Functional module type medical apparatus, functional module used for the apparatus, medical system using the functional module and medical functional module unit for use in medical treatment and/or diagnosis

• US 8,192,359 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Original Assignee: J Morita Manufacturing
• Inventors: Kusakabe, Hiroaki, Katsuda, Naoki, Yamashita, Seiichiro, Matoba, Kazunari
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, III, Henry M
• Assistant Examiner(s): SORIANO, BOBBY GILES
• Application Number:
  US10/145,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,675 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600/301, 128903-905, 128/920, 433/27, 433/28
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 1/0015 Electrical systems

Abstract

A functional module type medical apparatus for use in medical treatment and/or diagnosis and a functional module with individual function of medical treatment and/or diagnosis are disclosed.

The functional module type medical apparatus comprises a common functional body with a module connection part, having at least one of a display section for displaying necessary information relating to medical treatment and/or diagnosis, an operation section for medical treatment and/or diagnosis, and a power source section for supplying driving power to the medical apparatus, in which the module connection part is constructed such that the corresponding connection part of a functional module having medical treatment and/or diagnosis is replaceably connected thereto, whereby the common functional body cooperatively functions in accordance with its individual function of the functional module when the functional module is connected thereto.

Claims

1. A functional module type dental apparatus for use in dental treatment and diagnosis, comprising:

a common functional body and a functional module detachably and replaceably connected to said common functional body, and wherein

the common functional body has a display section for displaying information relating to dental treatment and diagnosis, an operation section for dental treatment and diagnosis, a power source section for supplying driving power thereto, a module connection part to which said functional module is detachably and replaceably connected, a module recognition means for discriminating which functional module is connected when said functional module is connected to said module connection part, and a root canal length measuring function as at least one dental diagnosis function so as to carry out said root canal length measuring function,

said functional module has a connection part for detachably and repleaceably connecting to said module connection part of said common functional body, a recognition apply means for allowing said module recognition means to recognize itself, a dental treatment function, and a memory means storing a functional program for executing the dental treatment function, and

said functional program is transmitted to said common functional body from said functional module after said module recognition means discriminates said functional module, thereby changing said display section and said operation section to a necessary display mode and a necessary operational function, respectively, depending on the dental treatment function equipped with said functional module, and carrying out said dental treatment function of said functional module by utilizing said common functional body.

2. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module connection part is constructed such that said functional module is detachably connected thereto in an electrical or mechanical connection manner.

3. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said module connection part is constructed such that said common functional body and said functional module are mechanically and functionally integrated when said functional module is connected to said module connection part.

4. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module recognition means discriminates which functional module is connected, by a module code which is stored in said functional module, when said module code is received from said functional module through mutual communication with said functional module.

5. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module recognition means discriminates an ID code sent from an ID element which is provided in said functional module, when said functional module is connected to said module connection part of said common functional body.

6. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module recognition means discriminates which functional module is connected, by detecting an intrinsic impedance of said functional module, when said functional module is connected to said connection part of said common functional body.

7. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module recognition means discriminates which functional module is connected, by detecting the shape of individual connector provided in said functional module, when said functional module is connected to said module connection part of said common functional body.

8. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common functional body and said functional module transmit and receive at least one of information about treatment data relating to said dental treatment function of said functional module, and machinery or control information about an instrument to be connected thereto.

9. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said module connection part is constructed such that plural numbers of said functional module are connected thereto.

10. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common functional body further comprises a multi-joint type connection part to which various multi-joint type instruments are replaceably connected in correspondence with the function of said functional module.

11. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common functional body has a battery therein as a driving power source.

12. A dental functional module detachably and replaceably connected to said common functional body of said functional module type dental apparatus for use in dental treatment and diagnosis as set forth in claim 1, comprising a connection part for detachably and repleaceably connecting to said module connection part of said common functional body, a recognition apply means for allowing said module recognition means to recognize itself, a dental treatment function, and a memory means storing a functional program for executing the dental treatment function, wherein said functional program is transmitted to said common functional body after said module recognition means of said common functional body discriminates said functional module, thereby changing said display section and said operation section to a necessary display mode and a necessary operational function, respectively, depending on the dental treatment function equipped with said functional module, and executing said dental treatment function of said functional module by utilizing said common functional body.

13. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 12, wherein said connection part is so constructed as to be detachably connected to said common functional body in an electrical or mechanical connection manner.

14. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 13, wherein said module connection part is so constructed such that said common functional body and said functional module are mechanically and functionally integrated, when connected to said common functional body.

15. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 12, wherein said module connection part is made under the same standard for plural dental functional modules.

16. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 12, further comprising a multi-joint type connection portion to which various multi-joint type instruments are detachably connected.

17. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 1 or 13, wherein said functional module further comprises a sub module connection part to which dental functional module having individual function of dental treatment is replaceably connected.

18. The dental functional module as set forth in claim 12 or 13, wherein said functional module has a battery therein as a driving power source for executing dental treatment thereof.

19. A dental apparatus for use in dental treatment and diagnosis comprising a treatment bed for holding a patient in sitting position or lying in face up position, and a functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 1.

20. The functional module type dental apparatus for use in dental treatment and diagnosis as set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 and 4 to 9, wherein said display section, said operation section and said power source section are made as a common module unit, each of which constitutes an unit construction body.

21. The functional module type dental apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein said common module unit has therein an energy supply means comprised of at least one of power supply circuit, water supply means and air supply means, each of supplies power, water or air to said functional module.