JP7842439B2 - Instrument holder - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to an instrument holder for holding instruments used in dental treatment.

Traditionally, dental treatment equipment installed in dental clinics is equipped with instrument holders that hold the instruments. Generally, instrument holders hold instruments with the instrument heads facing forward from the perspective of the dentist or dental hygienist (hereinafter referred to as "practitioner"). This means the instrument heads may come into contact with the practitioner or surrounding equipment. If sharp blades such as cutting burs or scaler tips are attached to the instrument heads, contact with the practitioner is both dangerous and unsanitary.

For example, the invention described in Patent Document 1 below (hereinafter referred to as the "Publicly Known Invention") holds the instrument in a position where the head of the instrument faces away from the practitioner. More specifically, the Publicly Known Invention has an instrument holder provided on the upper surface of a flat instrument fixing plate, and the instrument is held horizontally in this instrument holder with the head facing away from the practitioner. Therefore, compared to cases where the instrument is held with the head facing towards the practitioner, the possibility of the practitioner coming into contact with the head is lower, making it safer and more hygienic.

Patent No. 3587668

However, as mentioned above, the publicly known invention involves holding the instrument in a horizontal position, which can make it difficult for practitioners to handle. Specifically, since the way a practitioner grips the instrument varies, the ease of handling differs between grasping an instrument held in an upright position and adjusting the grip according to the treatment, and grasping an instrument held horizontally and adjusting the grip according to the treatment.

This invention was proposed in view of the above circumstances. Specifically, it aims to provide an instrument holder that allows for smooth, safe, and hygienic handling of instruments by holding them in an upright position during use and in a position that minimizes contact with the practitioner when not in use.

To achieve the above objective, the instrument holder according to the present invention has a holder portion that rotates from a rearward-tilted holding state, where the tip of the instrument is tilted backward, to a forward-tilted waiting state, where the tip is tilted forward. The holder portion is individually rotatable and has a hose support portion that supports the hose of the instrument when it is removed from the holder portion. The holder maintains the rearward-tilted holding state when the instrument is held in the holder portion, and after the instrument is removed from the holder portion, it returns to the holder portion in any position between the rearward-tilted holding state and the forward-tilted waiting state, before returning to the rearward-tilted holding state.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the rotation axis of the holder portion is located in the insertion hole of the holder portion into which the instrument is inserted, and the hose support portion is provided at a position offset from the rotation axis of the holder portion to support the hose of the instrument that has been removed from the holder portion.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized by having a restricting portion that positions the hose of the instrument, when removed from the holder portion, offset from the rotation axis of the holder portion.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the rotation axis of the holder portion intersects with the axis of the insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted, and in the forward-tilting standby state, the restricting portion is below a virtual axis line passing through the axis of the insertion hole.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized by having a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the instrument at or near the rotation axis of the holder portion.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized by having a state-holding means for maintaining the forward-tilted standby state.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the hose support portion is a roller and is positioned away from the instrument held in the holder portion.

The instrument holder according to the present invention is characterized in that the holder portion comprises a cylindrical portion forming an insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted, and an open portion whose front end is open and leads to the insertion hole, wherein the open portion is formed to a width through which the hose passes, and the hose support portion is positioned in front of the open portion.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a holder portion that rotates from a rearward-tilted holding state, where the tip of the instrument is tilted backward, to a forward-tilted waiting state, where the tip is tilted forward. The holder portion is individually rotatable and has a hose support portion that supports the hose of the instrument when it is removed from the holder portion. When the instrument is held in the holder portion, it maintains the rearward-tilted holding state. After the instrument is removed from the holder portion, it returns to the holder portion in any position between the rearward-tilted holding state and the forward-tilted waiting state, and then returns to the rearward-tilted holding state. In other words, the instrument holder changes the posture of the instrument to facilitate treatment. Specifically, when the instrument is not in use, the holder portion holds the instrument in a rearward-tilted position that is less likely to come into contact with the practitioner, and maintains the rearward-tilted holding state, so that the practitioner can handle the instrument safely and hygienically. The holder's position when the instrument is returned is arbitrary, ranging from a forward-leaning standby position to a backward-leaning holding position. Since the hose is supported by the hose support, when the hose is pulled (or pushed) by moving the instrument, the holder rotates in conjunction with the hose. Regardless of the holder's position, the practitioner can move the instrument to the forward-leaning standby position (the same position as when the instrument was pulled out), allowing the practitioner to return the instrument smoothly. After the practitioner returns the instrument, if the holder returns to the backward-leaning holding position, it becomes difficult for the practitioner to touch the instrument, allowing the practitioner to handle the instrument safely and hygienically.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a rotating shaft for the holder portion located in the insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted, and a hose support portion positioned to support the hose of an instrument removed from the holder portion at a position offset from the rotating shaft of the holder portion. With this configuration, the hose supported by the hose support portion is offset from the rotating shaft. For example, even if a detection unit for detecting whether or not an instrument is held in the holder portion is provided on or near the rotating shaft, the hose is not on the rotating shaft and therefore does not obstruct the detection unit provided on the rotating shaft, etc. Thus, false detections by the detection unit can be prevented.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a restricting section that positions the hose of an instrument removed from the holder section offset from the rotation axis of the holder section. The restricting section causes the instrument hose to be offset from the rotation axis. For example, even if a detection unit is provided on or near the rotation axis, the hose is not on the rotation axis and therefore does not obstruct the detection unit provided on the rotation axis, etc. Thus, false detection by the detection unit can be prevented.

In the instrument holder according to the present invention, the rotation axis of the holder portion intersects with the axis of the insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted. In the forward-tilted standby state, the restricting portion is below a virtual axis passing through the axis of the insertion hole. That is, the hose, upon contact with the restricting portion, is positioned off the virtual axis and shifted from the rotation axis. For example, even if a detection unit is provided on or near the rotation axis, the hose, being off the rotation axis due to contact with the restricting portion, does not obstruct the detection unit provided on the rotation axis, etc. Therefore, false detection by the detection unit can be prevented.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of an instrument at or near the rotation axis of the holder portion. Since the holder portion rotates to either a rearward-tilted holding state or a forward-tilted standby state, the orientation of the holder portion differs depending on the state. However, the rotation axis remains unchanged regardless of the state of the holder portion. That is, if the position of the detection unit were far from the rotation axis, the position of the detection unit relative to the rotation axis would shift each time the state of the holder portion changes, resulting in complicated wiring for the detection unit. In contrast, as in the present invention, if the position of the detection unit is near the rotation axis, the wiring for the detection unit becomes simpler.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a state-holding means that maintains a forward-leaning waiting state. Because the forward-leaning waiting state is maintained, the instrument maintains its forward-leaning posture, allowing the practitioner to smoothly withdraw the instrument. When the instrument is returned, the holder portion is waiting for the instrument in the same posture as when it was withdrawn, allowing the practitioner to smoothly return the instrument.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a hose support section that is a roller, positioned away from the instrument held in the holder section. With this configuration, the roller does not contact either the instrument or the hose when the instrument is held in the holder section, but when the instrument is pulled out, the hose comes into contact with the roller. At that time, the hose disengages from the instrument's insertion hole and thus shifts away from the roller's axis of rotation. For example, even if a detection unit is provided on or near the axis of rotation, the hose is not on the axis of rotation and therefore does not obstruct the detection unit provided on the axis of rotation, etc. Thus, false detection by the detection unit can be prevented. Furthermore, because the hose is supported by the roller and the load is distributed by the roller's rotation, the operability of the instrument is improved, and the burden on the practitioner when pulling the instrument is reduced. Furthermore, because the hose passes between the holder and the roller, the hose's path is restricted within the holder when the instrument is pulled out or retracted, preventing it from coming loose. This makes it easier for the practitioner to retract the instrument.

The instrument holder according to the present invention has a holder portion comprising a cylindrical portion that forms an insertion hole into which an instrument is inserted, and an open portion whose front end is open and leads to the insertion hole. The open portion is formed to allow a hose to pass through, and a hose support portion is positioned in front of the open portion. With this configuration, when the instrument is pulled out, the instrument detaches from the insertion hole, and the hose passes through the open portion to the roller and makes contact with the roller. That is, since the hose detaches from the instrument's insertion hole, it does not obstruct the detection unit provided on the roller's rotation axis. Therefore, false detection by the detection unit can be prevented.

Figure 1 is an external perspective view showing a dental treatment device having an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is an external perspective view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention when the holder portion is in a rearward-tilting position. Figure 3 is an external perspective view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the external appearance when only the holder portion used is in a forward-tilted standby state. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the holder portion in a forward-tilting standby state and the instrument being pulled out. Figure 5 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the members constituting the holder portion of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is an enlarged upper view of the member constituting the holder portion of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 is a partial side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the holder portion in a rearward-tilting position. Figure 9 is a partial side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the holder portion in a forward-tilting standby state. Figure 10 is a partial side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the holder portion is in a forward-tilting standby state, the instrument is pulled out, and the hose contacts the hose support portion. Figure 11 is a side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the holder portion in a forward-tilting standby state, with the instrument pulled out and the hose in contact with the restricting portion. Figure 12 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention when the holder portion is in a rearward-tilting position. Figure 13 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention when the holder portion is in a forward-tilted standby state. Figure 14 is an enlarged perspective view of the members constituting the holder portion of an instrument holder according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the members constituting the holder portion of an instrument holder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The following is a description of an instrument holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows the external appearance of a dental treatment device 1 having an instrument holder 12.

As shown in Figure 1, the dental treatment apparatus 1 includes a treatment sheet 2 on which the patient (not shown) lies, a spittoon 3 for the patient to spit out water held in their mouth, a dental light 4 for illuminating the patient's mouth, and a doctor's table 5 used by the practitioner during treatment. The doctor's table 5 is fitted with an instrument holder 12 that holds various instruments 6.

The spittoon 3 and dental light 4 are supported by a cuspider unit 8. This cuspider unit 8 is installed next to the dental chair 2. The spittoon 3 is a bowl and is installed on top of the cuspider unit 8. The dental light 4 is connected to the tip of a movable arm 10 for the light, which is attached to the cuspider unit 8. The cuspider unit 8 has a sub-holder 9 for holding instruments 6. The doctor's table 5 is connected to the tip of a movable arm 11 for the table, which is installed near the dental chair 2. The movable arm 10 for the light and the movable arm 11 for the table have multiple joints. Therefore, the dental light 4 can be freely moved via the movable arm 10 for the light. Similarly, the doctor's table 5 can be freely moved via the movable arm 11 for the table.

The instruments 6 held in the instrument holder 12 include, for example, turbines, micromotors, air motors, scalers, syringes, etc., while the instruments 6 held in the sub-holder 9 include, for example, vacuums, saliva ejectors, syringes, etc. These instruments 6 are connected to instrument hoses 7, which are connected to the doctor's table 5 or the cuspider unit 8.

Here, the instrument holder 12 will be described based on the drawings. Figures 2 to 4 show the operation process of the instrument holder 12. Figure 2 shows a rearward tilted holding state in which the instrument 6 can be held in a rearward tilted position, where the tip of the instrument 6 is tilted to the rear. Figure 3 shows a forward tilted waiting state in which the instrument 6 can be held in a forward tilted position, where the tip of the instrument 6 to be used is tilted forward. Figure 4 shows the forward tilted waiting state, in which the instrument 6 has been pulled out of the instrument holder 12 and the instrument holder is waiting for the instrument 6. In the following explanation, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, the direction in which the tip of the instrument 6 is tilted toward the doctor's table 5, or the direction toward the doctor's table 5 relative to the axis of rotation A, is defined as the rear (Back). The opposite direction, where the tip of the instrument 6 is tilted toward the practitioner (not shown), or the direction toward the practitioner relative to the axis of rotation A, is defined as the front (Front). The directions in which multiple instruments 6 are lined up are defined as the left and right sides (Left Side, Right Side), the direction in which gravity acts is defined as downward (Down), and the opposite direction is defined as upward (Up).

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the instrument holder 12 consists of a long, plate-shaped base 13 to which multiple holder sections 15 are attached. The holder sections 15 rotate to switch between a rearward-tilted holding state and a forward-tilted standby state, thereby changing the instrument 6 to either a rearward-tilted or forward-tilted position. The holder sections 15 are arranged horizontally on the same axis of rotation A and can rotate independently. The number of holder sections 15 is arbitrary, but this embodiment has five holder sections 15.

As shown in Figure 2, the holder portion 15 in the backward-tilting position holds the instrument 6 in a backward-tilting position and maintains this position. Therefore, the tip of the instrument 6 is pointed away from the side where the practitioner is located and toward the side where the doctor's table 5 is located. In this state, when an external force is applied to the instrument 6 by the practitioner pulling the instrument 6 forward, the instrument 6 falls forward and the holder portion 15 rotates forward, and as shown in Figure 3, the holder portion 15 enters a forward-tilting standby state. In the forward-tilting standby state, the holder portion 15 holds the instrument 6 in a forward-tilting position. Therefore, the tip of the instrument 6 is pointed away from the side where the doctor's table 5 is located and toward the side where the practitioner is located. In this state, as shown in Figure 4, the practitioner grasps the instrument 6 and pulls it out of the holder portion 15. The instrument 6, after being pulled out and removed from the holder 15, is returned to the holder 15 in any position from the forward-leaning standby state to the backward-leaning holding state. Then, automatically due to the moment, or manually by the practitioner, it enters the backward-leaning holding state. Here, "from the forward-leaning standby state to the backward-leaning holding state" includes the forward-leaning standby state, the positions between the forward-leaning standby state and the backward-leaning holding state, and the backward-leaning holding state.

Furthermore, the instrument holder 12 will be described in detail based on the drawings. Figure 5 shows the instrument holder 12 in its disassembled state.

As shown in Figure 5, the instrument holder 12 consists of a base portion 13, a holder portion 15 fixed to the front surface of the base portion 13, and a restricting portion 60 fixed to the lower part of the base portion 13. The base portion 13 has wiring holes 14 formed for each holder portion 15 through which wiring is passed. The base portion 13 also has screw holes formed as appropriate for screws to be passed through for fixing the holder portion 15. The holder section 15 includes a pair of support sections 16 fixed to the base section 13, a rotating main body section 23 supported by the support sections 16 and rotatable relative to the support sections 16, a holder main body section 31 attached to the rotating main body section 23, a detection section 39 built into the support section 16 for detecting the presence or absence of an instrument 6, an angle positioning means for determining the rotation angle of the rotating main body section 23, a state holding means for forcibly maintaining a forward-tilted standby state or a backward-tilted holding state, and a roller 45 as a hose support section for supporting the instrument hose 7 of the instrument 6 detached from the holder section 15. The detection section 39 is, for example, an infrared sensor. The regulating section 60 includes a regulating main body section 61 that is elongated from left to right, and L-shaped base sections 62 connected to both left and right ends of the regulating main body section 61. The regulating main body section 61 is cylindrical and may have a structure that rotates like a roller. With the base portion 62 attached to the lower part of the pedestal portion 13, the regulating body portion 61 is positioned below the pedestal portion 13 (see Figure 4).

The pair of support portions 16 are disc-shaped, and each support portion 16 is further composed of a pair of members. The support portion 16 consists of a disc-shaped fixed-side support portion 17 and a disc-shaped lid-side support portion 18 identical in shape to the fixed-side support portion 17 and attached to the fixed-side support portion 17. Inside the fixed-side support portion 17, a detection unit housing portion 19 is formed approximately in the center, to which the detection unit 39 is attached. A connecting portion 20 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the fixed-side support portion 17, which is attached to the base portion 13. The connecting portion 20 protrudes backward from the outer circumferential surface. The connecting portion 20 and the fixed-side support portion 17 are connected internally, and the wires and signal wires of the detection unit 39 are passed through the connecting portion 20. The lid-side support portion 18 is attached to the side of the fixed-side support portion 17 from the side facing the rotating body portion 23. A shaft projection 21, which serves as the axis of rotation A when rotating the rotating main body 23, is formed in the center of the lid-side support portion 18. The shaft projection 21 protrudes toward the rotating main body 23. A support window portion 22 is formed in the center of the lid-side support portion 18, on the shaft projection 21. The support window portion 22 is a hole that penetrates the shaft projection 21 axially. On the side of the lid-side support portion 18 facing the rotating main body 23, a positioning projection 47, which serves as an angular positioning means, and a state-holding piece 63, which serves as a state-holding means, are formed. The positioning projection 47 protrudes toward the rotating main body 23 and is positioned around the shaft projection 21, behind the axis of rotation A. The state-holding piece 63 is a leaf spring formed by cutting out a portion of the surface of the lid-side support portion 18, and is positioned in front of the axis of rotation A.

Here, the rotating body 23 and the holder body 31 will be described based on the drawings. Figure 6 shows an enlarged view of the rotating body 23 and an enlarged view of the lid-side support 18. Figure 7 shows an enlarged view of the holder body 31 and an enlarged view of the roller 45.

As shown in Figure 6, the rotating body portion 23 has a cylindrical shape suitable for rotation around its left and right axes. In this cylinder, a mounting hole 24 is formed in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis A, to which the holder body portion 31 is attached, and the front of this mounting hole 24 is open. That is, the rotating body portion 23 has a pair of supported portions 25 supported by the support portion 16, and a rear surface portion 26 that connects the rear ends of the supported portions 25. The front ends of the supported portions 25 are separated and not connected. The supported portions 25 have circular outer surfaces on the left and right, and on the inside, an axis recess 51, a positioning groove portion 48 as an angle positioning means, and a state holding groove portion 64 as a state holding means are formed. The axis recess 51 is a circular groove formed in the center of the outer surface of the supported portion 25. The positioning groove portion 48 is located behind the axis recess 51 and consists of a first positioning portion 49 and a second positioning portion 50. Each positioning portion 49, 50 is flat and extends radially backward from the shaft recess 51. A space is formed between each positioning portion 49, 50. The state-holding groove portion 64 is located in front of the shaft recess 51 and consists of a first locking portion 65 and a second locking portion 66. Each locking portion 65, 66 is flat and extends radially forward from the shaft recess 51. A space is formed between each locking portion 65, 66. The rear surface portion 26 is curved around the shaft recess 51. The mounting hole 24 is perpendicular to the shaft recess 51, and the center of the mounting hole 24 is approximately perpendicular to the shaft recess 51. Inside the rotating body portion 23 (mounting hole 24), at the center of the supported portion 25, above the shaft recess 51, a rotating body window portion 29 is formed. The rotating body window portion 29 is a hole that penetrates the rotating body portion 23 in the direction of the shaft recess 51. A translucent material 30, such as glass or plastic, is attached to the rotating body window section 29 from the left and right outer sides (see Figure 5).

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the holder body 31 has a cylindrical portion 32 with an insertion hole 33 into which the instrument 6 is inserted, a cover portion 34 connected to the upper end of the cylindrical portion 32 and extending to the front of the cylindrical portion 32, and an open portion 35 at the front of the cylindrical portion 32 that is open and leads to the insertion hole 33. The cylindrical portion 32 is shaped to match the mounting hole 24 of the rotating body 23, and because the front is open, it is formed in a C-shape when viewed from the axial direction of the insertion hole 33. The virtual axis V passing through the insertion hole 33 is approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. Note that since the virtual axis V is within the range of the insertion hole 33, in addition to the case where the center of the virtual axis V is perpendicular to the axis of rotation A, there is also a case where the range other than the center of the virtual axis V is perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. A holder window portion 36 is formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 32, on the axis of rotation A. The holder window portion 36 is a hole that penetrates the holder body portion 31 in the direction of the rotation axis A. That is, the rotation axis A is located inside the insertion hole 33. A locking piece 37 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 32 to lock onto the rotating body portion 23. The cover portion 34 is a flange that extends from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 32 to the left and right sides, rear and front, and is approximately rectangular when viewed from above. The front part of the cover portion 34 extends from the left and right sides to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 32 and is recessed toward the insertion hole 33, and is connected to the opening portion 35. A roller receiving portion 67 is formed at the upper and front end of the cover portion 34. A roller 45 is attached to the roller receiving portion 67 via a shaft 68. The roller 45 is positioned at a distance in front of the opening portion 35 (of the insertion hole 33). The roller 45 is rod-shaped and rotates on an axis parallel to the rotation axis A of the rotating body portion 23. The width of the opening 35 is large enough for the instrument hose 7 to pass through, but not large enough for the instrument 6 to pass through.

The components formed as described above are assembled as follows:

In Figure 5, a detection unit 39 is attached to the detection unit housing 19 of the fixed-side support unit 17 of the support unit 16, and the wiring of the detection unit 39 is passed through the connection part 20 of the fixed-side support unit 17. The lid-side support unit 18 of the support unit 16 is attached to the fixed-side support unit 17. A light-transmitting member 30 is attached to the rotating body window 29 of the rotating body unit 23 from the left and right outer sides. The support unit 16 is attached to both supported parts 25 of the rotating body unit 23 from the left and right outer sides, and the axial projection 21 of this support unit 16 is inserted into the axial recess 51 of both supported parts 25. At that time, the positioning projection 47 of the support unit 16 is positioned between the respective positioning parts 49, 50 of the rotating body unit 23, and the state-holding piece 63 of the support unit 16 is positioned between the respective locking parts 65, 66 of the rotating body unit 23. The rotating body 23 is supported by being sandwiched between the two support parts 16, allowing it to rotate freely. The support parts 16 and the rotating body 23 are positioned on the rotation axis A. The assembled holder part 15 is fixed to the base part 13. At this time, the wiring of the detection unit 39, which is passed through the connection part 20, is passed through the wiring hole 14 of the base part 13. When multiple holder parts 15 are fixed to the base part 13, adjacent rotating body parts 23 are supported by a common support part 16. Furthermore, a decorative cover 38 is attached to the outermost support part 16 of the adjacent holder parts 15 (see Figure 2).

Next, the holder body 31 is attached to the rotating body 23. At this time, the cylindrical portion 32 of the holder body 31 is inserted into the mounting hole 24 of the rotating body 23, and the locking piece 37 of the holder body 31 engages with the lower edge of the mounting hole 24 (see Figure 8). The rotating body 23 and the support portion 16 are covered from the top surface to the front by the cover portion 34 of the holder body 31. The support window portion 22 of the support portion 16, the rotating body window portion 29 of the rotating body 23, and the holder window portion 36 of the holder body 31 are aligned on the rotation axis A, and the infrared light source and light receiving element of the detection unit 39 are also positioned on the rotation axis A. After the instrument 6 is inserted into the insertion hole 33 of the holder body 31, the roller 45 is attached to the roller receiving portion 67 via the shaft 68. The instrument 6 is surrounded by the holder body 31 and the roller 45 and is passed through the holder portion 15.

The operation of the instrument holder 12 assembled as described above will now be explained based on the drawings. Figures 8 to 11 show the process of operation of the instrument holder 12. Figure 8 shows a cross-section in the rearward tilt holding state, Figure 9 shows a cross-section in the forward tilt standby state, Figure 10 shows a cross-section when the instrument 6 is pulled out, showing the operation of the roller 45, and Figure 11 shows a cross-section after the instrument 6 has been pulled out to the limit of the length of the instrument hose 7, showing the operation of the regulating part 60.

As shown in Figure 8, the center of the insertion hole 33 of the holder body 31 is approximately perpendicular to the axis of rotation A. Therefore, assuming that the weight of the holder 15 can be ignored when the instrument 6 is inserted into the insertion hole 33 and held by the holder 15, the center of gravity of the holder 15 including the instrument 6 (hereinafter referred to as the "instrument-attached holder") is at the instrument 6. Furthermore, the instrument 6 is held by the holder 15 such that the center of gravity of the instrument-attached holder is above the axis of rotation A. Therefore, if an external force acts on the instrument 6 from the axis of rotation A toward the rear, or if the tip of the instrument 6 is behind the axis of rotation A, the center of gravity will be behind the axis of rotation A, and the moment acting on the instrument-attached holder will be in the direction of rotation of the rotating body 23 toward the rear (for example, clockwise in Figure 8). Consequently, the holder 15 will be in a backward-tilted holding state. The backward tilted position is maintained by gravity or by the action of the position-holding mechanism. In the backward tilted position, the roller 45 is positioned away from the instrument 6 and the instrument hose 7.

On the other hand, if an external force acts on the instrument 6 from the rotation axis A toward the front, or if the tip of the instrument 6 is in front of the rotation axis A, the center of gravity will be in front of the rotation axis A, and the moment acting on the instrument holder will be in the direction that causes the rotating main body 23 to rotate forward (for example, counterclockwise in Figure 8). Therefore, as shown in Figure 9, the holder 15 will be in a forward-tilted standby state. This forward-tilted standby state is maintained by gravity. When the instrument 6 is pulled out in the forward-tilted standby state, the posture of the holder 15 will change between the forward-tilted standby state and the backward-tilted holding state depending on the external force. In the forward-tilted standby state, the restricting main body 61 of the restricting unit 60 is below the virtual axis V, and the instrument hose 7 is in contact with the restricting main body 61. Furthermore, depending on the rotation angle of the holder portion 15, the thickness and slack of the instrument hose 7, etc., the instrument hose 7 may not be in contact with the regulating body portion 61 when in the forward-tilted standby position.

As shown in Figure 10, when the instrument 6 is pulled out and removed from the holder 15, the instrument hose 7 is pulled by the instrument 6 and exits through the insertion hole 33 of the holder body 31. The instrument hose 7 detaches from the rotation axis A, passes through the opening 35, and is supported by the roller 45 at a position offset from the rotation axis A. Therefore, the instrument hose 7 does not obstruct the infrared light between the infrared light source and the light-receiving element of the detection unit 39, which are aligned on the rotation axis A. The instrument hose 7 is smoothly pulled out as the load is distributed by the rotating roller 45.

As shown in Figure 11, when the instrument 6 is further stretched to the limit of the instrument hose 7's length, the instrument hose 7 remains in contact with the roller 45 and then contacts the regulating body 61, which is the lower part of the regulating section 60, becoming taut. That is, the instrument hose 7 is supported by contacting the regulating section 60 at a position offset from the rotation axis A. Therefore, the instrument hose 7 does not obstruct the infrared light between the infrared light source and the light-receiving element of the detection unit 39, which are aligned on the rotation axis A.

The rotation angle of the holder portion 15 is determined by the angle positioning means, and the maintenance of the forward-tilted standby state and the backward-tilted holding state is achieved by the state holding means. Figures 12 and 13 show schematic diagrams of the angle positioning means and state holding means of the instrument holder 12. Figure 12 shows the interior of the instrument holder 12 with the backward-tilted holding state maintained by the angle positioning means and state holding means, and Figure 13 shows the interior of the instrument holder 12 with the forward-tilted standby state maintained by the angle positioning means and state holding means.

In Figure 12, the moment acting on the instrument holder is in the direction of rotation of the rotating body 23 towards the rear (for example, clockwise in Figure 12). The second locking portion 66 of the rotating body 23 overcomes the state-retaining piece 63 of the lid-side support portion 18, and the second positioning portion 50 of the rotating body 23 contacts the positioning projection 47 of the support portion 16. Therefore, the rotating body 23 stops, and the rearward tilted holding state is maintained. On the other hand, in Figure 13, the moment acting on the instrument holder is in the direction of rotation of the rotating body 23 towards the front (for example, counterclockwise in Figure 13). The first locking portion 65 of the rotating body 23 overcomes the state-retaining piece 63 of the lid-side support portion 18, and the first positioning portion 49 of the rotating body 23 contacts the positioning projection 47. Therefore, the rotating body 23 stops, and the forward tilted standby state is maintained.

As described above, this embodiment is configured as described.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be explained.

As described above, in this embodiment, multiple holder sections 15 are arranged horizontally on the same rotation axis A, and adjacent rotating body sections 23 are supported by a common support section 16. Therefore, the rotating body sections 23 can rotate independently (see Figures 2 and 3). That is, each holder section 15 rotates, entering either a forward-tilted standby state or a backward-tilted holding state. This ensures that only the instrument 6 being used is in a forward-tilted position, while the other unused instruments 6 maintain a backward-tilted position. When the practitioner removes or returns an instrument 6, the other unused instruments 6 are in a backward-tilted position (see Figure 3), preventing the practitioner from being injured by the tip of another instrument 6, and preventing the extended instrument hose 7 from interfering with other instruments 6. Therefore, multiple instruments 6 can be handled smoothly, safely, and hygienically, depending on whether each instrument 6 is in use or not.

In this embodiment, the holder portion 15 of the instrument holder 12 includes a pair of support portions 16 fixed to the base portion 13, a rotating body portion 23 supported by the support portions 16 and rotatable relative to the support portions 16, and a holder body portion 31 attached to the rotating body portion 23. That is, by rotating the rotating body portion 23, the holder portion 15 changes between a reclined holding state (see Figure 8) and a forward-leaning standby state (see Figure 9). In the reclined holding state, the holder portion 15 holds the instrument 6 in a reclined position that minimizes contact with the practitioner. Therefore, the practitioner can handle the instrument 6 safely and hygienically. On the other hand, in the forward-leaning standby state, the holder portion 15 holds the instrument 6 in a forward-leaning position, allowing the practitioner to smoothly pull out the instrument 6.

In this embodiment, the position of the holder portion 15 when the instrument is returned is arbitrary, ranging from a forward-leaning standby state to a backward-leaning holding state. Since the instrument hose 7 is enclosed by the holder body portion 31 and the roller 45 and passes through the holder portion 15, when the instrument is moved, the instrument hose 7 is pulled (or pushed), causing the holder portion 15 to rotate in conjunction with the instrument hose 7. Regardless of the position of the holder portion 15, the practitioner can move the instrument 6 to return the holder portion 15 to the forward-leaning standby state, the same position as when the instrument 6 is pulled out, allowing the practitioner to smoothly return the instrument 6.

In this embodiment, as a state-holding means, a spring-shaped state-holding piece 63 is formed by cutting out a portion of the surface of the lid-side support portion 18, and a state-holding groove portion 64 is formed in the supported portion 25 of the rotating body portion 23 (see Figure 6). In the forward-tilted standby state, the state-holding piece 63 is locked to the first locking portion 65 of the state-holding groove portion 64, and the positioning projection 47 contacts the first positioning portion 49 of the positioning groove portion 48, thereby securing the rotating body portion 23 (see Figure 13). This configuration maintains the forward-tilted standby state, making it easy for the practitioner to return the instrument 6 to the holder portion 15 and handle the instrument 6 smoothly. Furthermore, even after returning the instrument 6, the practitioner can maintain the forward-tilted standby state and hold the instrument 6 in place, depending on the application.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, in the rearward-tilting holding state, the state-holding piece 63 is locked to the second locking portion 66 of the state-holding groove 64, and the positioning projection 47 contacts the second positioning portion 50 of the positioning groove 48, thereby securing the rotating body portion 23 (see Figure 12). This configuration maintains the rearward-tilting holding state. This configuration allows, for example, the instrument 6 to remain in a rearward-tilting position during treatment. Also, if the instrument 6 is removed from the instrument hose 7 for sterilization or other purposes, and only the instrument hose 7 is held by the holder portion 15, the rotating body portion 23 may rotate backward if the center of gravity is behind the rotation axis A, or if the doctor's table 5 moves. Even in such cases, the state-holding means can maintain the rearward-tilting holding state.

In this embodiment, the support portion 16 of the holder portion 15 is composed of a fixed-side support portion 17 and a lid-side support portion 18. A detection unit 39 for detecting the presence or absence of an instrument 6 is attached to a detection unit housing portion 19 formed approximately in the center of the inside of the fixed-side support portion 17 (see Figure 5). The detection unit 39 is, for example, an infrared sensor. The support window portion 22 of the support portion 16, the rotating body window portion 29 of the rotating body portion 23, and the holder window portion 36 of the holder body portion 31 are aligned on the rotation axis A, and the infrared light source and light receiving element of the detection unit 39 are also arranged on the rotation axis A. Therefore, wiring of the detection unit 39 is easy. That is, the holder portion 15 is in a rearward tilted holding state or a forward tilted standby state as the rotating body portion 23 rotates, so the posture of the holder portion 15 differs depending on the state, but the rotation axis A does not change regardless of the state of the holder portion 15. If the position of the detection unit 39 within the support unit 16 were far from the rotation axis A, the position of the detection unit 39 relative to the rotation axis A would shift each time the state of the holder unit 15 changes, resulting in complicated wiring. Therefore, as in this embodiment, arranging the detection unit 39 on the rotation axis A simplifies the wiring process.

In this embodiment, the holder body 31 has an open portion 35 at the front of the cylindrical portion 32, which is open and leads to an insertion hole 33. A roller 45 that supports the instrument hose 7 of the instrument 6 detached from the holder portion 15 is attached to a roller receiving portion 67, which is positioned separately in front of the open portion 35 (of the insertion hole 33) (see Figure 10). The width of the open portion 35 is large enough for the instrument hose 7 to pass through, but not large enough for the instrument 6 to pass through. When the instrument is held in a backward tilt position, the roller 45 is positioned away from the instrument hose 7 (see Figure 8). In this configuration, when the instrument 6 is held in the holder portion 15, the roller 45 does not come into contact with either the instrument 6 or the instrument hose 7. However, when the instrument 6 is pulled out and removed from the holder portion 15, the instrument hose 7 is pulled by the instrument 6 and exits through the insertion hole 33 of the holder body portion 31. The instrument hose 7 detaches from the rotation axis A, passes through the opening portion 35, and is supported by contact with the roller 45 at a position offset from the rotation axis A (see Figure 10). Since the instrument hose 7 is not on the rotation axis A, it does not obstruct the infrared rays of the detection unit 39 located on the rotation axis A. Therefore, false detections by the detection unit 39 can be prevented.

In this embodiment, the instrument hose 7 is supported by the roller 45, and the load is distributed as the roller 45 rotates, improving the operability of the instrument 6 and reducing the burden on the practitioner when pulling the instrument 6. Furthermore, since the instrument hose 7 passes between the holder body 31 and the roller 45, the path of the instrument hose 7 is restricted within the insertion hole 33 of the holder body 31 when the instrument 6 is pulled out or returned, so the instrument hose 7 does not come off the holder body 31, making it easy for the practitioner to return the instrument 6. In this embodiment, the rotating body 23 rotates separately, and the other unused instruments 6 are in a backward-tilting position, so even if the path of the instrument hose 7 is restricted, the instrument hose 7 does not interfere with the other instruments 6. If the other instruments 6 remain in a forward-leaning position, and the instrument hose 7 is restricted by the roller 45, the path for the instrument hose 7 will be limited to the vicinity of the other forward-leaning instruments 6. Therefore, the instrument hose 7 may get caught on the other instruments 6.

This embodiment has a restrictor 60 fixed to the lower part of the base 13, and the restrictor 60 has a cylindrical restrictor body 61 (see Figure 2). The virtual axis V passing through the insertion hole 33 of the holder body 31 is almost perpendicular to the rotation axis A, and in the forward-tilting standby state, the restrictor body 61 of the restrictor 60 is below the virtual axis V (see Figure 9). With this configuration, when the instrument 6 is further pulled to the limit of the length of the instrument hose 7, the instrument hose 7, while still in contact with the roller 45, comes into contact with the restrictor body 61, which is the lower part of the restrictor 60, and becomes taut (see Figure 11). That is, the instrument hose 7 is supported by contacting the restrictor body 61 at a position offset from the rotation axis A. Since the instrument hose 7 is not on the rotation axis A, it does not obstruct the infrared rays of the detection unit 39 provided on the rotation axis A. Therefore, false detections by the detection unit 39 can be prevented.

In addition, in another embodiment of the present invention, the regulating part is integrated with the base part.
Other embodiments do not have a regulating section.
Other embodiments include a forward tilt angle adjustment mechanism. This forward tilt angle adjustment mechanism is implemented, for example, by an inverted L-shaped adjustment piece attached to the base and a locking portion protruding rearward from the rear surface of the rotating body.
In other embodiments, the detection unit and each window are positioned near or away from the rotation axis, rather than on the rotation axis, as long as they are on the same line. In this case, the position of the detection unit differs depending on the state of the holder, so ingenuity is required in the wiring of the detection unit.
In other embodiments, the detection unit is a reflective infrared sensor. In this case, the detection unit is built into, for example, the rotating body or the support body.
In other embodiments, the detection unit is a magnetic sensor. In this case, no windows are formed, the sensor is built into the rotating body, and a magnetic material is built into the instrument. Alternatively, a sensor is built into the support, and this sensor detects the magnetic force of the instrument.
In other embodiments, the detection unit is a contact switch. In this case, the contact switch is placed in the insertion hole of the holder body.
In other embodiments, the detection unit is an imaging means such as a video camera.
In other embodiments, the detection unit is attached to a suitable member extending from the doctor's table to the holder. That is, the detection unit is not directly provided on the holder.
In other embodiments, the holder portion does not have a detection portion.
In another embodiment, as a means for maintaining the state, a weight that serves as the center of gravity of the holder is housed in the rotating body of the holder, and the weight is located in front of the rotation axis A.
In other embodiments, the state-holding means is not configured such that the weight is housed in a weight housing, but rather the center of gravity of the rotating body itself is designed to be at a predetermined position.
In other embodiments, the state-holding means applies a moment using, for example, air, pneumatic or hydraulic piston cylinders, springs, magnets, electromagnets, etc. When the state-holding means is a magnet, for example, as shown in Figure 14, a state-holding magnet 163 is built into the lid-side support portion 118 in front of the rotation axis A, and a first locking magnet 165 and a second locking magnet 166 are built into the rotating body portion 123 in front of the shaft recess 151. Also, for example, as shown in Figure 15, a third locking magnet 269 is built into the positioning projection 247 of the lid-side support portion 218, and a fourth locking magnet 270 and a fifth locking magnet 271 are built into the rotating body portion 223 on the side of the first positioning portion 249 and the second positioning portion 250.
In other embodiments, the state-holding means is an appropriate resistance applied between the support portion and the rotating body portion, and the rotating body portion stops due to frictional force. In this case, the rotating body portion stops at any position free from external forces such as those applied by the practitioner.
In other embodiments, the state-holding means forcibly maintains only one of the forward-leaning standby state or the backward-leaning holding state. Other embodiments do not have a state-holding means.
In other embodiments, the rotating body and the holder body are integrated, and the rotating body has the same configuration as the holder body.
In other embodiments, a state detection unit for detecting the various states of the holder is provided on the base or support. The state detection unit determines whether the holder is in a backward-tilted holding state or a forward-tilted standby state by detecting the position of the rotating main body, and can be, for example, an infrared sensor, a magnetic sensor, a contact switch, or a tilt sensor. In this case, for example, control is possible such as outputting a signal only when both the detection of the instrument by the detection unit and the detection of the backward-tilted holding state by the state detection unit are ON.
In other embodiments, the degree to which the instrument hose is offset from the axis of rotation is arbitrary, as long as it does not interfere with the sensing unit on the axis of rotation. For example, the insertion hole in the holder body is left open to accommodate about the length of one instrument hose.
In other embodiments, the hose support is achieved by narrowing the width of the opening in the holder body. In this case, there are no rollers.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Furthermore, various design modifications are possible as long as they do not deviate from the matters described in the claims.

1. Dental treatment equipment 2. Treatment seat 3. Spittoon 4. Dental light 5. Doctor's table 6. Instruments 7. Instrument hose (hose)
8 Cuspider unit 9 Subholder 10 Movable arm for light 11 Movable arm for table 12 Instrument holder 13 Base part 14 Wiring hole 15 Holder part 16, 116, 216 Support part 17 Fixed side support part 18, 118, 218 Lid side support part 19 Detection unit housing part 20 Connection part 21, 121, 221 Axial projection part 22, 122, 222 Support window part 23, 123, 223 Rotating body part 24, 124, 224 Mounting hole 25, 125, 225 Supported part 26, 126, 226 Rear part 29, 129, 229 Rotating body window part 30 Light-transmitting member 31 Holder body part 32 Cylindrical part 33 Insertion hole 34 Cover section 35 Open section 36 Holder window section 37 Locking piece 38 Decorative cover 39 Detection section 45 Roller (hose support section)
47, 147, 247 Positioning projection (angle positioning means)
48, 148, 248 Positioning groove (angle positioning means)
49, 149, 249 First positioning section 50, 150, 250 Second positioning section 51, 151, 251 Axis recess 60 Regulating section 61 Regulating body section 62 Base section 63 State-holding piece (state-holding means)
64 State-holding groove (state-holding means)
65 First locking part 66 Second locking part 67 Roller receiving part 68 Shaft 163 State-holding magnet (state-holding means)
165 First locking magnet (state holding means)
166 Second locking magnet (state holding means)
269 Third locking magnet (state holding means)
270 Fourth locking magnet (state holding means)
271 Fifth locking magnet (state holding means)
A: Axis of rotation V: Virtual axis

Claims (8)

The holder portion has a rearward-tilting holding state in which the instrument is held with the tip of the instrument tilted backward, and a forward-tilting waiting state in which the tip of the instrument is tilted forward.
The holder portion is individually rotatable and has a hose support portion that supports the hose of the instrument when it is removed from the holder portion.
While the instrument is held in the holder, the backward-tilted holding state is maintained, and after the instrument is removed from the holder, it is returned to the holder in any position between the backward-tilted holding state and the forward-tilted waiting state, and then returns to the backward-tilted holding state.
An instrument holder characterized by the following. The rotation axis of the holder portion is located in the insertion hole of the holder portion into which the instrument is inserted.
The hose support portion is positioned to support the hose of the instrument, which has been removed from the holder portion, at a position offset from the rotation axis of the holder portion.
The instrument holder according to feature 1. The device has a restricting portion that causes the hose of the instrument, which has been removed from the holder portion, to be positioned offset from the rotation axis of the holder portion.
An instrument holder as described in claim 1 or 2. The rotation axis of the holder portion intersects with the axis of the insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted.
In the aforementioned forward-tilting standby state, the restricting portion is below the virtual axis passing through the axis of the insertion hole.
The instrument holder according to feature 3. The holder portion has a detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the instrument at or near the rotation axis of the rotation axis.
An instrument holder as described in any one of claims 1 to 4. Having a state-holding means for maintaining the aforementioned forward-leaning standby state,
An instrument holder as described in any one of claims 1 to 5. The hose support portion is a roller, and is positioned away from the instrument held in the holder portion.
An instrument holder as described in any one of claims 1 to 6. The holder portion comprises a cylindrical portion that forms an insertion hole into which the instrument is inserted,
The front of the cylindrical portion is open and has an opening that leads to the insertion hole,
The opening is formed to a width through which the hose passes,
The hose support portion is positioned in front of the opening.
An instrument holder as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.