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 comprising opposite proximal and distal ends, and at least one sidewall extending around an interior passageway of the body;
- opposite proximal and distal openings to the interior passageway, wherein the distal opening is proximate the distal end, and the proximal opening is proximate the proximal end, and wherein the dental evacuation tip is configured to be operably connected to a vacuum pump so that the interior passageway and the vacuum pump are in fluid communication via the proximal end opening;
- 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 proximal 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 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;
- wherein the at least the portion of the body is comprised of a hole extending through the at least one sidewall, and opposite tab portions of the at least one sidewall that at least partially define a guideway opening extending from the distal opening to the hole,
- the tab portions are flexibly configured to be deformed to at least temporarily enlarge the guideway opening to allow a distal portion of the stem of the mirror apparatus to be passed through the guideway opening and be received in the hole, and
- the tab portions are elastically configured to engage a backside of the mirror apparatus to at least partially releasably secure the mirror apparatus to the body.
A dental evacuation tip configured to be connected to a mirror apparatus, the dental evacuation tip comprising:
- a body comprising opposite proximal and distal ends, and at least one sidewall extending around an interior passageway of the body;
- opposite proximal and distal openings to the interior passageway, wherein the distal opening is proximate the distal end, and the proximal opening is proximate the proximal end, and wherein the dental evacuation tip is configured to be operably connected to a vacuum pump so that the interior passageway and the vacuum pump are in fluid communication via the proximal end opening;
- 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 proximal 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 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;
- wherein the at least the portion of the body is comprised of a hole extending through the at least one sidewall, and at least one tab portion of the at least one sidewall,
- the at least one tab portion is flexibly configured to be deformed to allow a distal portion of the stem of the mirror apparatus to be received in the hole, and
- the at least one 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 method of at least mounting a mirror apparatus to a dental evacuation tip, wherein the dental evacuation tip comprises 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 a length of the body, wherein the mirror apparatus comprises a stem, and wherein the method comprises:
- causing relative movement between the dental evacuation tip and the mirror apparatus so that at least a portion of the stem is positioned in the interior passageway;
- and
- fastening the mirror apparatus to the dental evacuation tip while at least the portion of the stem is positioned in the interior passageway,
- wherein the fastening of the mirror apparatus to the dental evacuation tip is comprised of engaging at least one elastic tab portion of the at least one sidewall against a backside of the mirror apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.