US3475817A - Portable holder for dental tools or the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4, 1969 H. LOGE I 3,475,817

PORTABLE HOLDER FOR DENTAL TOOLS OR THE LIKE Filed May 24, 1967 n I lllHHIHllLll I 7 /a. U A 3 5 72a /2 54.

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INVENTOR #4; A 042- j 1 wwssm 44a ATTORNEY United States Patent Int. Cl. A61c 1/10, 1/14 US Cl. 3226 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cross-reference to related application 7 A transmission which can be utilized to drive the clutch in the holder of my invention is disclosed, for example, in the copending application Ser. No. 630,602 filed by Loge et a1. and now Patent No. 3,436,981 issued April 8, 1969, and assigned to the same assignee.

Background of the invention The present invention relates to surgical or like outfits in general, and more particularly to improvements in portable holders or hand pieces which can be utilized in power-driven surgical outfits to releasably hold and transmit torque to drilling, boring, polishing, grinding or like surgical tools. It is already known to provide a dental outfit with a holder or hand piece which accommodates a chuck serving to releasably retain the shaft or stem of a surgical tool and to drive the tool when it receives torque from the output member of the associated drive. The means for disengaging the chuck from the tool shaft normally comprises a thumb piece which resembles a lever and is adjacent to the peripheral surface of the housing which accommodates the chuck. Asa rule, the user of the holder applies to the lever some thumb pressure in order to disengage the chuck. Such application of pressure can occur accidentally, for example, when the dentist drills the tooth of a patient, and can cause serious injuries as well as embarrassment to the dentist. Furthermore, the lever is likely to interfere with proper grasping of the holder in actual use.

Accordingly, it is 'an important object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved holder or hand piece for dental or like tools, and to construct and assemble the holder in such a Way that the danger of accidental release of the tool is eliminated in a very simple and unobvious way.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable holder which can be more readily grasped by hand than heretofore known holders and wherein the tool can be disengaged from the chuck only when the outfit which embodies the holder is not in actual use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable holder of the above outlined character which can bereadily incorporated in or combined with presently known surgical outfits or like instruments.

An additional object of the invention is to provide ice a novel housing or casing for a portable holder of the above outlined type. v

A concomitant object of the instant invention is to provide a holder or handpiece which is safer, simpler and less expensive than presently known holders.

An ancillary object of the invention is to provide a novel mode of disengaging the chuck in the holder of a surgical or like outfit.

Summary of the invention One feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a portable holder or hand piece for dental or like tools. The holder comprises a chuck having an actuating member which is movable between operative and inoperative or idle positions in which the chuck is respectively in a condition to engage and release a tool, and a housing which preferably resembles a sleeve surrounding the chuck and has at least one opening positioned with reference to the actuating member in such a way that the user can introduce therethrough the working end of an implement (for example, the tip of a small lever or pry) by means of which the actuating member can be moved between its operative and inoperative positions. The arrangement is preferably such that the chuck comprises biasing means for permanently urging the actuating member to operative position and that the working end of the implement is used to move the actuating member to inoperative position.

The housing preferably comprises a tubular main body portion consisting of one or more sections and a plate-like insert which is fitted into a cutout of the main body portion and is provided with the aforementioned opening or openings. The wall thickness of the plate-like insert is less than the wall thickness of the remainder of the housing, at least in the region immediately surrounding the opening or openings, so that the working end of the implement can be fulcrumed on the edges of the insert during movement of the actuating member to inoperative position.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved holder itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Brief description of the drawing The single figure of the drawing is a partly elevational and partly axial sectional view of a holder which embodies my invention, the implement being indicated by broken lines.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawing in detail, there is shown a holder or hand piece which serves to releasably retain and to rotate a surgical tool, for example, a dental drill 5. This drill has a smooth-surfaced cylindrical shaft or stem 5a which carries at its forward end a drilling element Sb. The housing 1 of the holder resembles an elongated sleeve and comprises a main body portion composed of a series of interconnected tubular sections 1a, 1b, 1c the latter of which has an open front end 1d to permit insertion or withdrawal of the stem 5a. The housing 1 further includes a bearing sleeve 1h which is received in the sections 1a-1c and engages the outer race of an antifriction bearing Is for the hollow cylindrical forward end portion of an output shaft 2 which serves to transmit torque to the stem 5a through the intermediary of a chuck 3. This chuck comprises a ring-shaped actuating member 6 which is remote from the front end 1d and is movable,

within limits, in the axial direction of the output shaft 2 between an operative or rear end position and an inoperative or forward end position in which the chuck 3 is respectively in a condition for engagement with and disengagement from the stern 5a. The actuating member 6 surrounds the output shaft 2 and is axially movably coupled thereto by a diametral pin 7 extending through elongated axially parallel slots 8 of the output shaft. Thus, the actuating member 6 shares all rotary movements of the output shaft 2 but is movable axially between its operative and inoperative positions. The pin 7 further connects the actuating member 6 with a cylindrical chuck sleeve 4 which is axially movably received in the output shaft 2 and whose front end is provided with a set of radially movable wedge-like chuck elements or dogs 4:: cooperating with a complementary chuck element 11 which is received in the foremost section 1c forwardly of the bearing 1e and is connected with the front end 2a of the output shaft 2. The chuck 3 also comprises biasing means in the form of a prestressed helical expansion spring 9 which operates between an annular flange 10 of the output shaft 2 and the front end face of the actuating member 6 to bias the latter to operative position. When the spring 9 is free to expand, it maintains the actuating member 6 in the illustrated position whereby the pin 7 enters the rear ends of the slots 8 and pulls the chuck sleeve 4 rearwardly so that the dogs 4a are forced into the tapering space between the smooth peripheral surface of the stem 5a and the chuck element 11. Since the sleeve 4 shares rotary movements of the output shaft 2, its dogs 4a compel the stern 5a to rotate with the output shaft and to rotate the drilling element 5b. The dogs 4a tend to move radially and away from the stem 5 so that the stem is released if the actuating member 6 is caused to move forwardly (i.e., downwardly, as viewed in the drawing) in order to shift the sleeve 4 and dogs 4a in a direction toward the front end In. Such movement of the actuating member 6 can be effected by resorting to an implement 16 (shown by broken lines) whose working end 16 can be introduced through an opening 12 provided in a plate-like insert 14 which is affixed to the rearmost housing section In by one or more screws 13 or analogous fasteners. The insert 14 is fitted into a suitable cutout or depression which is machined into the section 1a and its opening 12 registers with a larger opening or cutout in the section 1a. The opening 12 is provided in the region of the rear end 3a of the chuck 3. The insert 14 preferably consists of suitable wear-resistant synthetic plastic or metallic mateiral and the opening 12 is preferably of polygonal outline. It was found that a rectangular opening is particularly suited for my purposes and that such rectangular opening may have a length of about 1.5 mm. and a width of about 3 mm., as seen in the axial and circumferential direction of the housing 1. The internal surface of the insert 14 is preefrably provided with a depression 15 so that the wall thickness of the insert around the opening 12 is less than the wall thickness of the remainder of the insert and housing 1. This insert 14 can be said to constitute a knife-edge bearing for the working end 16a.

In utilizing the implement 16 (which can resemble a small L-shaped lever or pry), the user must first terminate the drilling action so that detachment of the stern 5a from the chuck 3 cannot cause injury to the patient. The working end 16a is introduced through the opening 12 in such a way that it can pivot on an edge bounding the opening and that its tip bears against the rear end face of the actuating member 6. The operator then simply pivots the implement 16 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing, to move the actuating member 6 downwardly whereby the pin 7 moves the chuck sleeve 4 axially and causes the dogs 4:: to move radially and away from the perihperal surface of the stem 5a. The tool 5 is ready to be withdrawn or leaves the sleeve 4 by gravity. Reinsertion of the tool 5 can be carried out by reversing the just described procedure, i.e., the working end 16a is caused to move the sleeve 4 downwardly and the stern 5a is introduced into the chuck sleeve through the front end 10.. The user then removes the working end 16a from the opening 12 and the spring 9 automatically returns the actuating member 6 to operative position.

The rear end portion 215 of the output shaft 2 is rotatable in an antifriction bearing 17 'provided in the rear section 1a and has an annulus of teeth 2c which can be engaged by teeth on an intermediate shaft provided in the casing of a transmission serving to drive the output shaft 2. A suitable transmission is disclosed in the aforementioned copending application of Loge et al. The rear end of the section 1a is provided with a bayonet slot 1 which can receive a bayonet pin on the casing of the transmission. The exterior of the section 1a is milled or knurled, as at lg, to provide a better gripping surface for the users fingers. The manner in which the output shaft 2 receives motion from the transmission forms no part' of the present invention.

Of course, the housing 1 can be provided with two or more openings. The drawing shows a second opening 12a which is indicated by broken lines and is disposed diametrically opposite the opening 12. The oepning 12a is machined directly into the material of the section 1a but it is equally possible to employ a second plate'like insert. The internal surface of the section 1a may be provided with a depression 15a so that its wall thickness is reduced in the region immediately surrounding the opening 12a. The number of openings can be increased to three or more, as long as they do not unduly weaken the housing. One opening will normally suffice and is more desirable because the interior of the housing 1 is less likely to accumulate dust or other foreign matter.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable holder for dental and like tools comprising, in combination, an elongated rotary chuck means having a front end and a rear end and being provided at said front end with a gripping portion for receiving a tool inserted therein; rotary abutment means surrounding said gripping portion, said rotary chuck means being movable in axial direction with respect to said rotary abutment means between an operative and a releasing position for respectively gripping and releasing a tool received in said gripping portion; a housing surrounding said rotary chuck means and said rotary abutment means and having at least one lateral opening rearwardly of said rear end of said chuck means; an actuating member in said housing connected to said rear end of said chuck means for movement in axial direction therewith, said actuating member extending into the region of said open ing; biasing means cooperating with said actuating member for yieldably maintaining the same in a position in which said chuck means connected thereto is in said operative position; and an implement insertable in and removable from said opening for engaging said actuating member and for moving the latter together with said chuck means against the force of said biasing means to said releasing position.

2. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing resembles a sleeve having an open end remote from said opening to permit insertion of a portion of a tool.

3. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a main body portion and a plate-like insert aflixed to said main body portion, said opening being provided in said insert.

4. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises portions of greater and lesser Wall thickness, said opening being provided in the portion of lesser wall thickness.

5. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein said implement is a lever, and wherein one edge of said opening provides an abutment for said lever when the latter applies said force on said actuating member in opposition to said biasing means.

6. A holder as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing resembles a sleeve having an open front end through which a portion of a tool is insertable for engagement with said chuck means, said opening being remote from said front end and having a polygonal outline.

7. A holder as defined in claim 6, wherein said opening is of rectangular outline and has a width of approximately 3 mm. as considered in the circumferential direction of said housing and a length of approximately 1.5 mm. as considered in the axial direction of said housing.

8. A holder as defined in claim 1, further comprising drive means having a rotary output member received 6 in said housing and coupled to said actuating member for rotation therewith, said actuating member being movable axially of said output member.

9. A holder as defined in claim 8, and wherein said biasing means comprises a helical spring surrounding said output member and operating between said output member and said actuating member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,530 11/1891 Booth 32-26 3,210,836 10/1956 Johanson et a1. 27951 XR ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner

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