Ultrasonic scaler with adaptive amplitude

Details Ultrasonic scaler with adaptive amplitude Ultrasonic scaler with adaptive amplitude

1999-05-06

2001-06-05

Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)

Dentistry

Apparatus

Having motor or means to transmit motion from motor to tool

Reexamination Certificate

active

06241520

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a circuit for driving an ultrasonic scaling probe suitable for use in dentistry, primarily for removal of plaque, cements, composites, etc. The invention utilizes an automatically tuned drive circuit.
Electronic circuits have been employed for driving ultrasonic dental scalers. By way of example. Sharp (U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,161) discloses such a circuit operative with a scaler insert for a hand piece of a dental scaler unit. The circuitry produces an oscillation at a frequency established by the insert, and employs the energizer coil of the hand piece as a feedback coil for operation of the circuit. Different scaler inserts are operative at different frequencies and, accordingly, the circuitry includes a manual switching of capacitors to adjust oscillation frequency.
As a further example, German patent 3,136,028 also employs the energizer coil as a part of a feedback portion of an oscillator circuit. Multiple frequencies of oscillation are obtained by use of a variable resistor and capacitor as a part of the oscillator circuit. Also, Sharp (U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,594) discloses a switch which operatively switches between an automatic tuning and a manual tuning of an oscillator circuit for the driving of the dental scaler.
The foregoing circuits suffer from the disadvantage of requiring manual intervention in the operation of the drive circuit to establish a specific frequency of operation as may be required by the specific choice of a scaler insert for the hand piece. In addition, the foregoing circuits, while providing for the capacity of enabling different frequencies of operation, do not have a facility for automatically establishing a desired amplitude of drive signal for the scaler insert as a function of the operating frequency, or even maintaining a constant amplitude throughout an operating frequency range of the drive circuit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aforementioned problems are overcome and other advantages are provided by an automatic drive circuit for an ultrasonic probe wherein the probe includes a magnetostrictive unit and a vibratory element to be set into vibration by the magnetostrictive unit upon energization of the magnetostrictive unit with an alternating magnetic field. An energizing coil is enclosed within a handle, the handle having a compartment for receiving the probe. The coil is located within the handle adjacent the probe-receiving compartment for applying the alternating magnetic field to the magnetostrictive unit upon insertion of the probe into the handle and upon an energizing of the coil by the drive circuit.
In accordance with the invention, an oscillator of the drive circuit is coupled to the handle coil for applying an oscillatory current to the magnetostrictive element. The drive circuit includes a frequency detector for sensing the frequency of the magnetostrictive element. The detector's output signal designates a magnitude of the frequency. A component of the drive circuit establishes a value of amplitude of the alternating current in response to the sensed value of the frequency. The automatic circuit relies on the current introduced via the magnetostrictive element to a tapped coil for automatically establishing the value of oscillation frequency commanded by the probe.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5059122 (1991-10-01), Hetzel
patent: 5451161 (1995-09-01), Sharp
patent: 5730594 (1998-03-01), Sharp
patent: 6019775 (2000-02-01), Sakurai
patent: 31 36 028 (1983-03-01), None

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