Dental Handpiece Drive Train Using Non-Intersecting Cylindrical Gears
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dental handpieces with ergonomically angled designs face manufacturing and operational challenges due to the need for tapered or face gears, which are costly and prone to noise issues caused by nonparallel drive train axes.
Innovation Solution
A drive train configuration using cylindrical gears that are not tapered or face gears, allowing for ergonomic design without the expense and noise associated with traditional tapered or face gears, by ensuring that the meshing gears adjacent to the junction between the handpiece portions are cylindrical, thus eliminating the need for tapers and reducing noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If coplanar axes are used in the drive train to achieve ergonomic handpiece design, then the handpiece has an ergonomically friendly shape, but tapered or face gears are required which increase manufacturing cost and produce noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from coplanar axes to non-coplanar axes in three-dimensional space. By arranging the drive train axes in different planes rather than a single plane, the invention achieves ergonomic handpiece design without requiring tapered or face gears, thus reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the desired ergonomic shape.
2Device complexity
If coplanar axes are used in the drive train, then the handpiece structure is simplified, but noise is increased due to the use of tapered or face gears
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses non-coplanar axes arranged in three-dimensional space to transmit power through the drive train. This spatial arrangement allows the use of standard cylindrical gears instead of noisy tapered or face gears, significantly reducing operational noise while maintaining structural efficiency and avoiding the complexity associated with traditional ergonomic drive train designs.
3Ease of operation
If nonparallel axes are used to achieve ergonomic angle, then the handpiece fits the user's hand better, but manufacturing precision requirements increase due to sensitivity to mounting distances and angle errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs non-coplanar axes arranged in three-dimensional space to achieve the ergonomic angle between handpiece portions. This spatial configuration provides geometric stability that reduces sensitivity to mounting errors and manufacturing tolerances, allowing for better ergonomic fit without excessively stringent precision requirements compared to traditional coplanar or nonparallel axis arrangements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A dental handpiece includes a body having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions disposed at an ergonomic angle to each other. A drive gear extends from the second portion toward the first portion. The drive gear has a first axis of rotation and rotatably drives at least one driven gear having a second axis of rotation. The at least one driven gear is operatively connected to a bur disposed in the first portion to rotatably drive the bur about a third axis of rotation. The drive gear and the at least one driven gear do not include a taper gear or a face gear.