Dentistry – Apparatus – Having storage or nonuse supporting means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2001-12-11
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having storage or nonuse supporting means
C434S236000, C206S369000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328565
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for identifying dental burs, and one which teaches students or others to learn or identify bur characteristics such as bur shape, size, grit, and ordering information.
BACKGROUND ART
In the prior art, the use of blocks to retain dental burs is known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,287 to Yee et al. discloses an autoclavable drill bit container which relates to dental burs and/or drill bits which are to be placed in an autoclave. U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,395 to McKelvey discloses another dental bur holder which includes a member projecting generally upwardly from the holder body. The member has a smooth front surface which faces across an upper surface of the holder body. The two surfaces form a background which contrasts with the burs and against which the burs are viewed. The background is continuously color contrasting and is substantially visually uninterrupted except for the bur receiving apertures. This structure allows quick and accurate selection of the desired burs silhouetted against the contrasting background and also makes the problem of detecting damaged or imperfect burs easier.
However, a problem still exists in the field of containers holding dental burs. Often times, in dental schools, the dental bur holders are not adapted to easily identify the burs for proper placement and storage. As a result, many instruments are unnecessarily replaced or lost.
The invention overcomes the problems associated with prior art devices by providing a training system and apparatus which permits students and others such as central sterilization station personnel to visually identify bur order numbers, shapes and grits.
While the prior art teaches identifying drill bit sizes on drill bit holders, see U.S. Pat. No. 1,043,891 to Zange, this prior art does not teach or suggest an apparatus and method which effectively instructs students and others of the various characteristics associated with dental burs in a bur block.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved method for training students and others in the use and identification of dental burs.
Another object of the present invention is a system or apparatus which allows a student or other person to readily identify a number of characteristics of a number of different dental burs.
A still further object of the present invention is to aid in the identification of the characteristics of dental burs in terms of bur shape, bur size, bur grit, bur ordering or part number information and the like.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as a description thereof proceeds.
In satisfaction of the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a method of training comprising providing a dental bur block holder which has recesses to store a number of different dental burs. The recesses are generally sized to receive the shanks or shafts of the burs. The recesses can be aligned in a row or another configuration so that the burs are easily accessible while being separated for ease of characteristic identification.
The block holder has a surface adjacent the recesses which includes a plurality of indicia associated with the respective bur in each recess. The indicia can be etched on the surface, inlaid, printed or the like. The indicia train a user of the block by identifying distinguishing characteristics of the burs. Thus, the student is better prepared in bur recognition when performing dental work. Characteristics include different surfaces and/or coatings such as tungsten carbide, diamond, and the like, bur head size, shaft diameter, the grit of the bur head, part numbers, illustrations of the bur shape, terms describing the bur shape such as football, flame, flat tap, etc., and the like.
In one embodiment, the recesses holding the bur shanks are aligned in a row to divide the top surface of the holder into front and rear sections. Preferably, the rear section has the illustration of the bur head and the front section has other indicia such as the bur size, bur part number, bur shape term, and bur grit color code.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1043891 (1912-11-01), Zange
patent: 3817588 (1974-06-01), Helmers
patent: 4397395 (1983-08-01), McKelvey
patent: 4448307 (1984-05-01), Roggenkamp
patent: 5006066 (1991-04-01), Rouse
patent: 5108287 (1992-04-01), Yee et al.
patent: 5312250 (1994-05-01), Ellman et al.
patent: 5435979 (1995-07-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5525314 (1996-06-01), Hurson
Brasseler USA 1 LP
Clark & Brody
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
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