Patent Publication Number: US-6220859-B1

Title: Dental saliva ejector tube assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/014,838, filed on Jan. 28, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,671, and the benefit of the filing date of such earlier-filed application under 35 U.S.C. §120, is hereby claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to dental saliva ejector tubes, and more particularly, vacuum sockets for releasably receiving dental saliva ejector tubes for applying a source of vacuum thereto. 
     2. Description of the Relevant Art 
     In the dental profession, dentists must remove accumulated saliva, water, and other fluids from a patient&#39;s mouth, both to keep the work area clear and to avoid the need for the dental patient to swallow such fluids. Typically, the dentist makes use of a dental saliva ejector tube, along with an associated vacuum line, for such purpose. Examples of devices proposed in the past for use by dentists in removing fluids from the patient&#39;s mouth are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,528 to Thompson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,735 to Burt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,083,115 to McKelvey, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,328 to Kutner. 
     In one commonly used form of dental saliva ejector tube, one end of the dental saliva ejector tube is bent to form an inverted U-shape and is inserted into the patient&#39;s mouth to aspirate collected fluids. The second, or lower end, of the dental saliva ejector tube is typically inserted into a rubber fitting or grommet secured to a vacuum line. The vacuum line may include a valve for selectively closing off the vacuum. Once the dental saliva ejector tube is inserted into the rubber fitting, the dentist may, from time to time, twist or rotate the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube within such fitting in order to change the angle at which the upper end of the dental saliva ejector tube extends from the rubber fitting. The aforementioned dental saliva ejector tubes are currently commercially available, for example, from Spencer-Meade located in Westbury, N.Y. under the model number 951-9250; these dental saliva ejector tubes are adapted to be inserted into vacuum line sockets that are commercially available by Spencer-Meade located in Westbury, N.Y. under the model number 951-9220. 
     The aforementioned dental saliva ejector tubes are disposable, and a fresh dental saliva ejector tube is used for each new patient. Because they are disposable, and because a dentist may use many of such dental saliva ejector tubes each day, it is desirable that the dental saliva ejector tube itself be of relatively simple and inexpensive construction. The present inventor has noted that many dentists, dental technicians, and dental assistants experience difficulty inserting the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube. The rubber fitting or grommet has an opening that is undersized relative to the diameter of the dental saliva ejector tube in order to form a tight seal about the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube. In addition, the dental saliva ejector tube must be somewhat pliant, rather than rigid, so that the upper half of the tube can be bent into the aforementioned inverted U-shape. The pliancy of the dental saliva ejector tube makes it more difficult to force the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube into the opening of the rubber fitting. 
     A further problem experienced by dentists is that such dental saliva ejector tubes sometimes become inadvertently dislodged from the rubber fitting or grommet, as when the vacuum line becomes temporarily snagged on an object and is pulled away from the patient&#39;s mouth. In such instances, the dental saliva ejector tube must be reinserted back into the rubber fitting, thereby interrupting the procedure in which the dentist was engaged. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a socket of a vacuum line for removably receiving an end of a dental saliva ejector tube which simplifies the insertion of the dental saliva ejector tube into the socket. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a vacuum line socket which allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be easily removed therefrom when a dentist has finished working upon a dental patient. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a vacuum line socket which allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be rotated following insertion to change the angle at which the bent upper end of the dental saliva ejector tube extends relative to the vacuum line socket. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a dental saliva ejector tube assembly including a dental saliva ejector tube and a vacuum line socket wherein the opening of the vacuum line socket can be selectively widened to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a dental saliva ejector tube assembly wherein it is less likely to inadvertently dislodge the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a dental saliva ejector tube assembly having the aforementioned advantages while retaining a simple and inexpensive construction. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those of skill in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly described, and in accordance with the preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention relates to a socket for removably receiving the lower end of a dental saliva ejector tube wherein the socket includes a central body having a central passage extending between first and second opposing ends thereof, the first end including a port for being coupled to a source of a vacuum, such as the end of a vacuum line hose. This port at the first end of the central body may, if desired, be barbed to insure a secure fit between such port and the vacuum line. An elastic sleeve is secured to and extends about the second end of the central body and has an opening for receiving the end of the dental saliva ejector tube. First and second spreader members are disposed proximate the opening of the sleeve for enlarging the opening of said sleeve when the first and second spreader members are moved apart from each other. At least a first lever is secured to the central body and coupled with the first spreader member; the first lever is actuated by a user for causing the first spreader member to move apart from the second spreader member for enlarging the opening of the sleeve, thereby facilitating the insertion, or removal, of the dental saliva ejector tube into, or from, the socket, respectively. 
     Preferably, the opening of the sleeve is circular to match the generally circular shape of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube, and the spreader members are arcuate to parallel the shape of the opening in the sleeve. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such spreader members are disposed inside the opening of the sleeve, although they can also be secured to the outer wall of the sleeve surrounding the opening of the sleeve. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a second lever pivotally secured to the central body and coupled with the second spreader member. Like the first lever, the second lever is actuated by a user for causing the second spreader member to move apart from the first spreader member for enlarging the opening of the sleeve. The socket may advantageously include a bracket secured about the central body, and the first and second levers can be pivotally secured to and supported by such bracket. The first and second levers are squeezed together by the thumb and forefinger of one of the user&#39;s hands. If desired, the central body of the socket may also include a valve that can be manually operated by a user to regulate, or entirely close off, the source of vacuum, as when the dental saliva ejector tube is removed from a patient&#39;s mouth. 
     The aforementioned socket, when combined with a dental saliva ejector tube, provides a dental saliva ejector tube assembly that simplifies the insertion and removal of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket. The above-described dental saliva ejector tube assembly can be used with commonly available dental saliva ejector tubes without requiring any modification of such tubes. If desired, however, the lower end of such saliva ejector tubes can be modified to include a generally circular rib extending thereabout. This rib extends within the elastic sleeve of the socket during use, and lessens the likelihood that the dental saliva ejector tube can become inadvertently dislodged from the vacuum line socket during use. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dental saliva ejector tube assembly in accordance with the present invention and including a dental saliva ejector tube and a mating vacuum line socket. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional drawing of the dental saliva ejector tube assembly shown in FIG.  1 , in its rest position, i.e., when it is not being actuated by the user&#39;s thumb and forefinger. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional drawing similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the levers of the vacuum line socket being depressed by the user&#39;s thumb and forefinger to facilitate removal of the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the vacuum line socket showing the enlarged opening of the elastic sleeve component of the vacuum line socket when the levers are actuated, as indicated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube and illustrating an optional rib extending therefrom. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A dental saliva ejector tube assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, wherein reference numeral  10  generally identifies the dental saliva ejector tube and reference numeral  12  generally identifies the vacuum line socket. Ejector tube  10  is made of a pliable plastic for allowing the upper end  14  thereof to be bent into an inverted U-shape for extending over the jaw of a patient. Such ejector tubes may include a thin metal wire (not shown) embedded within the plastic and extending therealong to help keep ejector tube  10  in such bent shape, rather than returning to its original straight configuration. Upper end  14  terminates in a slotted inlet cap  16  adapted to extend within the patient&#39;s mouth; slots  18  and  20  communicate with the inner channel of ejector tube  10  and serve to suction saliva, water, and other accumulated fluids out of the patient&#39;s mouth. The lower end  22  of ejector tube  10  is circular in shape and is intended to be coupled to a source of a vacuum. 
     Vacuum line socket  12  is adapted to removably receive lower end  22  of dental saliva ejector tube  10 . As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, socket  12  includes a central body  24  having a first (or lower) end  26  and a second (or upper) opposing end  28 . A central passage  30  extends between first end  26  and opposing second end  28  for communicating a vacuum applied at first end  28  to second end  26 . First end  26  includes a tapered port  32  for being coupled to a vacuum hose, indicated in dashed outline in FIGS. 1 and 2, which vacuum hose is coupled to a source of a vacuum and waste depository. As indicated in FIGS. 1-3, tapered port  32  may include barbs  34  for retaining tapered port  32  onto the vacuum hose. Central body  24  is preferably made of plastic or hard rubber. An optional control valve  35  (see FIG. 3) may be incorporated within central body  24  to selectively close central passage  30  and block the vacuum source from reaching opening  38 ; control valve  35  can be rotated manually by control knob  33  (see FIG. 1) to open or close the vacuum. Such a feature can be useful as when closing off the vacuum when the dental saliva ejector tube assembly is not in use. 
     The second or upper end  28  of central body  24  is in the form of a reduced diameter collar. An elastic sleeve  36 , formed of pliable rubber, is secured over and around the reduced diameter collar formed at upper end  28  of central body  24  in a manner described in greater detail below. Sleeve  36  has an opening or passage  38  for receiving lower end  22  of dental saliva ejector tube  10 . When at rest, in its relaxed state, the inner diameter of sleeve  36  is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of ejector tube  10  to form an airtight seal thereabout. 
     It will be recalled that one of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate the insertion and removal of lower end  22  of ejector tube  10  into and from socket  12 . Toward such purpose, a pair of spreader members  40  and  42  are provided proximate opening  38  of sleeve  36  for enlarging opening  38  when the first and second spreader members  40  and  42  are moved apart from each other. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, first and second spreader members  40  and  42  are disposed just inside opening  38  of sleeve  36 . Opening  38  is generally circular. Preferably, spreader members  40  and  42  are arcuately shaped, but the arcs thereof are defined by a somewhat larger radius than is true for the outer diameter of ejector tube  10 . Accordingly, spreader members  40  and  42  tend to distort the normally circular opening  38  into a more oval shape near the upper end of sleeve  36   
     As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a metal bracket  46  encircles central body  24  and the lower end of sleeve  36 . Bracket  46  serves to clamp the lower end of sleeve  36  about upper end  28  of central body  24 . Bracket  46  may be comprised of two metal strips, each including a semicircular middle region terminating in a pair of opposing flanges or ears  48  and  50  that extend in opposing directions away from central body  24 . These two metal strips extend about opposing sides of central body  24  and sleeve  36 . The two strips of metal forming bracket  46  are secured to each other by hinge pins  52  and  54  which extend through the respective ears  48  and  50 , respectively, to the two metal strips. 
     Socket  12  further includes first and second levers  44  and  56 , each of which is pivotally secured by one of hinge pins  52  and  54 , respectively. Thus, hinge pins  52  and  54  and bracket  46  pivotally secure each of levers  44  and  56  to central body  24 . The lower ends  58  and  60  of levers  44  and  56  are twisted through an angle of ninety degrees relative to the opposing upper ends of levers  44  and  56  to provide a control surface that can be easily depressed by a user&#39;s thumb and forefinger during use. 
     The upper end of first lever  44  is coupled by a thin wire  62  to the first spreader member  40 . Likewise, the upper end of second lever  56  is coupled by thin wire  64  to second spreader member  42 . Thin wires  62  and  64  extend through small apertures formed in sleeve  36 . When levers  44  and  56  are not actuated by a user, the natural elasticity of sleeve  38  pulls spreader members  40  and  42  toward each other (prior to insertion of dental saliva ejector tube  10 ) or against the outer walls of the dental saliva ejector tube  10  (after insertion of such dental saliva ejector tube) as shown in FIG.  2 . The portions of sleeve  36  below spreader members  40  and  42  seal about the outer walls of tube  10  to form an airtight seal thereabout. 
     At such times that a user desires to either insert a new ejector tube  10 , or to remove an existing ejector tube  10 , the user graps the lower ends  58  and  60  of levers  44  and  56  with the users thumb and forefinger, and squeezes them together in the manner indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This causes the upper ends of levers  44  and  56  to move apart from each other, thereby pulling spreader members  40  and  42  apart from each other, for enlarging opening  38  of sleeve  36 . The enlarged opening  38  easily permits lower end  22  of ejector tube  10  to be inserted therein, or removed therefrom. 
     The improved socket  12  described above can be used advantageously with conventional dental saliva ejector tubes of the type already known. However, the dental saliva ejector tube  10  can be further improved by adding a generally circular rib  66  extending about the lower end  22  of saliva ejector tube  10 . Rib  66  is of somewhat greater diameter than the outer wall of ejector tube  10 . During insertion of lower end  22  of ejector tube  10  into opening  38  of sleeve  36 , rib  66  is positioned below spreader members  40  and  42 . When levers  44  and  56  are released, spreader members  40  and  42  engage rib  66  and lessen the likelihood that dental saliva ejector tube  10  can become inadvertently dislodged from socket  12 . Nonetheless, rib  66  does not preclude rotation of the lower end  22  of ejector tube  10  within socket  12 , as when the dentist desires to change the angle at which upper end  14  extends. 
     Those skilled in the art will now appreciate that an improved dental saliva ejector tube assembly has been described which simplifies the insertion of the dental saliva ejector tube into the socket, and which allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be easily removed therefrom when a dentist has finished working upon a dental patient. The disclosed dental saliva ejector tube assembly can be used with conventional dental saliva ejector tubes and does not significantly increase the cost of current vacuum line sockets. Moreover, the optional addition of the rib to the lower end of the dental saliva ejector tube makes it less likely to inadvertently dislodge the dental saliva ejector tube from the vacuum line socket, yet still allows the dental saliva ejector tube to be rotated following insertion to change the angle at which the bent upper end of the dental saliva ejector tube extends relative to the vacuum line socket. While the present invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Various modifications and changes may be made to the described embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.