Dentistry – Apparatus – Having intra-oral dispensing means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-11-27
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having intra-oral dispensing means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322361
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to air-water syringes, and more particularly to syringe tips for dental syringes.
Air-water syringes are used by dentists and dental technicians for many dental procedures, such as cleaning debris from a patient's teeth and mouth. The teeth and mouth are cleaned by the spraying of a stream of water or a stream of air from the syringe. A typical air-water syringe has a hand-piece and a syringe tip releasably attached to the hand-piece.
Many dentists use disposable (single use only) syringe tips to avoid spreading infectious diseases from one patient to another. A typical disposable air-water syringe tip has inner and outer coaxial tubes which define discrete air and water passageways. The water passageway is defined by the inner surface of the inner tube. The air passageway is defined by the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube. Water is directed from a water passageway in the hand-piece to the patient via the water passageway in the tip. Air is directed from an air passageway in the hand-piece to the patient via the air passageway in the tip.
A disadvantage of such syringe tips is the cost to manufacture. These disposable syringe tips are viewed as too expensive by many dentists since a tip is to be discarded after a single use. These dentists find it more cost effective to purchase autoclavable (i.e., reusable) syringe tips. An autoclavable syringe tip is generally much more expensive than a disposable syringe tip, but may be used repeatedly if it is sterilized between uses.
During a dental procedure it may be desirable to have the patient rinse with a mouthwash or other type of solution. Dispensing the rinse in a manner separate from the air-water syringe can be inconvenient and time consuming.
An attempt to simplify delivery of a rinse as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,423, is to attach the air-water syringe to a source of the rinse and selectively spray it into a patient's mouth. Drawbacks to this approach are the need for special air-water syringes, the inability to easily select from various different types of rinses and the need to periodically fill the rinse cortainer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of an improved syringe-tip for a dental tool; the provision of such a syringe tip that has a pre-measured amount of liquid such as a rinse or mouthwash; the provision of such a syringe tip that can function as an air-water syringe tip immediately after injecting the rinse or mouthwash into a patient's mouth; the provision of such a syringe tip which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction; and the provision of such a syringe tip which is disposable.
Generally, a syringe tip of this invention is used with a hand-piece of an air-water syringe. The hand piece comprises air and water conduits for delivering air and water to a discharge end of the hand-piece. The dental syringe tip is releasably engageable with the discharge end of the hand-piece and comprises a single unitary tube having an intake end and a discharge end. The tube defines a fluid passageway having an intake port for fluid communication with the air and water conduits of the hand-piece and a discharge port for pressurized delivery of the air and water to the mouth of a patient. The intake end of the tube is shaped and constructed to avoid blockage of the air and water conduits by the tube when a portion of the intake end of the tube engages the discharge end of the hand-piece. A chamber is defined at least in part by the intake end of the tube and the portion of the hand-piece when the portion of the intake end of the tube engages the discharge end of the hand-piece. The chamber provides fluid communication between the air conduit of the hand-piece and intake port and provides fluid communication between the water conduit of the hand-piece and the intake port so that air and water flowing through the air and water conduits flows through the passageway of the syringe tip via the chamber.
In another aspect or the present invention, a syringe tip comprises a tube releasably engageable with the discharge end of a hand-piece. The tube has an intake end and a discharge end. A fluid passageway is defined at least in part by the tube and has an intake port and a discharge port. The intake port is adjacent the intake end of the tube for fluid communication with the fluid conduit of the hand-piece. The discharge port is adjacent the discharge end of the tube for pressurized delivery of the fluid to the mouth of a patient. A viscous liquid is within and occludes the fluid passageway. The liquid is adapted to be discharged from the discharge port into the mouth of the patient when the fluid is delivered to the mouth of the patient via the hand-piece and fluid passageway.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
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Kerr Corporation
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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