Dentistry – Apparatus – Having gauge or guide
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-04-10
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Apparatus
Having gauge or guide
C433S072000, C433S102000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213770
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a handpiece in particular for medical or dental purposes, having a connection device for a tool disposed in the forward end region of the handpiece, and having a settable stop device for limiting the penetration depth of the tool. In one embodiment, the stop device has an element which is adjustable in a guide longitudinally of the penetration depth of the tool, and is secured in the adjusted position by means of a clamping force.
Such a handpiece has already been proposed. It can be used for various treatment or working measures on the human or animal body. In such cases in which a particular penetration depth of the tool of the handpiece is of significance, there has already been proposed a stop device on the handpiece having a stop part the axial spacing of which to the tool tip is so settable that different penetration depths for the tool can be set. For fixing the stop part of the stop device in the position set in each case there may serve a fixing device, effective either in a form-locking or force-locking manner, e.g. a screw drive or a clamping screw, with which the stop part is manually adjustable and is secured in the set position in a form-locking manner or with which the stop part can be fixedly clamped. In both cases, a special component must be moved.
With these known configurations there is thus needed a considerable manual effort in order to set the penetration depth on the stop device. Although a screw drive ensures an easy adjustment due to an integrated step-down gearing, in particular with large adjustment measures, such as occur in particular in the preparation of tooth root canals, can be set only with a relatively great expenditure of time, whereby for the setting the screw drive is to be continuously operated. In the other case, the release and fixing of the clamping screw is also expensive in terms of manipulation and time.
The object of the invention is to so configure a handpiece of the kind described above that a readily manipulable and rapid setting of the stop part along the penetration depth is possible.
This object is achieved by means of the a handpiece wherein the clamping force is elastic and on the one hand is so great that it secures the stop part against displacing forces effective in functional operation, and on the other hand is only so large that the stop part can be manually displaced, and in that the stop part is of a hard elastically bendable material and sits in the guide bowed so far that its return bending force gives rise to the clamping force.
With the handpiece in accordance with the invention there is no need for releasing and tightening of the setting device at the stop device; rather for a setting, the stop part can be directly manually grasped and adjusted, whereby merely a certain application of force is to be provided in order to adjust the stop part. The fixing of the stop part and the respective set position is effected automatically by means of the elastic clamping force, which is so great that the stop device is capable of taking up the impact forces appearing in functional operation of the handpiece without being displaced, and on the other hand is only so large that the stop part can be adjusted by means of the manual pushing or pulling force, whereby the elastic clamping force is overcome. The configuration in accordance with the invention distinguishes itself also by means of a simple and compact construction. The first is based upon the fact that no additional and movable clamping part is needed, so that the stop device can be provided in simple and compact construction, which with regard to the restricted space availability at possible treatment sites of the human or animal body and in particular in the case of a dental handpiece is of substantial significance.
Further, with the configuration in accordance with the invention, there is no need for actuation of a setting drive such as is the case with a screw drive; rather the stop part is directly displaced in its adjustment movement, and great drive travel and intermediate gearings, which also lead to a bulkier construction, are not needed.
In functional operation, the respective stop points are different from treatment site to treatment site, and thus there is needed a setting of the position of the stop part with regard to the respective stop position concerned. For this purpose it has also been previously proposed to arrange the stop part transversely adjustably and fixable in the respective adjusted position by means of a clamping screw.
Furthermore, the arrangement of a stop device, in particular at the forward end of the handpiece, is problematic in two regards considering the resulting constructional size. On the one hand, the provision of a stop device leads to an increase in size of the handpiece, and on the other hand the view of the treatment site is hindered, both if the direction of viewing is directed along the tool axis taking into account a small angle of inclination, and when it is transverse thereof. In the first case, any broadening of the handpiece head is in principle undesired. In the second case the stop part itself is the main disruption, which stop part extends up to the treatment site and by engagement restricts the working depth.
Thus, the present invention has the further object of so configuring a handpiece of the kind having a connection device for a tool, wherein the connection device is disposed in the forward end region of the hand piece, and having a stop device for limiting the penetration depth of the tool wherein the stop device has a stop part which is adjustable transversely of the penetration depth and is secured in the adjusted position against an unintended displacement by means of a clamping part, so, that a readily manipulable and rapid setting of the stop part, transverse to the penetration depth, is possible.
This object is achieved by means of a clamping part which stands under an elastic clamping tension, which on the one hand is so great that it secures the stop part against displacing forces effective in functional operation and on the other hand is only so large that the stop part is manually adjustable, and in that the clamping part of the stop device is a C-shaped clasp which is disposed on a holding pin, the cross-sectional shape of which is circular or cornered.
By means of this configuration, the same advantages are attained as have already been indicated with the configuration of the invention described earlier herein, with the difference that in this case transversely directed forces and movements are concerned.
In functional operation, one of a plurality of stop positions at the tissue can be sought out which are particularly well suited for a stop, or where a stop is possible at all. With regard to this posed problem, the handpiece in accordance with the invention is thus adaptable and the best stop position in a particular range of movement can be sought out.
Further, the stop device with the configuration according to claim
6
can be moved between a non-use disposition, in which the stop device is located, so to say, in a not needed parking position, and where it does not hinder the view of the treatment site, into a use position in which a good stop position is located or even where a stop is at all possible. This configuration in accordance with the invention is also, with regard to a right-handed/left-handed usability of the handpiece of advantage and in particular when the stop device can be moved from the one side of the handpiece to the other side of the handpiece, and is thus settable for a right-handed and left-handed function. These basic settings are independent of the setting of the stop part in the direction of the penetration depth.
Further, the invention has the object of so configuring a handpiece of the kind having a connection device for a tool which is disposed in the forward end region of the handpiece, and having a stop device for limiting the penetration depth of the tool, which has a stop part which is adjustable preferably longitudinally and/or transv
Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH & Co.
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
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