Vacuum evacuator for dental debris

A vacuum-type instrument comprising:

• an elongated open-ended tubular member having a longitudinal passage extending therethrough for drawing debris from the mouth of a patient during a dental procedure and having a second end for receiving a quick-disconnect coupler coupled to a line extending to a vacuum source, said second end having a circumferential ridge to be received in an internal groove in said coupler in a snap-fit relationship, said tubular member having a circular transverse opening therein;
• a solid cylindrical valve member received in the transverse opening in said tubular member and having a transverse port extending therethrough, said valve member being rotatable in said transverse opening between first and second angular positions to open and close the longitudinal passage through said tubular member said valve member having a pair of circumferential ridges formed on opposite ends of said transverse port and a pair of longitudinal ridges formed on opposite sides of said transverse port to provide seals between the surface of said valve member and the wall of said longitudinal passage;
• and a u-shaped handle positioned externally of said tubular member for turning said valve member and for retaining said valve member in said transverse opening, said handle having spaced-apart arms engaging the ends of said valve member, with the ends of said valve member and the inner surfaces of the ends of said arms being configured to interact with one another so as to couple the handle to the valve member.