Ultrasonic device and method

Claim 2

In an ultrasonic device having a casing, an energyzing means adjacent said casing, ultrasonic vibration means mounted in said casing and activated by said energyzing means, means for introducing fluid into an end of said casing, the improvement comprising a hollow sleeve adapted to be insertably mounted in the end of the casing and in fluid communication therewith, connecting means attached to one end of said vibration means and extending through said hollow sleeve, said connecting means being mounted at a spaced distance from the internal walls of said hollow sleeve, forming an annular nozzle adjacent said hollow sleeve anterior end for fluid to exit said nozzle in substantially a 360° annular stream, and tool means axially fixed to said connecting means at the anterior end thereof.

Claim 3

The device according to claim 1 wherein said hollow sleeve additionally comprises support means transversely mounted on the inside of said sleeve for supporting said connecting means at the approximate nodal point thereof.

Claim 4

The device according to claim 1 wherein said annular space between said hollow sleeve and said connecting means is sufficiently small to induce the fluid flow at the nozzle to exit as a spray.

Claim 5

The device according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle is biased toward the side of application of force to the tool means.

Claim 6

The device according to claim 2 wherein said support means comprises three equally spaced screws threadedly and insertably mounted in three equal spaced threaded holes at 120° apart on said hollow sleeve, the tip of each of said screws being in contact with said connecting means.

Claim 7

The device according to claim 5 wherein said annular space between said hollow sleeve and said connecting means is sufficiently small to induce the fluid flow at the nozzle to exit as a spray.

Claim 8

The device according to claim 5 wherein said nozzle opening is biased toward the side of application of force to the tool means.

Claim 9

The device according to claim 5 wherein said screws are soft tipped.

Claim 10

The device according to claim 5 wherein said casing is tubular and said energyzing means is a winding about said casing, said casing and said winding being enclosed within a housing.

Claim 11

The device according to claim 1 wherein said nozzle means comprises a bushing mounted internally in said hollow sleeve adjacent the open end thereof, said bushing having an internal diameter at a spaced distance from said connecting means thereby providing an annular nozzle.

Claim 12

In an ultrasonic device having a casing, an energyzing means adjacent said casing, means for introducing fluid into an end of said casing and an insert assembly insertably mounted in said casing, the improvement in said insert assembly comprising a hollow sleeve adapted to be insertably mounted in the end of the casing and in fluid connection therewith, connecting means extending through said hollow sleeve, said connecting means comprising a shank being mounted at a spaced distance from the internal walls of said hollow sleeve to thereby form an annular space between said sleeve and said shank said annular space being in fluid communication with said casing, and an annular nozzle adjacent said hollow sleeve anterior end for fluid to exist therefrom, said connecting means also comprising a ring transversely mounted on said shank at the nodal point thereof, said hollow sleeve having an internally located transverse slot adapted to accomodate said ring, and a flow detour means for conducting fluid around said ring and into said annular space ultrasonic vibration means fixedly connected to said connecting means at the posterior end thereof, and adapted to be inserted into said casing into position to be acted upon by said energyzing means, and tool means axially fixed to said connecting means at the anterior end thereof, said tool means being vibrated by the ultrasonic vibration of said vibration means as transmitted by said connecting means.

Claim 13

In an ultrasonic device having a casing, an energyzing means adjacent said casing, means for introducing fluid into an end of said casing and an insert assembly insertably mounted in said casing, the improvement in said insert assembly comprising a hollow sleeve adapted to be insertably mounted in the end of the casing and in fluid connection therewith, connecting means extending through said hollow sleeve, said connecting means comprising a shank being mounted at a spaced distance from the internal walls of said hollow sleeve to thereby form an annular space between said sleeve and said shank said annular space being in fluid communication with said casing, and an annular nozzle adjacent said hollow sleeve anterior end for fluid to exist therefrom, said connecting means also comprising a ring transversely mounted on said shank at the nodal point thereof, said hollow sleeve having an internally located transverse slot adapted to accomodate said ring, and a flow detour means for conducting fluid around said ring and into said annular space ultrasonic vibration means fixedly connected to said connecting means at the posterior end thereof, and adapted to be inserted into said casing into position to be acted upon by said energyzing means, and tool means axially fixed to said connecting means at the anterior end thereof, said tool means being vibrated by the ultrasonic vibration of said vibration means as transmitted by said connecting means.

Claim 14

The device according to claim 11 wherein said nozzle additionally comprises a bushing mounted internally in said hollow sleeve adjacent the open end thereof, said bushing having an internal diameter at a spaced distance from said shank forming said annular nozzle.

Claim 15

In an ultrasonic device having a casing, an energyzing means adjacent said casing, means for introducing fluid into an end of said casing, and and insert assembly insertably mounted in said casing, the improved insert assembly comprising a hollow sleeve adapted to be insertably mounted in the casing and in fluid communication therewith connecting means extending through said hollow sleeve, said connecting means being mounted at a spaced distance from the internal wall of said hollow sleeve to thereby form an annular space between said sleeve and said connecting means, said annular space being in fluid communication with said casing, and a nozzle means adjacent said hollow sleeve anterior end for fluid flowing through said space to exit said nozzle means said nozzle means comprising a bushing mounted internally in said hollow sleeve adjacent the open anterior end thereof said bushing having an internal diameter at a spaced distance from said connecting means thereby providing an annular nozzle. said connecting means additionally comprising a shank portion extending through said hollow sleeve, a shallow channel longitudinally located thereon extending from the interior of said hollow sleeve and past said bushing for providing an added stream of fluid, and a ring transversely mounted on said shank portion at the nodal point thereof, said hollow sleeve having a transverse slot adapted to accomodate said ring and flow detour means for providing fluid passages around said ring, ultrasonic vibration means fixedly connected to said connecting means at the posterior end thereof and adapted to be inserted into said casing into position to be acted upon by said energyzing means, and tool means axially fixed to said connecting means at the anterior end thereof, said tool means being vibrated by the ultrasonic vibration of said vibration means as transmitted by said connecting means.

Claim 16

In an ultrasonic device having a casing, an energyzing means adjacent said casing, means for introducing fluid into an end of said casing, and and insert assembly insertably mounted in said casing, the improved insert assembly comprising a hollow sleeve adapted to be insertably mounted in the casing and in fluid communication therewith connecting means extending through said hollow sleeve, said connecting means being mounted at a spaced distance from the internal wall of said hollow sleeve to thereby form an annular space between said sleeve and said connecting means, said annular space being in fluid communication with said casing, and a nozzle means adjacent said hollow sleeve anterior end for fluid flowing through said space to exit said nozzle means said nozzle means comprising a bushing mounted internally in said hollow sleeve adjacent the open anterior end thereof said bushing having an internal diameter at a spaced distance from said connecting means thereby providing an annular nozzle. said connecting means additionally comprising a shank portion extending through said hollow sleeve, a shallow channel longitudinally located thereon extending from the interior of said hollow sleeve and past said bushing for providing an added stream of fluid, and a ring transversely mounted on said shank portion at the nodal point thereof, said hollow sleeve having a transverse slot adapted to accomodate said ring and flow detour means for providing fluid passages around said ring, ultrasonic vibration means fixedly connected to said connecting means at the posterior end thereof and adapted to be inserted into said casing into position to be acted upon by said energyzing means, and tool means axially fixed to said connecting means at the anterior end thereof, said tool means being vibrated by the ultrasonic vibration of said vibration means as transmitted by said connecting means.

Claim 19

The method of claim 14 wherein an added spray is directed at a point nearest the tool. .Iadd.

Claim 20

An insert assembly for an ultrasonic handpiece, said assembly comprising ultrasonic vibration means, for generating an output, means connected to said ultrasonic vibration means for coupling said output to a working tool, and tool means connected to said connecting means for receiving said output, the improvement comprising: housing means surrounding said connecting means for providing an annular space between the inner wall of said housing means and said connecting means, and bushing means connected to said housing in proximity to said tool means for providing an annular nozzle about said tool means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. An insert assembly for an ultrasonic dental instrument comprising: ultrasonic vibration means, for producing an output, means connected to said ultrasonic vibration means for coupling said output to a working tool, and working tool means connected to said connecting means; a hollow sleeve coupled to and surrounding said connecting means, a portion of said connecting means extending through said hollow sleeve a spaced distance from the internal wall of said hollow sleeve to thereby form an annular space between said sleeve and said connecting means; and nozzle means mounted between said sleeve and said connecting means in proximity to said tool means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The insert assembly of claim 17 wherein said nozzle means comprises a bushing mounted internally in said hollow sleeve and surrounding said connecting means, said bushing having an internal diameter such that an annular space is formed between said bushing and said connecting means thereby providing an annular nozzle. .Iaddend.