Apparatus in Dental Environment and Method for Controlling a Device Belonging to the Same

• US 20090162808A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Planmeca Ov, Planmeca Oy
• Original Assignee: Planmeca Oy
• Inventors: Nyholm, Kustaa
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/25
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/51 for dentistry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0015 Electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/00 Dental auxiliary appliances dental chairs or accessories therefor, working stands whether or not combined with chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 15/02 Chairs with means to adjust position of patient; Controls therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/16 Touchpads
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/36 for motion
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus used in dental care environment and to a method for controlling a device belonging to the apparatus, especially to hygienic and ergonomic control of a device belonging to the apparatus in connection with dental care work. The invention includes at least one device (2, 3) used in connection with dental care work, such as a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and/or a computer and at least one user interface (1) for sending control commands to at least one of said devices (2, 3) used in connection with dental care work, whereby a fixed or a detachable means (4) is arranged in said user interface (1) for detachably connecting it to a person working in the dental care environment, to his/her clothing or to the dental unit, or the user interface is arranged as a fixed or a detachable part of clothing arranged to be separately dressed on the person in question or of some other structure to be dressed on.

Claims

1. Apparatus in dental care environment, which apparatus includes at least one device used in connection with dental care work, such as a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and/or a computer and at least one user interface for sending control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, characterized in that a fixed or a detachable means is arranged to said user interface to detachably connect the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, to clothing of the person in question or to the dental unit, or it is arranged as a fixed or a detachable part of clothing arranged to be separately dressed on the person in question or of some other structure to be dressed on.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains at least one display functionally connected to at least one of said devices.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains a display arranged in connection with said user interface.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said devices included in the apparatus contains a means to produce, and the apparatus itself a means to transmit graphics to at least one display belonging to the apparatus, such as to said display arranged in connection with the user interface.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the user interface contains a means to at least send information wirelessly.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a battery or equivalent component has been arranged to the user interface which is capable of storing energy, as well as means to receive and forward energy supplied by an energy source external to the user interface to said component in question.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the user interface includes at least a receiver of an inductive link, which has been arranged to at least receive energy supplied by an energy source external to the user interface, whereby the user interface either additionally includes a separate transmitter of a data link at least, such as an RF transmitter, or said receiver of the inductive link has been arranged to operate also as a transmitter of the data link.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains a wireless directional data link between the user interface and at least one device included in the apparatus.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said user interface has been implemented as essentially hermetically tight in such a way that a so-called cold sterilization of it by wiping or embedding it to a sterilization liquid is possible and/or in such a way that said user interface has been implemented as such a structure and contains such surface material that it endures autoclave sterilization.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said user interface contains a touch pad or a so-called touch screen containing a display arranged in connection with said user interface, or it contains an arrangement containing said both functionalities.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that typical functionalities corresponding mouse functions, such as so called left click and right click and/or a scrolling functionality have been arranged to the user interface.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a memory circuit or equivalent containing an identification code and a means for sending this identification signal, which individualizes the user interface or the type of the user interface, has been arranged to said user interface, or means is arranged thereto to receive and forward such a signal having an identification code, which has been arranged to be received from a device, an identification card or equivalent carried along by the user of the user interface and sending an identification signal.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a means is arranged to said user interface to receive and recognize the identification signal sent by a transmitter arranged in at least one of said devices.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains at least two devices which are arranged in functional connection with said user interface in such a way that each device provides an identification signal of essentially equal intensity, and that the user interface contains means to recognize, from which of the devices received identification signal is the strongest, and means for locking the user interface to control the device sending the desired signal, or the apparatus includes corresponding means based on the GPS-technique, for locating the location of the user interface with respect to at least two devices included in the apparatus.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains at least two devices used in connection with dental care work and that a means is arranged to the user interface to change the operation mode of the user interface between controlling at least a first and a second device.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus contains at least two devices connected to a network, such as at least two of the following:

a dental unit, a patient chair, a computer, an intraoral x-ray device, a panoramic x-ray device, a panoramic/skull imaging device, a computer tomography imaging device of the skull area.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that such a detachably connectable part has been arranged to the user interface through which giving control commands of the user interface has been arranged to take place and which part is such by its structure and/or by its material that it may be autoclaved or otherwise thermally sterilized.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for detachably connecting the user interface is such by its structure that the user interface may be attached to a person'"'"'s thigh, wrist, forearm and/or chest.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for detachably connecting the user interface contains at least one belt or tape, such as an adhesive tape, for attaching the user interface to a person'"'"'s wrist.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for detachably connecting the user interface contains at least one magnetic part.

21. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a position detector, such as a gravitation detector, is arranged to the user interface to recognize the position of the user interface in the gravitational field and a means to change the operating response of a touch pad included in the user interface as a response to recognizing at least one previously determined position of the user interface.

22. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said user interface has been arranged to supply commands to a software used in connection with dental care, used in at least one of said devices.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one device is a computer used in connection with dental care work, which contains a database into which at least one software application used in connection with dental care work is stored, which computer has been arranged in functional connection with at least one display for controlling said at least one software application from said user interface on said display.

24. Method for controlling at least one device such as a dental unit, a patient chair, a dental x-ray device and/or a computer included in an apparatus located in dental care environment and used in connection with dental care work, which apparatus includes at least one user interface for sending control commands to at least one of said devices used in connection with dental care work, characterized in that for controlling said at least one device a user interface is used, into which a fixed or a detachable means is arranged for detachable connection of the user interface to a person working in the dental care environment, to clothing of the person in question or to a dental unit, or which is arranged to be a fixed or a detachable part of clothing or other structure arranged to be separately dressed on the person in question in such a way that said user interface is attached by said means for detachably connecting it to the person working in the dental care environment, to the person'"'"'s clothing or to the dental unit, or it is dressed on, and control commands are given by it to at least one of said devices.

25. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that a dental unit and/or a computer is controlled by said user interface.

26. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that said user interface is attached to said person'"'"'s wrist or forearm.

27. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that prior to giving said at least one control command to said at least one device, one takes an instrument from the instrument table of the dental unit in hand, initialization the use of which the dental unit has been arranged to recognize, checks from the display arranged to said user interface or elsewhere in the apparatus that said recognition has taken place and gives at least one control command meant for the instrument in question from the user interface.

28. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that prior to giving said at least one control command to said at least one device, one takes an instrument from the instrument table of the dental unit in hand, while keeping the instrument in hand changes, in case needed, the operation mode of said user interface to a computer controlling mode by a control command push button or equivalent arranged in the user interface and gives at least one control command for controlling a computer from said user interface.