Patent Application
20180250103
The present disclosure relates generally to a motor driven dental dispenser and more specifically to a dental dispenser for the motorized extrusion and precise placement of dental materials such as wash viscosity impression material, core build up materials and restorative composites.
It is known in the dental art to provide motor driven tools, such as for example, drills, polishing discs, prophylactic devices, and the like. It is also known in the art to provide such devices in the form of a handpiece that the dental professional can grasp and use to manipulate the tool. It is beneficial to provide such devices with various controls such as on/off switches, speed controls, or the like. When the dental professional is manipulating such devices and their associated controls, it often proves difficult to efficiently handle the tools for long periods of time due to length and weight restrictions and well as grip style which is usually a pistol style grip. Moreover, available handpieces are limited in their ability to interface with 3rd party products.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,283,059 describes an air powered pneumatic dispenser that aids in precision placement of a tissue management impression material.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,568,141 discloses linearly motorized dental syringe comprising a rotating cylindrical body located coaxially to a main housing and operated by a drive shaft and a locking ring that rotates to engage a split nut on the external threads of a plunger rod. The threaded plunger rod is not attached to the motor directly and nests within the rotating cylindrical body, advancing and retracting with the split nut engagement.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,192,198 discloses a squeezing gun for two-part medical viscous fluid that simultaneously squeezes two different kinds of medical viscous fluid contained in a double cartridge. Scroll bars advance under the influence of gears and a spring is used to bias the scroll bars towards the rear. In another implementation, a pair of clutches is biased against threaded scroll bars that rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,002 discloses a handheld device for applying dental materials which comprises a retractable plunger with a hollow, threaded bore for engagement with a threaded drive shaft, the hollow plunger allowing the drive shaft to nest within plunger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,771,925 discloses a soap dispenser and wash signal device comprising a signaling timer dispenser that indicates the beginning and end of a hand washing cycle. The signaling device is mounted in the housing of the soap dispenser which has a pivotally mounted soap dispensing handle; and when pivotally moving the soap dispensing handle, the movement of the handle causes activation of the signaling device,
In U.S. Pat. No. D729,400, Hayman discloses a gun shaped mixing and dispensing device with a pistol style grip.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0036616 discloses dispensing and mixing systems comprising a motorized dispenser with a linear drive mechanism for use with vessels containing materials to be mixed and a dynamic mixer driven by a second drive mechanism.
It is desirable in many uses to provide a motorized dispenser for use with cartridges of different sizes. The disclosure generally relates to a device for use with impression material cartridges, and more specifically to a motorized dental dispenser, comprising a housing with a proximal end and a distal end, the housing including a plunger disposed therein, a cap with a first end and a second end, the cap removably attached to said housing, and a charging base with a top portion, a bottom portion and an extension, the extension formed contiguously with the top portion and adapted to receive the dispenser for charging, wherein the second end of the cap leads to a cavity for receiving impression material cartridges of different sizes, and wherein the housing is configured to house an electric motor for operably engaging said plunger to expel impression material from the impression material cartridge. This will provide power assisted delivery for the precise placement of dental materials such as wash viscosity impression materials. Delivery of other materials such as core build up materials and restorative components can also be realized.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the device in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the that will be described hereinafter.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The device is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.
An object is to provide a dispenser with nested plungers to reduce the overall length and width of the dispenser.
Another object is to provide a dispenser operated by activation buttons or other means on the distal end of the dispenser, so that a user such as a dentist or hygienist can activate the dispenser with their finger when grasping the dispenser with a pen grip.
Another object is to provide a dispenser with dispensing speeds that change incrementally.
Yet another object is to provide a dispenser with a wireless foot pedal to provide variable speed control
An object of the disclosure is to provide a dispenser with audible alarms for working and setting times.
Another object is to provide a dispenser with a rechargeable battery and a base for receiving and charging a dispenser.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a dispenser with a cap and springs wherein the springs bias the cap in a forward position, taking up any looseness between the cap and the dispenser.
Another object is to provide a dispenser wherein the electronics of the dispenser are sealed to prevent fluid ingress. A charging base to receive the dispenser may also have drainage holes underneath to prevent accumulation of fluids.
An object is to provide a dispenser with a current sensing to automatically determine cartridge sizes and plunger position.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present disclosure. To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this device may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of this application.
Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present disclosure will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Turning descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate a linear cartridge-receiving motorized dental device for the extrusion and precise placement of dental materials. Referring to the accompanying drawings, particularly,
In particular, the dispenser 10 comprises an upper outer housing 7 and a lower outer housing 8 adapted to contain a battery and a DC electric motor 23 therein. The electric motor 23 turns a lead screw 21, the lead screw 21 being coupled to the motor 23 by a transmission coupler 22. As shown in
The plungers 16 may be nested around the lead screw 21 to reduce the overall length of the dispenser 10. As shown in
The outside walls of the plunger rod threaded base 15 may have short ribs that extend on either side and slide freely in a groove created between the upper inner frame 11 and lower inner frame 12. The two grooves are aligned with the axis of the lead screw 21. The groves prevent the plunger rods from rotating due to frictional forces of lead screw 21, which therefore transfers the rotational movement of the motor 23 into axial movement of the plungers 16.
As will be seen in
To operate the device, the user depresses one of the activation buttons 1 or 2 to start the motor 23 and advance the plungers 16. The user releases the activation buttons 1 or 2 to stop dispensing. Preferably, the front button is a preset slow activation button 2 and the rear button is a preset fast activation button 1.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a multi-position rocker switch may be used in the dispenser with each position of the switch relating to incremental dispensing speeds.
In accordance with another embodiment, the dispenser 10 may have a wireless Bluetooth foot pedal (not shown) that provides variable speed control. When paired with the foot pedal the Bluetooth symbol may appear on display 5 within window 9. When dispenser 10 is paired with the Bluetooth foot pedal, the foot pedal overrides the activation buttons 1 and 2. The practitioner may control the dispensing speed with the foot pedal by depressing the foot pedal lightly for slow speeds and more heavily for faster speeds. Preferably, the speed can vary between off and a preset maximum speed corresponding to the fast activation button 1.
In an embodiment, where balance is more important than weight, battery 26 may be positioned over the hand for balance rather than in-line with the motor 23. This results in a shorter dispenser 10 and helps reduce fatigue during use.
In a further embodiment, the cap 34, may have a snap arm 37 that snaps over cartridge flange 41 on the cartridge 32. Referring to
In an embodiment, a cap release clip 14 may secure cap 34 to the housing. Cap release clip 14 is preferably a plastic component. The clip 14 may wrap around the outside proximal end of nose 13 and may be secured with a heat stake 53 or other similar attachment. The clip 14 fits around nose 13 with clearance to permit inward flexing. In its normally un-flexed position, upper tabs 51 on cap release clip 14 are biased outwardly against the inner surface of flexible side cap release buttons 3 on outer upper housing 7. Also, lower tabs 50 on the outer sides of cap release clip 14 are biased outwardly and mate with square holes 38 in the proximal end of the cap 34. The distal surfaces of the lower tabs 50 have angled leading faces 52. When the cap 34 is pushed onto the housing, the inner cap surface 54 rides over the angled leading faces 52 of lower tabs 50 and compresses cap release clip 14 into a flexed position. When cap 34 is fully attached cap release clip 14 snaps outwardly and the lower tabs 50 lock into the square holes 38, locking cap 34 securely in place. To remove cap 34, the user presses flexible side cap release buttons 3 on the outside of upper outer housing 7, flexing the upper tabs inwards and compressing the diameter of cap release clip 34 into a smaller diameter. As the diameter decreases, lower tabs 50 withdraw from square holes 38, thereby releasing the cap 34.
In another embodiment, the springs 55 may bias cap 34 in a forward positon. The springs may be held in place between a distal spring post 56 and a proximal spring post 57. Preferably there are two springs 55, one on either side of nose 13 positioned behind the lower tabs 50 of the cap release clip 14. The springs 55 are held in a slightly compressed state between distal post wall 63 and proximal post wall 64 that support the two posts 56 and 57. The distal spring post 56 has a semi-circular cross section, so that the outer most portion of the spring 55 relative to the lead screw 21 axis is unsupported by distal post wall 63. This unsupported outer portion of the spring 55 is in a position relative to the cap 34 to be compressed by the proximal end of the cap 34. When cap 34 is placed on housing and snaps onto lower tabs 50, the proximal end of the cap 34 compresses the springs which biases cap 34 forward, taking up any looseness between the cap 34 and the housing. This biasing spring force also helps disengage cap 34 when the side cap release buttons 3 are depressed by moving lower tabs 50 inward and out of engagement with square hole 38 and providing positive tactile feedback for the user when placing and removing cap 34.
Another embodiment for the cap release mechanism comprises a single cap release button on top of housing over the cap release clip 14, which pushes down on a Y-shaped arm that compresses the armatures supporting upper tabs 51, thereby releasing cap 34. Alternatively, a motorized release mechanism may be used for the cap release mechanism. Further, the mechanism that biases cap 34 forward may be realized with use 1 or more springs. Forms of springs that could be incorporated include wave springs, leaf springs, or spring wires.
Another embodiment of the cap release mechanism that locks cartridge mixtip assembly 20 into cap 34 is to use a flexible latch consisting of a flexible plastic that compresses as the cartridge mixtip assembly 20 is inserted into the cap 34 and snaps into place, locking the cartridge mixtip assembly 20 in place.
In another embodiment, the dispenser 10 may have audible alarms for Work Time (WT) and Set time (ST). The WT is the time in which a low viscosity material (wash material) may be placed on the tooth preparation and the impression tray may be seated in order to obtain a good impression. If the WT is exceeded the low viscosity material may become a gel and result in an impression defect. The ST is the time at which the impression material is fully set and the practitioner can remove the impression tray from the patient's mouth. If the impression is pulled before the material is fully set, the impression may distort and the crown may not fit the preparation. The WT and ST alarm features are therefore advantageous when taking a dental impression.
In accordance with yet another embodiment, the electronics may be sealed against liquid ingress with a silicone seal or other similar sealant that goes around the perimeter of the dispenser 10, around the body and around the activation button PCB 31. In addition, the plungers 16 may have o-rings 18 that fit in o-ring grooves 59 that seal plunger holes 60 in nose wall 58. Together, the o-rings 18, nose wall 58, plungers 16 and o-ring grooves 59 may form a liquid tight seal with the plunger holes 60, i.e. the sealing position. Software controlling the dispenser 10 may be programmed to return plungers 16 to their sealing position (home position) after Set Time or after the plungers reach the end of the cartridge, whichever comes first. Plungers 16 may also automatically retract to the sealing position upon powering off. This assures that dispenser 10 is always sealed against liquid ingress prior to disinfection. In particular, the dispenser is sealed against disinfection liquids that may be sprayed or wiped on the outside of dispenser or in nose 13.
In another embodiment, the dispenser 10 may use current sensing to determine cartridge size, plunger position, adjust speed and prevent over pressurization. The software of device 10 may detect the difference between a small cartridge 66 (without an integral cartridge extension) and a large cartridge 67 (with an integral cartridge extension). When motor 23 meets resistance from the plungers or impression material, the current level in the circuit increases and is detected. This may be detected with a current sense chip, providing a measurement of the current being delivered to the motor 23. These current spikes can be identified as events that correlate to the position of plungers 16. Current detection has proven to be much easier and cost effective than using position sensors for these programmed functions. Current sensing may be used to locate pistons 61 and start the timer for ST and WT alarms. The timer starts automatically when a current spike is detected within a certain time period. For example, referring to the flow chart in
Further, the dispenser 10 may be designed to dispense material from at least two different cartridge sizes. The different cartridges may contain different amounts of material depending on the specific procedure being performed. For example a small cartridge 66 may contain fast set material and used for impressing 1-2 teeth and a large cartridge 67 may contain regular set material for 3-4 teeth. Accordingly, The WT and ST for the small cartridge 66 is shorter than the WT and ST for the large cartridge 67. For example the WT for fast set material may be 30 seconds with a 2 minute 35 seconds ST and the WT for regular set material may be 70 seconds with a 5 minute ST. Ideally, the dispenser 10 is able to recognize which size cartridge 32 is being used. Though sensors could be utilized an inexpensive solution is detecting the spike in current when plungers 16 meet resistance due to the contents of cartridge 32. A software program that utilizes feedback from a current level detector may be used to make a determination of which cartridge 32 is in the dispenser 10 and which WT and ST alarms to initiate.
Another embodiment incorporates an audible warning several seconds before the WT elapses, for example 10 s before the actual WT. This “nearing working time” warning lets the practitioner know that WT is approaching and that he or she should prepare to complete the application. This reduces WT application errors and eliminating impression defects. For example, the nearing WT alarm could be 3 short beeps and the WT alarm could be one long beep as shown in
Hall Effect sensors may be used to detect the position of the plungers 16 and to base the software program and timers on such positions. Moreover, an RFID label on the cartridge 32 and an RFID reader in dispenser 10 may be used to communicate and control specific alarms, audible tones, application speeds, etc., based on what product is in cartridge 32. For example, a product may have specific WT and ST which could be unlocked and executed by the RFID label on the cartridge.
In one embodiment, the user operates the dispenser by inserting an appropriate size of the cartridge and mixtip assembly into a dispenser cap which is then coupled with the dispenser housing. The user selects one of two preset operation modes, Fast Set or Regular Set corresponding to the Set Time of the material in the cartridge. If the user prefers to utilize the User Set operation mode, the user then sets the preferred WT and ST if not already set by default. The user then activates the dispenser by grabbing it with a pen grip and pressing an activation button to start the motor and advance the plungers. The cartridge size is automatically detected based on if an early current spike is generated. The user applies wash material to the tooth preparation. An audible warning signals several seconds before the WT elapses and again when the WT has elapsed. An impression tray is inserted into the mouth before or immediately after WT tone sounds are heard. This is done before the wash material sets in order to obtain a good impression. The user then waits for the impression material to set (when ST audible tone sounds are heard) before removing the impression tray.
What has been described and illustrated herein is a preferred embodiment of the disclosure along with some of its variations. The terms, descriptions and figures used herein are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the disclosure in which all terms are meant in their broadest, reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62465176 | Mar 2017 | US |
