Ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus

• US 6,204,592 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ben Hur
• Original Assignee: Ben Hur
• Inventors: Hur, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Dougherty, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/416,239
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 310/323.12, 310/323.18, 310/323.19, 310/325, 310/341, 310/346, 451/124, 451/165
• US Class Current: 310/323.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1624 Drive mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/861 specially shaped for gripping driver
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8886 holding the screw head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/07 with vibratory drive, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/20 using ultrasonics
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 21/00 Portable power-driven screw or nut setting or loosening tools; details or components, e.g. casings, bodies, of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operation performed B25F5/00; for mounting or dismounting wheels B60B29/006; Attachments for drilling apparatus serving the same purpose machines B23P19/06
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/00 Details or components of portable power-driven tools not particularly related to the operations performed and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A highly efficient and effective ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus for various precision use, such as medical or dental surgery, comprises of a piezoelectric transducer means to give an axial thrust and a motor to give a rotation to a bit. Therefore, this ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus combines the best of the ultrasound nailing or drilling bit and the best of the rotational drill. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus further comprises of an elongated horn having an operative tip, wherein a bit can be fixedly attached. The operative tip can be in any form designed to for ultrasonic machines, and even can be in a similar shape as a flat screwdriver tip, as a Phillips head tip, or even as a conventional drill bit.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus comprising:

a) a housing having a horn cover and a house bearing, wherein the horn cover has a first cover end and a second cover end, wherein the horn cover encloses a substantial portion of the elongated horn, and wherein the second cover end is fixedly attached to the house bearing;

b) a piezoelectric transducer means having an axial bore;

c) an elongated horn having a first horn end, a second horn end, and a broad portion, wherein the first horn end forms an operative tip, wherein the second horn end extends through the axial bore of the piezoelectric transducer means and is attached to the transducer means, wherein the broad portion has a first nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the elongated horn has a second nodal point of the elongated horn, and wherein the horn cover is rotatably attached to about the second nodal point of the elongated horn;

d) a shroud rotatably attached within the housing and fixedly attached to the elongated horn, wherein the shroud is fixedly attached to the elongated horn cat-about the first nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the piezoelectric transducer means and the elongated horn are fixedly attached within the shroud, wherein the elongated horn and the operative tip extend out of the shroud, wherein the house bearing rotatably houses the shroud, and wherein the operative tip extends out of the housing; and

e) a motor having a rotating arm, wherein the motor is a bi-directional ultrasonic motor, able to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise and attached to the housing, wherein the rotating arm is fixedly attached to the shroud so that the shroud rotates as the rotating arm rotates, and wherein the shroud is rotatably attached within the housing, such that the piezoelectric transducer means exerts axial impulses on the operative tip and the rotating arm of the motor exerts a rotation on the operative tip simultaneously.

2. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein the horn cover further comprises of a cover bearing, wherein the cover bearing is located near the first cover end, and the cover bearing is rotatably attached to about the second nodal point of the elongated horn.

3. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 2 wherein the housing further comprises of a slip ring assembly having a first ring and a second ring, wherein electrical power is supplied to the piezoelectric transducer means thorough the first ring and the second ring.

4. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 3 wherein the shroud further comprises of a rear plate wherein the rotating arm of the motor is fixedly attached to the rear plate of the shroud.

5. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 4 wherein the house bearing is a self lubricating bearing.

6. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cover bearing is a self lubricating bearing.

7. An ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus comprising:

a) a housing having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a horn cover and a house bearing, wherein a cooling fluid can be forced into the fluid inlet and out of the fluid outlet to cool the ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus, wherein the horn cover has a first cover end and a second cover end, wherein the horn cover encloses a substantial portion of the elongated horn, and wherein the second cover end is fixedly attached to the house bearing;

b) a piezoelectric transducer means having an axial bore, wherein the second horn end of the elongated horn extends through the axial bore of the piezoelectric transducer means;

c) an elongated horn having a first horn end, a second horn end, and a broad portion, wherein the broad portion of the elongated horn has a first nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the elongated horn has a second nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the horn cover is rotatably attached to about the second nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the first horn end forms an operative tip, wherein the second horn end is attached to the transducer means;

d) a shroud rotatable attached within the housing, wherein the shroud is fixedly attached to the elongated horn at about the first nodal point of the elongated horn, wherein the piezoelectric transducer means and the elongated horn are fixedly attached within the shroud, and wherein the elongated horn and the operative tip extend out of the shroud, wherein the operative tip extends out of the housing, and wherein the house bearing rotatably houses the shroud;

e) a motor having a rotating arm, wherein the motor is a bi-directional ultrasonic motor, able to rotate clockwise and counter-clockwise and attached to the housing, wherein the rotating arm is fixedly attached to the shroud so that the shroud rotates as the rotating arm rotates, and wherein the shroud is rotatably attached within the housing, such that the piezoelectric transducer means exerts axial impulses on the operative tip and the rotating arm of the motor exerts a rotation on the operative tip simultaneously.

8. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 7 wherein the horn cover further comprises of a cover bearing, wherein the cover bearing is located near the first cover end, and the cover bearing is rotatably attached to about the second nodal point of the elongated horn.

9. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 8 wherein the housing further comprises of a slip ring assembly having a first ring and a second ring, wherein electrical power is supplied to the piezoelectric transducer means thorough the first ring and the second ring.

10. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 9 wherein the shroud further comprises of a rear plate wherein the rotating arm of the motor is fixedly attached to the rear plate of the shroud.

11. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 10 wherein the house bearing is a self lubricating bearing.

12. The ultrasonic nailing and drilling apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cover bearing is a self lubricating bearing.