US3046985A - Dental syringe adapter - Google Patents

Description

July 31, 1962 c. SAENZ DENTAL SYRINGE ADAPTER Filed Dec. 19, 1958 Q on mm v mm Q IIN F NM 1 a w 3 NM mm 9 vn M 9m vw n R "W AWE/7 mm Q 2 m mu 3 W Came/aria Saenz 1N VEN TOR.

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3filfi35 Patented July 31, 1962 Filed Dec. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 781,523 7 Claims. (Cl. 128218) This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and more particularly to improvements in conventional dental syrines.

The dental patient is always apprehensive to pain when he awaits an extraction and at the time that he sees the type of syringe that is presently used by dentists. This invention provides a dental syringe adapter which conceals the needle of the syringe and which serves several other important functions. The concealing of the needle automatically prevents at least some of the apprehension in the patient.

The adapter for the dental syringe will reduce pain in the injection. It is a present practice for dentists to press the index finger of the left hand on the area of gum tissue to be injected just before inserting the needle. This pressure applied by the dentists finger reduces the pain when actual injection takes place. An adapter constructed in accordance with this invention serves the same purpose and it is entirely unnecessary for the dentists finger to come in contact with the anesthetic. A number of dentists are constantly bothered with dermatitis caused by contact of the anesthetic. By use of this adapter, the dentist need not use his index finger to apply pressure and therefore, he need not have his finger come in contact with the anesthetic.

An adapter constructed in accordance with the invention is exceedingly simple from a mechanical standpoint. It includes only three parts and a slight modification of a conventional syringe. The adapter has a gum tissue pressure tip, a syringe barrel sleeve with which the tip is adjustably connected and a spring which reacts on the tip and the body of the syringe in a direction to yieldingly maintain the sleeve and tip in an extended position with respect to the syringe.

There is a lock connected with the body of the syringe and the barrel sleeve to hold the barrel sleeve in a selected retracted position when this is desired by the dentist or by the person sterilizing the equipment.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide a syringe adapter, preferably but not exclusively used by dentists, which possesses structurally improved features over previous syringes.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, parts broken away to illustrate otherwise hidden detail, of a conventional syringe provided with an adapter which is in the extended position with respect to the syringe.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the construction in FIGURE 2, showing the adapter in the retracted position.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3 and showing the adapter locking structure.

In the accompanying drawing there is a syringe having an elongated tubular syringe body 12, an ampule 14 containing an anesthetic, a plunger 16 operable in syringe body 12 and other conventional structure ordiarily found in a common syringe. Among this other structure is the tubular needle 18 to pierce the ampule, the needle held in place by needle holder 20 at the outer end of the syringe body. The use of an ordinary syringe is well known in the art, and its functions are equally well known.

This invention improves the conventional syringe by an adapter 22 having a tip 24, a syringe body sleeve 26 and a coil spring 28. Tip 24 has a longitudinally concave, truncated conical end 30 through which central passage 32 extends. The tip has a sleeve portion 34 having external threads 36 at its inner end, and a recess 4% divided from passage 32 by shoulder 42. Needle '13 extends through recess 49 and passage 32, but the normal position of the adapter tip.(FlGURE 2) completely conceal the needle 18.

Spring 28 is seated on shoulder 42 and on the end wall 44 of syringe body 12. The bias of the spring is in a direction tending to extend the adapter 22 outwardly from the needle end of the syringe. Sleeve 26 a bore 48 of sufiicient diameter to fit over the generally cylindrical body 12 of the syringe. One end of the bore has internal threads 50 in which threads 36 are engaged. Tip 24- is adjustable with respect to the sleeve 26 by threading the tip to a deeper or more shallow position in threads 59.

There is means for locking the sleeve in a selected adjusted position on the body 12 of the syringe. This means consists preferably of a member or screw 54 radially adjustable in a threaded opening 56 in the side wall of sleeve 26. The inner end of the screw may be made to engage in keeper means in the form of a selected inclined notch or slot 60 in the body 12 of the syringe 19. The notch 64 is one of a group of notches and is inclined in a direction to keep the screw 54 well seated in the bottom of notch 6i). Hence, the position of the adapter on the body of the syringe may be selected by proper selection of notches 61) within which screw 54 seats.

In operation, it is assumed that the syringe is ready for use. In such position (FIGURE 2) the adapter is held on the syringe body by means of screw 54 seating in a selected notch 69. Spring 28 holds the adapter in place, but the adapter may be slid back on body 12 as the dentist applies pressure to the area around the piercing point for needle 18. As pressure is applied, only the end of adapter tip 24 contacts the tissue of the patient. By application of additional force, the point of needle 18 is made to penetrate the tissue inasmuch as the adapter will slide back on the body of the syringe, the screw 54 separating from or riding at least part of the way out of its notch 64). By depression of plunger 16, the injection may be completed.

In cases wherein it is impractical to use the adapter, it need not be separated from the syringe. It is only necessary to pull the adapter back on the syringe body and engage screw 54 in a different notch 60, holding the adapter inwardly of the syringe against the yielding opposition of spring 28. Then, the syringe may be used as any other conventional syringe.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A syringe comprising, in combination, an elongated tubular body for receiving an ampule, a tubular needle in the forward end portion of the body for puncturing the ampule for receiving fluid therefrom, means on the rear end portion of the body for ejecting the fluid through the needle, a sleeve connected to and slidable longitudinally on the body, a tip mounted on' the sleeve and slidable on the needle to a forward operative position wherein the needle is concealed and to a rearward inoperative position wherein said needle is exposed, resilient means yieldingly urging the tip forwardly on the needle, and means for releasably anchoring the tip in either position against the tension of said resilient means.

2. A syringe in accordance with claim 1, wherein said resilient means includes a coil spring mounted under compression between the forward end of the body and the tip and encircling the needle.

3. A syringe in accordance with claim 1, said body having generally circumferential slots therein at longitudinally spaced points having communication with each other, said anchoring means including a member mounted on the sleeve and engageable selectively in the slots, said sleeve being rotatable on the body for engaging the mem-' her in the slots. a

4. A syringe comprising an elongated tubular body for receiving a fluid, a tubular needle in the body communicating therewith for receiving fluid therefrom, means on the rear end of the body for ejecting the fluid, said body having a longitudinally elongated opening therein and further having longitudinally spaced, parallel rearwardly opening slots communicating at one end with the pening and extending at a forward inclination therefrom and closed at their. forward ends, a sleeve slidable longitudinally on the body and connected thereto, a tip on the sleeve slidable on the needle to a forward operative position for concealing same and. to a retracted, inoperative position for exposing said needle, a coil spring mounted under compression between the body and the tip for yielding urging the latter forwardly, and a member on the body engageable selectively in the slots for anchoring the tip in either position. i

5. A syringe comprising an elongated body for the reception of a fluid, a needle projecting from the for ward end of the body, means for ejecting the fluid through the needle said body having an opening therein and further having longitudinally spaced slots therein communicat-ing with the opening and extending at a forward inclination from their open ends therefrom, a sleeve connected to and slidable on the body, a tip'on said sleeve slidable forwardly to an operative position on the needle for concealing same, a spring between the tip and the body for yieldingly actuating and tip forwardly to said operative position, and a member mounted in the sleeve and engageable selectively in the slots for releasably anchoring the tip in. said operative position for concealing the needle .or in a retracted inoperative position for exposing the needle. 1 v v 6. A syringe in accordance with claim 5, wherein said tip is threadedly connected to the sleeve for longitudinal adjustment relative .to the needle.

7. A syringe in accordance with claim 5, wherein said tip comprises a generally truncated conical, longitudinally concave shape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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