Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning dental handpieces

Claim 2

Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning dental handpieces including a. a body portion, b. a reservoir for a cleaning and conditioning fluid supported by said body portion, c. a carrier gas inlet conduit in said body portion, d. means for delivering a carrier gas to said carrier gas conduit, e. a bore in said body portion in communication with said reservoir, f. a piston slidably mounted in said bore for reciprocating movement therein, g. means on said piston forming a storage area for delivering a predetermined amount of fluid downwardly into said bore for communication with said carrier gas conduit when said piston is depressed, and h. a gas and fluid outlet conduit in said body portion in communication with said borE, proximate said carrier gas inlet conduit, i. said gas and fluid outlet conduit being connected to a dental handpiece, j. whereby carrier gas from the carrier gas inlet conduit is mixed with the predetermined amount of fluid and expelled through the gas and fluid outlet conduit and through the dental handpiece.

Claim 3

The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein a. said means on said piston includes spaced ribs extending outwardly from the piston periphery, b. said ribs, when the piston is in raised position, allowing free flow of fluid in the reservoir therebetween, c. said ribs, when the piston is in lowered position, being in substantially contiguous relation with the wall of said body portion defining the bore therein, d. thereby forming an annular fluid passage between the piston and the wall of said body portion defining the bore.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, with the addition of a. sealing means on said piston above and below the annular fluid passage to prevent leakage of fluid into, or out of, the passage, when the piston is depressed.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3, with the addition of a. means carried by said piston for blocking said gas inlet and gas and fluid outlet conduits, when said piston is in the raised or inoperative position, b. said means carried by said piston being moved out of blocking relation with said gas inlet and gas and fluid outlet conduits, when said piston is in the lowered or operative position.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, with the addition of a. sealing means on said piston above and below said means carried by said piston.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a. said means carried by said piston comprise annular ribs.

Claim 8

Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning dental handpieces, including a. a valve body, b. said valve body being provided with a vertical, axial bore, c. a reservoir for a cleaning and conditioning fluid supported by said valve body, d. a piston extending through said reservoir into the axial bore of said valve body, for reciprocal movement therein, e. spaced annular ribs extending outwardly from the periphery of said piston, thereby forming an annular passage for the reception of a predetermined amount of fluid from said reservoir when the piston is depressed to position said ribs in substantially contiguous relation with the valve body wall defining the axial bore, f. a carrier gas inlet conduit in said valve body in communication with the axial bore, g. a carrier gas source connected to said inlet conduit, h. whereby fluid in the annular passage is delivered to the area of said carrier gas inlet, for mixture with the carrier gas, i. a gas and fluid outlet conduit in said valve body, for delivering the fluid and gas mixture exteriorly of said valve body, and j. means for delivering the fluid and gas mixture to the dental handpiece.

Claim 9

Apparatus for cleaning and conditioning dental handpieces, including a. a valve body, b. said valve body being provided with a vertical, axial bore, c. a reservoir for a cleaning and conditioning fluid supported by said valve body, d. a piston extending through said reservoir into the axial bore of said valve body, for reciprocal movement therein, e. spaced annular ribs extending outwardly from the periphery of said piston, thereby forming an annular passage for the reception of a predetermined amount of fluid from said reservoir when the piston is depressed to position said ribs in substantially contiguous relation with the valve body wall defining the axial bore, f. a carrier gas inlet conduit in said valve body in communication with the axial bore, g. a carrier gas source connected to said inlet conduit, h. whereby fluid in the annular passage is delivered to the area of said carrier gas inlet, for mixture with the carrier gas, i. a gas and fluid outlet conduit in said valve body, for delivering the fluid and gas mixture exteriorly of said valve body, and j. means for delivering the fluid and gas mixture to the dental handpiece.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7, with the addition of a. annular ribs carried by said piston, b. said annular ribs being in blocking relation with said carrier gas inlet conduit and said gas and fluid outlet conduit, when said piston is in the raised or inoperative position, c. said annular ribs being moved out of blocking engagement with said carrier gas inlet conduit and said gas and fluid outlet conduit, when said piston is in the depressed or operative position.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a. the carrier gas is compressed air.