Ultrasonic Dental Tool Fluid Passageway Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic dental tools with internal fluid passageways often suffer from deformation during bending, leading to clogging and reduced tip strength, making them inadequate for precise dental procedures due to increased diameter requirements for fluid flow and potential damage to gums.
Innovation Solution
The tool features a fluid passageway positioned away from bent regions, allowing for a thinner, stronger tip with a discharge opening that remains non-deformed and less prone to clogging, enabling effective fluid delivery and improved access in tight spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the tip diameter is reduced to improve access between teeth and under gingiva, then ease of operation is improved, but tip strength deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into multiple sections: a thicker proximal portion for strength and vibration generation, and a thinner distal tip for access. The fluid passageway is positioned in the proximal portion rather than the tip, allowing the tip to be thin-walled without compromising structural integrity or fluid delivery capability.
2Productivity
If the fluid passageway is positioned in the tip to improve fluid delivery, then fluid delivery effectiveness is improved, but the tip diameter must be increased which reduces ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid passageway is extracted from the tip region and repositioned to the proximal portion of the tool body. This allows the tip to be minimized in diameter for better access while the fluid passageway maintains adequate dimensions for effective fluid delivery in the stronger proximal region.
3Ease of operation
If the tool is bent to improve access to subgingival zones, then ease of operation is improved, but the fluid passageway becomes deformed leading to clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid passageway is extracted from the bendable tip region and positioned in the rigid proximal portion of the tool body. This ensures that bending the tool for subgingival access does not deform or clog the fluid passageway, maintaining reliable fluid delivery throughout the tool's operational life.
4Manufacturing precision
If the tip is made thinner to improve precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but tip strength deteriorates increasing breakage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The tool exhibits segmentation in wall thickness distribution: the proximal portion has thicker walls for strength and vibration generation, while the distal tip has thinner walls for precision and access. The fluid passageway is positioned in the proximal thick-walled region, allowing the tip to be precisely manufactured with thin walls without compromising overall structural strength.
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 design enhances the tool's strength and precision, allowing for thinner tips without increased breakage risk, ensuring effective fluid delivery and reduced contamination, thus improving dental procedures by maintaining fluid flow and tool integrity.
Implementation Method 1
Design of the tip and its related electro-mechanical components involves combining a number of parameters to produce mechanical resonances (harmonic vibrations) at the driving frequency to produce amplified mechanical motion, particularly at the distal tip end.
Implementation Method 2
The instrument is driven by an electronic generator at relatively high frequencies, typically on the order of above 20 kHz, to obtain adequate motion and to minimize objectionable noise since the human hearing threshold is about 18 kHz.
Implementation Method 3
Water or some other fluid is usually supplied to the tooth surface in order to remove the heat and minimize pain and possible heat damage to the tooth.
Implementation Method 4
heat caused by electrical and mechanical friction losses within the tool during vibration are dissipated by means of a cooling fluid that flows axially with respect to the tool insert, over the active magnetostrictive element or stack
Implementation Method 5
an ultrasonic dental tool, wherein a handpiece containing a coil applies an electro-magnetic field to a magnetostrictive insert body to which a tool tip is fixed
Implementation Method 6
heat caused by electrical and mechanical friction losses within the tool during vibration
Implementation Method 7
heat caused by electrical and mechanical friction losses within the tool during vibration
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes a connecting end and a working end. Device has an internal fluid passageway and a bend area. The fluid passageway has a discharge opening or hole, which opening is positioned or located substantially away from the bend area, such that the discharge opening and upstream portions of the passageway will remain unaffected, substantially unaffected, or selectively affected by any deformation thereof due to the bending procedures employed to make the other portions of the tool, such as those conventionally involved in fabricating the bend area.