JP2591538Y2 - Automatic water supply system for dental cups - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

The present invention relates to the use of not only metal cups but also paper cups as dental cups when the patient automatically supplies water for cleaning the oral cavity into the dental cup during dental treatment. The present invention relates to an automatic water supply device for a dental cup, which has no mechanically movable parts in a device for detecting the amount of water in the dental cup and has little trouble.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A button switch for opening a solenoid valve or an electric valve installed in a water supply pipe is provided at a predetermined position as an apparatus for supplying water to a dental cup which is provided with a dental treatment set. Or press and hold until the amount of water supplied to the dental cup reaches the required amount, or connect a timer to the solenoid valve or electric valve and inject water into the dental cup for a certain period of time every time one operation However, the former has drawbacks such as inconvenience in operation, and the latter has the drawback that the water volume may change due to fluctuations in water pressure or that it may overflow from the dental cup when refilling. What has been widely used is configured such that when a dental cup is placed thereon, water can be automatically supplied until the amount of water in the dental cup reaches a predetermined amount of water.

[0003] As a conventional water supply device, when a dental cup is placed on a cup table, water can be automatically supplied until the amount of water in the dental cup reaches a predetermined amount.
For example, the cup holder can be displaced up and down by a load by supporting the cup holder by a spring, and the dental cup is placed on the cup holder as a device that detects the amount of water in the dental cup and issues a signal for opening and closing the solenoid valve. When placed, the weight of the dental cup lowers the cup table, turns on the start switch, opens the solenoid valve, and starts automatic water supply, increasing the amount of water in the dental cup. When the table is further lowered and the amount of water in the dental cup reaches a predetermined amount, an end switch is turned on, the solenoid valve is closed, and automatic water supply is stopped. The support spring mechanism of the cup table in this apparatus is complicated and delicately configured to make the position and amount of displacement due to weight change of the object placed on the cup table appropriate for the contact position, It is a device adjusted and manufactured for cups (generally heavy dental cups made of metal or the like).

However, in recent years, the use of metal-made dental cups has been reduced in order to prevent hospital-acquired infections such as AIDS and hepatitis B in dental clinics, and disposable paper-made cups have been widely used instead. Therefore, the conventional apparatus can normally operate even when a very lightweight disposable paper cup or the like is placed on a cup holder, as compared with a heavy dental cup such as a metal having a certain weight. It is not easy to operate, and it is not easy to readjust the support spring mechanism. As a result, water cannot be supplied. In addition, since a part of the water amount detection mechanism has a mechanically movable part for operating a contact of a switch, a failure tends to occur and reliability in operation is lacking.

Therefore, in order to supply water regardless of the weight of the dental cup, for example, the presence of the dental cup on the cup table is determined by an optical sensor and the electromagnetic valve is provided when the dental cup is present. A device has been proposed in which the water supply is started with the container opened (see JP-A-2-4361). However, in this apparatus, the optical sensor for determining the presence of the dental cup on the cup table is installed in the above-described conventional apparatus in which the cup table can be displaced up and down by a load by supporting the cup table with a spring. Therefore, water supply can be started even if a very light paper-made dental cup or the like is placed on the cup holder, but a very light paper-made dental cup or the like is used for the cup holder. However, since it is unstable even when it is placed on the dental cup, there is a drawback that it is more unstable to be displaced up and down as the weight of water in the dental cup increases during water supply, and it is impossible to supply water stably.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, so that even if the weight of the dental cup itself changes, it can be adjusted and used with a very simple operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic water supply device for a dental cup, which does not have a mechanical movable part in a device that detects the amount of water and emits a valve opening / closing signal and does not easily cause a failure.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems The inventors of the present invention have conducted intensive studies in order to solve such problems, and as a result, dental cups made of paper or the like are extremely lightweight, and therefore are unstable even when placed on a cup table. Therefore, without displacing the cup table up and down, it is stable if the amount of water supplied to the dental cup placed on the cup table is detected and the opening and closing of the solenoid valve or electric valve installed in the water supply pipe is controlled Not only can water be supplied in a controlled manner, but also because there are no mechanical moving parts and failures are unlikely to occur ,
The weight is measured with a pressure-sensitive transducer as described below.
The outer surface side is non-conductive and the inner surface side is provided with a conductor on a fixed base placed at the bottom of the cup table of a suitable weight.
Almost spherical fine conductive material is placed between
A pressure-sensitive conversion element is installed and a resistance value corresponding to the weight acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element is detected as a voltage signal via a current-voltage conversion circuit, and this voltage signal value is used as a reference corresponding to a predetermined weight. If the opening and closing of the solenoid valve or the electric valve is controlled in comparison with the voltage signal value, the correction when the weight of the dental cup itself changes without installing an expensive amplifier circuit is performed by changing the setting of the reference signal value. The signal from the water supply actuation means, which can be easily performed, is less likely to fail because there is no mechanical moving part, and further automatically or manually issues a signal when the dental cup is placed on the cup stand. If the solenoid valve or the motor-operated valve is opened when the voltage signal value obtained from the current-voltage conversion circuit is less than the reference voltage signal value, automatic water supply to the dental cup is possible. That Akira to, is to have completed the present invention which solves the above-mentioned problems.

Hereinafter, the apparatus for automatically supplying water to a dental cup according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of a main part of an embodiment of an automatic water supply device for a dental cup according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control-related circuit in the present invention device, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the force to be applied and the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element corresponding to this force. FIG. 4 shows the output voltage converted by the pressure-sensitive conversion element, the weight of the dental cup, and the weight of water in the dental cup. shows the relationship, FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention device.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the apparatus of the present invention includes a cup holder 1, a water supply pipe 2 for supplying water to a dental cup 11 placed on the cup holder 1, and a water supply start / stop. The provision of the solenoid valve or the motor-operated valve 3 for stopping is not different from the prior art. As a feature of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, as a mechanism for detecting the amount of water in the dental cup 11 and opening and closing the electromagnetic valve or the electric valve 3, the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 and the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 are adjusted. The point is that a current-voltage conversion circuit 5, which is obtained as an output voltage, a water amount setting device 6, a water supply operating means 7, and a controller 8 are provided. Less than,
These components will be described sequentially.

The pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is a resistance-change type pressure sensor in which a substantially spherical fine conductive material is disposed between films having a non-conductive outer surface and a conductive material provided on the inner surface, for example, those from Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co., sold under the name "FSR pressure-sensitive sensor", the inner surface of the deformation to the film so as to substantially spherical fine conductive material when force for work is increased crushed the contact area between the conductors is increased indicates a characteristic that the resistance value decreases, as shown in FIG. 3
Logarithmic graph for very small force of 30g or more
Above, the resistance value and the force have a linear relationship . Such a pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is installed on a fixed base 9 arranged below the cup table 1, and a resistance value that changes in response to a change in a force acting on the cup table 1 is represented by an electric signal. The current-voltage conversion circuit 5 for converting the pressure-sensitive
Is connected. Here, since the force of the sum of the weight of the cup holder 1, the weight of the dental cup 11, and the weight of the water in the dental cup 11 acts on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4, as shown in FIG. Installed in a state where upward displacement is prevented
When the cup holder 1 consisting of only the holder 1b on which the dental cup 11 is placed on the upper surface is held by the holding frame 10, the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 comes into close contact with the lower surface of the cup holder 1. It states it is has been installed. That is, in the embodiment shows <br/> 5, the pressure sensitive transducer 4 is attached on the fixed base 9, undergo Richikara by the lower surface of the co-up table 1 mounting portion 1b.

The current-voltage conversion circuit 5 includes a pressure-sensitive conversion element 4
The resistance value which changes according to the change in the force received from the lower surface of the cup table 1 is converted into a voltage signal, and the converted voltage signal is connected to the controller 8. The resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is determined by the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 as shown in FIG.
Since it has characteristics, it can be converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 into a voltage signal value that is directly proportional to the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 as shown in FIG. 4, for example. Further, as described above, the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is provided with a current-voltage conversion circuit for obtaining a force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 as a change in a voltage signal value in accordance with a change in the force. 5, all the forces acting on the pressure-sensitive transducer 4 (in the illustrated embodiment, the weight of the cup holder 1, the weight of the dental cup 11, and the water in the dental cup 11). The voltage signal value obtained according to the weight varies depending on the material of the dental cup 11 and the amount of water in the dental cup 11, but as described later, water is supplied into the dental cup 11 by adjusting the zero point. It is possible to measure only the weight of the water that has fallen.

The water amount setting device 6 includes a reference signal value generator 6b capable of setting and changing a reference signal value to be compared with a voltage signal value obtained from a current-voltage conversion circuit 5 to which the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is connected. The water amount setting dial 6a and the reference signal value generator 6b which are convenient for the setting operation as shown in FIG.
Are connected to the controller 8.

The water supply actuating means 7 is for inputting a signal to start water supply to the controller 8 when the dental cup 11 is placed on the cup table 1, and the operator manually operates the push button switch, for example. The signal may be input to the controller 8 by pressing. However, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are installed on one side of the cup table 1 in an integrated state. , Dental cup 11 on the cup table 1
If light is present, the light from the light projecting unit is reflected and reaches the light receiving unit, whereby the optical sensor detector 7a that identifies the presence or absence of the dental cup 11 and emits a signal is preferable. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.

The controller 8 compares the voltage signal value obtained by converting the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 with a predetermined reference voltage signal value transmitted from the water amount setting device 6. When the former is less than the latter, a circuit is provided which receives a signal from the water supply operating means 7 and issues a command signal for opening the solenoid valve or the electric valve 3.

One example of a circuit in the controller 8 is a current-voltage conversion circuit, as shown in FIG. 2, in which the reference signal value from the reference signal value generator 6b of the water volume setting device 6 and the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 are used. A comparison circuit 8a to which the voltage signal value converted by 5 is input;
It mainly comprises an AND circuit 8b to which an electric signal is input from the comparison circuit 8a and the water supply operation means 7, and a drive circuit 8c for an electromagnetic valve or an electric valve to which an electric signal is input from the AND circuit 8b. Details will be described together with the following operation. As a specific device, a current-voltage conversion circuit 5, a reference signal value generator 6b, and the like are housed as control-related circuits as shown in FIG. 2 inside a box in which the controller 8 is housed. A power switch, a water amount setting dial 6a, and the like are attached for convenient operation.

First, a case where a dental cup 11 having a constant weight is used in the device of the present invention will be described. When the force on the pressure sensitive transducer 4 is applied, in response to the resistance value of the pressure sensitive transducer 4 current - although Voltage Voltage signal value converted by the conversion circuit 5 is obtained, in this and can sense pressure transducer 4 The acting force is very small (less than 30g as shown in Fig. 3)
In this case, the change in the resistance value becomes very large with respect to the change in the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4, so that the change in the resistance value rapidly changes with respect to the change in the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4. lest, keep the size rather set <br/> constant than 3 0 g weight cup table 1.

The magnitude of the voltage signal value converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 is determined by the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 as shown in FIG. It is directly proportional to the weight (usually the weight of the dental cup 11 and the weight of water in the dental cup 11). What usually changes the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 when used is the dental cup 11 and the water in the dental cup 11. Accordingly, when the dental cup 11 is not present on the cup table 1, the current-
The voltage signal value converted by the voltage conversion circuit 5 is set to 0 [vol
t], the dental cup 11 is placed on the cup table 1, and the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 corresponding to the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 when water is poured into the cup 11 to change the weight.
The relationship between the voltage signal value V ₂ [volt] converted by the above and the sum of the weight of the dental cup 11 and the weight of water in the dental cup 11 is at least from the paper cup to the metal cup as shown in FIG. Weight range when using dental cups 11
50-200 g is sufficiently linear.

When the weight w ₁ of the dental cup 11 is constant and the appropriate weight of the water to be injected into the dental cup 11 is w ₂ , the weight (w ₁ + w ₂ ) is placed on the placing portion 1b of the cup placing table 1. The amount of water is set such that a reference voltage signal value A [volt] equal to the voltage signal value A [volt] converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 corresponding to the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 when mounted is generated. Vessel 6
And preferably converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 corresponding to the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 when a heavy object is not placed on the placing portion 1b of the cup placing table 1. The lower limit voltage signal value equal to the voltage signal value is set in the water amount setting device 6 in advance. When all the devices are operated in such a state, as shown in FIG. 2, the voltage signal value V ₂ obtained from the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 to which the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 is connected.
[Volt] is input to the comparison circuit 8a. The reference voltage signal value A set by the water amount setting dial 6a of the water amount setting device 6 and generated by the reference signal value generator 6b is also input to the comparison circuit 8a. The signal values of both of them is compared with current - if and lower voltage signal value is set when the voltage signal value V ₂ obtained from the voltage conversion circuit 5 is less than the reference voltage signal value A of the lower A signal of "H" is input to the AND circuit 8b from the comparison circuit 8a when the signal is higher than the voltage signal value, and a signal of "L" is output when the signal is equal to or higher than the reference voltage signal value A.

On the other hand, a signal for starting water supply when the dental cup 11 is placed on the cup holder 1 from the water supply operation means 7, that is, the operator manually operates, for example, a push button by pressing the switch, current - until the signal from the comparator circuit 8a is a voltage signal value V ₂ obtained from the voltage conversion circuit 5 becomes higher than the reference voltage signal value a "L" is input to the aND circuit 8b "H Signal or an optical sensor detector as in the embodiment shown in FIG.
In the case of 7a, when the dental cup 11 is not placed on the placing portion 1b of the cup placing table 1, a signal of "L" is placed as the cup absence signal and the dental cup 11 is placed. In this case, the signal of “H” is input as the glass presence signal. Only when both of the two signals (the signal from the comparison circuit 8a and the signal from the water supply operation means 7) input to the AND circuit 8b are "H", the signal is input from the AND circuit 8b to the drive circuit 8c of the solenoid valve or the electric valve. The signal to be output becomes "H" and the electromagnetic valve or the electric valve 3 is opened, and in other cases it becomes "L" and the electromagnetic valve or the electric valve 3 is closed.

Therefore, when the dental cup 11 that is empty or contains less water than the weight w ₂ is placed on the cup stand 1, the water supply is started by the operator manually pressing, for example, a push button switch. When the H "signal is input to the AND circuit 8b, the control-related circuit operates manually as described above, and automatically when the water supply operation means 7 is the optical sensor detector 7a. electric valve 3 is unplugging water is water in the dental cup 11, the water supply of water by weight in the dental cup 11 is an electromagnetic valve or motor operated valve 3 is plugging upon reaching w ₂ is stopped. Therefore, a certain amount of water is always contained in the dental cup 11. The above operation indicates that water is not supplied when the dental cup 11 is not placed on the cup stand 1.

Next, 'will be described. When used in replacement to those, on cup table 1 (w _1' dental cup 11 weight different w ₁ and w ₁ placing the weight of + w ₂₎ The water volume setting unit 6 is set so that the same reference signal value as the signal obtained from the voltage signal value converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit 5 corresponding to the resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element 4 when placed is generated. You just need to do it again. Specifically, this operation is performed by previously setting the water amount setting dial 6a of the water amount setting device 6 to a position where the water supply in the dental cup 11 is registered so as to stop the water supply when the water amount is zero or a little.
Turn the water setting dial 6a so as to gradually increase the water supply after placing it on the cup rest 1, and stop the adjustment operation when the appropriate amount is reached. 11 can also be set immediately .

[0022]

[Effects of the Invention] The automatic water supply device for a dental cup according to the present invention described in detail above is provided with a special pressure-sensitive conversion element at the lower part of the cup stand and changes in the force acting on the pressure-sensitive conversion element. Water supply and stop are performed by controlling the amount of water in the dental cup by comparing the changing resistance value with the voltage signal value converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit and the reference signal value whose setting can be changed. since the vertical movement of the cup without and shaking nor can feedwater without a stable state that dental cup to fall, further machine the pressure sensitive transducer installed in order to detect the amount of water in the dental cup Since there is no movable part, failure is unlikely to occur.

The cup table for applying a force to the pressure-sensitive conversion element is installed in a state where lateral and upward displacements are prevented.
And the weight is set more than 30g
Thus, the sum of the weights of the cup holder, the dental cup, and the water in the dental cup can be made to accurately act on the pressure-sensitive conversion element, and more accurate water supply can be performed. In addition, if the operation to start water supply is configured to be possible only when a dental cup is present on the cup table by the optical sensor detector, weight and dental cups can be simply placed by placing the dental cup on the cup table. Water supply can be started regardless of the type of water supply.

As described above, the apparatus for supplying water to a dental cup according to the present invention is extremely simple in that the reference signal value can be changed regardless of the weight of, for example, a metal dental cup or a paper dental cup. The adjustment of the device is completed by simple operation, so that the dental cup can be easily changed and the occurrence of failure is small,
The ability to use paper dental cups greatly contributes to the prevention of hospital-acquired infections such as AIDS and hepatitis B in dental clinics, and is a very significant contribution to the dental field.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of a main part of one embodiment of an automatic water supply apparatus for a dental cup according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control-related circuit in the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between a force acting on a pressure-sensitive conversion element and a resistance value of the pressure-sensitive conversion element corresponding to the force.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between an output voltage converted by a pressure-sensitive conversion element, the weight of a dental cup, and the weight of water in the dental cup.

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional explanatory view showing one embodiment of the device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cup stand 1b Placement part 2 Water supply pipe 3 Solenoid valve or motor-operated valve 4 Pressure-sensitive conversion element 5 Current-voltage conversion circuit 6 Water quantity setting device 7 Water supply operation means 7a Optical sensor detector 8 Controller 8a Comparison circuit 8b AND circuit 8c Driving circuit for solenoid valve or electric valve 9 Fixed base 10 Holding frame 11 Dental cup

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] An electromagnetic valve or a motor-operated valve (3) installed in a water supply pipe (2) is detected by detecting an amount of water supplied into a dental cup (11) mounted on a cup holder (1). An automatic water supply device for a dental cup that opens and closes and automatically supplies a predetermined amount of water into a dental cup (11), the weight of which is greater than 30 g.
Is installed in a state where the displacement to the side and upward is prevented.
Fixed base which is disposed below the cup base (1) which are
(9) The outer surface which is installed on the outer surface and whose resistance value changes in accordance with the change in the total weight of the weight of the dental cup (11) and the weight of water in the dental cup (11) is a non-conductive inner surface. Conductor on the side
Almost spherical fine conductive material is placed between the provided films.
A pressure-sensitive transducer that is location (4), the pressure sensitive transducer
Current-voltage conversion circuit that converts the resistance value of (4) to a voltage signal
(5), a water amount setting device (6) mainly including a reference signal value generator (6b) capable of setting and changing a reference voltage signal value to be compared with the voltage signal value, and a dental device on a cup table (1). Water supply operation means (7) for automatically or manually generating a signal when the cup (11) is placed, a voltage signal value obtained from the current-voltage conversion circuit (5) and the water amount setting device ( The reference voltage signal value from 6) is input and the two values are compared. When the former is less than the latter value, the solenoid valve or electric valve (3) is opened by receiving the signal from the water supply actuating means (7). Controller to make state (8)
An automatic water supply device for a dental cup, wherein 2. A water supply actuating means (7) in claim 1 is an optical sensor detector emits a detection to signal the presence or absence of dental cup on the cup base (1) (11) (7a) Automatic watering device for dental cups as described.