Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
  • A61C1/00—Dental machines for boring or cutting ; General features of dental machines or apparatus, e.g. hand-piece design
  • A61C1/0061—Air and water supply systems; Valves specially adapted therefor
  • A61C1/0076—Sterilising operating fluids or fluid supply elements such as supply lines, filters
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F1/00—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage
  • C02F1/02—Treatment of water, waste water, or sewage by heating
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F2103/00—Nature of the water, waste water, sewage or sludge to be treated
  • C02F2103/006—Dental effluents
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C02—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F—TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE
  • C02F2301/00—General aspects of water treatment
  • C02F2301/04—Flow arrangements
  • C02F2301/043—Treatment of partial or bypass streams

Definitions

• a primary object of the invention in a first aspect is to provide a disinfecting apparatus which is structurally simple and which may remove bacteria from consumption water of a suitable temperature in an effective way without the help of chemicals.
• An additional object is to create a disinfecting apparatus that may be activated only during the periods when water is consumed. It is also an aim to provide an apparatus which is compact and may be installed in a simple and smooth way in, for instance, a dentist's surgery without requiring considerable space.
• the invention also aims at providing an efficient method for disinfection.
• the features of said method are seen in claims 8-10.
• 1 generally designates a service conduit for supply of cold water to an apparatus according to the invention, in its entirety designated 2.
• a consumption unit 3 which may consist of, for instance, a dental device, by means of which the water may be sprayed out in the form of fog or aerosols 4.
• the device 3 may in a conven- tional way be connected with an appliance 5 for supply of compressed air to the water.
• Vital components in the apparatus 2 consist of a heater 7 and a heat exchanger 8.
• the service conduit 1 (or an inlet conduit connected with the same) branches off into first and second branch conduits 10, 11, the last-mentioned one of which comprises a main valve 12.
• the conduit 10 communicates with the heater 7, through which cold water from the service conduit may be supplied to the heater and be heated in the same by means of a heating element 13.
• the heater 7 may consist of a vessel or- a tank, e.g. of an acid-proof material, having a volume which is dependent on the number of connected consumption units 3. If only one consumption unit, e.g. for a dental chair, is connected with the apparatus, the vessel 7 may have a volume of 1-2 litres.
• the vessel 7 may have a greater volume, e.g. approx. 10 litres.
• an intermediate conduit 14 extends, for supply of heated, disinfected water from the heater 7 to the heat exchanger 8.
• two outgoing conduits 15, 16 are connected, the first-mentioned one of which constitutes a feed- ing conduit for treated, outgoing water to the consumption unit 3, while the last-mentioned one consists of a drain conduit, which constitutes a continuation of the cold-water branch conduit 11.
• the cooling water which is taken into the heat exchanger from the conduit 11 when the main valve 12 is open, is thus evacuated directly to the drainage 6 via the conduit 16.
• conduit 17 extends between the service conduit 1 and the feeding conduit 15, and comprises a second valve 21 in the form of a cut-off valve, which is kept closed during normal operation.
• the conduit 18 extends between the branch conduit 10 and the feeding conduit 15; In the conduit 18, a circulation pump 22 and a third valve 23 are included which, like the valve 21, consists of a cut-off valve which is kept closed during normal operation.
• the conduit 19 is connected with a valve device 24, located in the branch conduit 10, which is denominated valve stem by those skilled in the art.
• a check valve function which prevents backward flow in the conduit 10 is comprised, as well as a safety function, which means that the conduit 10 may be opened towards the conduit 19 so as to evacuate water to the drainage 6 if sudden, unintentional pressure increases would arise in the heater 7.
• the conduit 20 extends between the conduit 18 and the intermediate conduit 14, and comprises a cut-off valve 25 that is kept open during normal operation.
• the valve 12 consists of a cut-off valve having a throttling function, i.e. the valve may not only be closed and opened, respectively, but- may also be adjusted in different throttle positions in which a re- Jerusalem water flow is attained.
• the temperature of the outgoing water from the heat exchanger 8 in practice should be within the range of 32-36 °C.
• the temperature should amount to 34 °C.
• the second temperature sensor 27 has the purpose of opening the valve 21 if the temperature of the outgoing water by misadventure would exceed the predetermined limit value, e.g. 34 °C. In this way, cooling cold-water from the service conduit 1 may be directly supplied to the feeding conduit 15 with the purpose of cooling the overheated water before the same reaches the patient via the consumption unit 3.
• the heater 7 is activated, more precisely with the purpose of heating cold water that is taken in as a part flow from the service conduit 1.
• the water may have a temperature of 8- 12 °C.
• the water is heated to a temperature of at least 77 °C, suitably 80 °C.
• the water is heated to a temperature within the range of 90-95 °C. At such temperatures, all possibly occurring disease-generating bacteria in the water are killed in an effective way.
• a corresponding quantity of water is transferred from the heater 7 to the heat exchanger 8 in which the hot water is cooled to a temperature acceptable to the tissue of man, suitably 34 °C (also temperatures within the range of 32-36 °C are acceptable) .
• the cooling of the water in the heat exchanger is carried out by the fact that the main valve 12 is opened, more precisely depending on the temperature read by the sensor 26, of the outgoing water from the heat exchanger.
• a motor included in the main valve regulates the part flow through the conduit 11 in such a way that the amount of cold water through the heat exchanger 8 is adapted to the quantity of hot water which is taken in from the heater 7 in order to provide the desired temperature of the outgoing water in the feeding conduit 15.
• the temperature sensor 27 ensures that the valve 21 is opened, whereby cold water may be supplied to the overheated water in the feeding conduit before the same reaches the consumption unit.
• the water is circulated in the conduit 20 with the valve 23 kept close and the valve 25 kept open until the temperature sensor 26 calls for warmer water. As long as such circulation goes on, also the valve 12 is kept close. Thus, the last-mentioned valve is opened only when heat exchange is required.
• the apparatus may be cleaned by only hot water being rinsed through the conduit system. This takes place by the fact that the valve 23 is opened and the valve 25 is closed, and the circulating pump 22 being started. In this way, the water heated in the heater 7 may be circulated through the main part of the fixed conduit system of the appa- ratus, as well as be flushed through occurring tube or tubes in connection with the consumption unit 3. In this way, the risk of bacterial growth in the feeding conduit 15 and tubes and the like connected therewith, is counteracted. In connection with such a service flushing, the main valve 12 is kept close so that cooling water is not taken into the heat exchanger.
• conduits which are included in the conduit system of the apparatus may in practice be built into a held-together, compact housing.
• the conduits shown schematically in the drawing do not necessarily need to consist of conduits or tubes, but may also be formed by ducts in block.
• the included service conduit for cold water as well as the different outgoing conduits may be connected with the housing via suitable couplings, which are not shown in the drawing.
• An advantage of the apparatus according to the invention is that efficient disinfection of consumption water may be effected without the help of chemicals. Furthermore, the apparatus is technically simple and may be installed in connection with existing consumption units without requirements for considerable space. Moreover, the apparatus has a low energy-consumption during operation thanks to the fact that energy only needs to be supplied to the heater on a level with intermittently repetitive consumption occasions.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
• Dentistry (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Apparatus For Disinfection Or Sterilisation (AREA)
• Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Citations (2)

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• 2001
  • 2001-02-27 SE SE0100656A patent/SE518484C2/sv unknown
• 2002
  • 2002-02-22 US US10/469,148 patent/US20040074832A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-02-22 EP EP02700934A patent/EP1373143A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-02-22 WO PCT/SE2002/000315 patent/WO2002068336A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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