Dental apparatus

• US 6,929,476 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Inventors: Matoba, Kazunari, Nakai, Teruji, Katsuda, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, John J
• Application Number:
  US10/134,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20020182564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 433/98, 433/99, 433/102, 433/118, 433/224
• US Class Current: 433/98
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0015 Electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/186 with torque adjusting or limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/041 for measuring the length of the root canal of a tooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/042 for determining the position of a root apex
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 3/00 Dental tools or instruments implanting tools A61C8/00; tools for fastening artificial teeth A61C13/12; visual inspection devices, e.g. dental mirrors, A61B1/24

Abstract

A dental equipment for cutting teeth, forming root canals and so on. The dental apparatus includes: an actuator for actuating a cutting tool; a load sensor for sensing a load worked in the cutting tool; and a load indicator for making an operator know the load sensed by the load sensor visually, aurally and/or tactily.

Claims

1. A dental apparatus comprising:

a driving device for driving a cutting tool;

a load detector for detecting a load applied to the cutting tool;

a load information device for inform an operator of the load detected by the load detector by means of at least one of view, sound and vibration;

a root canal length measuring device for measuring a root canal length by using the cutting tool; and

a root canal length information device for informing the operator of the root canal length detected by the root canal length measuring device by means of at least one of view, sound and vibration, wherein the load and the root canal length are informed simultaneously by the load information device and the root canal length information device.

2. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reference load information device for informing the operator of a reference load by means of at least one of view, sound and vibration.

3. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a reference load setting device for setting the reference load.

4. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a control device for controlling the driving device so that the load applied to the cutting tool decreases when the load detected by the load detector exceeds the reference load.

5. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control device controls the driving device to perform one of stopping a rotation of the cutting tool;

reversing the rotation thereof;

decreasing a speed of the rotation thereof; and

repeating forward and backward rotations thereof, when the load detected by load detector exceeds the reference load.

6. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the load information device is provided with plural segments for indicating the load detected by the load detector, said segments being arranged in correspondence with a value of the load,

wherein the reference load information device selects and displays at least one of the segments of the load information device in order to indicate the reference load in accordance with substantially the same relationship as the relationship between the position of the segments of the load information device and the load, and

wherein load indicating state in which the load information device indicates the load differs from reference load indicating state in which the reference load information device indicates the reference load.

7. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the load indicating state differs from the reference load indicating state with one of flashing at least one of the segments and changing color thereof.

8. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 2,

wherein the load information device is provided with plural segments for indicating the load detected by the load detector, said segments being arranged in correspondence with a value of the load,

wherein the reference load information device is provided with plural segments disposed near the segments of the load information device, in which the reference load information device selects and displays at least one of segments thereof in order to indicate the reference load in accordance with substantially the same relationship as the relationship between the position of the segments of the load information device and the load, and

wherein load indicating state in which the load information device indicates the load differs from reference load indicating state in which the reference load information device indicates the reference load.

9. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the load indicating state differs from the reference load indicating state with one of flashing at least one of the segments and changing color thereof.

10. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load information device is provided with plural segments arranged in one direction in correspondence with value of the load so that the positions of displayed segments among the plural segments indicate the load detected by the load detector.

11. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load information device displays for a constant period maximum value of the load detected by the load detector within a predetermined period.

12. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load information device changes load indicating state in which the load information device indicates the load detected by the load detector, when the load detected by the load detector exceeds a second reference load smaller than a first reference load.

13. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the lead information device changes the load indicating state with flashing and changing colors.

14. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sound alarm for giving a sound when the load detected by the load detector exceeds a second reference load smaller than a first reference load.

15. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotation speed control device for controlling the driving device to gradually decrease a rotation speed of the cutting tool when the load detected by the load detector approaches a reference load.

16. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an audible direction indicator for indicating driven direction of the cutting tool audibly.

17. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load information device is provided with a display portion placed on a handpiece in which the driving device and the load detector are disposed.

18. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a root canal length measuring device and plural segments arranged two-dimensionally in a first direction and in a second direction nearly perpendicular to the first direction,

wherein the load information device indicates the root canal length measured by the root canal length measuring device in accordance with the positions of at least one of displayed segments among the plural segments arranged in the first direction, and

wherein the load information device indicates the load detected by the load detector in accordance with the width of displayed segments among the plural segments arranged in the second direction.

19. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising

a root canal length measuring device for measuring a root canal length;

and

a control device for controlling the driving device so that a driving force of the cutting tool changes depending on a measurement value of the root canal length measured by the root canal length measuring device, wherein the control device controls the driving device to perform one of stopping a rotation of the cutting tool;

reversing the rotation thereof;

decreasing a speed of the rotation thereof; and

repeating forward and backward rotations thereof.

20. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the control device includes a rotation control device for controlling the driving device so that the rotation of the cutting tool changes depending on the measurement value of the root canal length measured by the root canal length measuring device.

21. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rotation control device controls the driving device so that the rotation speed of the cutting tool changes from a reference rotation speed to a preset rotation speed depending on the measurement value of the root canal length measured by the root canal length measuring device.

22. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 21, further comprising a setting device for setting the reference rotation speed and the preset rotation speed.

23. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rotation control device controls the driving device so that the rotation speed of the cutting tool changes from a reference rotation speed at a preset reduction rate depending on the measurement value of the root canal length measured by the root canal length measuring device.

24. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 23, further comprising a setting device for setting the reference rotation speed and the reduction rate.

25. The dental apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a visible direction indicator for indicating driver direction at the cutting tool visually.