Ultrasonic tool

Abstract

An ultrasonic instrument includes a tip portion, a transducer configured to convert electrical energy into vibrational energy, an acoustic transformer interconnecting the transducer and the tip portion, and a grip portion disposed at least partially about the acoustic transformer. The grip portion is coupled to the acoustic transformer via a resilient nodal coupling at a nodal region of the acoustic transformer. The resilient nodal coupling is configured to provide rotational and axial stability to the acoustic transformer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of utilizing an ultrasonic instrument comprising:
 obtaining an ultrasonic instrument, comprising:
 a tip portion; 
 a transducer configured to convert electrical energy into vibrational energy; 
 an acoustic transformer interconnecting the transducer and the tip portion; and 
 a grip portion disposed at least partially about the acoustic transformer, the grip portion coupled to the acoustic transformer via a soft mount comprising a resilient nodal coupling at a nodal region of the acoustic transformer, the resilient nodal coupling comprising: 
 a resilient mount disposed at the nodal region of the acoustic transformer; and 
 a nest defined within the grip, the nest configured to receive and contain the resilient mount,
 wherein the resilient nodal coupling is structured to provide rotational and axial stability to the acoustic transformer by minimizing the lateral and longitudinal movement of the grip relative to the acoustic transformer during static and dynamic phases of use of the ultrasonic instrument, and 
 wherein an area between the acoustic transformer, the grip, and the nest provides a pathway for coolant fluid to flow across the nodal mount, grasping the grip portion; and 
 
   orienting the tip portion along a line angle of a tooth.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, loading the tip portion. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the grasping facilitates rotation and adaptation of the tip portion along the line angle of the tooth. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resilient nodal coupling includes a resilient mount disposed at the nodal region of the acoustic transformer, the resilient mount applying at least one of radial pressure or lateral force to the acoustic transformer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the resilient mount includes a pair of opposed protrusions defined at the nodal region of the acoustic transformer and a resilient member disposed about each of the protrusions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the grip portion is formed at least partially from plastic. 
     
     
         7 . A method of assembling a resilient nodal mount onto a connecting body in an ultrasonic instrument, wherein the connecting body comprises a proximal end and a distal end and the distal end comprises a tip portion of the ultrasonic instrument, and wherein an area between the proximal end and the distal end comprise a nodal area, the nodal area comprising a disc, the method comprising:
 machining a slot on an underside of a tapered cylinder;   placing a first O-ring parallel to the disc adjacent to a first surface of the disc and placing a second O-ring parallel to the first O-ring and adjacent to a second surface of the disc;   inserting the tapered cylinder over the connecting body such that the tapered cylinder retains the first O-ring and the second O-ring; and   placing a retainer over the tip portion of the connecting body and sliding the retainer over the connecting body to capture the tapered cylinder, such that the tapered cylinder and the retainer form a resilient nodal mount.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second O-ring is placed on surface of the disc closer to the distal end of the connecting body and the inserting comprises placing the tapered cylinder on an area of the connecting body between the second O-ring and the tip portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the placing comprises moving the retainer axially toward the tapered cylinder until fingers on the retainer engage with a surface of the tapered cylinder. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 moving the retainer axially alone the connecting body until the first O-ring and the second O-ring are compressed and the fingers snap into position within the lot on the tapered cylinder.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 placing a an inverted split washer between the first O-ring and an outer diameter of the tapered cylinder.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: coupling a grip to the resilient nodal mount. 
     
     
         13 . A method of assembling a soft mount onto a connecting body in an ultrasonic instrument, wherein the soft mount comprises a tapered cylinder and a retainer with at least one flange, the method comprising:
 sliding the tapered cylinder with a first diameter and a second diameter over a small diameter of a connecting body with a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end comprises a tip portion of the ultrasonic instrument, and wherein an area between the proximal end and the distal end comprises a nodal area;   orienting the tapered cylinder such that the second diameter faces the distal end of the connecting body;   placing an O-ring in the nodal area;   sliding the retainer over the tip of the connecting body such that the at least one flange on the retainer is aligned with and in contact with a tapered edge of the tapered cylinder, such that the tapered cylinder and the retainer compress the O-ring, forming a soft mount; and   coupling a grip of a handpiece to the soft mount.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 locking the retainer and the tapered cylinder together by snapping a dimension on the at least one flange into a gap on the tapered cylinder.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the snapping comprises the dimension on the at least one flange spreading as it interfaces with the tapered cylinder. 
     
     
         16 . A method of utilizing an ultrasonic instrument comprising:
 obtaining an ultrasonic instrument, comprising:
 a tip portion; 
 a transducer configured to convert electrical energy into vibrational energy; 
 an acoustic transformer interconnecting the transducer and the tip portion; 
 a grip portion disposed about a portion of the acoustic transformer, the acoustic transformer comprising a pair of opposed protrusions, the grip portion coupled to the acoustic transformer via a soft mount comprising a resilient mount disposed about the pair of opposed protrusions forming a resilient nodal coupling at a nodal region of the acoustic transformer, and a nest defined within the grip to receive and contain the resilient mount, the grip portion defining a gland area, wherein an area between the acoustic transformer, the grip, and the nest provides a pathway for coolant fluid to flow across the nodal mount; 
 a handpiece disposed about a remaining portion of the acoustic transformer such that the grip portion and the handpiece cooperate to fully enclose the acoustic transformer, the handpiece defining an engagement area are configured to receive the gland area of the grip portion; and an elongated sealing assembly interdisposed between the gland area of the grip portion and the engagement area of the hand piece to rotatably and sealingly couple the grip portion and the handpiece to one another, wherein an outer surface of the elongated seal assembly comprises an outer surface of the ultrasonic instrument; 
   grasping the grip portion; and   orienting the tip portion along a line angle of a tooth.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 rotating the grip portion relative to the handpiece through 360 degrees of rotation.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the rotating comprises applying torque between about 0.5 in-oz and about 1.5 in-oz. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the soft mount decouples ultrasonic energy in the acoustic transformer to the grip during static and dynamic phases of use of the ultrasonic instrument. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transducer formed from a plurality of laminations, each lamination configured to define a plurality of bending angles along a width dimension thereof, each lamination defining a length substantially equal to one-half wavelength at an operating frequency of the ultrasonic instrument, and wherein the orienting comprises utilizing at least one of the plurality on bending angles.