Microprocessor-controlled fluid dispensing apparatus
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method for injecting fluid into oral tissue comprising the steps of:
- determining a tissue injection pressure for an injection site of said oral tissue; and
injecting said fluid into said injection site at a pressure which is not greater than said tissue injection pressure.
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Abstract
A fluid dispenser includes a hollow housing having an elongate chamber formed therein. A power supply is located within the chamber of the housing, the power supply being in electrical communication with a variable speed motor also located within the chamber of the housing. A switch, accessible from outside the housing, is in electrical communication with the power supply and motor for selectively operating the motor from a non-operable condition to an operable condition. A microprocessor controls the speed of the motor, enabling the fluid dispenser to deliver fluid at a wide range of speeds.
173 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for injecting fluid into oral tissue comprising the steps of:
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determining a tissue injection pressure for an injection site of said oral tissue; and injecting said fluid into said injection site at a pressure which is not greater than said tissue injection pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A fluid dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluid from a carpule having an axially slidable piston, said apparatus comprising:
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a hollow housing having an elongate chamber formed therein, said housing extending generally along an axis and being constructed and arranged to be gripped within a person'"'"'s hand; a carpule receiving member which is attached to said housing at one end thereof, said carpule receiving member having means for receiving a needle at its other opposite end and being adapted to receive a carpule having fluid therein which is ejected through the needle; a power supply located within the chamber of the housing; a motor energized by said power supply, said motor being located within the chamber of the housing and having a drive mechanism which is rotatably driven; a switch accessible from outside the housing and being in electrical communication with said power supply and motor for selectively operating said motor from a non-operable condition in which the power supply is electrically disconnected from the motor to an operable condition in which the power supply is electrically connected to the motor and supplies power thereto; a microprocessor for controlling an operating speed of said motor; a rack member disposed within the chamber of the housing along said axis, said rack member comprising an elongate body having an end portion engagable with said piston of the carpule and teeth formed on a side thereof which are engagable with said drive mechanism for moving the rack member linearly from a position in which the end portion is spaced from the carpule piston to a position in which the end portion engages the carpule piston so as to effect the dispensing of fluid from the carpule and through the needle at a controlled rate; wherein said microprocessor, by controlling said operating speed of said motor, controls a pressure at which said fluid is dispensed from said carpule.
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7. A fluid dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluid from a carpule having a slidable piston, the apparatus comprising:
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a motor coupled to said piston for bidirectionally driving said piston along a longitudinal axis of said carpule; a microprocessor for controlling said motor, said microprocessor controlling a speed at which said motor drives said piston; a power supply for supplying power to said motor and said microprocessor; wherein said microprocessor is capable of driving said motor at a number of speeds, each of said number of speeds corresponding to a specific pressure at which said fluid is dispensed from said carpule; and
wherein said microprocessor monitors an amount of fluid in said carpule by measuring a physical parameter of said motor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for injecting fluid in to tissue comprising the steps of:
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determining a tissue injection pressure for an injection site of said tissue; injecting said fluid into said injection site at a pressure which is not greater than said tissue injection pressure; said determining step and said injecting step being performed substantially concurrently; said injecting step comprising the delivering of said fluid into said tissue with a needle; said determining step comprising the measuring of said tissue injection pressure with a pressure transducer mounted proximate the tip of said needle; said injecting step further comprising the inserting of said needle tip into said injection site to deliver an amount of said fluid into said injection site; momentarily ceasing said delivery of fluid to said injection site while said determining step is being performed; and resuming said delivery of fluid at said tissue injection pressure determined during said determining steps.
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11. A fluid dispensing apparatus for dispensing fluid from a carpule having a slidable piston, the apparatus comprising:
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a motor coupled to said piston for bidirectionally driving said piston along a longitudinal axis of said carpule; a microprocessor for controlling said motor, said microprocessor controlling a speed at which said motor drives said piston; a power supply for supplying power to said motor and said microprocessor; wherein said microprocessor is capable of driving said motor at a number of speeds, each of said number of speeds corresponding to a specific pressure at which said fluid is dispensed from said carpule; and wherein said carpule includes a needle for inserting into tissue for injecting said fluid into an injection site of the tissue, said microprocessor being programmed with said number of speeds to instruct said motor to inject said fluid into said tissue at a corresponding pressure, said apparatus further comprising a pressure-measuring device for continuously obtaining a measurement of a pressure of said tissue at said injection site. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification