Dental saw blade

Abstract

A dental saw blade is provided and includes a body having a first face and an opposing second face and a cutting edge and a central opening for receiving a drive component for rotating the blade. The blade has a region of abrasive material disposed on each of the first and second faces to define a cutting zone at an outer section of the face and further has a means for stiffening the body and reducing binding of the blade during a cutting operation. The means is disposed between the cutting zone and the central opening and includes features that are formed on each of the first and second faces.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A dental saw blade comprising: 
 a body having a first face and an opposing second face and a cutting edge;    a cutting zone formed on each of the first and second faces and extending around a peripheral area of each of the first and second faces, the cutting zone having an abrasive material disposed therein;    a plurality of radial sections formed on each of the first and second faces, each radial section being formed of an abrasive material and arranged radially relative to the cutting zone; and    a plurality of spokes defined on each of the first and second faces, each spoke being defined between adjacent radial sections and arranged radially relative to the cutting zone, each spoke being free of abrasive material.    
     
     
         2 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes an opening formed therethrough for receiving a drive component for rotating the blade, the plurality of radial sections and spokes being arranged radially around the opening.  
     
     
         3 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting zone extends inwardly from the cutting edge to a point closer to the center of the blade, the cutting zone having a width from about {fraction (1/8)} inch to about ½ inch, where the width is defined as distance from the cutting edge to the inner point  
     
     
         4 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the blade has an annular shape and the cutting zone is ring-shaped.  
     
     
         5 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spokes has a uniform width.  
     
     
         6 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material of the plurality of spokes and the cutting zone is the same material.  
     
     
         7 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material of one of the plurality of spokes and the radial sections and the cutting zone is different.  
     
     
         8 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein each radial section joins the cutting zone at one end thereof such that the abrasive material extends seamlessly from the cutting zone to each radial section.  
     
     
         9 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material is a material selected from the group consisting essentially of diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN), aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide grit, and boron carbide.  
     
     
         10 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the abrasive material comprises diamond particles having a size from about 60 mesh to about 600 mesh.  
     
     
         11 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spokes contained within a first plane defined by the first face are offset from the plurality of spokes contained within a second plane defined by the second face such that no one spoke of the first plane overlies a spoke contained within the second plane.  
     
     
         12 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein three or more spokes and three or more radial sections are formed on each of the first and second faces.  
     
     
         13 . The blade of  claim 1 , wherein each spoke formed on the first face has a complementary spoke formed on the second face that is offset 180° from the spoke formed on the first face.  
     
     
         14 . A dental saw blade comprising: 
 a body having a first face and an opposing second face and a cutting edge and a central opening for receiving a drive component for rotating the blade;    a region of abrasive material disposed on each of the first and second faces to define a cutting zone at an outer section of the face; and    means for stiffening the body and reducing binding of the blade during a cutting operation, wherein the means is disposed between the cutting zone and the central opening and includes features that are formed on each of the first and second faces.    
     
     
         15 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the features comprise a plurality of spokes formed on each of the first and second faces, each spoke being formed of an abrasive material.  
     
     
         16 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein one end of each spoke intersects the cutting zone and a seamless transition results between the cutting zone and the plurality of spokes formed on the same face.  
     
     
         17 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the cutting zone is ring shaped and extends inwardly from the cutting edge.  
     
     
         18 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the abrasive material is a material selected from the group consisting essentially of diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN), aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide grit, and boron carbide.  
     
     
         19 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the abrasive material comprises diamond particles having a size from about 60 mesh to about 600 mesh.  
     
     
         20 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of spokes contained within a first plane defined by the first face are offset from the plurality of spokes contained within a second plane defined by the second face such that no one spoke of the first plane overlies a spoke contained within the second plane.  
     
     
         21 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein three or more spokes are formed on each of the first and second faces.  
     
     
         22 . The blade of  claim 14 , further including a plurality of shaped cut-outs formed in the cutting zone at the cutting edge thereof, the shaped cut-outs being formed circumferentially around the blade body along the cutting edge thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein an inner edge of each spoke is spaced from the central opening.  
     
     
         24 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein the spokes formed of each face are spaced equally apart from one another.  
     
     
         25 . The blade of  claim 15 , wherein a length of each spoke is at least twice as great as a width of the cutting zone.  
     
     
         26 . The blade of  claim 14 , wherein the features are shaped spokes formed of abrasive material.  
     
     
         27 . The blade of  claim 26 , wherein the cutting zone has a thickness that is the same as a thickness of the spokes.