Dental handpiece with an implantable wireless communication device

Abstract

To provide a more robust and reliable method for tracking a dental handpiece throughout its use and maintenance.SOLUTION: A dental handpiece 10 includes: a head portion 14 supporting a turbine for a removable rotary dental tool 18; and a handle portion 12 having an internal cavity. One or more conduits extend at least partially through the interior cavity toward the head portion. At least one of the conduits is a drive fluid conduit for delivering drive fluid to the head portion for rotating the turbine. A wireless communication device 42 in the internal cavity is attached to at least one of the conduits. The wireless communication device is configured to store data related to identification, use, and / or maintenance of the handpiece. An electrically inert substrate material encapsulates the wireless communication device and electrically isolates the wireless communication device from other components of the handpiece.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of currently pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 907,981, entitled "Dental Handpiece with Embedded Wireless Communication Device," filed September 30, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The embodiments described herein relate generally to dental handpieces, and more particularly to pneumatic dental handpieces with embedded wireless communication devices for tracking handpiece details, such as usage, cleaning, and / or maintenance history. [Background technology]

[0003] Dentists need an easy way to keep track of handpieces, for example, a way to determine whether a handpiece has been cleaned, lubricated, sterilized, used in a dental procedure, etc. This is particularly difficult when visually assessing a large supply of handpieces. Previous attempts have involved visually or electronically tracking handpieces using external colored bands or by attaching labels such as bar codes to the handpiece for scanning and tracking. However, these methods are subject to wear as the handpiece is used, cleaned, and sterilized. The colored bands or bar code labels fade or fall off the handpiece. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It would be desirable to provide a more robust and reliable method of tracking dental handpieces through their use and maintenance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Briefly, one embodiment includes a dental handpiece including a head portion supporting a turbine configured to receive a removable dental tool for rotation therewith, and a handle portion having a first end, an opposite second end, and an internal cavity. The head portion is disposed at the first end of the handle portion, and the second end of the handle portion is configured to removably couple to a supply hose. One or more conduits extend at least partially through the internal cavity of the handle portion toward the head portion. At least one of the one or more conduits is a drive fluid conduit configured to deliver drive fluid to the head portion to rotate the turbine. A wireless communication device is disposed within the internal cavity of the handle portion and attached to at least one of the one or more conduits. At least a portion of the handle portion surrounding the wireless communication device is formed from a dielectric material. The wireless communication device is configured to wirelessly communicate with a reader or writer external to the dental handpiece and to store data related to at least one of the identification, use, or maintenance of the dental handpiece. An electrically inert substrate material encapsulates the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device is electrically isolated from other components of the dental handpiece.

[0006] In one embodiment, the handle portion is formed from a first housing surrounding the first end and a second housing surrounding the second end, the first housing and second housing together defining an interior cavity.

[0007] In another embodiment, the second housing houses a wireless communication device.

[0008] In still other embodiments, the second housing is formed from a dielectric material.

[0009] In yet other embodiments, the second housing is attached to the first housing using a threaded connection.

[0010] In other embodiments, the handle portion extends from the second end in an initial direction that defines a handle axis.

[0011] In yet another aspect, the wireless communication device has a central longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the handle axis.

[0012] In other embodiments, one or more conduits comprise fiber optic cables.

[0013] In yet another aspect, the wireless communication device is attached to a fiber optic cable.

[0014] In other embodiments, at least one of the one or more conduits to which the wireless communication device is attached is made from metal.

[0015] In still other embodiments, the substrate material is made from one of a silicone, a polymeric material, or a silicone-polymer composite material.

[0016] In yet another embodiment, the dielectric material is polyetheretherketone.

[0017] In another aspect, the wireless communication device is configured to be powered by a signal from an external reader or writer.

[0018] In still other embodiments, the wireless communication device is an RFID chip.

[0019] In still other embodiments, the data includes at least one of a date, time, or duration of at least one of use, cleaning, lubrication, or sterilization of the dental handpiece.

[0020] In another embodiment, the data includes a unique identifier for the dental handpiece.

[0021] Another embodiment includes a dental handpiece including a handle portion formed from a first housing having a head portion at a first end and a second end removably coupled to the first end of a second housing. The second housing has a second end configured to couple to a supply hose. The first and second housings define an internal cavity. The second housing defines a longitudinally extending handle axis and is made of a dielectric material. The first housing includes a bend such that a portion of the first housing extends at an angle transverse to the handle axis. A turbine is supported on the head portion and configured to removably receive a dental tool for rotation therewith. A manifold is disposed within the internal cavity and housed in the second housing. The manifold has a plurality of connection openings and is configured to receive a supply hose. A compressed air conduit couples to one of the connection openings of the manifold and extends through the internal cavity to the head portion. The compressed air conduit is configured to supply compressed air to the head portion to rotate the turbine. A fiber optic cable is connected to another of the manifold connection openings, extends through the internal cavity, and terminates at an optical opening in the head portion. The fiber optic cable is at least partially made of metal. An RFID chip is housed in the second housing and attached to the fiber optic cable within the internal cavity. The RFID chip has a central longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the handle axis. The RFID chip is configured to wirelessly communicate with a reader or writer external to the dental handpiece and to store data related to at least one of the identification, use, or maintenance of the dental handpiece. An electrically inert substrate material encapsulates the RFID chip. The RFID chip is electrically insulated from other components of the dental handpiece.

[0022] The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For purposes of illustration, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left-side elevational, partially cross-sectional view of a dental handpiece in accordance with a first preferred embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the left side of the dental handpiece of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view in a top plane of the dental handpiece of FIG. 1 taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the dental handpiece of FIG. 1 from a left perspective. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and not as a limitation. Words such as "right," "left," "bottom," and "top" designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. "Inside" and "outside" refer to directions toward and away from the geometric center of the device and designated parts of the device, respectively. The terminology includes the above-listed words, their derivatives, and words of similar import. Also, as used in the claims and corresponding parts of the specification, the word "a" means "at least one."

[0025] It should also be understood that terms such as "about," "approximately," "generally," and "substantially," as used herein when referring to dimensions or characteristics of components, indicate that the described dimensions / characteristics are not rigid boundaries or parameters and do not exclude minor variations that are functionally similar. At a minimum, such references involving numerical parameters include variations that do not result in significant changes of the smallest order of magnitude, using technically accepted mathematical principles and industry practices (e.g., rounding, measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.).

[0026] 1-4, there is shown a first preferred embodiment of a dental handpiece 10 preferably comprising a handle portion 12 and a head portion 14. The head portion 14 preferably supports a high-speed, air-driven turbine 16 to which a dental tool 18, such as a burr, drill bit, or the like, may be attached for rotation therewith. The dental tool 18 may be removable from the turbine 16 and head portion 14 for maintenance, replacement, or the like. At the end opposite the head portion 14, the handle portion 12 is preferably attached to a supply hose (not shown), which provides compressed air or a similar fluid to drive the turbine 16.

[0027] The handle portion 12 is preferably formed from a front housing 12a having a head portion 14 located at its forward end and an opposite rearward end removably coupled to a rearward housing 12b. The head portion 14 may be integrally formed with the front housing 12a or may be a separate component attached to the front end of the front housing 12a via threading, welding, or other similar coupling methods. The rearward end of the front housing 12a preferably includes threads 20 for coupling to complementary threads 22 in the rearward housing 12b. Both the front and rear housings 12a, 12b define internal cavities for accommodating various components, as described more fully below. Preferably, the threaded connection between the front and rear housings 12a, 12b is fluid-sealed to prevent the ingress of contaminants into the cavities, which could adversely affect the various components.

[0028] The front housing 12a preferably includes a drive fluid conduit 24 extending from the rear end of the front housing 12a to the head portion 14 for introducing drive fluid (e.g., compressed air) to the turbine 16. The front housing 12a further includes a cooling air conduit 26 and a cooling fluid conduit 28 extending from the rear end of the front housing 12a. The cooling air conduit 26 and the cooling fluid conduit 28 preferably carry air and fluid (e.g., water) provided by supply hoses. The cooling air conduit 26 and the cooling fluid conduit 28 can merge into a mist conduit 30, which is shown in the drawings inside the front housing 12a. There, the air and fluid combine to form a mist that is carried by the mist conduit 30 to the head portion 14, where it is emitted from one or more ports 32 toward the dental tool 18. The mist enables cooling and / or cleaning of the dental tool 18 and / or a work site in the patient's mouth. In alternative embodiments, the cooling air and cooling fluid may be mixed before reaching the dental handpiece 10, such that only the cooling atomizing tube 30 is required. In other embodiments, only the cooling air tube 26 or only the cooling fluid tube 28 may be required.

[0029] The front housing 12a preferably further includes a fiber optic cable 34 extending from the rear end of the front housing 12a toward the head portion 14 and terminating at an optical opening 36 in the head portion 14. The fiber optic cable 34 preferably directs light provided by the supply hose through the optical opening 36 toward the dental tool 18 and work site. In alternative embodiments, the fiber optic cable 34 may be optically coupled to a light (not shown), such as an LED, mounted within the front housing 12a or rear housing 12b, which may receive power from the supply hose or from a power source within the dental handpiece 10. In still other embodiments, the fiber optic cable 34 may be omitted, but a light (e.g., an LED) may be mounted at or near the head portion 14 that receives power from a supply hose and a power cable (not shown) extending through the front and rear housings 12a, 12b.

[0030] A manifold 38 is preferably disposed within rear housing 12b for coupling drive fluid conduits 24, cooling air conduits 26, cooling fluid conduits 28, and fiber optic cables 34 to corresponding supply piping (not shown) from supply hoses. Manifold 38 is preferably formed as a rigid body having a plurality of coupling openings 40 formed therein for receiving each of drive fluid conduits 24, cooling air conduits 26, cooling fluid conduits 28, and fiber optic cables 34 at its forward end and for receiving the supply piping from the respective supply hoses at its rear end. Drive fluid conduits 24, cooling air conduits 26, cooling fluid conduits 28, and fiber optic cables 34 preferably couple to their respective coupling openings via an interference fit, although other types of similar connections may also be made. 1-4, drive fluid conduits 24, cooling air conduits 26, cooling fluid conduits 28, and fiber optic cables 34 preferably extend beyond the rear end of front housing 12a for ease of connection with manifold 38, although manifold 38 could just as easily extend into front housing 12a to make the appropriate connections. By connecting to the various conduits and cables from front housing 12a, manifold 38 is preferably prevented from rotating with rear housing 12b, allowing rear housing 12b to be threaded onto front housing 12a without interfering with the necessary fluid and cable connections.

[0031] The rear housing 12b preferably defines a longitudinally extending handle axis H. For ease of use in a patient's mouth, the front housing 12a may include a bend such that a portion of the front housing 12a preferably extends at a transverse angle to the handle axis H to position the head portion 14 and dental tool 18 off-center relative to the handle axis H. However, in some embodiments, the bend may be in the rear housing 12b.

[0032] The rear housing 12b preferably houses a wireless communication device 42, preferably in the form of a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, which houses at least an antenna and a memory device (not shown). The memory device preferably stores information related to the use and / or maintenance of the dental handpiece 10, such as, for example, the date, time, and / or duration of use, cleaning, lubrication, sterilization, etc. In a simpler embodiment, the memory device may only store a binary indicator of whether the dental handpiece 10 has been used, cleaned, lubricated, sterilized, etc. Additional information may also be stored, such as a unique identifier for the dental handpiece 10, the date of manufacture, the number of uses, the number of cleanings, whether the dental tools 18 have been replaced, and other similar information useful to an operator for tracking or determining the status of the dental handpiece 10. It is preferred that data associated with the wireless communication device 42 be encrypted to prevent unauthorized reading or writing.

[0033] The stored data may be written to the wireless communication device 42 by one or more external writers. For example, the external writers may be in various dedicated locations; for example, an external writer may be associated with an autoclave, another external writer may be near a dental chair to register use, and another external writer may be located near a lubrication station. Alternatively, for example, only one external writer may be used to write all data to the wireless communication device 42. Similarly, read and write functions may be combined in a single external device or may be spread across different external devices in various locations.

[0034] While the wireless communication device 42 in the preferred embodiment is an RFID chip, other types of wireless communication devices may be used, such as a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip, a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chip, etc. Furthermore, the wireless communication device 42 may be interrogated or transmitted by an external reader and / or writer (not shown). It is preferred that the power supply be powered only by other signals, but a separate local power supply may be used. A power supply (not shown) may be provided within the dental handpiece 10 for the wireless communication device 42, or power may be provided externally by a supply hose.

[0035] It is further preferred that the wireless communication device 42 be electrically isolated from other components of the dental handpiece 10. That is, the wireless communication device 42 preferably has no physical connection or contact with any other electrical, electronic, or energy-emitting components or devices of the dental handpiece 10. The wireless communication device 42 is further shown in Figures 1-4 as being encapsulated in a substrate material 44, which may be made from an electrically inert material, such as silicone, a polymer material, a silicone-polymer composite, or the like, that allows wireless signals to be communicated to and from the wireless communication device 42 substantially unimpeded.

[0036] The substrate material 44 can also serve as a bonding agent for securing the wireless communication device 42 to other components of the dental handpiece 10. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the wireless communication device 42 is shown attached to the fiber optic cable 34 within the rear housing 12b. In alternative embodiments, the wireless communication device 42 may be attached to one or more other components, such as the drive fluid conduit 24, the cooling air conduit 26, the cooling fluid conduit 28, the cooling spray conduit 30, or the manifold 38. However, it is preferred that the component or components to which the wireless communication device 42 is attached be constructed to provide constructive interference with the signals transmitted and / or received by the wireless communication device 42. For example, the fiber optic cable 34, or one of the conduits 24, 26, 28, and 30, may be made at least in part from a metal or other similar material capable of reflecting wireless signals. In this manner, a component such as the fiber optic cable 34 can enable an improved wireless signal accessible by an external reading or writing device because the signal transmitted by the wireless communication device 42 is better focused rather than emanating in multiple different directions. In still other embodiments, the wireless communication device 42 may be mounted on an interior wall of the rear housing 12b or the front housing 12a.

[0037] Conventional dental handpieces are primarily made from metallic materials (e.g., stainless steel, etc.) that are not conducive to the transmission of wireless signals. To accommodate the wireless communication device 42, the rear housing 12b, or at least a portion thereof, surrounding the wireless communication device 42 is preferably made from a dielectric material, such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK), that allows for the transmission and / or radiation of wireless signal energy. Nevertheless, if the wireless communication device 42 is not housed or partially housed therein, the front housing 12a may continue to be made from a more conventional material, in which case at least a portion of the front housing 12a should be made from a dielectric material.

[0038] With the wireless communication device 42 embedded within the dental handpiece 10 and substrate material 44, the wireless communication device 42 is adequately protected during use, cleaning, sterilization, and similar processes performed on the dental handpiece 10. The threaded connection between the front and rear housings 12a, 12b further allows access to the wireless communication device 42 for removal and / or replacement, if necessary.

[0039] It is further preferred that the wireless communication device 42 be mounted so that the central longitudinal axis A (FIG. 3) is oriented substantially perpendicular to the handle axis H. Such an orientation can enhance the propagation of wireless signals in a favorable direction, thereby making read and write operations easier.

[0040] Although the dental handpiece 10 shown and described herein is intended to be a pneumatic handpiece, other types of handpieces as are known in the art may be used within the scope of the present invention.

[0041] While certain distinct embodiments are shown in the drawings, various individual elements or combinations of elements from different embodiments may be combined with one another while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, individual features described herein with respect to only one embodiment should not be construed as incompatible with other embodiments described herein or other embodiments otherwise encompassed by the present invention.

[0042] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the broad inventive concept of the present invention. It is therefore understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10 Dental Handpieces 12 Handle part 12a Front housing 12b Rear housing 14 Head part 16 Turbine 18 Dental Tools 20, 22 threads 24 Driving fluid pipe 26 Cooling air pipe 28 Cooling fluid pipe 30 Cooling spray tube 32 ports 34 Fiber optic cable 36 Optical Aperture 38 Manifold 40 Connecting opening 42 Wireless communication devices 44 Base material A central longitudinal axis H Handle shaft

Claims

1. 1. A dental handpiece, comprising: a head portion supporting the turbine configured to receive a removable dental tool for rotation therewith; a handle portion having a first end, an opposite second end, and an interior cavity, the head portion being disposed at the first end of the handle portion and the second end of the handle portion being configured to removably couple to a supply hose; one or more conduits extending at least partially through the internal cavity of the handle portion toward the head portion, at least one of the one or more conduits being a drive fluid conduit configured to deliver a drive fluid to the head portion to rotate the turbine; a wireless communication device disposed within the internal cavity of the handle portion and attached to at least one of the one or more conduits, wherein at least a portion of the handle portion surrounding the wireless communication device is formed from a dielectric material, the wireless communication device configured to wirelessly communicate with a reader or writer external to the dental handpiece and configured to store data relating to at least one of identification, use, or maintenance of the dental handpiece; and an electrically inert substrate material encapsulating the wireless communication device, the wireless communication device being electrically isolated from other components of the dental handpiece; Equipped with the handle portion is formed from a first housing surrounding the first end and a second housing surrounding the second end; a rearward end of the first housing opposite the first end is removably coupled to the second housing using a threaded connection; the second housing accommodates the wireless communication device; Dental handpiece.

2. the first housing and the second housing together define the internal cavity; 10. The dental handpiece of claim 1.

3. the second housing is formed from the dielectric material; 2. The dental handpiece of claim 1.

4. The handle portion extends from the second end in an initial orientation that defines a handle axis.

10. The dental handpiece of claim 1.

5. the wireless communication device has a central longitudinal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the handle axis; 5. The dental handpiece of claim 4.

6. The wireless communication device is encapsulated in the substrate material.

2. The dental handpiece of claim 1.

7. The substrate material is made of a material that allows radio signals to be communicated to and from the wireless communication device substantially unimpeded.

7. The dental handpiece of claim 6.

8. The substrate material serves as a bonding agent to secure the wireless communication device to other components of the dental handpiece.

8. The dental handpiece according to claim 6 or 7.

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