Medical or dental instrument and/or supply unit and/or care unit and/or system for the medical or dental instrument

• US 7,258,546 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH & Co. KG (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH & Co. KG (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Heckenberger, Hans, Eibofner, Eugen, Beier, Stefan, Imhof, Armin, Strohmaier, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; Ralph A.
• Application Number:
  US10/479,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20040209223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 433/98, 433/99, 433/27, 433/103, 433/104, 600/117
• US Class Current: 433/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/90 Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0007 Control devices or systems fluid temperature control in air and water supply systems of dental machines or apparatus A61C1/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0015 Electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/002 Cleaning devices specially adapted for dental instruments disinfecting A61L2/00; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/005 using chip tag or any electronic identification mean, e.g. RFID

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical or dental-medical instrument (2) having a memory element (10p) for identification and/or operational parameter data. IN order to extend the range of possible applications of the instrument, the memory element (10p) is constituted for the overwriting of the data by other data.

Claims

1. Medical or dental-medical instrument having a memory element for storing data such as identification, date, and/or operational parameter data,

wherein the memory element is capable of overwriting the data by other data,

and wherein the instrument has a coupling part with which it can be coupled to a corresponding coupling part of a supply line of a supply apparatus for the supply of the instrument with media, a sterilization apparatus, and a maintenance apparatus,

wherein, the coupling part is formed by means of coupling recess arranged rearwardly on the instrument or a coupling pin standing up rearwardly from the instrument, and

wherein the memory element is arranged in a sleeve wall surrounding the coupling recess and is accessible for the corresponding coupling part from a inner surface of the sleeve wall or from a rearward annular end surface of the ring wall,

or is arranged in the coupling pin and is accessible from a surface of the coupling pin or is arranged in a base of the coupling pin behind an annular step surface and is accessible from the annular step surface.

2. Instrument according to claim 1, wherein the memory element comprises contact means for taking up and/or issuing data.

3. Instrument according to claim 1, wherein the memory element comprises means for taking up and/or issuing data without contact.

4. Use of an instrument according to claim 1, wherein this instrument passes through at least one working phase and at least one maintenance phase, wherein there is written into the memory element at least one parameter from the working phase and this working phase parameter is read out for control of the maintenance phase, and/or there is written into the memory element at least one parameter of the maintenance phase and this maintenance phase parameter is read out for control of the working phase.

5. Supply apparatus for supplying media to at least one medical or dental-medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the supply apparatus is computer-controlled and there extends from the supply apparatus a supply line at an end of which there is arranged a coupling part with which the supply line can be connected with the instrument, and wherein in the region of the coupling part there is arranged a data receiver for the reception of identification date and/or operational data which is stored in a memory element of the instrument,

wherein the coupling part is formed by a coupling pin projecting from the supply line and the data receiver or transmitter is arranged either in the coupling pin or behind an annular shoulder surface from which the coupling pin extends.

6. Supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the data receiver is also a data transmitter for the transfer of data to the memory element.

7. Maintenance apparatus for at least one medical or dental-medical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance apparatus has a coupling part by means of which the instrument can be coupled with the maintenance apparatus,

wherein the coupling part is formed by a projecting coupling pin and a reading device for reading out of identification data and/or operational parameter data stored in the instrument is arranged either in the coupling pin or behind an annular shoulder surface from which the coupling pin extends.

8. Instrument according to claim 1, wherein the coupling part in which the memory element is arranged is integral with the medical or dental-medical instrument.

9. System for working and maintenance of a medical or dental-medical instrument, having a supply apparatus from which the instrument is supplied with media for working, and having a maintenance apparatus, for maintenance of the instrument, wherein the supply apparatus is connected with a computer that stands in data exchange with the supply apparatus, wherein the maintenance apparatus is also connected with the computer and stands in data exchange therewith, and

both the supply apparatus and also the maintenance apparatus have a reading device for the reading out of identification and/or operational parameter data stored in the instrument;

wherein both the supply apparatus and the maintenance apparatus each have a coupling part with which the instrument can be coupled, wherein each reading device is arranged in the region of the respective coupling part.

10. System according to claim 9, wherein each coupling part is formed by a projecting coupling pin and each reading device is arranged in the respective coupling pin or behind an annular step surface from which the coupling pin projects.

11. System for at least one medical or dental-medical instrument capable of going through operational phases on at least two apparatuses, comprising:

a sterilization apparatus and a maintenance apparatus each selectively couplable to the medical or dental-medical instrument,

registration means in communication with the sterilization apparatus and the maintenance apparatus that register the progression or a desired value and/or actual value of operational data of at least one operational phase of both the sterilization apparatus and the maintenance apparatus.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein a fault report takes place and/or an operational phase is blocked at an apparatus if a previous operational phase has not been run through or an actual value of the data of a previous operational phase is missing or is not compliant.