Rotary dental file having a safe breakage point

Patent 7198486 Issued on April 3, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 30, 2024. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Storage racks for warehouses and the like
Patent #: 4155462
Issued on: 05/22/1979
Inventor: Bendel

Dental file/reamer instrument
Patent #: 4934934
Issued on: 06/19/1990
Inventor: Arpaio, Jr., et al.

Set of endodontic instruments
Patent #: 5017138
Issued on: 05/21/1991
Inventor: Schilder

Dental pin assembly
Patent #: 5482465
Issued on: 01/09/1996
Inventor: Filhol

Dental file/reamer instrument
Patent #: 5586885
Issued on: 12/24/1996
Inventor: Kert

Inspection method for endodontic files, and equipment for same
Patent #: 6128966
Issued on: 10/10/2000
Inventor: Usui, et al.

Motor control system for endodontic handpiece providing dynamic torque limit tracking of specific file fatigue Patent #: 6955536
Issued on: 10/18/2005
Inventor: Buchanan

Inventor

Cox, Duane Edward

Application

No. 10836793 filed on 04/30/2004

US Classes:

433/102, Broach433/165, Tool bit433/166, Abrading or polishing211/151, With roller mounts433/225, Anchor pin73/865.8, INSPECTING433/27Having condition sensor to transmit signal to regulate indicating device or controller

Examiners

Primary: Rodriguez, Cris L.
Assistant: Kilkenny, Patrick J.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Johnson; David George

International Class

A61C 5/02

Abstract

An endodontic file (6) including a discontinuity (18) formed within the file shank (7). The discontinuity (18) creates a safe breakage point at which the file (6) will fail prior to a failure occurring at any other point along the length (11) of the file. The safe breakage point prevents the tip (21) of the file (6) from becoming irremovably embedded in a human tooth (12) after file failure. Substantially the entire length (11) of the file (6) remains connected to the tip (21) after file failure, thereby providing a considerable portion of the file which may be gripped and manipulated in order to accomplish file removal. Empirical data is presented to permit proper characterization of the region surrounding the discontinuity (18).