portion thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressurereceiving area includes a removable contoured pad adapted to be releasably secured to said operative member.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressurereceiving member also engages said end of said handle.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said I pressurereceiving member includes an integral contoured enlargement of a portion of said operative member.

Claims (4)

1. In combination with an angled hand operated dental tool for applying vertical pressure having a handle and a projecting, elongate operative member that projects from one end of said handle and has an operative portion that has its longitudinal axis disposed at a substantially right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle, the improvement comprising; A. an enlarged pressure-receiving area carried by said operative member and overlying said longitudinal axis of said operative portion thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressure-receiving area includes a removable contoured pad adapted to be releasably secured to said operative member.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressure-receiving member also engages said end of said handle.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said pressure-receiving member includes an integral contoured enlargement of a portion of said operative member.

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