Abstract:
An ultrasonic dental tooth treatment system including an ultrasonic dental handpiece, a fluid reservoir housing and a power control housing. The reservoir housing is supported by the control housing. The reservoir housing encloses two containers which are connected to the selector valve. The selector valve is connected to a control housing conduit which is connected to the handpiece. The control housing encloses a power control circuit which is connected to the handpiece. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a fluid dispenser includes at least one readily removable reservoir container supported by a reservoir housing having a pivotable cover and a fluid control valve. The cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The valve is closed by the cover when the cover is in its open position.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/723,199, filed Sep. 27, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,030,212. 
    
    
     The invention relates to dental scaling systems. The invention provides a stacking dental reservoir and scaling system. The present invention provides a reservoir housing having at least one container which is readily connected to a power control housing and stackable thereon. The level of liquid in each container in the reservoir housing is readily visually inspected through a clear plastic (polymeric) cover. The cover pivots on hinges to swing the lower end of the cover above the reservoir housing to open the housing for removal and/or installation of containers. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an ultrasonic dental tooth treatment system including an ultrasonic dental handpiece and attaching cable assembly and control housing and a fluid reservoir housing which encloses two containers, each connected to a selector valve connected to a control housing conduit connected to a handpiece conduit. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a fluid dispenser which includes readily removable reservoir supported by a reservoir housing having a cover which is pivotable between an open position and a closed position and an interlock valve which is closed by the cover when the cover is in its open position. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a stacking dental reservoir and scaling system. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a dental scaler system having a reservoir housing with a clear plastic cover which pivots on hinges to swing the lower end of the cover above the reservoir housing to open the housing for the removal and/or installation of containers, as is provided by the present invention. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a stackable reservoir housing having a self contained three position selector valve connected in fluid flow communication to a source of air pressure for dispensing from either of two reservoir liquid containers or from a water supply through the selector valve. In a preferred embodiment of the invention only fluid from any one of the containers is conveyed to the handpiece and the system is not connected to an external water supply. By so doing the system can dispense clean water. The system can also be connected to an external water supply, which can also be dispensed to a scaler system. 
     Warrin et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,703 discloses a method of subgingival scaling and lavage. The apparatus disclosed in Warrin et al includes reservoirs for storing medicament inside a base unit. 
     The invention solves the problems of the prior art fluid dispensing dental system. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the right side of a stackable reservoir housing stacked upon a scaler housing in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 1A is a side view of the left side of the stackable reservoir housing stacked upon a scaler housing shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 1B is a rear view of the stackable reservoir housing stacked upon a scaler housing shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. 
     FIG. 1C is a side view of the stackable reservoir housing in accordance with the invention shown in FIGS. 1-9 with the lid partially cut away. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9. 
     FIG. 3 is a rear view of the stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9. 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of a stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9 with its lid in open position. 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of a stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9 with its lid in open position. 
     FIG. 7A is a top view of a stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9 with its lid in open position with the lid partially cut away. 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of a stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9 with its lid in open position. 
     FIG. 9 is a rear view of the stackable reservoir housing shown in FIGS. 1-9 with its lid in open position. 
     FIG. 10 is a top view of the scaler housing in accordance with the invention shown in FIGS. 10-13. 
     FIG. 11 is a front view of the scaler housing shown in FIGS. 10-13. 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of the scaler housing shown in FIGS. 10-13. 
     FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the scaler housing shown in FIGS. 10-13. 
     FIG. 14 is schematic diagram of the stacking dental reservoir and scaling system shown in FIGS. 1,  1 A and  1 B. 
     FIGS. 14A,  14 B and  14 C are schematic diagrams of the air pressure/venting distribution valve (selector valve) in three different positions. 
     FIG. 15 is a top view of a air polishing housing shown in FIGS. 15-18. 
     FIG. 16 is a front view of the air polishing housing shown in FIGS. 15-18. 
     FIG. 17 is a side view of the air polishing housing shown in FIGS. 15-18. 
     FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the air polishing housing shown in FIGS. 15-18. 
     FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of the stacking dental reservoir shown in FIGS.  1 C and  2 - 9  in use with the air polishing system shown in FIGS. 15-18. 
     FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional top view of a reservoir housing showing a cap for a container. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An ultrasonic dental tooth treatment system including an ultrasonic dental handpiece, a fluid reservoir housing and a power control housing. The reservoir housing is supported by the control housing. The reservoir housing encloses two containers having input passages which are connected to the air pressurization and venting distribution selector valve. The container has output passages which are connected to a control housing conduit which is connected through a solenoid valve and flow control device to the handpiece. The control housing encloses a power generating (and/or control) circuit which is connected to the handpiece. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a fluid dispenser includes a readily removable reservoir supported by a reservoir housing having a pivotable cover and a cover actuated fluid (pressurized air) interlock fluid control valve. The cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. The cover actuated interlock valve is closed by the cover when the cover is in its open position. The cover actuated interlock valve is in open position when the cover is in closed position. 
     A fluid dispenser includes a readily removable container of the invention supported by a reservoir housing having housing fluid flow connectors (or couplings) a pivotable cover and an air pressure venting distribution fluid selector control valve. The container has a cap with a fluid and an air flow connector (or port). The housing connectors (or couplings) are connected to the cap connectors (or ports). Air pressure is supplied through one coupling to the reservoir and fluid exits from the same reservoir through another coupling. The seals on the coupling are so placed that upon removal of a reservoir, the seal on the air supply coupling disengages before the seal on the liquid coupling, thereby further venting the air pressure from the reservoir, and preventing leakage during disengagement of the reservoirs. The cover is pivotable between an open position and a closed position. An interlock valve is closed by the cover when the cover is in the open position thereby venting reservoir pressure and at the same time preventing air pressure from entering the reservoirs. The valve is open when the cover is in closed position. The cover in closed position prevents the cap from moving sufficiently for the cap connector to disengage from the housing connector. 
     The position at the pivots, about which the cover rotates, is located below the contact point between the container caps and the cover. When either container is pressurized the force of the container cap against the cover thereby causes the cover to be forced into a closed position. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is now described with more particular reference to FIGS. 1-19. It is seen that stacking dental reservoir and scaler system  10  includes a reservoir housing  12  and a scaler housing  14  and a handpiece  16  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 14. The scaler housing  14  is connected through fluid conveying conduit  18  to coupler  20  which has a shut-off valve. Coupler  20  is inserted in fluid type connection into coupler  22  which has a shut-off valve. Coupler  22  connects fluid conveying conduit  23  to conduit  18 . Conduit  18  is connected by couplers  20 A and  20 B through solenoid valve and flow control device to conduit  24  to convey fluid into ultrasonic handpiece  16 . 
     Coupler with automatic shut-off valve  26  is adapted to be connected to a water supply, which preferably has a pressure of at least 10 psig. Preferably, the water supply has a pressure of at least 20 psig. More preferably the water supply has the pressure of about 60 psig. Water is conveyed from the water supply through the coupler and shut off valve  26  through conduit  28  to air pilot valve  30 . Water is conveyed from air pilot valve  30  through conduit  32  into conduit  23 , and conduit  18  through a solenoid valve and flow control device into conduit  24  and into handpiece  16 . Conduits  34  and  36  have check valves  38  and  40  respectively and are connected to reservoir containers  42  and  44  respectively. Containers  42  and  44  have caps  41  and  43  respectively. Conduit  32  has check valve  87  and is connected to air pilot valve  30 . 
     Reservoir containers  42  and  44  are connected through conduits  46  and  48  respectively to venting distribution selector valve  50 . Coupler  52 , which has an automatic shut-off valve, is connected to an air supply of pressurized air, which preferably is regulated to have an air pressure of about 100 psig. Coupler  52  is connected through conduit  54  to pressure regulator  56 . Pressure regulator  56  is connected through conduit  58  through interlock valve  60 . Valve  60  has a button  62  which must be pressed to open valve  60 . When button  62  is pressed, air is conveyed through valve  60  through conduit  64  to selector valve  50 . Coupler  66  which has an automatic shut-off valve is connected to conduit  68 . Conduit  68  is connected to conduit  54 . Coupler  66  provides a connection to pressurized air to operate other devices. 
     Power control (or generator)  70  is connected to power source  72  through electrical conductor  74  and to power control  70 . Power control (or generator)  70  is connected to handpiece  16  through electrical conductor  76 . 
     Feet  80 ,  80 A,  82  and  82 A are connected to bottom wall  80 B of reservoir housing  12 . Feet  80 ,  80 A,  82  and  82 A are supported in grooves  84  and  86  in the upper face of scaler housing  14 . Feet  80  and  82  are connected to the bottom of the reservoir housing  12 . 
     Reservoir housing  12  has a cover  102  which is opened by pivoting around hinge  104  and  104 A. Knob  106  is connected by selector valve stem  106 A to valve  50 . Turning knob  106  to one side positions the valve  50  to convey fluid from one reservoir through conduit  18 . Turn the knob  106  in the other direction from center positions valve  50  to convey fluid from the other reservoir through conduit  18  by pressurization of the respective reservoir chamber. Turning knob  106  to center position vents air from air pilot valve, causing air pilot valve to open and thereby causing external water through conduit  18 . 
     Feet  80  and  80 A are supported on groove  160  of scaler housing  14 . Feet  82  and  82 A are supported in groove  164  in the upper surface of scaler housing  14 . Grooves  160  and  164  prevent feet  80 ,  80 A,  82  and  82 A from slipping in forward or reversed directions which are perpendicular to the central axis of the groove. Groove  162  is also provided in the upper surface of scaler housing  14 . Grooves  160 ,  162  and  164  are also adapted for placement of handpiece  16  when reservoir housing  12  is not stacked upon scaler housing  14 . Holder  170  is adapted to hold handpiece  16 . Holder  170  is connected to scaler housing  14 . Knob  158  is connected by valve stem  158 A to fluid flow control valve  158 B. Knob  156  is connected by electrical conductor  156 A to power control  70 . 
     When lid  102  is in closed position, caps  41  and  43  are held by lid  102  onto the adjacent fluid connectors  42 A and  44 A as shown in FIGS. 1A and 7A. 
     Scaler housing  14  is supported by feet  180 ,  180 A,  182  and  182 A. 
     Vents  198 ,  200 ,  202 ,  204  and  206  in the lower wall of scaler housing  14  allow cooling by convection. 
     Fluid conduit  24  and electrical conductor  76  are enclosed by flexible plastic conduit  76 A. 
     Conduit  20  connected to connector  22  at one end and at the other end to connector  192 . 
     Foot switch  170 A is connected by electrical current conductor  170 B to power control  70 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 14,  14 A,  14 B and  14 C valve  50  is rotated to three different positions by turning knob  106 . As shown in FIG. 14A by turning valve  50  to the position shown air entering valve  50  through line  64  leaves valve  50  through line  56  to pressurize container  42  causing fluid to flow from container  42  through line  34 . As shown in FIG. 14B by positioning valve  50  in the position shown, air enters valve  50  through line  46  and leave valve  50  through line  48 . Air in line  48  pressurizes container  44  causing fluid from container  44  to flow through line  36 . As shown in FIG. 14C by positioning valve  50  as shown, neither container  42  nor container  44  is pressurized, and fluid does not flow from either container in this position of valve  50 . Rather in the position of valve  50  shown in FIG. 14C, air pressure is not supplied to valve  30  and existing air pressure is reduced by a bleed port, opening air pilot valve  30  allowing fluid to flow through line  28  to line  32 , as shown in FIG.  14 . 
     With more particular reference to FIGS. 15-19, it is seen that air polishing housing  314  is connected to polishing handpiece  316 . Air polishing base housing  314  has grooves  360  and  364  in the upper face thereof. Feet  80  and  82  of reservoir housing are positioned in grooves  360  and  364  of the upper face of the air polishing housing when the reservoir base housing  314  is in stacked position on the air polishing housing. Outer container  390  has container cap  390 A. Powder container  390  is connected through a conduit  394  to coupler  66  to provide air pressure in powder container  390 . Powder from powder container  390  is conveyed under pressure through conduit  392  to handpiece  316 . Fluid is conveyed through line  18  to air polishing base housing  314 . Fluid is conveyed from air polishing  314  through conduit  324  to handpiece  316 . Handpiece  316  is provided with a mixing tip  316 A which sprays liquid from an outer concentric orifice and sprays powder from an inner-circular orifice. Thus, it provides an annulus of liquid around a circular stream of powder which mixes in the spray prior to polishing the tooth surface. Conduits  392  and  324  are enclosed by flexible plastic cover  376 A. Polishing base is supported by feet  380 ,  382 ,  380 A and  382 A. The lower face of air polishing base housing  314  has vent  398 ,  400 ,  402 ,  404  and  406 . Handpiece  316  is adapted to be held by holder  370 . Knobs  356  and  358  are connected to a variable power control unit, and a fluid flow control valve respectively. Knob  358  is connected by valve stem  358 A to fluid flow control valve  358 B. 
     Upon disengaging reservoir cap  41  from housing  12 , O-ring  500  unseals relieving any residual air pressure in container  42 , with further outward movement of the cap, O-ring  501  is unseated, and a vent hole is exposed to atmospheric pressure, thereby allowing any fluid remaining in the passageway of the coupler to move back into container  42  avoiding spillage during final withdrawal of cap  41  and container  42  from housing  12  past O-ring  501 . Connectors (or couplings)  504  and  505  are connected in fluid flow communication with connectors (or couplings)  506  and  508  respectively. Connector  506  is connected in fluid flow communication with conduit  46 . Connector  508  is connected in fluid flow communication with conduit  34 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  1 A and  1 B reservoir housing  12  has a height from the rounded top end to the bottom end, a width from side to side (the sides are parallel), a lower depth from front to back at the bottom end, a middle depth from front to back at the midpoint of the height and an upper depth from front to back at the center of the rounded top end. The reservoir housing height is greater than the width. The reservoir housing lower depth is greater than the upper depth. The reservoir housing upper depth is greater than the middle depth. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made in the practice and use of the present invention without departing from the scope thereof as set forth in the following claims.