US3436828A - Dental gun - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1969 w. B. DRAGAN DENTAL GUN Filed April 7, 1966 FIG. 1

FIG.2

FIG. 3

INVENTOR. William B. Dragan ATTORNEY 3,436,828 DENTAL GUN William B. Dragan, Burr St., R.D., Fairfield, Conn. 06430 Filed Apr. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 540,890 Int. Cl. A61c 9/00 US. Cl. 32-17 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A readily disposable and expendible dental gun having an elongated tubular plastic body carrying a slidable plunger means therein and having one end formed with an integral laterally extending, circular flange for manipulative cooperation with the plunger means and an opposing externally threaded end on which a removable plastic nozzle member is threaded, the nozzle member having an inner end constituting an axial prolongation of the body and formed with a bore coaxial with the bore in the body and having a frusto-conical outer end connected at its major inner end by a tapered throat portion with the inner end of the nozzle member.

This invention relates in general to a dental gun, and and more specifically to a readily disposable and expendible dental gun for applying a semifluent plastic-like or plaster material into ones mouth for taking impressions of the patients bite and/ or teeth in the practice of restorative dentistry.

In restorative dentistry, it is frequently required that impressions of ones bit and/ or teeth be taken in order to properly fit such patient with a bridge, inlay, crown, cap or false teeth. Generally, the material from which such impressions of ones bite and/or teeth be taken in order to ter-like material which in its semifluent or unset state has a tacky or gummy characteristic which renders it difficult to clean and/or remove from the dental tools heretofore required to apply such material. Frequently in working in very restrictive areas of ones mouth, a perfect impression is not always possible on the first attempt. If for some reason an impression is not satisfactorily made on the first attempt, a second or subsequent attempt is required. Thus, it often happens that more than one impression may be required to be made to effect the proper restorative dental work. In such event, it is imperative that the dentist or his nurse clean the dental gun heretofore used to apply the molding material in preparation for the second or subsequent impression. Because of the inherent characteristics of the rubber or plastic-like material used to make such impressions, extreme difficulty was encountered in cleaning such too s. As a result, a considerable amount of time was wasted between impressions while the tools were being prepared. Thus, while the cleaning was being effected, the patient had to remain seated in the chair and wait. More often than not, such waiting on the part of the patient tended to increase his discomfort and cause the dentist to lose much valuable time. To obviate this waste of time, some dentists would have spare dental guns so that they could use one while a nurse cleaned the soiled gun. However, in the event a dentist had no nurse, duplication of tools would be no solution to the problem. A further disadvantage to this practice is that it is relatively costly, and the necessity for a dentist to own extra tools greatly increases his capital expenditures.

It is an object of this invention to provide a dental gun for making impressions of ones bite and/or teeth which is relatively simple in construction, and which can be so inexpensively fabricated that the same can be rendered readily expendible after use.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dental gun constructed and arranged whereby the same can be readily loaded by asperating the molding material into the barrel portion of the gun in a simple and expedient manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a readily disposable dental gun having a nozzle detachably connected to the barrel portion thereof whereby the same may be readily removed to effect the loading of the gun by asperation, and whereby the nozzle can then be readily reconnected to the end of the gun barrel to control and direct the discharge of the material therefrom in a sure and speedy manner and with a minimum of manual pressure required on the part of the dentist.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved finger grip construction on the end of the barrel opposite the nozzle end to facilitate gripping of the gun between a dentists fingers regardless of the manner in which the gun is picked up.

The foregoing objects, and other features and advantages are attained by a dental gun which is preferably formed of an inexpensive material such as plastic; and which is so simple in construction that it is rendered readily expendible after use. In accordance with this invention, the dental gun comprises an elongated tubular body having a bore of a constant diameter extending therethrough to define the reservoir chamber or barrel portion of the gun and a plunger means reciprocally mounted within the bore of the body. The plunger means includes a stem which extends into and out of the bore of the body. Connected to the inner end of the stem within the barrel portion or body is a piston disposed in frictional sliding relationship with the internal surface of the bore. The end of the body through which the outer end of the stem extends is provided with a laterally extending flange circumscribing the entire outer periphery of the tubular body to define a finger hold or grip.

In accordance with this invention, a nozzle or tip construction having a reduced discharge or outer end is detachably connected at its inner end of the tubular body by a suitable readily detachable coupling means to facilitate the removal of the nozzle or tip from the tubular body in preparation for asperating the material into the barrel of the gun. The inner end of the nozzle has a slightly larger diameter bore arranged coaxially with the bore in the body and is connected by an inwardly tapered throat portion with the frusto-conical discharge end of the nozzle that is disposed at an angle with respect to the inner end.

With the bore of the tubular body filled with the molding material by asperating the material thereinto, the nozzle end is thereafter coupled to the end of the barrel or body portion of the gun in preparation of applying the material into ones mouth. The material is discharged from the gun by the dentist simply by depressing the plunger to force the material out through the nozzle discharge opening. Upon completion of the taking of the impression, the entire gun may be disposed. If a second or subsequent impression is required, another readily disposable gun is used.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of a dental gun constructed and arranged so that it can be readily loaded with the material for forming the impression simply by asperating the material through the open end of the barrel and whereb direction and control of the discharge of the material therefrom is attained by the connection of a nozzle to the end of the body or barrel portion of the gun.

Another feature of this invention resides in the improvement of an improved finger grip that extends laterally about the entire periphery of the tubular body to permit a dentist to hold the gun in any given position.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawing and specification in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the dental gun constructed in accordance with the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the dental gun of FIG. 1 with the nozzle portion removed and having parts thereof shown in section.

FIGURE 3 is an end view taken along line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

FIGURE 4- is a detail sectional view of the nozzle utilized in conjunction with the dental gun of FIG. 2.

The dental gun of the present invention is preferably constructed of a relatively inexpensive material, such as plastic. The construction of the gun is rendered so simple and inexpensive to manufacture that the entire gun can be readily expended and thrown away after use.

As shown, the dental gun 10 comprises a tubular member 11 having a constant diameter longitudinal bore 12 extending therethrough to define a reservoir chamber 13 for the molding material. One end of the tubular body terminates in a laterally extending integral flange 14 that circumscribes the entire periphery of the tubular member 11. The laterally extending flange 14 thus defines a finger hold or grip by which the tubular body 11 may be held in any fashion, as between two fingers of a dentists hand in a position such that the thumb of the hand may be pressed against the end of a plunger means 15 reciprocally mounted within the bore 12 of the tubular body.

The plunger means 15 comprises a stem 16 that extends into and out of the bore 12 of the tubular body 11 and which has connected to the inner end thereof a piston head 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the stem 16 of the plunger means 15 is cruciform in cross sections. The piston head 17 connected to the inner end of the stem 16 is preferably formed of a resilient material such as rubber or the like, and it is defined with a pair of laterally extending circurnscribing lands 18, 19 adapted to be disposed in sliding friction engagement with the inner wall or surface 12 of the tubular member 11. Accordingly, the respective projecting lands 18, 19 define a seal with the bore of the tubular member.

Connected to the outer end of the stem 16 is a headed portion 20 against which a dentist will place his thumb to exert a force on the plunger means 15 for displacing the same toward the discharge end 11A of the body member 11 to effect the discharge of the molding material.

In accordance with this invention, the discharge end 11A of the tubular body is constructed and arranged to receive a nozzle 21 which is detachably connected thereto. As best seen in FIG. 4, the one-piece plastic nozzle 21 includes a tubular inner or inlet end portion 28 adapted to be detachably coupled onto the end 11A of the tubular body so as to constitute an axial prolongation thereof. The inner end portion 28 has an axial bore 29 which is aligned with the body bore 12 and is of a slightly larger diameter than the body bore. The nozzle end portion 28 is connected by an inwardly tapered throat portion 30 with the major end of a frusto-conical outer or discharge end portion 31 that has a tapering discharge bore 32 leading to the outlet minor end or tip 33 thereof. The outer or discharge end portion 31 of the nozzle is disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore of the tubular body. A 45 angle has been found to be suitable for most purposes, although the degree of angle may be varied for special applications. By virtue of the arrangement of the tapered connecting throat portion 30, which tapers inwardly around the underside and sides of the outer terminal portion of the inner end portion and forms an angle with the angularly offset discharge or outer end portion 31, the throat portion presents an inner smooth transition shoulder 34 that confronts the end of the bore 29 in a manner to directly feed the issuing material to the major open end of the discharge end portion 31. This results in the pressure issuance of the material through the minor end or tip 33 of the nozzle without requiring an undue amount of manual finger pressure by the dentist on the head 20 of the plunger. This, also, permits the dentist to devote his full attention to the directional issuance of the material. Furthermore, because of the angular disposition of the nozzle discharge end portion 31 relative to the coaxial tubular body and the inner end portion of the nozzle, the dentist is able to hold the gun in a substantially horizontal position during the use thereof, which is more conducive to the comfort of the patient and to the minimum of strain on the dentist.

In accordance with this invention, the means for detachably connecting the end of the tubular body comprises complementary threads 26, 27 formed on the end 11A of the tubular body 11 and on the inner end 24 of the inner end portion 28 to the nozzle 21. As shown, the outer surface of the tubular body is provided with a series of threads 26 which complement the internal threads 27 formed on the end 24 to the nozzle. Accordingly, in operation, it is to be noted that the nozzle 21 can be readily threaded and unthreaded to the tubular member of the dental gun.

Because the nozzle 21 is rendered detachably connected to the end of the tubular body 11, the specific construction and arrangement of the dental gun 10 disclosed is such that the relatively viscous semitluent plaster or rubber-like plastic material which is utilized by many dentists in making an impression of ones teeth and/or mouth, can be quickly loaded into the bore of the tubular body directly through the enlarged end 11A thereof as seen in FIG. 2 'by asperating the material thereinto. This is attained simply by retracting the plunger means to create a vacuum in the bore thereof which forces the material to flow thereinto. With the bore 12 of the tubular body filled with such material, the dentist merely has to screw the nozzle 21 to the end 11A thereof in preparation to applying the moldable material into the mouth of a patient. The material in the barrel of the gun is ejected by pushing the plunger toward the discharge end of the gun. Because of the specific angular configuration of the nozzle, direction and control of the discharge of the material can be readily attained.

In the event that a second or subsequent impression is required. to be made, the expended dental gun can be completely disposed and a new disposable gun 10 immediately substituted for effecting the next impression. Thus the need of cleaning guns between impressions is completely obviated. Thus, a minimum of time is lost between impressions. The result attained being that the ordeal of the patient is greatly relieved and a saving of a substantial amount of valuable dentist time.

From the foregoing, it will become readily apparent that the dental gun 10 described herein is specifically constructed and arranged so that the same may be readily loaded with a relatively viscous semifluent material which is otherwise diflicult to handle, in a relatively simple and expedient manner, and which material can thereafter be discharged from the gun in an accurately controlled manner by the attachment of appropriate nozzle tip 21 to the barrel portion. Also, an important feature of the invention resides in the provision that the laterally extending flange 14 which circumscribes one end of the tubular body to enable the gun to be held between two fingers of a dentists hand regardless of the position in which the dental gun is initially picked up.

While the instant invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it will be readily understood and appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A readily disposable and expendable dental gun for force application of a plastic-like molding material in its semifluent state into a patients mouth for making an impression in the practice of restorative dentistry compris- (a) an elongated tubular member formed of relatively inexpensive plastic material and having opposing ends and a bore of substantially constant diameter extending longitudinally therethrough and through said ends,

(b) a laterally extending circular flange formed integral with the body and circumscribing one end of the body to constitute a finger grip on the body,

(c) a plunger assembly slidably mounted in the body bore and having a projecting end extending outwardly of the body at the flanged end for finger engagement and actuation of the plunger in gripping association with the flange,

(d) said other end of the body being formed with a relatively large opening circumscribed by external threads,

(e) a nozzle member detachably fitted on the said other end of the body and defining the discharge end of the (f) said nozzle member having an inner end portion of tubular form and having a longitudinal bore and having a free end formed with internal threads threadedly engaged with the threads on the end of the body with the inner end portion being in axial alignment with the opening of said body and constituting an axial prolongation thereof,

(g) said nozzle member having an outer discharge end portion of frusto-conical formation provided with an inner major end and an outer minor end and having a bore therethrough with the bore gradually decreasing in diameter from the major end to the minor end,

(h) said major end of the discharge end being correspondingly sized to the opening in said body and relatively large with respect to the outer minor end of said nozzle member,

(i) said threaded connection between said body and nozzle member rendering said nozzle member readily removable whereby prompt and expedient loading of said body member with said plastic-like molding material is attained by aspirating said material through the opening in said body with said nozzle member removed therefrom by retraction of said plunger means, and

(j) whereby said material is accurately applied and directed into ones mouth for making impressions by attachment of the nozzle member to the open end of the body and forcing the material therethrough by movement of said plunger means toward said nozzle member,

(k) and said discharge end portion of said nozzle member being disposed at an angle of about degrees relative to the inner end portion of the nozzle member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 593,318 11/1897 Bacon 128-234 1,343,787 6/1920 Neil 128-218 2,578,765 12/1951 Wallace 222-386 XR 2,619,087 11/1952 Oclassen.

2,825,134 3/1958 Hicks 32-17 3,050,059 8/1962 Wall. 3,212,685 10/1965 Swan 222-386 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,676 12/ 1933 Switzerland.

ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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