The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 14, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1995
Robert A Meyer, Spearfish, SD (US);
RAMVAC Corporation, Spearfish, SD (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus provide for testing the useful vacuum of a dental vacuum system having at least one high volume evacuator valve (HVE) or hose. The vacuum tester is simple, inexpensive, can be used by non-technical personnel, is easily fabricated to test a wide range of performance standards, and evaluates useful vacuum performance during full flow (that is a real-life situation). The tester includes two simple components, an adaptor tube that is placed into contact with an HVE or hose, and a vacuum indicating weight which cooperates with the adaptor tube. With the dental vacuum system operating the weight is brought into position with respect to the tube so that gravity acts to move the weight away from the tube, and then the weight is released. If the weight moves away from the tube the useful vacuum conditions of the dental vacuum system are insufficient, whereas if the weight stays in operative position with respect to the tube the useful vacuum conditions are sufficient. The tube and the weight can each have a wide variety of configurations, and the weight can have an adjustable mass and/or internal cross-sectional configuration.