U.S. patent number 3,614,414 [Application Number 05/026,183] was granted by the patent office on 1971-10-19 for work area illuminator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Kirkman Laboratories, Inc.. Invention is credited to Kenneth W. Gores.
United States Patent |
3,614,414 |
Gores |
October 19, 1971 |
WORK AREA ILLUMINATOR
Abstract
A bifurcated illuminator supplies practically shadowless light
to a work area in close proximity to a working tool. From a light
source remote with respect to the tool, light rays are gathered and
transmitted by fiber optic rods in bundles which extend along the
tool shank and divide close to the tool. The bundles are shaped
near their emitting ends to emit light directed at the work area of
the tool.
Inventors: |
Gores; Kenneth W. (Bellevue,
WA) |
Assignee: |
Kirkman Laboratories, Inc.
(Portland, OR)
|
Family
ID: |
21830358 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/026,183 |
Filed: |
April 3, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/573; 362/119;
433/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C
1/088 (20130101); G02B 6/0005 (20130101); F21W
2131/202 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61C
1/08 (20060101); F21V 8/00 (20060101); F21S
8/00 (20060101); F21v 033/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/1EI,2,2E,2F,6.46,2.18 ;32/27,DIG.7 ;350/96
;128/11,303.1,362,397,398 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Capozi; Louis J.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A work area illuminator for tools of the nature of dental
handpieces and the like, comprising:
an elongated fiber optic light transmission system disposed
longitudinally of a dental tool and having appreciable slimness
relative the manually grasped portion thereof;
a light source operable to activate said system and associated
therewith remote from the working end of such dental tool;
said light system fiber optics being bifurcated proximate the
working end of the tool to divide transmitted light into two
terminal emitter portions; and
said two portions being extended in straddle relation to the
working end of the dental tool and curved to direct two beams of
light at a working area of such tool.
2. The structure of claim 1 in which the fiber optic system is
slidably secured to the dental tool.
3. The structure of claim 2 in which the fiber optic system is
slidably secured to the dental tool by helical retainers.
4. The structure of claim 3 in which the helical retainers are
formed of flat spring straps.
5. The structure of claim 1 in which the fiber optic system is
protectively encased throughout its length.
6. The structure of claim 5 in which the fiber optic system is
divided into two paths of light transmission from the light source
to the emitting terminii.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Proper illumination of a work area, particularly where it is small
or only accessible by following a tortuous path, has long been a
problem. In the practice of dentistry, the problem has been
particularly bothersome and prior attempts to solve it leave much
to be desired. The most common illuminating practice in dentistry
has been use of the well-known hand-held mouth mirror where light
from an external source is reflected on a shadowed, hard to view,
or inaccessible area. This involves a compromise between the best
reflected light illumination and the best vision. Even today, this
procedure is all that is taught the dentist. He knows no other. And
he more or less automatically accepts this compromise without
question.
The problem has been aggravated by the advent of the high-speed
air-driven drill which requires superior vision since the tactile
sense is eliminated with this instrument. Patients have been placed
in the supine position to enhance the possibility of direct vision
particularly in the remote posterior areas of the mouth. Such
solved the problem of delivering adequate illumination as
desired.
This application discloses a practical apparatus for solving the
illumination problem. A light source of miniature size is
associated with the dental handpiece remote from its operating end.
A fiber optic light transmission system is disposed longitudinally,
preferably in the dorsal aspect, with the handpiece to extend from
the light source to proximity with the work tool and the work area.
The fiber optic system is bifurcated to divide the transmitted
light so that it is delivered as two portions located oppositely
with respect to the working tool. The bifurcated portions of the
system straddle the handpiece and are curved and directed that two
beams of light are emitted at the work area.
A very practical use of this invention is found in dentistry,
therefore, the disclosure will refer to such use. However, it will
be recognized that practical applications of the invention may be
made in other fields. It is not intended that this invention be
restricted to its application in dentistry.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dental handpiece equipped with a
work area illuminator according to this invention;
FIG. 2 is a view partially in cross section on line 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views taken oppositely in lines
3--3 and 4--4 respectively of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the light
source;
FIG. 6 is a cross section of the fiber optic transmitter used in
the invention;
FIG. 7 is a cross section of an alternate fiber optic
transmitter;
FIG. 8 details construction of the bifurcated fiber optic
transmitter;
FIG. 9 is a cross section of a combined conduit for air; water and
electricity to serve the handpiece and its illuminator; and
FIG. 10 shows the light-receiving end of the transmitter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A dental handpiece typical of those with which this invention finds
particular utility is shown in FIG. 1. It comprises a body 10,
barrel 12, shank 14, and turbine head 16 in which a burr 18 or
other rotatable tools are mounted. Shank 14 is angularly and
nonaxially related to barrel 14 as shown. It supports head 16
normal to the axis of barrel 14. The handpiece here illustrated
includes a high-speed turbo-rotor driven by air admitted thru
fitting 22 and served with water thru fitting 24. Air and water is
conducted the length of the handpiece by means of longitudinal
passages extending through the body, barrel and shank to the rotor
in head 16. A dual passage hose 90 is provided with female fitting
(not shown) adapted to couple with body 10 and to mate the passages
23 and 25 with male fittings 22, 24 respectively.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there are
other tools with which the present invention may be used. Such may
be a dental mirror, an ultrasonic tooth cleaner of well-known
construction and utility, or other hand tools dental or
otherwise.
The main elements of this illuminator are the light source 30,
current supply 32, transmitter 34, and emitters 36, 38.
The light source 30 comprises casing 40 having a receptor 42, and
expansion spring 44 mounted therein. Casing 40 has opposed bosses
46, 46, which are engaged by bayonet fitting type slots 48 of
socket case 50 in which is mounted socket 52 supporting bulb 54.
Spring 44 bears on and presses the bulb rearward in socket, and
socket case to maintain the coupling tensed. Low-voltage current,
i.e., 12 volts, is delivered via conductor 56, jack 58, and its pin
60 in conventional manner.
Extending forward from casing 40 along the dorsal aspect of the
handpiece is a pair of tubes 61, 62. Each tube receives and encases
a bundle 64 of fiber optic rods. The rear ends of the bundles
extend into case 40 into close proximity to the aperture 41 of
receptor 42. As shown in FIG. 10, the rear ends of tubes 61, 62 are
notched at 63, and the remaining crescent-shaped portions 65 are
flared slightly and squeezed together to form a snub-nosed casing
having sufficient capacity to receive and contain the rods of the
two bundles 64, 64 as a unitary light-receiving end, at that point
not separated into two bundles. Light rays from bulb 54 pass thru
aperture 41 and enter the rods of the entry bundle for transmission
forwardly.
Adjacent the juncture of barrel 12 and the angularly disposed shank
14, tubes 61,62 separate or bifurcate with slight angularity to
pass from atop the handpiece to along the sides of shank 14. Their
forward ends 66,68 curve downward and are directed at a work area
closely surrounding the burr 18. The fiber optic rod bundles 64,
each encased as described, extend to the ends of the tubes where
their terminii are exposed to emit transmitted light for
illuminating the work area in a practically shadowless manner.
The transmitter 34 is secured to the handpiece by means of helical
springs 70,70 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The springs are thin and wrap
tightly about the transmitter and handpiece. This mode of securing
the illuminator permits easy attachment or detachment as well as
longitudinal movement for its advancement into or its withdrawal of
the light emitters from the operating area or work area. As
constructed and secured to the handpiece, it will be recognized
that the illuminator and it parts may be sanitized with the
handpiece, or separate therefrom without deleterious effect on the
rod bundles, the encasing tubes, or the light source case 30.
In FIG. 7, a single fiber optic rod bundle 80 in flattened tube 82
extends from case 30 to the point of bifurcation proximate the work
area where it divides into tubes 84,84. The rods of bundle 80
likewise divide into bundles 86,86.
In FIG. 9 is shown a hose 90 having air and water passages 23 and
25 which serve fittings 22 and 24 respectively. The wires 56
conducting current to jack 58 are integrally molded and made a part
of the air-water supply conduit.
It will be seen that this illuminator is compact, light in weight,
simple in construction and operation, and that it provides the
dentist with illumination of a work area by means of emitters
delivering the light close to the burrs or other cutters or
polishers or the like. By dividing the rays from the light source
and delivering them in separate bundles, the resulting illumination
from two sides practically eliminates shadow of the burr shank.
Location of the light source as shown removes it from contact by
the operator. Thus the operator, e.g., a dentist, is ordinarily not
exposed to heat generated by the bulb 54 which upon prolonged
burning can materially heat the casing 30.
* * * * *