Apparatus for heating medical or dental instruments
First Claim
1. Apparatus for warming medical or dental examination instruments housed in the interior of an instrument drawer of a treatment cabinet having a horizontal support located above the instrument drawer, said apparatus comprising:
- a heat conductive plate recessed within a horizontal support of a treatment cabinet immediately above the interior of the instrument storage drawer thereof to concentrate heat within the interior of the drawer;
heating means mounted to said heat conductive plate for heating said plate to a temperature such that examination instruments stored within the interior of the instrument drawer are heated to a temperature which is above body temperature but less than that which would cause discomfort in examining a patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for storing and heating medical or dental examination instruments includes a treatment cabinet having a number of drawers including an instrument drawer located immediately beneath a ledge mounted in the interior of the treatment cabinet. The ledge is formed with a recess within which a heat conductive plate is mounted having heating elements affixed thereto. The heating elements are effective to heat the heat conductive plate, which, in turn, elevates the temperature of the interior of the instrument drawer in excess of the body temperature of a patient. Examination instruments stored within the instrument drawer are heated to the same, elevated temperature in preparation for use in examining a patient.
72 Citations
11 Claims
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1. Apparatus for warming medical or dental examination instruments housed in the interior of an instrument drawer of a treatment cabinet having a horizontal support located above the instrument drawer, said apparatus comprising:
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a heat conductive plate recessed within a horizontal support of a treatment cabinet immediately above the interior of the instrument storage drawer thereof to concentrate heat within the interior of the drawer; heating means mounted to said heat conductive plate for heating said plate to a temperature such that examination instruments stored within the interior of the instrument drawer are heated to a temperature which is above body temperature but less than that which would cause discomfort in examining a patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Apparatus for storing and heating medical or dental examination instruments, comprising:
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a treatment cabinet having an interior formed by a top wall, a bottom wall, opposed side walls and a back wall, said opposed side walls supporting a number of drawers within said interior of said treatment cabinet including an instrument drawer located immediately beneath a horizontal support fixedly mounted to said cabinet; a heat conductive plate recessed within said horizontal support of said cabinet immediately above said instrument drawer, said heat conductive plate having a first surface facing said horizontal support and a second surface facing the interior of said instrument drawer to concentrate heat within the interior of the instrument drawer; at least one heating element mounted to one of said first surface and said second surface of said heat conductive plate; means for supplying power to said at least one heating element for heating said heat conductive plate to a temperature which warms instruments stored within said interior of said instrument drawer to a temperature above body temperature but less than that which would cause discomfort in examining a patient. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification