Movable Pin Ultrasonic Transducer

• US 20080015551A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Feine
• Original Assignee: James Feine
• Inventors: Feine, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320068 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic A61B17/22012 takes precedence; dental tooth drilling devices operated by vibration A61C3/03; removing intra-ocular material using mechanical vibrations A61F9/00745
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/20 using ultrasonics

Abstract

An ultrasonic tool is disclosed with a handpiece (300, 500, 806) containing coils (304A-304D; 504A-504D; 804A-804B) that produce an electromagnetic field that vibrates a magnetic rod (102, 702A, 702B, 820) of a moveable pin transducer (MPT) 100 disposed within the handpiece. Ultrasonic vibrations are produced when the coils are selectively powered by an ultrasonic signal generator, which can include a stepper motor control apparatus (1300, 1400). A tip 106 can be removably attached to an MPT 100. A channel (708A, 708B) in the magnetic rod (700A, 700B) can allow fluidic communication with a handpiece fluid supply channel (310, 510). A method of vibrating a tool can include controllably energizing at least one electromagnetic coil contained within a handpiece to vibrate a magnetic rod and an attached tip. The method can include varying the energy to at least one of the electromagnetic coils with a stepper motor control apparatus.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic tool comprising:

a handpiece containing coils capable of generating an electromagnetic field;

a movable magnetic rod positioned adjacent the coils for displacement in response to the electromagnetic field;

a tip rigidly attached to an end of the magnetic rod; and

an ultrasonic signal generator operatively connected to the coils to generate the electromagnetic field.

2. An ultrasonic tool comprising:

a handpiece providing a well and containing at least one coil conductively connected to an ultrasonic signal generator to create an anisotropic electromagnetic field in the well; and

a magnetic rod with a distal end comprising a tip and a proximal end moveably disposed at least partially within the electromagnetic field to vibrate the tip in response to the ultrasonic signal.

3. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the magnetic rod is tapered from a larger distal end to a smaller proximal end.

4. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein a transverse cross-section of the magnetic rod is ovate.

5. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein a transverse cross-section of the well is ovate.

6. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the ultrasonic signal generator comprises a stepper motor control apparatus to move the tip in a defined pattern.

7. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein each of the coils is separately connected to the ultrasonic signal generator.

8. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein each of the coils is connected to a separate ultrasonic signal generator.

9. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the at least one coil is at least one coil having a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the well and extending substantially from a proximal end to a distal end of the well.

10. The ultrasonic tool of claim 9 wherein the at least one coil is disposed within a wall of the handpiece between the well and an outer surface of the handpiece.

11. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein a longitudinal axis of the at least one coil is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the well.

12. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein a longitudinal axis of the at least one coil is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the well.

13. The ultrasonic tool of claim 12 wherein the at least one coil is disposed within a wall of the handpiece between the well and an outer surface of the handpiece.

14. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the proximal end of the magnetic rod is disposed entirely within the well.

15. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the magnetic rod is vibratably retained within the handpiece by a friction fit between an outer surface of the magnetic rod and an inner surface of the well to form a fulcrum between the proximal and distal ends of the magnetic rod.

16. The ultrasonic tool of claim 15 further comprising a positioning tab and a corresponding positioning notch formed between the outer surface of the magnetic rod and an inner surface of the well to restrict relative rotation therebetween.

17. The ultrasonic tool of claim 15 further comprising a sealing member between the outer surface of the magnetic rod and the inner surface of the well to form a fluid-tight seal therebetween.

18. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 further comprising a source of motive fluid in communication with an aperture in the tip.

19. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 further comprising a channel in the magnetic rod in communication with an aperture in the tip and in communication with a fluid supply channel in the handpiece.

20. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 further comprising a gripping element disposed between the magnetic rod and the tip to form a fulcrum between the proximal and distal ends of the magnetic rod.

21. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the tip is removably attached to the distal end of the magnetic rod.

22. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 further comprising a metallic element disposed within the at least one coil along a longitudinal axis.

23. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the magnetic rod comprises a ferromagnetic material.

24. The ultrasonic tool of claim 2 wherein the tip comprises a dental or surgical tip.

25. A method of vibrating a tip of an ultrasonic tool comprising:

affixing the tip to a magnetic rod;

positioning the magnetic rod on a fulcrum disposed between the tip and a plurality of electromagnetic coils contained within a handpiece; and

controllably energizing at least one of the electromagnetic coils to vibrate the magnetic rod and the tip.

26. A method of vibrating a tip of an ultrasonic tool comprising:

vibratably retaining a magnetic rod within a well of a handpiece of the ultrasonic tool, wherein the tip is adjacent an entry to the well and is attached to an end of the magnetic rod;

connecting an ultrasonic signal generator to an energy source and to a plurality of electromagnetic coils disposed within the handpiece to provide an electromagnetic field;

varying the energy to at least one of the electromagnetic coils to change the electromagnetic field with the ultrasonic signal generator to reciprocate the magnetic rod and thereby vibrate the tip.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of varying the energy further comprises varying the energy with a stepper motor control apparatus.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the electromagnetic coils is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the well.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein a longitudinal axis of each of the electromagnetic coils is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the well.

30. The method of claim 26 further comprising applying the tip to impact or penetrate a substrate.

31. The method of claim 26 further comprising applying the tip to clean, cut, polish, abrade or massage a dental surface.

32. An ultrasonic tool comprising:

a handpiece;

an insert retained in the handpiece comprising a proximal movable pin transducer rigidly carrying a distal working tip;

ultrasonic drive means comprising coils in the handpiece to generate an electromagnetic field of chronologically varying anisotropy adjacent a magnetic pin of the moveable pin transducer for repetitively moving the pin in response to an ultrasonic drive signal to the coils and thereby vibrating the working tip in a pattern of motion defined by the drive signal.