Dentistry – Apparatus – Having motor or means to transmit motion from motor to tool
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-23
2001-02-20
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3303)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having motor or means to transmit motion from motor to tool
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190167
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ultrasonic dental scalers, and more particularly, relates to an ultrasonic dental scaler which is adapted to be either manually or automatically tuned to a resonant frequency of a scaler insert.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ultrasonic dental scalers are commonly used in a variety of dental and periodontal procedures. Generally, in an ultrasonic dental scaler, vibrational motion of a transducer is transformed to flexural or elliptical motion of a dental scaler insert tip. Common frequencies of operation are 25 kHz and 30 kHz, although frequencies as low as 18 kHz and as high as 40 kHz have been used. In most cases, the scaler also includes a means for irrigating the area around the scaler tip by dispensing a liquid, such as water, through or over the surface of the scaler tip.
Ultrasonic dental scalers usually comprise a handpiece adapted for receiving a dental scaler insert which includes a scaling tool, a flexible cable connecting the handpiece to a housing and the dental scaler device electronics contained within the housing. There are several different types of ultrasonic dental scaler devices including magnetostrictive scaling inserts and piezoelectric scaling inserts.
Conventional ultrasonic magnetostrictive dental scalers generally include a dental handpiece having an ultrasonic transducer positioned within an energizing coil located within a sleeve. The transducer or scaler insert conventionally comprises a stack of laminar plates of magnetostictive material that is excited by the energizing coil to longitudinally expand and contract the transducer at an operational resonant frequency.
To properly vibrate the dental scaler insert, the electronic circuit for the scaler unit generally includes an oscillating circuit having a variable output amplitude. The frequency of the oscillator is adjusted to the mechanical resonant frequency of the scaler insert. Traditionally, this adjustment or tuning was achieved either by a manually tuned circuit adjusted by the operator for optimum vibration or, in the alternative, automatically using a feedback coil in the handpiece coupled to associated control circuitry to electronically adjust the variable frequency oscillator to the correct output frequency.
The feedback coil is generally formed by winding a wire near the base of the handpiece. The feedback coil is provided to register a voltage developed by the movement of the ultrasonic scaler insert within the electromagnetic field of the handpiece. Associated control circuitry uses this information to electronically adjust the variable frequency oscillator to the correct output frequency.
A disadvantage of the ultrasonic dental scaler devices described above is that the dentist must choose between a scaler device which is either manually tuned or one which is automatically tuned. However, several new periodontal techniques are more easily performed using a manually tuned scaler, while general removal of calculus and other dental techniques are more easily performed using an automatically tuned dental scaler device. Accordingly, in order for the dentist to have the flexibility to perform all the currently utilized dental and periodontal techniques, the dentist would be required to have two ultrasonic dental scalers, namely, a manually tuned unit for those procedures in which manual tuning is preferred and an automatically tuned unit for those procedures in which it is preferred to automatically tune to the resonant frequency of the scaler insert. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide dentists with a choice of a dental scaler unit which can be selectively switched between a manually tuned circuit and an automatically tuned circuit depending upon the procedure being performed by the dentist.
Several periodontal techniques currently being used also require the ability of the dentist to offset slightly the oscillation frequency which has been automatically tuned by a tuning circuit. Conventional automatically tuned dental scalers do not provide dentists with the capability to manually offset the automatically tuned oscillation frequency. Thus, it would be advantageous to include a control means so that the oscillation frequency could be offset slightly either above or below the automatically tuned center frequency provided by the tuning circuit.
Thus, the present invention is directed toward overcoming the disadvantages of conventional dental scalers which have been discussed above.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic dental scaler which is selectively tunable, either manually or automatically, in order to provide a dentist with the flexibility to perform dental and periodontal techniques, optimally performed by the exclusive use of either a manually tuned scaler or an automatically tuned scaler, with a single dental scaler formed in accordance with the present invention.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic dental scaler, selectively tunable either manually or automatically, which includes offset control means in order that an oscillation frequency associated with a control signal generated by the dental scaler may be offset from the center or resonant frequency associated with the dental scaler.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic dental scaler, selectively tunable either manually or automatically, which may be employed with magnetostrictive or piezoelectric type dental scaler inserts.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic dental scaler, selectively tunable either manually or automatically, which includes both a coarse frequency control and a fine frequency control for manually tuning the dental scaler.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic dental scaler, selectively tunable either manually or automatically, which includes an indicator which indicates whether the dental scaler is being automatically tuned or manually tuned.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of selectively tuning, either manually or automatically, a dental scaler in order to provide a dentist with the flexibility to perform dental and periodontal techniques, optimally performed by the exclusive use of either a manually tuned scaler or an automatically tuned scaler, with a single dental scaler formed in accordance with the present invention.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for dental scaling which overcome the disadvantages associated with prior art methods and apparatus for dental scaling.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, the ultrasonic dental scaler for use with a dental scaler insert having a resonant frequency associated therewith includes a handpiece, vibration inducing means mounted within the handpiece, and a cavity formed within the handpiece and positioned proximate to the vibration inducing means, whereby the cavity is adapted for removably receiving the dental scaler insert. The apparatus of the present invention also includes an oscillator circuit which is operatively coupled to the vibration inducing means and generates a control signal having an oscillation frequency associated therewith for vibrating the dental scaler insert in response thereto. An automatic tuning circuit is operatively coupled to the oscillator circuit and alters the oscillation frequency associated with the control signal in order that the oscillation frequency is substantially equivalent to the resonant frequency associated with the dental scaler. The automatic tuning circuit alters the oscillation frequency in response to the control signal being fed back thereto. A manual tuning circuit is also operatively coupled to the oscillator circuit and alters the oscillation frequency associated with the control signal in response to manual adjustment of the manual tuning circuit. Furthermore, a switch (i.e., mode selection switch)
Hoffmann & Baron , LLP
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Parkell, Inc.
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