Abstract:
A lighted air/water syringe includes a head mounted on a sleeve via a neck. The sleeve includes an air supply line, a water supply line, and a light tube which are connected to sources of air, water, and light by a supply conduit. The air and water passages are in communication with the air and water lines in the sleeve and extend through the neck to a front of the head. Valves are positioned in the air and water passages to selectively regulate the flow of air and water to the end of the head. The light tube in the sleeve extends through the neck and partially into the head. The head removably receives a probe or nozzle in its end. The probe is made from a light transmitting material, and, when placed in the head, is in light transmitting communication with the light tube. The probe includes air and water passages having entrances in the side of the probe and exits at a forward surface of the prove. The side entrances are placed in fluid communication with the air and water passages in the head when the probe is inserted in the head. A method of making the probe is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/271,082, filed Feb. 23, 2001, entitled “Lighted Air/Water Syringe”, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates to air/water syringes for use by dentists, and in particular, to a lighted air/water syringe.  
           [0004]    Dentists commonly use air/water syringes during various procedures to clean the work area of tooth debris or other debris. For example, after a dentist performs a drilling operation, he will remove the debris with a water spray. Dentists also use the air spray to dry a tooth surface after rinsing or cleaning, for example, to apply a coating to the tooth surface. Typically, the air/water syringes allow the dentist to spray streams of air and water either individually or together. However, conventional air/water syringes only operate to spray air and water. They do not provide any lighting to enable the dentist to see the working area more clearly while he is cleaning out the work area, or after he has cleaned out the work area.  
           [0005]    Further, the probe or nozzle of the air/water syringe is typically made of metal, and hence must be sterilized between uses. This requires that the dentist have several different nozzles, so that the nozzles can be switched between patients to ensure that a clean nozzle is used on each patient. If the syringe does not allow for the nozzle to be removed, the dentist must resort to washing the nozzle off. However, the dentist can only wash off (or wipe down) the outside of the syringe. If any of the patient&#39;s saliva or debris is pulled into the syringe (for example when the syringe valve are closed), the dentist can blow this saliva or debris out of the syringe, but he will not be able to effectively clean the inside of the syringe nozzle without fully sterilizing the nozzle.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An air/water syringe is provided. The syringe has a head mounted on a sleeve via a neck. The head is generally circular in lateral cross-section, and has generally curved or arced surfaces in axial cross-section. The head has a generally sloped back surface and a generally vertical front surface. A nozzle or probe is removably received in the front of the head. Push button actuators are provided on the back surface provide an air and/or water spray at a desired location in a patient&#39;s mouth.  
           [0007]    The sleeve has an air supply line, a water supply line, and a light tube which are connected to sources of air, water, and light in a control by a supply conduit. The neck has air and water passages and a central opening. The neck and air water passages are in fluid communication with the air and water lines of the sleeve and exit the sleeve in a side surface of the sleeve. The light tube in the sleeve passes through the neck central passage.  
           [0008]    The head includes air and water valve chambers which extend from the back surface of the head and which are in communication with the air and water passages of the neck. The valve chambers are offset from both a vertical and horizontal plane of the head and are angled or sloped downwardly and outwardly. The bottom portion of the chambers are disposed on opposite sides of the neck, the neck being received substantially in the center of the head, and the exit ports on the side of the neck open into the respective valve chambers at the bottoms of the valve chambers. Air and water passages extend forwardly from upper portions of the valve chambers and are in communication with the probe or nozzle, as discussed below. Valve members are received in the valve chambers to open and close the head passages to permit and prevent the flow of air and water to the nozzle. The head also includes a central passage way into which the light tube extends.  
           [0009]    The valves each include a body having a button external of the head, a neck depending from the head, a sloped section depending from the neck, and a generally straight sided section depending from the sloped section. The straight-sided section has a width substantially equal to the width of the chamber. The valve body is movable between a first raised position in which the valve body straight sections block the entrance from the valve chambers to the head passages and a second lowered position in which the conical sections are in fluid communication with ports between the neck passages and the chamber lower sections to place the neck passage and the head passage in fluid communication with each other so that air and water can exit the nozzle. The valve bodies are normally biased to their first, raised, positions by pressure in the neck air and water passages.  
           [0010]    The head also includes a forward chamber which opens into the central passage way. The probe or nozzle is received in the chamber. The nozzle is made of light transmitting material, such as polycarbonate, and includes air and water passages which extend from entrance ports in the side of the nozzle to exits at the end of the nozzle. The nozzle is removably received in the chamber and is frictionally held in place in the chamber to be in light transmitting communication with the light tube in the head. The chamber&#39;s inner surface has a first annular channel in fluid communication with the head water passage and a second annular channel in fluid communication with the head air passage, and seals on opposite sides of the first and second annular channels. When the nozzle is inserted into the chamber, the entrance ports to the nozzle passages are placed in fluid communication with their respective annular channels. The seals not only form fluid seals with the nozzle around the annular channels, but frictionally grip the nozzle to hold the nozzle in the chamber. Thus, the seals can either be ribs on the inner surface of the chamber or O-rings received in grooves in the inner surface of the chamber. The chamber inner surface can be formed directly in the head. Alternatively, the head can receive a hollow sleeve in a forward opening of the head. This sleeve would then define the chamber inner surface and would include passages which place the annular channels in communication with their respective passages in the head.  
           [0011]    The probe is made from a lens quality polycarbonate and is disposable. The probe is made by cutting an extruded piece of the polycarbonate to length. The polycarbonate is extruded with the air and water passages in it. After the length of the extrusion has been cut, one end of the cut length is sealed to close off the passages at that end and the entrance ports to the passages are formed in the side of the probe. The material used to seal the end of the probe has substantially the same refractive index as the extruded material.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The objects of the invention are achieved as set forth in the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings which form a part of the specification.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lighted air/water syringe of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the air/water syringe;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the air/water syringe taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the air/water syringe taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 2;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is bottom plan view of the head of the air/water syringe, with internal holes shown in phantom;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is side elevational view of the head with internal holes and passages shown in phantom;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the head taken along line  7 - 7  of FIG. 5;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the head taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 5;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the head and a valve assembly for the head;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a neck of the air/water syringe;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the neck;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 12 is a back elevational view of the neck;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the neck taken along line  12 - 12  of FIG. 11;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the neck taken along line  14 - 14  of FIG. 11;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a nose of the air/water syringe;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 16 is a back elevational view of the nose;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the nose taken along line  17 - 17  of FIG. 16;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the nose taken along line  18 - 18  of FIG. 15;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the nose taken along line  19 - 19  of FIG. 16;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 20 is a side elevational view of a disposable probe of the air/water syringe;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 21 is an front end elevational view of the probe; and;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative head for the air/water syringe. 
     
    
       [0035]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0036]    The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what we presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention.  
         [0037]    An air/water syringe  1  of the present invention is shown generally in FIGS.  1 - 4 . The air/water syringe  1  includes a body  3  having a neck  5  and a nose  7  (which in combination define a head  8 ). The neck  5  is received in a handle or sleeve  9  which carries water and air lines, and an optic tube (such as a bundle of optic fibers). The sleeve  9  has a connector at its end which connects the sleeve to a supply conduit, which extends from a control unit, or otherwise connects the syringe  1  to a source of air, water, and light. The connector is preferably a swivel connector, such as shown in co-pending application Ser. No. 60/272,513 filed Feb. 23, 2001, entitled SWIVEL CONNECTOR FOR A DENTAL AND MEDICAL HANDPIECE, and which is incorporated herein by reference. A disposable probe or nozzle  11  is removably received in the nose  7  to delivers air, water, and light to a desired spot in a patient&#39;s mouth. As will be described below, the syringe  1  can be operated to deliver only air, only water, or a combination of air and water.  
         [0038]    The body  3  is generally in the shape of a truncated football or oval. It includes an outer side surface  21 , a back surface  23 , and a front  25 . The front surface  25  is formed generally perpendicularly to an axis A 1  (FIG. 6) of the body  3 . The back surface  23 , however, is formed at an angle α (of about 120°) to the axis A 1 , as seen in FIG. 6. A pair of valve chambers  27  and  28  extend inwardly from the back surface  23 . The valve chambers  27  and  28  include a first section  27   a  and  28   a  and a second section  27   b  and  28   b.  The two sections ( 27   a,    28   a  and  27   b,    28   b ) are both generally cylindrical in shape, with the second section  27   b.,    28   b  being of a smaller diameter than the section  27   a,    28   a.  The chambers  27  and  28  are not parallel to an axis A 2  (FIG. 5) of the body  3 ; nor are the axis of the two chambers parallel to each other. Rather, the axes of the chambers  27  and  28  form an angle β of about 14° with the axis A 2 , and an angle Δ of about 28° with each other. Further, the chambers  27  and  28  are not parallel to the axis A 1  (FIG. 6). Rather, they form an angle of about 30° with the axis A 1 . Thus, as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the chambers  27  and  28  angle downwardly and outwardly from the back wall  23 .  
         [0039]    A nose opening  29  is formed in the body front surface  25 . The opening  29 , as described below, is sized to frictionally receive the nose  7 . The opening  29  has a side wall  31  and a floor  33 . Passages  35  and  36  extend from the nose opening floor  33  to the chambers  27  and  28 , respectively, to place the chambers  27  and  28  in fluid communication with the nose opening  29 . The passages  35  and  36  intersect the chambers  27  and  28  near the base of the chambers sections  27   a  and  28   a.  The passages  35  and  36  are spaced apart on the nose opening floor  33  by about 180°. A pin hole  37  is positioned radially between the passages  35 . Additionally, a central opening  39  (FIG. 7) extends rearwardly from the nose opening floor  33 .  
         [0040]    A valve assembly  41  (FIG. 9) is received in each of the chambers  27  and  28 . The valve assemblies each include a sleeve  43  which is received in the chamber section  27   a,    28   a.  The sleeves  43  have inner diameters which are approximately equal to the diameters of the chamber lower section  27   b.  The sleeves  43 , as seen in FIGS. 3 and 9, extend slightly above the body back surface  23 . The sleeves each include a port  45  which, when the sleeve is inserted in the passage  27   a,  is in alignment with the body passages  35  and  36 . Hence, the interior of the sleeves  43  are in communication with the body nose opening  29  by way of the passages  35  and  36 . A groove on an inner surface of the sleeve, below the port  45 , receives an O-ring  47  (FIG. 3).  
         [0041]    A plunger or actuator  51  is received in the sleeve  43 . The plunger  51  includes a neck  53  having an external head  55  which is adapted to be depressed by an operator&#39;s thumb. A groove  56  on the neck  53  receives an O-ring  63 . The neck  53  has a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the sleeve  43 , so that the neck  53  can move axially relative to the sleeve  43 . The O-ring  63  forms a fluid and air tight seal between the plunger neck  51  and the sleeve  43 . A conical section  57  extends from the bottom of the neck  53 . The conical section  57  has an upper diameter that is less than the inner diameter of the sleeve  43  and chambers  27   b    28   b,  and a lower diameter that is slightly less than the inner diameter of the sleeve  43  and chambers  27   b,    28   b.  A cylindrical section  59  extends from the bottom of the conical section  57 . The cylindrical section  59  has a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the chamber section  27   b,  and wipes against the O-ring  47  in the sleeve  43  to form a fluid tight seal with the O-ring. A cup  61  is formed in the bottom of the plunger conical section  59 .  
         [0042]    The plunger  51  has an overall length that is greater than the sleeve  43 , and, when placed in the sleeve  43 , extends into the respective chamber section  27   a,    28   a.  The plunger  51  is movable between a raised position and a lowered position. In the raised position, the plunger bottom conical section  59  closes the passages  35  and  36 , as seen in FIG. 3. The conical section  57  defines a channel  65  with the sleeve. When the plunger  51  is pressed down, the conical section  57  comes into alignment with the passages  35  and  36  to place the channel  65  in communication with the passage  35 . As will be explained more fully below, the plunger is biased to its upward position by fluid pressure.  
         [0043]    A neck opening  71  is formed in the bottom of the body  3 . The bottom opening is sized to receive the neck  5 . The bottom opening  71 , and the central opening  39  in the body front opening intersect, as seen in FIG. 7. As seen in FIG. 8, the chambers  27   b,    28   b  also intersect with the bottom opening  71 , defining ports  73  on opposite sides of the opening  71 . When the plunger  51  is depressed, the channel  65  defined by the plunger conical section  57  is in communication with the ports  73  in addition to the passages  35  and  36 .  
         [0044]    The neck  5 , shown in FIGS.  10 - 14 , include a forward portion  75  which is sized and shaped to be frictionally received in the syringe body opening  71 . The neck  5  is stepped down as at  77  to form a back portion  79 . The back portion  79  is sized and shaped to be frictionally received in the sleeve  9 . As seen in FIG. 4, the forward portion  75  of the neck  5  extends to the end of the opening  71  and extends out of the body  3  such that a portion of the forward portion  75  is exposed. The sleeve  9  covers the neck&#39;s back portion  79  and buts against the shoulder or step  77 .  
         [0045]    The neck  5  includes three passages. A central passage  81  extends from the back surface  83  of the neck and exits at the front surface  85  of the neck. The back surface  83  is generally conical in shape. The passage  81  is sized and shaped to receive the light tube L which is in the sleeve  9 . At its forward end, the central passage  81  has a sloped surface  87 , and increases in diameter. The neck also includes an air passage  91  and a water passage  93  which extend on opposite sides of the central passage  81  from the neck back surface  83  through the neck back portion  79  and a portion of the front portion  75 . The passages  91  and  93  do not extend all the way through the neck. Rather, they exit the neck along the side surface of the neck and form exits ports  95  and  97 , respectively, in the neck front portion  75 . When the neck  5  is inserted in the body opening  71 , the neck central passage  81  opens into the body opening  39 . The exits  95  and  97  for air and water passages  91  and  93  align with the ports  73  to open into the chambers  27   b,    28   b.  Hence, the air and water passages  91  and  93  are in fluid communication with the passages  35 ,  36  in the syringe body  3 , by way of the chambers  27   b  and  28   b.    
         [0046]    The nose  7 , shown in FIGS.  15 - 19 , includes a nose body  101  having a cylindrical back portion  103  and a frustoconical front portion  105 . The back portion  103  is sized and shaped to be frictionally received in the body nose opening  29 . Internally, the nose  7  includes a central passage  109  and a pair of side passages  111  and  113 . Three spaced apart annular grooves  115   a,b,c  are formed in surface of the central passage  109 . O-rings  117  are received in the grooves  115   a - c.  An annular channel  119  is formed between the grooves  115   a  and  115   b;  and another annular channel  121  is formed between the grooves  115   b  and  115   c.  The annular channel  121  has a larger diameter than the channel  119 . A cutout  123  (as seen in FIG. 18) is formed in each of the channels  119  and  123 . The passages  111  and  113  extend through the nose body  101  and open into the cutouts  123  for the channels  119  and  123 , respectively. When the nose  7  is inserted in the body hole  31 , the nose central passage  109  is aligned with the body opening  39 , and hence, is in communication with the neck central passage  81 . The air and water passages  113  and  111  of the nose are aligned with the body passages  35  and  36 , and hence, are in communication with the neck air and water passages  91  and  93  by way of the chambers  27   b,    28   b  and the valves  41 . Preferably, the back surface  131  of the nose body  101  is countersunk as at  133  around the passages  109  and  111  to receive an O-ring to form a fluid tight seal between the nose  7  and floor  33  of the syringe body opening  29 . Additionally, the nose  7  includes a pin hole  135  which aligns with the body pin hole  37 . A pin is received in the pin holes, to properly orient the nose  7  in the body nose opening  29  when the syringe  1  is assembled so that the nose passages  111  and  113  are aligned with the body passages  35  and  36 . The nose  7  and body opening  39  could be provided with a rib and groove, respectively, or could otherwise be shaped or keyed so that the nose  7  can fit into the body  3  in only one rotational orientation, so that the nose passages  111  and  115  will properly line up with their respective counterparts  25  and  36  in the body  3  when the nose  7  is inserted in the body  3   
         [0047]    Lastly, the probe or nozzle  11  is sized and shaped to be received in the nose central passage  109 . The probe  11  (shown in FIGS.  20 - 21 ) includes an outer surface  141 , a back surface  143 , and a front surface  145 . An air passage  147  and a water passage  145  extend through the probe  11  and exit at the front surface  145 . The entrances  151  and  153  to the passages  147  and  145 , respectively, are near the back of the probe and in the side surface  141  of the probe, rather than in the back surface  143 . The back surface  143  is solid. The entrances  151  and  153  to the air and water passages of the probe are positioned on the probe to be aligned with the annular channels  119  and  121 , respectively, of the nose  7  when the probe is inserted in the nose. Thus, the probe air passage  159  is in fluid communication with the neck air passage  91  and the probe water passage  161  is in fluid communication with the neck water passage  93  by way of the body valve chambers  27   a,    28   a  and passages  35  and  36 . The probe  11  is sized to seal against the O-rings  117  in the nose annular grooves  115   a - c,  to thereby form fluid tight seals around the annular channels  119  and  121  in the nose. Thus, there should be no intermixing of air and water in the syringe body, nose or probe.  
         [0048]    Air and water enter the probe  11  radially, through the side of the probe, rather than axially, through the back end of the probe. Because air and water enter the probe radially, they do not exert an axial force on the probe which would tend to force the probe out of the nose  7 . Thus, the probe can simply be frictionally held in the nose. There is no requirement for a shoulder, lock, or some other structure which positively holds the probe in the nose against the force of the air and water.  
         [0049]    To operate the air/water syringe  1 , one or both of the buttons  51  are depressed. When the button  51  is depressed, the ports  73  in the valve chambers  27   b,    28   b  will be placed in fluid communication with the valve chambers  27   a  and  28   a  by way of the annular channel  65  defined by the plunger conical section  57 . Hence, the ports  73  between the neck  7  and the valve chambers  27   b,    28   b  will be placed in communication with the ports  45  in the valve sleeves  43 , the respective body passages  35 ,  36 , the respective nose passages  111  and  113 , and the respective probe passages  147  and  149 . The air and water pressure in the neck passages  91  and  93  is positive. Thus, when the valve plungers  51  are released, the pressure in the lines will force the plungers upwardly to block the ports  45  in the valve sleeves  43 , and hence close the valves  41 .  
         [0050]    The probe or nozzle  11  is made of a light transmitting material, such as a lens quality polycarbonate. The back surface  143  of the probe  11  buts against a shoulder  149  in the nose central passage  109  to be in light transmitting communication with the light tube L which extends into the body central passage  39 . Thus, the light transmitted through the light tube L will be transmitted to the end of the probe  11 , so that a dentist or hygienist can direct light at a desired location in a patient&#39;s mouth. The light transmitting capabilities of the probe  11  allow for the dentist or hygienist to light the area that is being rinsed or sprayed with air and/or water. Alternatively, the probe can be used simply to light an area in a patient&#39;s mouth. The connection of the probe  11  to the nose  7  allows for the probe  11  to be rotated to any rotational position relative to the nose, all without affecting delivery of air or water to the patient&#39;s mouth. This ability to rotate the probe  11  relative to the nose  7  increases a dentist&#39;s or hygienist&#39;s ability to direct light, air, and water to desired locations in the patient&#39;s mouth.  
         [0051]    The light probe  11  is preferably cut from an extruded length of material in which the two passages  151  and  153  are already formed. The entrances  151  and  153  to the passages are formed at the desired location in the side surface  141  of the probe  11 , for example, by drilling. As can be appreciated, when the extruded material is cut to length, the passages extend completely through the probe. The back end of the passages are sealed or closed by dipping the probe into a light curable material which cures to be transparent and to have substantially the same refractive index as the material from which the probe is made. The light curable material is pulled slightly into the passages by capillary action. The material is cured, for example, by using an infrared light, to complete the probe. The back end of the probe  11  can be sealed either before or after the entrances  151  and  153  to the passages  111  and  113  are formed.  
         [0052]    As can be appreciated, the probe  11  is disposable. A new probe  11  is inserted into the nose  7  for each patient. The length of the probe is sufficiently long such that if any air or water is sucked back into the probe when the valves are closed, the air or water will be in the probe, and will not reach the nose passages  111  or  113 . Hence, the head (i.e., the body, nose, and neck) of the syringe can be wiped down, for example, with alcohol, between patients. Further, the head of the air/water syringe is all metal (expect for the O-rings in the nose) and can easily withstand repeated sterilization.  
         [0053]    Additionally, the air/water syringe  1  does not depend on a light bulb in the body or head of the syringe. Rather, the syringe  1  relies on a light source, for example from a control box. A light tube extends through a supply cable to be placed in light transmitting communication with the light tube L in the sleeve. The light tube L in the sleeve is in light transmitting communication with the probe  11 . Because there is not a light bulb in the head of the air/water syringe, there is no worry about the head becoming heated from a light bulb. Further, the lack of a light bulb allows the syringe  1  (i.e., the sleeve, neck, body, and nose) to be autoclaved and/or ultrasonically cleaned without the fear of damaging any parts of the syringe  1 .  
         [0054]    An alternative embodiment of the head  203  is shown in FIG. 22. Rather than having a separate body and nose, as does the syringe head  8  of FIG. 3, the head  203  is a one-piece member which includes both the body and nose. A separate neck  207  is received in the back of the head  203 . The neck  207  is threaded at its opposite ends to be threadedly received in the sleeve and in the head.  
         [0055]    The head  203  includes passages and chambers substantially identical to the head  8  of FIG. 3. However, as noted, the head  203  does not include a separate nose. Rather, the head  203  has an larger front opening  229  which receives a sleeve  230 . The sleeve  230  has an outer surface sized and shaped to be frictionally received in the head front opening  229 . Preferably, the opening  229  and the sleeve outer surface are both cylindrical. The sleeve  230  is open in both its front and back to define a passage which is in communication with the head central passage  239 . The inner surface of the sleeve passage is provided with three annular grooves  215   a,b,c  which receive O-rings. Two annular channels  219  and  221  are positioned between the grooves  215   a,b,c,  such that the channels are separated by the groove  215   b.  The sleeve  230  additionally includes passages  211  and  213  which extend from the back surface of the sleeve and intersect with the channels  219  and  221 , respectively. When the sleeve  230  is inserted in the head  203 , the sleeve channels  219  and  221  line up with the body passages  235  and  236 . The sleeve  230  is preferably made from a plastic which can withstand autoclaving, but could also be made from any other material which can withstand autoclaving.  
         [0056]    As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. The sleeve  230  of head  203  could be incorporated into the nose  7  of the syringe  1 . Thus, the nose  7  would only require a straight bore be formed through the center of the nose, making the nose easier to form from metal stock. The O-ring grooves  217   a - c  of the sleeve  230  can be replaced with ribs which would seal against the probe  11 . The plunger could be spring biased to its closed position, rather than biased to its closed position by water and air pressure. Alternatively, the plunger could be replaced with other types of valve elements. For example, the valve could include a ball which normally blocks either the inlet to, or the outlet from, the valve chamber, and which is moved to an open position, for example, by a post, when the push button activator is pressed. The valves could also be modified so that they are trigger operated, as opposed to push-button operated. These examples are merely illustrative.