Other

Rily Young

James Shen

Disposable dental instrument kit

Aseptic dental valves and instruments and accoutrements therefor comprise a handle extension (20--FIG. 2) and a flange guard (22) to be added within the path of a saliva ejector (FIG. 1) for preventing a dental professional's (DP's) hand from touching and contaminating the hose (14) or the hose valve (24), thereby to prevent microorganisms on the hand from contaminating these latter components where they might be picked up by the hand later and cross-contaminate subsequent patients. The handle extension and flange guard are useable on saliva ejectors (FIG. 3), surgical suction tips (FIG. 4), drills (FIGS. 12-12C), and air-water valves (FIGS. 14-15). The surgical tip can be formed of a series of sections of decreasing diameters in a stepped-down formation (FIG. 4A) to enable it to retain its shape when bent (FIG. 4B). The hose valve (FIGS. 5 and 5A) comprises a housing (24B) with a pivotable obturator (24C) which closes off the valve when it is bent to one side, thereby enabling the hose valve to be operated with one hand so as to avoid the need for the DP to touch the hose. The handle extension may have a valve (FIG. 6) with a screen (18E) therein to catch particles to prevent them from being sucked further down the instrument or into the hose. The hose valve may have a foot (24Q--FIG. 8A) to enable it to catch on the instrument holder (24R--FIG. 8) so that the instrument can be pulled off with one hand. The hose valve may have a spring-operated ball obturator (50B--FIGS. 10-10B) which automatically closes the valve or opens it when the handle extension is removed or inserted. The flange guard can have various shapes (FIGS. 16, 16B) and can be replaced by tactile circumferential elements or protrusions (FIGS. 16A, 16C-E). In lieu of a tactile element, an audible warning can be provided by means of electronic contacts (314--FIG. 17) connected to an alarm circuit (320, 322). An automatic hose valve may be implemented by providing a ring of contacts at the end of a vacuum tube so that upon insertion into the mouth, the contacts are bridged electrically by saliva, whereupon a control circuit operates a vacuum valve, whereby the DP does not have to manually touch any valve.

Aseptic dental valves and instruments

A connector (12' or 12') is attached to the end of a dental vacuum hose (20) for enabling a valved handle (24) to be attached to the connector and thus coupled to the vacuum hose. A saliva ejector or a high-volume ejector can then be attached to the distal end of the valved handle. The end of the connector is closed with a crown cap (22) to prevent a vacuum rushing sound and keep the connector sanitary when the valved handle is not attached. The cap has a top spike or finial (22F) which enables the cap to be pried off the connector easily by pushing the lumen at the bottom of the valved handle over the finial and tilting the handle. The cap hangs by a tether (22T) after it is pried off. In lieu of a cap, a flip top (12'F) which is hinged to the top opening of the connector can be used; one side of the flip top can be pried with the bottom of the valved handle. Since the crown cap or the flip top can be removed with only one hand holding the handle, the dental professional does not have to touch the connector, thus avoiding soiling it with microorganisms and thereby avoiding the need for many awkward sanitary measures, such as sterilization of the connector and hose, use of plastic shields, etc.

Aseptic hose connector and cap

Sculpting tool for dentistry

A saliva ejector for dental use comprises a tube (16) having an open end with a slanted edge (32) and a tip valve comprising a disc (22) and a pivot attachments (24) mounted adjacent the tip. The valve enables the tube to be closed without having to touch any non-sterilizable parts, thereby avoiding cross-contamination of patients with microorganisms. The pivot attachments are integral with the wall of the tube, but can be pivoted in pivot holes (36) therein. A pair of operating arms (28) are attached normal to the disc so that the valve can be closed from the open end of the tube by pulling the arm down with a finger; the arms also provide the valves with an inherent screen-filter. A notch (12) in the open end of the tube receives and holds the arm when the valve is closed. The tip of the tube can have a spacing fin (72) attached. The fin has rounded side edges and a front blunt point (74) and is at a narrower angle to the axis of the tube than the slanted open end thereof so as to cross said open end and thereby avoid intefering with dental work. For finned tubes, a valve (84) is provided in an intermediate position in the tube. This valve comprises a pivotable plate (86) on an arm (88) which extends to an operating handle (80) on the outside of the tube. The arm is initially integrally attached to the wall of the tube by frangible webs (96), but these are broken the first time the handle is turned so as to provide pivot holes (96') in the wall. The plate has projecting normal arms (94) to provide an inherent screen-filter.

High-volume ejector with valves and spacing fin

A saliva ejector tip for dental use comprises a tube (10) with a pliable, flexible tip. The end (26) of the tip is flat. The sides of the tip adjacent the end extend down to form a cage (22) of spiral mullions which terminate at a solid base portion of the tip. Extending axially inside the tip from the end is an internal plunger (24). Below the plunger on the inside is an annular valve seat (28). When the end is pushed in, the cage collapses and the plunger is pushed into the valve seat which it closes off so as to close the tip. In this manner the tip can be closed with one hand when it is removed from the mouth, thereby to avoid a sucking sound, and the need for the dentist to handle and contaminate the more proximal hose and hose valve, which are difficult to sterilize. The mullions of the cage can be extended down over the base of the tip (FIG. 4) to provide lands (32) on the base for an easier grip and saliva routing action.

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Rily Young