Hard-wired and wireless system with footswitch for operating a dental or medical treatment apparatus

Abstract

A hard-wired and wireless system for operating a dental or medical treatment apparatus is provided. The system includes a footswitch device and a dental/medical base unit, each having a communication element for transmitting and receiving signals. The footswitch and base unit are each programmed to have an initial identification address. Then, the footswitch and base unit are reprogrammed to know the identification address of the other. The footswitch and base unit can be reprogrammed in the field by the end user. Subsequent communications between the footswitch and base unit include both identification addresses. The footswitch includes two switches that are activated by depressing the upper cover of the footswitch to a first position and second position respectively. The footswitch is particularly suitable for operating an ultrasonic dental scaler.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features that are characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages, are best understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the system of the present invention showing a dental practitioner using a footswitch device to control the operation of an ultrasonic dental scaler apparatus in a remote, wireless system;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the system of the present invention showing a dental practitioner using a footswitch device to control the operation of an ultrasonic dental scaler apparatus in a hard-wired system;

FIG. 3 is a close-up side perspective view of the footswitch device used in the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 3A is a bottom perspective view of the footswitch device shown in FIG. 3 with the battery compartment door removed;

FIG. 4 is a close-up view of one embodiment of an ultrasonic dental scaler apparatus that can be used in the systems shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the dental handpiece and scaling insert that can be used with the apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a close-up view of one embodiment of an ultrasonic dental scaler apparatus that can be used in the systems shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 7 is a close-up view of the dental handpiece, scaling insert, and air-polishing insert that can be used with the apparatus shown in FIG. 6.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a dental or medical treatment apparatus, comprising: a footswitch device containing a first switch and second switch and having a foot-depressable member, the member being depressed to a first position for activating the first switch and the member being depressed to a second position for activating the second switch, the device further including a communication element for transmitting a first operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the first position and a second operational signal in a wireless manner in response to the member being depressed to the second position; anda dental or medical treatment apparatus including a communication element for receiving the first and second operational signals from the footswitch, the first signal causing the apparatus to operate in a first mode and the second signal causing the apparatus to operate in a second mode, the apparatus having an initially programmed “A” identification address and the footswitch having an initially programmed “B” identification address, wherein the apparatus is reprogrammed to include said “A” and “B” identification addresses and the footswitch is reprogrammed to include said “A” and “B” identification addresses by a synchronization communication between the apparatus and footswitch.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is used to control the operation of a dental treatment apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the dental treatment apparatus is an ultrasonic dental scaler.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein activating the first switch causes the dental scaler to operate at normal ultrasonic scaling power.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein activating the second switch causes the dental scaler to operate at boosted ultrasonic scaling power.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is used to control the operation of a medical treatment apparatus.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the footswitch transmits an “AWAKE” signal and “SWITCH POSITION STATUS” signal to the apparatus upon activation of the first switch in the footswitch, and the apparatus responds to the signals by operating in a first mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the footswitch transmits an “AWAKE” signal and “SWITCH POSITION STATUS” signal to the apparatus upon activation of the second switch in the footswitch, and the apparatus responds to the signals by operating in a second mode.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus periodically transmits a “REQUEST FOR SWITCH POSITION STATUS” signal to the footswitch and the footswitch responds by transmitting a “SWITCH POSITION STATUS” signal to the apparatus.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the apparatus transmits a “REQUEST FOR SWITCH POSITION STATUS” signal to the footswitch at time intervals of 250 milliseconds.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the footswitch is powered by battery.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the footswitch transmits an “AWAKE” signal and the base unit responds by transmitting an “ACKNOWLEDGMENT” signal and “REQUEST FOR BATTERY STATUS” signal to the footswitch.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the footswitch responds to the REQUEST FOR BATTERY STATUS” signal by transmitting an “ACKNOWLEDGMENT” signal and battery voltage data to the apparatus.

14. A system for controlling a dental or medical treatment apparatus, comprising: a footswitch device containing a first switch and second switch and having a foot-depressable member, the member being depressed to a first position for activating the first switch and the member being depressed to a second position for activating the second switch, the device further including a communication element for transmitting a first operational signal in a hard-wired manner in response to the member being depressed to the first position and a second operational signal in a hard-wired manner in response to the member being depressed to the second position; anda dental or medical treatment apparatus including a communication element for receiving the first and second operational signals from the footswitch, the first signal causing the apparatus to operate in a first mode and the second signal causing the apparatus to operate in a second mode, whereby the footswitch transmits operational signals in a wireless manner to the dental or medical treatment apparatus, until the apparatus transmits a REQUEST SLEEP signal to the footswitch and the footswitch responds by entering a sleep mode, the wireless operational signals being ignored by the apparatus.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is used to control the operation of a dental treatment apparatus.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the dental treatment apparatus is an ultrasonic dental scaler.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein activating the first switch causes the scaler to operate at normal ultrasonic power.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein activating the second switch causes the scaler to operate at boosted ultrasonic power.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the system is used to control the operation of a medical treatment apparatus.