Hard-wired and wireless system with footswitch for operating a dental or medical treatment apparatus
First Claim
1. A system for controlling a dental or medical treatment apparatus, comprising:
- a footswitch device containing a first switch and second switch and having a foot-depressable member, the member being depressed to a first position for activating the first switch and the member being depressed to a second position for activating the second switch, the device further including a communication element for transmitting a first operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the first position and a second operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the second position; and
a dental or medical treatment apparatus including a communication element for receiving the first and second operational signals from the footswitch, the first signal causing the apparatus to operate in a first mode and the second signal causing the apparatus to operate in a second mode, the apparatus having an initially programmed “
A”
identification address and the footswitch having an initially programmed “
B”
identification address, wherein the apparatus is reprogrammed to include said “
A” and
“
B”
identification addresses and the footswitch is reprogrammed to include said “
A” and
“
B”
identification addresses by a synchronization communication between the apparatus and footswitch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hard-wired and wireless system for operating a dental or medical treatment apparatus is provided. The system includes a footswitch device and a dental/medical base unit, each having a communication element for transmitting and receiving signals. The footswitch and base unit are each programmed to have an initial identification address. Then, the footswitch and base unit are reprogrammed to know the identification address of the other. The footswitch and base unit can be reprogrammed in the field by the end user. Subsequent communications between the footswitch and base unit include both identification addresses. The footswitch includes two switches that are activated by depressing the upper cover of the footswitch to a first position and second position respectively. The footswitch is particularly suitable for operating an ultrasonic dental scaler.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a dental or medical treatment apparatus, comprising:
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a footswitch device containing a first switch and second switch and having a foot-depressable member, the member being depressed to a first position for activating the first switch and the member being depressed to a second position for activating the second switch, the device further including a communication element for transmitting a first operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the first position and a second operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the second position; and a dental or medical treatment apparatus including a communication element for receiving the first and second operational signals from the footswitch, the first signal causing the apparatus to operate in a first mode and the second signal causing the apparatus to operate in a second mode, the apparatus having an initially programmed “
A”
identification address and the footswitch having an initially programmed “
B”
identification address, wherein the apparatus is reprogrammed to include said “
A” and
“
B”
identification addresses and the footswitch is reprogrammed to include said “
A” and
“
B”
identification addresses by a synchronization communication between the apparatus and footswitch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for controlling a dental or medical treatment apparatus, comprising:
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a footswitch device containing a first switch and second switch and having a foot-depressable member, the member being depressed to a first position for activating the first switch and the member being depressed to a second position for activating the second switch, the device further including a communication element for transmitting a first operational signal in a hard-wired manner in response to the member being depressed to the first position and a second operational signal in a hard-wired manner in response to the member being depressed to the second position; and a dental or medical treatment apparatus including a communication element for receiving the first and second operational signals from the footswitch, the first signal causing the apparatus to operate in a first mode and the second signal causing the apparatus to operate in a second mode, whereby the footswitch transmits operational signals in a wireless manner to the dental or medical treatment apparatus, until the apparatus transmits a REQUEST SLEEP signal to the footswitch and the footswitch responds by entering a sleep mode, the wireless operational signals being ignored by the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification