Dental media coupling for coupling to air-operated dental instruments

Abstract

A dental media coupling (10) for coupling to an air-operated dental instrument (50) is provided for connection to a supply hose (110) for supplying an attached dental instrument (50) and has, on the output side, a coupling pin (20) designed for the rotatable arrangement of an air-operated dental instrument (100). Furthermore, in the region of the coupling pin (20), a transmitting and receiving unit in the form of an antenna (30) is provided which is designed to communicate with a transmitting and receiving unit (70) of an attached dental instrument (50) by means of / via near-field communication.

Description

[0001] KaVo Dental GmbH

[0002] P62586 / WO

[0003] 1

[0004] DENTAL MEDIA COUPLING FOR COUPLING WITH AIR-OPERATED DENTAL INSTRUMENTS

[0005] The present invention relates to a dental media coupling designed to be coupled to an air-operated dental instrument in order to connect the dental instrument to a dental supply unit via a supply tube. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an air-operated dental instrument that can be coupled to a corresponding dental media coupling, wherein both the media coupling and the dental instrument are provided with transmitter and receiver units for wireless near-field communication.

[0006] Dental instruments, such as drill handpieces and tartar removal devices, are typically supplied with media via a hose by upstream supply units to ultimately enable treatment using the dental instrument. In the case of the aforementioned air-driven dental instruments, these media primarily include the driving air at a pressure tailored to the instrument, but often also water, spray air, and / or electricity.

[0007] For hygienic reasons, dental instruments must be designed so that they can be cleaned and sterilized relatively easily. This means, among other things, that the instruments can be easily and quickly detached from the tubing leading to the supply unit and then cleaned separately.

[0008] A media coupling is used to connect the air-operated instrument to the supply hose. This coupling allows for a detachable connection to the instrument and is designed to transfer the media supplied via the hose to the dental instrument. The inlet side of such a media coupling, facing the supply hose, has several connection points, the arrangement and size of which are specified by a relevant standard (EN ISO 9168:2009). This standard stipulates, in particular, that the media coupling must have inlet connections for drive air, return air from the air-operated dental instrument, water, and / or spray air. Furthermore, exactly two electrical contacts are provided, which are connected to KaVo Dental GmbH.

[0009] P62586 / WO

[0010] 2

[0011] They can be used for signal transmission and / or for transmitting a supply voltage to a consumer provided at the media coupling or the dental instrument.

[0012] On the outlet side, the media coupling is designed to allow a detachable connection to the dental instrument, and various options exist for this. A particularly preferred variant involves designing the media coupling so that the air-operated dental instrument is rotatably mounted on a correspondingly shaped coupling pin. This allows for relative rotation between the supply hose and the dental instrument, which generally results in more ergonomic handling of the dental instrument during treatment. Other media couplings, however, feature a special positioning element that defines a fixed rotational position between the media coupling and the dental instrument, thus preventing the aforementioned relative rotation.

[0013] Since the media coupling can generally be connected to various dental instruments, it is advantageous to have the ability to automatically identify the connected instrument. This allows, for example, the dental unit supplying the instrument's air pressure to limit the pressure to a range suitable for the currently connected instrument. It also enables the tracking of specific dental instrument usage, ensuring that instruments are regularly maintained, cleaned, or otherwise reprocessed.

[0014] A solution frequently used in the past involved placing an electrically identifiable component, such as a resistor with a resistance value unique to the instrument, in the connection area of ​​the dental instrument. This resistor could then be connected to the power supply unit via the two electrical contacts specified in the standard, allowing the power supply to determine the resistance value and thus identify the instrument.

[0015] In a further development, it is also known that instead of the resistor or another electrical component that must be directly contacted for its evaluation, KaVo Dental GmbH

[0016] P62586 / WO

[0017] 3

[0018] Transmitting and receiving units are used that enable data transmission via near-field communication. Corresponding antennas are located on the media coupling and on the dental instrument, and when both units are coupled, they can communicate wirelessly with each other. This allows the dental unit to identify connected instruments and react accordingly. A further advantage of this solution, which is described, for example, in EP 2 581 061 Al, is that the NFC tags used can store at least small amounts of data, thus allowing data relating to the use of the dental instrument to be stored in the tag assigned to it.

[0019] This advantageous use of near-field communication was previously only possible with media couplings that included a positioning element preventing rotation between the dental instrument and the coupling device, while ensuring a coordinated arrangement of the inductive components responsible for near-field communication. In this case, the NFC antenna of the media coupling was located directly within the coupling's positioning element. However, this solution eliminates the advantage of relative rotation between the media coupling and the dental instrument, which is beneficial for instrument handling.

[0020] Furthermore, EP 2 514 386 Bl discloses a media coupling for supplying a dental instrument, which can be coupled on the inlet side to a supply hose leading to a dental unit. On the outlet side, the coupling has a coupling pin onto which the dental instrument can be placed, with a ring-shaped antenna in the form of a coil surrounding the coupling pin at the front of the coupling housing, which can communicate wirelessly with a corresponding coil on the dental instrument.

[0021] Finally, DE 100 66 004 Al discloses a dental treatment instrument that can be detachably coupled to a media coupling having a coupling pin. The dental instrument is placed onto this coupling pin, with corresponding coils on the coupling and the instrument enabling inductive energy transfer to power a component integrated into the instrument. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO

[0022] 4

[0023] The present invention is based on the objective of enabling reliable wireless communication between the media coupling and the dental instrument, even in the case of media couplings that allow a relative rotation of the dental instrument with respect to the coupling, whereby a simple design of the components involved should be ensured, which facilitates subsequent repair or maintenance measures.

[0024] The problem is solved by a dental media coupling with the features of claim 1 and by an air-operated dental instrument with the features of claim 8. Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0025] The dental media coupling according to the invention is designed on the input side in accordance with the aforementioned standard, i.e., it has corresponding connection points for the media prescribed by the standard as well as two electrical contacts on the input side. On the output side, a coupling pin is provided on which an air-operated dental instrument can be rotatably arranged. According to the present invention, the media coupling has a transmitter and receiver unit connected to the two electrical contacts in the area of ​​the coupling pin, which can be used for near-field communication, and the transmitter and receiver unit is designed as a coil that surrounds the coupling pin of the media coupling in a ring-like manner.The solution according to the invention allows the desired free rotation of the dental instrument relative to the media coupling, while the special design and arrangement of the transmitting and receiving units ensures reliable communication with the dental instrument in all possible rotational positions. Furthermore, the coil forming the antenna is positioned at the front of a coupling housing, from which the coupling pin extends. This advantageous positioning ensures that, in the coupled state, the two transmitting and receiving units of the media coupling and the dental instrument are arranged as close as possible to each other, thus enabling reliable signal transmission and data exchange.The coil is arranged on a ring-shaped support element, which can be attached to the coupling housing from a free end of the coupling pin. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO.

[0026] 5

[0027] According to the present invention, a dental media coupling for coupling with an air-operated dental instrument is proposed, wherein the media coupling is provided for connection with a supply hose for supplying a connected dental instrument and for this purpose has on the inlet side a) connection points for

[0028] • Drive air,

[0029] • Return air,

[0030] • Water and

[0031] • Spray air b) and exactly two electrical contacts, wherein the media coupling has on the output side a coupling pin designed for rotatably arranging an air-operated dental instrument, wherein the media coupling has in the area of ​​the coupling pin a transmitter and receiver unit in the form of an antenna connected to the two electrical contacts, which is designed to communicate with a transmitter and receiver unit of a connected dental instrument by means of near-field communication, wherein the antenna is designed as a coil which surrounds the coupling pin of the media coupling in a ring-like manner, wherein the coil is positioned on a front area of ​​a coupling housing from which the coupling pin extends, and wherein the coil is arranged on a ring-shaped support element which can be placed on the coupling housing from a free end of the coupling pin.

[0032] Similarly, the air-operated dental instrument proposed according to the invention is designed in a manner that includes a coupling opening formed on the housing of the dental instrument, into which the coupling pin of the media coupling can be inserted, such that the dental instrument can be rotated relative to the media coupling. The dental instrument also has a transmitting and receiving unit in the form of an antenna, which in turn is designed as a coil. According to the invention, this coil is arranged on a wall region of the housing in the area of ​​the coupling opening. In this case as well, the coil is arranged on a coil carrier, which is ring-shaped, inserted into the end face of the housing, and secured axially within it, in particular by being locked into place. The coil carrier is arranged in a rotationally secure manner at the end face of the housing, and the coil is either mounted on the KaVo Dental GmbH

[0033] P62586 / WO

[0034] 6 ring-shaped coil carrier wound or applied as a MID element or inserted as a wound coil into a pocket or receptacle of the coil carrier.

[0035] According to this second aspect of the invention, an air-operated dental instrument, in particular a dental turbine, a powder jet device, or a pneumatically operated tartar removal device, is proposed, wherein the dental instrument is designed for coupling with a dental media coupling as described above and has a housing which has a cylindrical coupling opening at one end into which the coupling pin of the media coupling can be inserted, wherein the dental instrument further comprises a transmitting and receiving unit in the form of an antenna which is designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving unit of the dental coupling by means of / via near-field communication, and wherein the antenna is designed in the form of a coil which is arranged on a wall region of the housing in the region of the coupling opening, wherein the coil is arranged on a coil carrier which is designed in an annular form.inserted into the end face of the housing and secured axially therein, in particular locked to it, wherein the coil carrier is arranged in the housing in a rotationally secure manner and wherein the coil is a) wound onto the annular coil carrier or applied as a MID element or b) inserted as a wound coil into a pocket or receptacle of the coil carrier.

[0036] The support element for holding the coil on the housing of the media coupling is preferably secured against rotation, in particular by a positive locking mechanism on the coupling housing. Specifically, the support element for the coil can be secured to the coupling housing by means of a separate locking element, e.g., a union nut or a sleeve.

[0037] The coil forming the antenna can be wound onto the carrier element in a suitable manner or applied to the carrier element as a so-called MID (Molded Interconnect Device) element. This results in a compact unit which only slightly increases the dimensions of the media coupling compared to known solutions and which also allows for easy replacement of the antenna if necessary.

[0038] In the solution according to the invention, the input-side electrical connection contacts are therefore primarily used for the realization of NFC communication with the further KaVo Dental GmbH

[0039] P62586 / WO

[0040] 7

[0041] Treatment instrument is used. However, there is often a need to supply power to additional devices connected to the media coupling and / or the instrument. For example, it is particularly common for the media coupling itself to have a light source, the light from which is then transmitted to the dental instrument via a suitable optical element and directed by the instrument onto the area to be treated. An electrical connection between the media coupling and the connected dental instrument can also be established using additional contacts, allowing a light source integrated directly into the dental instrument to be powered.However, this then leads to the problem that, according to the aforementioned standard, the media coupling only has two electrical contacts on the input side, so that the NFC communication between the coupling and the dental instrument provided for in the invention, as well as an electrical supply to a corresponding consumer in parallel, cannot be realized.

[0042] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the media coupling nevertheless includes a corresponding load, such as a light source, or output contacts for an electrical connection with a connected dental instrument. The load or output contacts are also connected to the input electrical contacts, and coupling and isolating elements are arranged in the media coupling to decouple a DC voltage or low-frequency AC voltage used to power the load or the output electrical connections from an RF communication signal used for NFC communication. In this particularly preferred embodiment, only the two connections provided according to the standard are used.Lines are used to supply the media coupling, whereby the advantageous use of suitable coupling and isolating elements ensures that the two lines can be used simultaneously for transmitting a supply voltage of the consumer in the form of direct current or a low-frequency alternating current as well as for transmitting RF communication signals with a high frequency.

[0043] It can preferably be provided that the coupling and isolating elements have at least one capacitor connected in series with the antenna, and an inductor connected in series with the consumer or with one of the output-side KaVo Dental GmbH

[0044] P62586 / WO

[0045] The device is connected to eight electrical terminals, with the series circuit of capacitor and antenna connected in parallel to the series circuit of inductor and load or output-side electrical terminal. The coupling and isolating elements can advantageously be arranged on a common circuit board located within the housing of the media coupling.

[0046] In the case of the air-operated dental instrument according to the invention, the coil, as already mentioned, is also arranged on a coil carrier which is ring-shaped. The coil can be wound onto the ring-shaped coil carrier, applied as a MID element, or, in an alternative embodiment, inserted into a pocket or receptacle of the coil carrier. The ring-shaped coil carrier is inserted into the coupling opening of the housing and secured axially within it, in particular by being snapped into place. Furthermore, the coil carrier is arranged in the housing at its end face to prevent rotation.

[0047] Preferably, the coil carrier has axially oriented recesses on its inner surface, designed to interact with pins formed on the instrument. Furthermore, the housing wall of the annular coil carrier may have additional axially oriented recesses on its rear side, designed to interact with an assembly tool for the dental instrument. As will be explained in more detail below, this design can be advantageously used for assembling and disassembling the dental instrument.

[0048] Within the air-operated dental instrument according to the invention, an integrated NFC circuit can further be arranged, which is electrically coupled to the antenna and together with it forms an NFC tag. Preferably, this NFC circuit is also arranged on the coil carrier. It can further be provided that the coil has a diameter that corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the housing wall at the end face of the coupling opening.

[0049] The inventive designs of the dental coupling and the dental instrument, as well as the interaction of both units, lead to a multitude of advantages:

[0050] • Initially, the rotational freedom between the coupling and the dental instrument is maintained, which enables ergonomically advantageous working; KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO

[0051] 9

[0052] • Furthermore, it is ensured that the coil of the coupling and the coil of the dental instrument are arranged very close to each other, thereby improving the inductive coupling between the two antennas and thus the quality of signal transmission;

[0053] • Furthermore, the diameter of the coils of the coupling and the dental instrument can be maximized in the solution according to the invention, since it now essentially corresponds to the diameter of the instrument; this improves the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the coils, which in turn improves the inductive coupling between the two units, since the cross-sectional area of ​​a coil is proportional to its inductance;

[0054] • Finally, the use of the coil carriers used according to the invention leads to a simple design that also facilitates repair or maintenance work at a later date.

[0055] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows:

[0056] Figure 1 shows the supply of an air-operated dental instrument by a dental supply unit via a dental media coupling according to the invention;

[0057] Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the media coupling according to the invention in a lateral section;

[0058] Figure 3 shows the dental media coupling according to the invention in section along a central medial plane;

[0059] Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the dental media coupling according to the invention;

[0060] Figure 6 shows the arrangement and design of the components responsible for near-field communication of the media coupling and the air-operated dental instrument;

[0061] Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment to that of Figure 6, in which the coil of the dental instrument is inserted into a pocket or receptacle of the coil carrier; KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO

[0062] 10

[0063] Figure 8 shows a schematic view of the air-operated dental instrument to be connected to the media coupling and

[0064] Figure 9 shows another perspective view of the media coupling and the dental instrument to be connected to it.

[0065] To explain the concept according to the invention, the arrangement resulting from the supply of an air-operated dental instrument by a dental supply unit will first be described. Figure 1 illustrates the supply of a dental turbine drill handpiece 50 by the supply unit 100 of a dental treatment station. In principle, however, the invention can also be used with other air-operated dental instruments. For example, so-called dental powder jet devices or pneumatically operated tartar removal devices are also driven by compressed air, with the compressed air being supplied in a suitable manner by a supply unit.

[0066] As shown in Figure 1, a dental turbine handpiece 50 is supplied by the supply unit 100 of a dental treatment station. This means that the turbine handpiece 50 is supplied by the supply unit 100, in particular with compressed air, which drives the turbine and thus ultimately the dental drill. The supply unit 100 is responsible, among other things, for adjusting or regulating the pressure of the air supplied to the turbine handpiece 50 in order to achieve a desired speed and / or torque for the drill.

[0067] The turbine handpiece 50 is connected to the supply unit 100 via a supply hose 110. As mentioned, the supply unit can be part of a dental treatment station. Such treatment stations support the performance of various examinations and treatments and are often capable of operating a wide variety of examination and treatment instruments in a suitable manner. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0068] P62586 / WO

[0069] 11

[0070] The turbine handpiece 50 is connected to the supply hose 110 via the dental media coupling 10, which is connected to the supply hose 110 on one side and to the instrument 50 on the other and is responsible for transferring the various media. Regarding the connection to the supply hose 110, the aforementioned standard EN ISO 9168:2009 must be observed. This standard specifies which media are to be conveyed via the supply hose 110 from the supply unit 100 to the media coupling 10 and how the inlet connections of the media coupling 10 must be designed. These connections are explained in more detail below. On the outlet side, the media coupling 10 is detachably connected to the dental instrument 50. For this purpose, the media coupling 10 has a correspondingly designed coupling pin 20 onto which the instrument 50 is detachably placed.

[0071] In the coupled state between media coupling 10 and instrument 50, data transmission between supply unit 100 and instrument 50 is to be enabled. For this purpose, the dental instrument 50 has a so-called NFC tag – formed by an integrated circuit for NFC communication 74 and an associated antenna 70 – and a corresponding transmitter and receiver unit 101 is provided in the supply unit 100. This communication between supply unit 100 and dental instrument 50 can then be used, for example, to read the memory element in the NFC circuit 74 located in the instrument 50 or to update data stored in the NFC circuit 74. In particular, the NFC tag can be used, for example, to store data identifying the dental instrument 50, so that the supply unit 100 is able to adjust the compressed air supplied to the instrument 50 to the instrument type.Furthermore, for example, information about the use of instrument 50 could be stored in the NFC circuit 74, which would allow necessary maintenance or repair measures to be tailored to the actual use of instrument 50. In this context, it is known from the prior art, for example, that the data stored in the NFC tag can also be read and used by other units, e.g., by devices for cleaning and / or maintaining such dental instruments.

[0072] Data exchange between supply unit 100 and dental instrument 50 primarily occurs via two electrical lines 111, which run along the supply hose 110 and are connected on the output side to a circuit arrangement within the media coupling 10, which will be explained in more detail below. These lines 111 are connected in particular to KaVo Dental GmbH.

[0073] P62586 / WO

[0074] 12

[0075] The transmission of an RF communication signal is used. However, the signal transmission on the final leg between media coupling 10 and dental instrument 50 is intended to be wireless. Therefore, the lines 111 used for signal transmission are ultimately electrically connected within the media coupling 10 to a transmitter and receiver unit in the form of an antenna 30. Correspondingly, another transmitter and receiver unit in the form of an antenna 70 is provided on the dental instrument 50, which is connected to the NFC circuit 74. This allows RF communication signals to be exchanged in both directions between the transmitter and receiver unit 101 of the power supply unit 100 and the NFC circuit 74 of the dental instrument 50.

[0076] A particularly advantageous design of the dental media coupling 10 and the dental instrument 50 ensures that, when coupled, the dental instrument 50 can still be rotated relative to the media coupling 10, while simultaneously guaranteeing efficient and reliable wireless data exchange between the two antennas 30 and 70 of the media coupling 10 and the dental instrument 50. For this purpose, both antennas 30 and 70 are advantageously designed and arranged on the media coupling 10 and the instrument 50, respectively, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0077] Figures 2-5 show different views of an embodiment of a dental media coupling 10 according to the invention, which is to be connected on the inlet side to the supply hose 110 and on the outlet side to the dental instrument 50.

[0078] The rear or inlet side of the media coupling 10 is designed in accordance with the aforementioned standard EN ISO 9168:2009, in particular according to the so-called hose connection type 3 described therein. As can be seen in Figures 2 to 4, four tubular connections extend from the rear of the coupling housing 15 for connection to media lines running inside the supply hose 110 – not shown in detail in the figures. According to the aforementioned standard, these are, firstly, connections for the drive air 11-1 supplied to the dental instrument 50, and for the return air 11-2 from the dental instrument 50. Furthermore, connection points for water 11-3 and spray air 11-4 are provided in accordance with the standard, with exactly two additional electrical contacts 12 in the form of rear-projecting contact pins.When connecting the media coupling 10 to the KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO.

[0079] 13

[0080] The connection points 11-1 to 11-4 of the supply hose 110 are connected in a suitable manner to the lines running inside the hose 110, and the contact pins 12 are coupled in a suitable manner to the electrical lines 111 running through the hose. Since, unlike the dental instrument 50, the media coupling 10 remains permanently or at least for a longer period of time connected to the supply hose 110, a quick-release connection is not necessarily required. The connection between the supply hose 110 and the media coupling 10 is usually made, for example, using a suitable union nut or similar means.

[0081] On the outlet side, the media coupling 10 has a coupling pin 20 at the front region 16 of the coupling housing 15, which extends axially and onto which the dental instrument 50 is placed for coupling with the media coupling 10. This coupling pin 20 is also known in itself. It enables a tool-free, quick connection with the instrument 50, and the design of the coupling pin 20 allows the instrument 50 to be freely rotated about the central axis I relative to it. Channels running along the outer circumference of the coupling pin 20, which are separated from each other by circumferential seals 22 in the form of O-rings, correspond to corresponding channels or recesses in the coupling area of ​​the dental instrument 50 and ensure that, regardless of the rotational position of the instrument 50, the transfer of media from the media coupling 10 to the dental instrument 50 is possible.In the case of return air from the dental instrument 50 to the media coupling 10, these circumferential channels are connected within the coupling housing 15 to the corresponding inlet-side connections 11-1 to 11-4. The connection corresponding to the drive air can be seen in the sectional view of Figure 3. Here it can be seen that the inlet-side connection 11-1 for the drive air is fluidly coupled to an annular channel 21 that surrounds the pin 20. When the media coupling 10 is coupled to the dental instrument 50, this annular channel 21 corresponds to a fluid line within the dental instrument 50, so that the compressed air is ultimately conveyed to the turbine located at the front end of the instrument. The transfer of the other media between the media coupling 10 and the dental instrument 50 occurs in an analogous manner. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO.

[0082] 14

[0083] With regard to the embodiment described so far, the media coupling 10 according to the invention corresponds to already known solutions. However, according to the invention, the media coupling 10 now additionally includes the aforementioned antenna 30, which, in the coupled state, is used for wireless communication with the dental instrument 50. The antenna 30 is designed and arranged in such a way that communication is enabled regardless of the rotational position of the instrument 50 relative to the media coupling 10, thus enabling, on the one hand, the desired data exchange between the dental instrument 10 and the supply unit 100, and on the other hand, retaining the advantage of the instrument 50's free rotation relative to the media coupling 10.

[0084] For this purpose, the antenna 30 is designed as a coil 31, which surrounds the coupling pin 20 in a ring-like manner at the front end 16 of the coupling housing 15. The coil 31 is arranged on a ring-shaped support element 35 – the coil carrier – which is placed onto the coupling housing 15 from the coupling side, i.e., from the free front end of the coupling pin 20, for mounting on the media coupling 10. In this position, which can be seen, for example, in Figures 2 and 3, the support element 35 is then secured to the coupling housing 15 using the locking element 38 shown in the figures, which is designed, for example, as a cap nut made of plastic or a sleeve. This is also inserted onto the coupling 10 from the connection side, so that the coil carrier 35 together with the coil 31 is locked axially onto the coupling 10.

[0085] The coil 31 can be wound onto the support element 35. Alternatively, it could also be applied to the support element 35, particularly to its ring-shaped end face, in the form of a so-called MID element. The support element 35 is preferably designed on its inner side with two parallel sides such that it sits securely, and in particular positively, on the coupling housing 15, preventing rotation. This ensures that the cable 33 connecting the antenna 30 to the circuit board 45, which will be described in more detail below, is not unintentionally subjected to tension and possibly even damaged.

[0086] Overall, the media coupling 10 according to the invention is thus designed such that a ring-shaped antenna 30 is positioned at the front end face of the housing 15, which can be used for near-field communication. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0087] P62586 / WO

[0088] 15

[0089] To ensure trouble-free data exchange, the dental instrument 50 according to the invention is designed accordingly. As can be seen particularly in Figures 8 and 9, the instrument 50 has an elongated instrument housing 60, which in the illustrated embodiment is slightly angled. A turbine, operated by compressed air, is arranged at the front end of the housing, and its rear end is provided with a cylindrical or rotationally shaped coupling opening 65, which allows the insertion of the coupling pin 20 of the media coupling 10. Here, too, the wall area of ​​the coupling opening 65 is provided with ring-shaped circumferential grooves or channels, which correspond to the aforementioned ring-shaped channels 21 of the coupling pin 20 of the media coupling 10 and enable media transfer independent of the rotational position of the instrument 50 relative to the coupling 10 and ultimately to the hose 110.Within the instrument housing 60, these ring channels are then connected with corresponding lines or longitudinal channels that lead to the front area of ​​the dental instrument 50 with the turbine, as is already known from the prior art.

[0090] Here too, the special feature of the dental instrument 50 according to the invention is that it has an antenna 70 used for near-field communication, which, together with the NFC circuit 74, forms the NFC tag of the dental instrument 50 and which is in turn designed in the form of a coil 71 which, in the coupled state with the media coupling 10, is arranged as close as possible to the antenna 30 of the media coupling 10. For this purpose, the antenna 70 is located on a wall area of ​​the housing 60, in particular at the end face of the housing 60, and, according to a first embodiment, surrounds the coupling opening 65 in a ring-like manner, as can be seen in particular in Figure 8.

[0091] Analogous to the media coupling 10, the coil 71 of the dental instrument 50 is also arranged on a separate component, namely a coil carrier 75, which is ring-shaped and inserted into the end face of the outer casing of the dental instrument 50 as shown in the figures. The coil carrier 75 locks into this position with an annular bead 76 on the instrument casing in such a way that it cannot be pulled out axially. Again, the coil 71 can be wound onto the coil carrier 75 or applied to the coil carrier 75 as a MID element. The coil carrier 75, which is made of plastic, also serves as a carrier for the NFC circuit 74 (see Figure 6), which is connected to the antenna 70 via appropriate cables. The coil 71 is manufactured by KaVo Dental GmbH.

[0092] P62586 / WO

[0093] 16 furthermore has a diameter which corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the housing wall 62 at the end face of the coupling opening 65.

[0094] The coil carrier 75 is arranged in a rotationally secure manner at the front face of the housing 60 of the dental instrument 50. As can be seen in Figure 9, axially extending recesses 77 are provided in the housing wall of the annular coil carrier 75. These recesses interact with corresponding pins or projections 67 that are provided in the housing wall of the dental instrument 50 and project axially from the front face of the instrument casing. Simultaneously, the coil carrier 75 has recesses 79 facing the rear, which are designed to interact with a tool. This tool can be attached to the rear of the housing 60 of the dental instrument 50 and rotated about its longitudinal axis to allow the handle-side instrument casing to be screwed to the head-side instrument casing. In this case, the coil carrier 75 also serves to assist in the assembly or mounting of the instrument 50.

[0095] Crucially, in the coupled state between media coupling 10 and dental instrument 50, the arrangement of the components responsible for wireless communication is shown in Figure 6. As can be seen, both coils 31, 71 and antennas 30, 70 are positioned directly opposite each other in a ring-like configuration, ensuring optimal inductive transmission of the high-frequency signals. Since both coils 31 and 71 have essentially the same diameter and are aligned with each other, a largely interference-free transmission of the signals can be achieved as desired, regardless of their relative rotational position. This allows the central power supply unit to communicate with the NFC tag or the NFC circuit 74 of the NFC tag of the dental instrument 50.

[0096] A particularly advantageous further development of the concept according to the invention, which is also shown in the figures, consists in the fact that the lines 111 running along the supply hose 110 are not used exclusively for communication between the supply unit 100 and the dental instrument 50, but also serve to supply electrical power to a consumer. In the illustrated embodiment, this consumer 40 is formed by a light source arranged in the dental coupling 10, in particular by an LED light source 40. The LED is, as shown in the illustration, KaVo Dental GmbH

[0097] P62586 / WO

[0098] Figure 17 of Figures 3 and 5 is arranged in the front end region of the coupling pin 20 of the media coupling 50, wherein, in the coupled state with the dental instrument 50, the light emitted by the LED 40 is coupled into a light guide (not shown in the figures) running along the instrument 50. This light guide leads to the front end of the instrument 50 and is typically designed to direct the light onto an area to be treated by the instrument. Alternatively, it would also be conceivable to arrange a light source directly in the dental instrument 50 and to enable the transmission of the supply current by means of appropriate electrical contacts that are effective between the coupling pin 20 or the media coupling 10 and the dental instrument 50.

[0099] The problem in this context is that the power supply lines 111 running through the supply hose 110 are already used to transmit the communication signal, and according to the standard, the media coupling 10 may not have any further electrical connections on its input side. Therefore, using additional lines to power the LED light source 40 is not possible.

[0100] To solve this problem, the advantageous further development provides for the simultaneous use of lines 111 for transmitting both the RF communication signal and a DC voltage or low-frequency AC voltage used to supply the light source 40. However, this concept requires additional measures to ensure that the different signals (supply voltage for LED 40 on the one hand and RF communication signal on the other) do not interfere with each other. Accordingly, additional coupling and isolating elements are provided to decouple the DC voltage or low-frequency AC voltage used to supply power to LED 40 from the RF communication signal.

[0101] These coupling and isolating elements are recognizable, for example, in Figure 1, which shows in particular that an inductor 42 is connected in series with the LED 40. This inductor 42, or choke, prevents a short circuit or demodulation of the RF signal by the LED 40, but still allows the unimpeded transmission of the direct current or low-frequency alternating current used to operate the LED 40. Similarly, a capacitor 41 is connected in series with the antenna or transmitter and receiver unit 30, which on the one hand acts as a coupling element for the RF signal and thus essentially prevents it from being transmitted.

[0102] 18 is passed on unchanged to antenna 30, but at the same time forms a separator for the DC signal.

[0103] The series circuits consisting of LED 40 and inductor 42, or antenna 30 and coupling capacitor 41, are connected in parallel, thus ensuring that only the intended signal is supplied to LED 40 and the transmitter / receiver unit 30. Depending on the design of the transmitter / receiver unit 30 intended for communication with the NFC circuit 74, an additional capacitor 44 may be connected in parallel. However, the inductor 42 and capacitor 41 mentioned above are primarily responsible for coupling and decoupling the two signals. The communication unit 101, provided in the power supply unit 100, and a driver circuit 102, intended for supplying power to the LED light source 40, are connected to the conductor pair 111 in an analogous manner.Here too, a suitably connected capacitor 104 and an inductor 105 are provided.

[0104] The coupling and isolating elements 41, 42 described above are preferably arranged on a common circuit board 45, which can be seen in Figure 6. This circuit board is directly coupled to the contact pins 12, and the aforementioned line 43 also leads from this circuit board to the antenna 30. Integrating the various components onto the circuit board 45 allows for the creation of a compact unit, thus avoiding an unnecessary increase in the space required for the media coupling.

[0105] It should be noted that the aforementioned LED 40 is merely an example of an additional load requiring power. Other components could be powered in a similar manner, while still maintaining the possibility of RF communication.

[0106] Figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment, which relates in particular to the design of the instrument-side components. The components of the media coupling 10 responsible for NFC communication, however, remain essentially unchanged and are accordingly provided with the same reference numerals. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0107] P62586 / WO

[0108] 19

[0109] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the antenna 70 of the dental instrument 50, responsible for NFC communication, is again arranged on the coil carrier 75, which, as described in the embodiment above, is inserted into the cylindrical coupling opening 65 of the instrument housing 60 and locked in place. The rotationally secure arrangement of the coil carrier 75 is carried out in the same way as in the embodiment according to Figure 6, so that in this case, too, the coil carrier 75 can be used to assist in instrument assembly.

[0110] The essential difference lies in the design and arrangement of the coil 71 forming the antenna 70 of the dental instrument 50. This coil no longer extends over the entire circumference of the coil carrier 75, but is inserted into a recess or pocket 80 of the coil carrier 75, as can be seen in Figure 7. This recess or pocket 80 is obtained, for example, by a locally double-walled design of the circumferential wall of the coil carrier 75 in this area and is open axially on one side, in particular on the side facing away from the media coupling 10. In this case, the antenna 70 is therefore a wound coil 71, which, in the configuration shown, is inserted into the pocket 80 through a slot-like opening 81, resulting in the defined and protected positioning shown in Figure 7.

[0111] Since the coil 71 no longer extends over the entire circumference of the wall of the coil carrier 75, inductive coupling with the antenna 30 of the media coupling 10 is only present over a partial section of the circumference, which, however, still enables reliable NFC communication due to the optimized arrangement of the antenna 30 of the media coupling 10.

[0112] One advantage of this embodiment is that inserting the antenna 70 into the recess or pocket 80 of the coil carrier 65 is simple, and in particular, the antenna 70 is ultimately more resistant to reprocessing during hygiene procedures. Cleaning or sterilization measures of the instrument 50 are therefore significantly less likely to damage the antenna 70. However, should replacement of the antenna 70 nevertheless be necessary, this can be done very easily and quickly, thus simplifying repair and maintenance work. The NFC circuit connected to the antenna 70, which is not shown in Figure 7, is also preferably arranged on the coil carrier 65. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO

[0113] 20

[0114] Overall, the present invention provides a dental media coupling and an associated air-operated dental instrument, which can be advantageously coupled to each other in such a way that an ergonomically favorable rotatable arrangement or rotation of the dental instrument relative to the media coupling is enabled. At the same time, however, an efficient exchange of RF communication signals is enabled regardless of the instrument's rotational position, thus ensuring the desired data transfer between the dental instrument and the dental supply unit.

Claims

KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO 21 Claims 1. Dental media coupling (10) for coupling with an air-operated dental instrument (50), wherein the media coupling (10) is provided for connection with a supply hose (110) for supplying a connected dental instrument (50) and for this purpose has on the inlet side a) connection points for - Drive air (11-1), - Return air (11-2), - Water (11-3) and - spray air (11-4), b) and exactly two electrical contacts (12), wherein the media coupling (10) has on its output side a coupling pin (20) designed for rotatably arranging an air-operated dental instrument (100), wherein the media coupling (10) has in the area of ​​the coupling pin (20) a transmitter and receiver unit in the form of an antenna (30) connected to the two electrical contacts (12), which is designed to communicate with a transmitter and receiver unit (70) of a connected dental instrument (50) by means of / via near-field communication, wherein the antenna (30) is designed as a coil (31) which surrounds the coupling pin (20) of the media coupling (10) in a ring-like manner, and wherein the coil (31) is positioned on a front area (16) of a coupling housing (15) from which the coupling pin (20) extends, characterized in that the coil (31) is arranged on a ring-shaped support element (35),which can be placed on the clutch housing (15) from a free end of the coupling pin (20).

2. Dental media coupling (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the support element (35) sits on the coupling housing (15) in a rotationally secure manner, in particular in a form-fitting manner. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO 22 3. Dental media coupling (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support element (35) for the coil (31) is secured on the coupling housing (15) by means of a separate locking element (38), for example a union nut or a cuff.

4. Dental media coupling (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the coil (31) forming the antenna (30) is wound onto the carrier element (35) or is applied to the carrier element (35) as a MID element.

5. Dental media coupling (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the media coupling (10) has a consumer (40), for example a light source, or output contacts for an electrical connection with a connected dental instrument (50), wherein the consumer (40) or the output contacts are also connected to the input electrical contacts (12), and wherein coupling and isolating elements (41, 42) are preferably arranged in the media coupling (10), which decouple a DC voltage or low-frequency AC voltage used to supply power to the consumer (40) or the output electrical connections from an RF communication signal used for the antenna (30).

6. Dental media coupling (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the coupling and isolating elements have at least one capacitor (41) which is connected in series with the antenna (30) and an inductor (42) which is connected in series with the consumer (40) or forms one of the output-side electrical connections, wherein the series connection of capacitor (41) and antenna (30) is connected in parallel with the series connection of inductor (42) and consumer (40) or output-side electrical connections. KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO 23 7. Dental media coupling (10) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the coupling and separating elements (41, 42) are arranged on a common circuit board (45) which is arranged in the housing (15) of the media coupling (10).

8. Air-operated dental instrument (50), in particular a dental turbine, powder jet device or pneumatically operated tartar removal device, wherein the dental instrument (50) is designed for coupling with a dental media coupling (10) according to one of the preceding claims and has a housing (60) which has a cylindrical coupling opening (65) at one end into which the coupling pin (20) of the media coupling (10) can be inserted, wherein the dental instrument has a transmitting and receiving unit in the form of an antenna (70) which is designed to communicate with the transmitting and receiving unit of the dental coupling (10) by means of / via near-field communication, and wherein the antenna (70) is designed in the form of a coil (71) which is arranged on a wall region (66) of the housing (60) in the region of the coupling opening (65), characterized in that the coil (71) is arranged on a coil carrier (75) which is designed in an annular form,the coil carrier (75) is inserted into the end face of the housing (60) and secured axially therein, in particular by being locked into place therein, wherein the coil carrier (75) is arranged in a rotationally secure manner at the end face of the housing (60) and wherein the coil (71) is a) wound onto the annular coil carrier (75) or applied as a MID element or b) inserted as a wound coil (71) into a pocket or receptacle of the coil carrier (75).

9. Air-operated dental instrument (50) according to claim 8, characterized in that the coil carrier (75) has axially directed recesses (77) which interact with pins (67) provided in the housing wall of the dental instrument (50).

10. Air-operated dental instrument (50) according to claim 8 or 9, KaVo Dental GmbH P62586 / WO 24 characterized in that it has an NFC circuit (74) which is electrically coupled to the antenna (70) and forms an NFC tag with it, wherein the NFC circuit (74) is preferably also arranged on the coil carrier (75).

11. Air-operated dental instrument (50) according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the coil (71) has a diameter which corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the housing wall (62) at the end face of the coupling opening (65).

12. Air-operated dental instrument (50) according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that further recesses (79) extending axially towards the rear are provided in the housing wall (78) of the annular coil carrier (75), which are intended for interaction with an assembly tool for the dental instrument (50).

Images