Light polymerization device

• US 20040214138A1
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
• Original Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
• Inventors: Plank, Wolfgang, Senn, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/141
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns

Abstract

A light polymerization device for polymerization of a polymerizable material includes a hand-held device having a multi-branch electrical supply receptacle or a multi-prong electrical supply plug for the connection of the hand-held device with the storage battery assembly or with a connection module, which, in particular, makes available a releasably connectable electrical supply connection as well as a data bus port or interface. A base station comprises a single receptacle or several receptacles for the receipt of the storage battery assembly. The base station can comprise an electrical supply plug connection via which the base station is supplied with electrical energy, especially electrical energy supplied via a power pack.

Claims

1. A light polymerization device, comprising:

a plurality of modules including at least a base station (30), a hand-held device (10), and a storage battery assembly (22) securable to the hand-held device (10); and

a data bus (46) provided between at least two modules (10, 22;

10, 24;

10, 62;

22, 30;

30, 24;

30, 62) via which data, in particular control data for the hand-held device (10), are transferable.

2. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hand-held device (10), the storage battery assembly (22), the base station (30), and another module (62) includes at least one port or interface for the data bus (46), which is additional to, and especially, adjacent to, a plurality of electrical supply contacts provided for the supply of electrical energy.

3. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein at least one port for the data bus (46) and at least two electrical supply contacts are configured in the respective form of a multiple-prong plug and a multiple-branch receptacle.

4. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein the data bus (46) is mounted between the storage battery assembly (22) and a selected one of the hand-held device (10), the base station (30), and the storage battery assembly (22).

5. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, and further comprising a connection module (24) connected with an external electrical supply source, and the connection module (24) is connectable with at least one of the hand-held device (10) and the base station (30).

6. A light polymerization device according to claim 5, wherein, in connection with a power pack operation of the hand-held device (10), the connection module (24) is integrated into the hand-held device (10), and the connection module (24) conducts electrical supply energy supplied via an electrical supply cable (50) to the hand-held device (10).

7. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, and further comprising a service module (62) connected, in particular, with both a computer (66) and, via a power pack (60), with an external energy source, the service module (62) being connectable with at least one of the hand-held device (10) and the base station (30) such that at least one of an adjustment of the hand-held device (10) into its operational condition, a calibration of the hand-held device (10), and a transmission of data stored in a computer (66) to at least one of the hand-held device (10), the storage battery assembly (22), and the base station (30) can be effected.

8. A light polymerization device according to claim 5, wherein the connection module (24), the storage battery assembly (22), and a service module (62) have, upon disposition thereof into operational contact with the hand-held device (10), an outer configuration which extends flush with a surface of the hand-held device (10).

9. A light polymerization device according to claim 7, wherein the storage battery assembly (22), the connection module (24), and the service module (62) are each respectively disposed into operational contact with the base station (30) by a selected one of securement with the base station (30) via receipt of at least a portion thereof in the housing (20) and securement of the respective module onto the base station (30).

10. A light polymerization device according to claim 5, wherein the connection module (24) and a service module (62) connected with an external energy source each comprise a housing having an interface, the form of the housing and its interface being compatible with the housing of the storage battery assembly (22).

11. A light polymerization device according to claim 5, wherein a selected one of the housing of the storage battery assembly (22), the connection module (24), and a service module (62) connected with an external energy source forms a portion of the handgrip (14) of the hand-held device (10).

12. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein the data bus is a selected one of a one-wire bus and a serial bus.

13. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein the data bus establishes a fixed address with the modules of the hand-held device (10) and the base station (30), both modules having the same rank.

14. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of calibration data, light output performance data, mass data, and operational time data of the light polymerization device are stored in at least the hand-held device (10).

15. A light polymerization device according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery assembly (22) is releasably securable to the hand-held device (10) and control data for the hand-held device (10) are transferable via the data bus (46).

16. A light polymerization device according to claim 5, wherein the connection module (24) is connected with an external electrical supply source via a power pack (60) and the connection module (24) is connectable with at least one of the hand-held device (10) and the base station (30) via one of a multi-prong plug and a multi-branch receptacle.

17. A light polymerization device according to claim 6, wherein the connection module (24) is integrated into the hand grip (14) of the hand-held device (10).

18. A light polymerization device according to claim 12, wherein the data bus requires solely a single signal connection.

19. A light polymerization device according to claim 13, wherein at least one of the hand-held device (10), the base station (30), and the storage battery assembly (22) includes a micro-controller (38, 44).

20. A light polymerization device according to claim 14, wherein the respective calibration data, light output performance data, mass data, and operational time data of the light polymerization device are stored in at least the hand-held device (10) and are stored as well in the base station (30) following a reading thereof via the data bus (46).