Abstract: A vessel, e.g., a bowl, suited for holding water or foodstuff for use as a pet bowl or human kitchen houseware may be. The bowl may have a modular design to allow for different portions of the bowl to have different attributes. The vessel is scaled for use by pets or humans. Generally, this means that an inner surface of the vessel defines a volumetric space of 60 cubic centimeters to 30 liters for holding water or foodstuff. The bowl has a water level, and, at the water level, the surface area of the bowl may be 56 cm to 900 square cm. To facilitate lifting and gripping by one or two human hands of a user, the vessel's outer surface may include one or more graspable elements disposed between the top and bottom of the vessel. Each graspable element is configured to receive one or more fingers of a user so that the user can grasp or otherwise engage the graspable element and lift the bowl from a surface when the bowl is upright on the surface.

Abstract: A thin-film splash guard for use with dental cuspidors is described. The splash guard includes a thin-film sheet, a pair of slots, and an adhesive. The thin-film sheet is composed of a flexible, flaccid material with front and back surfaces which is sufficiently stiff when conformed to the shape of a dental cuspidor so as to extend above the side wall of the cuspidor. The slots are disposed from one edge of and along the thin-film sheet so as to generally define a center region and a pair of side regions. The adhesive is disposed along the front surface within each side region and or along the back surface within the center region. The thin-film splash guard is readily conformable to the shape and size of a cuspidor, easily attachable to the cuspidor in a removable fashion, and disposable.

Abstract: Disclosed therein is a sterilizer for dental contaminants, which can prevent contamination occurring by the surface or a discharge hole of a cuspidor and a discharge hole of a suction mounted on a side of a dental unit chair used to spit out contaminants, such as blood or pus, remaining in a patient's mouth during a dental treatment. The sterilizer includes: a lid having a size as large as to cover an entrance portion of the cuspidor; an ultraviolet lamp mounted on the inner surface of the bottom of the lid; an opening and closing means connected to the lid for opening and closing the lid; and a control part for opening and closing the lid through the opening and closing means and controlling the turning on and off of the ultraviolet lamp.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrated dental care apparatus which comprises a patient chair and a dental care unit, which according to the invention are arranged to comprise means for mounting the dental care unit on a floor while the dental care unit and the patient chair are structurally connected by means which support the patient chair, and wherein both the dental care unit and the patient chair are arranged to comprise means for enabling them to be turned in relation to a vertical axis.

Abstract: A thin-film splash guard for use with dental cuspidors is described. The splash guard includes a thin-film sheet, a pair of slots, and an adhesive. The thin-film sheet is composed of a flexible, flaccid material with front and back surfaces which is sufficiently stiff when conformed to the shape of a dental cuspidor so as to extend above the side wall of the cuspidor. The slots are disposed from one edge of and along the thin-film sheet so as to generally define a center region and a pair of side regions. The adhesive is disposed along the front surface within each side region and/or along the back surface within the center region. The thin-film splash guard is readily conformable to the shape and size of a cuspidor, easily attachable to the cuspidor in a removable fashion, and disposable.

Abstract: A hand apparatus, in particular for dental purposes, for dispensing a pasty filler mass the viscosity of which can be reduced by supplying vibration energy, comprising an apparatus housing, a container for the pasty filler mass, an exit nozzle connected with the container, a vibration generator, and pressure production means for applying pressure on the pasty filler mass. In order to improve the transfer of vibrations in the region of the hand apparatus the vibration generator and the container are mounted movably with respect to the apparatus housing and are directly vibration-coupled with each other.

Abstract: A dental bleaching gel composition having a long shelf life for use with an activator system to cause accelerated bleaching action over a shortened time period of a peroxide bleaching agent in the bleaching gel composition when applied upon a tooth surface for cosmetically whitening the tooth and/or for the treatment of stains or discolorations.

Abstract: A device is provided for the filter and collection of one or more material. The device incorporates a manifold with an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, with an adjustable control handle on the top of the manifold and a baffle plate in the inside of the manifold. The manifold is sealed to the top opening of a collection chamber. During procedures which require withdrawal of material not to be collected, the control handle and baffle plate are adjusted to a pass-through mode which connects a internal adjustable conduit, which transverses through the baffle plate, with the lumen of the inlet and outlet conduits to form a continuous lumen with which to withdraw material not to be collected through. During procedures which require the withdrawal of material to be collected, the control handle and baffle plate are adjusted to a solids mode which orients the baffle plate to face both the lumen of the inlet and outlet conduits.

Abstract: This is an air-sucking, sterilizing and wastewater treatment method for dental clinic bed. It has an air-sucking and sterilizing device, and a wastewater-treating device below a gargle bench of a dental clinic bed. The air-sucking inlet of the air-sucking and sterilizing device is connected above the bench top to an air-sucking pipe that can be bent to form. At the other end of the air-sucking pipe is an air-sucking mask equipped with a clinical lamp. Utilizing the bendable property of the air-sucking pipe, the dentist can adjust the air-sucking mask with the clinical lamp to an optimum position, to collect germ-carrying flying saliva and volatile chemicals produced in the clinical process, or the flying moisture from the tooth grinding machine in the air-sucking and sterilizing device. Inside the air-exhaust valve is a ion device for purifying purpose to enhance hygienic quality of the entire clinical process, and avoid unnecessary contamination of flying saliva.

Abstract: A dental environmental filter is provided for the collection of heavy metals and other particles during dental or other procedures. The dental environmental filter incorporates a manifold with an inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, with an adjustable control handle on the top of the manifold and a baffle plate in the inside of the manifold. The manifold is sealed to the top opening of a collection chamber. During procedures which require withdrawal of fluids, the control handle and baffle plate are adjusted to a fluids mode which connects a internal adjustable conduit, which transverses through the baffle plate, with the lumen of the inlet and outlet conduits to form a continuous lumen with which to withdraw fluids through. During procedures which require the withdrawal of heavy metals or other particles, the control handle and baffle plate are adjusted to a solids mode which orients the baffle plate to face the both the lumen of the inlet and outlet conduits.

Abstract: A self-purifying filter apparatus comprising (1) a filter having a first surface and a second surface; (2) flow control means, such as a vacuum pump, for causing a stream of fluid interspersed with solid particulates to pass from the first surface to the second surface through the filter, thereby removing some of the solid particulates from the first stream of fluid and depositing them on the first surface; and (3) a purging device, such as a small reservoir of water (potentially formed, in part, by water previously filtered by the filter), for causing a second stream of fluid to pass from the second surface to the first surface through the filter without substantially changing the position of the filter, thereby rinsing and removing from the first surface at least some of the solid particulates that were deposited there.

Abstract: A filter canister assembly for receiving waste from a dental cuspidor includes a canister of generally conventional configuration, with an open upper end fitted with a canister closure, the canister containing a closed disposable filter basket. A hand grip on the closed filter allows a dental technician to hold and dispose of the filter basket without contacting waste material contained within the filter.

Abstract: Undesired contact with dental debris is minimized by a disposable dental trap which is provided with a removable top cover and a pivotable handle. The useful capacity of the trap is increased with a corrugated filter which increases the available filter surface area and thereby reduces the frequency of trap replacement.

Abstract: A filter canister assembly for receiving waste from a dental cuspidor includes a canister of generally conventional configuration, with an open upper end, fitted with a canister closure which engages with the upper end of the canister and which is secured to a disposable filter configured to fit within the canister. Embodiments are described wherein the canister closure is disposable and is permanently attached to the disposable filter; wherein the canister closure is snapped together with the filter; and wherein the filter itself has an annular ledge which seats with different sizes of canister, with the closure snapped into the upper end of the filter.

Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides a shield for use in operating dental hand tools outside of a patient's mouth while preventing escape of any matter ejected from the hand tool into the surrounding vicinity, thereby eliminating or substantially reducing the risk that the ejected matter may otherwise contaminate nearby people or equipment. The shield has an enclosure within which the end of a dental hand tool is placed and operated. The shield is removably coupled to a waste line or the like typically already present in a dental office, such as a high volume suction line, a saliva ejector suction line or a cuspidor. The shield contains therein any matter ejected from the hand tool during operation thereof, and such matter is carried away by the waste line. When the enclosure is coupled to the waste line, escape of the matter ejected from the end of the hand tool is substantially prevented except through the waste line. The shield is preferably disposable.

Abstract: The solids collector collects solids that may be ejected by an HVE. The collector includes a deflector for efficiently filling the collector.

Abstract: A settling apparatus for the separation of amalgam from waste water in a dental procedure includes an inclined passage through which the water is caused to flow from below and upwards while depositing amalgam. The inclined passage has an inclination of between 3.degree. and 15.degree.. It is filled with a large number of thin-walled, narrow tubes, which contact each other in a side-by-side manner. The water flows from below and upwards through the tubes and through the channels between the tubes while amalgam is settled and deposited on the interior, as well as on the exterior, surfaces of the tubes.

Abstract: A dental instrument for removing saliva from a patient's mouth is disclosed that includes a pair of tubes configured to be operatively positioned within the patient's mouth to support a pair of absorbent rolls at the sides of alveolar ridge. One of the tubes terminates at its proximal end in a suction adaptor having a sealing face for contact interface with a suction tube connected to a dental suction device. The proximal end of the other of the tubes intersects the first tube at its mid-length. An absorbent roll supporting perforated stem is removably inserted into the distal end of each of the tubes. Each stem includes a number of apertures in fluid communication with the passageways through the pair of tubes so that suction applied at the suction adapter operates through the apertures to remove fluid absorbed by the absorbent rolls. An adjustable clamping structure is connected to one of the tubes and is mountable under the jaw of the patient to support the instrument.

Abstract: A portable dental instrument sterilizing container adapted to be connected to a support which flanks a dental chair. The container has a top section, an internal middle section and a bottom section. The bottom section has a projection adapted to be inserted into a well formed in the support. The top section has a plurailty of holes to form dental instrument holding sockets. A portion of the top section is shaped so as to rest a drinking cup thereon. The middle section forms an internal container that is in communication with the sockets. The internal container has a suction port, a drainage port and sized such that the dental instruments within the sockets, project above the top section.

Abstract: A dental paste cup is provided which comprises a cup having an open mouth defined by a rim, a removable closure overlying the open mouth and engaging the rim, and a finger mount extending adjacently and circumferentially from the rim, in a ring-like manner, and terminating in an open end proximate to the rim to thereby provide a slide-resistant grip on a support finger. In a preferred embodiment, the closure is releasably secured to the inner rim of the cup and the open end segment of the finger mount, which is releasably attached to the outer rim of the cup, passes through an aperture in the finger mount into alignment with an outer extension of the closure. The application of a vertical squeezing force to the finger mount disengages the end segment from the rim and permits the end segment to bear against the outer extension of the closure and thereby effect displacement of the closure form the mouth of the cup.

Abstract: Dental suction apparatus is a modular construction, made up of a plurality of modules joined fluid-tight side-by side. A main suction duct extends through all of the modules. At least two of the modules have connection for suction hoses each having a suction nozzle, holders being provided on the modules for holding the suction nozzles when not in use. At least one module has a filter chamber connected between a suction tube and the main suction duct. A removable filter unit in the filter chamber has a basket-shaped filter on a stem by means of which the filter can be removed through on opening closed by a hinged cover. A cap on the stem provides a seal for the filter chamber. Flow of air from the suction tube of each suction tube module to the main suction duct is controlled by a valve in the form of a bellows provided with a telescopic guide and with a control valve for controlling the expansion and contraction of the bellows by differential pressure.

Abstract: A housing for containing a dental amalgamator is adapted both to retain liquid mercury lost during operation of the amalgamator such that the liquid mercury may be recovered and confine mercury vapor evolved during amalgamation and exhaust the mercury vapor safely without contaminating the atmosphere of the room or dental office in which the amalgamator is located. The housing includes an opening for access to the amalgamator to insert and remove the mortar and pestal, the opening being normally sealed by a removable closure.