FR2561407A1 - Device for labelling dental radiographs - Google Patents

Abstract

The device labels dental radiography film and consists of a lead strip 11 with a thickness of about 0.07 mm stuck on to a self-adhesive label 12 which can itself be stuck on to the film 15. An inscription 14 is engraved on this strip and has a depth such that it becomes transparent to X-rays and can therefore be transferred to the film during its exposure. This means that the radiograph carries an inscription which identifies the patient to which it belongs.

Description

MARKING DEVICE
DENTAL X-RAYS
The present invention relates to the registration of identification indications on dental radiographs. It relates, more particularly, to a device allowing such registration.

 It is extremely useful for the dentist that his radiographs include a mark or indication allowing him to easily identify the patient to whom they correspond.

 Dentists currently have two methods of marking their radiographs with an identification sign.

 According to the first of these methods, the dentist has a clearance c <caas of lead or other material opposing the passage of X-rays, inside each of which is provided a window allowing the radiation to pass and having the form of a sign (letter or number). These screens are hung individually on the upper edge of the film before introducing it into the patient's mouth, so as to form an identification inscription which, when exposed to radiation, is transferred to the radiography.

 Such a method suffers from serious drawbacks.

 n indeed, hanging the screens on the film is an operation which requires significant time. In addition, the size of these screens considerably limits the possibilities of registration and does not, in any case, make it possible to freeze the entire patient's name with the date of the radiography. Finally, when the film is in the patient's mouth, it is common for the screens to move and even hang up. These various drawbacks mean that the method is hardly used any more.

 According to the other known method, the identification indications are simply written on the radiography, developed and dry, using a special ink.

 Although this method is widely used, it has a serious drawback. Since, in fact, the X-ray does not receive its identification inscription until it has been developed, the risk of confusion with other X-rays is quite significant.

 The object of the present invention is to provide a device for marking radiographs, which is both very simple to use and free from the drawbacks of known methods.

 To achieve this object, the device according to the invention comprises a strip of malleable high density material forming an X-ray screen, which can be stuck on one edge of the film and in which an inscription having a depth can be engraved. such that it becomes transparent to radiation and can therefore be transferred to the film during its exposure.

 According to an advantageous embodiment, this strip is made of lead and has a thickness of approximately 0.07 mm. It is bonded to a self-adhesive substrate which can itself be bonded to the dental film.

Other characteristics of the invention, as well as its advantages, will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings and giving, by way of explanation but in no way limiting, various embodiments of such a device. In these drawings:
- Figure 1 shows a first form of reality
sation of a marking device according to the invention;
- Figure 2 shows an X-ray film den
keep quiet before exposure, equipped with the
Figure 1; and
- Figures 3 and 4 show two other forms
advantageous embodiment of a device according to
the invention.

 We will first refer to Figure 1 which shows an arrangement of marking devices according to the invention ready for use.

 Each device 10 essentially consists of two elements 11 and 12. The element 11, which forms the marking device proper, is formed of a thin strip of malleable high density material forming an X-ray screen. The material is advantageously lead, but it can also be gold, silver or any other malleable alloy having the properties of absorbing the X-rays used for dental radiography. The thickness of the strip is between 0.05 and 0.09 mm, but preferably equal to 0.07 mm. Its width is 4 to 5 mm, while its length corresponds substantially to the length of a dental film, ie 40 mm in the example chosen.

 The element 12, which in fact constitutes the support for the screen strip 11, is nothing other than a self-adhesive paper label whose dimensions are substantially equal to or slightly smaller than those of a dental film.

 The screen strip 11 is glued to the upper part of the label 12, the rest of which constitutes excellent support for advertisements or information entered by the dentist, for example for the use of his assistant.

 As shown in FIG. 1, a series of devices 10, identical to that which has just been described, are arranged on a sheet of glossy paper 13 receiving the self-adhesive faces of the labels i2.

 It is thus sufficient, before taking the dental radiography, to insert the sheet 13 in a typewriter and to type on one of the screen bands II an indication of identification, such as the name of the patient and possibly the date. Given the malleability of the high density material used, the characters of the machine will then be engraved in the strip and leave an inscription 14 which sufficiently reduces the thickness of the screen to become transparent to radiation. . For a lead strip, this transparency is obtained as soon as the depth of the engraving achieved reaches 0.03 min.

 Of course, any other engraving means can be used, the simplest of which is the ballpoint pen or the hard-lead pencil.

 Once the inscription 14 has been engraved in the screen strip 11, the label 12 is peeled off from the support sheet 13, then glued to the radiographic film.

 FIG. 2 represents such a film 15 equipped with its label 12 with its screen strip 11 carrying an inscription 14. When this film, placed in the patient's mouth, is exposed to radiation, the latter passes through the inscription 14, but is stopped by the rest of the band. This inscription is therefore carried over to the upper part of the radiography where, after development, it appears in a clear background, thus allowing immediate identification of the patient to whom it corresponds.

 According to a second advantageous embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the strip 11 can be glued to a self-adhesive label made of paper or any other self-adhesive substrate (not shown in the figure), having the same dimensions as it and used only for fixing it on the glossy sheet 13, then on the radiographic film.

 Finally, according to a third embodiment shown diagrammatically in section in FIG. 4, the strip 11 can be bonded to a self-adhesive substrate 16 of the same size, the self-adhesive face of which is protected by a thin ribbon 17, of glossy paper. for example. This is removed to allow the tape to stick to the film.

 In this case, since the small dimensions of the device do not allow engraving using a typewriter, it is necessary to resort to another engraving process, for example using a ballpoint pen or pencil or a device, of the "DYMO" type for example, used to engrave letters in a self-adhesive plastic tape.

 It thus appears clearly that the device according to the invention, of which three embodiments have just been described, is not only inexpensive, completely safe and very easy to use, but also that it makes it possible to wear on radiography very complete identification information. Such a device constitutes a means of marking dental radiographs which is significantly more advantageous in the street than the means currently available to dentists.

Claims (10)

- CLAIMS  1. Device for marking a dental radiography film, characterized in that it comprises a strip of malleable high density material forming a screen. to X-ray, which can be fixed on an edge of the film before its exposure and in which can be engraved an identification inscription having a depth such that it becomes transparent to radiation and can therefore be transferred to the film during exposure.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said material is lead.  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the strip has a. thickness between 0.05 and C, 09 mm.  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the strip has a thickness of 0.07 mm.  5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises a support element on which the strip is stuck and which can itself be stuck on the film.  6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said support element is a self-adhesive substrate.  7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said substrate is a label having dimensions larger than the strip, so as to be able to receive inscriptions.  8. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said substrate has substantially the same dimensions as the strip  9. Device according to one of claims 6,7 and 8, characterized in that the self-adhesive face of said substrate is deposited on a sheet of glossy paper.  10. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the self-adhesive face of said substrate is covered with a protective tape.