Coupling means for the drive shaft of prophy angles

Abstract

A coupling for the drive shaft of prophy angles includes an upper drive shaft with a finger-type clutch, and a lower drive shaft having a main drive shaft with a clutch receptacle, and having a drive shaft clamp. The main drive shaft has an expansion slot extending from side to side through the center of the main drive shaft and substantially along the length of the clutch receptacle. The drive shaft clamp also has an expansion slot extending from side to side through the center and substantially along the length of the drive shaft clamp. The drive shaft clamp fits over the clutch receptacle end of the main drive shaft with the expansion slots oriented perpendicular to each other allowing the finger-type clutch of the upper drive shaft assembly to be pressure fitted into the clutch receptacle. The upper drive shaft assembly is housed in a dental prophy angle, used to clean teeth, while the lower drive shaft is housed in a prophy handpiece having a controllable motor for rotating the lower drive shaft assembly. When the upper drive shaft assembly is coupled with the lower drive shaft assembly, the prophy angle is engaged with the prophy handpiece, and the controllable motor may rotate the coupled drive shaft assemblies.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.