Light polymerization device

• US 7,119,515 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2003
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
• Original Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
• Inventors: Plank, Wolfgang, Senn, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US10/636,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20040214138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/110, 320/111, 320/112, 320/114, 320/115, 320/106, 320/126, 320/131, 320/125, 700/168, 439/540.1, 433/29, 433/141, 442/301
• US Class Current: 320/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/004 Hand-held apparatus, e.g. guns

Abstract

A light polymerization device for polymerization of a polymerizable material includes a hand-held device having a multi-branch electrical supply receptacle or a multi-prong electrical supply plug for the connection of the hand-held device with the storage battery assembly or with a connection module, which, in particular, makes available a releasably connectable electrical supply connection as well as a data bus port or interface. A base station comprises a single receptacle or several receptacles for the receipt of the storage battery assembly. The base station can comprise an electrical supply plug connection via which the base station is supplied with electrical energy, especially electrical energy supplied via a power pack.

Claims

1. Light polymerization apparatus comprising:

a hand-held module (10) for the light polymerization of dental materials, the hand held module being provided with a handgrip (14);

at least two or more additional modules that are structurally connectable for assembly with the handheld module, the additional modules including a base station module (30), a data/electrical connection module (24), a service module (62), and a storage battery module (22); and

a data bus (46) and electrical connections (48) provided between at least two modules (10, 22;

10, 24;

10, 62;

22, 30;

30, 24;

30, 62) via which data, in particular control data for the hand-held module (10), is transferable.

2. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hand-held module (10), the storage battery module (22), the base station module (30), and the service module (62) includes at least one port or interface for the data bus (46), which is additional to, and especially, adjacent to, the plurality of electrical power supply connectors (48) provided for the supply of electrical energy.

3. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one port for the data bus (46) and at least two electrical power supply connectors (48) are configured in the respective form of a multi-pin plug and a multiple-branch receptacle (54).

4. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data bus (46) is mounted between the storage battery module (22) and a selected one of the hand-held module (10), the base station module (30), and the storage battery module (22).

5. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data/electrical connection module (24) is connected with an external electrical power supply source, and the data/electrical connection module (24) is connectable with at least one of the hand-held module (10) and the base station module (30).

6. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in connection with a power pack operation of the hand-held module (10), the data/electrical connection module (24) is integrated into the hand-held module (10), and the data/electrical connection module (24) conducts electrical power supply energy supplied via an electrical power supply cable (50) to the hand-held module (10).

7. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a service module (62) connected, in particular, with both a computer (66) and, via a power pack (60), with an external energy source, the service module (62) being connectable with at least one of the hand-held module (10) arid the base station module (30) such that at least one of an adjustment of the hand-held module (10) into its operational condition, a calibration of the hand-held module (10), and a transmission of data stored in a computer (66) to at least one of the hand-held module (10), the storage battery module (22), and the base station module (30) can be effected.

8. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data/electrical connection module (24), the storage battery module (22), and the service module (62) have an outer configuration which extends flush with a surface of the hand-held module (10), the separation line (26) between the hand-held module (10) and the other modules extends not in a linear manner but in a wavy manner to contribute to the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the apparatus and makes possible an improved anchoring with relatively little construction effort.

9. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data/electrical connection module (24) and a service module (62) connected with an external energy source each comprise a housing having an interface, the form of the housing and its interface being compatible with the housing of the storage battery module (22).

10. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a selected one of the housing of the storage battery module (22), the data/electrical connection module (24), and a service module (62) connected with an external energy source forms a portion of the handgrip (14) of the hand-held module (10).

11. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hand held module is provided with a microcontroller (32), and wherein at least one of calibration data, light output performance data, mass data, and operational time data of the light polymerization apparatus are stored in the microcontroller.

12. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery module (22) is releasably securable to the hand-held module (10) and control data for the hand-held module (10) are transferable via the data bus (46).

13. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data/electrical connection module (24) is connected with an external electrical power supply source via a power pack (60) and the data/electrical connection module (24) is connectable with at least one of the hand-held module (10) and the base station module (30) via one of a multi-pin plug and a multi-branch receptacle (54).

14. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the data/electrical connection module (24) is integrated into the handgrip (14) of the hand-held module (10).

15. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hand-held module (10), the base station module (30), and the storage battery module (22) includes a micro-controller (38, 44).

16. A light polymerization apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the respective calibration data, light output performance data, mass data, and operational time data of the light polymerization apparatus are stored in at least the hand-held module (10) and are stored as well in the base station module (30) following a reading thereof via the data bus (46).