Dental appliance case

• US 9,980,799 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: nCase Inc.
• Original Assignee: N Care Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Wesley P.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US15/444,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20170165041A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 340540, 34030915, 3405681, 34030916, 206205, 368 10
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 44/20 Containers for storing artificial teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 13/00 Dental prostheses; Making same tooth crowns for capping teeth A61C5/70; dental implants A61C8/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 19/02 Protective casings, e.g. boxes for instruments; Bags A61C5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 2204/005 using chip tag or any electronic identification mean, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/00 Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 7/08 Mouthpiece-type retainers or positioners, e.g. for both the lower and upper arch arch-shaped medicament applicators for teeth or gums A61C19/063; mouthguards for protecting the teeth of sportsmen A63B71/085
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0036 Accessories for stowing, putting away or transporting exercise apparatus or sports equipment A63B47/00, A63B55/00, A63B60/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/085 Mouth or teeth protectors A63B71/081 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/163 the container and the lid being made separately B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/044 Recurrent networks, e.g. Hopfield networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/045 Combinations of networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/08 Learning methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/084 Backpropagation, e.g. using gradient descent
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling

Abstract

A dental appliance case for receiving a dental appliance is provided. In some embodiments, the case may include a power source, a sound device, an occupancy sensor, and a processing unit. The sound device may be configured to create an audible alert sound. The occupancy sensor may be operable to detect the presence of a dental appliance. The processing unit may be in electrical communication with the power source, occupancy sensor, and the sound device. The processing unit may be operable to operate the sound device to create an audible alert in response to an electronic communication from the occupancy sensor.

Claims

1. A dental appliance case, the case comprising:

a lid;

a base having an open cavity that is able to at least partially receive a dental appliance, wherein the base and lid are operable to be temporarily aligned and brought together to form a closed cavity between the lid and base that is able to fully receive the dental appliance;

a power source;

an alert device configured to create an alert, wherein the alert device is selected from the group consisting of a sound device, a vibration device, and a light emitting device;

an occupancy sensor, wherein the occupancy sensor is operable to detect the presence of the dental appliance within the open cavity, regardless of whether the lid and base are brought together; and

,

a processing unit in electrical communication with the power source, occupancy sensor, and the alert device, wherein the processing unit is operable to operate the alert device to create the alert in response to an electronic communication from the occupancy sensor.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the processing unit operates the alert device after the dental appliance is detected for a period of time.

3. The case of claim 1, further comprising a lid sensor, wherein the lid sensor is operable to detect if the lid is open.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the processing unit operates the alert device after the lid has not been opened for a period of time.

5. The case of claim 1, further comprising a wireless charging receiver in electrical communication with the power source.

6. A dental appliance case for receiving a dental appliance, the case comprising:

a lid;

a base having an open cavity that is able to at least partially receive a dental appliance, wherein the base and lid are operable to be temporarily aligned and brought together, forming a closed cavity between the lid and base that is able to receive the dental appliance;

a power source;

an occupancy sensor, wherein the occupancy sensor is operable to detect the presence of the dental appliance in the open cavity regardless of whether the lid and base are brought together;

a communication array, wherein the communication array is operable to send and receive wireless communications; and

,

a processing unit in electrical communication with the power source, occupancy sensor, and the communication array, wherein the processing unit is operable to operate the communication array to send wireless communications describing the presence of the dental appliance in the open and/or closed cavity.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the processing unit operates the communication array after the dental appliance is detected in the open and/or closed cavity for a period of time.

8. The case of claim 6, further comprising an alert device operable to create an alert, wherein the alert device is selected from the group consisting of a sound device, a vibration device, and a light emitting device.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the processing unit operates the alert device after the dental appliance is detected in the open and/or closed cavity for a period of time.

10. The case of claim 8, wherein the processing unit operates the alert device after a wireless communication is received by the communications array.

11. The case of claim 8, further comprising a lid sensor, wherein the lid sensor is operable to detect if the lid is open.

12. The case of claim 11, wherein the processing unit operates the communications array after the lid has not been opened for a period of time.

13. The case of claim 11, wherein the processing unit operates the alert device after the lid has not been opened for a period of time.

14. The case of claim 6, further comprising a wireless charging receiver in electrical communication with the power source.

15. A dental appliance case, the case comprising:

a cavity configured to receive a dental appliance;

an electromagnetic wave emitter configured to output one or more wavelength;

an electromagnetic wave receiver configured to detect one or more wavelength output by the electromagnetic wave emitter; and

one or more processor configured to determine whether the dental appliance is within the cavity based on a change in the detection of the one or more wavelength by the electromagnetic wave receiver.

16. The case of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic wave emitter is configured to output the one or more wavelength in the direction of the dental appliance, when the dental appliance is positioned within the cavity.

17. The case of claim 15, wherein the dental appliance is primarily made of an optically translucent or transparent material;

and

wherein the one or more wavelength output by the electromagnetic emitter is at least partially absorbed and/or reflected by the dental appliance.

18. The case of claim 15, wherein a least a portion of the dental appliance is positioned between the electromagnetic wave emitter and the electromagnetic wave receiver when the dental appliance is within the cavity.

19. The case of claim 15, wherein one or more wavelength output by the electromagnetic wave emitter is within an infrared region.

20. The case of claim 15, wherein one or more wavelength output by the electromagnetic wave emitter is within an ultraviolet region.