Dispensing – With cleaning means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-11
2001-07-03
Derakshani, Philippe (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With cleaning means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253964
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to systems used in dental procedures; and more specifically, systems used to supply and dispense clean water and air during dental procedures.
2. Background Art
There are many procedures performed in dental offices that require clean water and clean air. Either of these fluids may be dispensed into a patient's mouth for various reasons. Water may be used as a flushing medium and air may be used as a dryer. In either event, it is important that the fluid introduced be as free as possible of contaminants. Because many of the dental procedures within which these fluids will be dispensed deal with open patient wounds, contaminated fluids are likely to cause infection. It is well known to use a clean solution source such as bottled, sterile or distilled water or saline solution.
Contamination may be introduced into the fluid delivery system from two primary sources. The first is from the air supply that is used to pressure the bottled water. The sterile or distilled water may begin bacteria and virus free, but if contaminated air is pumped into the bottle for pressuring the water, that water will also become contaminated. Secondly, bacteria can be introduced into the delivery system from the instruments placed within a patient's mouth. A phenomenon commonly referred to as a suck-back action often occurs when a fluid being dispensed is abruptly shut off. When this occurs, a small amount of fluid may be hydraulically pulled back into the delivery system where it can be harbored and multiplies. Once this bacterial and viral contamination enters the dispensing system, it can multiply, grow and migrate further back into the system. This migration may theoretically continue, unless stopped, all the way back to the source bottle thereby contaminating the entire sterile water or saline solution supply. As a result of these two sources of contamination, there is an increased possibility for a patient exposure to such contaminants. Clearly, it is a goal of dental care providers to eliminate such contamination and assure that the air and water dispensed to a patient is clean in the sense that it is as free as possible from particulate, bacteria and viruses.
In view of the above described deficiencies associated with the use and designs of known air and water delivery systems for dental procedures, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide further benefits to the user. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail hereinbelow with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in its several disclosed embodiments alleviates the drawbacks described above with respect to known air and water delivery systems for dental procedures. More specifically, the two sources for contamination introduction into the delivery system have been minimized. Regarding contamination that is airborne from a pressured air supply, an in-line, point of use filter is incorporated that removes harmful particulate, bacteria and virus. A 0.1 micron coalescing filter is placed in-line after the air supply, but before the air manifold of the fluid delivery system. In addition to the filter, a regulator and check valve are also provided for enhancing the performance of the delivery system. The regulator is used to assure that a constant and uniform air pressure is supplied to the delivery system and the check valve is incorporated to prevent back flows into the filter and air supply system. Because of the check valve, when pressure is relieved from the air supply side, already introduced gas and possibly even liquids are prevented from backing up and potentially contaminating the filter and air source. In this manner, future provision of clean air is further assured.
Contamination resulting from the suck-back action is dealt with using a disinfecting/sterilizing wash through the delivery system and dental instruments used upon a patient. The disinfectant/sterilant is not only used to clean the delivery system, but it may also be dispensed into the patient's mouth to produce a foaming and sometimes therapeutic action.
One drawback of the application of the disinfectant into a patient's mouth is its extreme offensive taste to some persons. As a result, many dental professionals and practitioners are reluctant to use such disinfectants in a patient's mouth, in spite of the possible therapeutic benefits for fear that the taste will offend the patient. The present invention relieves such apprehension by providing a ready means for quickly and selectively changing the flow to the patient from the possibly distasteful disinfectant back to clean water immediately upon detecting a negative reaction from the patient.
The delivery system is also configured so that a circulation of disinfecting fluid can be established through the portions of the delivery system that may potentially become contaminated from suck-back action or other source of contamination. This is accomplished by purging water within the system with disinfectant solution from as far back upstream as the top of the distilled or treated water bottle and up to and through the various dental instrument tips. To further ensure decontamination of the system, the present invention contemplates a daily flushing procedure wherein a disinfecting/sterilizing purge is affected at the end of a working day and held within the delivery system until purged on the following morning with distilled or otherwise treated water prior to a first patient application.
In dental offices where only typical dental procedures are being performed, the disinfecting purge is required once a day as indicated above. When surgeries are being performed and the risk of infection is heightened, the disinfecting/sterilizing purge procedure should be effected between each operation. If the flushing process is manually controlled, it would not be uncommon for an attendant to be required to spend a significant amount of time in each treatment room both in the evening and in the following morning performing the purging process. As a result, automation of the disinfecting purge process is highly advantageous and can be easily accomplished through the use of automated valve assemblies. In circumstances where between-patient flushing is desired, the frequency of the purging processes will not be uniform across the several operatories or treatment rooms and must therefore be initiatable by an operator. In the instance of purging systems having automated valve controls, however, the operator need only initiate the purging process but is not required to remain in attendance through its completion.
So as to further eliminate the need for operator initiation of these regularly scheduled disinfecting/sanitizing procedures, it is contemplated that each purging system of the several treatment rooms of a particular office be automated and centrally and remotely controlled. By adding the enhancement of controlling such operations on a timed basis, the need of an attendant for daily purging procedures is entirely eliminated. Such coordination and automation may be easily accomplished through known remote communication systems that may be utilized for controlling such purging processes.
With these principles in mind, the methods and apparatus disclosed herein as being associated with clean water should be taken as generically applicable in settings such as traditional dental offices, the medical fields, veterinary practices, industrial processes and other applications and environments requiring clean water. In this same vane, clean water is considered to be that which has been filtered of particulate, disinfected, sterilized and/or otherwise rid of contamination.
The general beneficial effects described above apply generally to each of the exemplary descriptions and characterizations of the devices, mechanisms and systems disclosed herein. The specific structures through which these benefits are delivere
Derakshani Philippe
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
LandOfFree
Remotely actuable flushing system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Remotely actuable flushing system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Remotely actuable flushing system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2449033