Patent · US Expired

Ultrasonic dental scaler selectively tunable either manually or automatically

US6190167A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
9References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 23, 1998
Grant dateFeb 20, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 23, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C17/20
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An ultrasonic dental scaler for use with a dental scaler insert having a resonant frequency associated therewith includes a handpiece adapted for removably receiving the dental scaler insert, an energizing coil mounted on the handpiece, whereby the energizing coil substantially surrounds the dental scaler insert. The ultrasonic dental scaler includes a selectively tunable oscillator circuit coupled to the energizing coil and which generates a control signal having an oscillation frequency associated therewith for vibrating the dental scaler insert in response thereto. Specifically, the selectively tunable oscillator circuit includes an automatic tuner for automatically altering the oscillation frequency associated with the control signal to be substantially equivalent to the resonant frequency associated with the dental scaler insert in response to the control signal being fed back thereto. Further, the selectively tunable oscillator circuit includes a manual tuner for altering the oscillation frequency associated with the control signal in response to manual adjustment of the manual tuner. The selectively tunable oscillator circuit also includes a switch which is operatively coupl…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.