Foot switches and dental treatment devices using foot switches

Abstract

We provide a foot switch that can be stabilized and lifted with the foot, and that is less likely to slip off during transport, as well as a dental treatment device that uses a foot switch. [Solution] The foot switch 10 comprises a foot-operated switch unit 20 and a cover 30 having an upper wall 31 that covers the upper part of the switch unit 20. The upper wall 31 has a projection 40 that protrudes toward the switch unit 20. The projection 40 is positioned so as to include the overall center of gravity G of the switch unit 20 and the cover 30 combined in a plan view.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foot switch and a dental treatment device using the foot switch.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a dental treatment device, there is known one having a foot-operated foot switch in which an operator such as a dentist performs an ON / OFF operation with their foot (see, for example, Patent Document 1 or 2).

[0003] In such a dental treatment device, it has a foot switch independent of a device main body provided with a treatment instrument such as a laser irradiation instrument. For example, during treatment, the foot switch is placed on the floor surface of the examination room and used. And when the treatment is finished, the foot switch is returned to a concave storage portion provided in the device main body. In the conventional foot switch, a cover for preventing malfunction is provided above the switch portion. The cover for preventing malfunction is formed in an arch shape to prevent malfunctions such as falling objects from above and misoperation. During treatment, the operator cannot use their hands in consideration of hygiene. Therefore, the operator hooks their foot on the cover and moves the foot switch between the storage portion and the floor surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the cover designed to prevent accidental operation has a predetermined area in the direction in which the toe is inserted, covering the top of the switch to prevent accidental operation. Therefore, when inserting your foot between the cover and the switch, the top of your foot may get caught on the front edge of the arched cover, resulting in insufficient insertion.

[0006] In this state, attempting to lift and move the foot switch would cause it to lose balance and tilt due to the heavier weight towards the toes than the point where it was hooked, resulting in it sliding forward and falling. Therefore, further improvements are needed to allow for stable movement of the foot switch between the storage compartment and the floor using the foot. The present invention aims to provide a foot switch that can be stably lifted with the foot and is less likely to slip off during transport, as well as a dental treatment device using a foot switch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The foot switch of the present invention comprises a foot-operated switch section and a cover having an upper wall that covers the upper part of the switch section. The upper wall has a projection that protrudes toward the switch section, and the projection is positioned so as to include the center of gravity of the entire unit, including the switch section and the cover, in a plan view. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, a foot switch that can be stably lifted with the foot and is less likely to slip off during movement, and a dental treatment device using a foot switch are provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic perspective view of a foot switch and a dental treatment device using a foot switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3]This is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing how to insert your toes into a foot switch and press down on the switch. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing how the top of the foot is placed on the protruding part of the foot switch. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing how the foot switch is moved and stored in the storage compartment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the foot switch stored in the storage compartment. [Figure 8] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the foot switch in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a foot switch of the third embodiment and illustrating the configuration of its main parts. [Figure 10] This is a vertical cross-sectional view showing how the foot switch stored in the storage compartment is operated. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, the foot switch 10 and the dental treatment device 1 using the foot switch 10 according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In the embodiments, when indicating direction, as shown by the arrows in Figure 1, the toe T side (see Figure 4) of the operator's foot F into which the foot switch 10 is inserted is defined as the front (or back), the heel H side as the rear (or front), and the left and right sides of the switch section 20 as the sides (see Figure 3).

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the dental treatment device 1 of the first embodiment is, for example, a laser treatment machine, and mainly consists of a dental treatment device body 2 equipped with a laser irradiation device as a dental treatment instrument 3, and a foot switch 10. In this first embodiment, the dental treatment device body 2 includes a trolley section 2c provided with a plurality of wheels 2b, and a box-shaped housing 2a whose lower part is fixed to the trolley section 2c and which houses a control device (not shown) for controlling the instrument 3.

[0012] Furthermore, the dental treatment device main body 2 includes a liquid crystal panel 2d provided at the upper part of the housing 2a, and an arm 2e that is rotatably provided at the upper end of a support column 2f extending upward from the upper surface of the housing and supports the instrument 3 at its tip. Note that the instrument 3 may be detachably supported at the tip of the arm 2e. And, in the cart unit 2c, on the front side of the lower part of the housing 2a, there is provided a foot switch storage portion 4 for placing the foot switch 10.

[0013] The foot switch 10 is provided with a foot-operated switch portion 20 for the operator to perform the ON / OFF operation of the instrument 3 with the foot. The switch portion 20 of the first embodiment is connected to the control device inside the housing 2a by wire (not shown) or wirelessly, and the instrument 3 of the dental treatment device main body 2 can be turned on and off by the ON / OFF operation. And the foot switch 10 is configured such that the operator can perform the ON / OFF operation of the switch portion 20 in either the state of being placed on the floor surface GL shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 or the state of being stored in the foot switch storage portion 4 shown by the virtual line.

[0014] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, the foot switch 10 includes a switch portion 20 and a cover 30 that covers the upper part of the switch portion 20. Among these, the switch portion 20 has an operation surface 20a that the operator presses with the foot, a switch portion main body 20b that pivotally supports the operation surface 20a so that it can be turned on and off, and a base 11 that supports the switch portion main body 20b. In the switch portion 20 of the first embodiment, the switch portion main body 20b is fixed to the upper horizontal flat surface of the base 11. Also, the switch portion 20 is configured to send an ON / OFF operation signal to the dental treatment device main body 2 and turn on and off the instrument 3 when a range of a predetermined area (for example, 625 square millimeters) of the operation surface 20a provided on the upper surface side is pressed with a predetermined pressing force (for example, 10 N or more and less than 50 N).

[0015] Furthermore, the cover 30 has an upper wall 31 that covers the top of the switch section 20 and a support wall 36 (see Figure 3). Of these, the support wall 36 extends upward from the rear side of the switch section 20 and supports the upper wall 31 in a cantilevered manner. As a result, the cover 30 has a U-shape (C-shape) when viewed from the side, with the front and side sides open (see Figure 2).

[0016] Furthermore, the upper wall 31 has a projection 40 that protrudes toward the switch section 20. As shown in Figure 2, the protruding portion 40 of the first embodiment has a downward-sloping wall 41 that extends by a predetermined dimension h1 from the middle portion of the upper wall 31 toward the switch portion 20 below. Furthermore, the protruding portion 40 has a contact surface 42 that extends horizontally toward the front from the lower end of the lower wall 41 by a predetermined dimension h2. As a result, the protruding portion 40 has a hook shape (L shape) when viewed from the side and is formed integrally with the upper wall 31. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the protrusion 40 has a predetermined width dimension h3 that is smaller than the overall width of the foot switch 10, and extends along the longitudinal direction in the width direction. As a result, the protrusion 40 increases the second moment of area in the left-right direction. Therefore, the load-bearing capacity from above the upper wall 31 can be set to be larger.

[0017] Furthermore, the cover 30 has an opening 33 on the rear side of the switch section 20. The opening 33 has a rear opening 37 provided on the support wall 36 side and an upper opening 38 provided on the upper wall 31 side. Of these, the rear opening 37 is cut out from the vertical center of the support wall 36 toward upward. The upper opening 38 extends toward the rear from the base end of the protruding portion 40. As a result, the upper opening 38 and the rear opening 37 are formed to open diagonally upward in the toe direction T, continuously at the corner where the upper wall 31 and the support wall 36 intersect.

[0018] In the first embodiment, the center of gravity G of the foot switch 10 is located directly below the contact surface 42. That is, in the side view shown in Figure 2, the center of gravity G of the foot switch 10 is located within the range of the front-to-back dimension h2 of the contact surface 42. However, it is not limited to this; for example, even if it is located beyond the range of the front-to-back dimension h2 of the contact surface 42, it is sufficient as long as the center of gravity G is in a position where it can be balanced when hooked with a foot. Furthermore, in the front view shown in Figure 3, the center of gravity G of the foot switch 10 of the first embodiment is located in the middle position within the width dimension h3 of the contact surface 42 in the left-right direction. However, it is not limited to this position; it is acceptable as long as it is a position where balance can be maintained when the foot is hooked on it, even if it exceeds the range of the contact surface 42 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the front-to-back position of the center of gravity G of the foot switch 10 can be set to directly below the contact surface 42 by, for example, adjusting the size of the opening 33 or attaching a weight to the base 11.

[0019] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, the dental treatment device body 2 of the first embodiment has a foot switch storage section 4 on the upper side of the trolley section 2c and on the front side of the lower part of the housing 2a, on which the switch section 20 is mounted. The foot switch storage section 4 has a pair of left and right side walls 5, 5 and a flat mounting surface 8 provided between the side walls 5, 5 on which the foot switch 10 is placed. The mounting surface 8 may have anti-slip grooves.

[0020] Next, the effects of the foot switch 10 and dental treatment device 1 of the first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 4, the operator can control the ON / OFF operation of the device 3 by inserting the toes of their foot F between the switch unit 20 and the upper wall 31 of the cover 30 and stepping on the operating surface 20a.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the foot switch 10 can be lifted by hooking the protruding part 40 onto the foot F, allowing it to move between the foot switch storage section 4 and the floor surface GL. In this case, the protruding portion 40 includes the center of gravity position G of the entire foot switch 10, which includes the switch portion 20 and the cover 30, in a plan view. Therefore, the center of gravity position G of the foot switch 10 is located approximately directly below the protruding portion 40, where the foot F is hooked in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions.

[0022] For example, as shown in Figure 5, when an operator inserts their foot F between the switch unit 20 and the cover 30, the instep K of the foot F (including any part of the upper surface of the foot, such as the toes; hereinafter referred to as the instep) catches on the protruding part 40 that protrudes from the upper wall 31. Since the protruding part 40 is positioned at a certain distance directly above the center of gravity G in the vertical direction, when the protruding part 40 is lifted with the foot F, the foot switch 10 hangs in a balanced state with the protruding part 40 as the center. Therefore, the foot switch 10 can be tilted to a minimum even when lifted. Also, while the foot switch 10 is being moved, the instep K of the foot F is caught on the protruding part 40, preventing it from moving in the forward or backward direction. This reduces the risk of it slipping off.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in detail in Figure 5, the protruding portion 40 of the first embodiment has a downward-sloping wall 41 protruding toward the switch portion 20. This allows the foot F inserted to the back to be easily hooked onto the corner of the protruding portion 40, which is formed in an L-shape in side view by having the downward-sloping wall 41 and the contact surface 42 intersect at almost a right angle. Therefore, the corner of the protruding portion 40 is locked in place by the instep K of the foot F, making it even less likely for the foot switch 10 to slip off from the toe T side.

[0024] Then, when the protruding part 40 is pushed up with the instep K of foot F to lift the entire foot switch, the center of gravity G is always below the protruding part 40, which acts as the pivot point, regardless of which part of foot F is used to lift the protruding part 40. Therefore, the balance of the entire foot switch 10 does not get significantly disrupted in an attempt to maintain a horizontal position, like a seesaw. Therefore, the risk of the foot switch 10 tilting towards the back and sliding off toe-first, as in conventional designs, can be reduced.

[0025] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the foot switch 10 has an opening 33 in the support wall 36 on the rear side of the switch section 20. In the first embodiment, the opening 33 is formed at the corner where the upper wall 31 and the support wall 36 intersect, by connecting the rear opening 37 provided on the support wall 36 side and the upper opening 38 provided on the upper wall 31 side. Therefore, the operator can insert the toes T of the foot F into the opening 33 and position it further inside. Consequently, the instep K or other easily liftable parts of the foot F can be easily hooked onto the protruding part 40 and lifted, and moved.

[0026] The operator can then lift their toes T and insert them into the upper opening 38 on the upper wall 31 side, allowing them to stably lift the foot switch 10. This makes it possible to lift the foot switch 10 without interfering with the front side of the housing 2a, even when it is stored in the foot switch storage compartment 4 (see the foot switch 10 shown by the dashed line in Figure 1).

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, in the trolley section 2c of the first embodiment, inclined guides 6, 6 are provided on the opposing surfaces of the side walls 5, 5 located on both sides of the foot switch storage section 4 on which the foot switch 10 is mounted, and these guides are inclined to move closer to each other as they extend downwards. The inclined guides 6 only need to be provided on at least one of the side walls 5. The guide angle α3 of the inclined guide 6 is set to approximately 20 to 40 degrees, preferably approximately 30 degrees. Then, when the foot switch 10, which has been lowered from above, comes into contact with any of the side walls 5, it is guided to slide along the inclined guide 6 to the mounting surface 8. For example, when storing the foot switch 10 in the foot switch storage compartment 4, even if the position where the foot switch 10 is lowered is off to the left or right, the tilt guide 6 will guide the foot switch 10 to a position midway between the left and right side walls 5, 5. Therefore, the operator can easily return the foot switch 10 to its designated position in the foot switch housing 4 shown in Figure 7.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, when the foot switch is stored in its designated position in the foot switch housing 4, a gap 7 of a predetermined vertical dimension h4 is provided between the upper surface 5a of the side wall 5 and the lower surface of the upper wall 31 of the foot switch 10. In the first embodiment, the dimension h4 of the gap 7 is set to preferably be 1 / 2 or more of the dimension from the switch portion 20 to the protruding portion 40. This allows the operator to insert and remove their foot F from the left and right directions into and out of the foot switch 10 through the gap 7. Therefore, when removing the foot switch 10 from the foot switch housing 4, the operator can insert their toe T above the switch section 20 from any direction, front-to-back or left-to-right, and lift it up by hooking it onto the protruding section 40.

[0029] Thus, in the first embodiment, when attaching or detaching the foot switch 10 from the dental treatment device body 2, the instep K of the foot F can be placed on the protruding part 40 which protrudes from a position that coincides with the vicinity of the center of gravity G and the device is lifted (see Figure 5). In this case, regardless of which part of the foot is placed on the protruding part 40, the foot switch can be lifted stably without disrupting the overall balance, and it is less likely to slip off during movement. As a result, the operator can easily move the foot switch 10 to a desired position, such as between the foot switch storage part 4 and the floor surface GL, and place it in a stable position.

[0030] Next, the foot switch 50 of the second embodiment will be described using Figure 8. Parts that are the same as or equivalent to those of the foot switch 10 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. As shown in Figure 8, the foot switch 50 of the second embodiment comprises a switch section 20 and a cover 130 that covers the top of the switch section 20.

[0031] Of these, the cover 130 has a pair of left and right side walls 34, 34 on the sides of the switch section 20. The side walls 34 extend upward from the left and right sides 12 (see, for example, Figure 3) of the base 11 of the switch section 20, supporting the upper wall 31. This improves the rigidity of the cover 30 compared to the case where the upper wall 31 is supported only by the rear support wall 36. Furthermore, if the left and right ends of the protrusion 40 are connected to the left and right pair of side walls 34, 34, respectively, the rigidity of the cover 30 can be further improved.

[0032] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the left and right side walls 34 each have a notch 35 that is cut out in a concave shape from the front side to the back side of the switch section 20 when viewed from the side. Therefore, regardless of whether the foot switch 110 is placed on the floor GL or stored in the foot switch storage compartment 4 of the dental treatment device body 2, the operator can easily insert their foot F between the switch portion 20 and the protruding portion 40 from the left or right direction of the notch 35. Consequently, the instep K of the foot F can be placed on the protruding portion 40 even more easily. Other configurations and effects are the same as those of the foot switch 10 in the first embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0033] Next, the foot switch 110 and dental treatment device 1 of the third embodiment will be described using Figures 9 and 10. Parts that are the same as or equivalent to those of the foot switch 10 and dental treatment device 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted. As shown in Figure 9, in the foot switch 110 of the third embodiment, the operating surface 120a formed on the upper side of the switch portion 120 is inclined so that it becomes lower as it approaches the front.

[0034] More specifically, a triangular base 121, which is triangular in side view, is interposed between the lower surface of the switch unit 120 and the upper surface of the base 11. The upper surface of the triangular base 121 is provided with a predetermined inclination angle α1 relative to the upper surface of the base 11. In the first embodiment, the inclination angle α1 is set to approximately 10 degrees. Furthermore, the operating surface 120a of the switch unit 120 has a predetermined inclination angle α2 relative to the upper surface of the triangular base 121 at the intermediate position of the area where pressing force is mainly applied. The inclination angle α2 is set considering the operability of the foot switch 110 when placed on the floor surface GL. In addition, as shown in Figure 9, the operating surface 120a is curved in an arc shape from front to back with the intermediate position as the apex.

[0035] The foot switch 110 of the third embodiment, configured in this way, can exhibit the following additional effects in addition to those of the first embodiment. In other words, as shown in Figure 10, there are cases where the operator turns the switch ON / OFF while the switch unit 120 is placed in the foot switch housing unit 4. Even in such cases, the inclination angle α of the operating surface 120a can be set to a relatively large angle, which is the sum of the inclination angle α2 and the inclination angle α1 = approximately 10 degrees, making it easy to operate.

[0036] For example, as shown in Figure 10, the operator can easily press the operating surface 120a by placing the heel H of their foot F on the floor surface GL and using it as a fulcrum. Thus, in the foot switch 110 of the third embodiment, the inclination angle α of the operating surface 120a can be adjusted to match the angle of the sole of the foot.

[0037] As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 10, even when the foot switch 110 is still placed in the foot switch housing 4, the operator can efficiently transmit pressing force to the switch section 120, which is located at a predetermined height h5 above the floor level (GL).

[0038] Furthermore, the operating surface 120a has an inclined surface that slopes downwards towards the front. As a result, the opening on the front side of the foot switch 10 widens, making it easier to insert the foot F as shown by the dashed line. Therefore, the foot switch 110 of the third embodiment can be made easily operable whether it is placed on the floor surface GL or stored in the foot switch storage section 4 of the dental treatment device body 2 shown in Figure 10. Other configurations and effects are the same as those of the foot switch 10 in the first embodiment, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0039] As described above, the foot switch 10 of the present invention comprises a foot-operated switch unit 20 and a cover 30 having an upper wall 31 that covers the upper part of the switch unit 20. The upper wall 31 has a projection 40 that protrudes toward the switch section 20. In a plan view, the projection 40 is located near the overall center of gravity G of the combined switch section 20 and cover 30.

[0040] According to the present invention configured in this way, the protruding portion 40 is located near the center of gravity G of the entire foot switch 10 in a plan view. Therefore, the operator can stabilize and lift it with their foot. Thus, the present invention can provide a foot switch 10 that is less likely to slip and fall during movement, thus exhibiting practically beneficial effects.

[0041] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible. The embodiments described above are illustrative examples provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those comprising all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with those of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to delete parts of the configuration of each embodiment, or to add or replace other configurations. Possible modifications to the above embodiments are as follows, for example.

[0042] The dental treatment device 1 in this embodiment is a laser treatment machine, and while the dental treatment device body 2 having a laser irradiator has been used as an example to illustrate the dental treatment instrument 3, the invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be a dental treatment device having other dental treatment instruments 3. That is, it only needs to have a foot-operated switch unit and a cover having an upper wall that covers the top of the switch unit, and its shape, number, material and function for performing treatment are not particularly limited.

[0043] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the protruding portion 40 of the first embodiment has a downward wall 41 and a contact surface 42 and is formed in a hook shape (L shape) when viewed from the side. However, the projection 40 is not limited to this and may have any shape, such as a rectangular parallelepiped or a cylindrical shape with an axial direction in the horizontal direction. In other words, the protruding portion 40 only needs to protrude toward the switch portion 20 and, in a plan view, be near the center of gravity G of the entire foot switch 10, including the switch portion 20 and the cover 30, and the shape, number, and material of the protruding portion 40 are not particularly limited.

[0044] In the first embodiment, the center of gravity G of the foot switch 10 is located directly below the contact surface 42. However, the center of gravity G is not limited to this. For example, it may be located on the heel side (towards the front, left side in Figure 2) of the contact surface 42. In other words, even if the dimensions of the contact surface 42 in the front-to-back direction are exceeded, the protruding portion 40 should be positioned in front of the overall center of gravity G, or in front of the center of gravity G, so that the center of gravity G is in a position where balance can be maintained when the foot is hooked on it.

[0045] Furthermore, the foot switch housing section 4 that houses the foot switch 10 of the first embodiment is provided with a pair of left and right side walls 5, 5. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to this. For example, it is sufficient if at least one of the left or right side walls 5 is provided. For example, the right side wall 5 may be removed, and the foot switch 10 may be stored in the foot switch storage compartment 4 from the front or right side of the trolley section 2c. Alternatively, the left side wall 5 may be removed, and the foot switch 10 may be stored in the foot switch storage compartment 4 from the front or left side of the trolley section 2c. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 10 Footswitches 20 Switch section 30 Cover 31 Upper wall 40 Protrusion G Center of gravity position

Claims

1. Foot-operated switch section, The system includes a cover having an upper wall that covers the upper part of the switch section, The upper wall has a projection that protrudes toward the switch portion, The foot switch is characterized in that the protruding portion, in a plan view, includes the center of gravity of the entire unit, including the switch portion and the cover, or is located in front of the center of gravity.

2. The cover has a support wall that extends upward from the switch portion and supports the upper wall, The foot switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the support wall has an opening on the rear side of the switch portion.

3. The cover has a side wall that extends upward from the side of the switch portion and supports the upper wall, The foot switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the side wall has a notch that is cut out in a concave shape from the front side to the back side of the switch portion when viewed from the side.

4. The foot switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the switch portion has an inclined surface that slopes downward towards the front.

5. The device comprises a dental treatment device body connected to the aforementioned switch section, The dental treatment device body has a foot switch housing for which the switch unit is mounted, The dental treatment device using a foot switch according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the left and right side walls of the foot switch housing is provided with an inclined guide that slopes downward so that it moves closer to each other.

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