Air-abrasive prophylaxis equipment

• US 3,882,638 A
• Filed: 10/04/1973
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Life Sciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Black
• Inventors: Black, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelly, Donald G.
• Application Number:
  US05/403,436
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 51/8R,12,11
• US Class Current: 451/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 3/025 Instruments acting like a sandblast machine, e.g. for cleaning, polishing or cutting teeth
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 5/02 Blast guns, e.g. for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets for cutting materials perforating by fluid jet B26F1/26
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 7/0046 the abrasive material being fed in a gaseous carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 7/0084 the abrasive material being fed in a mixture of liquid and gas B24C7/0038, B24C7/0076 take precedence; blasting medium with additives B24C11/005

Abstract

Air-abrasive equipment is provided for prophylaxis or tooth cleaning purposes. Provision is made for directing not only the air-abrasive stream or jet but also for directing a stream of warmed water, preferably in the form of a curtain surrounding the air-abrasive stream and serving to enhance the cleaning action and also to entrain the abrasive particles so that they may readily be withdrawn or removed through a liquid suction system.

Claims

1. A system for handling and feeding abrasive particles comprising means for mixing abrasive particles with a gaseous stream, first nozzle means for delivering the abrasive laden stream to a point of use, controllable supply means for starting and stopping the abrasive laden stream, second nozzle means in predetermined relation to the first nozzle means for delivering a stream of liquid adjacent said point of use, controllable supply means for starting and stopping the stream of liquid and control means for the supply means including means providing for substantially concurrently starting and stopping of the discharge of the gaseous and liquid streams from the nozzle means.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 in which the first and second nozzle means are integrated in a common handpiece.

3. A system for handling and feeding abrasive particles comprising means for mixing abrasive particles with a gaseous stream, first nozzle means for delivering the abrasive laden stream to a point of use, a first shut-off valve between the mixing means and the first nozzle means, a water feed line, a water heater in said line, second nozzle means for receiving heated water from the water heater and for delivering a stream of heated water substantially to said point of use, a second shut-off valve between the water heater and the second nozzle means, and control means including means interrelating the opening of both of the shut-off valves, and means providing for opening of the second shut-off valve without opening the first shut-off valve.

4. A system for entraining abrasive particles in a gas stream comprising a receptacle having walls defining a reservoir for abrasive particles, a wall structure within the reservoir defining a chamber separate from the abrasive reservoir and having a gas inlet, an abrasive pick up tube extended through said chamber and having its inlet end projecting from said chamber downwardly into the abrasive supply in a lower region of the abrasive reservoir, a port through the chamber wall for delivering gas from the chamber into the supply of abrasive in the region of the inlet end of said tube, a delivery connection extended from the pick up tube at a point remote from the inlet end of the tube, and a gas supply line connected with said tube near the delivery connection.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 and further including an adjustable valve in said gas supply line.

6. A system as defined in claim 5 and further including a controllable shut-off valve in said delivery connection.