Intraoral X-ray sensor with embedded standard computer interface

• US 8,366,318 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dental Imaging Technologies Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dental Imaging Technologies Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Zeller, Uwe, Golay, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): Kao, Glen
• Application Number:
  US12/796,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20110013745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 378/98.8, 378/168, 378/169, 378/191, 250/370.09, 250/370.15
• US Class Current: 378/169
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/187 Strain relief means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4488 Means for cooling A61B6/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/512 Intraoral means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/32 Transforming X-rays cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from X-rays H04N23/30; circuitry of SSIS for transforming X-rays into image signals H04N25/30

Abstract

An intraoral x-ray sensor with embedded standard computer interface. The sensor includes a data transfer cable with improved mechanical strength and heat transferring properties. The cable is quad-twisted USB cable and includes two data lines, a ground line, and fillers twisted within a metallic sheath, e.g., a metal braided shield. The cable is symmetrically organized about a centerline. The symmetric cable has an improved life due to the ability to withstand mechanical stress (e.g., rotational stress). The sensor includes a processor and a housing with an inner metallization layer. The sheath is coupled to the inner metallization layer to transfer heat generated by the processor from the inner metallization layer to the sheath.

Claims

1. An intraoral x-ray sensor comprising:

a sensor housing having a top portion and a bottom portion;

a twisted-quad universal serial bus (USB) cable coupled to the top portion, the twisted-quad USB cable including an outer sheath;

a first data line, a second data line, a ground line, and a power line positioned within the outer sheath and twisted together to form a single bundle; and

circuitry within the sensor housing that converts x-rays received through the bottom portion into x-ray data and outputs the x-ray data along the twisted-quad USB cable, and

wherein the outer sheath includes a shield and is coupled via a heat-conducting path to a metallic layer substantially covering an inner surface of the top portion, and

wherein the heat-conducting path has a thermal resistance that is less than the thermal resistance of air.

2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein four fillers are also twisted within the single bundle.

3. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the four fillers are made up of a plastic, electrically insulating material.

4. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the first data line, the second data line, the ground line, the power line, and the four fillers are symmetrically organized about a centerline of the twisted-quad USB cable.

5. The sensor of claim 2, wherein the four fillers include a first filler, a second filler, a third filler, and a fourth filler, and wherein

the first filler abuts the ground line and the first data line,

the second filler abuts the ground line and the second data line,

the third filler abuts the power line and the first data line, and

the fourth filler abuts the power line and the second data line.

6. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising an isolation layer within the sensor housing, wherein the isolation layer is between the circuitry and the top portion and wherein the isolation layer is electrically insulating and heat conducting.

7. The sensor of claim 6, wherein the isolation layer is coupled to one of the metallic layer and the braided shield via one of a second heat-conducting wire and direct contact to provide heat transfer from within the sensor housing to the twisted-quad USB cable.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the outer sheath further comprises a jacket layer outside of the braided shield and a tape layer inside of the braided shield.

9. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the twisted-quad USB cable has a diameter of less than 3.0 millimeters.

10. An intraoral x-ray sensor comprising:

a housing including a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion having a first inner surface and a first thermal resistance, wherein the first inner surface is substantially covered by a metallic layer with a second thermal resistance that is lower than the first thermal resistance;

circuitry within the housing that converts x-rays received through the bottom portion into x-ray data and outputs the x-ray data along a data cable, and

wherein the data cable includes wires within a metallic shield, and

wherein the metallic shield is coupled to the metallic layer by a thermally conductive path, wherein the thermally conductive path has a thermal resistance that is less than the thermal resistance of air.

11. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the bottom portion includes a second inner surface substantially covered by a second metallic layer, wherein the second metallic layer is coupled to the metallic layer either directly or via another thermally conductive path.

12. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is contained on a printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the PCB is isolated from the metallic layer by an isolation layer.

13. The sensor of claim 12, wherein the isolation layer is thermally conductive and electrically insulating.

14. The sensor of claim 12, wherein the circuitry includes an array of pixels on a first side of the PCB and, on a second side of the PCB, a processor and an input/output module.

15. The sensor of claim 14, wherein the sensor includes x-ray attenuation components between the second side and a surface of the bottom portion through which x-rays are received, and wherein the x-ray attenuation components include:

a lead layer, a fiber optic scintillating layer, and copper planes.

16. The sensor of claim 12, wherein the isolation layer includes an opening through which the circuitry and the wires are connected.

17. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the top portion includes a dome having a partial, elliptical paraboloid shape and including a face with a circular opening, wherein the circular opening receives the data cable.

18. The sensor of claim 10, wherein the data cable has a diameter of less than 3.0 millimeters.