WO2003071936A1

WO2003071936A1 - Electronic apparatus for dental clinic and method for manipulating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2003071936A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/000395
Authority: WO
Inventors: In-Whan Lee; Cheol-Su Kim; Nam-Shik Kim; Seung-Ho Baek
Original assignee: B & L Biotech Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2002-02-27
Filing date: 2003-02-27
Publication date: 2003-09-04
Also published as: AU2003212666A1

Abstract

An electronic device for a dental clinic includes an electric pulp tester having an electric pulp test probe for testing a pulp by being contacted to a gum, a heat carrier having a heater for treating materials for dental clinic by providing a heat, a controller for controlling the electric pulp tester and the heat carrier and an input and display unit for randomly inputting a voltage value to the controller by an operator and for displaying input values and output values of the controller.

Description

ELECTRONIC APPARATUS FOR DENTAL CLINIC AND METHOD FOR

MANIPULATING THE SAME

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a dental electronic apparatus and, more particularly, to a dental electronic apparatus to provide an electric pulp testing function, a heat carrier function and a radio frequency (RF) mess function and a method for operating the same.

Description of the Prior Art

An electric pulp tester is used for determining vitality of a pulp according to a response of a nerve fiber when a gum is stimulated by applying a current to thereby decide an appropriate course of dental treatments. A heat carrier is used to apply a heat for treating a dental material after coating the dental material on a tooth. A radio frequency (RF) mess is eligible for a dental surgery because of its functions in incision and coagulation at the same time.

However, since the conventional _. electric pulp tester, heat carrier and RF mess, which are equipped separately, are independently operated each other, an operation environment becomes complicated and this complicated operation makes difficult for assistant to assist the operation.

As shown in Fig. 1, in order to examine vitality of the pulp with use of the electric pulp tester, since a predetermined level of currents should be supplied from the lowest level for every preset period and the level of predetermined current is fixed in the conventional electric pulp tester, it takes a long time to obtain the test result, i.e., a pain level received by a patient after a continuous current supply. Hence, there is a problem that a level of fear felt by the patient increases.

Summary of the Invention

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a dental electronic device capable of providing an electric pulp test function, a heat carrier function and a radio frequency (RF) function.

It is another of the present invention to provide an electric pulp test function capable of randomly supplying current with a desired current level.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dental electronic device including: an electric pulp test unit having an electric pulp test probe to be contacted with a gum for testing a pulp; a heat carrier unit having a heater for treating dental materials by providing heat; a control unit for controlling the electric pulp test unit and the heat carrier unit; and an input and display unit for randomly inputting a voltage value and a current value to the control unit by an operator and for displaying input values and output values of the control unit, wherein a desired voltage or current can be applied to the electric pulp test probe or the heater through the randomly inputted voltage and current values.

In accordance with another aspect of the preset invention, there is provided a method for operating a dental electronic device, including the steps of: a) initializing an operation; b) setting one of an electric pulp test unit, a heat carrier unit and a radio frequency mess to an operation mode and a display mode; c) reading current values and target values related to a currently operating unit; d) detecting and displaying a present voltage of a battery; and e) operating a corresponding unit according to a selected operation mode. Brief Description of the Drawings

Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a graph showing a current increasing ratio and a step increasing ratio with respect to a time in the conventional electric pulp tester;

Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a dental electronic device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a detailed block diagram showing the electric pulp test unit in Fig. 2 in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a detailed block diagram illustrating the heat carrier unit in Fig. 2 in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a detailed block diagram illustrating the RF mess unit in Fig. 2 in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of a control unit when the electric pulp, test unit is selected by a key input unit;

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of the control unit when the heat carrier unit is selected in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing an operation of the dental electronic device in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a graph showing a current increasing ratio and a step increasing ratio with respect to a time to be randomly varied in the dental electronic device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Hereinafter, a dental electronic device will be described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a dental electronic device in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, the dental electronic device includes a control unit 100, an input and display unit 200, a key switch unit 300, an electric pulp test unit 400, a heat carrier unit 500 and a radio frequency (RF) mess 600. The control unit 100 controls the electric pulp test unit 400 and the heat carrier unit 500 according to a randomly inputted value through the input and display unit 200 by an operator and includes an analog-to-digital converter 110 for converting an analog input value to a digital value. The input and display unit 200 includes a first input unit 210 for setting an initial voltage of the electric pulp test unit 400, a second input unit 220 for setting a voltage increasing ratio of the electric pulp test unit 400, a key input unit 230 for selecting one of the electric pulp test unit 400, the heat carrier unit 500 and the RF mess unit 600, and a display unit 240 for displaying input values of the first and second input units 210 and 220 and output values according to the input values. A variable resistance is employed in the first and second input units 210 and 220 in order to randomly adjust an initial voltage and a voltage increasing ratio in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The key switch unit 300 selectively provides a pulse signal having a predetermined pulse width, which is generated from a control unit 100, to the electric pulp test unit 400 and the heat carrier unit 500 in response to a control signal generated from the control unit 100 according to the input of the key input unit 240.

Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the electric pulp test unit 400 in accordance with the present invention.

The electric pulp test unit 400 includes a fly back converter 410, a first current detection unit 420, a first voltage detection unit 430 and an electric pulp test probe 440. The fly back converter 410 receives an output of the key switch unit 300, and the first current detection unit 420 which receives an output of the fly back converter 410 detects a current for determining whether the electric pulp test probe is contacted with a gum of a patient. The first voltage detection unit 430 detects a voltage outputted from the fly back converter 410. The fly back converter 410 increase a voltage level of the output of the key switch unit 300, and applies the gradually increased voltage to the electric pulp test probe. The first voltage detection unit 430 detects a voltage level of the output of the fly back converter 410 by using a divided resistance. Also, the first current detection unit 420 detects- the current of the electric pulp test probe 440 in order to determine whether the electric pulp test probe 440 is contacted with the gum. The current detected in the first current detection unit 420 is transmitted to the control unit 100 and then, the control unit 100 turns on a light emitting diode (LED) for indicating that the electric . pulp test probe is contacted with the gum. Fig. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the heat carrier unit 500 in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 4, the heat carrier unit 500 includes a power supply 510, a pulse width modulation (P M) control unit 520, a field effective transistor (FET) switch 530, a low pass filter (LPF) 540, a second current detection unit 550, a second voltage detection unit 560, a current amplification unit 590, a heater 570 and a touch switch 580. The power supply 510 provides a DC power, and the PWM control unit 520 receiving a pulse signal P adjusts a pulse width thereof to thereby control an on/off time of the FET switch 530. An output signal of the FET switch 530 get smoothed smoothing through the LPF 540 and the second current detection unit 550 detects a current for an output of the LPF 540, and the second voltage detection unit 560 detects a voltage for an output of the LPF 540. Since the current detected in the second current detection unit 550 is weak, the current is amplified through the current amplification unit 590. The amplified current and the detected voltage in the second voltage detection unit 560 are inputted to the A/D converter 110 of the control unit 100. The heater 570 is heated by an output of the second current detection unit 550 and the touch switch 580 is to provide an enable signal to the control unit 100 by an operator in order to operate the heat carrier unit 500.

Generally, a resistance is proportion to a temperature. A resistance of the heater 570 is computed by using the current detected from the second current detection unit 550 and the voltage detected from the second voltage detection unit 560 and then, a temperature of the heater 570 is indirectly measured by using the computed resistance.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the RF mess unit 600 in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 5, the RF mess unit includes a power supply 610, a RF generation unit 620, a mess 630, a RF rectification unit 640 and a foot switch (F/S) 650. The power supply 610 provides an AC power and the RF generation unit 620 generates a radio frequency (RF) in response to an enable signal of the control unit 100. The mess 630 receives the RF from the RF generation unit 620. The F/S 650 is to control a transmission of the RF from the RF generation unit 620 to the mess 630 by an operator.

Hereinafter, an operation of the RF mess unit 600 will be described.

After contacting the mess 630 to the gum, a power is supplied to the mess 630, if an operator puts the F/S 650. An output voltage of the mess 630 can be adjusted from about 20 V to about 60 V by varying the variable resistance in the first input unit 210 of the input and display unit 200. Herein, the variable resistance in the second input unit 220 is used to set the maximum and minimum voltage values of the mess 630.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of the control unit 100 when the electric pulp test unit 400 is selected by the key input unit 230.

Referring to Fig. 6, the electric pulp test unit 400 is selected through the key input unit 230 of the input and display unit 200 and, when the electric pulp test probe 40 is contacted to the gum of the patient, the first current detection unit 700 detects a current. The step determination unit 710 determines a present step of the detected current. If the present step is a first step, a pulse signal is generated from the pulse generation unit 740 according to a voltage value stored in a first voltage storage unit 720. The pulse signal is transmitted to the electric pulp test unit 400. Subsequently, a voltage detection unit 700 detects a voltage level of the electric pulp test unit 300 and the step determination unit 710 determines a present step. If the present step is not a first step, a pulse signal corresponding to a voltage increased as much as a voltage level stored in a second voltage storage unit 730 is generated in the pulse signal generation unit 740 and then, the pulse signal is provided to the electric pulp test unit 400. The first voltage storage unit 720 stores a voltage corresponding to a first step, which is randomly inputted through the first input unit 210 of the input and display unit 200. The second voltage storage unit 730 stores a voltage corresponding to a voltage increasing ratio, which is randomly inputted through the second input unit 220.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of the control unit 100 when the heat carrier unit 500 is selected in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Fig. 7, when an operator turns on the touch switch 580 of the heat carrier unit 500, a current resistance of the heater, which is computed in the control unit 100 by using a current and a voltage detected in the heat carrier unit 500, is stored in a resistance storage unit 800. A target resistance randomly inputted through the first input unit 210 of the input and display unit 200 is stored in a target resistance storage unit 810. The comparison unit 820 compares the resistance stored in the target resistance storage unit 810 with the current stored resistance storage unit 800. A pulse signal generated according the above comparison result is provided to the heat carrier unit 500. If the current resistance is lower than the target resistance, a pulse signal corresponding to a voltage increased as much as a voltage stored in a voltage storage unit 840 is generated. The voltage stored in the voltage storage unit 840 is inputted through the second input unit 220 and, if the resistance of the heat carrier unit 500 is higher than or equal to the target resistance, a pulse generation from the pulse generation unit 830 is stopped.

Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing an operation of the dental electronic device in accordance with the present invention . When the power is turned on, the control unit 100 initializes operations at step 911. One unit of the electric pulp test unit 400, the heat carrier unit 500 and the RF mess unit 600 is set as an operation mode through an input of the key input unit 230 at step 913. For example, a display mode can be set as follows:

All of presents values and target values for a currently operating function are read at step 915 and a present voltage level of a battery is detected whether the voltage is low or not at step 917. If the voltage level of the battery is low, a low voltage sign is displayed in the display unit 240 at step 919.

If the heat carrier unit 500 is selected, it is determined whether the touch switch is tuned on, and at step 933, the preset temperature at step 931 and the target temperature are compared to each other. If the preset temperature is lower than the target temperature, the current is increased as much as a .predetermine level at step 937. If the present temperature is identical to the target temperature, the current is maintained at step 939 and, if the present temperature is higher than the target temperature, a current supply is stopped at step 943.

If the operation mode is selected with the electric pulp test unit 400, the control unit 100 determines whether the electric pulp test probe is contacted with the gum at step 951 and whether the present step is a first step at step 953. If the current is the first step, the step is set with a target value at step 955 and a pulse signal is generated according to the target value at step 957. If the present step is not the first step at step 953, it is determined whether the present step is lower than a predetermined step, e.g., 80, and, when the present step is lower than the predetermined step, the step is increased by 1 step at step 961. Otherwise, when the present step is equal or higher than the predetermined step, the step is not increased. When a patient feels a pain, the electric pulp test probe is taken off from the gum and then the step is identified to thereby determine vitality of the pulp. In case that the RF mess unit 600 is selected, when the foot switch 650 is turned on at step 971, a radio frequency is outputted to the RF mess and a voltage of the radio frequency is detected and displayed on the display unit 24 at step 973. Fig. 9 is a graph showing a current increasing ratio and a step increasing ratio with respect to a time to be randomly variable in the dental electronic device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, since the electric pulp test unit, the heat carrier unit and the RF mess unit can be assembled in one electronic device, the present invention is cost-effective. Also, since a test period of the electric pulp test can be reduced, a fear felt by the patient may be relived. Furthermore, the numbers of cables are decreased.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A dental electronic device comprising: an electric pulp test unit having an electric pulp test probe to be contacted with a gum for testing a pulp; a heat carrier unit having a heater for treating dental materials by providing heat; a control unit for controlling the electric pulp test unit and the heat carrier unit; and an input and display unit for randomly inputting a voltage value and a current value to the control unit by an operator and for displaying input values and output values of the control unit, wherein a desired voltage or current can be applied to the electric pulp test probe or the heater through the randomly inputted voltage and current values .

2. The dental electronic device^' as recited in claim 1, wherein the input and display unit includes: a first input unit for applying variable levels of a first voltage to the control unit; a second input unit for applying variable levels of a second voltage to the control unit; a key input unit for selectively using the pulp test unit and the heat carrier unit; and a display unit for displaying input values of the first input unit, the second input unit and the key input unit and output values of the control unit.

3. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 2, wherein the control unit includes an analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog input value into a digital value.

4. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 3, further comprising a key switch unit for selectively providing a pulse signal having a predetermined pulse width, which is generated from the control .unit, to the electric pulp test unit and the heat carrier unit in response to a control signal generated from the control unit according to the input of the key input unit.

5. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a radio frequency mess for performing incision under a control of the control unit.

6. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the electric pulp test unit includes: a fly back converter for increasing a voltage of the pulse signal transmitted from the key switch unit; a first current detection unit for detecting a current of an output of the fly back converter; and a first voltage detection unit for detecting a voltage of an output of the fly back converter.

7. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 6, wherein the control unit turning on a light emitting diode (LED) , which is located in the electric pulp test probe, for indicating whether the electric pulp test probe is contacted to a gum after the detected current is transmitted from the first current detection unit to the control unit, includes: a current detection unit for detecting a current transmitted from the first current detection unit; a step determination unit for determining a present step according to a result of the current detection unit; a first voltage storage unit for storing a voltage value randomly inputted from the first input unit when a present step is a first step; a second voltage storage unit for storing a voltage value randomly inputted from the second input unit in order to determine a voltage increase ratio per each period of electric pulp tests when a present step is not a first step; and a pulse generation unit for generating the pulse signal having the predetermined pulse width according to the first and second voltage storage units and for transmitting the pulse signal to the electric pulp test unit .

8. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 4, wherein the heat carrier unit includes: a power supply unit for applying a DC power; a pulse width modulation control unit for modulating the pulse width of the pulse signal transmitted from the key switch unit; a switch unit for adjusting the DC power according to the pulse signal generated from the pulse width modulation control unit; a low pass filter for making an output of the switch unit smooth; a second current detection unit for detecting a current for an output of the low pass filter; a second current detection unit for detecting a voltage for the output of the low pass filter; an amplification unit for amplifying a current detected from the second current detection unit; and a touch switch for enabling the heat carrier unit.

9. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 8, wherein the control unit includes: a current resistance value storage unit for storing a current resistance value computed by using a current detected from the second current detection unit and a voltage detected from the second voltage detection unit when the touch switch of the heat carrier is turned on; a target resistance value storage unit for storing a target resistance value computed by using a second voltage inputted from the second input unit; a comparison unit for comparing the current resistance value with the target resistance value; a voltage storage unit for storing a voltage randomly inputted from the first input unit in order to increase a current of the heat carrier unit when the present resistance value is lower than the target resistance value; and a pulse generation unit for generating the pulse signal having the predetermined pulse width according to a comparison results and the voltage stored in the voltage storage unit and for transmitting the pulse signal to the heat carrier unit.

10. The dental electronic device as recited in claim 3, wherein the first input unit and the second input unit includes variable levels of resistance.

11. A method for operating a dental electronic device, comprising the steps of: a) initializing an operation; b) setting one of an electric pulp test unit, a heat carrier unit and a radio frequency mess to an operation mode and a display mode; c) reading current values and target values related to a currently operating unit; d) detecting and displaying a present voltage of a battery; and e) operating a corresponding unit according to a selected operation mode.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, when the corresponding unit is the heat carrier unit in the step e) , further comprising the steps of: fl) determining whether a touch switch is turned on; and f2) increasing a current as much as a preset current when a current temperature is lower than a target temperature by comparing a detected current temperature and the target temperature, maintaining a present current when the current temperature is equal to the target temperature and stopping a current supply when the current temperature is higher than the target temperature.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, when the electric pulp test unit is selected at step e) , further comprising the steps of: gl) determining an electric pulp probe is contacted to a gum; g2) determining that a present step is a first step; and g3) outputting a pulse signal corresponding to a voltage value randomly inputted through a first input unit when the present step is the first step, and outputting a pulse signal corresponding to a voltage values increased as much as a voltage value randomly inputted through a second input unit.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, when the RF mess unit is selected at step e) , further comprising the step outputting an output voltage of a radio frequency to a radio frequency mess when a foot switch is turned on.