Dental Handpiece Media Line Alignment for Spray Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental handpieces face challenges in achieving a simple, small, and inexpensive design while effectively delivering media such as water, air, and light to treatment sites, often resulting in complex and costly configurations due to the need for spray formation at the outlet openings.
Innovation Solution
The handpiece design aligns media lines to meet at a distance from the exit zone, allowing for separate exit of water and air to form a spray automatically, eliminating the need for complex spray-forming mechanisms and incorporating a light guide with longitudinal grooves for easy media line insertion and stabilization, enhancing illumination and cleaning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If media lines are aligned to meet at a distance from outlet openings to form spray automatically, then device complexity is reduced and construction is simplified, but manufacturing precision requirements increase to ensure proper alignment and spray formation
Solution Approach 1:
The media lines are configured to automatically form a spray through their own exiting flows meeting at a distance, without requiring external spray-forming mechanisms. The system uses the natural interaction of water and air flows to create the spray effect, eliminating complex mechanical spray components.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of forcing media through a common opening to create spray (complex approach), the invention inverts the approach by having separate outlet openings where media lines exit individually and form spray through their interacting flows in space (simple approach).
2Device complexity
If a common exit opening is used to mix media and form spray, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to deliver different media compositions flexibly is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet structure is segmented into multiple separate outlet openings, each serving a specific media line. This segmentation allows independent control and delivery of different media (water, air, spray) while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure. Each outlet can be independently activated or adjusted.
3Device complexity
If media lines are incorporated within the light guide structure, then device complexity is reduced, but cleaning and disinfection become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The media lines are segmented from the light guide structure, with each media line having its own separate outlet opening positioned independently. This segmentation allows media lines to be accessed and cleaned separately from the light guide, facilitating easier disinfection and maintenance while maintaining a compact overall design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration simplifies the construction, provides flexibility in media delivery (water, air, or spray) based on treatment distance, improves illumination with a larger light-emitting surface, and facilitates easier cleaning and disinfection.
Implementation Method 1
the media lines are aligned in such a way that the media discharged meet at a certain distance in front of the exit zone in order to generate a spray
Implementation Method 2
a cannula is detachably connected, which consists of a light-transmitting material, so that it serves as a light guide and emits the light at the front end of the cannula
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical handle piece (1), in which a fibre optic (11) and at least two medium lines (3, 4) extend frontwards and exit in a front region of the handle piece (1) in two separate outlet openings (3a, 4a). According to the invention, a simple and compact construction may be achieved, wherein the media lines (3, 4) are aligned such that the exiting media meet at a separation (e) in front of the outlet openings (3a, 4a) to generate a spray.