DEVICE FOR HOLDING A STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for holding a storage medium in the oral cavity of a patient for at least one X-ray exposure.

Claims

1. A device configured to hold an imaging plate in the oral cavity of a patient for at least one X-ray exposure, the device comprising: a holding portion; a first part with an abutment region for the imaging plate; a second part with a clamping region for the imaging plate; and a bite portion, wherein the bite portion comprises a first guiding or/and joint region and a first locking region, and a second guiding or/and joint region corresponding to the first guiding or/and joint region and a second locking region, wherein said abutment region and said clamping region cooperate to form a retaining portion, said first and second guide or/and joint regions cooperate such that said first part and said second part are movable relative to each other between an open position and a clamping position, and in said clamping position, said abutment region and said clamping region are configured to exert a clamping force on an imaging plate located therebetween, said first part and said second part being lockable relative to each other in said clamping position via cooperation of said first and second locking portions.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the abutment region comprises an abutment surface configured for flat support of an imaging plate.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the planar clamping region has a convex-shaped surface with respect to the imaging plate.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface is arranged or/and adjustable at an angle between 75° and 95° with respect to the bite portion.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the holding section is adjustable and lockable in its inclination with respect to the bite portion.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the inclination is arranged or/and adjustable at an angle between 75° and 95° to the bite portion.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein recesses corresponding to one another are arranged on the first part and the second part in the locking area in such a way that a locking device can be inserted through the recesses and thus the first part and the second part are configured to be locked to one another.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the guide region comprises a ledge guide configured such that the abutment region and the clamping portion are displaceable relative to each other from an open position to a closed position, and thus the clamping region is configured to exert the clamping force to the abutment region.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the joint portion has an axis of rotation on the first or the second part and a bearing corresponding thereto on the other part.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the axis of rotation is arranged such that the abutment region and the clamping portion are configured to perform a pivoting movement relative to each other.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein between the abutment region and the clamping portion there is a distance dimensioned such that in the open position the imaging plate can be inserted between the abutment region and the clamping portion and in the clamping position a predetermined clamping force is exerted on the imaging plate dimensioned such that during handling of the device the imaging plate can be clamped.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the abutment region has a concave-shaped transition section at or/and formed in its lower region.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact surface is arranged or/and adjustable at an angle between 80° and 90° with respect to the bite portion.

14. The device according to claim 5, wherein the inclination is arranged or/and adjustable at an angle between 80° and 90° to the bite portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. In these show:

[0036] FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment of a storage medium holder with base part and sliding part in an open position;

[0037] FIG. 2 a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3 a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 with the base part and sliding part in a clamped position;

[0039] FIGS. 4, 5 a perspective and a side view of the base part of the storage medium holder of FIGS. 1-3;

[0040] FIGS. 6, 7 a perspective and a side view of the sliding part of the storage medium holder of FIGS. 1-3;

[0041] FIG. 8 a perspective view of the first embodiment in a clamped position with an attached locking device;

[0042] FIGS. 9, 10 side views of a second embodiment in open position and clamped position; and

[0043] FIGS. 10, 11 a side view and a top view of an embodiment of a storage medium holder in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

First Embodiment

[0044] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of a storage medium holder 100 according to the invention. The storage medium holder 100 comprises a base part 102 and a sliding part 104. The base part 102 is shown separately in a perspective view and a side view in FIGS. 4, 5, and the sliding part 104 is shown in FIGS. 6, 7.

[0045] The storage media holder 100 includes a holding portion 106 and a bite portion 108. The holding portion 106 is formed, on the part of the base portion 102, by a contact area 109 having a flatly formed contact surface 110, and on the part of the sliding portion 104, by a clamping area 112. The planar contact surface 110 is configured to support a storage medium, generally located in a protective case, so that the storage medium can assume the intended shape, generally planar.

[0046] The clamping region 112 has, as can be seen well in FIG. 2, a clamping surface 114 which is convex in shape with respect to the contact region 109. In the embodiment shown, the clamping surface 114 is generally cylindrical in shape, with the longitudinal axis of the curvature cylinder being substantially parallel to the contact surface 110. In this manner, a contact force can be uniformly applied along the cylinder axis from the clamping surface 114 to the contact surface 110 or to a storage medium (not shown) therebetween.

[0047] The bite portion 108 extends substantially perpendicular to the contact surface 110 along an axis A. For example, the angle that the contact surface 110 and the axis A make may be between 75° and 95°, preferably between 80° and 90°.

[0048] At the point where the contact surface 110 of the holding portion 106 merges into the bite portion 108, a concave shaped transition portion 115 is provided or is formed or shaped. This is designed in such a way that a storage medium, in particular an imaging plate, introduced into the region between the contact region 109 and the clamping portion 112 does not strike hard against a surface with the edge located at the front during the insertion process, but can slide off smoothly and thus, for example, damage to the edge of the storage medium - as could be the case, for example, with a comparatively sensitive imaging plate or the protective cover enclosing it - can be avoided.

[0049] The base part 102 has a first guide region 116 in the region of the bite portion 108, and the sliding part has a corresponding second guide region 118 - see FIGS. 4 and 6. In the embodiment shown, the guide regions 116, 118 cooperate in a manner similar to a drawer guide: Two ledges 120 (only one ledge 120 is visible in the figures, see for example FIG. 4) are attached to the base part 102 in the first guide region 116, which ledges 120 are opposite each other and engage in grooves 122, 124 of the second guide region 118 of the sliding part 104. In the embodiment shown, the ledges 120 and the associated grooves 122, 124 are partially interrupted in order to create a space for a locking device described below on the one hand, and at the same time to create a guide through the groove ledge guide as far as possible over the entire length of the range of movement of the base part 102 and the sliding part 104.

[0050] In the embodiment shown, the groove ledge guide runs parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the bite portion 108, but this is not necessary; there could also be an angular offset or/and one or more interruptions between the longitudinal axis A and the groove ledge guide (not shown in the figures).

[0051] By means of the described groove ledge guide, a displaceability between the base part 102 and the sliding part 104 is realized. The sliding part 104 can thus be displaced along a sliding axis - here: parallel to the longitudinal axis A - relative to the base part 102. Thus, the storage medium holder 100 can be moved from an open position to a clamping position and vice versa.

[0052] The open position is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. There, a gap is located between the contact surface 110 and the clamping surface 114, which allows easy insertion of the storage medium. Depending on the type of storage medium - imaging plate, memory sensor, memory chip, memory film, etc. - the distance may be suitably dimensioned for insertion.

[0053] In the clamping position, on the other hand, which is illustrated in FIG. 3, the sliding part 104 is maximally inserted into the base part 102. Accordingly, the distance between the contact surface 110 and the clamping surface 114 is such that the inserted storage medium is subjected to a contact force or contact pressure. A predetermined contact force is exerted on a storage medium located between the two surfaces in such a way that a clamping force is produced, in particular in a range from 1.8 N to 4.2 N, preferably in a range between 2.2 N and 3.4 N and particularly preferably in a range between 2.5 N and 3.0 N. On the one hand, this contact force causes the storage medium to contact the contact surface 110 and, on the other hand, to be secured against slipping or falling out due to the resulting clamping force.

[0054] In order to achieve the desired contact force and the resulting clamping force, the holding device 100 is adapted or can be adapted to a specific thickness of the storage medium and to the maximum contact force that can be applied thereto. Exemplary thicknesses of the imaging plates are between 200 .Math.m and 1000 .Math.m, in particular between 300 .Math.m and 900 .Math.m and, for example, at 340 ± 40 .Math.m or 760 ± 80 .Math.m for imaging plates and between 5 mm and 8 mm, in particular between 5.5 mm and 7.5 mm and, for example, at 6.4 mm for memory sensors.

[0055] In order to secure or lock the base part 102 and the sliding part 104 against each other against slipping in the clamping position, at least one locking region 126, 128 is provided on each of the base part 102 and the sliding part 104. The locking regions 126, 128 are each implemented by a pair of openings 130, 132 / 134, 136, here exemplarily implemented as bores, which are aligned with one another in the intended clamping position. In the embodiment shown, the openings 130-136 are cylindrical. However, other shapes are also possible, such as, for example, in a non-exhaustive list, with a square, triangular, trapezoidal or elliptical cross-section.

[0056] When the openings 130, 132 of the locking portion 126 of the base part 102 are aligned with the bores 134, 136 of the locking portion 128 of the sliding part 104, a locking device 152 (see FIG. 8) can be inserted, for example plugged, into the aligned recesses thus formed. The locking device may be, for example, a target or guide rod 150 on which a locking device 152 may be formed. Since the locking regions 126, 128 are arranged in pairs, spatial fixing of the target rod 150 can thus be achieved by simple means. However, this would also be possible alone by a suitable shaping of the openings as already mentioned (square, triangular, trapezoidal, elliptical, or the like) with only one aligned recess.

[0057] In an alternative embodiment, in addition to the locking feature just described, locking of the base part 102 to the sliding part 104 via the locking portions 126, 128 can be achieved via detents or the like. Such a locking device can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. In a lateral region - here in the embodiment example below the ledges 120 - a detent surface 140 is provided on the base part 102. This may, for example, have individual protruding ribs, indentations or, for example, an undulating surface. The detent surface 140 corresponds with one or more detent cams 142 on the sliding member 104, and the shaping of the detent cam 142 cooperates with the surface shaping of the detent surface 140 to achieve the desired detent action. Additionally, the detent cam 142 may be of a elastic design. This can be seen in FIG. 6. The detent cam 142 is attached to the end of a spring arm 144, allowing it to move toward the surface of the detent surface 140 when sliding over the surface of the detent surface 140 when engaging a depression, and to swing away from the surface of the detent surface 140 when overcoming an elevation, overcoming the spring force of the spring arm 144.

[0058] FIG. 8 illustrates the above-described embodiment of a storage medium holder 100 in a perspective view in the clamped position, i.e., the sliding part 104 is fully inserted into the base part 102 along the sliding axis A. In this position, some relative locking of the base part 102 with the sliding part 104 is already realized by means of the locking device detent lugs 142 / detent surface 140.

[0059] However, in order to achieve an absolutely secure locking of the two parts 102, 104, which are in principle displaceable relative to each other, for handling in the oral cavity of the patient, a locking device 152 attached to a target rod 150 can be used as already described above. Although the arrangement of the locking device 152 on the target rod 150 or the combination of the locking device 152 and the target rod 150 is advantageous with respect to the entire device, a locking device 152 can in principle also be used without a target rod 150.

[0060] As already indicated above, the locking device comprises at least one locking pin which is geometrically shaped such that it can be brought into engagement with at least one of the openings 130, 132 / 134, 136. In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 8, two cylindrical locking pins 154, 156 are provided which can be inserted into the openings 130, 132 of the locking area 126 of the base part 102 and subsequently also into the bores 134, 136 of the locking area 128 of the sliding part 104. As long as these locking pins 154, 156 remain in the bores of the locking areas 126, 128, a relative movement of the parts 102, 104 with respect to each other is not possible, so that even a storage medium located between the contact surface 110 and the clamping surface 114, such as an imaging plate (usually with a protective cover), can be securely held or clamped.

[0061] In addition, other openings 158, 159 are provided on the sliding portion 104 (see FIG. 3). For example, the opening 158 closer to the base part 102 may also be provided to receive a locking pin 154 to achieve locking of the base part 102 and the sliding part 104. The further opening 159, together with the opening 158, may allow the locking pins 154, 156 of the target rod 150 to be received without resulting in locking of the base part 102 and the sliding part 104.

Second Embodiment

[0062] FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate, in side views, a second embodiment of a storage medium holder 200. The storage medium holder 200 includes a base part 202 and a pivot part 204. FIG. 9 shows the storage medium holder 200 in an open position, and FIG. 10 shows the storage medium holder 200 in a clamped position.

[0063] In analogy to the storage medium holder 100 illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, the storage medium holder 200 of FIGS. 9 and 10 includes a holding portion 206 and a bite portion 208. In this regard, the storage medium holder 200 is constructed in a manner largely analogous to the storage medium holder 100 of FIGS. 1-8, so that no further description of the same or very similar features will be provided. Instead, reference numerals to which 100 has been added are used in the figures and in the description below for identical or very similar features.

[0064] In contrast to the storage medium holder 100 of FIGS. 1-8, in the storage medium holder 200 of FIGS. 9 and 10 the relative movement for a change between the open position of FIG. 9 and the clamped position of FIG. 10 is effected via a pivoting or rotating movement in which the pivoting part 204 rotates about an axis R. The axis may be structurally designed as a rotating or fixed axis, as a separate (third component) or as an integrally formed axis section on the base part 202 or the pivot part 204. Also, base part 202 and pivot part 204 may be fixedly connected to each other via the pivot axis. Alternatively, base part 202 and pivot part 204 may be insertable into each other in a certain rotational position with respect to each other - for example, in the open position - and connected to each other after a certain rotational angle.

Third Embodiment

[0065] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate, in a side view and in a top view, a third embodiment of a storage medium holder 300. Also like the first embodiment, the storage medium holder 300 comprises a base part 302 and a sliding part 304. Due to the large number of identical or comparable features, the same will not be described again in order to avoid repetition. Instead, identical or comparable features are provided with reference signs to which - compared to the first embodiment example - 200 has been added.

[0066] Briefly summarized, the storage medium holder 300 also includes a holding portion 306 having a planar abutment surface 310 on the base part 302 and a clamping region 312 having a convexly shaped clamping surface 314 on the sliding part 304. Similarly, a bite portion 308 is provided on the storage medium holder 300. An ergonomically shaped first portion 360 is provided on the bite portion 308 at the base part 302. This corresponds to a second ergonomically shaped region 362 formed on the face of the sliding portion 304.

[0067] To receive or hold a storage medium in the holding portion 306, an operator may grip the storage medium holder 300 with his left hand, for example, such that his middle finger is positioned in the first ergonomic region 360, his index finger is positioned opposite thereto on the upper surface 364 of the storage medium holder 300, and his thumb is positioned against the second ergonomic region 362. The operator can then insert the storage medium into the holding portion 306 with the right hand and, by pressing the thumb against the ergonomic region 362, apply the holding force necessary to adequately hold the storage medium (not shown in the figures) between the contact surface 310 and the clamping surface 314.

[0068] In a further difference to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, the contact surface 310 is not arranged centrally to the axis A along which the bite portion 308 extends and along which the sliding movement of the sliding part 304 relative to the base part 302 also takes place. The same applies to the clamping surface 314. Rather, the contact surface 310 and the clamping surface 314 are arranged laterally offset with respect to said longitudinal axis A. This arrangement is advantageous for storage media which have connecting lines for, for example, a voltage supply or for transmitting data. In this case, the storage medium, in particular a memory sensor, can be inserted into the holding portion 306 in such a way that these connecting lines can be inserted along the longitudinal axis A in the lower region of the bite portion 308, for example, into correspondingly attached cable clips or cable clamps (not shown). The lateral arrangement of contact surface 310 and clamping surface 314 provides sufficient space for the memory sensor’s own cable management for this purpose.

[0069] In the same manner as the first embodiment, openings 330, 332 are provided in the base part 302 in the locking area 324 of the base part 302 as well as openings 334, 336 (in FIG. 11 only the opening 336 is visible) in the locking area of the sliding part 304. A target or guide rod 150 may be inserted into these openings 330-336 in the same manner as in the first embodiment to lock or lock the base part 302 and sliding part 304 together in a clamping position.

[0070] Additionally, or alternatively, this locking or locking in the clamping position can also be realized by a latching mechanism between base part 302 and sliding part 304 as already described in the first embodiment (not shown in FIGS. 11 and 12). This latching may be releasable again by suitable controls of the latching mechanism for an operator, so that base part 302 and sliding part 304 are separable, for example, for sterilization.