Fitting for dental syringe tip

Abstract

A fitting for releasably and sealingly connecting a conduit to a medical instrument. The fitting comprises a body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the ends. The body has a recess extending on the axis, a bottom adjacent its proximal end and is open at its distal end. The bottom of the body includes first and second passages for flow of first and second fluids. The fitting further includes a quick-connect device mounted in the recess and having a gripping mechanism. The conduit is receivable in the gripping mechanism for movement of the conduit in proximal and distal directions with respect to the body. The gripping mechanism permits one end of the conduit to be pushed through an opening of the quick-connect device to a position in which a tubular connector provides a sealing connection between a central passageway in the conduit and the first passage in the bottom of the body. The gripping mechanism is operable to apply a progressively increasing gripping force to the conduit as the conduit moves away from the bottom until the conduit reaches a position in which the gripping force prevents substantial further movement of the conduit away from the bottom. The fitting further includes a manually operable device for moving the gripping mechanism in a proximal direction relative to the body to cause the gripping mechanism to move radially outward to release the conduit so it can be removed from the body.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening having a plurality of locking fingers disposed around the opening adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the tip is received in the opening thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said method comprising pushing the syringe tip through the opening to a position in which the locking fingers engage the exterior surface of the tip.  
     
     
         2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece to increase engagement between the fingers and the tip.  
     
     
         3 . A method as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the force is applied manually.  
     
     
         4 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening having a plurality of locking fingers disposed around the opening adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the tip is received in the opening thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said locking fingers being moveable between a locking position in which the fingers engage the exterior surface to secure the tip to the fitting and a releasing position in which the fingers disengage the exterior surface allowing the tip to be removed from the fitting, said method comprising: 
 moving the locking fingers to the releasing position;    while the fingers are in the releasing position, pushing the syringe tip through the opening to a position in which the locking fingers are aligned with the exterior surface of the tip; and    moving the fingers to the locking position to engage the fingers with the exterior surface of the tip.    
     
     
         5 . A method as set forth in  claim 4  further comprising exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece to increase engagement between the fingers and the tip.  
     
     
         6 . A method as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the force is applied manually.  
     
     
         7 . A method of disconnecting a syringe tip from a dental syringe hand piece, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening having a plurality of locking fingers disposed around the opening adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the tip is received in the opening thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said locking fingers being moveable between a locking position in which the fingers engage the exterior surface to secure the tip to the fitting and a releasing position in which the fingers disengage the exterior surface allowing the tip to be removed from the fitting, said method comprising: 
 moving the locking fingers to the releasing position to move the fingers outward thereby disengaging the fingers from the exterior surface; and    while the locking fingers are in the releasing position, withdrawing the syringe tip from the opening.    
     
     
         8 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip, a connector mounted in the opening for engaging the passage to place the hand piece in fluid communication with said passage, and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening having a manually operable device moveable toward the hand piece to a releasing position in which the gripping mechanism releases the exterior surface allowing the tip to be removed from the fitting and away from the hand piece to a locking position in which the gripping mechanism engages the exterior surface to secure the tip to the fitting, said method comprising pushing the syringe tip through the opening to a position in which the connector engages the passage.  
     
     
         9 . A method as set forth in  claim 8  further comprising exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece.  
     
     
         10 . A method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the force is applied manually.  
     
     
         11 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip, a connector mounted in the opening for engaging the passage to place the hand piece in fluid communication with said passage, and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the tip is received in the opening thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said method comprising 
 pushing the syringe tip through the opening to a position in which the connector engages the passage; and    exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece to increase engagement between the gripping mechanism and the tip without disengaging the connector from the passage.    
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the force is applied manually.  
     
     
         13 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including a substantially tubular interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a substantially tubular connector for engaging the passage to place the hand piece in fluid communication with said passage, and a gripping mechanism surrounding the connector adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the connector is engaging the passage thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said method comprising pushing the syringe tip toward the hand piece to a position in which the connector is received inside the passage.  
     
     
         14 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and an exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a gripping mechanism having a plurality of locking fingers adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said method comprising pushing the syringe tip between the locking fingers to a position in which the locking fingers engage the exterior surface of the tip.  
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece to increase engagement between the fingers and the tip.  
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the force is applied manually.  
     
     
         17 . A method of connecting a syringe tip to a dental syringe hand piece for transporting fluid to a patient, said syringe tip including an interior passage for transporting the fluid to the patient and a substantially tubular exterior surface surrounding the tip, said hand piece including a fitting having a central opening sized and shaped for receiving the tip and a gripping mechanism mounted in the opening having a plurality of locking fingers disposed around the opening adapted to releasably engage the exterior surface when the tip is received in the opening thereby to secure the tip to the hand piece, said method comprising pushing the syringe tip through the opening to a position in which the locking fingers engage the exterior surface of the tip.  
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 17  further comprising exerting a force on the tip in a direction away from the hand piece to increase engagement between the fingers and the tip.  
     
     
         19 . A method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the force is applied manually.