Intraoral ambient sensing device
First Claim
1. A dental assembly useful for the measurement of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising:
- a Hawley appliance;
a sensor assembly mounted on said Hawley appliance comprising one or more sensors having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and which provide an electrical output signal in response to said changes in one or more of the intraoral parameters;
a lead to each sensor;
means mounted on said Hawley appliance for transmitting said electrical output signal from the oral cavity using only a modulated radio frequency carrier; and
means for hermetically sealing said sensor assembly, said lead and said transmitting means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device is disclosed for intraoral ambient sensing. In this embodiment, the device comprises a removable oral (Hawley) appliance containing a number of chemically sensitive electrodes and a common reference electrode at the chemical sensing sites and a telemetry unit plus power pack for signal transmission. This device may also be used to monitor non-chemical parameters, notably pressure, temperature, and flow. In this embodiment, the removable oral (Hawley) appliance contains a number of sensors to monitor the parameter of interest. For example, a pressure sensor configured as an artificial uvula and mounted to the oral (Hawley) appliance emulates actual uvula pressure events. To monitor chewing events, a pressure sensor is mounted to the oral (Hawley) appliance in such a manner that it is optimally located at an open bite location of the mouth. In either embodiment, a telemetry unit mounted to the oral (Hawley) appliance transmits the intraoral ambient information as radio frequency signal bursts. A remotely located receiver circuit receives the radio signals which are broadcast and recovers the information encoded in them.
305 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A dental assembly useful for the measurement of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising:
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a Hawley appliance; a sensor assembly mounted on said Hawley appliance comprising one or more sensors having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and which provide an electrical output signal in response to said changes in one or more of the intraoral parameters; a lead to each sensor; means mounted on said Hawley appliance for transmitting said electrical output signal from the oral cavity using only a modulated radio frequency carrier; and means for hermetically sealing said sensor assembly, said lead and said transmitting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for modifying a Hawley appliance to mount a sensor and a telemetry unit for measurement of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising the steps of:
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attaching a sensor having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity to the Hawley appliance so as to measure one or more of said parametric changes; forming channels on the lingual side of said appliance for a radio telemetry unit, a power pack, an antenna, and wire interconnection placements; interconnecting said sensors, telemetry unit, antenna, power pack by wires into a discrete package; attaching telemetry unit, antenna, power pack and wire connections to the Hawley appliance; and sealing all sensors, telemetry unit, antenna, power pack and wire conncetions against moisture migration. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for remote monitoring of parametric changes throughout the oral cavity comprising the steps of
monitoring said parametric changes by one or more sensors having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and being mounted on a Hawley appliance within a patient'"'"'s mouth and capable of generating a signal proportional to the instantaneously measured parametric changes; -
converting said monitored signals to proportional amplified and filtered signals; modulating said signals for radio telemetry transmission; broadcasting said modulated signal from the patient'"'"'s mouth upon a radio frequency carrier; and receiving and demodulating said broadcast signal to obtain a signal whose waveform is similar to the electrical signals form the intraoral sensors.
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14. A method for fabricating a thin film hybrid micro-circuit for telemetry of electric signals from intraoral sensing devices comprising the steps of:
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depositing a chromium layer on the substrate; depositing a gold layer on the substrate; placing a first layer of negative-acting photoresist on the substrate; placing a first mask containing a negative impression of the telemetry conducting line and bonding pad layout on the substrate; exposing the photoresist layer through the mask to ultraviolet light; removing the first mask; developing and removing the unexposed portions of the photoresist; etching the gold layer with a gold etchant; removing the exposed photoresist, leaving bare the surface of the substrate except for the gold region covered by the conducting line and bonding pad placing a second layer of positive-acting photoresist on the substrate; placing a second mask containing a positive impression of the telemetry circuit conducting line layout on the substrate; exposing the photoresist layer through the mask to ultraviolet light; developing and removing the exposed portions of the photoresist; baking the photoresist mask; expoxying an integrated circuit with the telemetry circuit onto grounding pads epoxied to the substrate; mounting at least one capacitor or resistor on the substrate; connecting the integrated circuit to the substrate; mounting at least one insulated wire onto the bonding pads for an external connection; and covering the entire thin film hybrid micro-circuit with dental acrylic.
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15. A dental assembly useful for the measurement of chemical or ionic species throughout the oral cavity comprising:
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a Hawley appliance; a sensor assembly having means for measuring parametric changes throughout the oral cavity and being mounted on said Hawley appliance comprising one or more electrochemical sensors and a reference electrode, said electrochemical sensors providing an electrical output signal in response to changes in one or more chemical or ionic properties; a lead to each sensor and reference electrode; means mounted on said Hawley appliance for transmitting said electrical output signal from the oral cavity using only a modulated radio frequency carrier; and means for hermetically sealing said sensor assembly, said lead and said transmitting means. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification