Torque limiting wrench for ultrasonic scaler tip insertion

A method of installing a replaceable tip on a hand piece of an instrument, comprising:

• inserting into an axial bore of a core a replacement tip having a connecting shaft with an internally threaded female recess at a proximal end thereof, a pair of opposing flat surfaces at a distal end of the connecting shaft, each of said opposing flat surfaces terminating at a shoulder of the connecting shaft, said core including a spring-receiving channel in communication with the axial bore;
• applying an axial force to the proximal end of the connecting shaft of the replacement tip to force a spring received in said spring-receiving channel into a loaded condition against the connecting shaft, serving to hold the replacement tip in place relative to the core;
• providing a selective engagement member between an exterior of the core and one of a plurality of ramps provided on an interior of the housing;
• aligning the internally threaded female recess of the connecting shaft with a male threaded connection portion of a hand piece of an instrument;
• and
• applying a torque to the housing to impart rotation of the housing in a first direction? until the connecting shaft is secured to the hand piece.

A torque wrench for preventing transmission of excess torque to a connecting shaft of a replaceable instrument tip comprising:

• a housing having
• a chamber for receiving a working end of a scaler tip;
• a plurality of ramps arranged in a circular fashion in an interior of the housing;
• and
• a plurality of recesses in an exterior of the housing;
• a core selectively rotatably engageable with the housing, said core having a mounting neck with an axial bore therethrough and an annular collar at a distal end of the mounting neck;
• and
• a selective engagement member disposed between the mounting neck of the core and the plurality of ramps of the housing, the selective engagement member including at least one engagement arm in selective communication with one of the ramps.