Dentistry – Apparatus – Having suction orifice
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2001-04-24
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having suction orifice
C433S126000, C433S127000, C604S286000, C285S320000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220859
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental saliva ejector tubes, and more particularly, vacuum sockets for releasably receiving dental saliva ejector tubes for applying a source of vacuum thereto.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In the dental profession, dentists must remove accumulated saliva, water, and other fluids from a patient's mouth, both to keep the work area clear and to avoid the need for the dental patient to swallow such fluids. Typically, the dentist makes use of a dental saliva ejector tube, along with an associated vacuum line, for such purpose. Examples of devices proposed in the past for use by dentists in removing fluids from the patient's mouth are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,528 to Thompson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,735 to Burt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,115 to McKelvey, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,328 to Kutner.
In one commonly used form of dental saliva ejector tube, one end of the dental saliva ejector tube is bent to form an inverted U-shape and is inserted into the patient's mouth to aspirate collected fluids. The second, or lower end, of the dental saliva ejector tube is typically inserted into a rubber fitting or grommet secured to a vacuum line. The vacuum line may include a valve for selectively closing off the vacuum. Once the dental saliva ejector tube is inserted into the rubber fitting, the dentist may, from time to time, twist or rotate the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube within such fitting in order to change the angle at which the upper end of the dental saliva ejector tube extends from the rubber fitting. The aforementioned dental saliva ejector tubes are currently commercially available, for example, from Spencer-Meade located in Westbury, N.Y. under the model number 951-9250; these dental saliva ejector tubes are adapted to be inserted into vacuum line sockets that are commercially available by Spencer-Meade located in Westbury, N.Y. under the model number 951-9220.
The aforementioned dental saliva ejector tubes are disposable, and a fresh dental saliva ejector tube is used for each new patient. Because they are disposable, and because a dentist may use many of such dental saliva ejector tubes each day, it is desirable that the dental saliva ejector tube itself be of relatively simple and inexpensive construction. The present inventor has noted that many dentists, dental technicians, and dental assistants experience difficulty inserting the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube. The rubber fitting or grommet has an opening that is undersized relative to the diameter of the dental saliva ejector tube in order to form a tight seal about the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube. In addition, the dental saliva ejector tube must be somewhat pliant, rather than rigid, so that the upper half of the tube can be bent into the aforementioned inverted U-shape. The pliancy of the dental saliva ejector tube makes it more difficult to force the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube into the opening of the rubber fitting.
A further problem experienced by dentists is that such dental saliva ejector tubes sometimes become inadvertently dislodged from the rubber fitting or grommet, as when the vacuum line becomes temporarily snagged on an object and is pulled away from the patient's mouth. In such instances, the dental saliva ejector tube must be reinserted back into the rubber fitting, thereby interrupting the procedure in which the dentist was engaged.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a socket of a vacuum line for removably receiving an end of a dental saliva ejector tube which simplifies the insertion of the dental saliva ejector tube into the socket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a vacuum line socket which allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be easily removed therefrom when a dentist has finished working upon a dental patient.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a vacuum line socket which allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be rotated following insertion to change the angle at which the bent upper end of the dental saliva ejector tube extends relative to the vacuum line socket.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a dental saliva ejector tube assembly including a dental saliva ejector tube and a vacuum line socket wherein the opening of the vacuum line socket can be selectively widened to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a dental saliva ejector tube assembly wherein it is less likely to inadvertently dislodge the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a dental saliva ejector tube assembly having the aforementioned advantages while retaining a simple and inexpensive construction.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those of skill in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, and in accordance with the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention relates to a socket for removably receiving the lower end of a dental saliva ejector tube wherein the socket includes a central body having a central passage extending between first and second opposing ends thereof, the first end including a port for being coupled to a source of a vacuum, such as the end of a vacuum line hose. This port at the first end of the central body may, if desired, be barbed to insure a secure fit between such port and the vacuum line. An elastic sleeve is secured to and extends about the second end of the central body and has an opening for receiving the end of the dental saliva ejector tube. First and second spreader members are disposed proximate the opening of the sleeve for enlarging the opening of said sleeve when the first and second spreader members are moved apart from each other. At least a first lever is secured to the central body and coupled with the first spreader member; the first lever is actuated by a user for causing the first spreader member to move apart from the second spreader member for enlarging the opening of the sleeve, thereby facilitating the insertion, or removal, of the dental saliva ejector tube into, or from, the socket, respectively.
Preferably, the opening of the sleeve is circular to match the generally circular shape of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube, and the spreader members are arcuate to parallel the shape of the opening in the sleeve. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such spreader members are disposed inside the opening of the sleeve, although they can also be secured to the outer wall of the sleeve surrounding the opening of the sleeve.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a second lever pivotally secured to the central body and coupled with the second spreader member. Like the first lever, the second lever is actuated by a user for causing the second spreader member to move apart from the first spreader member for enlarging the opening of the sleeve. The socket may advantageously include a bracket secured about the central body, and the first and second levers can be pivotally secured to and supported by such bracket. The first and second levers are squeezed together by the thumb and forefinger of one of the user's hands. If desired, the central body of the socket may also include a valve that can be manually operated by a user to regulate, or entirely close off, the source of vacuum, as when the dental saliva ejector tube is removed from a patient's mouth.
The aforementioned socket, when combined with a dental saliva ejector tube, provides a dental saliva ejector tube assembly that simplifies the insertion and removal of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket. The above-described dental saliva ejector tube assembly ca
Cahill Sutton & Thomas P.L.C.
Wilson John J.
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