Adapter for connecting a compressed gas operated dental instrument to a compressor

Abstract

The invention relates to an adapter for connecting a dental instrument to be operated with compressed gas to a compressor supplying the compressed gas, and to a control unit as well as a treatment unit comprising the adapter, wherein the adapter has at least one first input for the compressed gas of a compressor, a second input for a control signal, an output for connecting to the dental instrument, and a valve between the first input and output that is controllable by the control signal.

Claims

1. An adapter for connecting a dental instrument to a compressor and to a control unit, comprising: a first input for compressed gas of a compressor; a second input for a control signal from a control unit; an output for connecting to a dental instrument; a compressed gas path formed between the first input and the output; a control signal path formed between the second input and the output; a valve arranged in the compressed gas path that is controllable by the control signal; and a generator arranged in the compressed gas path or in the control signal path, said generator configured to be controlled by the control signal to generate a voltage for transmission to the output, and wherein the control signal is drive air or drive gas.

2. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second input is configured to convey a lamp voltage, spray air, spray water, and/or water to the output.

3. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the second input is a coupling according to ISO 9168.

4. The adapter according to claim 1, further comprising: a pressure regulator and a filter which are disposed between the first input and the valve.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, further comprising: a unit configured to select and/or limit an output of the dental instrument by adjusting the pressure regulator.

6. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the generator is a turbine.

7. The adapter according to claim 1, wherein the generator has current and/or voltage conditioning.

8. A dental treatment unit, comprising: a control unit; a dental instrument constructed to operate by compressed gas; a treatment chair; a compressor; and an adapter that includes: a first input connected to the compressor for receiving compressed gas from the compressor, a second input connected to the control unit for receiving a control signal from the control unit, an output connected to the dental instrument, a compressed gas path formed between the first input and the output; a control signal path formed between the second input and the output; a valve arranged in the compressed gas path that is controllable by the control signal; and a generator arranged in the compressed gas path or in the control signal path, said generator configured to be controlled by the control signal to generate a voltage for transmission to the output, and wherein the control signal is drive air or drive gas.

9. The dental treatment unit according to claim 8, wherein the second input is configured to convey a lamp voltage, spray air, spray water, and/or water to the output.

10. The dental treatment unit according to claim 8, wherein the second input is a coupling according to ISO 9168.

11. The dental treatment unit according to claim 8, wherein the adapter further includes a pressure regulator and a filter which are disposed between the first input and the valve.

12. The dental treatment unit according to claim 11, wherein the adapter further includes a unit configured to select and/or limit an output of the dental instrument by adjusting the pressure regulator.

13. The dental treatment unit according to claim 8, wherein the generator is a turbine.

14. The dental treatment unit according to claim 8, wherein the generator has current and/or voltage conditioning.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted in the drawings. In the drawings,

(2) FIG. 1 shows an adapter according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2A, B show additional versions of an adapter according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a treatment unit according to the invention.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows an adapter 1 that has a housing 2 with a first input 3 for compressed gas, a second input 4 for a control signal and possibly other media, and an output 5. Arranged between the first input 3 and output 5 is a valve 6 that can be regulated by a control signal.

(6) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the adapter 1 also has a filter 7 and a pressure regulator 8 which follows the first input 3 in this sequence and filters compressed gas entering the adapter 1 through the first input 3 and reduces the gas pressure before it enters the valve 6. The filter 7 and/or pressure reducer 8 enable reliable protection of the dental instrument 18. In particular, poorer quality compressors 19 (shown in FIG. 3) can be safely used since contaminants in the compressed gas or pressure peaks are captured or filtered out by the adapter 1.

(7) The second input 4 is designed in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1 as a 6-hole turbine connection according to the standard ISO 9168 so that, in addition to the control signal, a lamp voltage, spray water and spray air can also be transmitted. Whereas the control signal is transferred by means of a suitable line 9 to the valve 6, lamp voltage, spray water and spray air are transferred by means of suitable lines 10, 11, 12 to the output 5.

(8) Drive air can, for example, be used as the control signal. The opening of the valve in this case can, for example, be triggered by the actuation of a foot switch (not shown). The pressure of the air in the line 9 increases, and the valve opens. The closing of the valve is accomplished, for example, by releasing the foot switch. As shown in FIG. 1, it is advantageous in this case to equip the line 9 transferring the drive air from the second input 4 to the valve 6 with ventilation 23 to accelerate the desired pressure drop and hence the switching process. However, the ventilation 23 may be annoyingly perceptible when the pressure drops in the line. Furthermore, annoying noise can arise from the ventilation 23. To prevent this, the ventilation 23 can be equipped with a silencer.

(9) FIGS. 2A and 2B show additional exemplary embodiments of an adapter 1. Instead of a line 10 for a lamp voltage running from the second input 4 to the output 5, the adapter 1 in FIG. 2A has a generator 13 for generating the lamp voltage. The generator 13 such as a turbine is controlled or operated by means of the control signal such as drive air, and the generated voltage is transmitted to the output 5 by a suitable line 14.

(10) In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2B, the generator 13 for generating the lamp voltage is arranged between the first input 3 for the compressed gas, and the valve 6 and is correspondingly operated by the compressed gas from the compressor 19 (shown in FIG. 3). It would also be possible to arrange the generator 13 between the valve 6 and the output 5.

(11) In FIG. 3, a treatment unit 15 according to the invention is sketched which has a treatment chair 16, a control unit 17, a dental instrument 18 to be operated with compressed gas, a compressor 19 and an adapter 1. The instrument 18which can be a dental turbine or a pneumatic motor, such as one in combination with a handpiece or a contra-angle handpieceis connected by means of a suitable media line 20 to the output 5 of the adapter 1 and is supplied with compressed air through the media line 20. If required by the instrument 18, the instrument can also be supplied through the media line 20 with spray water and spray air, with water and/or with a lamp voltage or other desired media. Such media lines are known and conform to the requirements of the dental instrument 18 to be connected. The compressor 19 is connected to the first input 3 of the adapter 1 by means of a suitable line 21. Through a suitable line 22, such as a standardized 6-hole connection hose according to ISO 9168, the control line 17 supplies the control signal such as drive air for a pneumatically operated valve 6, as well as possibly spray water, spray air, water and/or lamp voltage to the second input 4 of the adapter 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(12) 1 Adapter

(13) 2 Housing

(14) 3 First input

(15) 4 Second input

(16) 5 Output

(17) 6 Valve

(18) 7 Filter

(19) 8 Pressure regulator

(20) 9 Line

(21) 10 Line

(22) 11 Line

(23) 12 Line

(24) 13 Generator

(25) 14 Cable

(26) 15 Treatment unit

(27) 16 Treatment chair

(28) 17 Control unit

(29) 18 Dental instrument

(30) 19 Compressor

(31) 20 Media line

(32) 21 Line

(33) 22 Line

(34) 23 Ventilation