Rotatable Nozzle Head for Dental Powder Jet Clogging Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing powder jet devices in dentistry often experience nozzle clogging due to moisture interaction with powder materials, which can form hardenable pastes or gels, making them difficult to clean and maintain, and there is a need for a device that operates reliably with various powders, is easy to maintain, inexpensive, and meets hygiene standards.
Innovation Solution
A nozzle head design with integrally formed first and second portions that transition into each other, featuring separate fluid channels for air/powder and liquid, allowing for a sealing joint offset from the coupling and enabling 360-degree rotation, preventing clogging and facilitating easy cleaning, with the nozzle head and hand piece being removably connected for enhanced usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If powder materials are delivered through a nozzle in contact with moisture, then the powder may become damp and flow less freely, but the nozzle may block due to hardenable paste or gel formation
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle head is divided into a first portion (proximal to coupling) and a second portion (distal to coupling), with the transition between portions offset from the coupling. This segmentation allows the sealing joint to be positioned in the first portion away from the powder delivery path, preventing powder contact with the sealing interface and eliminating clogging at the coupling point.
Solution Approach 2:
The transition between the first and second portions acts as an intermediary zone that separates the sealing function (in the first portion) from the powder delivery function (in the second portion). This intermediary structure prevents direct contact between powder materials and the sealing joint, eliminating the clogging problem while maintaining reliable operation.
2Reliability
If the nozzle head is designed with separate fluid channels for air/powder and liquid, then clogging is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second portions of the nozzle head are integrally formed as a single piece, merging the sealing function and powder delivery function into one unified structure. This integration eliminates the need for separate sealing components and assembly steps, reducing device complexity while maintaining separate fluid channels for reliable clogging prevention.
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
The design ensures reliable operation with different types of powder, prevents clogging, and allows for easy maintenance and hygiene compliance by providing separate ducts for media and a rotatable nozzle head, ensuring efficient delivery of dental materials without blockages.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid stream contains powder particles which are dispersed and entrained by an air stream guided through a powder containing chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
A nozzle head (12) for a powder jet device (10) for use in applying dental material, the nozzle head (12) comprising: a first portion (16) and a second portion (18) transitioning into one another; the first portion (16) adjacent a first end (20) of the nozzle head (12) having a coupling (22) for removably connecting the nozzle head (12) to a hand piece (14) of the powder jet device (10); the second portion (18) adjacent a second end (26) of the nozzle head (12) forming a nozzle outlet (28) for the dental material; the second portion (18) comprising at least a first fluid channel (30) which is formed between the nozzle outlet (28) and a channel inlet (32); wherein the channel inlet (32) is arranged at the transition (34) between the first portion (16) and the second portion (18) between the nozzle outlet (28) and the coupling (22).