Patent ID: 7955079
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: A61C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A dental handpiece and prophy angle assembly, comprising: (i) a disposable dental prophy angle having an elongated tubular body with proximal and distal end portions, the tubular body containing a central bore extending therethrough, the proximal end portion including a hollow head member for mounting a driven gear therein, the distal end including a first locking extension with first locking tab and a second locking extension with second locking tab, the distal end being open-ended so that the prophy angle can be removably attached to a dental handpiece, and the central bore including a drive shaft having forward-facing and rear-facing end portions, the forward-facing end of the drive shaft including a driving gear for driving the driven gear and the rear-facing end of the drive shaft having a piloting tip for guiding the prophy angle onto the handpiece, the drive shaft further having first and second protruding self-aligning tabs to form a recessed locking surface located there between for receiving an interlocking drive member located in the handpiece; and (ii) the dental handpiece comprising a forward-facing tubular nose portion and a rear-facing handle portion, the nose portion including a central aperture therein for removably receiving the piloting tip of the drive shaft and a locking annular member for engaging the first and second locking tabs to lock the prophy angle in place, and the handpiece including an interlocking drive member, the drive member having first and second self-aligning forward-facing extension prongs to form a locking slot located there between so that the extension prongs may slide into the recessed locking surface of the drive shaft.