Air and water separation stepless control module and stepless control method of dental chair

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of air, water separation stepless control module and stepless control method of dental chair, it is related to dental chair technical field, including air control unit, water control unit, diaphragm array modulation unit, sensing monitoring unit and intelligent control unit;Diaphragm array modulation unit is arranged in air control unit and water control unit, with multiple adjacent gas cavity and water cavity, each gas cavity and water cavity are separated by flexible diaphragm, flexible diaphragm generates elastic deformation under the change of air pressure to drive adjacent water cavity flow change, to realize the physical isolation and coupling modulation of gas and water;Sensing monitoring unit detects air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data respectively, and intelligent control unit is based on the feedback data of sensing monitoring unit and passes through built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, real-time output control signal, stepless regulation air control unit and water control unit output or only stepless regulation air control unit output and stable water control unit output are synchronized, adaptive adjustment is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of dental chair technology, and in particular to a stepless control module and method for air and water separation in a dental chair. Background Technology

[0002] Dental chairs are the most widely used basic equipment in modern oral healthcare, extensively used in various dental pulp, periodontal, and restorative treatments. They typically consist of a dental chair, instrument tray, lamp arm, cold light lamp, spittoon, suction device, foot control switch, hanger, and water, electrical, and pneumatic systems. The pneumatic system provides compressed air power for the dental handpiece, air gun, and suction device; the water system provides clean water for the spray gun, scaler, cooling system, and mouthwash outlet; and the electrical system primarily handles chair movement control, lighting operation, and foot control signal transmission. These three systems work together to perform multiple operations such as air and water spraying, suction, scaling, cutting, and rinsing, forming the core foundation of the dental chair's overall performance.

[0003] However, most existing dental chairs employ a parallel or partially shared piping design for their air and water systems, resulting in incomplete separation between the air and water circuits and complex, disorganized piping layouts. Some models only use solenoid or mechanical valves for on / off control at the end, failing to achieve independent adjustment of airflow and water flow under dynamic conditions. This easily leads to cross-contamination, unstable air pressure, or water pressure fluctuations. Furthermore, traditional control methods rely heavily on mechanical switches or fixed-position valves, resulting in stepped changes in air and water volume, which cannot provide stepless control according to the dentist's actual needs. Especially during high-speed cutting or scaling procedures, the untimely response to changes in air and water pressure leads to excessive vibration of the dental handpiece, uneven water flow, and spray angle deviations, thus affecting cutting accuracy and patient comfort.

[0004] Some existing solutions attempt to achieve automatic control of gas and water by using proportional solenoid valves or pressure sensors, but several shortcomings remain: First, the gas-water system lacks structural isolation, potentially leading to cross-contamination of gas or water under micro-leakage or backflow conditions; second, the control signal path is long, resulting in delays in the adjustment process and hindering real-time response; third, the adjustment accuracy is significantly affected by valve structure and gas pressure fluctuations, making it difficult to maintain stable output. Furthermore, existing solutions often lack detection and feedback mechanisms for gas-water separation, failing to dynamically correct pressure and flow parameters under various operating conditions. This leads to unstable equipment operation and, with prolonged use, problems such as blockages, noise, and shortened equipment lifespan.

[0005] In summary, the existing technology has at least the following technical problems:

[0006] Existing dental chairs suffer from technical problems such as cross-contamination and complex layout of air and water circuits, low precision of air and water output control, lag in adjustment response, and low stability. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a stepless control module and method for air and water separation in dental chairs, so as to solve the technical problems of cross-contamination and complex layout of air and water circuits in existing dental chairs, low air and water output control accuracy, and lag in adjustment response and low stability.

[0008] The preferred technical solutions among the many technical solutions provided by this invention can produce a variety of technical effects, which are described in detail below.

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0010] This invention provides a stepless control module for air and water separation in a dental chair, comprising an air control unit, a water control unit, a diaphragm array modulation unit, a sensing and monitoring unit, and an intelligent control unit. The air control unit is used to connect to an air source and output an adjustable airflow, while the water control unit is used to connect to a water supply and output an adjustable water flow. The diaphragm array modulation unit is arranged within the air control unit and the water control unit. The diaphragm array modulation unit has multiple adjacent air and water chambers, each separated from the other by a flexible diaphragm. The flexible diaphragm undergoes elastic deformation under pressure changes, causing synchronous changes in the fluid flow rate of adjacent water chambers, thus physically isolating the air and water flows. The system incorporates coupling modulation; the sensing and monitoring units are respectively located in the air chamber and the water chamber, used to detect air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow rate data; the intelligent control unit is electrically connected to the sensing and monitoring units. After receiving input commands for dual control of airflow and water flow output or stable water flow output with only airflow control, the intelligent control unit, based on feedback from collected air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow rate data, calculates the data using a built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, and then outputs control commands to adjust the air control unit and the water control unit in real time, or adjust only the output of the air control unit, to achieve stepless adaptive adjustment of airflow and water flow rate, or stepless adaptive adjustment of only airflow and stable adaptive adjustment of only water flow rate.

[0011] In one embodiment, the flexible diaphragm includes a silicone rubber elastic layer and a polyimide support layer stacked on top of each other; the flexible diaphragm is provided with a limiting ring and a support frame on its outer periphery to limit the maximum deformation and improve structural stability.

[0012] In one embodiment, the pneumatic control unit includes a pressure stabilizing chamber, a proportional solenoid valve, a buffer chamber, and an airflow output end arranged sequentially along the direction from the gas source to the output airflow. The outlet of the proportional solenoid valve is connected to the gas chamber inlet of the diaphragm array modulation unit via a high-pressure conduit, and the gas chamber inlet is connected in parallel with the buffer chamber inlet. The outlet of the gas chamber and the outlet of the buffer chamber are respectively connected in parallel to the airflow output end via high-pressure conduits. The airflow output end is used to connect to the gas-using components on the dental chair. The opening degree of the proportional solenoid valve is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit and the calculation result of the neural network self-learning algorithm, thereby achieving stepless control of the airflow.

[0013] In one embodiment, the water control unit includes a filter assembly, a booster pump, an electrically controlled flow valve, and a water output terminal arranged sequentially along the direction from the water supply end to the water output end; the outlet of the electrically controlled flow valve is connected to the water chamber inlet of the diaphragm array modulation unit through a pressure-resistant hose, and the outlet of the water chamber is connected to the water output terminal; the water output terminal is used to connect to the water-using components on the dental chair; the opening degree of the electrically controlled flow valve is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit based on the feedback data of the sensing and monitoring unit and the calculation result of the neural network self-learning algorithm, thereby realizing stepless control of the water flow.

[0014] In one embodiment, an airflow check valve is provided between the outlet of the air chamber, the outlet of the buffer chamber and the airflow output end; a water flow check valve is provided between the outlet of the water chamber and the water flow output end; the airflow check valve and the water flow check valve are used to prevent backflow and contamination of airflow and water flow when the proportional solenoid valve closes the airflow output end and the electrically controlled flow valve closes the water flow output end.

[0015] In one embodiment, the sensing and monitoring unit includes a displacement sensor, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor. The displacement sensor is disposed on the flexible diaphragm, and the pressure sensor and the flow sensor are respectively arranged in the air cavity and water cavity on both sides of the diaphragm array modulation unit to measure air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow data to form a multi-parameter feedback closed-loop control with the intelligent control unit. When the foot control device of the dental chair sends a pressing signal to the intelligent control unit, the intelligent control unit first adjusts the opening of the proportional solenoid valve to increase the air pressure in the air cavity. The increased air pressure in the air cavity pushes the flexible diaphragm to deform towards the water cavity, and the flexible diaphragm squeezes the liquid in the water cavity, causing the water pressure in the water cavity to increase, the flow rate to increase, or to stabilize. The system monitors water pressure and maintains a stable flow rate. Simultaneously, the flow sensor and pressure sensor detect changes in pressure and flow rate, feeding this information back to the intelligent control unit. The intelligent control unit calculates and fine-tunes the opening of the proportional solenoid valve and the electrically controlled flow valve, synchronously modulating the outputs of the airflow output and the water flow output, or modulating only the airflow output while maintaining a stable water flow output. When the foot control device of the dental chair sends a release signal to the intelligent control unit, the proportional solenoid valve reduces its opening, the air chamber pressure decreases, the flexible diaphragm rebounds, the water chamber volume recovers, and the water flow output gradually decreases. The electrically controlled flow valve reduces its opening and stably closes the water flow output, while the proportional solenoid valve continues to reduce its opening and stably closes the airflow output.

[0016] In one embodiment, the intelligent control unit includes a main control chip, a data acquisition module, a signal processing module, and a neural network control module; the data acquisition module is connected to the sensing and monitoring unit, the signal processing module is connected to the data acquisition module, and the main control chip is connected to the signal processing module, the neural network control module, the proportional solenoid valve, and the electrically controlled flow valve; the neural network control module has a built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, which is used to generate predictive control curves and correct the valve openings of the pneumatic and water control units in real time based on the input signal of the foot control device, the historical operating data of the pneumatic control unit and the water control unit, and the current feedback data of the sensing and monitoring unit.

[0017] A stepless control method is also provided, applied to a gas-water separation stepless control module, including the following steps implemented in sequence from S1 to S6:

[0018] S1. Collect the input signal of the foot control device, and the air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data of the sensor monitoring unit;

[0019] S2. Input the collected data into the neural network control module of the intelligent control unit to calculate the target air pressure P at the airflow output end. tThe target water pressure W at the water output end t ;

[0020] S3. Adjust the air flow output of the air control unit and the water flow output of the water control unit in real time based on the calculation results;

[0021] S4. By utilizing the elastic deformation of the diaphragm of the diaphragm array modulation unit, the synchronous modulation of the air flow rate and water flow rate of the air chamber and water chamber, or only the air flow rate modulation of the air chamber and the water flow rate stabilization of the water chamber, and physical isolation are achieved.

[0022] S5. Obtain the actual output value through the sensing and monitoring unit, and compare it with the target value to form an error value signal;

[0023] S6. The neural network control module performs self-learning updates based on the error value signal to optimize the control parameters of the main control chip and realize stepless adaptive adjustment of air flow and water flow output.

[0024] In one embodiment, the neural network control module is trained based on multiple sets of historical operation samples. Each sample includes the input signal curve of the foot control device, the output response curves of the healthy air chamber and water chamber of the sensing monitoring unit, and the feedback error, in order to generate control strategies that adapt to different operating habits.

[0025] In one embodiment, when the sensing and monitoring unit detects an abnormal output from the air chamber or water chamber, the safety logic of the main control chip is triggered, and the intelligent control unit automatically shuts down the air control unit and the water control unit and issues an alarm signal.

[0026] Beneficial effects

[0027] This invention addresses the problems of high risk of cross-contamination, complex pipeline layout, low control accuracy, and low response lag and stability in existing dental chair air and water systems. It proposes a stepless control module for air and water separation. Through the coordinated operation of the air control unit, water control unit, diaphragm array modulation unit, sensing and monitoring unit and intelligent control unit of this module, complete isolation and high-precision coupled control of the dental chair air and water system are achieved, which has several technical effects: (1) It realizes the physical isolation of the air and water channels and eliminates the risk of cross-contamination.

[0028] This invention employs a diaphragm array modulation unit structure, with a flexible diaphragm placed between the air chamber and the water chamber. The air pressure is indirectly modulated to the water flow output through the elastic deformation of the flexible diaphragm. This design achieves complete physical isolation between the airflow and water flow, avoiding the reverse contamination problem caused by the shared valve body or common pipe section of the air and water circuits in traditional dental chairs, and significantly improving the hygiene and safety level of clinical use.

[0029] (2) Realize synchronous modulation and stepless adaptive control of airflow and water flow.

[0030] By transmitting the deformation of the flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm array modulation unit, this invention achieves synchronous regulation of water flow driven by air pressure changes, thus forming a dynamic coupling relationship between air and water output. The intelligent control unit, based on multi-dimensional data inputs such as air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow rate, uses a neural network self-learning algorithm for dynamic compensation and predictive control, thereby achieving stepless adaptive regulation of air and water output and improving control accuracy and response speed.

[0031] (3) Achieve stepless adaptive regulation of airflow and auxiliary stable water flow output.

[0032] Through the deformation transmission of the flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm array modulation unit, the air and water outputs are dynamically coupled to achieve stepless adjustment of air pressure changes and compensate for sudden fluctuations in water flow through air pressure, thus assisting in stabilizing water flow output. In conjunction with the intelligent control unit, based on multi-dimensional data inputs such as air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow rate, a neural network self-learning algorithm is used for dynamic compensation and predictive control, realizing stepless adaptive adjustment of airflow output and stable water flow output, thereby improving the control accuracy and response speed of airflow output and the stability of water flow output.

[0033] (4) Structural integration and simplified layout

[0034] This invention integrates the gas control unit and the water control unit in a modular manner into the same control module, and realizes the coupling and transmission of gas and water signals through the diaphragm array modulation unit. Compared with the existing separate pipeline and independent control valve arrangement, it greatly reduces the intersection and redundant connection points of gas and water pipelines, and reduces the complexity of layout and maintenance difficulty.

[0035] (5) Fast response speed and high adjustment accuracy

[0036] By introducing a highly sensitive sensing and monitoring unit (equipped with air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow sensors) and cooperating with the real-time adaptive learning of the neural network self-learning algorithm of the intelligent control unit, this invention can complete the dynamic correction of air and water output within millisecond response time, avoiding the hysteresis and nonlinearity problems existing in the traditional mechanical proportional valve structure, making the output flow control more stable and accurate.

[0037] (6) Large potential for scalability and intelligent upgrades

[0038] The modular design of each component in this invention allows for expansion of the number of diaphragm arrays and monitoring accuracy according to different dental chair models or clinical needs. The software algorithm of the intelligent control unit can also be self-optimized by learning different operating habits, possessing good scalability and system compatibility, and providing a technical foundation for the air-water joint control of subsequent intelligent dental treatment equipment.

[0039] In summary, this invention, by introducing a diaphragm array modulation mechanism and an intelligent feedback control system consisting of a sensing and monitoring unit and an intelligent control unit between the air and water pathways, achieves complete isolation, stepless adaptive adjustment, and rapid response control of the air and water pathways. This not only ensures the hygiene and safety of medical operations but also improves the control precision and intelligence level of the dental chair. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and electrical connections of the gas-water separation stepless control module according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A magnified schematic diagram of part A in the middle section;

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure and electrical connection of the gas-water separation stepless control module according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of the stepless control method of the present invention.

[0045] The reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows:

[0046] 1. Pneumatic control unit; 11. Pressure regulating chamber; 12. Proportional solenoid valve; 13. Buffer chamber; 14. Airflow output end;

[0047] 2. Water control unit; 21. Filter assembly; 22. Booster pump; 23. Electrically controlled flow valve; 24. Water output terminal;

[0048] 3. Diaphragm array modulation unit; 31. Air cavity; 32. Water cavity; 33. Flexible diaphragm; 331. Silicone rubber elastic layer; 332. Polyimide support layer; 333. Limiting ring; 334. Support frame;

[0049] 4. Sensing and monitoring unit; 41. Displacement sensor; 42. Pressure sensor; 43. Flow sensor;

[0050] 5. Intelligent control unit;

[0051] 6. One-way airflow valve;

[0052] 7. Water flow check valve;

[0053] 8. Foot control device. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0055] A specific embodiment provides a stepless control module and method for air and water separation in a dental chair, including an air control unit, a water control unit, a diaphragm array modulation unit, a sensing and monitoring unit, and an intelligent control unit. The diaphragm array modulation unit is arranged in the air control unit and the water control unit, and has multiple adjacent air chambers and water chambers. Each air chamber and water chamber is separated by a flexible diaphragm. The flexible diaphragm undergoes elastic deformation under changes in air pressure to drive changes in the flow rate of adjacent water chambers, thereby achieving physical isolation and coupling modulation of air and water. The sensing and monitoring unit detects air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow rate data respectively. The intelligent control unit, based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit, and through internal... The system employs a neural network self-learning algorithm to output control signals in real time, synchronously and steplessly adjusting the outputs of the air control unit and water control unit, or steplessly adjusting only the output of the air control unit and stabilizing the output of the water control unit. This achieves stepless adaptive adjustment of air and water flow rates, or stepless and stable adaptive adjustment of only the air flow rate and water flow rate. Furthermore, the air-water separation stepless control module is compact, safe, and highly stable, effectively avoiding cross-contamination between air and water, and significantly improving the accuracy, response speed, and stability of air and water output control. It effectively solves the technical problems of cross-contamination and complex layout of air and water circuits in existing dental chairs, as well as low accuracy of air and water output control, lag in adjustment response, and low stability.

[0056] The first implementation of the gas-water separation stepless control module is as follows: Figure 1As shown, the system includes a pneumatic control unit 1, a water control unit 2, a diaphragm array modulation unit 3, a sensing and monitoring unit 4, and an intelligent control unit 5. The pneumatic control unit 1 is used to connect to a gas source and output an adjustable airflow, while the water control unit 2 is used to connect to a water supply and output an adjustable water flow. The diaphragm array modulation unit 3 is arranged within the pneumatic control unit 1 and the water control unit 2. The diaphragm array modulation unit 3 has multiple adjacently arranged air chambers 31 and water chambers 32. Each air chamber 31 and water chamber 32 is separated by a flexible diaphragm 33. The flexible diaphragm 33 undergoes elastic deformation under pressure changes, thereby causing synchronous changes in the fluid flow rate of adjacent water chambers 32, serving as a physical isolation and coupling between the airflow and water flow. Modulation; Sensing and monitoring units 4 are respectively set in air chamber 31 and water chamber 32 to detect air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data; Intelligent control unit 5 is electrically connected to sensing and monitoring unit 4. After receiving the input command for dual control of airflow and water flow output or stable water flow output and only airflow control, the intelligent control unit 5, based on the feedback of collected air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data, calculates through the built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, and then outputs control commands to adjust the output of air control unit 1 and water control unit 2 in real time or adjust only the output of air control unit 1, so as to realize stepless adaptive adjustment of air flow and water flow or only stepless and stable adaptive adjustment of airflow and water flow.

[0057] Specifically, this invention addresses the problems of high risk of cross-contamination, complex piping layout, low control precision, and slow response and low stability in existing dental chair air and water systems. It proposes a stepless control module for air and water separation. Through the coordinated operation of the air control unit 1, water control unit 2, diaphragm array modulation unit 3, sensing and monitoring unit 4, and intelligent control unit 5, this module achieves complete isolation and high-precision coupled control of the dental chair air and water systems. It offers several technical advantages: it achieves physical isolation of the air and water pathways, eliminating the risk of cross-contamination; the invention employs the structure of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3, placing a flexible diaphragm 33 between the air chamber 31 and the water chamber 32, and indirectly modulating the water flow output through the elastic deformation of the flexible diaphragm 33; this design achieves complete physical isolation of airflow and water flow, avoiding the reverse contamination problem caused by shared valve bodies or common pipe sections in traditional dental chairs, significantly improving the hygiene and safety level for clinical use.

[0058] The invention achieves synchronous modulation and stepless adaptive control of airflow and water flow. Through the deformation transmission of the flexible diaphragm 33 in the diaphragm array modulation unit 3, the invention realizes synchronous adjustment of water flow driven by air pressure changes, so that air and water output form a dynamic coupling relationship. The intelligent control unit 5 uses a neural network self-learning algorithm to perform dynamic compensation and predictive control based on multi-dimensional data input such as air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow rate, thereby realizing stepless adaptive adjustment of air and water output and improving control accuracy and response speed.

[0059] It achieves stepless adaptive adjustment of airflow and auxiliary stable water flow output; through the deformation transmission of the flexible diaphragm 33 in the diaphragm array modulation unit 3, the air and water outputs are dynamically coupled, realizing stepless adjustment of air pressure changes and compensating for sudden fluctuations in water flow through air pressure, thus assisting in stable water flow output; in conjunction with the intelligent control unit 5, based on multi-dimensional data inputs such as air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow rate, a neural network self-learning algorithm is used for dynamic compensation and predictive control, realizing stepless adaptive adjustment of airflow output and stable water flow output, improving the control accuracy and response speed of airflow output and the stability of water flow output.

[0060] Structural integration and simplified layout: This invention integrates the gas control unit 1 and the water control unit 2 into the same control module in a modular manner, and realizes the coupling and transmission of gas and water signals through the diaphragm array modulation unit 3. Compared with the existing separate pipeline and independent control valve layout, it greatly reduces the intersection and redundant connection points of gas and water pipelines, and reduces the layout complexity and maintenance difficulty.

[0061] With fast response and high adjustment accuracy, thanks to the introduction of a highly sensitive sensing and monitoring unit 4 (equipped with air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow sensors 43), and the real-time adaptive learning of the neural network self-learning algorithm of the intelligent control unit 5, this invention can complete the dynamic correction of air and water output within milliseconds, avoiding the lag and nonlinearity problems of traditional mechanical proportional valve structures, making the output flow control more stable and accurate.

[0062] The invention offers significant potential for scalability and intelligent upgrades. Its modular design allows for expansion of the number of diaphragm arrays and monitoring accuracy based on different dental chair models or clinical needs. Furthermore, the software algorithm of the intelligent control unit 5 can learn from different operating habits and perform self-optimization, demonstrating excellent scalability and system compatibility. This provides a technological foundation for the air-water integrated control of subsequent intelligent dental treatment equipment.

[0063] In summary, this invention, by introducing a diaphragm array modulation mechanism and an intelligent feedback control system consisting of a sensing and monitoring unit 4 and an intelligent control unit 5 between the air and water pathways, achieves complete isolation, stepless adaptive adjustment, and rapid response control of the air and water pathways. This not only ensures the hygiene and safety of medical operations but also improves the control precision and intelligence level of the dental chair.

[0064] As one alternative implementation method:

[0065] Regarding the specific structure of the aforementioned flexible diaphragm 33, this embodiment is, for example... Figure 2 As shown, the flexible diaphragm 33 includes a silicone rubber elastic layer 331 and a polyimide support layer 332 stacked on each other; the flexible diaphragm 33 is provided with a limiting ring 333 and a support frame 334 on its outer periphery to limit the maximum deformation and improve structural stability.

[0066] Specifically, both sides of the polyimide support layer 332 are covered with a silicone rubber elastic layer 331, and the entire composite film is embedded in the support frame 334 by wrapping a limiting ring 333 around the edge of the composite film of the silicone rubber elastic layer 331 and the polyimide support layer 332, and then embedded in the mounting groove in the housing of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3 through the support frame 334.

[0067] When applied, the silicone rubber elastic layer 331 can produce linear and controllable elastic deformation when the air pressure in the air chamber 31 changes, and the polyimide support layer 332 provides the necessary stiffness and fatigue resistance, so that the diaphragm can still maintain stable recovery characteristics under long-term, high-frequency cyclic deformation.

[0068] The setting of the limiting ring 333 and the support frame 334 avoids excessive deformation and edge warping of the flexible diaphragm 33, ensuring that the deformation of the diaphragm is controlled within a safe range, thereby improving the predictability and linear response characteristics of the air pressure to water pressure transmission process, and preventing the flexible diaphragm 33 from coming out of the mounting groove in the housing of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3, thereby improving the safety of the flexible diaphragm 33 under pressure operation.

[0069] Through this composite membrane structure, the flexible diaphragm 33 not only achieves physical isolation of the air-water passage, but also acts as an intermediary for energy transfer and coupling of air and water flow, realizing non-contact control of water flow by air pressure signal, significantly improving the response speed of the foot control device 8 of the dental chair to water flow control and maintaining stable water flow output, thus enhancing safety.

[0070] The thickness of the flexible diaphragm 33 ranges from 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm, and the stiffness distribution can be adjusted by setting a local reinforcing area on the surface of the flexible diaphragm 33; the limiting ring 333 can be made of stainless steel or engineering plastic to adapt to different air pressure ranges.

[0071] Regarding the specific structure of the aforementioned pneumatic control unit 1 and its linkage control with the intelligent control unit 5, this implementation is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the pneumatic control unit 1 includes a pressure regulating chamber 11, a proportional solenoid valve 12, a buffer chamber 13, and an airflow output terminal 14 arranged sequentially along the direction from the gas source to the output airflow. The outlet of the proportional solenoid valve 12 is connected to the inlet of the air chamber 31 of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3 through a high-pressure conduit. The inlet of the air chamber 31 is connected in parallel with the inlet of the buffer chamber 13. The outlets of the air chamber 31 and the buffer chamber 13 are connected in parallel to the airflow output terminal 14 through high-pressure conduits. The airflow output terminal 14 is used to connect to the air-using components on the dental chair.

[0072] The opening degree of the proportional solenoid valve 12 is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit 5 based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit 4 and the output signal of the calculation result through the neural network self-learning algorithm, so as to realize stepless control of airflow.

[0073] In application, the pneumatic control unit 1 achieves pre-stabilization of the input air source pressure through the pressure stabilizing chamber 11, the proportional solenoid valve 12 dynamically adjusts the air pressure according to the output signal of the intelligent control unit 5, and the buffer chamber 13 plays the role of absorbing airflow fluctuations and stabilizing the air pressure gradient. The multi-stage airflow regulation structure formed by the pressure stabilizing chamber 11, the proportional solenoid valve 12 and the buffer chamber 13 forms a stable air pressure source with the diaphragm array modulation unit 3, so that the flexible diaphragm 33 obtains a smooth and continuous driving force when the air pressure changes, thereby avoiding the impact air pressure fluctuations caused by traditional switching valves.

[0074] The intelligent control unit 5 collects air pressure, water pressure and diaphragm displacement data fed back by the sensing and monitoring unit 4 in real time, uses a neural network algorithm to predict the air pressure change trend and correct the opening of the proportional solenoid valve 12 in advance, realizes dynamic feedforward control, and thus improves the accuracy and response speed of airflow output; this structure realizes efficient coordination between air pressure control and diaphragm drive, ensuring stable and reliable airflow modulation.

[0075] Among them, the proportional solenoid valve 12 can be driven by PWM high frequency to achieve sub-millisecond response; the buffer chamber 13 can be equipped with microporous damping plates to optimize airflow linearity.

[0076] Regarding the specific structure of the water control unit 2 and its linkage control with the intelligent control unit 5, this implementation is as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the water control unit 2 includes a filter assembly 21, a booster pump 22, an electrically controlled flow valve 23, and a water output terminal 24 arranged sequentially along the direction from the water supply end to the water output end; wherein, the filter assembly 21 is used to remove impurity particles and keep the water supply clean; the booster pump 22 is used to stabilize the output water pressure.

[0077] The outlet of the electrically controlled flow valve 23 is connected to the inlet of the water chamber 32 of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3 through a pressure-resistant hose, and the outlet of the water chamber 32 is connected to the water output terminal 24. The water output terminal 24 is used to connect to the water-using components on the dental chair. The opening degree of the electrically controlled flow valve 23 is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit 5 based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit 4 and the calculation result of the neural network self-learning algorithm, so as to realize stepless control of water flow.

[0078] In application, the water control unit 2 and the air control unit 1 jointly participate in the dynamic output control of the system. The filter component 21 ensures that the water entering the booster pump 22 and the electrically controlled flow valve 23 is pure, preventing impurities from causing diaphragm blockage or valve jamming. The booster pump 22 maintains a constant water supply pressure, providing a stable fluid driving force for the diaphragm array. The real-time opening adjustment of the electrically controlled flow valve 23 and the proportional solenoid valve 12 of the air control unit 1 form a closed-loop correspondence, ensuring that the air pressure change and water pressure response remain consistent in time constant.

[0079] This synergistic effect ensures that the deformation of the flexible diaphragm 33 under air pressure can be linearly transmitted to the water cavity 32, thereby forming a stable and predictable water flow output characteristic, thus adapting to the mode of stepless water flow adjustment or stable water flow output; and through the self-learning compensation of the neural network control module, the system can automatically correct the response deviation under different water supply pressures, realize constant flow control or rapid response stepless adjustment of water flow, significantly improving the spraying accuracy and user experience.

[0080] Regarding the specific structure of the aforementioned sensing and monitoring unit 4 and its linkage control with the intelligent control unit 5 and the wired or wireless foot control device 8 installed on the dental chair, this implementation is as follows: Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the sensing and monitoring unit 4 includes a displacement sensor 41, a pressure sensor 42, and a flow sensor 43. The displacement sensor 41 is mounted on the flexible diaphragm 33, and the pressure sensor 42 and flow sensor 43 are respectively arranged in the air chamber 31 and water chamber 32 on both sides of the diaphragm array modulation unit 3. They are used to measure air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement, and flow data to form a multi-parameter feedback closed-loop control with the intelligent control unit 5.

[0081] When the foot control device 8 of the dental chair sends a pressing signal to the intelligent control unit 5, the intelligent control unit 5 first adjusts the opening of the proportional solenoid valve 12 to increase the air pressure in the air chamber 31. The increased air pressure in the air chamber 31 pushes the flexible diaphragm 33 to deform towards the water chamber 32. The flexible diaphragm 33 squeezes the liquid in the water chamber 32, causing the water pressure in the water chamber 32 to increase, the flow rate to increase, or to stabilize the water pressure and flow rate. At the same time, the flow sensor 43 and the pressure sensor 42 detect the changes in pressure and flow rate and feed them back to the intelligent control unit 5. After calculation, the intelligent control unit 5 fine-tunes the opening of the proportional solenoid valve 12 and the electrically controlled flow valve 23 to synchronously modulate the output of the airflow output terminal 14 and the water flow output terminal 24, or only modulate the output of the airflow output terminal 14, while maintaining a stable output of the water flow output terminal 24.

[0082] When the foot control device 8 of the dental chair sends a release signal to the intelligent control unit 5, the proportional solenoid valve 12 reduces its opening, the pressure in the air chamber 31 decreases, the flexible diaphragm 33 rebounds, the volume of the water chamber 32 recovers, the water flow output gradually decreases, the electronically controlled flow valve 23 reduces its opening and stably closes the water flow output end 24, and at the same time the proportional solenoid valve 12 continues to reduce its opening and stably closes the airflow output end 14.

[0083] In application, the sensing and monitoring unit 4 achieves precise feedback control between the air chamber 31 and the water chamber 32 through multi-parameter fusion measurement and control. The displacement sensor 41 monitors the micro-deformation amplitude of the flexible diaphragm 33 in real time to determine whether the air pressure driving force matches the flow rate change of the water chamber 32; the pressure and flow sensors 43 respectively collect the static pressure and dynamic pressure information in the chamber, which are then filtered by the signal processing module and input to the intelligent control unit 5.

[0084] When the foot control device 8 sends a press signal, the control system executes the feedforward-feedback integrated control logic: the feedforward part predicts the target pressure change curve, and the feedback part corrects based on real-time errors. The diaphragm deformation and flow rate change form a physical-information coupling loop, achieving a dynamic balance of synchronous air and water output. When the foot control device 8 is released, the control unit instructs the proportional solenoid valve 12 and the electrically controlled flow valve 23 to return to their synchronous positions, causing the air and water pressures to drop smoothly and avoiding pressure fluctuations at the output end. This collaborative mechanism effectively solves the water hammer effect and air pressure delay problems that occur during the start-up and shutdown processes of traditional systems, ensuring stable output and operational safety.

[0085] In addition, the intelligent control unit 5 establishes a wireless Bluetooth low-power communication channel with the foot control device 8, enabling doctors to control the device across different areas.

[0086] Regarding the specific structure of the aforementioned intelligent control unit 5 and its linkage control with the foot control device 8, the pneumatic control unit 1, and the water control unit 2, the intelligent control unit 5 includes a main control chip, a data acquisition module, a signal processing module, and a neural network control module. The data acquisition module is connected to the sensor monitoring unit 4, the signal processing module is connected to the data acquisition module, and the main control chip is connected to the signal processing module, the neural network control module, the proportional solenoid valve 12, and the electrically controlled flow valve 23. The neural network control module has a built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, which is used to generate predictive control curves and correct the valve openings of the pneumatic control unit 1 and the water control unit 2 in real time based on the input signal of the foot control device 8, the historical operating data of the pneumatic control unit 1 and the water control unit 2, and the current feedback data of the sensor monitoring unit 4.

[0087] When applied, the intelligent control unit 5 serves as the core information processing module, coordinating data acquisition, signal processing, and execution unit actions through the main control chip; the signal processing module calculates the input data characteristics of the sensing and monitoring unit 4 in real time and eliminates instantaneous noise; the neural network control module generates a predictive control curve based on historical operating samples, and the main control chip dynamically corrects the opening of the proportional solenoid valve 12 and the electrically controlled flow valve 23 according to the curve to achieve stepless adjustment.

[0088] The introduction of this self-learning algorithm enables the system to have adaptive and incremental optimization capabilities: the feedback error after each operation is incorporated into the new training samples, and the system can gradually adapt to different doctors' foot control habits, different environmental pressures and water supply fluctuations, thereby achieving truly personalized and precise control.

[0089] The main control chip uses a high-performance ARM or FPGA architecture to support multi-channel parallel computing; the neural network algorithm can use an LSTM structure to enhance the time series prediction capability.

[0090] A second implementation of the gas-water separation stepless control module, for example Figure 3As shown, the difference between this embodiment and the first embodiment is that, in order to avoid backflow contamination of airflow and water flow when the proportional solenoid valve 12 closes the airflow output end 14 and the electrically controlled flow valve 23 closes the water flow output end 24, an airflow check valve 6 is provided between the outlet of the air chamber 31 and the outlet of the buffer chamber 13 connected in parallel to the airflow output end 14; and a water flow check valve 7 is provided between the outlet of the water chamber 32 and the water flow output end 24.

[0091] During application, when the system is shut down or the valve returns to its original position, there is a momentary negative pressure in the air chamber 31 and the water chamber 32, which may cause external gas or liquid to be drawn back, resulting in pipeline contamination. By installing a one-way valve at the airflow and waterflow output end 24, the backflow phenomenon can be effectively prevented.

[0092] The one-way valve works in conjunction with the diaphragm array modulation unit 3 to minimize resistance in the gas and water passages during forward flow, while immediately closing when a reverse pressure difference occurs. This structure avoids the problems of nozzle residual liquid backflow and bacterial reflux in clinical applications, significantly improving the system's hygiene safety and long-term reliability.

[0093] Based on the above embodiments of the gas-water separation stepless control module, a stepless control method is provided, including the following steps implemented in the order of S1 to S6, as follows: Figure 4 As shown: S1, collects the input signal of the foot control device, and the air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data of the sensing and monitoring unit;

[0094] S2. Input the collected data into the neural network control module of the intelligent control unit to calculate the target air pressure P at the airflow output end. t The target water pressure W at the water output end t ;

[0095] S3. Adjust the air flow output of the air control unit and the water flow output of the water control unit in real time based on the calculation results;

[0096] S4. By utilizing the elastic deformation of the diaphragm of the diaphragm array modulation unit, the synchronous modulation of the air flow rate and water flow rate of the air chamber and water chamber, or only the air flow rate modulation of the air chamber and the water flow rate stabilization of the water chamber, and physical isolation are achieved.

[0097] S5. Obtain the actual output value through the sensing and monitoring unit, and compare it with the target value to form an error value signal;

[0098] S6. The neural network control module performs self-learning updates based on the error value signal to optimize the control parameters of the main control chip and achieve stepless adaptive adjustment of air flow and water flow output.

[0099] The neural network control module is trained based on multiple sets of historical operation samples. Each sample includes the input signal curve of the foot control device, the output response curve of the air chamber and water chamber of the sensing and monitoring unit, and the feedback error, which are used to generate control strategies that are adapted to different operating habits.

[0100] When the sensing and monitoring unit detects abnormal output from the air chamber or water chamber, it triggers the safety logic of the main control chip. The intelligent control unit automatically shuts down the air control unit and the water control unit and issues an alarm signal.

[0101] In application, the stepless control method of this invention takes the input signal from the foot control device as the starting point of operation, and realizes the coordinated or independent dynamic control of the air control unit and the water control unit through the intelligent control unit. The operator's foot control signal is collected and input into the neural network control module in real time, which together with the air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data fed back by the sensor monitoring unit constitutes multi-dimensional input parameters. The neural network control module generates the target air pressure P based on historical training samples and current feedback features. t With target water pressure W t The main control chip then outputs precise control commands based on this.

[0102] When in the gas-water synchronous modulation mode, the proportional solenoid valve and the electrically controlled flow valve are simultaneously adjusted with a nonlinear mapping relationship, so that the gas chamber and the water chamber form a dynamic coupling state; the flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm array modulation unit generates elastic deformation under the action of air pressure, and realizes the synchronous flow change of the water chamber through micro-displacement, thereby achieving coordinated and linear response of gas and water output while ensuring physical isolation.

[0103] When the system is in "water flow stabilization and air chamber modulation mode only", the intelligent control unit locks the opening of the electronically controlled flow valve to maintain constant water pressure. It adjusts the opening of the proportional solenoid valve only according to the foot control input signal and air chamber feedback data to achieve independent control of airflow output. The air pressure output is then used to assist the output of the stabilizing water flow through the flexible diaphragm in the diaphragm array modulation unit.

[0104] In this mode, the sensing and monitoring unit detects the output error value in real time through pressure and flow sensors. The neural network module performs self-learning updates based on the error signal, correcting the control parameters online. This allows the system to continuously optimize the response curve and automatically compensate for air or water pressure fluctuations during operation. This self-learning closed-loop control strategy not only solves the control lag and output fluctuation problems existing in traditional dental chairs, but also significantly improves operational smoothness and jet accuracy.

[0105] In addition, when an abnormal signal is detected (such as excessive diaphragm displacement or sudden drop in water pressure), the safety logic module immediately shuts down the output of the pneumatic and water control units and triggers an alarm, thereby ensuring the safe operation and structural reliability of the system.

[0106] Through the above multi-mode collaborative control and self-learning adjustment mechanism, this invention realizes the fully automated closed-loop control from foot control input to air and water output, so that the changes in airflow, water flow or only airflow that need to be modulated have continuity, fast response and high stability, and comprehensively solves the problems of air and water regulation response lag, proportional imbalance and cross-contamination in traditional systems.

[0107] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A stepless control module for air and water separation in a dental chair, characterized in that, It includes a pneumatic control unit, a water control unit, a diaphragm array modulation unit, a sensing and monitoring unit, and an intelligent control unit; The pneumatic control unit is used to connect to a gas source and output an adjustable airflow, and the water control unit is used to connect to a water supply and output an adjustable water flow; the diaphragm array modulation unit is arranged in the pneumatic control unit and the water control unit. The diaphragm array modulation unit is provided with multiple adjacent air chambers and water chambers. Each air chamber and water chamber is separated by a flexible diaphragm. The flexible diaphragm undergoes elastic deformation under the action of air pressure change, so as to drive the fluid flow rate of the adjacent water chamber to change synchronously, which is used for physical isolation and coupling modulation of airflow and water flow. The sensing and monitoring units are respectively installed in the air chamber and the water chamber, and are used to detect air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data. The intelligent control unit is electrically connected to the sensing and monitoring unit. After receiving the input command for dual control of airflow and water flow output or stable water flow output and only airflow control, the intelligent control unit, based on the feedback of collected air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow rate data, and after calculating through the built-in neural network self-learning algorithm, outputs control commands to adjust the air control unit and the water control unit in real time or adjust only the output of the air control unit, so as to realize stepless adaptive adjustment of air flow rate and water flow rate or stepless and stable adaptive adjustment of only airflow rate and water flow rate. The pneumatic control unit includes a pressure stabilizing chamber, a proportional solenoid valve, a buffer chamber, and a gas output terminal arranged sequentially along the direction from the gas source to the output gas flow. The water control unit includes a filter assembly, a booster pump, an electrically controlled flow valve, and a water output terminal arranged sequentially along the direction from the water supply end to the water output end. The sensing and monitoring unit includes: a displacement sensor, a pressure sensor, and a flow sensor; The displacement sensor is disposed on the flexible diaphragm, and the pressure sensor and the flow sensor are respectively arranged in the air cavity and water cavity on both sides of the diaphragm array modulation unit, which are used to measure air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data to form a multi-parameter feedback closed-loop control in conjunction with the intelligent control unit. When the foot control device of the dental chair sends a pressing signal to the intelligent control unit, the intelligent control unit first adjusts the opening of the proportional solenoid valve to increase the air pressure in the air chamber. The increased air pressure in the air chamber pushes the flexible diaphragm to deform towards the water chamber. The flexible diaphragm squeezes the liquid in the water chamber, causing the water pressure and flow rate to increase or stabilize. At the same time, the flow sensor and the pressure sensor detect the pressure and flow rate changes and feed them back to the intelligent control unit. After calculation, the intelligent control unit fine-tunes the opening of the proportional solenoid valve and the electronically controlled flow valve to synchronously modulate the output of the airflow output end and the water flow output end, or only modulate the output of the airflow output end, while maintaining a stable output of the water flow output end. When the foot control device of the dental chair sends a release signal to the intelligent control unit, the proportional solenoid valve reduces its opening, the air chamber pressure decreases, the flexible diaphragm rebounds, the water chamber volume recovers, the water flow output gradually decreases, the electronically controlled flow valve reduces its opening and stably closes the water flow output end, and at the same time, the proportional solenoid valve continues to reduce its opening and stably closes the airflow output end.

2. The gas-water separation stepless control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible diaphragm comprises a silicone rubber elastic layer and a polyimide support layer that are stacked on top of each other; The flexible diaphragm is provided with a limiting ring and a support frame on its outer periphery to limit the maximum deformation and improve structural stability.

3. The gas-water separation stepless control module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outlet of the proportional solenoid valve is connected to the inlet of the air chamber of the diaphragm array modulation unit via a high-pressure conduit, and the inlet of the air chamber is connected in parallel with the inlet of the buffer chamber; the outlet of the air chamber and the outlet of the buffer chamber are respectively connected in parallel to the airflow output end via high-pressure conduits. The airflow output end is used to connect to the air-using components on the dental chair; The opening degree of the proportional solenoid valve is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit and the calculation result of the neural network self-learning algorithm, thereby achieving stepless control of airflow.

4. The gas-water separation stepless control module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outlet of the electrically controlled flow valve is connected to the water cavity inlet of the diaphragm array modulation unit via a pressure-resistant hose, and the outlet of the water cavity is connected to the water output terminal. The water outlet is used to connect to the water supply components on the dental chair; The opening degree of the electrically controlled flow valve is dynamically adjusted by the intelligent control unit based on the feedback data from the sensing and monitoring unit and the calculation results of the neural network self-learning algorithm, thereby achieving stepless control of the water flow.

5. The gas-water separation stepless control module according to claim 4, characterized in that, An airflow check valve is provided between the outlet of the air chamber, the outlet of the buffer chamber and the airflow output end connected in parallel; A one-way valve is provided between the outlet of the water cavity and the water output end; The airflow check valve and the water flow check valve are used to prevent backflow and contamination of airflow and water flow when the proportional solenoid valve closes the airflow output end and the electrically controlled flow valve closes the water flow output end.

6. The gas-water separation stepless control module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent control unit includes a main control chip, a data acquisition module, a signal processing module, and a neural network control module; the data acquisition module is connected to the sensing and monitoring unit, the signal processing module is connected to the data acquisition module, and the main control chip is connected to the signal processing module, the neural network control module, the proportional solenoid valve, and the electrically controlled flow valve; The neural network control module incorporates the neural network self-learning algorithm, which is used to generate predictive control curves and correct the valve openings of the pneumatic control unit and the water control unit in real time based on the input signal of the foot control device, the historical operating data of the pneumatic control unit and the water control unit, and the current feedback data of the sensor monitoring unit.

7. A stepless control method, applied to the gas-water separation stepless control module of claim 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Collect the input signal of the foot control device, and the air pressure, water pressure, diaphragm displacement and flow data of the sensor monitoring unit; S2. Input the collected data into the neural network control module of the intelligent control unit to calculate the target air pressure P at the airflow output end. t The target water pressure W at the water output end t ; S3. Adjust the air flow output of the air control unit and the water flow output of the water control unit in real time based on the calculation results; S4. By utilizing the elastic deformation of the diaphragm of the diaphragm array modulation unit, the synchronous modulation of the air flow rate and water flow rate of the air chamber and water chamber, or only the air flow rate modulation of the air chamber and the water flow rate stabilization of the water chamber, and physical isolation are achieved. S5. Obtain the actual output value through the sensing and monitoring unit, and compare it with the target value to form an error value signal; S6. The neural network control module performs self-learning updates based on the error value signal to optimize the control parameters of the main control chip and realize stepless adaptive adjustment of air flow and water flow output.

8. The stepless control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The neural network control module is trained based on multiple sets of historical operation samples. Each sample includes the input signal curve of the foot control device, the output response curves of the healthy air chamber and water chamber of the sensing and monitoring unit, and the feedback error, which are used to generate control strategies that adapt to different operating habits.

9. The stepless control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, When the sensing and monitoring unit detects an abnormality in the output of the air chamber or water chamber, it triggers the safety logic of the main control chip. The intelligent control unit automatically shuts down the air control unit and the water control unit and issues an alarm signal.

Images