Adapters with light sources for dental air/water syringes

US20150209124A1Inactive Publication Date: 2015-07-30BERKELY DONOVAN
27 Cites 12 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2015-07-30
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

Adapter units enabling a disposable tip to connect to an existing dental syringe configured to receive a different type of tip such as an autoclavable tip. In addition, adapter units constructed in accordance with this invention provide built-in light sources and / or video camera units, thereby providing the syringe bodies to which the adapters attach capabilities that they could not have without the adapters. A self-contained module, removably coupled to the retainer body, includes a light-emitting diode (LED), a battery powering the LED, and a switch to turn the LED ON and OFF, the LED generating light generally proximally toward the distal end of the disposable tip. In the preferred embodiments, the retainer body includes a cavity into which the self-contained module is removably received. The conversion kit may further include a lens to direct light from the LED toward the distal end of the disposable tip.
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Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 907,296, filed May 31, 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 841,280, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 619,578, filed Apr. 3, 2012. This application also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 898,605, filed Nov. 1, 2013. The entire content of each application is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to air / water syringes and, in particular, to adapter units that enable replaceable, disposable tips to be used with various handle assemblies including European style syringes, and which provide built-in light sources and video cameras.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Dental syringes are hand-held instruments which deliver water and air under pressure into a patient's mouth for washing...

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Embodiment Construction

[0054]This invention improves upon existing air / water syringe instrumentation by providing conversion kits that enable replaceable, disposable tips to be used with various syringe assemblies, including European-style syringes. The invention is also applicable to disposable tips with disposable tips having extended proximal water tubes as well as tips with flush air / water passages on opposing flat proximal and distal ends. Nor is the invention limited in terms of the number of air-carrying channels surrounding the central water-carrying tube. The invention is further not limited in that addition to air and / or water gels, abrasives, other liquids or materials used in dental procedures may be accommodated.

[0055]FIG. 6 is a simplified drawing showing a generic syringe body 602 with air / water control buttons 604. The figure also shows a generic autoclavable tip 606 which is removed from the body 602 and replaced with a retainer body 610 having a distal end 612 to receive disposable tip 4...