GB1579537A

GB1579537A - Pull-back device for a hoseconnected dental handpiece

Info

Publication number: GB1579537A
Application number: GB22172/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Kaltenbach and Voigt GmbH
Current assignee: Kaltenbach and Voigt GmbH
Priority date: 1976-06-09
Filing date: 1977-05-25
Publication date: 1980-11-19
Also published as: BR7703749A; DK253877A; DE2625830A1; DE2625830C2; JPS5436790B2; FR2354080B1; FR2354080A1; SE7706253L; SE427723B; IT1083143B; JPS52152687A

Description

(54) A PULL-BACK DEVICE FOR A HOSE-CONNECTED DENTAL HANDPIECE (71) We, KALTENBACH & VOIGT GmbH & Co., a German Kommanditgesellschaft, of Bismarckring 39, 7950 Biberach, Riss, Germany (Fed. Rep), do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a dental handpiece mounting comprising a pull-back device, a dental handpiece movable between an operative position and an inoperative position relative to the pull-back device, and a hose connected at one end to the pullback device and at the other end to the dental handpiece, in which the pull-back device comprises:: an outlet through which the hose can be withdrawn from the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position, and through which the hose can be retracted into the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its operative position to its inoperative position; a guideway extending upwardly from a first end of the pull-back device to a second end thereof, said second end being closer to said outlet than said first end;; and a roller engaging with said hose and, when tension is applied to the hose, being movable upwardly along said guideway from a hose-retracted position, corresponding to the inoperative position of the handpiece and provided at said first end of the guideway, and being movable downwardly under gravity along the guideway to the hoseretracted position when tension in the hose is released.

A dental handpiece mounting of the above type is known from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,401,576, in which the roller is mounted in a separate carriage displaceable on the guideway and supported at its two ends on the guideway. The support means of the carriage disposed at the end extending in the pull-back direction is constituted by a friction element decelerating the carriage in the particular position when the handpiece hose is pulled-out, the frictional engagement of the friction element being overcome by the force driving the carriage down the slope, in the sense of lifting-off of the tilting moment of the carriage end extending in the pullback direction. The support means disposed at the carriage end extending in the pull-out direction comprises a roller or slide element.

Thus, the movement of the carriage in the pull-back direction is triggered by a pull at the hose.

It is true that the pull-back device is able to "make do" without a spring which is subject to wear and disturbance, but the carriage represents, with its bearing for the deflecting roller and its friction and roller or slide element, a component which is relatively speaking extremely costly for many applications. To this must be added the fact that the exertion of a pull-back movement, represents a supplementary working step for the dentist. When the carriage is decelerated and disposed in a drawn-out position, the hose of the drawn-out handpiece usually sags and this frequently hinders the dentist's work.

The present invention has been developed primarily, though not exclusively, with a view to providing a dental handpiece mounting having a pull-back device which can operate without a spring and which, whilst avoiding hindrance to the dentist, does not require special, costly components and supplementary working steps for the dentist.

According to the invention there is provided a dental handpiece mounting comprising a pull-back device, a dental handpiece movable between an operative position and an inoperative position relative to the pullback device, and a hose connected at one end to the pull-back device and at the other end to the dental handpiece, in which the pull-back device comprises:: an outlet through which the hose can be withdrawn from the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position, and through which the hose can be retracted into the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its operative position to its inoperative position; a guideway extending upwardly from a first end of the pull-back device to a second end thereof, said second end being closer to said outlet than said first end;; and a roller engaging with said hose and, when tension is applied to the hose, being movable upwardly along said guideway from a hose-retracted position, corresponding to the inoperative position ofthe hand piece and provided at said first end of the guideway, and being movable downwardly under gravity along the guideway to the hose-retracted position when tension in the hose is released; and in which the guideway comprises a first portion extending upwardly from said first end and a second portion extending upwardly from said first portion to said second end, said first portion being inclined more steeply to the horizontal than said second portion.

In order to make good guiding of the roller possible, the guideway may be arranged in an elongate housing which, in order to permit simultaneous ready accessibility of the roller and of the hose, is longitudinally divided, in its central longitudinal plane extending perpendicular to the guideway, into two housing portions or halves which are releasably connected to each other. With this arrangement, all the inserts secured to the housing and disposed within the housing, can also be longitudinally divided into two halves and these two halves can in each particular instance be arranged in one of the two housing halves and each may be formed in one piece with a corresponding housing half, for example by manufacture by means of casting or pouring. Furthermore, a plurality of pull-back devices may be provided, each having a respective guideway or housing.

In each case, due to the first portion of the guideway ascending more steeply, there may be formed a pull-back zone, whereas a working zone is formed by the second portion which ascends to a lesser degree. If, in fact, the roller is disposed in the second portion which ascends to a lesser degree, then the gravitational force exerted on the roller and via the hose, to the handpiece is so slight that the dentist is able to hold the handpiece effortlessly during the treatment work, and the hose will not sag due to the action of the roller, so that there is no hindrance of the dentist. On the other hand, this force is sufficiently great that the hose and the roller, if neglected by the dentist (i.e., therefore, without a supplementary working step) travel of their own accord into the hoseretracted position of the roller.Initially, this movement takes place relatively slowly, until the roller passes from the second portion of the guideway into the pull-back zone constituted by the first portion of greater inclination, in which it travels along the residual travel path into the retracted position relatively rapidly due to the fact that the "downhill" driving force is now increased. With this arrangement, a supplementary component, such as a costly carriage having friction and roller or sliding elements, is unnecessary.

Embodiments of dental handpiece mounting according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a pull-back device arranged in a housing longitudinally divided into two halves and having a guideway, hose and a roller, the view being in elevation on the open side of one of the housing halves; Figure 2 shows the pull-back device according to Figure 1 with attached second housing half, as a lateral elevation partly in section; Figure 3 shows a section taken along the line III--III of Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a housing half of the pullback device, without hose, in lateral elevation, Figure 5 shows the pull-back device according to Figures 1 and 2 as an elevation from the front; Figure 6 shows the pull-back device according to Figure 5, without hose;; Figure 7 shows the pull-back device according to Figure 6 as a top elevation (sic) i.e. in the direction of the arrow VII in Figure 6; Figure 8 shows the deflecting roller of the pull-back device as a lateral elevation; Figure 9 shows a section taken along the line IX-IX in Figure 8; Figure 10 shows a plurality of juxtaposed pull-back devices (without hose) each arranged in a housing, as a plan view; Figure 11 shows a plurality of juxtaposed pull-back devices (with hose and handpiece), each arranged in a housing, as a front elevation, and Figure 12 shows, diagrammatically and as a lateral elevation, a pullback device arranged in a housing.

The pull-back device comprises a guideway 1, designed and maintained in the attitude of an inclined plane as shown, for a deflecting roller 2 about which is disposed a hose 3 serving for supplying a dental handpiece 4 with supply media, such as pressure air, water, or electrical energy. The deflecting roller 2 is adapted to be displaced "uphill" on the guideway 1, out of the lower end position (see in Figure 1) which constitutes the inoperative position, under the action of a pu-out force exerted due to a pull at the hose 3 or the handpiece 4 approximately in the direction of the arrow A shown in Figure 2 and designating the pull-out device, such displacement being to a working position.

On terminating the pull-out action, the deflecting roller 2 travels "downhill", under the action of a gravitational pull-back force exerted on the deflecting roller 2, this movement being in the direction of the arrow R indicating the pull-back device, until it passes into the lower end position shown in Figure 1.

The guideway 1 has a first section 6 which ascends from the end 5 thereof corresponding to the inoperative position of the deflecting roller, and which is followed by a second section 7 which ascends to a lesser degree.

The two sections 6, 7 enclose an obtuse angle of approximately 1500. The first section 6 ascends, at an angle of approximately 40 to 50 , and the second section 7 at an angle of approximately 10 to 20 , relative to the horizontal. The length of the second section 7 is greater than the length of the first section 6. Thus, the length of the first section 6 may be approximately 150 to 250 mm and the length of the second section approximately 270 to 370 mm. The said inclinations and dimensions make, for example if the weight of the deflecting roller 2 is approximately 170 to 300 g, especially easy work with the pulled-out handpiece 4 possible and furthermore guarantee especially effective pull-back movement of the deflecting roller 2.This can be still further improved if the location of transition 8 between the two sections 6, 7 is rounded, the radius of the rounded portion being expediently approximately 120 mm.

Thereby, gentle movement-over of the deflecting roller 2 from the one section to the other section of th guideway is guaranteed.

Referring to Figures 8 and 9, the deflecting roller 2 comprises two hose guiding discs 9 between which is arranged a replaceable ballast disc 10 weighing approximately 170 g to 280 g. For such replacement, at least one of the two hose guiding discs 9 has a correspondingly releasable cover or lid 11. Due to the said replaceability, it is possible (depending on the weight of the handpiece 4 connected with the hose 3) to arrange a heavier or lighter ballast disc 10 in the deflecting roller 2. The ballast disc 10 is, expediently, arranged to be rotatable on the pivot 12 of the deflecting roller 2. Referring to Figure 9, the two hose guiding discs 9 are connected to each other by a wall 9a which is cylindrical and flat in the axial direction and which serves as roll-down track for the hose 3.At both sides of the hose 3, extends an inwardly offset extension 9b of the hose guiding disc 9, so that there is afforded in each particular instance a flange or rim 9c rolling on web-like travel faces 11 of the guideway 1.

The guideway 1 and the deflecting roller 2 are arranged in an elongate housing 13.

The housing 13 is longitudinally divided into two housing halves 13a, 13b, which are releasably connected with each other, in its central longitudinal plane M (Figures 3, 6 and 7) which extend perpendicular to the guideway 1. For establishment and release of the connection of the two housing halves 1 3a, 13b, there are provided screw apertures 14 for the screws (not shown). Due to the longitudinal division of the housing 13 and the releasable connection of the housing halves 13a, 13b, good accessibility is achieved for the pull-back device arranged in the interior of the housing 13, for example in order to replace the ballast disc 10.

Referring to Figures 3 and 9, also the guideway 1 is longitudinally divided into two guideway halves la, 1b each of which is arranged in one of the two housing halves 13a, 13b.

As will be apparent from Figures 1, 2, 3 or 5, 6, 7 and 11, the housing 13 has, at the free end of the second section 7 of the guideway 1 (which said second section ascends to a lesser degree) a hose passage aperture 15 having connected upstream thereof an inner hose slide rail 16 which is rounded in the longitudinal direction of the hose 3 towards the hose passage aperture 15, and, connected downstream thereof, an outer engagement device 17 for the dental handpiece 4, disposed in a position inclined downwardly relative to the first section 7, in the inoperative position shown in Figures 1 and 5. The outer engagement device 17 comprises a constriction in which an annular flange 18 or similar projection of the handpice, according to Figures 1 and 5, can be engaged.Referring to Figure 3 or 6, also the edge 19 of the hose passage aperture 15 and the hose slide rail 16 are each divided into two halves 19a, 19b; 16a, 16b, which are arranged in one of the two housing halves 13a, 13b. Referring to Figures 3 and 9, also the guideway 1 is, in similar manner, longitudinally divided into two halves la and lb. Similarly, the engagement device 17 according to Figures 5 and 6 is in each particular instance longitudinally divided into two halves 17a, 17b, each of which is arranged at one of the two housing halves 13a, 13b. Referring to the embodiment according to Figure 10, the engagement device 17 is in this case arranged wholly in the housing half 13a.

In the case of the embodiment according to Figure 4, in one of the housing halves 13a, at the end corresponding to the inoperative position of the deflecting roller 2 of the guideway 1, there is arranged a switch 20 which is preferably adjustable and which is actuable by the deflecting roller 2, and referring to Figure 1 there are arranged in the other housing half 13b supply lines 23 extending from the exterior through the inlet apertures 21 into the housing 13 and into the end 22 of the hose 3 located opposite the dental handpiece 4. On pulling out the hose 3, the deflecting roller 2 travels out of the inoperative position shown in Figure 4, thereby freeing the switch 20, which said switch puts the pulled-out handpiece 4 into the ready-for-use position. The supply lines 23 serve for supplying media to the handpiece 4, for example pressurised air, water, or electrical current.As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the supply lines 23 are introduced, via a hose coupling 24 arranged at the free end 5a of the second section 7 of the guideway 1 in the housing 13-(which said second section ascends to a lesser degree) into the end 22 of the hose 3 secured to the housing 13 and located opposite the dental handpiece 4. As Figure 1 shows, the supply lines 23 entering into the housing 13 are connected with a plug-in coupling 25 arranged externally of the housing 13.

In the upper wall 26 of the housing 13 as shown in Figures 7 and 10, there is formed a recess 27 extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing in order to accommodate any upward movement of the hose 3 during movement of the handpiece 4. The recess 27 is located in the zone of the housing 13 in which the second section 7 of the guideway 1 is provided. The afore-mentioned upward movement takes place in particular in the case of relatively slightly resilient hoses.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, a plurality of guideways are arranged side-by-side, each having a correspnding deflecting roller 2 and housing 13. The housings 13 are spaced apart from each other by means of intermediate spacers 28.

In the case of the embodiment according to Figure 12, an individual housing 13 is mounted on a stationary bearer 29, with the end 5 corresponding to the inoperative position of the deflecting roller 2, whereas according to Figure 11 a plurality of housings 13 arranged in juxtaposition is mounted by means of a strut 30 on a stationary bearer 29.

With the aid of manipulating means 31, the housing(s) 13 can be raised and lowered relative to the bearer 29 by suitable mounting in any one of the series of vertically spaced holes in the bearer 29. Also, limited pivoting of the housing(s) 13 in a vertical plane, by operation of the manipulation means 31, may be carried out. However, in use of the pullback device, the first section 6 of the guideway 1 must alwys be inclined more steeply to the horizontal than the second section 7. Figure 12 shows a suitable range of pivotal movement of the housing 13 between the position shown in full lines and the position shown by interrupted lines.

The housings 13 may also be pivoted in a horizontal plane if desired.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A dental handpiece mounting comprising a pull-back device, a dental handpiece movable between an operative position and an inoperative position relative to the pullback device, and a hose connected at one end to the pull-back device and at the other end to the dental handpiece, in which the pull-back device comprises:: an outlet through which the hose can be withdrawn from the interior of the pullback device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position, and through which the hose can be retracted into the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its operative position to its inoperative position; a guideway extending upwardly from a first end of the pull-back device to a second end thereof, said second end being closer to said outlet than said first end;; and a roller engaging with said hose and, when tension is applied to the hose, being movable upwardly along said guideway from a hose-retracted position, corresponding to the inoperative position of the handpiece and provided at said first end of the guideway, and being movable downwardly under gravity along the guideway to the hose-retracted position when tension in the hose is released; and in which the guideway comprises a first portion extending upwardly from said first end and a second portion extending upwardly from said first portion to said second end, said first portion being inclined more steeply to the horizontal than said second portion.

2. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 1, in which the first and second portions of the guideway define therebetween an obtuse angle.

3. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 2, in which the said obtuse angle is approximately 1500.

4. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 2 or 3, in which the first portion extends at an angle between 40 and 50 to the horizontal and the second portion extends at an angle between 10 and 20 to the horizontal.

5. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the length of the second portion is greater than the length of the first portion.

6. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is a rounded transition between the first and second portions.

7. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 6, in which the radius of a rounded portion of the guideway providing said transition is approximately 120 mm.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

referring to Figure 1 there are arranged in the other housing half 13b supply lines 23 extending from the exterior through the inlet apertures 21 into the housing 13 and into the end 22 of the hose 3 located opposite the dental handpiece 4. On pulling out the hose 3, the deflecting roller 2 travels out of the inoperative position shown in Figure 4, thereby freeing the switch 20, which said switch puts the pulled-out handpiece 4 into the ready-for-use position. The supply lines 23 serve for supplying media to the handpiece 4, for example pressurised air, water, or electrical current.As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the supply lines 23 are introduced, via a hose coupling 24 arranged at the free end 5a of the second section 7 of the guideway 1 in the housing 13-(which said second section ascends to a lesser degree) into the end 22 of the hose 3 secured to the housing 13 and located opposite the dental handpiece 4. As Figure 1 shows, the supply lines 23 entering into the housing 13 are connected with a plug-in coupling 25 arranged externally of the housing 13.

In the upper wall 26 of the housing 13 as shown in Figures 7 and 10, there is formed a recess 27 extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing in order to accommodate any upward movement of the hose 3 during movement of the handpiece 4. The recess 27 is located in the zone of the housing

13 in which the second section 7 of the guideway 1 is provided. The afore-mentioned upward movement takes place in particular in the case of relatively slightly resilient hoses.

Referring to Figures 10 and 11, a plurality of guideways are arranged side-by-side, each having a correspnding deflecting roller 2 and housing 13. The housings 13 are spaced apart from each other by means of intermediate spacers 28.

In the case of the embodiment according to Figure 12, an individual housing 13 is mounted on a stationary bearer 29, with the end 5 corresponding to the inoperative position of the deflecting roller 2, whereas according to Figure 11 a plurality of housings 13 arranged in juxtaposition is mounted by means of a strut 30 on a stationary bearer 29.

With the aid of manipulating means 31, the housing(s) 13 can be raised and lowered relative to the bearer 29 by suitable mounting in any one of the series of vertically spaced holes in the bearer 29. Also, limited pivoting of the housing(s) 13 in a vertical plane, by operation of the manipulation means 31, may be carried out. However, in use of the pullback device, the first section 6 of the guideway 1 must alwys be inclined more steeply to the horizontal than the second section 7. Figure 12 shows a suitable range of pivotal movement of the housing 13 between the position shown in full lines and the position shown by interrupted lines.

The housings 13 may also be pivoted in a horizontal plane if desired.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A dental handpiece mounting comprising a pull-back device, a dental handpiece movable between an operative position and an inoperative position relative to the pullback device, and a hose connected at one end to the pull-back device and at the other end to the dental handpiece, in which the pull-back device comprises:: an outlet through which the hose can be withdrawn from the interior of the pullback device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position, and through which the hose can be retracted into the interior of the pull-back device, when the dental handpiece is moved from its operative position to its inoperative position; a guideway extending upwardly from a first end of the pull-back device to a second end thereof, said second end being closer to said outlet than said first end;; and a roller engaging with said hose and, when tension is applied to the hose, being movable upwardly along said guideway from a hose-retracted position, corresponding to the inoperative position of the handpiece and provided at said first end of the guideway, and being movable downwardly under gravity along the guideway to the hose-retracted position when tension in the hose is released; and in which the guideway comprises a first portion extending upwardly from said first end and a second portion extending upwardly from said first portion to said second end, said first portion being inclined more steeply to the horizontal than said second portion.
2. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 1, in which the first and second portions of the guideway define therebetween an obtuse angle.
3. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 2, in which the said obtuse angle is approximately 1500.
4. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 2 or 3, in which the first portion extends at an angle between 40 and 50 to the horizontal and the second portion extends at an angle between 10 and 20 to the horizontal.
5. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the length of the second portion is greater than the length of the first portion.
6. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is a rounded transition between the first and second portions.
7. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 6, in which the radius of a rounded portion of the guideway providing said transition is approximately 120 mm.
8. A dental handpiece mounting ac

cording to any one of the preceding claims, in which the roller comprises two spaced hose-guiding discs and a replaceable ballast disc arranged between said guiding discs.
9. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 8, in which said ballast disc is arranged to be rotatable about a pivot axis of the roller.
10. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the guideway is arranged with the roller in an elongate housing which is longitudinally divided along a central longitudinal plane extending perpendicular to the general direction of the guideway, into two housing portions which are releasably connected to each other.
11. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 10, in which the guideway is longitudinally divided into two guideway portions each of which is arranged in a respective one of the two housing portions.
12. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 10 or 11, in which the housing comprises a hose passage forming said outlet and having an up-stream-connected inner hose slide rail which is rounded towards the hose passage in the longitudinal direction of the hose, and a sequentially connected outer engagement device disposed in a downwardly inclined position to accommodate the dental handpiece in its inoperative position.
13. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 12, in which the edge of the hose passage and the hose slide rail are each longitudinally divided into two portions each of which is arranged in a respective one of the two housing portions.
14. A dental handpiece mounting ac cording to claim 12, in which said engagement device is arranged in one of the two housing portions.
15. A dental handpiece mounting ac cording to claim 12, in which said engagement device is longitudinally divided into two portions each of which is arranged in a respective one of the two housing portions.
16. A dental handpiece mounting ac cording to any one of claims 10 to 15, in which in one of the housing portions, at the first end of the guideway, there is arranged a switch operable by the roller, and in the other housing portion there are arranged supply lines extending from the exterior through inlet apertures into the housing and in use into the end of the hose located remote from the dental handpiece.
17. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 16, in which the supply lins are introduced, via a hose coupling arranged at the second end of the guideway, into said end of the hose which is secured to the housing.
18. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 16 or 17, in which the supply lines entering the housing are connected to a plug-in coupling arranged externally of the housing.
19. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of claims 10 to 18, in which the housing is formed in its upper wall with a recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing and arranged to accommodate upward movement of the hose during movement of the handpiece.
20. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, including a plurality of pull-back devices each having a corresponding guideway and roller.
21. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 21, in which spacers are provided between the guideways.
22. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 21, in which the spacers are arranged between individual housings provided for each of the guideways.
23. A dental handpiece mounting according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the or each guideway is connected at said first end to a bearer.
24. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 23, in which the or each guideway is so mounted on the bearer as to be vertically adjustable and also pivotal in a vertical and a horizontal plane.
25. A dental handpiece mounting according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.