FLUID-OPERATED MEDICAL OR DENTAL HANDLE

• US 20100055642A1
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W&H Dentalwerk Burmoos GmbH (PM Privatstiftung)
• Original Assignee: W&H Dentalwerk Burmoos GmbH (PM Privatstiftung)
• Inventors: Brugger, Wilhelm, Rothenwaender, Michael, Kment, Christoph, Koelndorfer, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,324,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/99
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1628 Motors; Power supplies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/031 torque limiting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/05 with turbine drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/186 with torque adjusting or limiting means

Abstract

A fluid-operated medical or dental handle with a device for limiting the rotational speed to a maximum rotational speed value is disclosed. The handle comprises a rotating part that can be induced to rotation by a driving fluid for driving a tool connectable to the rotating part, an electrodynamic transducer driven by the rotating part for induction of an electric voltage, wherein the electrodynamic transducer has at least one coil and a magnetic element and at least one switch element for optional opening and closing of a circuit between the two ends of the at least one coil, so that with the circuit closed, an electric current and an induced magnetic field that decelerates the rotational speed of the rotating part and the tool connectable thereto can be induced in the coil of the electrodynamic transducer.

Claims

1. A fluid-operated medical or dental handle comprising

a rotating part that can be induced to rotate by a driving fluid for driving a tool connectable to the rotating part,

an electrodynamic transducer driven by the rotating part for induction of an electric voltage, the electrodynamic transducer comprising at least one coil and one magnetic element, and

at least one switch element for selectively opening and closing of a circuit between the two ends of the at least one coil, so that with the circuit closed, an electric current and an induced magnetic field decelerating the rotational speed of the rotating part and of the tool connectable thereto can be induced in the coil of the electrodynamic transducer.

2. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the magnetic element is provided on the rotating part, so that the magnetic element can be induced to rotation by the rotating part.

3. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one coil is wound around a soft magnetic coil core.

4. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 3, wherein

the soft magnetic coil core comprises one or more layers, is shaped in a ring and surrounds the magnetic element on its outside circumference.

5. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the electrodynamic transducer comprises several coils.

6. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 5, wherein

the coils are arranged essentially uniformly about the magnetic element.

7. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element comprises one or more semiconductor diodes.

8. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 7, wherein

the switch element comprises two Zener diodes arranged in an antiserial configuration or a bidirectional diode.

9. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 7, wherein

the switch element comprises at least one electromagnetic light-emitting diode and at least one semiconductor element receiving the radiation.

10. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element comprises at least one electric resistor.

11. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 10, wherein

the electric resistor comprises one of a voltage-dependent resistor and a temperature-dependent resistor.

12. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the electrodynamic transducer comprises at least one control coil, to which an electric consumer is connected or which is operatively connected to a sensor.

13. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element comprises an electronic circuit or a microcontroller.

14. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element limits the rotational speed of the rotating part and the tool connectable thereto to a value in the range of approximately 300,000-150,000 revolutions per minute.

15. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element limits the rotational speed of the rotating part and the tool connectable thereto to value in the range from approximately 275,000-200,000 revolutions per minute.

16. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the switch element limits the rotational speed of the rotating part and the tool connectable thereto to approximately 250,000 revolutions per minute.

17. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

the electrodynamic transducer and the entire switch element are accommodated in the handle.

18. The fluid-operated medical or dental handle according to claim 1, wherein

multiple switch elements are provided with different switching values, so that the induced magnetic fields are sequentially inducible.

19. A method for limiting the rotational speed of a fluid-operated medical or dental handle comprising a rotating part capable of connection to a tool inducible to rotate by action of a driving fluid, transducer driven by the rotating part, the electrical transducer comprising at least one coil and one magnetic element, and at least one switch element for selectively opening and closing a circuit between ends of the at least one coil, the method comprising:

inducing a voltage in the at least one coil of the electrodynamic transducer by initiating rotation of the rotating part, and

selectively closing a circuit between the two ends of the at least one coil with the switch element, so that an electric current and an induced magnetic field that decelerates the rotational speed of the rotating part and any tool connected thereto are induced in the coil of the electrodynamic transducer.