Abstract: A dental handpiece includes a head portion supporting a turbine for a removable rotating dental tool, and a handle portion having an internal cavity. One or more conduits extend at least partially through the internal cavity toward the head portion. At least one of the conduits is a drive fluid tube delivering drive fluid to the head portion for rotating the turbine. A wireless communication device within the internal cavity is attached to at least one of the conduits. At least a section of the handle portion surrounding the wireless communication device is formed of a dielectric material. The wireless communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate with an external reader or writer and store data related to at identification, use, and/or maintenance of the handpiece. An electrically inert substrate material encapsulates the wireless communication device, which is electrically isolated from other components of the handpiece.

Abstract: A dental handpiece has a turbine head housing a chuck assembly with a burr tube secured to and rotated by a gas-driven handpiece motor assembly supported by a bearing assembly having a first bearing. A portion of the burr tube passes through the housing end wall forming an opening concentric with and spaced from the burr tube. A cavity is formed in the housing by a first lateral face of a first flange of an outer race of the first bearing, a first end of the housing sidewall and a housing end wall. The cavity is in fluid communication with the opening in the end wall and a vent in the housing side wall. A vortex washer disposed in the cavity and fixed to the burr tube for rotation therewith draws dental worksite particulate through the opening and into the cavity and discharges the particulate through the vent.

Abstract: A harness retractor (62) for a harness system (60) of a child safety harness, which has a tensioning web (80) and buckle connectors (70) coupled to straps of the safety harness. The tensioning device has a rotatable retractor mechanism (90) connected to the tensioning web (80) and biased to wind up the tensioning web in a wind up rotation direction. The tensioning device has a locking device (110) biased to a first position preventing rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction. The tensioning device has a buckle housing (64) coupled to the retractor mechanism. The buckle connectors (70) are releasably connectable to the buckle housing (64). A release mechanism is connected between the locking device (110) and the buckle housing (64) and can switch the locking device from the first position to a second position permitting rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction.

Abstract: A torque-limiting device assembly is provided that includes a bell having a top wall and a circumferential side wall defining a bell interior. A plurality of radially-arrayed engagement grooves are formed on an inner surface of the top wall. A clutch stub shaft having a stem and a plurality of engagement protrusions formed on a clutch flange is disposed within the bell interior. A resilient member is secured to the bell, and the resilient member biases the clutch stub shaft towards the top wall of the bell such that the engagement grooves frictionally engage the engagement protrusions to transfer torque from the stem to the bell when the stem is rotated. An input torque applied to the stem that is greater than a predetermined input torque causes the engagement protrusions to disengage from the engagement grooves such that the input torque is not transferred from the stem to the bell.

Abstract: A harness retractor (62) for a harness system (60) of a child safety harness, which has a tensioning web (80) and buckle connectors (70) coupled to straps of the safety harness. The tensioning device has a rotatable retractor mechanism (90) connected to the tensioning web (80) and biased to wind up the tensioning web in a wind up rotation direction. The tensioning device has a locking device (110) biased to a first position preventing rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction. The tensioning device has a buckle housing (64) coupled to the retractor mechanism. The buckle connectors (70) are releasably connectable to the buckle housing (64). A release mechanism is connected between the locking device (110) and the buckle housing (64) and can switch the locking device from the first position to a second position permitting rotation of the retractor mechanism in the wind up direction.

Abstract: A swivel coupling for coupling a dental handpiece to a dental-handpiece hose assembly. An optical transmission element extends from the chamber. An illuminator assembly is removably retained in the chamber. The illuminator assembly has an emitter in register with the optical transmission element. The emitter is mounted on a substrate having an anode pad and a cathode pad electrically connected to the emitter. A first differential-thermal-expansion compliant conductor is in continuous electrical contact with the anode pad and an anode pin. A second differential-thermal-expansion compliant conductor is in continuous electrical contact with the cathode pad and a cathode pin. A heat sink is thermally coupled to the substrate. A differential-thermal-expansion load applicator is operatively coupled to the substrate and to a surface of the chamber. The differential-thermal-expansion load applicator is configured to maintain a thermal interface between the substrate and the heat sink in continuous compression.

Abstract: A torque-limiting device assembly is provided that includes a bell having a top wall and a circumferential side wall defining a bell interior. A plurality of radially-arrayed engagement grooves are formed on an inner surface of the top wall. A clutch stub shaft having a stem and a plurality of engagement protrusions formed on a clutch flange is disposed within the bell interior. A resilient member is secured to the bell, and the resilient member biases the clutch stub shaft towards the top wall of the bell such that the engagement grooves frictionally engage the engagement protrusions to transfer torque from the stem to the bell when the stem is rotated. An input torque applied to the stem that is greater than a predetermined input torque causes the engagement protrusions to disengage from the engagement grooves such that the input torque is not transferred from the stem to the bell.