Ultrasonically driven low-speed rotary motor
First Claim
1. An insert for a device having a housing with means for exciting longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations, the insert comprising:
- a sleeve for plugging the insert into the housing;
a vibrator supported in the sleeve, having a transducer at one end projecting toward the housing and responsive thereto for producing longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations in the vibrator, and having driving tip means at the other end for converting the longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations into elliptical motion;
at least one roller rotatably supported from the sleeve adjacent the driving tip means for axial rotation, the driving tip means tangentially engaging the roller during an arc of the elliptical motion of the driving tip means for unidirectionally rotation the roller;
tension means for providing a loading force between the roller and the driving tip;
a member rotatably supported from the sleeve; and
rotational speed reduction means coupling the roller to the member for rotating the member at a reduced rotational speed.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for rotating a member at relatively low rotational speeds is particularly useful for rotating a brush-type tooth polisher on an insert for an ultrasonic dental prophylaxis unit. The device comprises a vibrator which ultrasonically vibrates longitudinally and has a driving tip end portion which converts the longitudinal vibrations into elliptical motion. The elliptically moving driving tip tangentially engages at least one rotatable roller during an arc of the elliptical motion to rotate the roller. A speed reduction device couples the roller to a rotary polisher to rotate the polisher at a reduced speed. Preferably, the speed reduction device also isolates the axial and radial thrust applied, in use, to the polisher from the roller which receives some radial thrust from the vibrator. This reduces the bearing requirements for the polisher and roller. Also preferably, the roller, speed reduction and polisher elements are assembled as a unit separable from the vibrator for ready replacement.
33 Citations
11 Claims
-
1. An insert for a device having a housing with means for exciting longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations, the insert comprising:
-
a sleeve for plugging the insert into the housing; a vibrator supported in the sleeve, having a transducer at one end projecting toward the housing and responsive thereto for producing longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations in the vibrator, and having driving tip means at the other end for converting the longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations into elliptical motion; at least one roller rotatably supported from the sleeve adjacent the driving tip means for axial rotation, the driving tip means tangentially engaging the roller during an arc of the elliptical motion of the driving tip means for unidirectionally rotation the roller; tension means for providing a loading force between the roller and the driving tip; a member rotatably supported from the sleeve; and rotational speed reduction means coupling the roller to the member for rotating the member at a reduced rotational speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A low speed rotary polisher insert for an ultrasonic device having a housing with means for inducing longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations, the insert comprising:
-
a sleeve for plugging the insert into the housing; a vibrator supported in the sleeve, having a transducer at one end projecting toward the housing and responsive thereto for producing longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations in the vibrator, and having driving tip means at the other end for converting the longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations into elliptical motion; a frame; means for releasably connecting the frame to the sleeve; a pair of rollers including bearing means supporting the rollers on the frame for axial rotation, the rollers being on opposite sides of the driving tip means for tangential engagement thereby during opposite arcs of the elliptical motion thereof to rotate the rollers axially; means for urging the rollers against the driving tip and for simultaneous rotational coupling of the rollers; a polisher rotatably projecting from the frame; and speed reduction means on the frame and connecting at least one of the rollers to the polisher for rotating the polisher at a reduced speed and for isolating the radial thrust applied to the rollers by the elliptical motion of the driving tip means from the polisher. - View Dependent Claims (10)
-
-
11. For use in an ultrasonic device having a projecting vibrator portion moving elliptically, a polisher head unit comprising:
-
a frame; means for releasably connecting the frame to the ultrasonic device with the projecting, elliptically moving vibrator portion extending toward the frame; at least one roller having an axis of rotation generally normal to the vibrator portion, loading means for urging the roller against the vibrator portion and bearing means supporting the roller on the frame adjacent the projecting vibrator portion for tangential engagement thereby during an arc of the elliptical motion thereof to rotate the roller unidirectionally; a polisher rotatably projecting from the frame; and speed reduction means on the frame and connecting the roller to the polisher for rotating the polisher at a reduced speed and for isolating thrusts applied to the polisher and bearing means from each other.
-
Specification