Dental instrument delivery system

Claim 2

A dental instrument delivery system for use with a dental chair having a seat, a back rest tiltable about a fixed horizontal axis, and means for selectively raising and lowering said chair, said system comprising: retaining means movably attached to said back rest for holding a plurality of dental instruments in an accessible position during a dental procedure; control means for coordinating the movement of said retaining means with the tilting of said back rest; and upward safety release means for enabling said retaining means to move upward relative to said back rest when said retaining means is accidentally lowered downward onto a stationary object, whereby said safety release means prevents damage to said retaining means.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said control means comprises: a linkage cable having first and second ends, said first end being operably connected to said elongate attachment member, and said second end being operably connected to said chair at the bottom thereof.

Claim 4

The system of claim 2, wherein said control means comprises first and second cooperative cable guide members, said first guide member being adapted to receive said first end of said cable and fixedly secured to said elongate attachment member wherein movement of said first guide member causes corresponding movement of said attachment member, said second guide member being fixedly secured to said chair at the bottom thereof and adapted to receive said second end of said cable, said first and second guide members cooperating to allow said cable to coordinate the movement of said arm with the movement of said back rest.

Claim 5

A dental instrument delivery system for use with a dental chair having a seat, a tiltable back rest, and means for selectively raising and lowering said chair, said system comprising: retaining means movably attached to said back rest for holding a plurality of dental instruments in an accessible position during a dental procedure; and control means for coordinating the movement of said retaining means with the movement of said back rest comprising a linkage cable having first and second ends, said first end being operably connected to said retaining means, with said second end being operably connected to said chair at the bottom thereof, and first and second cooperative cable guide members, said first guide member being adapted to receive said first end of said cable and operably attached to said retaining means wherein movement of said first guide member causes corresponding movement of said retaining means, said secong guide member being fixedly secured to said chair at the bottom thereof and adapted to receive said second end of said cable, said first and second guide members cooperating to allow said cable to coordinate the movement of said arm with the movement of said back rest.

Claim 6

A dental instrument delivery system for use with a dental chair having a seat, a tiltable back rest, and means for selectively raising and lowering said chair, said system comprising: retaining means movably attached to said back rest for holding a plurality of dental instruments in an accessible position during a dental procedure; and control means for coordinating the movement of said retaining means with the movement of said back rest comprising a linkage cable having first and second ends, said first end being operably connected to said retaining means, with said second end being operably connected to said chair at the bottom thereof, and first and second cooperative cable guide members, said first guide member being adapted to receive said first end of said cable and operably attached to said retaining means wherein movement of said first guide member causes corresponding movement of said retaining means, said secong guide member being fixedly secured to said chair at the bottom thereof and adapted to receive said second end of said cable, said first and second guide members cooperating to allow said cable to coordinate the movement of said arm with the movement of said back rest.

Claim 8

The system of claim 3 or 4, wherein said first and second cable guide members each have a curved outer periphery, with the radius of said first guide member being identical to that of said second guide member, each of said first and second cable guide members further comprising a groove within said curved outer periphery, said groove being sized to receive said cable.

Claim 9

The system of claim 3, 4 or 6, further comprising tensioning means for maintaining tension on said cable.

Claim 10

The system of claim 7, wherein said tensioning means comprises a spring having first and second ends, said first end being operably connected to said first cable guide member, and said second end being attached to said back rest of said chair.

Claim 11

The system of claim 8, further comprising a plug member threadably engageable within said second end of said spring, said plug member having an internally threaded portion sized to receive a cooperatively threaded attachment member for securing said plug member and said second end of said spring to said back rest of said chair.

Claim 13

The system of claim 10, wherein said second end of said cable is secured within a sleeve member, said sleeve member and attached cable being inserted through a stud mounted to said chair having an opening therein sized to receive said sleeve member, said sleeve member having a threaded portion sized to receive a cooperatively threaded tension adjusting member, the tightening of said tension adjusting member against said stud causing the tension in said cable to be increased.

Claim 15

The system of claim 12, when appendant to any one of claims 2 to 4 and 6 to 9, wherein said downward safety release means comprises: a sleeve member secured to said second end of said cable having a threaded portion thereon; a stud mounted to said chair having an opening therein sized to movably receive said sleeve member; a tension adjusting member threadably engageable with said threaded portion of said sleeve member; and a biasing member positioned on said sleeve member between said stud and said tension adjusting member.

Claim 16

The system of claim 13, wherein said biasing member comprises a spring.

Claim 18

The system of claim 15, wherein said second section of said arm further comprises stop means for selectively limiting the movement of said arm relative to said back rest of said chair.

Claim 19

The system of claim 16, further comprising an elongate attachment member having first and second ends, said first end being pivotally attached to said back rest of said chair, and said second end being attached to said second section of said arm in a manner wherein said arm may be rotated relative to said back rest of said chair.

Claim 20

The system of claim 17, wherein said stop means comprises a retractable pin fitted within said second section of said arm, said pin normally engaging said attachment member so as to limit the rotation of said arm, and the retraction of said pin allowing the rotation of said arm on said attachment member.