Device for dispensing a dental material with locking mechanism

• US 9,662,180 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Boehm, Andreas J., Richter, Christian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carey, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/652,404
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 433 88, 433 82, 433 87, 433 89
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/087 Supplying powder or medicines
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/12 Angle hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/141 in an angled handpiece
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/02 Rinsing or air-blowing devices, e.g. using fluid jets or comprising liquid medication combined with receptacles for spittle A61C17/14; combined with power-driven cleaning or polishing devices A61C17/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 17/0202 Hand-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 3/025 Instruments acting like a sandblast machine, e.g. for cleaning, polishing or cutting teeth
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated

Abstract

A device for dispensing a dental material includes a nozzle head, a hand piece and a locking mechanism for locking the nozzle head and the hand piece. The locking mechanism includes a snap connection and a screw connection. The locking mechanism is operable between a locked position in which the snap connection is engaged for retaining the nozzle head and the hand piece with each other and in which the screw connection is disengaged; and a secured position in which the snap connection is disengaged and in which the screw connection is engaged for retaining the nozzle head and the hand piece with each other; and a released position in which the snap connection and the screw connection are disengaged.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing a dental material comprising a nozzle head, a hand piece and a locking mechanism for locking the nozzle head and the hand piece, wherein the locking mechanism comprises:

a snap connection and a screw connection;

the locking mechanism being operable between;

a locked position in which the snap connection is engaged for retaining the nozzle head and the hand piece with each other and in which the screw connection is disengaged;

a secured position in which the snap connection is disengaged and in which the screw connection is engaged for retaining the nozzle head and the hand piece with each other; and

a released position in which the snap connection and the screw connection are disengaged;

wherein the snap connection comprises a retaining device for axially retaining the nozzle head to the hand piece, and the screw connection comprises a stopper element to prevent separation of the nozzle head from the hand piece;

wherein the retaining device comprises a ring shaped protrusion on the hand piece and a ring shaped depression on the nozzle head, wherein the ring shaped protrusion engages the ring shaped depression in the locked position; and

wherein the stopper element comprises a first thread on the nozzle head and at least one pin or at least one second thread on the hand piece, wherein the first thread and the pin or the second thread are engaged to retain the nozzle head and the hand piece with each other in the secured position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is adapted to allow a rotation of the retained nozzle head relative to the hand piece in the locked position and/or the secured position.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle head extends along a first longitudinal axis, wherein the first thread comprises at least one ridge for guiding the pin or second thread from the released position into the locked position or the secured position, wherein the ridge extends in a circumferential direction around the first longitudinal axis and is inclined with respect to the first longitudinal axis at a predetermined angle.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined angle is in a range of 60 degrees to 80 degrees.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined angle is 90 degrees.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the ridge is formed as a rectangular ridge.

7. A powder-jet device for applying to a tooth structure of a patient a dental material comprising a powder/gas mixture and a liquid, the device comprising:

a nozzle head comprising a nozzle head body extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a first end at which a nozzle outlet is arranged and a second end comprising a shaft shaped protrusion, wherein the shaft shaped protrusion comprises a thread and a ring shaped depression, and wherein the thread comprises at least one ridge extending in a circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis and inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis at an angle of 60 degrees to 80 degrees; and

a hand piece comprising a rear end to which a fluid supply line is connectable and a front end, wherein the front end of the hand piece comprises at least one pin and a ring shaped protrusion;

wherein the thread on the second end of the nozzle head engages the at least one pin on the hand piece to form a screw connection to secure the nozzle head to the hand piece while allowing rotation of the nozzle head with respect to the hand piece, and wherein the ring shaped protrusion on the front end of the hand piece engages the ring shaped depression on the second end of the nozzle head to form a snap connection to lock the nozzle head to the hand piece.

8. The powder-jet device of claim 7, wherein the thread is closer to the second end of the nozzle head than the ring shaped depression.

9. The powder-jet device of claim 7, wherein the at least one pin is closer to the front end of the hand piece than the ring shaped protrusion.