WINDOW SYSTEM FOR AN INTRAORAL SCANNER

Abstract

The invention relates to a window system for an intraoral scanner. Said window system comprises an optical element having a thermal conductivity of more than 1 W m.sup.1 K.sup.1. A window, which comprises a pane made for example of a plastic, glass, or corundum, is detachably disposed on the optical element at an average distance of less than 1 mm. At least one heat source is also connected to the optical element. The invention further relates to an intraoral scanner. Said intraoral scanner comprises the window system. The optical element and the at least one heat source are connected to the intraoral scanner. The window is disposed in a cover. Said cover can be disposed on the intraoral scanner such that the window has an average distance of less than 1 mm from the optical element.

Claims

1. Window system for an intraoral scanner, comprising an optical element having a thermal conductivity of more than 1 W m.sup.1 K.sup.1, a window, which comprises a pane made of a plastic, glass, or corundum, and which has an average distance (d) of less than 1 mm from the optical element, and at least one heat source connected to the optical element.

2. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the optical element has a thermal conductivity of more than 40 W m.sup.1 K.sup.1.

3. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is made of a corundum.

4. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the average distance (d) between the optical element and the window is less than 0.5 mm.

5. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the heat source is an ITO layer disposed on the optical element.

6. Window system according to claim 5, wherein the ITO layer is an IMITO layer adjusted to the refractive index of the optical element.

7. Window system according to claim 5, wherein the ITO layer is disposed only in a peripheral region of the optical element.

8. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the heat source is a heat transfer system, which is configured to transfer waste heat from the intraoral scanner to a peripheral region of the optical element.

9. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the window includes a material that is selected from the group consisting of a polycarbonate, a cycloolefin copolymer, a polyacrylmethacrylate, a float glass, a mineral glass, a corundum, and mixtures thereof.

10. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the window is made of a corundum.

11. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the optical element has an anti-reflective coating on either side of the optical element's light path.

12. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the window has an anti-reflective coating on either side of the optical element's pane.

13. Window system according to claim 1, wherein the window is disposed in a cover for the intraoral scanner.

14. Intraoral scanner comprising a window system according to claim 13, wherein the optical element and the at least one heat source are connected to the intraoral scanner and the cover is be disposed on the intraoral scanner such that the window is be disposed on the optical element at an average distance of less than 1 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Design examples of the invention are shown in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows an isometric illustration of an intraoral scanner according to a design example of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a window system according to a design example of the invention.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a view onto a window system according to another design example of the invention.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a window system according to yet another design example of the invention.

DESIGN EXAMPLES

[0033] In one design example of the invention, an intraoral scanner 10 comprises a window region 11, in which a window system is disposed. The window system serves as a light path for a light beam emitted by a light source disposed in the intraoral scanner 10 and as a light path for a light beam reflected by a tooth in the oral cavity of a patient, which is reflected back onto a sensor inside the intraoral scanner 10. In the region in which it is inserted into the oral cavity of a patient, the intraoral scanner 10 comprises a cover 12. A window of the window system is a part of the cover 12, while another optical element of the window system is part of the intraoral scanner 10.

[0034] In a first design example of the cover, said cover is made of an elastic silicone, with which a window of the window system in the window region 11 is overmolded.

[0035] In a second design example of the cover 12, said cover is made of steel. In the window region 11, the cover comprises a sliding frame into which a window of the window system is inserted.

[0036] In a third design example of the cover 12, said cover is made of ASA, into which the window is inserted.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a first window 20 as an optical element and a second window 30 of a window system according to a first design example of the window system. The first window 20 is a part of the intraoral scanner 10, while the second window 30 is part of the cover 12. The first window 20 comprises a pane 21 made of a sapphire glass having a thermal conductivity of 41.9 W m.sup.1 K.sup.1. It is provided on both sides with an anti-reflective coating 22, 23 that covers the entire surface. In a peripheral region 24, which in FIG. 2 is separated from the rest of the first window 20 by a dotted line, on its side facing the second window 30, it comprises a heat source 40 in form of an ITO layer. It is electrically contacted such that it can be heated by an electric current flow or by induction. In the present design example, the second window 30 comprises a pane 31 made of polycarbonate, which is coated on both sides with an anti-reflective coating 32, 33 that covers the entire surface. When the cover 12 is pulled over the intraoral scanner 10, the second window 30 rests with one of its anti-reflective layers 33 on the first window 20 such that, in the peripheral region 24, it is in contact with the heat source 40 and, in the middle of the first window 20, it is in contact with one of the anti-reflective layers 22 thereof. The peripheral region 24 is not part of the light path, so that the heat source 40 does not impair the transmission of the light path. When the intraoral scanner 10 is in operation, the heat source 40 is switched on and heats both the first window 20 and the second window 30 in their respective peripheral regions. While the heat cannot initially be distributed uniformly in the second window 30 due to the poor thermal conductivity of polycarbonate, the good thermal conductivity of the sapphire glass brings about a uniform heating of the first window 20. The first window transfers the heat over its entire surface to the second window 30, so that, after a short time, the second window has a uniform temperature distribution as well.

[0038] In a second design example of the window system according to the invention, which is not depicted, the heat source 40 is not disposed on the side facing the second window 30, but rather on the side facing away from the second window 30.

[0039] A third design example of the window system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 3. This differs from the window system according to the first design example in that the optical element is designed as prism 26. It comprises a prism element 25, which is provided on both sides of its light path with an anti-reflective coating 22, 23 that covers the entire surface. On its side facing the second window 30, it has a heat source 40 in form of an ITO layer. The average distance d between the prism 26 and the second window 30 is 0.2 mm.

[0040] A fourth design example of the window system according to the invention is shown in FIG. 4. This differs from the window system according to the first design example in that it does not comprise an ITO layer as a heat source 40. Instead, a heat source 50 is respectively disposed on the edges of the first window 20 and is connected to the heat-generated components of the intraoral scanner 10 in such a way the waste heat thereof is conducted to the edge of the first window 20. Even if, for ease of illustration, the heat source 50 in FIG. 4 is shown in such a way that it contacts only a portion of one edge of the first window 40, it is in fact designed as a frame that completely surrounds all four edges of the first window 20. During operation of the intraoral scanner 10, a variety of its components, such as its light source, heat up and conduct a portion of their waste heat to the edges of the first window 20 via the heat source 50. Due to its good thermal conductivity, the heat is distributed uniformly over the first window 20 and is then transferred from there to the entire surface of the second window 30.

[0041] After using the intraoral scanner 10, the cover 12 is removed from it. If the second window 30 is permanently connected to the cover 12, it is disposed of along with said cover. Otherwise, it is removed from the frame of the cover 12, the cover 12 is autoclaved and then provided with a new second window 30. This ensures that, the next time the intraoral scanner 10 is used, the entire area that comes into contact with the oral cavity of a patient is clean and sterile.

[0042] If the second window is not connected to the cover in a liquid-tight manner, use on the patient may require a set cleaning and disinfecting and/or sterilization procedure for the cover 12 in order to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination. In such a case, the cover 12 is removed from the intraoral scanner 10 after use and the second window 30 is disposed of.

[0043] If the second window 30 is connected to the cover 12 permanently but not in a liquid-tight manner, it is disposed of along with the cover and the intraoral scanner may require additional cleaning and/or disinfection and/or sterilization. This can be accomplished with a wipe-down disinfection, for example. For the next patient, a new, clean cover 12 has to be pulled onto the intraoral camera 10.