JP7019131B2 - A dental instrument with a built-in camera unit and a method for manufacturing a camera unit to be built in the dental instrument. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a dental instrument having a built-in camera unit and a method of manufacturing a camera unit to be built into the dental instrument. The present invention relates to a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit that also supports sterility and disinfection of the camera unit, and a simple method for manufacturing the camera unit built into the dental instrument.

In dental instruments such as dental handpieces and dental syringes, after treatment and treatment of the affected area such as the dentition in the oral cavity of the patient, the dental instrument is prepared for further reuse. It is required to perform autoclave, chemi-clave, etc. on the main body from the viewpoint of ensuring cleanliness and safety.

For this reason, most dental instruments are configured to be sterilized and disinfected (autoclave resistant, chemiclav resistant).
On the other hand, in recent years, when performing treatment, treatment, etc. of the affected area, in order to visually confirm the image of the affected area and its surrounding area, the affected area is imaged in the vicinity of the head portion of the dental instrument body. A dental instrument with a built-in camera unit with a built-in small camera has also been proposed and put into practical use.

In the case of such a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit, special consideration is required for the built-in camera unit to be sterilized and disinfected.

For example, when autoclaving (high pressure steam sterilization), the dental instrument body is not only exposed to a high temperature atmosphere such as 135 degrees Celsius, but also the high temperature steam to the camera unit placed inside the dental instrument body. Invasion is a concern.

Patent Document 1 and FIG. 10 show, as a technique related to the present invention, a first lens as an optical window arranged at the forefront of an objective lens group and arranged so as to form the surface of the front end surface of an endoscope. An objective lens group that forms an image of a subject image, a CCD that captures the imaged subject image, a substrate on which electronic components such as capacitors and ICs that process electrical signals related to the CCD are mounted, and the objective lens group. A metal lens frame which is an airtight partition member for holding the lens frame, a metal CCD frame which is an airtight partition member for holding the CCD fitted to the base end portion of the lens frame, and a base end of the CCD frame. For an endoscope mainly composed of a provided hermetic connector, a metal airtight holding pipe fitted and arranged across the lens frame and the CCD frame, and a CCD cable connected to the hermetic connector. The imaging unit of is disclosed.

In the hermetic connector, a metal contact pin is arranged in a through hole formed in a metal connector body, and an insulating airtight sealing agent made of molten glass, which is one of the airtight joining means, is applied to the through hole. The pouring and contact pins are insulated from the connector body.

Further, the first lens is bonded to the lens frame by molten glass, which is one of the airtight bonding means.
However, in the case of the image pickup unit of Patent Document 1, the gap generated between the CCD frame and the connector main body is welded and sealed by laser light irradiation, and the airtight holding pipe and the CCD frame are sealed. The abutting portion and the overlapping portion between the airtight holding pipe and the lens frame also have a complicated structure of being welded and sealed by laser beam irradiation, and the gap portion generated in the image pickup unit is sealed only with molten glass. It's not a thing.

That is, the camera unit, which is an imaging means, is built into the main body of the sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument, and the built-in camera unit is also sterilization / disinfection-compatible, that is, the entire dental instrument. At present, there are no dental instruments with a built-in camera unit that can be sterilized and disinfected.

In particular, there is currently no dental instrument with a built-in camera unit that can prevent the intrusion of high-pressure steam generated during high-temperature steam sterilization into the camera unit.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-107120 (Fig. 10, etc.)

The problems to be solved by the present invention are that sterilization after treatment of the affected area, cleanliness and safety of the entire dental instrument body after disinfection can be sufficiently ensured, and high temperature is obtained. The point is that there is no dental instrument with a built-in camera unit equipped with a camera unit that can prevent the intrusion of high-pressure steam generated during steam sterilization based on a simple configuration.

The present invention is a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit having a camera unit having an imaging window in the vicinity of the head portion of a sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument body, and the camera unit is used for imaging. A lens that also serves as a window and an image pickup element held by a built-in holding substrate are provided, and the image pickup signal from the image pickup element can be output to the outside of the camera unit via a heat-resistant cable, so that the lens that also serves as the image pickup window is cured. The camera unit of the heat-resistant cable is formed by a member, and the gap between the lens and the camera unit, which also serves as the image pickup window, is airtightly sealed by the curing member, and the lens and the image pickup element are integrated. The gap portion in the lead-out portion from the housing is sealed by the curing member, and the curing member is a fluid in the initial state and is subjected to at least a change of heat, light, ultraviolet rays, chemical reaction, or oxygen. The most important feature is that it is a member that is cured and solidified by the lens, has heat resistance at the autoclave sterilization temperature in the solid state, and transmits visible light .

According to the invention according to claim 1 , the camera unit includes a lens that also serves as an image pickup window and an image pickup element held by a built-in holding substrate, and an image pickup signal by the image pickup element is transmitted to the camera via a heat-resistant cable. A lens that can be output to the outside of the unit and also serves as an imaging window is formed by a curing member, and the gap between the lens that also serves as an imaging window and the camera unit is airtightly sealed by the curing member, and the lens and the lens are used. The image pickup element is integrated, and the gap portion in the lead-out portion of the heat-resistant cable from the housing of the camera unit is sealed by the curing member. The curing member is a fluid in the initial state. Adopting a member that cures and solidifies by applying at least any change of heat, light, ultraviolet rays, chemical reaction, or oxygen, has heat resistance at the autoclave sterilization temperature in the solid state, and transmits visible light. Therefore, the lens and the image pickup element can be integrated and airtightly sealed to the housing of the camera unit, and the curing member has both a lens function and an airtight seal. It is possible to provide a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit.

Further, according to the first aspect of the present invention, due to the sealing function of the cured member, high-temperature steam generated by performing a high-pressure steam sterilization operation such as an autoclave may invade the image sensor constituting the camera unit. Therefore, there is no problem that the image sensor or the like is deteriorated or short-circuited.

Further, since it is not necessary to use an adhesive in the optical path in the camera unit, it is not easily affected by expansion and contraction due to high-pressure steam sterilization, and airtight sealing property is maintained.

Further, since the lens formed by the cured member has high light transparency and the cured member has good fluidity, it is possible to fill even the details of the gap and securely airtightly seal the lens.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the holding substrate is formed of a flat plate or a mesh-shaped plate, and is provided with a through hole or a mesh hole for venting air when the cured member is cured. It is possible to provide a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit equipped with a high-performance lens that eliminates air pools.

According to the invention of claim 3 , by using the cured member as molten glass in the invention of any one of claims 1 and 2 , the molten glass has excellent flexibility, durability, heat resistance, and thermosetting. It is possible to provide a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit that achieves any of the effects according to claims 1 to 4 by utilizing each characteristic of sex.

According to the invention of claim 4 , it is possible to provide a dental handpiece with a built-in camera unit, which is another example of a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit, which has the effect of any one of claims 1 to 3 .

According to the invention of claim 5 , it is possible to provide a dental syringe with a built-in camera unit, which is another example of a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit, which has the effect of any one of claims 1 to 3 .

According to the invention of claim 6 , it is possible to provide a dental scaler with a built-in camera unit, which is still another example of the dental instrument with a built-in camera unit, which has the effect according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . ..

According to the invention according to claim 7 , a step of putting a cured member before curing into a mold having a molded surface for a lens, and holding an image pickup element in the cured member before curing in the mold to provide an air flow section. A pre-cured lens that also serves as an image pickup window is embedded in one end of a housing that constitutes a camera unit that has a holding substrate to which a heat-resistant cable for an image pickup element is connected and arranged. The inner wall of the housing and the holding substrate are formed by the process of forming and covering the outer periphery of one end of the housing with the outer peripheral portion of the lens and a part of the curing member before curing that penetrates into the image pickup element side from the inside of one end of the housing. The step of filling one side of the image pickup element side, the area imaged by the image pickup element, and the air suction force acting on the cured member before curing from the other end side of the housing through the air flow portion. The curing member is cured, and the air generated during curing is released from the air flow portion and then released from the mold, and the heat-resistant cable is cured in the gap portion in the lead-out portion from the other end of the housing of the camera unit. One end of the housing is hermetically sealed by a series of simple steps including a step of adhering and curing the previous cured member to hermetically seal the gap with the cured member, and an imaging window is attached to this one end. A dentistry that can obtain a sterilization / disinfection-compatible camera unit by having a lens integrated with the image pickup element and airtightly sealing the gap at the other end of the housing. It is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a camera unit to be built in an instrument for use.

According to the invention of claim 8 , the hardening member is hardened so that the air flow portion is formed by the through hole provided in the holding substrate or the mesh hole of the mesh-shaped plate which is the holding substrate. It is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a camera unit to be built in a dental instrument, which has the same effect as that of the invention according to claim 7 , while eliminating an air pool that tends to occur at times.

According to the invention according to claim 9 , in the invention according to any one of claims 8 or 9, the cured member is made of molten glass, so that the molten glass has excellent flexibility, durability, and heat resistance. It is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a camera unit to be incorporated in a dental instrument having a built-in camera unit, which has the effect of any one of claims 7 or 8 by utilizing each property having heat curability and high light transmission. ..

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of a dental handpiece with a built-in camera unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial notch schematic explanatory view showing that the coupling portion on the dental hose portion side is removable from the coupling portion on the grip portion side in the dental handpiece with a built-in camera unit according to the first embodiment. be. FIG. 3 is a structural explanatory view in which the coupling portion on the grip portion side and the coupling portion on the dental hose portion side in the camera unit built-in hand bead according to the first embodiment are separated. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a handpiece main body constituting the camera unit built-in dental handpiece according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a side view seen from the rear end side of the handpiece main body constituting the dental handpiece with a built-in camera unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom view of a head portion of a handpiece main body constituting the camera unit built-in dental handpiece according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. FIG. 9 is an enlarged front view of the camera unit and the air guide constituting the camera unit built-in dental handpiece according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a camera unit and an air guide constituting the camera unit built-in dental handpiece according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is an enlarged end view of the camera unit and the air guide constituting the camera unit built-in dental handpiece according to the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view of the camera unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the camera unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the structure of a modified example of the holding substrate and the like in the camera unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 15 is a schematic explanatory view showing a form in which a holding substrate or the like of a modified example of the camera unit according to the first embodiment is viewed from the other end side of the housing. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a screen display example of an image of an affected portion captured by the camera unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 17 is a schematic front view showing a dental syringe with a built-in camera unit, which is another example of the dental instrument with a built-in camera unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 18 is a schematic front view showing a dental scaler with a built-in camera unit, which is still another example of the dental instrument with a built-in camera unit according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a process explanatory view showing a manufacturing process of a camera unit incorporated in the dental instrument according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a camera unit manufactured by the manufacturing process shown in FIG.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can sufficiently ensure the cleanliness and safety of the entire dental instrument body after sterilization after treatment of the affected area and disinfection, and occurs when high-temperature steam sterilization is performed. The purpose of providing a dental instrument with a built-in camera unit equipped with a camera unit that can protect against the invasion of high-pressure steam based on a simple configuration is to provide a sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument body head. A dental instrument with a built-in camera unit that has a camera unit with an image pickup window in the vicinity. The camera unit includes at least a lens and an image pickup element capable of outputting an image pickup signal to the outside of the camera unit. In order to seal the inside of the camera unit, the heat resistance is connected between the outer peripheral portion of the image pickup window, which is a gap generated in the camera unit, and the housing of the camera unit, and to the image pickup element. This was realized by a configuration in which the gap generated in the lead-out portion of the camera unit from the housing of the sex cable is sealed with molten glass, which is a hardening member.

The dental instrument with a built-in camera unit according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The dental instrument with a built-in camera unit of the first embodiment is a kind of dental instrument, for example, a dental handpiece with a built-in camera unit and a built-in camera unit in an air turbine-driven dental handpiece. It was done.

The dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit and a partially modified example thereof according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 16.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit of the first embodiment has a head portion 3 on the tip side to which a cutting tool 4 for treating the affected portion P shown in FIG. 1 is detachably attached. A handpiece body as a dental instrument body that consists of a grip part 6 with a coupling part 10a inside the rear end side and is configured for sterilization and disinfection (autoclave resistance, chemiclave resistance). 2 and a dental hose portion 11 provided with a detachable coupling portion 10b to the coupling portion 10a of the grip portion 6.

As shown in FIG. 8, the grip portion 6 of the handpiece main body 2 is provided with a camera main body accommodating hole 5 in the vicinity of the head portion 3, and a part of the outer peripheral portion of the grip portion 6, for example, the grip portion. A storage protrusion 7 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped storage region having a constant volume is integrally projected on the outer peripheral portion on the rear end side of 6.

As shown in FIG. 5, the accommodating protrusion 7 is tilted to the left by a predetermined angle (for example, 40 to 50 degrees) with respect to the length direction of the grip portion 6 in the case of a right-handed specification when viewed from the rear of the grip portion 6. It is arranged in a different manner.

Further, in the case of the left-handed specification, although not shown, the arrangement is tilted to the right by a predetermined angle (for example, 40 to 50 degrees) with respect to the length direction of the grip portion 6.

The coupling portion 10a (handpiece main body 2 side) and the coupling portion 10b (dental hose portion 11 side) constitute the coupling portion 10.

Then, in the dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit, the coupling portions 10a and 10b are rotatably and detachably coupled in a coaxial arrangement by bearing coupling as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. It is configured as follows.

The dental hose portion 11 includes a connecting hose 12 connected to a dental treatment unit (not shown).

In the connection hose 12, an air pipe 13 constituting an air flow path system for guiding compressed air supplied from a dental treatment unit (not shown), a water pipe 14 constituting a water flow path system for guiding pressurized water, and a light emitting element drive The electric cable 15 of the above is installed.

Then, although the detailed structure is omitted in the grip portion 6 including the dental hose portion 11, the coupling portion 10a, and the head portion 3, the inside of the head portion 3 of the handpiece main body 2 via the dental hose portion 11 The air flow path system 21 shown in FIG. 8 for guiding the air flow for the air turbine to be pumped and the compressed air for the air flow injected from the head portion 3 toward the cutting tool 4 is provided.

Further, the water flow path system 22 shown in FIG. 8 is provided to guide the pressurized water for water flow that is pressure-fed to the head portion 3 of the handpiece main body 2 via the dental hose portion 11 and sprayed from the head portion 3 toward the cutting tool 4. There is.

The details of the air flow path to the air turbine 8 for rotating the cutting tool 4 mounted on the head portion 3 and the water flow path in the head portion 3 will be omitted.

In the grip portion 6, a light source portion 16 composed of, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) element for lighting (for example, one having a drive voltage of DC 3.3 V) or the like is arranged, and the head portion 3 in the grip portion 6 is arranged. The rod fiber 17 is arranged so that one end is exposed at a nearby position and the other end faces the vicinity of the light source unit 16, and the light emitted by the light source unit 16 is guided through the rod fiber 17 to guide the light emitted by the light source unit 16 to the one end. Is configured to be emitted as illumination light to the region of the target portion (affected portion P) by the cutting tool 4.

The outer periphery of the camera body 32 described in detail below from the camera body accommodating hole 5 in the handpiece body 2 through the grip 6 to the accommodating protrusion 7, and the sleeve (housing) 35 constituting the camera body 32. The air guide 51 shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the heat-resistant cable 33, and the waterproof connector (female) 34 are arranged.

Here, the camera unit 31 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 13.

Each component of the camera unit 31 is made of a heat-resistant material, and includes a camera body 32, a heat-resistant cable 33, and a waterproof connector (female) 34 having a waterproof structure arranged in the accommodating protrusion 7. ing.

The camera body 32 is formed of a sleeve 35 having a cylindrical shape and made of stainless steel or a heat-resistant resin (135 degrees Celsius or higher), and a disc-shaped transparent multi-component glass, quartz glass or the like, and one end side of the sleeve. A transparent body 36 for image pickup, which constitutes an image pickup window in which light for photographing the affected part, its surrounding area, and the like is incident in the vicinity of the end face of the head portion, and next to the transparent body for image pickup 36 in the sleeve 35. A lens 38 composed of a disc-shaped aperture body 37 having an aperture function and a glass aspherical lens or the like arranged next to the aperture body 37 in the sleeve 35 in the shape of a disk made of metal, stainless steel, aluminum, etc. And, in the sleeve 35, the image pickup surface is supported toward the image pickup transparent body 36 side by the holding substrate 39 provided with the through hole 39b for air bleeding, which is the image pickup element support arranged next to the lens 38. An image sensor (color image sensor) 40 composed of CMOS (CMOS: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), CCD (Charge Coupled Device), etc., and a disk-shaped lens made of metal, stainless steel, aluminum, etc., in addition to the sleeve 35. It has an end plate 41 arranged on the end side, and a heat-resistant cable 33 that penetrates the end plate 41 and the holding substrate 39 and connects one end side to the image pickup element 40.

The heat-resistant cable 33 is made of a Teflon (registered trademark) coated electric wire or the like, and the other end side is connected to a waterproof connector (female) 34 arranged in the accommodating protrusion 7. As shown in FIG. 1, a connector (male) 43 provided with an image pickup signal output cable 44 is detachably attached to the waterproof connector (female) 34.

Examples of the heat-resistant resin include PTFE (ethylene tetrafluoride), POM (polyacetal), PEEK (polyetherketone: super engineering plastic), PEI (polyetherimide) and the like.

In order to further seal the inside of the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31, as shown in FIG. 13, a gap portion between the sleeve 35 and the image pickup transparent body 36 constituting the image pickup window, and a gap portion, and an image pickup transparent body 36 constituting the image pickup window are further formed. In the heat-resistant cable 33 connected to the image pickup element 40, the gap portion generated in the lead-out portion from the sleeve 35 is sealed with molten glass 42a and 42b which are hardened members.

Here, the hardening member constituting the molten glass 42a and 42b will be described in detail.

As the curing member constituting the molten glass 42a and 42b, a molten glass made of a heat-curable organic-inorganic hybrid glass having both flexibility of an organic material and durability of an inorganic material is mainly used.

That is, organic materials generally represented by plastics are light and have excellent workability and flexibility, but their heat resistance is inferior to that of inorganic materials. On the other hand, inorganic materials such as silica and glass are excellent in durability and heat resistance, but are heavy and vulnerable to impact, and the manufacturing cost is high.

In the first embodiment, molten glass made of organic-inorganic hybrid glass is adopted as the curing member.

Organic-inorganic hybrid glass is a material that incorporates the advantages of both organic and inorganic materials described above, and is composed of materials obtained by combining organic and inorganic components at the molecular and nano levels.

Since the organic-inorganic hybrid glass has a high light transmittance, it also has an advantage that the lens can be molded from the molten glass as described in Example 4 described later.

Further, the organic-inorganic hybrid glass has heat resistance even at an autoclave sterilization temperature (120 to 135 degrees).

Further, the organic-inorganic hybrid glass can be cured by applying or piling up the organic-inorganic hybrid glass, which is a fluid before curing, to a predetermined place at room temperature and heating the glass.

As an example of other molten glass, thermoplastic glass can be used. Thermoplastic glass heated at about 600 degrees may be applied or piled up in a softened and fluidized state, sealed, and cured at room temperature. In this case, the molten glass can have heat resistance in a solidified state even at an autoclave sterilization temperature (120 to 135 degrees).

Since these molten glasses have a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to that of the sleeve 35 made of stainless steel or heat-resistant resin constituting the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31, the sleeve 35 and the molten glass are repeatedly heated by an autoclave or the like even in a solidified state. There is no gap between them, and it is completely sealed to prevent water vapor from entering the inside of the camera unit 31.

Further, as a conceivable material other than the above-mentioned molten glass, a thermosetting all-fluorinated resin, a liquid thermosetting epoxy resin, and a thermosetting silicon resin can be considered. Further, these can have a high light transmittance as a transparent encapsulant by using a transparent material, and can withstand the autoclave sterilization temperature (120 to 135 degrees).

Other materials that can be used include solution-based resins that vaporize and cure solvents by heat (temperature), anaerobic resins that cure by blocking oxygen (air), and chemical reactions such as polymerization and curing agents. Examples thereof include an epoxy resin, a transparent epoxy resin, a urethane resin, a photo-curing resin that is cured by a change in light or ultraviolet rays, and an ultraviolet-curing tree that are cured by causing a chemical change by mixing two liquids. Further, it is desirable that the material of the sleeve 35 constituting the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31 is similar to the material of the coefficient of thermal expansion.

In the first embodiment, the gap generated in the outer peripheral portion of the sleeve 35 and the transparent body 36 for imaging is sealed with the hardened molten glass 42a, and the outer peripheral portion of the sleeve 35 and the end plate 41 is sealed. The gap between them and the gap generated in the penetrating portion of the end plate 41 of the heat-resistant cable 33 are sealed with a molten glass 42b having a substantially conical shape.

Further, between the outer peripheral portion of the diaphragm 37 and the inner wall of the sleeve 35, between the outer peripheral portion of the lens 38 and the inner wall of the sleeve 35, the outer peripheral portion of the holding substrate 39 and the inner wall of the sleeve 35. In the same way as in the case described above, the structure may be such that the molten glass is tightly bonded.

A substantially cylindrical air guide 51 is attached to the outer periphery of the sleeve 35 on one end side.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the air guide 51 is made of stainless steel or a heat-resistant resin (135 degrees Celsius or higher), and includes a guide cylinder 52 formed in a substantially double cylindrical shape.

That is, the guide cylinder 52 constituting the air guide 51 has an inner cylinder portion 53 having an inner hole 53a in which the sleeve 35 is fitted in the central portion, and an inner cylinder portion 53 outside the inner cylinder portion 53 and inside the inner cylinder portion 53. The outer cylinder portion 54 is formed concentrically so as to have a certain gap between the inner cylinder portion 53 and the outer cylinder portion 54, and the end plate portion 52a is located between the upper ends of the inner cylinder portion 53 and the outer cylinder portion 54 in FIG. The air flow hole portion 55 is provided between the inner cylinder portion 53 and the outer cylinder portion 54 so as to be closed only on the lower end side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the air flow hole portion 55 is divided into, for example, four by four partition pieces 56 formed separately from the outer wall of the inner cylinder portion 53 and the inner wall of the outer cylinder portion 54. ing.

Further, one air branch line 57 branched from the air flow path system 21 is arranged so as to penetrate the end plate portion 52a, and the air flow path system 21, the air branch line 57, and the air flow hole 55 are arranged. The air is blown out below the air guide 51, whereby the air curtain effect is configured to prevent fogging of the image pickup surface of the image pickup transparent body 36.

The partition piece 56 is located from the open end of the air flow hole portion 55 to a position 5 to 10 mm below the lower surface of the end plate portion 52a facing the air flow hole portion 55, whereby one piece is formed. By simply supplying air from the air branch pipeline 57 into the air flow hole portion 55, it is possible to blow out air from each hole of the air flow hole portion 55 divided into four.

FIG. 16 shows an example in which the image of the affected area P captured by the camera unit built-in dental handpiece 1 according to the first embodiment is displayed on the screen of the display means 60, although the details are omitted.

According to the dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit of the first embodiment, the built-in camera unit 31 in addition to the sterility / disinfection-compatible handpiece main body 2 is also sterilized / disinfected with the molten glass 42a and 42b. Both of these can be integrated, and the cleanliness and safety of the entire handpiece body 2 after sterility and disinfection after treatment of the affected area P can be ensured, and further, the overall configuration can be simplified and handled. In addition to facilitation, the image of the affected area P can be visually confirmed by imaging the affected area P with the camera unit 31, improving the treatment operability on the practitioner side, treatment on the patient side, treatment, etc. It is possible to provide a dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit that can promote understanding of the contents.

In particular, since high-temperature steam generated by performing a high-pressure steam sterilization operation such as an autoclave does not enter the camera unit 31 built in the handpiece main body 2, the camera unit 31 is configured. There is no problem that electronic parts such as the image pickup device 40 are exposed to water vapor and deteriorate or short-circuit, and the adhesive provided in the optical path is not deteriorated and the field of view is not obstructed.

As a feature of the molten glasses 42a and 42b, since the linear expansion coefficient close to that of metal can be set, it is not easily affected by expansion and contraction due to repeated high-pressure steam sterilization, thereby maintaining the sealing property of the camera unit 31.

Further, according to the first embodiment, the camera unit 31 is configured to blow air from the air guide 51 to the lower side of the image pickup transparent body 36, that is, to the cutting tool 4 side. It is possible to provide a dental handpiece 1 with a built-in camera unit that can prevent fogging of the imaging surface of the imaging transparent body 36 by the air curtain effect when imaging the affected portion P and can obtain a high-quality image of the affected portion P.

FIG. 14 shows the structure of a mesh-shaped plate 39A (shown with a cross diagonal line in FIG. 15) having a mesh hole 39c, which is a modification of the holding substrate 39 in the camera unit 31 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 15 shows a form in which the mesh-shaped plate 39A and the like of the modified example are viewed from the other end side of the sleeve 35.

Even when the mesh-shaped plate 39A provided with such a mesh hole 39c is adopted, the same function as in the case of the holding substrate 39 can be exhibited.

Example 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the second embodiment, a camera unit 31 is built in, for example, a dental syringe (multi-way syringe) 71, which is another example of a sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument, based on the same configuration as described above. It is a dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit, which is schematically shown in FIG.
In the dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit shown in FIG. 17, the same elements as in the case of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the sterilization / disinfection-compatible syringe body 72 constituting the camera unit built-in dental syringe 71 has, as is known, a pressurized fluid (water or chemical solution) conduit and compressed air. It is equipped with a conduit and a control valve for controlling each of these conduits, and selectively injects a plurality of types of dental working fluids from the injection nozzle 73 onto the affected area P according to the dental procedure to treat the affected area P. The camera unit 31 is configured to be able to capture an image of the affected area P and its surrounding area.

Further, in the case of the first embodiment, the accommodating protrusion 74 similar to the case of the first embodiment is integrally provided on a part of the outer periphery of the syringe main body 72, and the position near the attachment portion of the injection nozzle 73 in the syringe main body 72. Based on the same configuration as above, the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31 is arranged, the waterproof connector (female) 34 is arranged in the accommodating protrusion 74, and the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31 and the waterproof connector 34 are further arranged in the syringe body 72. A heat-resistant cable 33 for connecting to and is arranged.

The seal structure of the fixed connection portion between the camera body 32 and the syringe body 72 and the fixed connection portion between the accommodating protrusion 74 and the waterproof connector 34 in the dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The same is true.

Although not shown, the dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit of the second embodiment includes a connector (male) 43 and an image pickup signal output cable 44 similar to those of the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment, in addition to the syringe body 72, the camera unit 31 can be integrated with each other as a sterilization / disinfection-compatible (autoclave-resistant, chemic-clave-resistant) type, and the camera unit of the second embodiment is built-in. It is possible to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the syringe body 72 after sterilization and disinfection after treating the affected area P using the dental syringe 71, and further, the overall configuration is simplified and easy to handle. It is possible to provide a dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit that can realize this.

Further, when the treatment of the affected area P is performed by the dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit, the affected area P is imaged by the camera unit 31, as in the case of the first embodiment, the affected area P as shown in FIG. It is also possible to visually confirm the image of the eye, thereby improving the operability of the treatment on the practitioner's side, and visually confirming the blind spot area of each part in the oral cavity, such as the root canal opening, the medullary angle, the medullary floor, and the shadow of the tooth cavity. It is possible to provide a dental syringe 71 with a built-in camera unit, which can reduce the number of patients and promote understanding of the treatment content on the patient side.

Example 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In the third embodiment, a camera unit 31 is incorporated in a dental scaler, which is another example of a sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument, based on the same configuration as described above, and is schematically shown in FIG. It is the dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit shown.

In the dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit shown in FIG. 18, the same iodine as in the case of Example 1 is designated by the same reference numeral, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit is, for example, a sterilization / disinfection compatible type of an ultrasonic vibrator in which an ultrasonic vibration source (piezoelectric element) and a vibration transmission member (horn) are integrally formed, although detailed description thereof is omitted. The dental tip 83, which is placed on the scaler body 82 and effectively acts on the affected area P, is placed at the tip of the scaler body 82, and the dental tip 83 is driven by ultrasonic vibration to drive the dental surface and teeth in the oral cavity. In addition to performing scaling (calculus removal) under the dentin margin, the camera unit 31 is configured to be able to capture an image of the affected area P and its surrounding area.

Further, a storage protrusion 84 similar to that in the case of the first embodiment is integrally provided on a part of the outer periphery of the scaler main body 82, and the position in the vicinity of the attachment portion of the dental chip 83 on the scaler main body 82 is the same as that of the first embodiment. Based on the same configuration as in the case, the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31 is arranged, the waterproof connector (female) 34 is arranged in the accommodating protrusion 84, and the camera body 32 of the camera unit 31 and the waterproof connector are further arranged in the scaler body 82. A heat-resistant cable 33 for connecting to the 34 is arranged.

In the dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit of the third embodiment, the seal structures of the fixed connecting portion between the camera body 32 and the scaler main body 82 and the fixed connecting portion between the accommodating protrusion 84 and the waterproof connector 34 are the same as in the case of the first embodiment. The same is true.

Although not shown, the dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit of the third embodiment includes a connector (male) 43 and an image pickup signal output cable 44 similar to those of the first embodiment.

According to the third embodiment, in addition to the scaler main body 82, the camera unit 31 can be integrated with each other as a sterilization / disinfection-compatible (autoclave-resistant, chemic-clave-resistant) type, and the camera unit of the third embodiment is built-in. It is possible to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the scaler body 82 after sterilization and disinfection after treating the affected area P using the dental scaler 81, and further, the overall configuration is simplified and easy to handle. It is possible to provide a dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit that can realize this.

Further, when the treatment of the affected area P is performed by the dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit, the affected area P is imaged by the camera unit 31, as in the case of the second embodiment, the affected area P as shown in FIG. It is also possible to visually confirm the image of the eye, thereby improving the operability of the treatment on the practitioner's side, and visually confirming the blind spot area of each part in the oral cavity, such as the root canal opening, the medullary angle, the medullary floor, and the shadow of the tooth cavity. It is possible to provide a dental scaler 81 with a built-in camera unit, which can reduce the number of cases and promote understanding of the treatment content on the patient side.

Next, a method of manufacturing a camera unit incorporated in the dental instrument according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20.

The method for manufacturing a camera unit according to the fourth embodiment is for manufacturing a camera unit 31A having a configuration similar to that of the camera unit 31 of the first embodiment, and a series of steps will be described in detail below.

In the fourth embodiment, the same elements as those of the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 19A and 19B, the method for manufacturing the camera unit 31A according to the fourth embodiment has the characteristics as described in the first embodiment in the mold 91 having the molding surface 92 for the lens. The uncured molten glass 93a, which is a cured member, is put in, and then the image sensor 40 is held in the uncured molten glass 93a in the mold 91, and has a through hole 39b for air flow and is used for the image sensor 40. One end of the sleeve 35 containing the holding substrate 39 to which the heat-resistant cable 33 is connected and arranged is embedded.

As a result, a pre-cured lens 94a that also serves as an image pickup window is formed on one end side of the sleeve 35, the outer periphery of one end of the sleeve 35 is covered with the outer peripheral portion of the lens 94a, and the image pickup element is formed from the inside of one end of the sleeve 35. A part of the molten glass 93a before curing that penetrates into the 40 side fills the inner wall of the sleeve 35, one surface of the holding substrate 39 on the image pickup element 40 side, and the region imaged by the image pickup element 40.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 19 (c) and 19 (d), air is blown into the uncured molten glass 93a from the other end side of the sleeve 35 through the through hole 39b by using an air suction means (not shown). The molten glass 93a is cured to form a cured molten glass 93 while the air generated at the time of curing is released to the outside through the through hole 39b by applying a suction force, and then the molten glass 93 is released from the mold 91. Further, when the viscosity of the cured member before curing is small, the air suction means acts only on the embedding input when embedding one end of the sleeve 35 to allow the air generated during curing to pass through the through hole 39b. The molten glass 93a may be cured while allowing the molten glass 93a to escape to the outside.

Next, as shown in FIG. 19 (e), the end plate 41 is attached to the other end side of the sleeve 35, and the gap between the sleeve 35 and the outer peripheral portion of the end plate 41 and the said. Pre-cured molten glass, which is a curing member having the characteristics described in Example 1, is attached to the gap generated in the penetrating portion of the end plate 41 of the heat-resistant cable 33 so as to have a substantially conical shape and cured. Each of the gaps is sealed as molten glass 95.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 20, a lens 94 in which a gap at one end of the sleeve 35 is sealed and the one end is made of hardened molten glass 93 that also serves as an image pickup window and is integrated with the image pickup element 40. Further, the camera unit 31A shown in FIG. 20 can be obtained in which the gap at the other end of the sleeve 35 is also sealed.

According to the camera unit 31A shown in FIG. 20, the lens 94 is formed of molten glass 93, and the lens 94 and the image pickup element 40 can be integrated and hermetically sealed to the sleeve 35. , The molten glass 93 can have both a lens function and an airtight sealing function.

Further, according to the camera unit 31A, high-temperature steam generated by performing a high-pressure steam sterilization operation such as an autoclave does not invade the image pickup element 40 constituting the camera unit 31A, and the image pickup element 40 or the like deteriorates. There is no problem of short circuit or short circuit.

Further, since it is not necessary to use an adhesive in the optical path in the camera unit 31A, it is not easily affected by expansion and contraction due to high-pressure steam sterilization, and the airtight sealing property is maintained as in the case of Example 1. be.

In the fourth embodiment, the camera unit 31A is capable of exhibiting the same functions as described above even when the sleeve 35 using the mesh-shaped plate 39A is used instead of the holding substrate 39. Can be done.

According to the fourth embodiment described above, it is possible to provide the camera unit 31A having the same effect as the camera unit 31 described in the first embodiment.

In addition, a high-performance lens 94 that eliminates the air pool that tends to occur when the molten glass is cured is provided by a series of simple steps described above, and can be incorporated into a dental handpiece, a dental syringe, a dental scaler, or the like. The camera unit 31A compatible with sterilization and disinfection can be manufactured simply and inexpensively.

The present invention is widely applicable to various dental instruments such as air turbine handpieces, micromotor handpieces, laser handpieces, various syringes or various scalers, each of which has a built-in camera unit. Is.

1 Dental handpiece with built-in camera unit 2 Handpiece body 3 Head part 4 Cutting tool 5 Camera body accommodating hole 6 Grip part 7 Accommodating protrusion 8 Air turbine 10 Coupling 10a Coupling part 10b Coupling part 11 Dental hose part 12 Connection hose 13 Air pipe 14 Water pipe 15 Electric cable 16 Light source 17 Rod fiber 21 Air flow path system 22 Water flow path system 31 Camera unit 31A Camera unit 32 Camera body 33 Heat resistant cable 34 Waterproof connector (female)
35 sleeve (housing)
36 Transparent body for imaging 37 Aperture body 38 Lens 39 Holding substrate 39A Mesh-like plate 39b Through hole 39c Mesh hole 40 Imaging element 41 End plate 42a Molten glass 42b Molten glass 43 Connector (male)
44 Imaging signal output cable 51 Air guide 52 Guide tube 52a End plate 53 Inner tube 53a Inner hole 54 Outer tube 55 Air flow hole 56 Partition piece 57 Air branch line 60 Display means 71 Camera unit built-in dental syringe 72 Syringe body 73 Injection nozzle 74 Containment protrusion 81 Camera unit built-in dental scaler 82 Scaler body 83 Dental tip 84 Containment protrusion 91 type 92 Molded surface 93 Hardened molten glass 93a Pre-cured molten glass 94 Lens 94a Pre-cured lens 95 Hardened molten glass P affected area

Claims (9)

A dental instrument with a built-in camera unit that has a camera unit with an imaging window near the head of the sterilization / disinfection-compatible dental instrument body.
The camera unit includes a lens that also serves as an image pickup window and an image pickup element held by a built-in holding substrate, and can output an image pickup signal by the image pickup element to the outside of the camera unit via a heat-resistant cable.
The lens that also serves as the image pickup window is formed by a curing member, and the gap between the lens that also serves as the image pickup window and the camera unit is airtightly sealed by the hardening member, and the lens and the image pickup element are integrated.
The gap in the lead-out portion of the heat-resistant cable from the housing of the camera unit is sealed with the hardening member.
The cured member is a fluid in the initial state and is cured and solidified by subjecting at least any change of heat, light, ultraviolet rays, chemical reaction, or oxygen, and in the solid state, it has heat resistance at the autoclave sterilization temperature. A dental instrument with a built-in camera unit, which is characterized by being a member that transmits visible light. The dental instrument with a built-in camera unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding substrate is formed of a flat plate or a mesh-shaped plate, and is provided with a through hole or a mesh hole for venting air when the cured member is cured. The dental instrument with a built-in camera unit according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the cured member is molten glass. The dental instrument is a dental instrument having a built-in camera unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a dental handpiece. The dental instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dental instrument is a dental syringe and has a built-in camera unit. The dental instrument is a dental instrument having a built-in camera unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which is a dental scaler. The process of putting the cured member before curing into a mold with a molded surface for the lens,
One end of a housing constituting a camera unit having an image pickup element held in a hardened member in the mold before curing, having an air flow section, and having a holding substrate in which a heat-resistant cable for the image pickup element is connected and arranged. A step of embedding, forming a pre-cured lens that also serves as an image pickup window on one end side of the housing, and covering the outer periphery of one end of the housing with the outer peripheral portion of this lens.
A step of filling the inner wall of the housing, one surface of the holding substrate on the image sensor side, and a region imaged by the image sensor with a part of the cured member before curing that penetrates into the image sensor side from the inside of one end of the housing.
After applying an air suction force from the other end side of the housing through the air flow section to the hardened member before curing to harden the hardened member and let the air generated during curing escape from the air flow section. The process of mold release and
A step of adhering a cured member before curing to a gap in a gap portion of the heat-resistant cable led out from the other end of the housing of the camera unit and curing the heat-resistant cable, and airtightly sealing the gap with the cured member.
Including
The gap at one end of the housing is sealed, and the one end is provided with a lens made of a hardened hardened member that also serves as an image pickup window and integrated with the image sensor, and the gap at the other end of the housing is provided. It is characterized by obtaining a camera unit with a sealed part.
The cured member is a fluid in the initial state and has at least heat, light, ultraviolet rays, and a chemical reaction.
Built-in in dental instruments characterized by being a member that hardens and solidifies by subjecting any change in oxygen, has heat resistance at the autoclave sterilization temperature in the solid state, and transmits visible light. How to manufacture the camera unit. The dental instrument according to claim 7, wherein the air flow portion is formed by a through hole provided in the holding substrate or by a mesh hole of a mesh-shaped plate which is the holding substrate. How to manufacture the built-in camera unit. The method for manufacturing a camera unit to be built in a dental instrument according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the cured member is molten glass.

Images