Dental scaler having scaling tip particularly suitable for circular or ellipsoidal patterns of vibration
OwnerAnthony T. Sertichinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered dental scaler is disclosed of a type which drives a vibrating scaling tip in a circular or ellipsoidal pattern of motion. A scaling tip having working surfaces provided by the edges of an elongated, curved element which has a cross-sectional configuration in the shape of a multi-sided figure, e.g., a triangle or a diamond, is particularly useful with a scaler having this type of vibrational pattern. The scaler tip also has a curved free end portion terminating in a point. These configurations enable a dental operator to conduct important dental cleaning operations with a single hand-held instrument.
Claims23
A dental scaler comprising:
- elongated casing means having a proximal end and a distal end;
- resilient support means within said casing means;
- a rigid shaft supported within said elongated casing means by said resilient support means;
- means for imparting vibration to said resiliently supported rigid shaft when said scaler is energized to provide vibratory movement to a work tool connected to said rigid shaft;
- and
- a work tool connected to the distal end of said rigid shaft, said work tool comprising a rigid shank having an operative end and an end adapted to be connected to said rigid shaft, said operative end terminating in a curved free end, said operative end having a plurality of generally planar sides extending over a portion of the length thereof, a perpendicular cross-section of said operative end at any point along said portion thereof being a multi-sided figure, said curved free end lying in a plane passing through the longitudinal dimension of said work tool, said operative end being symmetrical about the plane passing through the longitudinal dimension of said work tool, the plane also passing through at least one junction formed by the intersection of an adjacent pair of two of said sides.
A rigid dental scaler tip having an operative end and an end adapted to be secured to a hand-held dental scaler, said operative end terminating in a curved free end, said operative end having a plurality of sides extending along a portion of the length thereof, a perpendicular cross-section of said operative end at any point along said portion thereof being a multi-sided figure, said curved free end lying in a plane passing through the longitudinal dimension of said scaler tip, said operative end being substantially symmetrical about the plane passing through the longitudinal dimension of said tip, the plane also passing through at least one junction formed by the intersection of a pair of two of said sides.
A dental scaler tip having an operative end and an end adapted to be secured to a hand-held dental scaler, said operative end terminating in a curved free end, said operative end having a plurality of sides extending along a portion of the length thereof, a perpendicular cross-section of said operative end at any point along said portion thereof being a multi-sided figure, at least one side of said plurality of sides adjacent the terminal end of said curved free end having a relieved surface intermediate the junctions formed by the intersection of adjacent sides.
A dental scaler comprising:
- elongated casing means having a proximal end and a distal end;
- resilient support means within said casing means;
- a rigid shaft supported within said elongated casing means by said resilient support means;
- means for imparting vibration to said resiliently sypported rigid shaft when said scaler is energized to provide vibratory movement to a work tool connected to said rigid shaft;
- and
- a work tool connected to the distal end of said rigid shaft, said work tool comprising a rigid shank having an operative end and an end adapted to be connected to said rigid shaft, said operative end terminating in a curved free end said operative end having a plurality of sides extending along a portion of the length thereof, a perpendicular cross-section of said operative end at any point along said portion being a multi-sided plurality of sides adjacent the terminal end of said curved free end having a relieved surface intermediate the junctions formed by the intersection of adjacent sides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.