Dental treatment room vacuum flow measurement device

• US 20040177698A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAMVAC Dental Products Inc.
• Original Assignee: RAMVAC Dental Products Inc.
• Inventors: Meyer, James Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 6,925,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/732
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/12 Control devices, e.g. for suction
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure

Abstract

A vacuum flow measurement device measures the quantity of air flowing into a high-volume evacuator (HVE) vacuum tip commonly found in dental treatment rooms. The device includes a tubular member constructed to mimic internal structural characteristics of a HVE tip. The tubular member includes a valve end coupleable with a HVE valve and an open end. A pressure gauge is connected to the tubular member via a port spaced from the open end of the tubular member. When the vacuum flow measurement device is coupled with the HVE valve, an air flow rate is determined as a function of pressure measured via the pressure gauge.

Claims

1. A vacuum flow measurement device comprising:

a tubular member constructed to mimic internal structural characteristics of a high-volume evacuator (HVE) tip, the tubular member having a valve end coupleable with a HVE valve and an open end; and

a pressure gauge connected to the tubular member via a port spaced from the open end of the tubular member.

2. A vacuum flow measurement device according to claim 1, wherein when the vacuum flow measurement device is coupled with the HVE valve, an airflow rate is determined as a function of pressure measured via the pressure gauge.

3. A vacuum flow measurement device according to claim 2, further comprising a chart representing the airflow rate as a function of pressure.

4. A method of measuring vacuum flow using a flow measurement device including a tubular member constructed to mimic internal structural characteristics of a high-volume evacuator (HVE) tip, and a pressure gauge connected to the tubular member, the method comprising:

(a) attaching a valve end of the tubular member to a HVE valve;

(b) reading a pressure value from the pressure gauge; and

(c) determining the vacuum flow airflow rate based on the pressure value read in step (b).

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising, (d) preparing a chart showing airflow rate as a function of pressure, wherein step (c) is practiced by referring to the chart.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein step (d) is practiced by:

attaching the flow measurement device to a peripheral airflow system having a known airflow rate;

reading a first pressure value from the pressure gauge and plotting the airflow rate versus the first pressure;

modifying the airflow rate of the peripheral airflow system;

reading a second pressure value from the pressure gauge and plotting the airflow rate versus the second pressure; and

repeating the modifying and reading steps as necessary and generating the chart based on plotted values.

7. A method of determining a vacuum airflow rate in a dental vacuum system, the method comprising replacing a high-volume evacuator (HVE) tip with a vacuum flow measurement device;

measuring a pressure drop through the vacuum flow measurement device; and

determining the vacuum airflow rate based on the pressure drop in the vacuum flow measurement device.

8. A method according to claim 7, comprising, prior to the replacing step, the step of providing the vacuum flow measurement device with pressure-flow characteristics that substantially match pressure-flow characteristics of the HVE tip.