Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A tool operator for removably holding an elongated dental tool at a manipulative end thereof and rotating said tool around its longitudinal axis, comprising a rigid tubular socket open at its first end for receiving said manipulative end of said tool into said socket through said first end thereof, resilient annular tool-retaining means in said socket near said first end thereof adapted to engage the sides of said tool near said manipulative end thereof for resiliently and removably holding said tool in said socket, and tool driving means operative through the second end of said socket for engaging said manipulative end of said tool so as to rotate said tool around said longitudinal axis, in combination with an elongated dental tool removably received in said socket and intended in use to be rotated around its longitudinal axis, the external diameter of said manipulative end of said tool being smaller than the internal diameter of said tubular socket, said tool having on its side wall annular groove means removably received by said resilient tool-retaining means by pushing said tool into said socket in its axial direction, said tool having means axially extending from said manipulative end thereof remote from said groove means and operative upon entrance of said tool into said socket to engage said tool driving means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A tool operator for removably holding an elongated dental tool at a manipulative end thereof and rotating said tool around its longitudinal axis, comprising a rigid tubular socket open at its first end for receiving said manipulative end of said tool into said socket through said first end thereof, resilient annular tool-retaining means in said socket near said first end thereof adapted to engage the sides of said tool near said manipulative end thereof for resiliently and removably holding said tool in said socket, and tool driving means operative through the second end of said socket for engaging said manipulative end of said tool so as to rotate said tool around said longitudinal axis, in combination with an elongated dental tool removably received in said socket and intended in use to be rotated around its longitudinal axis, the external diameter of said manipulative end of said tool being smaller than the internal diameter of said tubular socket, said tool having on its side wall annular groove means removably received by said resilient tool-retaining means by pushing said tool into said socket in its axial direction, said tool having means axially extending from said manipulative end thereof remote from said groove means and operative upon entrance of said tool into said socket to engage said tool driving means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
For use in combination with a tool operator according to claim 1, said tool having on its side walls near said one end thereof means to cooperate with said resilient tool-retaining means, said tool having axially extending from said one end thereof means operative during entrance of said tool into said socket to engage said tool driving means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
83 words
The combination of a tool operator according to claim 1 wherein the internal diameter of said socket is larger than the external diameter of said one end of said tool, and said resilient tool-retaining means is an O-ring fitted in said socket near said first end thereof, for permitting the longitudinal axis of said tool to rock within said "O" ring and thereby change direction relative to the tubular axis of said socket while being removably retained in said socket by said O-ring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
In a combination according to claim 1, means including said driving means to mount said socket at the second end thereof for rotation around the tubular axis of said socket, and means to rotate said driving means together with said socket around said tubular axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
In the combination according to claim 1, having extending axially from one end thereof said manipulative end, and a dentinal retention pin having in axial succession a threaded portion for engagement in a hole in dentinal material and a supra-coronal portion for supporting a dental restoration, said manipulative end being connected to and extending from said supra-coronal portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
The combination according to claim 5 wherein said pin includes a penetration stop member fixed between said threaded portion and said supra-coronal portion, for stopping penetration of said threaded portion short of the bottom of a hole formed in said dentinal material with depth greater than the length of said threaded portion, and wherein said manipulative section is joined to said one end of said tool via a torque-limiting connector.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a combination according to claim 1 wherein said resilient annular tool-retaining means includes a resilient member retained in said socket permitting the longitudinal axis of said tool to rock and to change angular direction relative to the tubular axis of said socket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
In a combination according to claim 1 wherein said resilient annular tool-retaining means is disposed in said socket close to its first end while said tool driving means is disposed in said socket more remote from said first end whereby the engagement between said resilient annular tool-retaining means and said annular groove forms a fulcrum permitting the longitudinal axis of said tool to rock and to change angular direction relative to the tubular axis of said socket.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
194 words
In the combination according to claim 1, said dental tool comprising a generally round elongated dentinal retention pin having a first threaded section for threadedly engaging in a pre-drilled hole in the dentine of a tooth the coronal part of which has been at least partly removed, said hole having a depth greater than the length of said first section, a second penetration stop section fixed to said first section for limiting penetration of said first section short of the bottom of said hole, a third supra-coronal section fixed to and extending endwise from said second section on which to support a restoration of said removed coronal part of said tooth, and a fourth manipulatory section comprising said manipulative end attached endwise to said third section for screwing said first section into said hole, said manipulating section tapering to a reduced transverse sectional dimension at its extremity, said manipulative section having a sectoral portion removed in a limited region extending from near said extremity to said extremity so as to provide a substantially flat-wall segment extending to said extremity for imparting to said manipulative sectional force to turn said pin on its longitudinal axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
In the combination according to claim 9, said holder for gripping and turning said dentinal retention pin comprising a rigid tubular socket having a tubular passage of larger internal diameter than the external diameter of said manipulative section, for receiving said manipulative section into said passage through a first end thereof, resilient means extending into said passage near said first end for gripping the side walls of said manipulative section, said manipulative section having a circumferential groove located between said extremity and said third section for engaging said resilient gripping means, driving means further in said socket for engaging said flat wall section by end-wise approach when said extremity reaches into said socket after insertion of said manipulative section through said first end, and means to rotate said holder for rotating said pin around its longitudinal axis, said pin axis being free within a limited range to rock about said resilient means thereby to change direction relative to the axis of rotation of said holder.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
In the combination according to claim 10 a holder wherein said driving means includes an inner socket section for endwise receiving said tapered extremity of said manipulative section, and a sectoral block having a substantially flat face for engaging said flat wall segment of said manipulative section, said inner socket section being dimensioned to permit said tapered extremity to move transversely a limited distance therein so as to allow said pin axis to change its direction relative to said axis of rotation by pivotal motion around said resilient gripping means as a fulchrum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
51 words
In the combination according to claim 11 an index mark on the exterior of said rigid tubular socket for aligning said flat face of said sectoral block with the flat wall segment of said manipulating section, prior to inserting said manipulating section into said socket passage through said first end thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
A tool operator according to claim 1 wherein the dental tool manipulative end and the tubular socket end for receiving said manipulative end are relatively dimensioned to permit said manipulative end to move transversely a limited distance therein so as to allow the axis of the tool to change direction relative to the axis of rotation of the tool driving means to enable self-alignment therebetween.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A tool operator according to claim 13 wherein the axis of the tool changes its direction relative to the axis of rotation of the tool driving means by pivotal motion around said resilient tool-retaining means.