WO2008113001A1

WO2008113001A1 - Dental handpiece

Info

Publication number: WO2008113001A1
Application number: PCT/US2008/057055
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patricia H. Parker; David W. Tipton; Marjavis J. Matthis; William L. Bollig
Original assignee: Hu-Friedy Mfg. Co., Inc.
Priority date: 2007-03-15
Filing date: 2008-03-14
Publication date: 2008-09-18

Abstract

This invention relates generally to dental handpieces, and more particularly to dental handpieces for use in piezoelectric or magnetostrictive-driven dental sealers. In particular, the present invention is directed to a handpiece (10) for an ultrasonic dental instrument comprising a grip portion (12) positioned near a working end (11) of the handpiece, an intermediate portion (14) adjacent and aft of the grip portion, a mount portion (15) located aft of the intermediate portion for removably securing the handpiece to a tailpiece, and a receiver portion (17) for receiving a removably replaceable ultrasonic head instrument. The grip portion comprises a first surface property and the intermediate portion comprises a second surface property where the second surface property differs from the first surface property. The first surface property, for example, may be relatively supple as compared to the second surface property. The second surface property may be relatively smooth as compared to the first surface property.

Description

DENTAL HANDPIECE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60/895,067, entitled "DENTAL HANDPIECE HAVING GRIPPING SURFACE OVER DISCRETE PORTION THEREOF," filed March 15, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to dental handpieces, and more particularly to dental handpieces for use in piezoelectric or magnetostrictive-driven dental sealers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention is directed to a handpiece for an ultrasonic dental instrument comprising a grip portion positioned near a working end of the handpiece, an intermediate portion adjacent and aft of the grip portion, a mount portion located aft of the intermediate portion for removably securing the handpiece to a tailpiece, and a receiver portion for receiving a removably replaceable ultrasonic head instrument. The grip portion comprises a first surface property and the intermediate portion comprises a second surface property where the second surface property differs from the first surface property. The first surface property, for example, may be relatively deformable, resilient or compliant as compared to the second surface property. The second surface property may be relatively smooth as compared to the first surface property to permit the handpiece to slide against an operator's glove without binding.

[0004] The handpiece is separately sterilizable apart from the tailpiece. The grip portion may transition from a relatively smaller diameter near the working end to a relatively larger diameter near a distal end of the grip portion. The grip portion may comprise a removable and replaceable sleeve, which may be made of silicone. The handpiece may include a cavity between a top surface and a bottom surface of the sleeve, which cavity may include a gel.

[0005] The grip portion may comprise a plurality of raised surfaces to assist in gripping the handpiece. The raised surfaces may be uniformly spaced apart from one another and may vary in at least one of length, shape, and height. The grip portion may comprise at least one of a multiplicity of colors for identifying the handpiece.

[0006] Alternatively or in addition to the raised surfaces, the grip portion may comprise a plurality of recesses to assist in gripping the handpiece. The recesses may be randomly positioned.

[0007] The handpiece may be ergonomically balanced when connected to the tailpiece and to the ultrasonic dental instrument. The ultrasonic dental instrument may be a sealer for dental prophylaxis, or any other ultrasonic dental instrument.

[0008] The intermediate portion of the dental handpiece may have an outer diameter in a range of about 15 to about 20 mm to comfortably nest dental handpiece 10 in the crease formed between a user's index finger and thumb. Water may be transmittable through the handpiece to the ultrasonic dental instrument. The mount portion may comprise an interlock to removably secure the handpiece to the tailpiece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the following drawings in which:

[0010] Fig. 1 illustrates a top plan view of a dental handpiece of the present invention;

[0011] Fig. 2 illustrates a side elevation view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 ;

[0012] Fig. 3 illustrates a bottom plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1 ; and

[0013] Fig. 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure should be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated herein.

[0015] Turning now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, there is illustrated in Figs. 1-4 dental handpiece 10 incorporating an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 illustrates dental handpiece 10, which may be used with a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive-driven dental sealer, for example. Dental handpiece 10 comprises grip portion 12, which is positioned near working end 11 of dental handpiece 10, intermediate portion 14, which is positioned adjacent and aft of grip portion 12, mount portion 15, which is located on an aft end of intermediate portion 14 for removably mounting dental handpiece to tailpiece 16, and receiver portion 17, which is located at working end 11 for receiving a removably replaceable ultrasonic dental instrument, such as a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive-driven dental sealer for dental prophylaxis. Dental handpiece 10 is separately sterilizable apart from tailpiece 16. Dental handpiece 10 may be configured to have water pass from tailpiece 16 internally through dental handpiece 10, and ultimately to the working end of the ultrasonic dental instrument, to cool the point of contact between the ultrasonic dental instrument a patient's tooth.

[0016] Optionally, dental handpiece 10 may be ergonomically balanced when connected to tailpiece 16 and the ultrasonic dental instrument. For optimum ergonomic geometry, dental handpiece 10 may have an outer diameter in a range of about 15 to about 20 mm, and preferably about 18 mm, and most preferably about 18.2 mm to nest dental handpiece 10 comfortably in the crease formed between a user's index finger and thumb.

[0017] As shown in the figures, grip portion 12 may transition from a relatively smaller diameter near working end 11 to a relatively larger diameter near distal end 50 of grip portion 12. Grip portion 12 comprises sleeve 30, which may be made of silicone. Sleeve 30 may be removable and replaceable on dental handpiece 10. Replaceability of sleeve 30 may be desirable for several reasons, such as for wear, color preference or identification purposes, or for accommodating different thicknesses or softnesses.

[0018] Dental handpiece 10 may include a cavity between a top surface and a bottom surface of sleeve 30. The cavity may include a gel for comfortable gripping of grip portion 12. To identify a particular dental handpiece 10 among two or more dental handpieces, grip portion 12 may also comprise at least one of a multiplicity of colors.

[0019] Grip portion 12 may comprise a plurality of raised surfaces 13 to assist in gripping dental handpiece 10. Raised surfaces 13 may be randomly positioned on grip portion 12 in any orientation and interval. Raised surfaces 13 may be uniformly spaced apart from one another or they may be spaced apart in irregular intervals. Raised surfaces 13 may vary in at least one of length, shape, and height. [0020] In addition to or instead of raised surfaces 13, grip portion 12 may comprise a plurality of dimples, recesses, indentations or troughs 44 to assist in gripping dental handpiece 10. Dimples, recesses, indentations or troughs 44 may be positioned in any orientation and interval, such as between adjacent raised surfaces 13. Dimples, recesses, indentations or troughs 44 may be randomly positioned on grip portion 12. Dimples, recesses, indentations or troughs 44 may vary in at least one of length, shape, and depth.

[0021] To reduce and/or eliminate binding and/or friction between a gloved user's hand (as would be expected in a clinical environment) and dental handpiece 10 during manipulation of the ultrasonic dental instrument in a patient's mouth, intermediate portion 14 of dental handpiece 10 comprises a generally smooth and a relatively slippery surface as compared to grip portion 12, which comprises a relatively non-slippery surface. Intermediate portion 14 may also be generally rigid and unyielding. By comparison, grip portion 12 may comprise either a smooth or a rough surface, which may be deformable, resilient, compliant, or otherwise comprise a non-rigid structure. In this way, dental handpiece 10 may be slidably extendable, rotatable and positionable in a user's hand when the user holds grip portion 12 between at least one finger and a thumb and manipulates dental handpiece 10.

[0022] As shown in the figures, dental handpiece 10 of the present invention may be detachably connected to tailpiece 16, which may be connected to an ultrasonic dental instrument, such as piezoelectric or magnetostrictive-driven dental sealer. Tailpiece 16 may also be connected to a water source via conduit 18.

[0023] To easily connect and disconnect dental handpiece 10 to and from tailpiece 16, as best shown in Fig. 4, dental handpiece 10 and tailpiece 16 may each employ respective mating interlock features 22, 20, respectively, with interlock feature 22 of dental handpiece 10 being part of mount portion 15. In addition, a clearance fit or a transitional fit may exist between dental handpiece 10 and tailpiece 16, to insure a reasonably rigid, yet easily separable connection between dental handpiece 10 and tailpiece 16.

[0024] To improve ease and minimize the cost of cleaning dental handpiece 10, as well as to minimize the need to purchase multiple ultrasonic dental instruments, dental handpiece 10 is configured to be separately sterilizable from the ultrasonic dental instrument and the ultrasonic drive unit by disconnecting dental handpiece 10 from tailpiece 16.

[0025] While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular invention disclosed is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A handpiece for an ultrasonic dental instrument, comprising: - a grip portion positioned near a working end of the handpiece, the grip portion comprising a first surface property; an intermediate portion adjacent and aft of the grip portion, the intermediate portion comprising a second surface property that differs from the first surface property; a mount portion located at an aft end of the intermediate portion for removably securing the handpiece to a tailpiece; and a receiver portion at the working end of the handpiece for receiving a removably replaceable ultrasonic head instrument.

2. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the handpiece is separately sterilizable apart from the tailpiece.

3. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the second surface property is relatively smooth compared to the first surface property.

4. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the first surface property is relatively deformable, resilient or compliant as compared to the second surface property.

5. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the grip portion transitions from a relatively smaller diameter near the working end to a relatively larger diameter near a distal end of the grip portion.

6. The handpiece of claim 5, wherein the grip portion comprises a removable and replaceable sleeve.

7. The handpiece of claim 6, wherein the sleeve is made of silicone.

8. The handpiece of claim 7, wherein the handpiece includes a cavity between a top surface and a bottom surface of the sleeve.

9. The handpiece of claim 8, wherein the cavity includes a gel.

10. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the grip portion comprises a plurality of raised surfaces to assist in gripping the handpiece.

11. ,The handpiece of Claim 10, wherein the raised surfaces are uniformly spaced apart from one another.

12. The handpiece of claim 10, wherein the raised surfaces vary in at least one of length, shape, and height.

13. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the grip portion comprises at least one of a multiplicity of colors for identifying the handpiece.

14. The handpiece of claim 1, wherein the grip portion comprises a plurality of recesses to assist in gripping the handpiece.

15. The handpiece of claim 14, wherein the recesses are randomly positioned.

16. The handpiece of claim 1, wherein the handpiece is ergonomically balanced when connected to the tailpiece and to the ultrasonic dental instrument.

17. The handpiece of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic dental instrument is a sealer for dental prophylaxis.

18. The handpiece of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate portion has an outer diameter in a range of about 15 to about 20 mm to comfortably nest the handpiece in the crease formed between a user's index finger and thumb.

19. The handpiece of Claim 1 , wherein water is transmittable through the handpiece to the ultrasonic dental instrument.

20. The handpiece of Claim 1 , wherein the mount portion comprises an interlock to removably secure the handpiece to the tailpiece.