Tip element for an ultrasonic dental treatment device, motion transformation section of such a dental treatment device, dental treatment device having such a tip element and tip card device for such a tip element

Abstract

A tip element (1) preferably for a dental treatment device, in particular a scaler, wherein the tip element (1) performs an ultrasonic vibration during its utilization, comprising—a first end section (10) for reversibly attaching the tip element (1) to a hand piece, a second end section (20) forming a dental tool and—a motion transformation section (30) arranged between the first end section (10) and the second end section (20), wherein, for transforming an ultrasonic vibration having a first vibration direction (V1) to an ultrasonic vibration having a second vibration direction (V2), the motion transformation section (30) has a first bended subsection (31) and a second bended subsection (32).

Claims

1. A tip element referably for a dental treatment device, in particular a scaler, wherein the tip element performs an ultrasonic vibration during its utilization, comprising a first end section for reversibly attaching the tip element to a hand piece, a second end section, forming a dental tool, and a motion transformation section arranged between the first end section and the second end section, wherein, for transforming an ultrasonic vibration having a first vibration direction to an ultrasonic vibration having a second vibration direction, the motion transformation section has a first bended subsection and a second bended subsection.

2. The tip element according to claim 1 wherein a course of the tip element is bended about a first angle in the first bended subsection and about a second angle in the second bended subsection, wherein a difference between the first angle and the second angle is smaller than 15°.

3. The tip element according to claim 2, wherein the first angle and/or the second angle are between 80° and 140°.

4. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein a first radius Rα1 of curvature, satisfying $\frac{D1}{2}<R\mathrm{\alpha 1}<2.Math.D1.$ is assigned to the first bended subsection, wherein is in the range between 1.2 and 4 mm.

5. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein the motion transformation section has a first length and the course of the tip element in the motion transformation section causes a lateral shift having a second length, wherein the first length is longer than the second length.

6. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein the first length and/or the second length is in a range between 3 and 8 mm.

7. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein the tip element has a core region and a cover region, wherein the cover region surrounds the core region, wherein along the course of the tip element the cover region modifies its extension in a direction perpendicular to the course of the tip element, in particular in the motion trans formation section.

8. The tip element according to claim 7, wherein in the motion transfor mation section the cover region has a first cross-section area in a first cross section perpendicular to the course of the tip element, in particular measured at a beginning of the motion transformation section, and/or a second cross-section area in a second cross section (H-H) perpendicular to the course of the tip element in the motion transfor mation section, in particular measured at an ending of the motion trans formation section, wherein the first cross-section area is bigger than the second cross-section area.

9. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein the cover region has a conical, stepped and/or exponential shape along the course of the tip element in the motion transformation section.

10. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein in the second end section the course of the tip element is bended in a tilted direction about a third angle relative to a main plane including the first bended subsection and the second bended subsection, wherein the third angle is between −75° and +75°.

11. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein in the second end section the course of the tip element is bended about a fourth angle in a plane including a part of the second end section extending in the tilted direction.

12. The tip element according to claim 1, wherein the first length is equal or smaller than the second length and/or the first cross-section area is equal or smaller than the second cross-section area.

13. A motion transformation section for a tip element according to claim 1.

14. A dental treatment device including a tip element according to claim 1.

15. A tip card device for checking a status of a tip element according to claim 1, comprising a holding element for arranging the tip element in a fixed orientation relative to a projection area.

Description

[0042] In the drawings:

[0043] FIG. 1 schematically shows a tip element according to a preferred embodiment in a first perspective view,

[0044] FIG. 2 schematically shows the tip element of FIG. 1 in a second perspective view

[0045] FIG. 3 schematically shows a second end section of the tip element shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0046] In the FIGS. 1 and 2 a tip element 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. For example, the tip element 1 is a scaling tip, i. e. tip element 1 that is used to clean teeth by scaling. Preferably, during its utilization the tip element 1 is reversibly attached to a hand piece (not shown) and, in particular, in the mounted state the hand piece and the tip element 1 form a medical instrument, preferably a dental instrument. In particular, the tip element 1 and the hand piece are connected to each other via corresponding interfaces being respectively assigned to the hand piece and the tip element 1.

[0047] For removing tartar, calculus and/or plaque from the teeth the hand piece having the tip element 1 is led to the teeth such that the tip element 1 comes into contact with the surface of the teeth. Preferably, the hand piece comprises an activator unit for activating a movement, in particular an ultrasonic movement, of the tip element 1 connected to the hand piece. This ultrasonic movement supports removing spots, plaque and/or dentine tartar. The tip element 1 might be used in subgingival or supragingival treatments.

[0048] In particular, the tip element 1 comprises a first end section 10 and a second end section 20 being opposite to the first end section 10 along a course of the tip element 1. The first proximal end section 10 is configured for being attached to the hand piece, for example by plugging in the tip element 1 into a corresponding recess of the hand piece. In its utilization the activator unit transfers or induces an ultrasonic vibration to the first end section 10 causing an ultrasonic vibration along a first vibration direction V1. For example, the activator unit comprises a piezo transducer for realizing such an ultrasonic movement. The hand piece might further comprise a cooling unit, such a cooling circuit including a water inlet and/or outlet, for cooling the hand piece during its operation.

[0049] The second distal end section 20 forms a tool that is preferably in contact with the teeth during utilization of the tip element 1. In the present embodiment of FIG. 1, it is provided that the second end section 20 tapers along the course or the tip element 1 for forming a pointed tip 40 at its front side being faced to the teeth during its utilization.

[0050] To modify an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, in particular at the pointed end 40 of the tip element 1 in the second end section 20, a geometry of the tip element 1 is adapted correspondingly. In particular, a motion transformation section 30 is provided between the first end section 10 and the second end section 20. The motion transformation section 30 preferably is S-shaped and includes a first bended subsection 31 and a second bended subsection 32. Preferably, the second bended subsection 32 directly follows the first bended subsection 31 along the course of the tip element 1. In particular, the tip element 1 is bended in the first subsection 31 about a first angle α1 and in the second bended subsection 32 about a second angle α2, wherein a difference between the first angle al and the second angle α2 is smaller than 15°, more preferably smaller than 5° and most preferably smaller than 2°. Especially, the first bended subsection 31 and the second bended subsection 32 are bended in opposite direction for forming an S-like geometry.

[0051] Furthermore, the first angle al and/or the second angle a2 is/are between 80° and 140°, more preferably between 85° and 125° and most probably between 90° and 100° or is even mainly 90°. In particular, the course of the tip element 1 in the first bended subsection 31 mainly changes its direction about 90°. As a consequence, it is possible to block the ultrasonic vibration having the first vibration direction V1 and to transfer the ultrasonic vibration having a first vibration direction V1 in the first end section 10 of the tip element 1 into an ultrasonic vibration having a second vibration direction V2 at the end of the motion transformation section 30, wherein the second vibration direction V2 mainly extends perpendicularly to the first vibration direction V1. Thus, a motion transformation can be realized. In particular, an ultrasonic vibration parallel to the course of the tip element 1, i. e. a backward—forward movement, is transferred to an ultrasonic vibration perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1, i. e. to an up-and -down movement of the tip element 1 at the end of the motion transformation section 30.

[0052] Actually, a first radius of curvature Rai can be assigned to the first bended sub-section 31, wherein the radius of curvature Rai satisfies

[00002]$\frac{D1}{2}<R\mathrm{\alpha 1}<2.Math.D1,$

wherein D1 is in the range between 1.2 and 4 mm and corresponds to the length of the cover and core region of the tip element in a first cross section. The same applies to a second radius of curvature Rα2 that can be assigned to the second bended subsection 32.

[0053] Moreover, it is preferably provided that the motion transformation section 30 extends about a first length L1 measured in a direction parallel to the first vibration direction V1. Due to the form of the first bended subsection 31 and second bended subsection 32, the course of the tip element 1 behind the second bended subsection 32 is laterally or radially shifted to the course of the tip element 1 in front of the first bended subsection 31 (seen in a direction from the first end section 10 to the second end section 20). Preferably, a second length L2 is assigned to the radial shift caused by the motion transformation sector 30.

[0054] By choosing a certain ratio between the first length L1 and the second length L2 it is advantageously possible to modify the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration. For example, the amplitude is amplified, if the second length L2 is smaller than the first length L1, and the amplitude is reduced, if the second length L2 is bigger than the first length L1. Especially, the first length L1 and the second length L2 form axes of an elliptic resonator. The amplitude mainly remains constant, if the second length L2 is equal to the first length L1. In this case, the first length L1 and the second length L2 represent a radius of a circle.

[0055] Furthermore, the tip element 1 has a core region D and a cover region S, wherein in a first cross section I-I perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1 the core region D is surrounded by the cover region S, preferably completely surrounded in the first cross section I-I. Preferably the core region is cylindrical and forms a channel for transporting a liquid stream, preferably water. By modifying a dimension of the cover region S along its course in the motion transformation section 30, it is advantageously possible to adapt the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration. This can be done in addition to the modification of the amplitude by the ratio of the first length L1 and the second length L2. In particular, the cover region S has a first cross-section area S1 in the first cross section I-I perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1 and a second cross-section area S2 in a second cross section H-H perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1. Preferably, the first cross-section area S1 is assigned to a beginning of the motion transformation section 30 and the second cross-section area S2 to an ending of the motion transformation section 30. Thereby, the beginning of the motion transformation section 30 is preferably defined by the last cross section (seen in a direction from the first end section 10 to the second end section 20) of the tip element 1 perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1 that is perpendicular to the first vibration direction V1. The ending of the motion transformation section 30 is preferably defined by the cross section perpendicular to the course of the tip element 1, wherein said cross section (seen in a direction from the first end section 10 to the second end section 20) [0056] follows the first bended subsection 31 and second bended subsection 32 and [0057] is again perpendicular to the first vibration direction V1 for the first time behind the first bended subsection 31 and the second bended subsection 32.

[0058] Furthermore, a first length D1 is assigned to the cover S and core region D in the first cross section Hand a second length D2 is assigned to the cover S and core region D in the second cross section H-H. When the cover region S and the core region D are cylindrical, both D1 and D2 represent the diameter of the core region plus the cover region. The diameter of the core region is preferably constant along the tip element.

[0059] By choosing the second cross-section area S2 of the cover region S smaller than the first cross-section area S1, it is advantageously possible to amplify the amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration. Alternatively, it is possible to maintain the amplitude by choosing the second cross-section area S2 equal to the first cross-section area S1 or to decrease the amplitude by choosing the second cross-section area S2 bigger than the first cross-section area S1.

[0060] Preferably, the cover section S has a conical, exponential and/or stepped shape along the course of the tip element 1 in the motion transformation section 30.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows the tip element 1 in a perspective view parallel to a main plane M including the first bended subsection 31 and the second bended subsection 32. As a consequence of this perspective, the double bended structure of the motion transformation section 30 cannot be observed in this illustration. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the second end section 20 of the tip element 1 is bended into a tilted direction T relative to the main plane M, including the first bended sub-section 31 and the second subsection 32, about a third angle α3, wherein the third angle α3 is 35° in the shown embodiment. Due to the bending about the third angle α3, at least a part of the second end section 20 extends along the tilted direction T for performing a planar flexural motion during utilization of the tip element 1. The third angle α3 or a corresponding third radius of curvature Rα3 depends on a planned application of the tip element 1, in particular a region of the mouth the tip element 1 is intended for.

[0062] FIG. 3 shows the second end section 20 of the tip element 1 illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2. Especially, the part of the second end section 20, extending along the tilted direction T, is bended about a fourth angle α4 and forms a plane including the tilted direction T. The fourth angle α4 or a corresponding fourth radius of curvature Rα4 is adapted depending on surfaces to access and preferably ranges between 90° and 135°, more preferably ranges between 110° and 120° and most preferably is mainly 117°. Preferably, a bend of the course of the second end section 20 about the third angle α3 is perpendicular to a bend of the course of the second end section 20 about a fourth angle α4.

[0063] In addition to the motion transformation section 30, the geometry of the application part of the tip element (section 20) has a significant influence on the direction of the vibration. To ensure the correct orientation, an anti-axisymmetric structure is retained to limit hammering motions that may be introduced by parasitic motions when the ultrasonic vibration is not controlled. The anti-axisymmetric structure gives a preferential direction to the vibration by filtering parasitic motions thanks to a specific quadratic moment, i.e. selective stiffness, and select only the vibration on the rerouted direction.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0064] 1 tip element

[0065] 10 first end section

[0066] 20 second end section

[0067] 30 motion transformation section

[0068] 31 first bended subsection

[0069] 32 second bended subsection

[0070] 40 pointed tip

[0071] V1 first vibration direction

[0072] V2 second vibration direction

[0073] α1 first angle

[0074] α2 second angle

[0075] α3 third angle

[0076] α4 fourth angle

[0077] I-I first cross section

[0078] H-H second cross section

[0079] L1 first length

[0080] L2 second length

[0081] S core region

[0082] D cover region

[0083] S1 first cross-section area

[0084] S2 second cross-section area

[0085] D1 first further length

[0086] D2 second further length

[0087] Rα1 first radius of curvature

[0088] Rα2 second radius of curvature

[0089] Rα3 third radius of curvature

[0090] Rα4 fourth radius of curvature

[0091] M main plane

[0092] T tilted direction