US3955284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Disposable dental drill assembly
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-01-02
•
Granted: 1976-05-11
•
Expires: 1995-01-02
Abstract
Abstract A disposable dental drill assembly is disclosed in this application and includes a housing in which is rotatably carried a rotor member including a turbine blade configuration and which is fixed to the end of a dental burr. The housing is formed with interlock means cooperating with complimentary means formed on a handle member whereby the drill assembly is easily removable from the handle member and can be replaced when the burr wears out. Both the housing and handle are formed with air passages and the handle is connected to a source of air pressure so that air flows over the turbine blades driving the rotor member and, accordingly, the burr. Because the drill assembly is disposable, the housing and the rotor member, including the turbine blade configuration, are made of a relatively inexpensive plastic material which can also be utilized for the handle member.
Inventors
- 👤 John E. Balson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:48
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/08; A61C1/02; A61C1/05; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S415/00; Y10S415/904
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly a housing and a rotor member rotatably including mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly and non-removably secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly a housing and a rotor member rotatably including mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly and non-removably secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said handle is formed with a counterbore and said dental drill assembly is formed with a cylindrical extension received in said counterbore.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 2 wherein said counterbore is formed with projections and said cylindrical extension is formed with slots in interlocking engagement with said projections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said handle includes a compressible retaining ring and said dental drill assembly includes a seat in which said retaining ring is received to resist relative movement between said handle and said dental drill assembly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 including seal means between said handle and said dental drill assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 including locating means for orienting said dental drill assembly relative to said handle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing and said rotor member are formed of plastic material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly comprising a housing and a rotor member rotatably carried therein, said rotor member including turbine blade means and being fixedly non-removably secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing including interlocking means for removably coupling said dental drill assembly to a handle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly comprising a housing and a rotor member rotatably carried therein, said rotor member including turbine blade means and being fixedly non-removably secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing including interlocking means for removably coupling said dental drill assembly to a handle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for removably coupling said dental drill assembly to a handle includes an extension integrally formed with said housing and which is adapted to retain said handle therewith.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for removably securing said dental drill assembly to a handle includes a portion of a bayonet coupling arrangement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for removably securing said dental drill assembly to a handle includes an opening formed through said housing and being formed with an interlocking configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 11 wherein said interlocking configuration comprises a groove.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 12 wherein a radially projecting lug extends across said groove.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said housing and said rotor member are formed of plastic material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
A disposable self-contained drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said rotor member includes a central portion on which said turbine blade means is formed and integral generally cylindrical stub shafts projecting axially from opposite sides of said central portion, and wherein said housing includes integrally formed, generally cylindrical seats in which said stub shafts are rotatably carried.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A disposable self-contained drill assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said stub shafts are in slight bearing engagement with said seats.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A disposable self-contained drill assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein said stub shafts are slightly spaced from said seats whereby said stub shafts ride on a cushion of air when said rotor member is rotating.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A disposable self-contained drill assembly in accordance with claim 15 wherein a wear plate is located in said seats and is in slight bearing engagement with said stub shafts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
A dental handpiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rotor member is molded about the shank of said dental burr.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
A disposable self-contained drill assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said rotor member is molded about the shank of said dental burr.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
133 words
A dental handle including a generally cylindrical member formed with an offset neck portion at one end thereof, said neck portion being formed with coupling means for removably coupling said handle to a disposable drill assembly, the other end of said cylindrical member being formed with connecting means for connecting said handle to a flexible conduit, said coupling means including a reduced diameter tip extending from said neck portion, said tip including a peripheral groove intermediate its ends in which is carried a compressible retaining ring, an air passage extending through said handle from said other end of said cylindrical member to the end of said neck portion, and a water passage extending from said other end of said cylindrical member to the outer wall of said neck portion adjacent said end thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
133 words
A dental handle including a generally cylindrical member formed with an offset neck portion at one end thereof, said neck portion being formed with coupling means for removably coupling said handle to a disposable drill assembly, the other end of said cylindrical member being formed with connecting means for connecting said handle to a flexible conduit, said coupling means including a reduced diameter tip extending from said neck portion, said tip including a peripheral groove intermediate its ends in which is carried a compressible retaining ring, an air passage extending through said handle from said other end of said cylindrical member to the end of said neck portion, and a water passage extending from said other end of said cylindrical member to the outer wall of said neck portion adjacent said end thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A dental handle in accordance with claim 21 being made of plastic material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
A dental handle in accordance with claim 21 wherein a cylindrical boss extends from the free end of said tip and wherein a sealing washer seats on said boss adjacent said free end of said tip.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
134 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, said handle being formed with a counterbore and said dental drill assembly being formed with a cylindrical extension received in said counterbore, said counterbore being formed with projections and said cylindrical extension being formed with slots in interlocking engagement with said projections.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
134 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, said handle being formed with a counterbore and said dental drill assembly being formed with a cylindrical extension received in said counterbore, said counterbore being formed with projections and said cylindrical extension being formed with slots in interlocking engagement with said projections.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
126 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, said handle including a compressible retaining ring and said dental drill assembly including a seat in which said retaining ring is received to resist relative movement between said handle and said dental drill assembly.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
126 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, said handle including a compressible retaining ring and said dental drill assembly including a seat in which said retaining ring is received to resist relative movement between said handle and said dental drill assembly.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
105 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, and locating means for orienting said dental drill assembly relative to said handle.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
105 words
A dental handpiece including a handle and a self-contained dental drill assembly, said dental drill assembly including a housing and a rotor member rotatably mounted therein, said rotor member being formed with turbine blades and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing being removably connected to said handle by interlocking coupling means, said handle being formed with a passage in communication with a passage in said housing, said passage in said housing being arranged to direct a fluid against said turbine blades to rotate said rotor member, and locating means for orienting said dental drill assembly relative to said handle.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
76 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly comprising a housing and a rotor member rotatably carried therein, said rotor member including turbine blade means and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing including interlocking means for removably coupling said dental drill assembly to a handle, said means for removably securing said dental drill assembly to a handle including an opening formed through said housing, said opening being formed with an interlocking configuration.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
76 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly comprising a housing and a rotor member rotatably carried therein, said rotor member including turbine blade means and being fixedly secured to the end of a dental burr, said housing including interlocking means for removably coupling said dental drill assembly to a handle, said means for removably securing said dental drill assembly to a handle including an opening formed through said housing, said opening being formed with an interlocking configuration.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 27 wherein said interlocking configuration comprises a groove.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
20 words
A disposable self-contained dental drill assembly in accordance with claim 28 wherein a radially projecting lug extends across said groove.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-05-11 | 1979-11-10 | 1980-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-05-11 | 1983-11-10 | 1984-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-05-11 | 1987-11-10 | 1988-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |