Other

Dentalez, Inc.

Bowen Ltd.

Stanley A Bowen

William L Henderson

A support structure for a turbine motor for use in a dental handpiece includes a pair of resilient rings to capture and limit rotation of an outer race of a bearing supporting a rotor of the turbine motor. The turbine motor is supported by first and second bearing assemblies, the first bearing assembly being proximate a dental tool and the second bearing assembly being distal the dental tool. The pair of rings are preferably located on the first bearing assembly, but optionally could be located on only the second bearing assembly or on both first and second bearing assemblies. The support structure further includes a resilient spacer ring located on the second bearing assembly to provide axial pre-load to the bearing assemblies.

Dental turbine support structure

A dental handpiece to releasably retain a workpiece (e.g. a dental bur) that is used to treat the teeth of a patient. The workpiece is clamped within a hollow collet between a pair of flexible clamping fingers having a spring-like memory. A collet actuator is arranged in spaced axial alignment with the collet. Both the collet and collet actuator are surrounded by a cylindrical spindle. An axial pushing force applied to a push-button of the handpiece causes the collet actuator to slide through the spindle towards the collet. A pair of wedge-shaped tips having an angle of approximately 22 degrees are carried by the collet actuator into the hollow collet to stress the pair of flexible clamping fingers thereof Accordingly, the clamping fingers are rotated outwardly and away from one another through a stroke gap so as to be moved into contact with the spindle, whereby the workpiece is released for removal from the collet.

Dental handpiece having improved bur release means

A compact apparatus and effective method for the cold sterilization and lubrication of a dental handpiece. By virtue of the present invention, a dental handpiece may be sterilized in a relatively short time without exposing the turbine assembly thereof to possible degradation, as has heretofore been caused by conventional methods of sterilization which utilize either high temperature or harmful chemicals. A unique pneumatic pump is described for pumping a supply of liquid sterilant through the interior of the handpiece and past the turbine assembly for destroying harmful bacteria. Next, a supply of water is pumped through the handpiece to flush away any sterilant residue. Lastly, a supply of turbine oil is passed through the handpiece to lubricate the turbine assembly and the components (e.g. bearings) thereof. Therefore, a dental handpiece may be quickly and efficiently sterilized and lubricated, so that a dentist will be more likely to sterilize the handpiece after each use, whereby to prevent the possible spread of disease from one patient to another.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Stanley A Bowen