US3248792A - Air driven dental handpieces - Google Patents

Air driven dental handpieces Download PDF

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Publication number
US3248792A
US3248792A US219537A US21953762A US3248792A US 3248792 A US3248792 A US 3248792A US 219537 A US219537 A US 219537A US 21953762 A US21953762 A US 21953762A US 3248792 A US3248792 A US 3248792A
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housing
air
arm
extending
exhaust
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US219537A
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Staunt Martin
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Sybron Transition Corp
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American Hospital Supply Corp
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Assigned to SYBRON CORPORATION, A CORP. OF N.Y. reassignment SYBRON CORPORATION, A CORP. OF N.Y. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: AMERICAN HOSPITAL SUPPLY CORPORATION A CORP. OF ILL.
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
    • A61C1/00—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design
    • A61C1/02—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design characterised by the drive of the dental tools
    • A61C1/05—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design characterised by the drive of the dental tools with turbine drive
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S415/00—Rotary kinetic fluid motors or pumps
    • Y10S415/904—Tool drive turbine, e.g. dental drill

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to air driven dental hand pieces, and is particularly concerned with the elimination of the electric motor dental engine and the drive of dental handpieces of the straight type and various attachments which may be attached to the straight handpiece and driven by means of an air driven turbine.
  • One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved air driven dental turbine which may be carried by the Wrist joint arm of a straight handpiece so that the drive shaft of the air turbine may be utilized with a belt to drive a straight handpiece and all of the attachments, such as contra angles for cavity preparation at low speeds, contra angles for the cleaning of teeth, and contra angles with amalgam condensing equipment and grinding attachments.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved straight handpiece assembly including an air driven turbine which may be controlled by the hand of the operator or by means of a foot control in which the speed may be varied from 1,000 r.p.m. to 30,000 rpm. and in which the electric dental motor may be eliminated so that the motor cord and engine arm, which are sources of extra weight, noise, and vibration, may be eliminated.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved straight handpiece combination in which gear driven contra angles may be attached to a straight handpiece which is driven by an air turbine and in which the contra angle may be provided with air and water nozzles so that the operator may have water flowing simultaneously with thet drive air from a nozzle which is carried by the contra angle pointing toward the dental bur or the water may be shut oil by the operator.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved air driven dental turbine which is so constructed that the air exhaust from the turbine may be carried away from the vicinity of the patient to an exhaust vial where more of the lubricant settles at a point remote from the patient.
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a straight handpiece embodying an air driven turbine by means of which the straight handpiece may have its shaft driven at all of the speeds which have been formerly accomplished by using an electric dental engine and a foot control;
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the air driven turbine of FIG. 1 taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 4;
  • FIG. 3 is an end view of the threated hose connection taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 6a is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6a-6a of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 6b is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the axis of the hose connector
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 7-7 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction plane of the line 7-7 of FIG 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 8b is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the center of ring 300 of FIG. 8a;
  • FIG. is a fragment-arylongitudinal sectional view of an extension unit
  • FIG. 9 is a side elevational view in partial section showing the removable sheath which is adapted to house the mechanism at the lower end of the straight handpiece of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified form of air turbine driven straight handpiece which is hand controlled;
  • FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane of the line 11-11 of FIG. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 12 is an end elevational view taken on the plane of the line 12-12 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 13-13 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 14-14 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 15-15 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 16-16 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 15-15 of FIG. 11 with the push button hand control in the right hand position, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 18-18 of FIG. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;
  • FIG. 19 is a fragmentary section view passing through the axis of the turbine drive shaft, showing the' construction of the ball bearings employed in the turbine;
  • FIG. 20 is a side elevational view on a larger scale of the plastic ball bearing retainer employed in the ball bearings of FIG. 19;
  • FIG. '21 is a view in perspective of my straight air driven handpiece when equipped with a contra angle for prophylaxis
  • FIG. 22 is a similar view of the assembly when equipped with a ball bearing contra angle
  • FIG. 23 is a similar view with an amalgam condensing attachment
  • FIG. 24 is a similar view when provided with a grinding Wheel attachment
  • FIG. 25 is a similar view of the straight .handpiece assembly which is adapted to be used for low speed high power operations with rotation in either direction;
  • REG. 26 is a side elevational view of the rotor of the air driven turbine preferably employed in the turbine of PEG. 1 or FIG. 10;
  • FIG. 27 is an edge elevational view of the rotor.
  • this is an air driven dental handpiece combination adapted to be controlled by a foot controller or a control cabinet in which the volume and pressure of air is regulated to control the speed; and this air driven handpiece is adapted to drive a straight handpiece assembly and various types of contra angles, further to be described.
  • FIG. 1 indicates in its entirety the straight handpiece assembly of the type shown in my prior application Serial No. 833,412 filed August 13, 1959, except that the handpiece carries a wrist joint arm 41, comprising a solid curved metal arm which supports a turbine housing 42 at the end of the arm in position to have the shaft 43 of the turbine connected by a resilient rubber belt 44 to a pulley 45 on the straight handpiece.
  • a wrist joint arm 41 comprising a solid curved metal arm which supports a turbine housing 42 at the end of the arm in position to have the shaft 43 of the turbine connected by a resilient rubber belt 44 to a pulley 45 on the straight handpiece.
  • the turbine housing 42 comprises a substantially cylindrical metal housing except that its outer wall has a slightly concave surface 46.
  • the outer wall is indicated at 47; and it has a cylindrical bore 48 which has an open end provided with threads 49 for receiving the threads 58 of an end plate 51.
  • the end plate 51 has sockets 52 for a wrench; and it has an annular flat surface '53 for engaging the end 54 of the side wall 47.
  • a stepped annular surface 55 engages another annular surface 56 for effecting an air-tight closure.
  • the turbine housing 42 has an inner plane wall 57 opposite to the cover plate; and the inner surface 58 of the cover plate is substantially plane, making a cylindrical chamber for receiving a rotor 59.
  • FIGS. 19 and 20 are views of the ball bearing assemblies which are employed at 60 and 61 for rotatably supporting the shaft 43.
  • the same type of ball bearings shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are employed everywhere in the handpiece combination.
  • the shaft 43 has an outer cylindrical surface and an annular shoulder 62 against which the inner race 63 engages when the inner race is on the shaft.
  • the inner race has a cylindrical bore 64 and an outer cylindrical surface 65 and a centrally located circular groove 66 which is formed on a radius larger than the radius of the steel balls 67, giving the balls a point contact in the grooves 66.
  • the outer race 68 has an outer cylindrical surface 69 and an inner cylindrical surface 70 which is provided with a race groove 71 of circular shape formed on a radius, whichagain is of larger size than the radius of the balls 67.
  • the two races 63 and 68 are accurately located with their grooves 66 and 7 1 in alignment, that is, the grooves have the centers of generation on which the grooves are formed in alignment with each other.
  • the outer race is accurately located against an annular shoulder 72 formed in the bore 73 of the housing 74 in which the outer race is located.
  • the ball bearing assembly is not provided with its full complement of balls, but a lesser number of balls is employed with the balls spaced from each other and held in position by a plastic ball retainer 75.
  • the ball retainer is shown on a larger scale in FIG. 20 in side elevation.
  • the ball retainer may be made out of nylon, and it comprises a tube of nylon which is slightly shorter than the races.
  • the tube has its outer surface 76 spaced from the inner surface 70 of the outer race and the tube has its inner surface 77 spaced from the outer surface of the inner race so that the ball retainer is able to float between the races without contact except at the balls.
  • the ball retainer has seven cylindrical ball sockets 78 formed on a radius larger than the balls so that these sockets 78 have only point contact with the balls.
  • Each of the seven sockets 78 has a parallel walled slot 79, 88 extending from the ball socket or bore 78 and at one end of the ball retainer 75.
  • the walls 79, 88 of the slots are parallel, but they are closer together than the diameter of the balls so that the walls 79, 88 have to be forced apart to pass the balls into the sockets 78.
  • the method of assembly of the ball bearing assembly is as follows: When the two races are arranged eccentrically with respect to each other, the races are spaced from each other at one side sutficiently to insert the balls between the races until seven balls have been gathered in the grooves at the side opposite to the point of insertion. The balls are then arranged in equally spaced position in the grooves. Then the ball retainer 75 is placed with the parallel slots 79, 80 registering with each of the seven balls.
  • the retainer is then forced axially until the balls pass through the slots 79, 88; and the balls are then located in the sockets 78 and the walls 79, 88 have again expanded to retain the balls in the sockets 78.
  • the ball bearings 68 and 61 are of the type shown in FIGS. 19 and 2.0; and the inner race 63 fits on the cylindrical end portion 81 of the shaft 43 against an annular shoulder 82.
  • the rotor 59 comprises a cylindrical metal member having a cylindrical bore 83 fitting on the enlarged portion of the shaft 43, where it is frictionally held.
  • the rotor has plane end surfaces 84 and 85 and a cylindrical periphery 86, which is interrupted by regularly spaced rectangular slots 87.
  • the slots 87 are preferably slightly deeper than their width; and each tooth has its leading corner 88a beveled at 45 degrees in the direction of rotation of the rotor.
  • the slots are 0.045 wide and 0.063 deep. As the slots are parallel walled, this means that the teeth are wider at the periphery of the rotor.
  • the beveled corners prevent the next tooth from interfering with the nozzle action on the tooth in front of the bevel; and it is found-that this bevel improves the torque of the turbine.
  • FIGS. 26 and 27 show the specific shape of the rotor.
  • slots may be employed, such as, for example, 24 slots, thus providing the periphery 86 with '24 teeth 88.
  • the rotor 59 is provided with a short hub 89 at one and extending upwardly into engagement with the end surface of the adjacent inner race, but clearing the outer race.
  • the outer races are frictionally supported in a cylindrical bore 73 in each end of the housing; and the housing end wall 90 is provided with inner threads 91 for receiving the outer threads on a threaded plug 92.
  • the threaded plug has an annular flange 93 engaging the outer surface of the end wall 90.
  • the threaded plug in each case may have an inner annular surface 94 engaging the end surface of the outer race.
  • the cover plate 51 is also provided with a cylindrical bore 95 for receiving the outer race of the bearing assembly 61; and the inner race is frictionally secured on the cylindrical end 96 of the shaft 43 against a spacer sleeve 89a on the rotor.
  • the cover plate 51 has a threaded bore 97 for receiving the threaded plug 98; and the threaded plug has an annular flange 99 engaging the end of the cover plate.
  • the annular flange 94 on the plug 98 engages the outer race at its end surface and clears the inner race.
  • the shaft has a groove 100 for receiving a split ring 191 inside a cavity 102 of the plug 98; and the plug holds the split ring 101 and the shaft against end movement, but the shaft rotates with the inner race, engaging the split ring.
  • the cylindrical bore 48 in the housing 42 has a tangential surface 103 at the inlet side and a tangential surface 104 at the opposite side, forming inlet or outlet conduits 105, 106 between a triangular wall portion 107, 108 and the tangential surface in each case.
  • Either of these outlets 105, 106 may serve as an inlet or outlet; but in FIG. 4 the smaller tube 109 is preferably employed for the inlet, whereas a second tube 110 of larger size may be employed as the exhaust outlet.
  • the periphery 86 of the rotor 59 is slightly spaced from the inner cylindrical wall 48 so that one conduit 106 serves as a nozzle and the other conduit 105 serves as an outlet.
  • the housing 42 is welded to the arm 41 at 111 and the housing is also welded at 112 to the end of the conduit arm 113, which contains a pair of conduits 114, 115.
  • the housing is provided with a slot 116 extending axially through the side wall and having an L shaped extension 117 permitting the exhaust of exhaust air from the side of the rotor as well.
  • the conduit arm 113 also has an extension 118 or slot in its end opposite the slot 116 communicating with a longitudinally extending conduit 119 which extends to a lateral outlet 120 located to register with a peripheral groove 121.
  • the peripheral groove 121 is covered by a channelled ring 122 having its open side inward and having a pair of beveled side Walls 123, 124, the edges 125 of which are located over the peripheral groove 121.
  • the edge 123 engages an annular shoulder 126; and the channelled ring 122 slides on the conduit arm 46, where it is retained by a threaded ferrule, further to be described.
  • the channelled ring 122 has a multiplicity of laterally extending round holes 127 forexhausting air which passes around the annular space in the groove 121; but the holes 127 are covered by an inner ring 127a of felt for absorbing most of the oil which is carried as a mist in the air.
  • a pin 128 (FIG. 4) is frictionally secured at one side of the groove 121 in position topass one of the slots 129, 130 when the channelled ring 122 is moved into place; and the tab 131 between the slots may be bent down to retain the channelled ring 122 in position.
  • This channelled ring may be removed to replace the felt oil absorbing band inside the channelled ring 122.
  • conduits 114, 115 are located on an upper plane, as one is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2; and these conduits 1'14, 115 extend to enlarged counterbores 132 and 133, within which a pair of stainless steel tubes 110 and 109 are frictionally mounted.
  • this is a section taken through the conduit arm 13 to show the water conduit 135.
  • This water conduit 135 extends longitudinally of the conduit arm and communicates with a diagonal bore 136 at the left end, where a stainless steel water tube 137 is frictionally secured in the bore 136; and the tube 137 extends over past the turbine housing 42, where it is bent downward to extend parallel at 138 to the handpiece, where it is provided with ridges 139 for receiving a flexible plastic water tube.
  • the bore 135 frictionally receives a stainless steel water tube 140 which projects from the plane end 141 of the conduit arm and extends through a resilient rubber gasket 142, which has holes for the two stainless steel air tubes 109, 110 for the water tube 140.
  • the end of the conduit arm is provided with threads 143 for receiving a ferrule 144 of stainless steel having an external ribbed and knurled surface 145 and an internal 6 threaded bore 146 to be threaded on the threads 143 of the conduit arm 113.
  • the ferrule 144 has an enlarged bore 147 at its end; and it has an annular shoulder 148 at its other end and a reduced cylindrical bore 149 for receiving a stainless steel plug 150, FIG. 6b.
  • the stainless steel plug 150 has an enlarged annular head 15 1 and an annular shoulder 152 engaging the annular shoulder 148; and the plug has a reduced cylindrical surface 153 for sliding in the bore 149.
  • the plug 150 has three cylindrical bores 154, 155, and 156 for fitting the projecting tubes 109, 110, and 140, which are the air and water tubes projecting through the rubber gasket 142; and when the ferrule 144 is threaded tightly on the threads 143, the plug 150 engages the rubber gasket with its plane end 157 and effects a water-tight and airtight connection between the plug 150 and the conduit arm 113.
  • the plug 150 has stainless steel air tubes 158 and 159 and the small water tube 160 frictionally mounted in the end of the plug 150 and provided with external ridges 161 for receiving the air and water hoses 162, 163, 164 of flexible plastic which are clamped to the tubes 158-160.
  • the hoses are clamped on the ridges 161 of the tubes 158, 159, 160 by a brass hose clamp 165.
  • the turbine housing has its wall 47 provided with a through bore 166 within which a stainless steel air tube 167 is secured at a point where it will receive air under pressure from the turbine; and the tube 167 is bent downward to extend along the handpiece at 168, where it is provided with a ribbed end 169 for attachment of a flexible plastic air tube.
  • the shaft 43 has a clearance in the plug 92 and has its end provided with a pair of grooves 170, 171; and the grooves are semi-circular in cross section for receiving the round resilient rubber belt 44.
  • the handpiece 40 is provided with a double pulley 45 having a peripheral groove of large diameter 172 and a peripheral groove 173 of smaller diameter, these grooves being in alignment, respectively, with the grooves 171 and 170.
  • the grooves 172, 173 are'semi-circular; and the resilient belt 44 is adapted to stretch to fit the smaller diameter groove 173 and the larger diameter groove 172 to drive the spindle of the handpiece 40 at different speeds.
  • the present air driven turbines are supplied with air under pressure which has been filtered, from which the water has been separated, and in which lubricant mist has been injected as described in my prior Patent No. 2,943; 705 on Lubricating Apparatus.
  • the air containing lubricant mist in the turbine housing is adapted to pass through the annular space between the races 63 and 68 around the retainer 75 and around the balls 67, which are constantly lubricated by the deposit of lubricant thereon.
  • the turbine has a clearance around the shaft 43 in the aperture inthe plug 92 and the plug 98 may also have a bleeder aperture for passing air containing lubricant.
  • this is a similar air driven turbine 175 carried by a wrist arm 41 for driving a straight handpiece 40 by means of a belt 44.
  • the present air driven turbine of FIGS. 10-18 is of a type which is hand controlled, having a push button 176 constituting a valve for turning on the air under pressure or reversing its direction.
  • the air driven turbine 175 and the straight handpiece 40 shown in FIGS. 10-18 are in every way similar to that shown in FIGS 16a and similar numerals are applied 7 cylindrical portions 181 and 185 have a sliding fit in the bore 180.
  • the conduit arm 177 has a centrally located longitudinal bore.186 that contains a stainless steel tube 187 having a frictional fit and protruding from the threaded end 188 of the conduit arm.
  • the tube 187 constitutes the inlet for air under pressure containing lubricant mist; and tube 187 protrudes into the transverse bore 180 so that the two edges 189 and 190 of the tube 187 projecting into the bore 180 constitute stops for engaging the tapered portions 182 and 184 of the push button.
  • the push button 176 is first inserted into its bore 180; and thereafter the bore 186 is provided with the tube 187, which acts as a stop for limiting the motion of the push button in either direction.
  • the turbine housing 175 has the same transverse slot 116 and L shaped slot 117; but these communicate with a slot 118 and with the bore 191 and with a longitudinal bore 192 leading to the annular groove 121, which is covered by the channelled ring 122.
  • the channelled ring 122 may be exactly similar in construction to the preceding ring, having a layer of felt 127 for absorbing oil; and the channelled ring 122 may have a multiplicity of small exhaust holes 193 for exhausting the air from the outlet. Some of the air is exhausted through the holes 193; and the balance may be carried back to the control cabinet through a flexible plastic tube from the stainless steel tube 194, which has a frictional fit in the bore 195 extending to the annular groove 121 in the conduit arm 177.
  • the threaded end 188 of the conduit arm carries a rubber gasket 142; and the threaded end has the two tubes 194, 187 protruding through the rubber gasket and also has a small stainless steel water tube 140 which extends into a bore 135 as before and communicates with a diagonal bore 136 leading to the stainless steel tube 137 for water, which ends at 139, where it is to be connected to a plastic water tube.
  • the turbine is again provided with an air outlet comprising a stainless air tube 158 which ends at 161 to be connected to a plastic tube.
  • this air driven turbine is substantially the same as the preceding one in FIGS. 16a except that it may be reversed in direction by means of the push button 176; but the speed of rotation of the turbine is controlled by the air pressure, which is regulated at the control cabinet pressure regulator knob.
  • the straight handpiece 4% is of the type covered by my prior applications, Ser. No. 494,607 andSer. No. 833,412, the details of which are shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.
  • the wrist joint arm 41 in each case is formed with an integral bearing housing 236, which comprises a cylindrical body extending substantially parallel to the shaft 43 of the turbine 42, and having an outer threaded portion 237 at its rear end.
  • This threaded portion is adapted to receive the internally threaded collar 238, which has a cylindrical flange 239 internally threaded, and an end flange 240 adapted to engage the outer ball bearing race 241 and secure it in a counterbore 242 against an annular shoulder 243.
  • the ball bearing assemblies employed everywhere in the present straight handpiece are of the type shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, having spaced balls held in place by a plastic retainer.
  • the end flange 240 of the collar has a central bore 244 which has a clearance with respect to the spindle 245 and its spacing sleeve 246 so that there is no contact between the rotating spindle and the collar 238.
  • the collar 238 has an annular shoulder at 247 for engaging the side of therace 241 and the end flange 240 has a clearance at 248 beside the races of the ball bearing to avoid contact between the collar 238 and the inner race 249.
  • the races of the ball bearing assembly comprise hardened steel members; and the inner race 249 comprises an annular member having an inner bore 250 fitting on a reduced portion 251 of the spindle 245 against annular shoulder 252.
  • the inner race has plane end surfaces and an annular groove 253 of partially circular cross section in its outer cylindrical surface.
  • the outer race has an outer cylindrical surface fitting in the bore 242 against an annular shoulder 243, and has plane surfaces and an annular groove of partially circular cross section on its cylindrical surface for receiving the balls 254, sufficient of which are provided in the grooves to extend all theway around the periphery of the grooves with a spacing between the balls.
  • the cylindrical housing 236 has the enlarged bore 265 and a small counterbore 266 and a longer bore 267 in an integral tubular part 268.
  • the housing 236 has the reduced threaded portion 269 on its left end for receiving the internally threaded collar 270 which abuts against an annular shoulder 271 and is used to secure the sleeve 272 of thehandpiece to the wrist joint housing 236.
  • Tubular part 268 has a cylindrical outer surface 273; and the sleeve 272 has a cylindrical bore 274 so that the sleeve may slide on the tube 268 against an annular shoulder 275.
  • the sleeve 272 has a plane end 276 engaging the annular shoulder 275; and the sleeve has a radically projecting annular flange 277, which extends in to the bore of collar 270 at the clearance 278, where the collar is unthreaded.
  • the collar 270 has a smaller counterbore 279 in its left end which is formed with an outer rounded surface; and the bore 79 is adapted to receive the sleeve 272, which has an outer cylindrical surface 280.
  • Collar 270 has the inner shoulder 281 which draws the radial flange 277 against shoulder 275. There is suflicient clearance between the flange 277 and the adjacent surfaces to permit the sleeve 272 to rotate inside the collar on the tube 268.
  • the sleeve 272 is provided with an annular groove 282, which is bounded by two annular shoulders 283, 284, and by a cylindrical surface 285 at the bottom of the groove.
  • This annular groove extends all the way around the sleeve 272, except that sleeve 272 has an axially extending slot 286 extending into its end beyond the groove 282, and defined by longitudinally extending edges 287, 288 which extend to the end 289 of the groove 286, as shown in FIG. 8.
  • This groove 2% provides a longitudinally extending slot into which a longitudinally extending lug 290, carried by the sheath 291 (FIG. 9), may be moved in attaching the sheath.
  • the circumferential groove 282 about the end of sleeve 272 contains a resilient, partially cylindrical spring band 292, which has suflicient resiliency so that it can be sprung out of the groove 282 or sprung into the groove 282, as the band is open at its ends 293, 294 (FIG. 8a); and the band is of suflicien-t thickness so that it may be wholly housed or received in the groove 282, where it may rotate slidably; and it is used for securing the sheath 291 to the sleeve 272.
  • the band 292 has the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces 295, 2% (FIG. 8a); and its width is sufficient to fit in the groove 282, having plane edge surfaces 297, 298 (FIG. 8a).
  • Band 292 is of sufiicient external diameter so that it is flush with the outside of sleeve 272, or the band may project slightly beyond sleeve 272 when it is secured in the cylindrical bore 299 of a rotatable actuating member 300,
  • the actuating member 300 is fixedly secured to the band 292 so that it may be used to rotate the band 292 in groove 286.
  • Band 292 may have a pair of oppositely located through bores 301 into which the adjacent parts of the member 300 may be forced with a center punch and brazed by a drop of brazing material.
  • the band 292 is adapted to be rotated by the actuating member 300, which is actually a tube having the external knurled surfaces 304, 305, separated by a relief 306 and tapering toward both edges.
  • the band 292 is shorter circumferentially at the groove 282, in which it is mounted, than the adjacent portion of the sleeve 272, as will be seen in FIG. 8b.
  • the ends of the band are at 293, 294, which are wider apart than the edges of the slot 287, 288, and the edges of the groove 282, indicated by 283 and 284, are inwardly deformed at 307 and 308 in FIG. 8a, at a point which is spaced from the edge 287 of the slot 286.
  • Band 292 may also rotate in the opposite direction until its end 293 engages the stop 308, in which position the ends of the band 202 at 293 and 294 will be located outwardly of the ends of the slot 286, which are indicated at 287 and 288. In other words, the band will be completely out of the slot 286 in its unlocked position.
  • the sheath 291 comprises a tubular metal member having outer cylindrical surfaces at 309 and a grooved gripping surface 310, having a plurality of cylindrical knurled lands 311 separated by partially circular grooves 312.
  • the grooves being circular makes them easy to keep clean, as foreign particles do not stick in circular grooves, as they do in rectangular corners.
  • the sheath 291 has an enlarged outer cylindrical surface 313 and a plane end surface 314, from which there projects a partially cylindrical lug or locking extension 290, which is an integral part of the sheath 291.
  • Lug 290 is bounded at its edges by radially located plane surfaces 315 and 316, which surfaces will be received between the edges 287 and 288 of the endwise slot 286 in the sleeve 272.
  • the projecting extension on the. end of the sheath 291 is complementary to the slot 286 that is formed for it in the sleeve 272.
  • the external cylindrical surface 313 of lug 290 is the same size as the external surface 280 on sleeve 272, and lug 290 has an internal bore which is the same size as the bore 267 in sleeve 272.
  • Lug 290 also has a peripherally extending shallow groove 317, which is of the same size and width as the groove 282 in the sleeve 272 in which the band 292 slides.
  • the boundaries of groove 317 may be indicated by its edges 283a and 284a, and its bottom 285a, to indicate that groove 317 in the sheath 291 is merely a continuation of the groove 282 in the sleeve 272, when the sheath has its lug 290 in the longitudinally open slot 286.
  • the end 318 of the sheath 291 (FIG. 9) is plane, fitting against the end 319 of the sleeve 272.
  • the sheath extension 291 forms a part of the straight handpiece which is driven by the air turbine; but thesheath extension 291 is detachable; and it may be employed to carry any number of attachments further to be described.
  • the operation of the detachable sheath 291 is as follows:
  • the same sheath or another sheath may be slid over the spindle and may have its lug slid endwise into the open-ended slot 2860f the sleeve 272 until the end surfaces 319 of sleeve 272 and 318 of sheath 291 are in engagement.
  • edges 315 and 316 of, lug 290 will be engaging the edges 287 and 288 of the slot 286 in sleeve 272 to prevent rotation of the sheath on the sleeve.
  • the shallow groove 317 in the sheath extension 290 will register with the shallow groove 282 of the sleeve 272, and the locking band 292 may be rotated by its actuating member 300, the band 292 sliding in its present groove 282 and also across the lug 290 in the groove 317, until the end 294 of band 292 engages stop 308. Then the band 292 locks the extension lug 290 to the sleeve 272; and it is also held in alignment by the inner surface 299 of actuating member 300.
  • the sheath 291 is also held in accurate concentric alignment with the sleeve 272 by being slidably mounted on the integral tubular part 268, which extends to the left in FIG. 1, from the housing 236 and is adapted to support the bearing assembly at the tool end of the handpiece.
  • the tube 268 has the outer cylindrical surface 273, previously described, engaging the inner bore 274 in sleeve 272, and also engaging the inner bore 321 in sheath 291.
  • sheath 291 and sleeve 272 together constitute a rotatable external handle on the handpiece, which, being rotatable on the tube 268, permits the wrist joint 225 to hang downward when the sheath 291 is supported by the hand of the user.
  • the spindle 245 comprises a tubular metal member having the outer cylindrical surface at its left end (FIG. 2) extending to the annular shoulder 342. From this point the spindle is enlarged and has the outer cylindrical surface 343 provided with a clearance 344 inside the bore 321 of the tube 268.
  • the spindle is supported at its right end by the ball bearing assembly, Where the spindle has a reduced cylindrical surface 251; and the inner race 249 is held against shoulder 252 by a spacing tube 246 (FIG. 8), which is engaged at its other end by the pulley 346.
  • Pulley 346 is mounted on a reduced cylindrical portion 347 of the spindle and is held on this reduced portion 347 by a threaded bushing 348 having a knurled head 349 with the flat sides for reception of a wrench.
  • the bushing 348 has an annular surface 350 engaging the pulley 346; and the bushing has an external thread 351 on a reduced portion which is threaded into a threaded bore 352 in the spindle 245.
  • the spindle has a key 353 disposed in a keyway in the pulley 346 and the spindle and preventing rotation of the pulley on the spindle.
  • the pulley is formed with a plurality of peripheral grooves 354 and 355 of different diameter, separated by radially extending flanges; and the grooves are tapered for engaging a belt in the form .of a cord which engages the sides of the pulley, or in some cases engages a curved bottom of the pulley groove.
  • the pulley is concave at its inner side 356 so that it extends about the collar 238 and prevents the ingress of dirt and moisture into the bore 244.
  • the bushing 348 which secures the pulley on the spindle, is also provided with a threaded bore 357 for receiving the threaded portion 358 of a chuck actuating rod 359, which extends-through the bore 360 in the spindle 245 and protrudes from the bushing 348, where it is provided with a metal actuating knob 361, having a threaded bore 362 tightly threaded on portion 358 and provided with a knurled edge 363.
  • the knob 361 is adapted to rotate the chuck rod 359 in the bushing 34-8, causing it to engage the collet actuating member 364 by means of its end 365. Conversely the rod 359 is adapted to release the chuck by being moved to the right.
  • the rod 359 is guided by a bushing 366, having a tight frictional fit in bore 360 of the spindle 345 to prevent whipping of this end of the rod; and the end surface 365 of the rod is partially spherical.
  • the spindle 245 is rotatably mounted at its left end by the ball bearings and has the reduced cylindrical part which has a continuation of the bore 360 for housing a collet 367.
  • the bore 360 has a frusto-conical surface 368 at its end which communicates with a smaller counterbore 369; and the spindle has a pair of longitudinal driving extensions 370, 371 comprising lugs extending longitudinally of the spindle and forming a continuation of the spindle wall from the bore 369.
  • the lugs have flat radially extending sides 372 and a fiat end 373 with beveled corners, and are intended to be used for driving similar lugs on a driven member 374 (FIG. 26), which driven member is adapted to drive a contra angle.
  • the collet 367 comprises a substantially cylindrical member having the external cylindrical surfaces 375, 376 at each end and another cylindrical surface 377 midway between the ends with reduced portions 378 and 379.
  • the cylindrical surfaces 375-377 fitv in the bore 360 which guides the collet; and the collet is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending slots 380 at each end and with an internal bore 381 at each end, said bore having a substantial fit with the shank of a bur or other tool to be secured in the collet.
  • the collet actuating member 364 (FIG. 7) comprises a cylindrical member sliding in the bore 360, and having a frusto-conical cavity 382 leading to a bore 383 for receiving the conical end 384 of the collet.
  • the collet has a frusto-conical end surface 385 at its outer end engaging in the frusto-conical bore 368.
  • the collet bore 381 is already a substantial fit n the shank of the bur or other tool. vWhen the push rod is threaded clockwise, it moves this rod 359 to the left, pushing the collet actuating member 364, and the conical surfaces 368 and 382 cause a contraction of the ends of the collet by engaging the outer conical surfaces 385 and 384.
  • the sheath 291 has its working end provided with a reduced tapered portion 386, which has a further tapered surface at 387 containing the bore 388, which houses the collet and leading to a smaller end bore 389 for passing the tool shanks.
  • the tapered end 336 is adapted to receive the complementary tapered socket of a contra angle or other attachment, which has a shaft that extends into the chuck and is gripped thereby while the external housing is mounted on tapered nose 386.
  • the sheath 291 has its tapered nose 386 provided with a longitudinally extending lug 390 projecting from surface 386 beyond the annular shoulder 391; and the lug 390 has a rounded end 392 and parallel edges so that this sheath may receive the contra angle housings as previously constructed.
  • the lug 390 prevents the rotation of the housing on the sheath.
  • this is a view in perspective of the complete assembly of the air driven straight handpiece when equipped with a contra angle for prophylaxis.
  • the detachable sheath extension 2911 supports a head 500, which contains a shaft 501 driving a transverse shaft 502 by means of bevel gears 503, the shaft 501 is driven from the lugs 370, 371; and the transverse shaft 502 supports a rubber cup 595 used for prophylaxis.
  • This attachment may be employed by substituting it on the air driven straight handpiece for the detachable extension 291.
  • this is an attachment carried by a similar extension 291 and having a transverse head 506 provided with, a ball bearing support shaft 507 having a plastic tube for supporting a dental bur 508.
  • the extension 291 supports a contra angle head 512 with a driven shaft 513 for driving an amalgam packing tool 514, which is reciprocated by the drive shaft 513.
  • the shaft 514 is again driven by the lugs 370 and 371.
  • this is a view showing the straight handpiece when equipped with a bur or other tool 518 held by the collet in the end of the straight handpiece, which is provided with a tapered collar 519 carrying air nozzle 520 and the water nozzle 521 connected by flexible tubes to the air and water tubes.
  • the extension 291 in FIGS. 21-24 has an internally threaded end 451 which receives a bearing member 453 threaded into the extension at 452.
  • the bearing member 453 rotatably supports a shaft 459 which has a V shaped gear 479 at its end.
  • the shaft 459 supports the driven member 374 at its right end, where it is provided with the lugs 370a and 371a.
  • the lugs 370a and 371a are driven by the lugs 370 on the spindle 245.
  • the present air driven turbine may be equipped with all of the attachments shown in FIGS. 2l25, which can be driven at low speeds for drilling, grinding, polishing, etc.
  • the speeds may be varied from 1000 to 30,000 r.p.m. by means of a knob on the air pressure regulator.
  • the present air driven handpiece eliminates the dental electric motor, the cord, and the engine arm, which are parts introducing extra weight, noise, and vibration.
  • an air-driven turbine comprising a generally cylindrical housing having an axially-extending shaft rotatably mounted therein, an impeller on said shaft in said housing, said impeller being cylindrical in shape and having a multiplicity of peripheral parallelwalled slots forming radially-extending teeth, a supporting arm extending radially from said housing and having a drive air conduit extend therethrough, said housing having a drive air passage communicating with said drive air conduit and being positioned and arranged to direct drive air tangentially against the teeth of said impeller, said teeth being beveled at their leading edges relative to the direction of impeller rotation to reduce interference between such leading edges and the air discharged into said housing and to thereby increase the torque of said impeller, and exhaust means provided by said housing and arm for conveying exhaust air from said impeller, said exhaust means including a slot extending through a side wall of said housing and having a radial extension in an end wall thereof communicating with the interior of said housing to exhaust air from one end of said impeller as well as from the outer periphery
  • said exhaust means also includes a second exhaust conduit extending axially through said arm and constituting a main conduit for the discharge of exhaust air, and an exhaust passage provided by said housing and extending tangentially With respect to said impeller, said exhaust passage communicating with 20 said exhaust conduit for the discharge of air from said housing.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)

Description

y 3, 1966 M. STAUNT 3,248,792
' AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES Filed Aug. 27, 1962 6 SheeosSheet 1 L) INVENTQR. 7 MARTIN STAU NT BY MW ATTORNEY.
May 3, 1966 M. STAUNT AI R DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1962 IIIIIIIIIIIII VII,
on, 6,23 III/lull MARTIN STAUNT MW INVENTOR.
ATTORNEY.
May 3, 1966 M. STAUNT AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 27. 1962 I l-H 3 00 INVENTOR. MARTIN STAUNT ATTORNEY JHIHIIHHHI H Z 722k i l/I y 3, 1966 M. STAUNT 3,248,792
AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES Filed Aug. 27, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1N VEN TOR. M ARTIN STAU NT BY MW ATTORNEY.
0mm N mmm mww M5 www wwm y 3, 1966 M. STAUNT 3,248,792
AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES Filed Aug. 27, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.
ATTORNEY.
MARTIN STAUNT y 8, 1966 M. STAUNT 3,248,792
AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES Filed Aug. 27, 1962 5,4 6 Sheets -Sheet 6 INVENTOR. fizz/Z22 5Z2azzf BY Qm%%m United States Patent 3,248,792 AIR DRIVEN DENTAL HANDPIECES Martin Staunt, Des Plaines, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Hospital Supply Corporation, Evanston, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 219,537 3 Claims. (Cl. 32-26) The present application is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application, Serial No. 833,412, filed August 13, 1959, now Patent No. 3,050,856 which in turn is continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 494,607, filed March 16, 1955, now abandoned.
The present invention relates to air driven dental hand pieces, and is particularly concerned with the elimination of the electric motor dental engine and the drive of dental handpieces of the straight type and various attachments which may be attached to the straight handpiece and driven by means of an air driven turbine.
One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved air driven dental turbine which may be carried by the Wrist joint arm of a straight handpiece so that the drive shaft of the air turbine may be utilized with a belt to drive a straight handpiece and all of the attachments, such as contra angles for cavity preparation at low speeds, contra angles for the cleaning of teeth, and contra angles with amalgam condensing equipment and grinding attachments.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved straight handpiece assembly including an air driven turbine which may be controlled by the hand of the operator or by means of a foot control in which the speed may be varied from 1,000 r.p.m. to 30,000 rpm. and in which the electric dental motor may be eliminated so that the motor cord and engine arm, which are sources of extra weight, noise, and vibration, may be eliminated.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved straight handpiece combination in which gear driven contra angles may be attached to a straight handpiece which is driven by an air turbine and in which the contra angle may be provided with air and water nozzles so that the operator may have water flowing simultaneously with thet drive air from a nozzle which is carried by the contra angle pointing toward the dental bur or the water may be shut oil by the operator.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved air driven dental turbine which is so constructed that the air exhaust from the turbine may be carried away from the vicinity of the patient to an exhaust vial where more of the lubricant settles at a point remote from the patient.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts through the several views.
Referring to the drawings, of which there are six sheets, FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a straight handpiece embodying an air driven turbine by means of which the straight handpiece may have its shaft driven at all of the speeds which have been formerly accomplished by using an electric dental engine and a foot control;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the air driven turbine of FIG. 1 taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the threated hose connection taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5 is a sectional View taken on the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 6a is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6a-6a of FIG. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 6b is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the axis of the hose connector;
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 7-7 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction plane of the line 7-7 of FIG 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 8b is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the center of ring 300 of FIG. 8a;
FIG. is a fragment-arylongitudinal sectional view of an extension unit;
FIG. 9 is a side elevational view in partial section showing the removable sheath which is adapted to house the mechanism at the lower end of the straight handpiece of FIG. 7;
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified form of air turbine driven straight handpiece which is hand controlled;
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the plane of the line 11-11 of FIG. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 12 is an end elevational view taken on the plane of the line 12-12 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 13-13 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 14-14 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 15-15 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 16-16 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 15-15 of FIG. 11 with the push button hand control in the right hand position, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 18-18 of FIG. 13, looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 19 is a fragmentary section view passing through the axis of the turbine drive shaft, showing the' construction of the ball bearings employed in the turbine;
FIG. 20 is a side elevational view on a larger scale of the plastic ball bearing retainer employed in the ball bearings of FIG. 19;
FIG. '21 is a view in perspective of my straight air driven handpiece when equipped with a contra angle for prophylaxis;
FIG. 22 is a similar view of the assembly when equipped with a ball bearing contra angle;
FIG. 23 is a similar view with an amalgam condensing attachment;
Patented May 3, 1966 Y FIG. 24 is a similar view when provided with a grinding Wheel attachment;
FIG. 25 is a similar view of the straight .handpiece assembly which is adapted to be used for low speed high power operations with rotation in either direction;
REG. 26 is a side elevational view of the rotor of the air driven turbine preferably employed in the turbine of PEG. 1 or FIG. 10;
FIG. 27 is an edge elevational view of the rotor.
Referring to FIGS. l-6, this is an air driven dental handpiece combination adapted to be controlled by a foot controller or a control cabinet in which the volume and pressure of air is regulated to control the speed; and this air driven handpiece is adapted to drive a straight handpiece assembly and various types of contra angles, further to be described.
Referring to FIG. 1, indicates in its entirety the straight handpiece assembly of the type shown in my prior application Serial No. 833,412 filed August 13, 1959, except that the handpiece carries a wrist joint arm 41, comprising a solid curved metal arm which supports a turbine housing 42 at the end of the arm in position to have the shaft 43 of the turbine connected by a resilient rubber belt 44 to a pulley 45 on the straight handpiece.
The turbine housing 42 comprises a substantially cylindrical metal housing except that its outer wall has a slightly concave surface 46. The outer wall is indicated at 47; and it has a cylindrical bore 48 which has an open end provided with threads 49 for receiving the threads 58 of an end plate 51.
The end plate 51 has sockets 52 for a wrench; and it has an annular flat surface '53 for engaging the end 54 of the side wall 47. A stepped annular surface 55 engages another annular surface 56 for effecting an air-tight closure. I v
The turbine housing 42 has an inner plane wall 57 opposite to the cover plate; and the inner surface 58 of the cover plate is substantially plane, making a cylindrical chamber for receiving a rotor 59.
Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, these are views of the ball bearing assemblies which are employed at 60 and 61 for rotatably supporting the shaft 43. The same type of ball bearings shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are employed everywhere in the handpiece combination. For example, the shaft 43 has an outer cylindrical surface and an annular shoulder 62 against which the inner race 63 engages when the inner race is on the shaft.
The inner race has a cylindrical bore 64 and an outer cylindrical surface 65 and a centrally located circular groove 66 which is formed on a radius larger than the radius of the steel balls 67, giving the balls a point contact in the grooves 66.
The outer race 68 has an outer cylindrical surface 69 and an inner cylindrical surface 70 which is provided with a race groove 71 of circular shape formed on a radius, whichagain is of larger size than the radius of the balls 67.
The two races 63 and 68 are accurately located with their grooves 66 and 7 1 in alignment, that is, the grooves have the centers of generation on which the grooves are formed in alignment with each other.
The outer race is accurately located against an annular shoulder 72 formed in the bore 73 of the housing 74 in which the outer race is located.
The ball bearing assembly is not provided with its full complement of balls, but a lesser number of balls is employed with the balls spaced from each other and held in position by a plastic ball retainer 75. The ball retainer is shown on a larger scale in FIG. 20 in side elevation.
Seven ball sockets are provided with seven balls spaced equally from each other about the ball retainer 75. The ball retainer may be made out of nylon, and it comprises a tube of nylon which is slightly shorter than the races.
The tube has its outer surface 76 spaced from the inner surface 70 of the outer race and the tube has its inner surface 77 spaced from the outer surface of the inner race so that the ball retainer is able to float between the races without contact except at the balls.
The ball retainer has seven cylindrical ball sockets 78 formed on a radius larger than the balls so that these sockets 78 have only point contact with the balls. Each of the seven sockets 78 has a parallel walled slot 79, 88 extending from the ball socket or bore 78 and at one end of the ball retainer 75.
The walls 79, 88 of the slots are parallel, but they are closer together than the diameter of the balls so that the walls 79, 88 have to be forced apart to pass the balls into the sockets 78.
The method of assembly of the ball bearing assembly is as follows: When the two races are arranged eccentrically with respect to each other, the races are spaced from each other at one side sutficiently to insert the balls between the races until seven balls have been gathered in the grooves at the side opposite to the point of insertion. The balls are then arranged in equally spaced position in the grooves. Then the ball retainer 75 is placed with the parallel slots 79, 80 registering with each of the seven balls.
The retainer is then forced axially until the balls pass through the slots 79, 88; and the balls are then located in the sockets 78 and the walls 79, 88 have again expanded to retain the balls in the sockets 78.
The ball bearings 68 and 61 are of the type shown in FIGS. 19 and 2.0; and the inner race 63 fits on the cylindrical end portion 81 of the shaft 43 against an annular shoulder 82.
The rotor 59 comprises a cylindrical metal member having a cylindrical bore 83 fitting on the enlarged portion of the shaft 43, where it is frictionally held. The rotor has plane end surfaces 84 and 85 and a cylindrical periphery 86, which is interrupted by regularly spaced rectangular slots 87.
The slots 87 are preferably slightly deeper than their width; and each tooth has its leading corner 88a beveled at 45 degrees in the direction of rotation of the rotor. For example, the slots are 0.045 wide and 0.063 deep. As the slots are parallel walled, this means that the teeth are wider at the periphery of the rotor. The beveled corners prevent the next tooth from interfering with the nozzle action on the tooth in front of the bevel; and it is found-that this bevel improves the torque of the turbine. FIGS. 26 and 27 show the specific shape of the rotor.
Any number of slots may be employed, such as, for example, 24 slots, thus providing the periphery 86 with '24 teeth 88. The rotor 59 is provided with a short hub 89 at one and extending upwardly into engagement with the end surface of the adjacent inner race, but clearing the outer race.
The outer races are frictionally supported in a cylindrical bore 73 in each end of the housing; and the housing end wall 90 is provided with inner threads 91 for receiving the outer threads on a threaded plug 92.
The threaded plug has an annular flange 93 engaging the outer surface of the end wall 90. The threaded plug in each case may have an inner annular surface 94 engaging the end surface of the outer race.
The cover plate 51 is also provided with a cylindrical bore 95 for receiving the outer race of the bearing assembly 61; and the inner race is frictionally secured on the cylindrical end 96 of the shaft 43 against a spacer sleeve 89a on the rotor.
The cover plate 51 has a threaded bore 97 for receiving the threaded plug 98; and the threaded plug has an annular flange 99 engaging the end of the cover plate. Here again the annular flange 94 on the plug 98 engages the outer race at its end surface and clears the inner race.
The shaft has a groove 100 for receiving a split ring 191 inside a cavity 102 of the plug 98; and the plug holds the split ring 101 and the shaft against end movement, but the shaft rotates with the inner race, engaging the split ring.
Referring to FIG. 4, the cylindrical bore 48 in the housing 42 has a tangential surface 103 at the inlet side and a tangential surface 104 at the opposite side, forming inlet or outlet conduits 105, 106 between a triangular wall portion 107, 108 and the tangential surface in each case.
Either of these outlets 105, 106 may serve as an inlet or outlet; but in FIG. 4 the smaller tube 109 is preferably employed for the inlet, whereas a second tube 110 of larger size may be employed as the exhaust outlet.
The periphery 86 of the rotor 59 is slightly spaced from the inner cylindrical wall 48 so that one conduit 106 serves as a nozzle and the other conduit 105 serves as an outlet.
The housing 42 is welded to the arm 41 at 111 and the housing is also welded at 112 to the end of the conduit arm 113, which contains a pair of conduits 114, 115. At the side of the housing where the conduit arm 113 is located, the housing is provided with a slot 116 extending axially through the side wall and having an L shaped extension 117 permitting the exhaust of exhaust air from the side of the rotor as well.
Referring to FIG. 2, the conduit arm 113 also has an extension 118 or slot in its end opposite the slot 116 communicating with a longitudinally extending conduit 119 which extends to a lateral outlet 120 located to register with a peripheral groove 121.
The peripheral groove 121 is covered by a channelled ring 122 having its open side inward and having a pair of beveled side Walls 123, 124, the edges 125 of which are located over the peripheral groove 121. The edge 123 engages an annular shoulder 126; and the channelled ring 122 slides on the conduit arm 46, where it is retained by a threaded ferrule, further to be described.
The channelled ring 122 has a multiplicity of laterally extending round holes 127 forexhausting air which passes around the annular space in the groove 121; but the holes 127 are covered by an inner ring 127a of felt for absorbing most of the oil which is carried as a mist in the air.
A pin 128 (FIG. 4) is frictionally secured at one side of the groove 121 in position topass one of the slots 129, 130 when the channelled ring 122 is moved into place; and the tab 131 between the slots may be bent down to retain the channelled ring 122 in position.
This channelled ring may be removed to replace the felt oil absorbing band inside the channelled ring 122.
Referring to FIG. 4, the conduits 114, 115 are located on an upper plane, as one is shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2; and these conduits 1'14, 115 extend to enlarged counterbores 132 and 133, within which a pair of stainless steel tubes 110 and 109 are frictionally mounted.
Referring to FIG. 6a, this is a section taken through the conduit arm 13 to show the water conduit 135. This water conduit 135 extends longitudinally of the conduit arm and communicates with a diagonal bore 136 at the left end, where a stainless steel water tube 137 is frictionally secured in the bore 136; and the tube 137 extends over past the turbine housing 42, where it is bent downward to extend parallel at 138 to the handpiece, where it is provided with ridges 139 for receiving a flexible plastic water tube.
At its opposite end (FIG. 6a) the bore 135 frictionally receives a stainless steel water tube 140 which projects from the plane end 141 of the conduit arm and extends through a resilient rubber gasket 142, which has holes for the two stainless steel air tubes 109, 110 for the water tube 140.
The end of the conduit arm is provided with threads 143 for receiving a ferrule 144 of stainless steel having an external ribbed and knurled surface 145 and an internal 6 threaded bore 146 to be threaded on the threads 143 of the conduit arm 113. The ferrule 144 has an enlarged bore 147 at its end; and it has an annular shoulder 148 at its other end and a reduced cylindrical bore 149 for receiving a stainless steel plug 150, FIG. 6b.
The stainless steel plug 150.has an enlarged annular head 15 1 and an annular shoulder 152 engaging the annular shoulder 148; and the plug has a reduced cylindrical surface 153 for sliding in the bore 149. The plug 150 has three cylindrical bores 154, 155, and 156 for fitting the projecting tubes 109, 110, and 140, which are the air and water tubes projecting through the rubber gasket 142; and when the ferrule 144 is threaded tightly on the threads 143, the plug 150 engages the rubber gasket with its plane end 157 and effects a water-tight and airtight connection between the plug 150 and the conduit arm 113.
The plug 150 has stainless steel air tubes 158 and 159 and the small water tube 160 frictionally mounted in the end of the plug 150 and provided with external ridges 161 for receiving the air and water hoses 162, 163, 164 of flexible plastic which are clamped to the tubes 158-160. The hoses are clamped on the ridges 161 of the tubes 158, 159, 160 by a brass hose clamp 165.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the turbine housing has its wall 47 provided with a through bore 166 within which a stainless steel air tube 167 is secured at a point where it will receive air under pressure from the turbine; and the tube 167 is bent downward to extend along the handpiece at 168, where it is provided with a ribbed end 169 for attachment of a flexible plastic air tube.
The shaft 43 has a clearance in the plug 92 and has its end provided with a pair of grooves 170, 171; and the grooves are semi-circular in cross section for receiving the round resilient rubber belt 44.
The handpiece 40 is provided with a double pulley 45 having a peripheral groove of large diameter 172 and a peripheral groove 173 of smaller diameter, these grooves being in alignment, respectively, with the grooves 171 and 170. The grooves 172, 173 are'semi-circular; and the resilient belt 44 is adapted to stretch to fit the smaller diameter groove 173 and the larger diameter groove 172 to drive the spindle of the handpiece 40 at different speeds.
The present air driven turbines are supplied with air under pressure which has been filtered, from which the water has been separated, and in which lubricant mist has been injected as described in my prior Patent No. 2,943; 705 on Lubricating Apparatus.
The air containing lubricant mist in the turbine housing is adapted to pass through the annular space between the races 63 and 68 around the retainer 75 and around the balls 67, which are constantly lubricated by the deposit of lubricant thereon. v
The turbine has a clearance around the shaft 43 in the aperture inthe plug 92 and the plug 98 may also have a bleeder aperture for passing air containing lubricant.
Referring now to FIGS. 10-18, this is a similar air driven turbine 175 carried by a wrist arm 41 for driving a straight handpiece 40 by means of a belt 44.
The present air driven turbine of FIGS. 10-18 is of a type which is hand controlled, having a push button 176 constituting a valve for turning on the air under pressure or reversing its direction.
The air driven turbine 175 and the straight handpiece 40 shown in FIGS. 10-18 are in every way similar to that shown in FIGS 16a and similar numerals are applied 7 cylindrical portions 181 and 185 have a sliding fit in the bore 180.
The conduit arm 177 has a centrally located longitudinal bore.186 that contains a stainless steel tube 187 having a frictional fit and protruding from the threaded end 188 of the conduit arm. The tube 187 constitutes the inlet for air under pressure containing lubricant mist; and tube 187 protrudes into the transverse bore 180 so that the two edges 189 and 190 of the tube 187 projecting into the bore 180 constitute stops for engaging the tapered portions 182 and 184 of the push button.
The push button 176 is first inserted into its bore 180; and thereafter the bore 186 is provided with the tube 187, which acts as a stop for limiting the motion of the push button in either direction.
The turbine housing 175 has the same transverse slot 116 and L shaped slot 117; but these communicate with a slot 118 and with the bore 191 and with a longitudinal bore 192 leading to the annular groove 121, which is covered by the channelled ring 122.
The channelled ring 122 may be exactly similar in construction to the preceding ring, having a layer of felt 127 for absorbing oil; and the channelled ring 122 may have a multiplicity of small exhaust holes 193 for exhausting the air from the outlet. Some of the air is exhausted through the holes 193; and the balance may be carried back to the control cabinet through a flexible plastic tube from the stainless steel tube 194, which has a frictional fit in the bore 195 extending to the annular groove 121 in the conduit arm 177.
The threaded end 188 of the conduit arm carries a rubber gasket 142; and the threaded end has the two tubes 194, 187 protruding through the rubber gasket and also has a small stainless steel water tube 140 which extends into a bore 135 as before and communicates with a diagonal bore 136 leading to the stainless steel tube 137 for water, which ends at 139, where it is to be connected to a plastic water tube.
The turbine is again provided with an air outlet comprising a stainless air tube 158 which ends at 161 to be connected to a plastic tube.
The same ferrule 144 and stainless steel plug 150 shown in FIG. 6a is used for effecting a connection to the threaded shank 188 of this conduit arm 177.
The operation of this air driven turbine is substantially the same as the preceding one in FIGS. 16a except that it may be reversed in direction by means of the push button 176; but the speed of rotation of the turbine is controlled by the air pressure, which is regulated at the control cabinet pressure regulator knob.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 10, the straight handpiece 4% is of the type covered by my prior applications, Ser. No. 494,607 andSer. No. 833,412, the details of which are shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9.
The wrist joint arm 41 in each case is formed with an integral bearing housing 236, which comprises a cylindrical body extending substantially parallel to the shaft 43 of the turbine 42, and having an outer threaded portion 237 at its rear end.
This threaded portion is adapted to receive the internally threaded collar 238, which has a cylindrical flange 239 internally threaded, and an end flange 240 adapted to engage the outer ball bearing race 241 and secure it in a counterbore 242 against an annular shoulder 243.
The ball bearing assemblies employed everywhere in the present straight handpiece are of the type shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, having spaced balls held in place by a plastic retainer.
The end flange 240 of the collar has a central bore 244 which has a clearance with respect to the spindle 245 and its spacing sleeve 246 so that there is no contact between the rotating spindle and the collar 238.
The collar 238 has an annular shoulder at 247 for engaging the side of therace 241 and the end flange 240 has a clearance at 248 beside the races of the ball bearing to avoid contact between the collar 238 and the inner race 249.
The races of the ball bearing assembly, indicated at 241 and 24%, comprise hardened steel members; and the inner race 249 comprises an annular member having an inner bore 250 fitting on a reduced portion 251 of the spindle 245 against annular shoulder 252.
The inner race has plane end surfaces and an annular groove 253 of partially circular cross section in its outer cylindrical surface.
The outer race has an outer cylindrical surface fitting in the bore 242 against an annular shoulder 243, and has plane surfaces and an annular groove of partially circular cross section on its cylindrical surface for receiving the balls 254, sufficient of which are provided in the grooves to extend all theway around the periphery of the grooves with a spacing between the balls.
The cylindrical housing 236 has the enlarged bore 265 and a small counterbore 266 and a longer bore 267 in an integral tubular part 268.
The housing 236 has the reduced threaded portion 269 on its left end for receiving the internally threaded collar 270 which abuts against an annular shoulder 271 and is used to secure the sleeve 272 of thehandpiece to the wrist joint housing 236.
Tubular part 268 has a cylindrical outer surface 273; and the sleeve 272 has a cylindrical bore 274 so that the sleeve may slide on the tube 268 against an annular shoulder 275.
The sleeve 272 has a plane end 276 engaging the annular shoulder 275; and the sleeve has a radically projecting annular flange 277, which extends in to the bore of collar 270 at the clearance 278, where the collar is unthreaded.
The collar 270 has a smaller counterbore 279 in its left end which is formed with an outer rounded surface; and the bore 79 is adapted to receive the sleeve 272, which has an outer cylindrical surface 280.
Collar 270 has the inner shoulder 281 which draws the radial flange 277 against shoulder 275. There is suflicient clearance between the flange 277 and the adjacent surfaces to permit the sleeve 272 to rotate inside the collar on the tube 268.
Referring to FIG. 8, the sleeve 272 is provided with an annular groove 282, which is bounded by two annular shoulders 283, 284, and by a cylindrical surface 285 at the bottom of the groove.
This annular groove extends all the way around the sleeve 272, except that sleeve 272 has an axially extending slot 286 extending into its end beyond the groove 282, and defined by longitudinally extending edges 287, 288 which extend to the end 289 of the groove 286, as shown in FIG. 8.
This groove 2% provides a longitudinally extending slot into which a longitudinally extending lug 290, carried by the sheath 291 (FIG. 9), may be moved in attaching the sheath.
The circumferential groove 282 about the end of sleeve 272 (FIG. 8a) contains a resilient, partially cylindrical spring band 292, which has suflicient resiliency so that it can be sprung out of the groove 282 or sprung into the groove 282, as the band is open at its ends 293, 294 (FIG. 8a); and the band is of suflicien-t thickness so that it may be wholly housed or received in the groove 282, where it may rotate slidably; and it is used for securing the sheath 291 to the sleeve 272.
Thus the band 292 has the outer and inner cylindrical surfaces 295, 2% (FIG. 8a); and its width is sufficient to fit in the groove 282, having plane edge surfaces 297, 298 (FIG. 8a). 4 I
Band 292 is of sufiicient external diameter so that it is flush with the outside of sleeve 272, or the band may project slightly beyond sleeve 272 when it is secured in the cylindrical bore 299 of a rotatable actuating member 300,
9 which may be assembled by sliding member 300 on the sleeve 272 and band 292 until it overlaps the sleeve 272 and the sheath 291.
The actuating member 300 is fixedly secured to the band 292 so that it may be used to rotate the band 292 in groove 286. Band 292 may have a pair of oppositely located through bores 301 into which the adjacent parts of the member 300 may be forced with a center punch and brazed by a drop of brazing material.
Thus the band 292 is adapted to be rotated by the actuating member 300, which is actually a tube having the external knurled surfaces 304, 305, separated by a relief 306 and tapering toward both edges.
The band 292 is shorter circumferentially at the groove 282, in which it is mounted, than the adjacent portion of the sleeve 272, as will be seen in FIG. 8b. Thus the ends of the band are at 293, 294, which are wider apart than the edges of the slot 287, 288, and the edges of the groove 282, indicated by 283 and 284, are inwardly deformed at 307 and 308 in FIG. 8a, at a point which is spaced from the edge 287 of the slot 286.
This prevents band 292 from making a complete rotation; but it may rotate across the slot 286, that is, counterclockwise in FIG. 8b, until the end 294 of the band 292 completely traverses the slot 286 and strikes the stop 308. This is the locked position of the band 292.
Band 292 may also rotate in the opposite direction until its end 293 engages the stop 308, in which position the ends of the band 202 at 293 and 294 will be located outwardly of the ends of the slot 286, which are indicated at 287 and 288. In other words, the band will be completely out of the slot 286 in its unlocked position.
Referring to FIG. 9, the sheath 291 comprises a tubular metal member having outer cylindrical surfaces at 309 and a grooved gripping surface 310, having a plurality of cylindrical knurled lands 311 separated by partially circular grooves 312.
The grooves being circular makes them easy to keep clean, as foreign particles do not stick in circular grooves, as they do in rectangular corners.
At its right end, FIG. 9, the sheath 291 has an enlarged outer cylindrical surface 313 and a plane end surface 314, from which there projects a partially cylindrical lug or locking extension 290, which is an integral part of the sheath 291.
Lug 290 is bounded at its edges by radially located plane surfaces 315 and 316, which surfaces will be received between the edges 287 and 288 of the endwise slot 286 in the sleeve 272. In other words, the projecting extension on the. end of the sheath 291 is complementary to the slot 286 that is formed for it in the sleeve 272.
The external cylindrical surface 313 of lug 290 is the same size as the external surface 280 on sleeve 272, and lug 290 has an internal bore which is the same size as the bore 267 in sleeve 272.
Lug 290 also has a peripherally extending shallow groove 317, which is of the same size and width as the groove 282 in the sleeve 272 in which the band 292 slides. The boundaries of groove 317 may be indicated by its edges 283a and 284a, and its bottom 285a, to indicate that groove 317 in the sheath 291 is merely a continuation of the groove 282 in the sleeve 272, when the sheath has its lug 290 in the longitudinally open slot 286.
The end 318 of the sheath 291 (FIG. 9) is plane, fitting against the end 319 of the sleeve 272.
The sheath extension 291 forms a part of the straight handpiece which is driven by the air turbine; but thesheath extension 291 is detachable; and it may be employed to carry any number of attachments further to be described.
The operation of the detachable sheath 291 is as follows:
When the actuating member 300 is rotated until the band 292 slides rotatably out of the shallow groove 317 in locking extension 290, the sheath 291 may be slid axially away from the sleeve 272 and detached. The unlocking rotating motion of the band 292 is limited by edge 293 striking stop 308.
With the parts in this position the same sheath or another sheath may be slid over the spindle and may have its lug slid endwise into the open-ended slot 2860f the sleeve 272 until the end surfaces 319 of sleeve 272 and 318 of sheath 291 are in engagement.
Then the edges 315 and 316 of, lug 290 will be engaging the edges 287 and 288 of the slot 286 in sleeve 272 to prevent rotation of the sheath on the sleeve.
At this time the shallow groove 317 in the sheath extension 290 will register with the shallow groove 282 of the sleeve 272, and the locking band 292 may be rotated by its actuating member 300, the band 292 sliding in its present groove 282 and also across the lug 290 in the groove 317, until the end 294 of band 292 engages stop 308. Then the band 292 locks the extension lug 290 to the sleeve 272; and it is also held in alignment by the inner surface 299 of actuating member 300.
The sheath 291 is also held in accurate concentric alignment with the sleeve 272 by being slidably mounted on the integral tubular part 268, which extends to the left in FIG. 1, from the housing 236 and is adapted to support the bearing assembly at the tool end of the handpiece.
The tube 268 has the outer cylindrical surface 273, previously described, engaging the inner bore 274 in sleeve 272, and also engaging the inner bore 321 in sheath 291.
Thus the sheath 291 and sleeve 272 together constitute a rotatable external handle on the handpiece, which, being rotatable on the tube 268, permits the wrist joint 225 to hang downward when the sheath 291 is supported by the hand of the user.
The spindle 245 comprises a tubular metal member having the outer cylindrical surface at its left end (FIG. 2) extending to the annular shoulder 342. From this point the spindle is enlarged and has the outer cylindrical surface 343 provided with a clearance 344 inside the bore 321 of the tube 268.
The spindle is supported at its right end by the ball bearing assembly, Where the spindle has a reduced cylindrical surface 251; and the inner race 249 is held against shoulder 252 by a spacing tube 246 (FIG. 8), which is engaged at its other end by the pulley 346.
Pulley 346 is mounted on a reduced cylindrical portion 347 of the spindle and is held on this reduced portion 347 by a threaded bushing 348 having a knurled head 349 with the flat sides for reception of a wrench.
The bushing 348 has an annular surface 350 engaging the pulley 346; and the bushing has an external thread 351 on a reduced portion which is threaded into a threaded bore 352 in the spindle 245.
The spindle has a key 353 disposed in a keyway in the pulley 346 and the spindle and preventing rotation of the pulley on the spindle. The pulley is formed with a plurality of peripheral grooves 354 and 355 of different diameter, separated by radially extending flanges; and the grooves are tapered for engaging a belt in the form .of a cord which engages the sides of the pulley, or in some cases engages a curved bottom of the pulley groove.
The pulley is concave at its inner side 356 so that it extends about the collar 238 and prevents the ingress of dirt and moisture into the bore 244.
The bushing 348, which secures the pulley on the spindle, is also provided with a threaded bore 357 for receiving the threaded portion 358 of a chuck actuating rod 359, which extends-through the bore 360 in the spindle 245 and protrudes from the bushing 348, where it is provided with a metal actuating knob 361, having a threaded bore 362 tightly threaded on portion 358 and provided with a knurled edge 363.
The knob 361 is adapted to rotate the chuck rod 359 in the bushing 34-8, causing it to engage the collet actuating member 364 by means of its end 365. Conversely the rod 359 is adapted to release the chuck by being moved to the right.
The rod 359 is guided by a bushing 366, having a tight frictional fit in bore 360 of the spindle 345 to prevent whipping of this end of the rod; and the end surface 365 of the rod is partially spherical.
The spindle 245 is rotatably mounted at its left end by the ball bearings and has the reduced cylindrical part which has a continuation of the bore 360 for housing a collet 367. The bore 360 has a frusto-conical surface 368 at its end which communicates with a smaller counterbore 369; and the spindle has a pair of longitudinal driving extensions 370, 371 comprising lugs extending longitudinally of the spindle and forming a continuation of the spindle wall from the bore 369.
The lugs have flat radially extending sides 372 and a fiat end 373 with beveled corners, and are intended to be used for driving similar lugs on a driven member 374 (FIG. 26), which driven member is adapted to drive a contra angle.
The collet 367 comprises a substantially cylindrical member having the external cylindrical surfaces 375, 376 at each end and another cylindrical surface 377 midway between the ends with reduced portions 378 and 379.
The cylindrical surfaces 375-377 fitv in the bore 360 which guides the collet; and the collet is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending slots 380 at each end and with an internal bore 381 at each end, said bore having a substantial fit with the shank of a bur or other tool to be secured in the collet.
The collet actuating member 364 (FIG. 7) comprises a cylindrical member sliding in the bore 360, and having a frusto-conical cavity 382 leading to a bore 383 for receiving the conical end 384 of the collet.
The collet has a frusto-conical end surface 385 at its outer end engaging in the frusto-conical bore 368.
The operation of the collet is as follows:
The collet bore 381 is already a substantial fit n the shank of the bur or other tool. vWhen the push rod is threaded clockwise, it moves this rod 359 to the left, pushing the collet actuating member 364, and the conical surfaces 368 and 382 cause a contraction of the ends of the collet by engaging the outer conical surfaces 385 and 384.
The slots 380 contract and the collet resiliently grips the shank; but upon moving the rod 359 in the opposite direction, the collet springs back to non-gripping position.
The sheath 291 has its working end provided with a reduced tapered portion 386, which has a further tapered surface at 387 containing the bore 388, which houses the collet and leading to a smaller end bore 389 for passing the tool shanks.
The tapered end 336 is adapted to receive the complementary tapered socket of a contra angle or other attachment, which has a shaft that extends into the chuck and is gripped thereby while the external housing is mounted on tapered nose 386.
The sheath 291 has its tapered nose 386 provided with a longitudinally extending lug 390 projecting from surface 386 beyond the annular shoulder 391; and the lug 390 has a rounded end 392 and parallel edges so that this sheath may receive the contra angle housings as previously constructed. The lug 390 prevents the rotation of the housing on the sheath.
Referring to FIG. 21, this is a view in perspective of the complete assembly of the air driven straight handpiece when equipped with a contra angle for prophylaxis.
The detachable sheath extension 2911 supports a head 500, which contains a shaft 501 driving a transverse shaft 502 by means of bevel gears 503, the shaft 501 is driven from the lugs 370, 371; and the transverse shaft 502 supports a rubber cup 595 used for prophylaxis.
This attachment may be employed by substituting it on the air driven straight handpiece for the detachable extension 291.
Referring to FIG. 22, this is an attachment carried by a similar extension 291 and having a transverse head 506 provided with, a ball bearing support shaft 507 having a plastic tube for supporting a dental bur 508.
Referring to FIG, 23, in this case the extension 291 supports a contra angle head 512 with a driven shaft 513 for driving an amalgam packing tool 514, which is reciprocated by the drive shaft 513.
Referring to FIG. 24, this is another view showing a rotat-able shaft 514 mounted in bearings in the tube 515 and carrying a grinding wheel 516 protected by a shield 517. The shaft 514 is again driven by the lugs 370 and 371.
Referring to FIG. 25, this is a view showing the straight handpiece when equipped with a bur or other tool 518 held by the collet in the end of the straight handpiece, which is provided with a tapered collar 519 carrying air nozzle 520 and the water nozzle 521 connected by flexible tubes to the air and water tubes.
Referring now to FIG. 8c, the extension 291 in FIGS. 21-24 has an internally threaded end 451 which receives a bearing member 453 threaded into the extension at 452. The bearing member 453 rotatably supports a shaft 459 which has a V shaped gear 479 at its end. The shaft 459 supports the driven member 374 at its right end, where it is provided with the lugs 370a and 371a.
The lugs 370a and 371a are driven by the lugs 370 on the spindle 245.
Thus the present air driven turbine may be equipped with all of the attachments shown in FIGS. 2l25, which can be driven at low speeds for drilling, grinding, polishing, etc. The speeds may be varied from 1000 to 30,000 r.p.m. by means of a knob on the air pressure regulator.
The present air driven handpiece eliminates the dental electric motor, the cord, and the engine arm, which are parts introducing extra weight, noise, and vibration.
While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, may modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims,
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to. secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:
1. In a dental handpiece, an air-driven turbine comprising a generally cylindrical housing having an axially-extending shaft rotatably mounted therein, an impeller on said shaft in said housing, said impeller being cylindrical in shape and having a multiplicity of peripheral parallelwalled slots forming radially-extending teeth, a supporting arm extending radially from said housing and having a drive air conduit extend therethrough, said housing having a drive air passage communicating with said drive air conduit and being positioned and arranged to direct drive air tangentially against the teeth of said impeller, said teeth being beveled at their leading edges relative to the direction of impeller rotation to reduce interference between such leading edges and the air discharged into said housing and to thereby increase the torque of said impeller, and exhaust means provided by said housing and arm for conveying exhaust air from said impeller, said exhaust means including a slot extending through a side wall of said housing and having a radial extension in an end wall thereof communicating with the interior of said housing to exhaust air from one end of said impeller as well as from the outer periphery thereof, said exhaust means including an exhaust conduit extending through said arm and communicating with said slot, said exhaust conduit terminating in an exhaust port in a peripheral groove extending about said arm, a perforated ring mounted for rotational and axial movement upon said arm and normally extending over said groove, and an annular 13 replaceable filter element disposed within said ring for absorbing oil from air discharged through said port, and cooperating means provided by said arm and ring to prevent axial displacement of said ring unless said ring is first rotated into a selected position of adjustment.
2. The structure of claim 1 in which said ring is provided with inwardly extending end Walls slidably engaging the outer surface of said arm, said cooperating means comprising a pin secured to and projecting outwardly from said arm within the confines of said ring, and a slot provided in an end wall of said ring and alignable with said pin to permit axial movement of said ring thereover when said ring is first rotated into a selected position of adjustment.
3. The structure of claim 1 in'which said exhaust means also includes a second exhaust conduit extending axially through said arm and constituting a main conduit for the discharge of exhaust air, and an exhaust passage provided by said housing and extending tangentially With respect to said impeller, said exhaust passage communicating with 20 said exhaust conduit for the discharge of air from said housing.
References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 647,265 4/1900 Hoff 253--2 1,357,609 11/1920 Bobrovsky 253-2 X 1,384,975 7/1921 Shelton 3226 X 1,856,631 5/1932 Hackenberg 2532 2,073,704 3/ 1937 Mitchell 3226 X 2,879,594 3/1959 Massen 3226 2,994,129 8/1961 Tanner 3227 3,059,899 10/1963 Eickert 253-2 3,071,861 1/1963 Saflir 3227 3,076,267 2/ 1963 Hofimeister et a1. 3226 3,120,705 1/1964 Hoifmeister et a1. -32-27 FOREIGN PATENTS 837,789 5/1952 Germany.
927,151 5/ 1955 Germany.
RICHARD A, GAUDET, Primary Examiner.
ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.
DELBERT B. LOWE, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN DENTAL HANDPIECE, AN AIR-DRIVEN TURBINE COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING AN AXIALLY-EXTENDING SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREIN, AN IMPELLER ON SAID SHAFT IN SAID HOUSING, SAID IMPELLER BEING CYLINDRICAL IN SHAPE AND HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF PERIPHERAL PARALLELWALLED SLOTS FORMING RADIALLY-EXTENDING TEETH, SUPPORTING ARM EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A DRIVE AIR CONDUIT EXTEND THERETHROUGH SAID HOUSING HAVING A DRIVE AIR CONDUIT EXTEND THERETHROUGH, SAID HOUSING HAVINGS DUIT AND BEING POSITIONED AND ARRANGED TO DIRECT DRIVE AIR TANGENTIALLY AGAINST THE TEETH OF SAID IMPELLER, SAID TEETH BEING BEVELED AT THEIR LEADING EDGES RELATIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF IMPELLER ROTATION TO REDUCE INTERFERENCE BETWEEN SUCH LEADING EDGES AND THE AIR DISCHARGED INTO SAID HOUSING AND TO THEREBY INCREASE THE TORQUE OF SAID IMPELLER, AND EXHAUST MEANS PROVIDED BY SAID HOUSING AND ARM FOR CONVEYING EXHAUST AIR FROM SAID IMPELLER, SAID EXHAUST MEANS INCLUDING A SLOT EXTENDING THROUGH A SIDE WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A RADIAL EXTENSION IN AN END WALL THEREOF COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING TO EXHAUST AIR FROM ONE END OF SAID IMPELLER AS WELL AS FROM THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF, SAID EXHAUST MEANS INCLUDING AN EXHAUST CONDUIT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ARM AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID SLOT, SAID EXHAUST CONDUIT TERMINATING IN AN EXHAUST PORT IN A PERIPHERAL GROOVE EXTENDING ABOUT SAID ARM, A PERFORATED RING MOUNTED FOR ROTATIONAL AND AXIAL MOVEMENT UPON SAID ARM AND NORMALLY EXTENDING OVER SAID GROOVE, AND AN ANNULAR REPLACEABLE FILTER ELEMENT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID RING FOR ABSORBING OIL FROM AIR DISCHARGED THROUGH SAID PORT, AND COOPERATING MEANS PROVIDED BY SAID ARM AND RING TO PREVENT AXIAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID RING UNLESS SAID RING IS FIRST ROTATED INTO A SELECTED POSITION OF ADJUSTMENT.
US219537A 1962-08-27 1962-08-27 Air driven dental handpieces Expired - Lifetime US3248792A (en)

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Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3440726A (en) * 1965-10-20 1969-04-29 Golden West Dental Inc Drive means
US3826004A (en) * 1972-04-17 1974-07-30 J Graceffo Dental prophylaxis instrument
US4786251A (en) * 1986-10-10 1988-11-22 James E. Shenberg Dental handpiece and high speed turbine assembly
US4966552A (en) * 1989-05-08 1990-10-30 Den-Tal-Ez, Inc. Sterilizable non-lubricated rotary instrument for dental and medical use
US11346430B2 (en) * 2020-03-29 2022-05-31 Xudong Ma Mechanical adapter to transfer motion from rotational to swinging via a slotted cam structure

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US647265A (en) * 1899-04-10 1900-04-10 Edmund F Wickham Pneumatic drill.
US1357609A (en) * 1920-02-04 1920-11-02 Bobrovsky Alex Water-motor
US1384975A (en) * 1917-10-06 1921-07-19 Shelton William Gentry Dental-engine hand-tool
US1856631A (en) * 1930-06-21 1932-05-03 Nafanaiel Hackenberg Turbine and attachment therefor
US2073704A (en) * 1935-07-13 1937-03-16 Walter G Mitchell Drill press
DE837789C (en) * 1949-10-11 1952-05-02 Leopold Seyda Reversible gear motor for compressed air or steam
DE927151C (en) * 1951-07-13 1955-05-02 Leonhard Boebel High pressure turbine
US2879594A (en) * 1956-05-02 1959-03-31 White S Dental Mfg Co High speed handpiece
US2994129A (en) * 1956-05-08 1961-08-01 Paul H Tanner High speed dental handpiece
US3059899A (en) * 1959-01-19 1962-10-23 Richard R Eickert High speed air motor
US3071861A (en) * 1960-05-27 1963-01-08 Dentists Supply Co Dental instruments
US3076267A (en) * 1958-01-09 1963-02-05 Alois Kaltenbach Handpieces for dental purposes
US3120705A (en) * 1957-10-10 1964-02-11 Alois Kaltenbach High-speed angle-handpieces for dental purposes

Patent Citations (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US647265A (en) * 1899-04-10 1900-04-10 Edmund F Wickham Pneumatic drill.
US1384975A (en) * 1917-10-06 1921-07-19 Shelton William Gentry Dental-engine hand-tool
US1357609A (en) * 1920-02-04 1920-11-02 Bobrovsky Alex Water-motor
US1856631A (en) * 1930-06-21 1932-05-03 Nafanaiel Hackenberg Turbine and attachment therefor
US2073704A (en) * 1935-07-13 1937-03-16 Walter G Mitchell Drill press
DE837789C (en) * 1949-10-11 1952-05-02 Leopold Seyda Reversible gear motor for compressed air or steam
DE927151C (en) * 1951-07-13 1955-05-02 Leonhard Boebel High pressure turbine
US2879594A (en) * 1956-05-02 1959-03-31 White S Dental Mfg Co High speed handpiece
US2994129A (en) * 1956-05-08 1961-08-01 Paul H Tanner High speed dental handpiece
US3120705A (en) * 1957-10-10 1964-02-11 Alois Kaltenbach High-speed angle-handpieces for dental purposes
US3076267A (en) * 1958-01-09 1963-02-05 Alois Kaltenbach Handpieces for dental purposes
US3059899A (en) * 1959-01-19 1962-10-23 Richard R Eickert High speed air motor
US3071861A (en) * 1960-05-27 1963-01-08 Dentists Supply Co Dental instruments

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3440726A (en) * 1965-10-20 1969-04-29 Golden West Dental Inc Drive means
US3826004A (en) * 1972-04-17 1974-07-30 J Graceffo Dental prophylaxis instrument
US4786251A (en) * 1986-10-10 1988-11-22 James E. Shenberg Dental handpiece and high speed turbine assembly
US4966552A (en) * 1989-05-08 1990-10-30 Den-Tal-Ez, Inc. Sterilizable non-lubricated rotary instrument for dental and medical use
US11346430B2 (en) * 2020-03-29 2022-05-31 Xudong Ma Mechanical adapter to transfer motion from rotational to swinging via a slotted cam structure

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Owner name: SYBRON CORPORATION, 1100 MIDTOWN TOWER, ROCHESTER,

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:AMERICAN HOSPITAL SUPPLY CORPORATION A CORP. OF ILL.;REEL/FRAME:004051/0902

Effective date: 19820831