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US 12,171,630 B2Granted
Dental evacuation tip with mount for dental mouth mirror
OwnerThad Pierce Johnstoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dental evacuation tip has a body defining an interior passageway extending along a length of the body, and proximal and distal openings to the interior passageway. The proximal and distal openings are spaced apart from one another along the length of the body. The dental evacuation tip is configured so that a mirror apparatus can be removably connected to the dental evacuation tip so that at least a portion of a rod of the mirror apparatus is positioned in the interior passageway and a mirror of the mirror apparatus is proximate the distal opening.
Claims20
A dental evacuation tip configured to be connected to a mirror apparatus, the dental evacuation tip comprising:
- a body defining:
- first and second interior passageways each having a length extending along a length of the body, and
- proximal and distal end openings to the first interior passageway that are spaced apart from one another along the length of the body, wherein the dental evacuation tip is configured to be operably connected to a vacuum pump so that the first interior passageway and the vacuum pump are in fluid communication via the proximal end opening;
- the body comprising at least one sidewall extending around the first interior passageway, and a protrusion that extends inwardly into the first interior passageway, wherein:
- the protrusion comprises opposite first and second surfaces,
- the first surface is contiguous with the first interior passageway, and
- the second surface is contiguous with the second interior passageway;
- and
- at least a portion of the body being configured for use in releasably securing a mirror apparatus to the body so that, when the mirror apparatus is releasably secured to the body, simultaneously:
- a portion of a stem of the mirror apparatus is positioned in the first interior passageway,
- another portion of the stem is positioned in the second interior passageway, and
- a reflective surface of a mirror of the mirror apparatus is proximate the distal end opening so that, when the vacuum pump is operably connected, the dental evacuation tip is configured to draw air and/or aerosols from a dental patient's mouth such that at least a portion of the air and/or aerosols contact and travel across the reflective surface of the mirror while the mirror apparatus is releasably secured to the body.
9 more elements
A dental evacuation tip configured to be connected to a mirror apparatus, the dental evacuation tip comprising:
- a body defining an interior passageway extending along a length of the body, and proximal and distal openings to the interior passageway that are spaced apart from one another along the length of the body;
- and
- at least a portion of the body being configured for use in releasably securing a mirror apparatus to the body so that at least a portion of a stem of the mirror apparatus is positioned in the interior passageway and a reflective surface of a mirror of the mirror apparatus is proximate the distal opening;
- wherein the dental evacuation tip is configured to be operably connected to a vacuum pump such that the dental evacuation tip and vacuum pump are in fluid communication via the proximal opening;
- the at least the portion of the body is comprised of a receptacle defined by the body;
- the receptacle is positioned between the proximal and distal openings;
- the body comprises at least one sidewall extending around the interior passageway;
- the receptacle comprises at least one hole that extends through the at least one sidewall;
- the at least one hole comprises a first hole that extends through the at least one sidewall;
- a second hole extends through the at least one sidewall and is open to the first hole, and the second hole is open at a distal end of the body;
- a first tab portion of the at least one sidewall partially defines the first and second holes;
- the first tab portion is flexibly configured to be deformed to at least temporarily enlarge the second hole for allowing at least a portion of the stem to be passed through the second hole and be received in the first hole;
- the first tab portion is elastically configured to engage a backside of the mirror apparatus to at least partially releasably secure the mirror apparatus to the body;
- a second tab portion of the at least one sidewall partially defines the first and second holes;
- the second hole comprises a gap defined between the first and second tab portions;
- the second tab portion is flexibly configured to be deformed to at least temporarily enlarge the second hole for allowing the stem to be passed through the second hole and be received in the first hole;
- and
- the second tab portion is elastically configured to engage the backside of the mirror apparatus to at least partially releasably secure the mirror apparatus to the body.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.