Valve and system for dental apparatus

Claim 2

A fluid flow control system comprising: a. an air drivable tool, b. a pressure vessel for containing a liquid, said vessel having inlet and outlet ports, c. conduit means connecting said outlet port to a discharge orifice adjacent to said tool, d. a master three-way valve for selectively connecting said tool to a source of compressed air, and venting said tool to atmosphere, and e. conduit means connecting said pressure vessel to the outlet of said three-way valve in parallel with said tool, whereby the vessel is pressurized when and only when the source of compressed air is connected to the tool.

Claim 3

A fluid flow control system for use in dental equipment of the type including a plurality of hand pieces each having an air driven turbine, the hand pieces being arranged for selective alternate use, each one of said hand pieces requiring the simultaneous supply of a plurality of fluids during operation, one of the fluids being a liquid, and another one of the fluids being air for driving the turbine, the equipment including a valve for controlling the flow of the turbine driving air, said system comprising: a. a plurality of selector valves, one for each of the hand pieces, b. means connecting the outlets of said selector valves to respective ones of the hand pieces, c. means for selectively actuating said selector valves, d. a pressure vessel for holding the liquid, said vessel having an outlet port and an inlet port, e. conduit means connecting said outlet port of said vessel to said selector valves, f. a three-way valve for connection between a source of pressure gas and said inlet port of said vessel, and g. means responsive to actuation of the valve that controls the flow of the turbine drive air for actuating said three-way valve, said three-way valve being arranged to connect said inlet port to the source of pressure gas whenever the turbine air valve is open and to vent said inlet port to the atmosphere at all times when the turbine air valve is closed.

Claim 4

A fluid flow control system for use in dental equipment of the type including a plurality of hand pieces each having an air driven turbine, the hand pieces being arranged for selective alternate use, each one of said hand pieces requiring the simultaneous supply of a plurality of fluids during operation, one of the fluids being a liquid, and another one of the fluids being air for driving the turbine, the equipment including a valve for controlling the flow of the turbine driving air, said system comprising: a. a plurality of selector valves, one for each of the hand pieces, b. means connecting the outlets of said selector valves to respective ones of the hand pieces, c. means for selectively actuating said selector valves, d. a pressure vessel for holding the liquid, said vessel having an outlet port and an inlet port, e. conduit means connecting said outlet port of said vessel to said selector valves, f. a three-way valve for connection between a source of pressure gas and said inlet port of said vessel, and g. means responsive to actuation of the valve that controls the flow of the turbine drive air for actuating said three-way valve, said three-way valve being arranged to connect said inlet port to the source of pressure gas whenever the turbine air valve is open and to vent said inlet port to the atmosphere at all times when the turbine air valve is closed.

Claim 5

A fluid flow control system according to claim 2 including means for injecting a lubricant into the air for driving the turbine of each of said hand pieces during times when the turbines are operating, said injecting means being arranged to inject the lubricant at points close to the air inlet ports of the respective hand pieces.

Claim 6

A fluid flow control system according to claim 2 including a reservoir for a lubricant, and conduit means connecting said reservoir through said selector valves to the working air inlet ports of each of said hand pieces, whereby when said hand pieces are operating, lubricant is injected into the working air at points close to the turbines and condensation of the lubricant out of the working air is minimized.