Rotatable Endodontic Needle with Constant Pressure Fixation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional endodontic needle units are difficult to manipulate due to the need for frequent bending and re-fixing during dental treatments, leading to potential cracking and leakage of gutta-percha, and they lack efficient heat transfer for effective treatment.
Innovation Solution
A needle unit with a needle bent at a predetermined angle, rotatably mounted on a body with a diffuser portion at the proximal end, and an inserter that maintains constant pressure to facilitate easy rotation and improved heat transfer through a tapered design and materials like brass and copper alloys.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the needle is bent at a predetermined angle and rotatably mounted, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is mounted rotatably on the needle unit body, allowing it to rotate freely to different directions during operation. This dynamic mounting enables the needle to adapt to various treatment directions without requiring manual bending or re-fixing, thereby improving ease of operation while the rotational mechanism manages the complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle unit is divided into distinct components: the needle, the needle unit body, and the inserter. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, with the needle rotating on the body and the inserter providing fixation, thus improving operability while organizing complexity into manageable segments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the needle is frequently bent and re-fixed during treatment, then the adaptability to different treatment directions is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to cracking and separation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of manually bending the needle to change directions, the needle is designed to rotate freely on the needle unit body. This dynamic rotational capability provides adaptability to different treatment directions while maintaining the needle's structural integrity and reliability, eliminating the cracking and separation issues caused by repeated bending.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than making the needle itself adaptable through bending, the solution inverts the approach by making the mounting mechanism adaptable through rotation. The needle remains structurally sound while the rotational mounting provides the necessary adaptability, thus preserving reliability.
3Reliability
If the needle is loosened and re-fixed to avoid re-bending, then the reliability is maintained, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to troublesome manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is designed with free rotational capability on the needle unit body, allowing it to be easily redirected during treatment without loosening or re-fixing. This dynamic design maintains reliability while dramatically improving ease of operation by eliminating troublesome manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle unit body provides a rotational mounting that allows the needle to self-adjust to different directions during treatment. The inserter maintains constant pressure to keep the needle fixed yet rotatable, enabling the system to serve itself by automatically accommodating directional changes without requiring operator intervention to loosen or re-fix the needle.
4Temperature
If the needle is heated during use, then the gutta-percha can be effectively treated, but the ease of operation deteriorates when the needle needs to be re-fixed
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is mounted to rotate freely on the needle unit body, allowing heated needles to be easily redirected without loosening or re-fixing. This dynamic mounting maintains the heated state while improving ease of operation during treatment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational mounting ensures continuous operability of the heated needle without interruption for loosening or re-fixing. The needle can continuously perform its heating function while being easily redirected, maintaining both temperature and ease of operation throughout the treatment process.
5Reliability
If the needle is tightly fixed to prevent leakage, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The inserter acts as an intermediary between the needle and the needle unit body, applying constant pressure to fix the needle while allowing free rotation. This intermediary mechanism achieves both tight fixation to prevent leakage and ease of rotation for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism provides dynamic fixation that maintains reliability through constant pressure while enabling easy rotation during treatment, resolving the contradiction between tight fixation and ease of operation.
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 solution allows for easier and more efficient endodontic treatment by preventing needle cracking and leakage, enabling precise direction control and enhanced heat transfer for effective gutta-percha discharge and treatment efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The needle 110 is made of a silver alloy pipe combined with copper alloy or SUS so as to efficiently transfer heat from a proximal end to a distal end
Implementation Method 2
A proximal end where the needle 110 is connected to the needle unit body 120 is about 0.9 mm in diameter. A distal end is tapered for suitable dental treatment and is about 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm in diameter
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a needle unit for endodontic treatment, including a needle bent at predetermined angle; a needle unit body where the needle is rotatably mounted; and an inserter for pressing the needle to fix the needle to the needle unit body. The present invention provides an optimal needle for efficiently realizing a needle unit for endodontic treatment. To be specific, the needle unit can be easily used by an operator because a needle bent at a predetermined angle is rotatably mounted on a needle unit body. Also, a diffuser portion is provided at a proximal end of the needle and pressed by an inserter so that the needle is fixed at a constant pressure. Hence, the needle is not fixed too loosely or too tightly to an extent that much force is required to rotate the needle, so that the operator can easily rotate the needle in a desired direction.