DENTAL APPARATUS UTILIZING FIBER OPTICS

• US 3,638,013 A
• Filed: 04/02/1969
• Issued: 01/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald F. Keller
• Original Assignee: Ronald F. Keller
• Inventors: Keller, Ronald F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horan, John M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan
• Application Number:
  US04/812,823
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 240/41.15,1EL,2E,2MT,2.18,6.46,47,4.2 350/96B 128/6,11,13,16,22,398 32/26,27,69
• US Class Current: 433/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/247 with means for viewing areas outside the direct line of sight, e.g. dentists' mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/088 Illuminating devices or attachments for examination of the mouth A61B1/24 and A61B1/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 14/00 Electric lighting devices without a self-contained power source, e.g. for mains connection
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/202 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence

Abstract

Dental apparatus having a case with a lamp mounted in the case and producing a focused source of light at a predetermined focal point. A socket assembly is mounted in the case in the vicinity of the lamp. The socket assembly has at least first and second openings therein with the first opening being substantially larger than the second opening. A first large fiber optics cable is provided and has one end mounted in the first opening in the socket assembly so that it faces the focused source of light. The other end of the large fiber optics cable is adapted to be positioned to provide general illumination of a predetermined area. A second small fiber optics cable is provided and has one end mounted in the second opening in the socket assembly and also facing the focused source of light. A tool is mounted on the other end of the second cable so that the second cable provides a beam of light to provide localized illumination for use of the tool. The tool can be in the form of a hand dental mirror having a headlike substrate with a reflecting surface thereon and handle means secured to the substrate and connected to the second fiber optics cable. The hand dental mirror includes means for causing substantially all the light passing from the fiber optics cable connected to the handle means to pass from the substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the reflecting surface and from a generally localized area with respect to the substrate.

Claims

1. In a dental apparatus, a source of light, a dental tool, a flexible fiber optics cable having one end facing the source of light and having the other end secured to the dental tool and throwing a beam of light in the vicinity of said tool, said dental tool being in the form of a hand dental mirror having a headlike substrate with a major planar reflecting surface thereon, and handle means secured to the substrate and connected means independent of the major planar reflecting surface for causing substantially all of the light passing from the fiber optics cable connected to the handle means to pass from the substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the major planar reflecting surface and from a generally localized area with respect to the major planar reflecting surface and solely in front of the major planar reflecting surface.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said dental mirror is formed of plastic.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the means independent of the major planar reflecting surface consists of at least one surface extending at an angle with respect to the major planar reflecting surface of the mirror.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said at least one surface is formed by a recess in the back side of the substrate.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said at least one surface is formed by a recess in the front side of said substrate.

6. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said at least one surface has a substantially parabolic shape.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said handle includes a fiber optics cable extending through the same and wherein said fiber optics cable includes a spring extending the length of the cable.

8. In a dental apparatus, a source of light, a dental tool, a flexible fiber optics cable having one end facing the source of light and having the other end secured to the dental tool for throwing a beam of light in the vicinity of the dental tool, said dental tool including a holder, said holder comprising a tube, a retainer carried by the tube and having a bore therein, said fiber optics cable having a fitting thereon adapted to be fitted in the hole in said retaIner, said fitting having an enlarged portion preventing the same from passing through the hole, spring means mounted on the cable and adapted to engage said enlarged portion of said fitting and cooperative locking means carried by the spring means for engaging one end of said tube for retaining said spring means and said cable in said tube and for yieldably urging said fitting into the hole in said retainer, a ferrule, a fitting mounted in said ferrule and carrying a fiber optics bundle and extending through the ferrule, said fitting in said ferrule having an enlarged portion between the ends of the same preventing said fitting in said ferrule from being pushed out of said ferrule, and cooperative means carried by the ferrule adapted to engage the other end of the tube, said fitting extending into said retainer in said tube and having a length such that when said cooperative means carried by the ferrule is in engagement with the end of the tube, the fitting carried by the ferrule is in engagement with the fitting carried by the cable to urge the fitting on the cable in a direction out of the retainer against the force of the spring means so that good contact is maintained between said fitting so that light carried by one fitting is passed to the next fitting.

9. A dental apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said dental tool is in the form of a ferrule having a passage extending therethrough, said ferrule having an extension, a mirror holder mounted in said extension, a mirror carried by said mirror holder, said ferrule extension having a passage therethrough, a fiber optics member mounted in said passages and extending through the same to a position in front of the mirror, and means connecting said fiber optics member to said cable.

10. A dental apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said dental tool includes a ferrule having a split therein and having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and opening into a larger bore, a tubular fiber optics member, a clip mounted on said fiber optics member and having portions thereof extending upwardly beyond the fiber optics member, said fiber optics member being disposed in said split ferrule so that said portions of said clip are positioned in said split in said ferrule to prevent rotation of the fiber optics member with respect to the ferrule.

11. In apparatus utilizing fiber optics, a case, a lamp mounted in said case, said lamp producing a focused source of light at a predetermined focal point, a socket assembly mounted in said case in the vicinity of said lamp, said socket assembly having at least first and second openings therein with the first opening being substantially larger than the second opening, a first large fiber optics cable having one end mounted in the first opening in the socket assembly and facing the focused source of light from said lamp generally at the focal point of the lamp, the other end of the large fiber optics cable being adapted to be positioned to provide general illumination of a predetermined area, a second smaller fiber optics cable having one end mounted in the second opening in the socket assembly and facing the focused source of light from said lamp generally at the focal point of the lamp and a tool mounted on the other end of said second cable, said second cable providing a beam of light in the vicinity of said tool to provide localized illumination for use of said tool.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 together with separate detent means for retaining said first and second cables in said socket assembly.

13. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said first opening is inclined with respect to the second opening so that said openings terminate at points which are generally in relatively close proximity to the focal point of the lamp.

14. Apparatus as in claim 11 together with control means for controlling the intensity of the light emanating from the lamp.

15. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein one of said separate detent means includes a pin slidably mounted in said socket assembly And extending into said second opening, and a yieldable member encircling said socket assembly and engaging said pin.

16. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said first and second fiber optics cables each includes a spring extending the length of the fiber optics cable.