Patent US4580978A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4580978A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Dental high volume evacuation system
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1984-02-21
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Granted: 1986-04-08
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Expires: 2004-02-21
Abstract
Abstract A vacuum operated dental high volume evacuation system is provided wherein an extraction instrument is connected to a debris collector for solids which in turn is connected to a separator unit wherein the liquid in the evacuated material is separated from the vacuum air and the dry vacuum air is directed to the vacuum source unit which creates the vacuum for the system. The separator unit includes a vacuum chamber positioned above a drainage chamber with a valve disposed therebetween. The drainage chamber is normally maintained at atmospheric pressure and the valve is normally closed due to the pressure differential between the two chambers. A liquid level sensor is provided in the vacuum chamber to sense the rise of liquid therein which upon reaching a certain level trips the sensor which results in an equalization of vacuum pressure between the two chambers and the draining of the liquid in the vacuum chamber into the drainage chamber. Upon the deactivation of the liquid level sensor, the drainage chamber is returned to atmospheric pressure and the valve between the two chambers closed as a result of the pressure differential.
Inventors
- 👤 Vincent Motola
- 👤 Rudolph Vetere
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:52
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C17/00; A61C17/06; A61C17/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A dental high volume evacuation system for extracting liquid and dental debris by means of vacuum and automatically removing said extracted liquid and dental debris from said system, said system including: (a) a vacuum source; (b) an extraction instrument communicating with said vacuum source; and (c) a separator unit operatively disposed between said vacuum source and said extraction instrument for separating out the liquid extracted by said instrument from the evacuated air and automatically removing said extracted liquid from the system, said separator unit comprising, a vacuum chamber operatively disposed between and communicating with said extraction instrument and with said vacuum source, a drainage chamber disposed below said vacuum chamber for receiving the liquid from said vacuum chamber and draining said liquid from said system, valve means communicating between said vacuum and drainage chambers, and means responsive to the liquid level accumulated in said vacuum chamber for causing the opening of said valve means and the draining of the liquid from said vacuum chamber into said drainage chamber without altering the vacuum at said extraction instrument.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A dental high volume evacuation system for extracting liquid and dental debris by means of vacuum and automatically removing said extracted liquid and dental debris from said system, said system including: (a) a vacuum source; (b) an extraction instrument communicating with said vacuum source; and (c) a separator unit operatively disposed between said vacuum source and said extraction instrument for separating out the liquid extracted by said instrument from the evacuated air and automatically removing said extracted liquid from the system, said separator unit comprising, a vacuum chamber operatively disposed between and communicating with said extraction instrument and with said vacuum source, a drainage chamber disposed below said vacuum chamber for receiving the liquid from said vacuum chamber and draining said liquid from said system, valve means communicating between said vacuum and drainage chambers, and means responsive to the liquid level accumulated in said vacuum chamber for causing the opening of said valve means and the draining of the liquid from said vacuum chamber into said drainage chamber without altering the vacuum at said extraction instrument.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said drainage chamber is normally vented at atmosphere and said means for causing the opening of said valve means and the draining of the liquid from said vacuum chamber into said drainage chamber includes: (a) a liquid level sensor activated by a predetermined liquid level in said vacuum chamber; (b) means responsive to the activation of said liquid level sensor for sealing the atmospheric vent of said drainage chamber; and (c) means responsive to the activation of said liquid level sensor for equalizing the pressures in said vacuum and drainage chambers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 2, wherein the valve means communicating between said vacuum and drainage chambers remains sealingly closed when a pressure difference exists between said chambers and is unrestrained when the pressures in said chambers are equalized thereby permitting the liquid in the vacuum chamber to drain into the drainage chamber by means of the weight of the liquid alone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for equalizing the pressures in said vacuum and drainage chambers includes means for pressure communication between said vacuum and drainage chambers and normally closed valve means in said pressure communication means responsive to the activation of said liquid level sensor to open thereupon and establish said pressure communication.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for sealing the atmospheric vent of said drainage chamber includes a normally open valve means in said vent which closes in response to the activation of said liquid level sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
110 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 5, wherein said drainage chamber includes a valve means disposed therein for draining the liquid in said chamber therefrom, the valve means remains sealingly closed due to the pressure differential between said chamber and atmosphere when the valve means in the drainage chamber vent is closed and the valve means in the pressure communication means between the vacuum and drainage chambers is open, the valve means in said drainage chamber being unrestrained when the pressure in said chamber is equalized with atmospheric pressure thereby allowing the liquid therein to drain therefrom by means of the weight of the liquid alone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 1, which further includes a debris collector operatively disposed between said extraction instrument and said separator unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 1, wherein said vacuum source includes a vacuum chamber operatively communicating with the vacuum chamber of said separator unit, at least one vacuum motor disposed exteriorly to said vacuum chamber of said vacuum source, and a valve associated with said at least one vacuum motor and said chamber which is open during operation of said at least one vacuum motor to create a vacuum in said vacuum chamber of said vacuum source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 8, wherein said vacuum source includes a plurality of vacuum motors each having an associated valve for communication with the vacuum chamber of said vacuum source and wherein said motors operate sequentially for predetermined time periods during operation of the dental high volume evacuation system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 9, wherein said vacuum source includes four vacuum motors.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The dental high volume evacuation system as defined in claim 9, wherein there is a time delay in the shutting off of each vacuum motor when the successive motor has started operating.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-07 | 1989-10-07 | 1990-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-07 | 1993-10-07 | 1994-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-07 | 1997-10-07 | 1998-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |