Aspirator Tip

Abstract

A hollow cylindrical aspirator tip closed at one end and including radially extending angularly spaced-apart primary passages extending therethrough adjacent the closed end thereof and relief passages in communication with the primary passages to prevent drawing sufficient vacuum through the hollow cylindrical tip in the primary passages to damage membranes in contact with the tip over the outer ends of the passages. The relief passages are of a smaller diameter than the primary passages to facilitate maintaining a vacuum in the primary passages at all times. Longitudinally extending slots are provided in communication with each of the relief passages having a cross section less than that of the relief passages to permit draining of fluid into the relief passages while maintaining a vacuum therein.

Description

The aspirator tip of the invention may have any overall cross section desired and is illustrated with both a circular and elliptical cross section. In one modification the aspirator tip is an integral one-piece member, while in a second modification the aspirator tip includes an elongated extruded cylindrical portion and an end cap having the radially extending passages therein and adapted to fit within the end of the hollow cylindrical member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to aspirators and refers more specifically to an aspirator tip having primary passages therethrough, through which fluid is drawn into the aspirator tip and means in communication with the primary passages for limiting the vacuum in the primary passages to a level to prevent damage to membranes which may be positioned over the ends of the primary passages with the aspirator tip in use. The aspirator tip of the invention may be used in any application where fluid is to be withdrawn from a cavity having membranes or the like therein. Thus, the aspirator tip of the invention is suitable for use in many medical applications and in particular is useful in withdrawing saliva from the mouth during dental work.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In the past, aspirator tips have been provided which have been capable of causing damage to membranes positioned over openings in the aspirator tips when normal operating vacuum was applied to the tips. In particular many aspirator tips of the past have caused discomfort to patients if not damage to membranes positioned over the openings in the aspirator tips due to vacuum drawn through the tips in dental work.

Wherein aspirator tips in the past have been provided with means preventing patient discomfort and damage to membranes due to a vacuum being drawn through the aspirator tips, the aspirator tips have been particularly complicated and therefore uneconomical to produce and often inefficient in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention an aspirator tip is provided comprising a hollow cylindrical member closed at one end having radially extending angularly spaced-apart primary passages therethrough for drawing fluid into the aspirator tip on application of a vacuum thereto which passages are relieved by relief passages in communication therewith which limit the vacuum drawn in the primary passages. The relief passages are further relieved and fluid is allowed to flow into the relief passages through slots in communication with the relief passages.

The aspirator tip of the invention may have any desired cross section. In one embodiment of the invention the aspirator tip is an integral one-piece member, while in a second embodiment the aspirator tip is formed of an extruded tubular member having the relief passages and slots therein and an end cap having the primary passages therein adapted to fit over the end of the tubular member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an aspirator tip constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section of the aspirator tip illustrated in FIG. 1 taken substantially on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a longitudinally split aspirator tip, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a section view of a modification of the aspirator tip illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 showing an elliptical cross section for the aspirator tip.

FIG. 5 is a partly broken away perspective view of a second embodiment of the aspirator tip of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The aspirator tip 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 is a hollow cylindrical member having a closed end 12 and an open end 14. A reduced-diameter portion 16 is provided adjacent the closed end 12 of the aspirator tip 10, forming an abutment 18.

Vacuum tube 20 is inserted in the aspirator tip 10 with one end of the tube 20 abutting the abutment 18 with the aspirator tip in use. The radial dimension of the wall of tube 20 and the abutment 18 are substantially equal to provide a smooth interior surface between the aspirator tip 10 and the tube 20, whereby flow of fluid through the aspirator tip 10 is unobstructed. In addition, the abutment 18 limits the depth of insertion of the tube 20 into the tip 10. The other end of the tube 20 may be connected to the usual source of vacuum for aspirators which is not shown.

Radially extending angularly spaced-apart primary passages 22 through which fluid is drawn into the aspirator tip 10 for subsequent passage through the tube 20 are provided adjacent the closed end 12 of the aspirator tip 10, as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 3. In use, for example, in dental work wherein the aspirator tip 10 is positioned in the mouth of a patient to facilitate withdrawal of saliva and the like, vacuum drawn in passages 22 has, in the past, produced patient discomfort due to drawing of the membranes of the mouth over the outer ends of the passages 22. In some instances actual damage to the membranes has occurred due to excessive vacuum in the passages 22.

Therefore, in accordance with the invention, there is provided relief passages 24 extending longitudinally of the aspirator tip from the primary passages 22 to the open end 14 of the aspirator tip 10. The relief passages 24 are of a smaller diameter than the primary passages 22 so that they limit the vacuum drawn in the primary passages 22 by the usual vacuum source to prevent patient discomfort or membrane damage while still permitting drawing of sufficient vacuum in the primary passages 22 to withdraw fluid through the aspirator tip. Since the relief passages 24 are positioned at right angles to the primary passages 22 and extend through the open end 14 of the aspirator tip 10 adjacent the tube 20, it is particularly unlikely that both the outer end of the relief passages 24 and the outer end of the primary passages 22 will be blocked at the same time.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, longitudinally extending slots 26 are provided in conjunction with each of the relief passages 24. The slots 26 extend radially of the aspirator tip 10 between the outer surface of the aspirator tip and the relief passages 24. Slots 26 further assure that both the primary passage 22 and the relief passage 24 will not be blocked simultaneously. In addition, fluid is allowed to drain into the relief passages 24 through slots 26 and since the slots 26 have a considerably smaller transverse cross section than the relief passages 24, as illustrated in FIG. 2, it is possible to maintain a vacuum in the relief passages 24 to facilitate drawing fluid therethrough with the usual vacuum source.

While a circular cross section has been shown for the aspirator tip 10 in FIGS. 1 through 3, it will be understood that any desired cross section may be used for the aspirator tip 10. For example, an elliptical aspirator tip cross section is illustrated in FIG. 4, wherein similar features have been given the same reference numerals, as in FIGS. 1 through 3.

The aspirator tip 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4 is an integral member which may be injection molded in one piece, as shown. However, in some applications it may be desirable to produce an aspirator tip 30, as shown in FIG. 5. The aspirator tip 30 is constructed of two separate members, including the extruded tubular member 32 and the end cap 34 which may be injection molded.

The extruded member 32 may again be positioned over a vacuum tube, such as tube 20 or may in itself be connected to a vacuum source. Extruded member 32 includes the relief passages 24 and the slots 26 therein.

The end cap 34 includes the hemispherical portion 36 and the smaller diameter cylindrical portion 38 adapted to fit within the end of the extruded member 32, as shown in FIG. 5. The primary passages 22 of aspirator tip 34 are replaced by channels 40 in the end cap 34 which communicate with the interior of the tubular member 32 through longitudinally extending channels 42 in the cylindrical portion 38 of the end cap 34, again as shown in FIG. 5.

The operation of the embodiment of the aspirator tip illustrated in FIG. 5 is similar to that of the operation of the aspirator tip 10. Thus, on application of a vacuum to the end of the tubular member 32, fluid will be drawn through the channels 40 and 42 into the extruded member 32. Should a membrane be placed over the end of one of the channels 40, the vacuum in the channel 40 will be relieved through the longitudinally extending passages 44 to an extent to prevent patient discomfort or membrane damage. Additional fluid may be drawn into the aspirator tip 30 through the passages 44 which are relieved by the smaller cross section slots 46.

Thus, there has been disclosed an aspirator tip which is particularly simple in construction, economical to manufacture and efficient in use. While two embodiments of the aspirator tip and a modification thereof have been illustrated in detail, it will be understood that other embodiments and modifications of the invention are contemplated by the inventors.

Claims

What we claim as our invention is:

1. An aspirator tip comprising a hollow cylindrical member having one closed end, radially extending primary passages through the aspirator tip adjacent the closed end thereof, means operably associated with the primary passages for relieving vacuum drawn in the primary passages to prevent damage to mucous membrane or the like in contact with the aspirator tip over the outer end of the primary passages therethrough on drawing a vacuum through the tip including longitudinally extending relief passages in the tip communicating with the primary passages therein and further including longitudinally extending slots between the exterior surfaces of the tip and the relief passages in the tip to permit drawing of fluid through the slots into the relief passages and subsequently into the interior of the tip through the primary passages.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein the slots have a smaller transverse cross section than the relief passages to facilitate maintaining a vacuum in the relief passages.

3. An aspirator tip comprising an extruded hollow tubular member and an end cap including a hemispherical portion and a reduced-diameter cylindrical portion adapted to extend within an end of the extruded tubular member to close one end thereof, radially extending primary passages through the aspirator tip adjacent the closed end thereof and means operably associated with the primary passages for relieving vacuum drawn in the primary passages to prevent damage to mucous membrane or the like in contact with the aspirator tip over the outer end of the primary passages therethrough on drawing a vacuum through the tip.

4. Structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein the end cap includes the primary passages partly in the hemispherical portion thereof and partly in the cylindrical portion thereof.

5. An aspirator tip comprising a tubular member having radially extending primary passages therethrough, longitudinally extending relief passages therein intersecting said primary passages, longitudinally extending slots between the exterior surface of the tip and the longitudinal relief passages in the tip to permit drawing of fluid through the slots into the relief passages and subsequently into the interior of the tip through the primary passages.

6. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein the slots have a smaller transverse cross section than the relief passages to facilitate maintaining a vacuum in the relief passages.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein the aspirator tip is constructed of two separate pieces including an extruded tubular member and an end cap including a hemispherical portion and a reduced-diameter cylindrical portion adapted to extend within an end of the extruded tubular member.

8. Structure as set forth in claim 7 wherein the end cap includes the primary passages partly in the hemispherical portion thereof and partly in the cylindrical portion thereof.