Device for supplying water to a medical workstation

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for supplying water to a medical, in particular dental workstation (100), comprising a mixing container (T1) for providing a liquid which is supplied to removal points (51, 52) of the medical workstation (100), wherein the liquid is obtained by mixing water with a care agent or disinfectant. The mixing container (T1) has a first connection (11) for a water supply and a second connection (12) for the supply of the care agent or disinfectant, wherein both connections (11, 12) are arranged on an upper side of the mixing container (T1) and are separated via a free-fall section (H) from a mixing region (M) of the mixing container (T1), said mixing region being provided for mixing the water with the care agent or disinfectant. In addition, a further connection (13) for an alternative water supply is provided, wherein the further connection (13) is also separated from the mixing region (M) via the free-fall section (H).

Description

[0001] KaVo Dental GmbH

[0002] P63537 / WO

[0003] 1

[0004] Water supply system for a medical workplace

[0005] The present invention relates to a device intended for the water supply of a medical, in particular a dental, workplace.

[0006] Various fluids are used in dental workplaces to support examinations and treatments and / or to carry out cleaning procedures. These fluids are supplied to different dispensing points within the workplace, and the requirements for the supplied fluid vary depending on the type of dispensing point. For hygienic reasons, it is often necessary to keep the supplied fluid sterile.

[0007] The basic component of most liquids used is drinking water, which, however, is generally only supplied directly to a dispensing point when it is used there for cleaning purposes. In a dental workplace, this particularly applies to the spittoon or saliva tray, which is usually rinsed with drinking water. On the other hand, dental examination or treatment instruments are often designed to cool or clean the treatment area using water. In this case, however, the drinking water is not used directly but is mixed with a small amount of a suitable disinfectant. The water often provided to the patient for rinsing their mouth is also mixed with an appropriate amount of disinfectant.

[0008] Depending on the application, the water supplied by the water supply system must be mixed with additional liquids. Dental workstations typically have a mixing tank for this purpose, into which the drinking water and the disinfectant are introduced. The resulting mixture is then supplied to the dispensing points, if necessary via intermediate storage tanks. A suitable water supply system is known, for example, from EP 0 524334 B2. (FernerKaVo Dental GmbH)

[0009] P63537 / WO

[0010] 2

[0011] DE 102004 058240 A 1 describes a fluid center for a dental unit with two inlets, one for water supply and one for the supply of a disinfectant, and JP7547144 discloses the hydrostatic filling of a fluid reservoir of a dental unit. Further corresponding water supply devices are known from EP 2047818 A2, JP 2013 169505 A and WO 00 / 41642 A1.

[0012] The technical regulations for drinking water installations stipulate, to protect the drinking water, that the liquids supplied to the mixing tank, especially the drinking water, must be introduced into the tank via a so-called free-fall section. This prevents any germs that may be present in the fluid system of the dental workstation from contaminating the general drinking water, thus ensuring its protection. This is also described in the aforementioned EP 0524 334 B2.

[0013] Dental treatment units connected to the drinking water network, as described above, have the disadvantage that in the event of drinking water contamination or a failure of the drinking water supply, the automated provision of water treated with disinfectant is not possible. In such cases, the treatment units can only be operated again after a prolonged interruption. As a temporary solution, an emergency operation can be implemented in the event of a temporary failure of the drinking water supply, in which the entire water supply is provided via the disinfectant reservoir. For this, the required water must be manually treated with disinfectant and filled into the disinfectant reservoir.Continuous, automatic operation with appropriate dosing of the disinfectant is not guaranteed in this case, and there is a risk that the concentration of the disinfectant in the water ultimately used will not meet the desired requirements.

[0014] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a means by which suitably treated liquids can be made available to a medical workplace even in the event of a temporary failure of the general drinking water supply. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0015] P63537 / WO

[0016] 3

[0017] The problem is solved by a device for supplying water to a medical, in particular a dental, workplace, comprising the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0018] The solution according to the invention provides for the continued, controlled supply of water of sufficient quality to the mixing tank in the event of a failure of the general drinking water supply, using an additional, separate water connection and suitable control via a modular valve system. This emergency water can be supplied, for example, by a suitable separate emergency reservoir or container and made available by means of hydrostatic pressure, with the disinfectant being added to this alternatively used water in the conventional manner. Manual mixing is no longer necessary in this case.Instead, if necessary, the water supply can be automatically switched from the general drinking water supply to the alternative reservoir, while the automatic dosing of the disinfectant continues reliably and as usual.

[0019] According to the present invention, a device for supplying water to a medical, in particular a dental, workplace is proposed, which has a mixing container for providing a liquid that is supplied to the dispensing points of the medical workplace.

[0020] • where the liquid is provided by mixing water with a care or disinfection agent,

[0021] • wherein the mixing container has a first connection for a water supply and a second connection for the supply of the care or disinfecting agent, both of which are arranged on an upper side of the mixing container and are separated from a mixing area of ​​the mixing container provided for mixing by a free fall section, and • wherein according to the invention the mixing container additionally has a further connection for an alternative water supply, which is also separated from the mixing area by the free fall section.

[0022] Within the framework of the solution according to the invention, it is therefore possible to conveniently choose between a general drinking water supply and an independent water supply, without relying on KaVo Dental GmbH

[0023] P63537 / WO

[0024] 4

[0025] This eliminates the need for automatic feeding of the cleaning or disinfecting agent. Nevertheless, all hygiene regulations regarding drinking water protection are met, as – as explained above – the free-fall path is used even when drawing from the self-sufficient reservoir. Ultimately, this ensures the continuous operation of the medical workplace even in the event of a failure or other problems with the drinking water supply.

[0026] Preferably, the first water supply connection is connected to a fixed water supply. For the alternative water supply, a separate water storage tank is preferably provided, which is connected to the second alternative water supply connection. This water storage tank is preferably located above the corresponding second connection, so that the resulting hydrostatic pressure can easily supply water to the mixing tank.

[0027] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that each of the three connections is equipped with a controllable valve, via which the flow rate of the respective liquid into the mixing vessel can be controlled. In particular, control means for the valves can be provided that are designed such that

[0028] a) if necessary, the introduction of water into the mixing tank is enabled either via the first connection for the water supply or via the further connection for the alternative water supply, and

[0029] b) in the case of the introduction of water (regardless of the source), the cleaning or disinfecting agent is also introduced.

[0030] The amount of disinfectant or sanitizing agent introduced can be dosed via the control system, both when water is introduced via the first connection and when water is introduced via the second connection. In particular, this amount, and thus the resulting concentration, can depend on the operating condition of the medical workplace.

[0031] Preferably, a storage tank is further provided downstream of the mixing tank, into which the liquid supplied by the mixing tank is introduced. A controllable valve is preferably arranged between the mixing tank and the storage tank. In particular, a further, second KaVo Dental GmbH

[0032] P63537 / WO

[0033] 5

[0034] A secondary storage tank is fed by the primary storage tank and supplies the various dispensing points that require water treated with the cleaning or disinfecting agent. This secondary storage tank ultimately serves as a reservoir for the water already treated with the disinfectant, which is then made available to the various dispensing points in the workplace.

[0035] As already mentioned, dental workstations often have additional water outlets where the use of disinfectant-treated water is not required, but rather only regular drinking water. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water supplied to the first outlet, which originates from the general drinking water supply, can also be fed separately from the mixing tank to these additional outlets within the medical workstation. These additional outlets preferably also each have a free-fall section for water extraction, thus achieving decoupling from the general drinking water supply.Preferably, each of the various dispensing points is equipped with a controllable valve, which allows the dispensing of the provided liquid to be individually controlled for the respective consumer.

[0036] With regard to the various valves used to control the inflow or throughflow of the different liquids, it is preferably provided that at least one of the controllable valves is designed as a modular valve, so that two adjacent valves can be coupled together in such a way that the liquid supplied to the first valve (e.g. water) is also diverted to the further valve coupled to it.

[0037] A key component of the water supply system for medical workplaces is the aforementioned mixing tank, in which the water is appropriately mixed with the cleaning or disinfecting agent. These mixing tanks often feature an overflow to ensure compliance with the prescribed free-fall distance for the added liquids. The liquid mixed in the tank can therefore only rise to the level of this overflow. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0038] P63537 / WO

[0039] 6

[0040] In this case, however, the problem arises that while the mixing container can be cleaned up to this level using the cleaning or disinfecting agent, the inner walls of the mixing container located above this level do not come into contact with the cleaning agent due to the system's design. This presents an increased risk of the accumulation of bacteria, fungi, or other contaminants, which is considered a disadvantage.

[0041] According to a second aspect of the invention, the mixing container comprises a lower housing section forming the mixing area and an upper housing section that closes the mixing container and accommodates the connections for the water supply(s) and the cleaning or disinfecting agent. The upper housing section is designed to be separable from the lower housing section to allow for separate cleaning or replacement. This makes it possible to easily replace or remove from the system the surfaces of the mixing container that are susceptible to microbial contamination and clean them separately. The hygienic problems that typically arise with one-piece mixing containers are thus avoided, ultimately making it comparatively easy to comply with applicable hygiene regulations.

[0042] In this context, it should be noted that the concept of the two-part design of the mixing container can also be implemented independently of the previously described supplementary self-contained water supply. According to a second aspect of the invention, a device for supplying water to a medical, and in particular a dental, workstation is therefore proposed, which includes a mixing container for providing a liquid that is supplied to the dispensing points.

[0043] • where the liquid is provided by mixing water with a care or disinfection agent,

[0044] • wherein the mixing container has a first connection for a water supply and a second connection for the care or disinfection agent, and both connections are arranged on the top of the mixing container and are separated from the mixing area of ​​the mixing container by a free-fall section, and KaVo Dental GmbH

[0045] P63537 / WO

[0046] 7

[0047] • wherein according to the invention the mixing container consists of a lower housing part which forms the mixing area and a upper housing part which carries the said connections, and wherein the upper housing part is separable from the lower housing part in order to allow separate cleaning or replacement of the upper housing part.

[0048] Preferably, the upper housing section extends downwards to such an extent that the entire inner wall area above the mixing zone is formed exclusively by the upper housing section, which is preferably designed as a disposable component. This ensures that all internal surfaces inaccessible to the cleaning agent can be removed and cleaned separately if necessary. To simultaneously ensure reliable sealing of the mixing container, the lower housing section is designed to surround the upper housing section externally above the mixing zone. The wall areas of the lower housing section located above the mixing zone therefore do not constitute internal walls of the mixing container for which the described hygiene risk would be relevant.

[0049] According to a preferred embodiment, the mixing vessel has an overflow that defines the upper surface of the mixing area, with the inner wall sections of the mixing vessel located below the level of the overflow being predominantly part of the lower housing. In contrast to the upper housing, the lower housing is permanently or only with difficulty permanently installed in the water supply system of the dental workstation. Preferably, the lower housing is pot-shaped and / or the upper housing is lid-shaped. The upper housing may also include a holder for components of a level sensor.

[0050] Overall, the two solutions according to the invention further improve compliance with hygiene regulations regarding liquids used in medical workplaces, while ensuring continuous operation even in the event of a failure of the general drinking water supply. Accordingly, the present invention also proposes a medical, and in particular a dental, workplace equipped with such a water supply system.

[0051] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing is shown by: KaVo Dental GmbH

[0052] P63537 / WO

[0053] 8

[0054] Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a dental workplace with a water supply device according to the invention;

[0055] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the supply, mixing and conveyance of the liquids used to the various dispensing points;

[0056] Figure 3 shows normal operation of the facility using water from the general drinking water supply;

[0057] Figure 4 shows an emergency operation using the supplementary or self-sufficient water supply;

[0058] Figure 5 shows the state of the device according to the invention at maximum fill level of the first storage container with interrupted liquid supply;

[0059] Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of the second inventive concept of the two-part design of the mixing container; and

[0060] Figure 7 shows an enlarged view of the mixing container shown in Figure 6.

[0061] Figure 1 shows, as a preferred application example of the present invention, a dental treatment station designated by reference numeral 100. Naturally, the invention is also applicable to other medical workplaces where appropriately hygienically treated liquids are used and compliance with hygiene regulations—particularly for the protection of public drinking water—is required.

[0062] The central component of the dental workstation shown in Figure 1 is the patient chair 110, on which the patient rests during an examination or treatment. Units containing corresponding dental examination or treatment instruments are provided on both sides of the patient chair 110. These instruments are supplied by the central unit 105 of the workstation 100, which operates the instruments and supplies them with the necessary media. These media include not only those for powering the instruments—such as electricity or compressed air—but also KaVo Dental GmbH

[0063] P63537 / WO

[0064] 9

[0065] This also includes supporting media such as air or water, which can be used to clean and / or cool areas in the patient's oral cavity that are to be examined or treated. The components according to the invention, which are explained in more detail below, are thus integrated within unit 105, and which supply the various extraction points of the dental workstation 100 with water.

[0066] Examples of dispensing points include the treatment or examination instruments already mentioned, marked with reference numeral 51, such as dental drills, scalers, or other comparable instruments. A dispensing point 52 for water, provided to the patient for rinsing their mouth, for example, also constitutes a corresponding dispensing point. In both cases, for hygienic reasons, the water is not dispensed unchanged. Instead, at least a small amount of a suitable disinfectant is added to ensure that the water dispensed via these dispensing points 51 and 52 is completely germ-free.

[0067] In addition to the previously described dispensing points 51, 52, untreated water is also dispensed at a dental workstation 100, particularly when this water does not come into direct contact with the patient and is intended solely for rinsing or cleaning purposes. For example, at the workstation 100 shown in Figure 1, the so-called spittoon 53 constitutes such an additional dispensing point. The water supplied directly to the workstation 100 is generally used to rinse this basin 53. Similarly, the cleaning of the hoses used for suctioning fluids or small particles of dirt is usually carried out directly with untreated water.

[0068] The above explanations show that water must be supplied to various dispensing points in a medical workplace – sometimes with, sometimes without, the addition of a disinfectant. Furthermore, appropriate regulations must be observed to prevent contamination of the general drinking water supply. The measures taken for this purpose are explained in more detail below with reference to the additional figures. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0069] P63537 / WO

[0070] 10

[0071] Figure 2 schematically shows the so-called media plan of the inventive device for water supply, while Figures 3 to 5 show sectional views of the components that are responsible for providing the water mixed with disinfectant and are designed in accordance with the invention.

[0072] The mixing tank TI is primarily responsible for supplying the water treated with disinfectant. In this tank, the two liquids are mixed in a suitable ratio before the resulting liquid is supplied to the dispensing points 51 and 52. The mixing tank TI is equipped – as in the prior art – with a first connection 11 for the drinking water and a second connection 12 for the disinfectant. The first connection 11 is connected to the general drinking water supply 81, while the second connection 12 leads to a storage tank 82 for the disinfectant.

[0073] The flow of the respective liquid into the mixing vessel TI can be controlled using two valves, V2 and V7. This control is usually automated using appropriate control devices (not shown in the figures) so that the concentration of the disinfectant always corresponds to a desired value. This concentration can be variable and may depend, for example, on the operating status of treatment station 100. For instance, during ongoing tests or treatments, the concentration of the disinfectant in the water is generally relatively low, whereas it is deliberately increased after completion of the work—for cleaning the various lines. This process can also be largely automated using the appropriate control devices.

[0074] Starting from the drinking water network 81 and the storage tank for the disinfectant 82, the water and the disinfectant are introduced into the mixing tank TI via valves V2 and V7. In accordance with hygiene regulations, this is done via a so-called free-fall section, which ensures decoupling between the liquid in the mixing tank TI and, in particular, the general drinking water supply 81. The KaVo Dental GmbH valves are located on the upper section, or top, of the mixing tank TI, which faces away from the liquid surface within the mixing tank TI.

[0075] P63537 / WO

[0076] 11

[0077] The aforementioned corresponding connections or inlets 11, 12 are provided for the liquids, which terminate just below or directly at the top of the container TI. This allows the respective liquid to fall freely over a certain minimum distance H (see in particular the illustration in Figure 7), i.e., without contact with any lines or pipes, in a vertical direction into the mixing container TI. Measures described in more detail below ensure that the liquid accumulating in the mixing container TI can only rise to a certain level, and in particular, that it maintains the minimum vertical distance H to the inlet 11 for the drinking water. Any germs present in the mixing container TI cannot thus enter the drinking water network 81 due to the resulting interruption in flow.As already explained, such measures are already known from the state of the art and prescribed by relevant standards.

[0078] The water treated in this way, i.e., treated with the disinfectant, is then passed through another controllable valve V10 into a first storage tank T2 and from there fed into a second storage tank T3. This second storage tank T3 constitutes the actual reservoir for the disinfectant-treated water, which is then supplied to the aforementioned dispensing points – in the illustrated example, the connections for the medical instruments 51 and the dispensing tube 52 for the mouthwash. Suitable valves V5 and V6 are installed upstream of the respective dispensing points, allowing for selective water dispensing.

[0079] The T3 reservoir acts as a safety reserve, ensuring the continued operation of medical workstation 100 should the first reservoir T2 temporarily run out. In such a case, the first reservoir T2 can be refilled, while the supply to the dispensing points remains ensured via the second reservoir T3.

[0080] As previously mentioned, some of the water supplied by the drinking water utility can also be fed directly to specific dispensing points – designated 53 and 54 in Figure 2. In this case, the water is fed directly to dispensing points 53 and 54 as an alternative to the mixing tank TI. Dispensing is handled by KaVo Dental GmbH.

[0081] P63537 / WO

[0082] 12

[0083] Valves V3 and V4, where a corresponding free-fall section H is used in each case to ensure the protection of the general drinking water.

[0084] A particularly advantageous embodiment consists of the implementation of the various valves VI to V7 shown in Figure 2. These are designed as so-called modular valves and are configured so that they can not only be controlled individually but also connected in series, whereby the flow between two adjacent valves can be selectively interrupted or allowed to continue. This enables a high degree of flexibility in the design and expansion of the supply system.

[0085] An example of this is the connection of the modular valve V2 with valves V3 and V4. In this configuration, the water supplied by the fixed water connection 81 is first routed through valve V2. From there, depending on the switching state, it can also be directed via valves V3 and V4 to the two other consumers 53 and 54. The modular design thus allows the water to be distributed both into the mixing tank TI and directly to separate draw-off points – such as the spittoon 53 or additional flushing fixtures 54.

[0086] A particular advantage of this modular valve system lies in its expandability. Additional modular valves – not shown in the drawings – can be integrated at any time without altering the system's fundamental structure or functionality. This allows for application-specific adaptation of the system to different spatial or functional requirements without compromising hygienic design or system logic.

[0087] However, the system implementation described so far can lead to a problem where the general drinking water supply (81) is disrupted and cannot be used. This can occur, for example, if the drinking water is generally contaminated or unavailable for other reasons. In such a case, alternative water had to be manually mixed with the disinfectant and supplied via connection 12. Apart from the increased effort involved, there is also the risk that the disinfectant concentration will not meet the required specifications. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0088] P63537 / WO

[0089] 13

[0090] According to the present invention, it is therefore provided that, in the event of a failure or interruption of the general drinking water supply, water supplied via a separate reservoir 83 can be used to maintain the continuous operation of the treatment station 100. According to the solution according to the invention, a third connection 13 is therefore provided for the mixing tank TI, which is located in the area of ​​the two other connections 11 and 12 or inlets and is connected to a corresponding self-contained drinking water reservoir 83. This can be a storage container or a bottle that is coupled to the connection 13 and positioned so that, due to the resulting hydrostatic pressure, the water flows into the mixing tank TI automatically – provided that release occurs via the controllable valve VI, which is also provided.

[0091] The third connection 13 can therefore be used as an alternative to the first connection 11 if necessary, so that the mixing tank TI can be filled either via the general drinking water supply 81 or via the independently used separate storage reservoir 83. The corresponding control devices for the associated valves VI and V2 are preferably designed such that, under normal circumstances, the general drinking water connection 11 is used, but in the event of a disruption to the general drinking water supply, the system automatically switches to the additional connection 13 for the independent water supply. For practical reasons, only one of the two water connections 11 or 13 is used at any given time. As already mentioned, when the mixing tank TI is filled with water, a quantity of disinfectant, depending on the operating condition, is always introduced as well.

[0092] The alternative methods according to the invention for filling the mixing container are also shown schematically in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows the "normal operation," in which the mixing container TI is filled via the drinking water connection using valve V2, and the disinfectant is additionally added. Figure 4, on the other hand, shows the "emergency operating condition," in which, due to a disruption in the general drinking water supply, the mixing container TI is alternatively filled via valve VI and thus via the supplementary storage container 83. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0093] P63537 / WO

[0094] 14

[0095] After the liquids have been mixed accordingly in the mixing vessel TI, the resulting treated water is transferred – as already described – to the first storage tank T2, which serves as the initial reservoir for the treatment medium and is primarily used to supply the instruments 51. Once this reservoir T2 is filled, the associated valve VI 0 is closed. The storage tank T2 can then be pressurized to transfer the treated water to the further storage tank T3, from which the actual supply to the dispensing points 51 and 52 is then provided.

[0096] Figure 5 shows the state of the supply device according to the invention in which the maximum fill level of the first storage container T2 is reached and the liquid supply from the mixing container TI is interrupted. In this case, a corresponding level sensor 15, which is designed in the form of a float, causes the selective valve V10 provided between the mixing container TI and the first storage container T2 to close.

[0097] As mentioned previously, adding the disinfectant to the mixing vessel TI also serves to clean and disinfect the entire fluid system of workstation 100 after treatments or examinations have been completed. This applies particularly to the internal surfaces of the mixing vessel TI, which must be kept free of germs, fungi, and other contaminants. However, due to system limitations, the water containing the disinfectant may only rise to a certain level in the mixing vessel in order to maintain the aforementioned free-fall distances.

[0098] As shown in the figures, the mixing container is therefore designed to have a lateral overflow 20. An additional sensor S, which determines the fill level in the mixing container TI and is coupled to the control system for activating the various valves, ensures that the water containing the disinfectant rises only to the level of the overflow 20 or just below it. The area in which the added liquids are mixed, and which is referred to below as the mixing area M, extends to this level. The overflow 20 itself represents a supplementary safety measure that, in the event of a failure of the sensor S or the associated control system, prevents an uncontrolled rise of the liquid in the mixing container TI up to the level of connections 11 to 13. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0099] P63537 / WO

[0100] 15

[0101] However, this presents a problem: the surfaces of the mixing vessel TI located above the side overflow 20 or the intended maximum level cannot come into contact with the cleaning agent. This creates the risk of germs, fungi, or other contaminants accumulating in the upper interior area of ​​the mixing vessel TI. With previously known devices, this poses a significant hygiene problem, as these interior surfaces of the mixing vessel TI can only be cleaned with considerable effort.

[0102] According to a further concept of the invention, shown in Figure 6 and enlarged in Figure 7, the mixing vessel TI is therefore designed in two parts – with a pot-shaped lower housing part 31 and a lid-shaped upper housing part 32, which together form the mixing vessel TI. The connection points 11, 12, 13 for the supplied liquids and a holder for the corresponding components of the level sensor S are located on the upper housing part 32. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the upper housing part 32 is designed so that it is inserted into the lower housing part 31 from above, partially engaging with it.

[0103] The design of both housing parts 31, 32 is such that, in the assembled state, at least all inner wall areas of the mixing vessel TI located above the mixing area M are formed exclusively by the upper housing part 32. The inner wall areas located below the overflow level, on the other hand, are predominantly part of the lower housing part 31. Although this lower part can project above the level of the overflow 20 as shown in the illustrations, in this area it rests exclusively against the outer surface of the upper housing part 32, so that these walls do not constitute inner surfaces of the mixing vessel TI.

[0104] The concept according to the invention results in all relevant inner wall areas of the lower housing part 31 – which is usually permanently or only with difficulty installed in the water supply system of the medical workstation 100 – reliably coming into contact with the water containing the disinfectant. These surfaces are therefore not critical with regard to microbial contamination, since they can be automatically cleaned at any time by appropriately filling the mixing container TI. KaVo Dental GmbH

[0105] P63537 / WO

[0106] 16

[0107] The inner wall areas located above the mixing zone M, however, are part of the upper housing section 32, which is designed to be detachable from the lower housing section 31. This allows for easy removal if necessary. In this way, these surfaces can be cleaned independently of the rest of the water supply system for the medical workstation 100. Alternatively, the upper housing section 32 can also be designed as a disposable component that can be replaced with a new, sterile housing section when required.

[0108] Compared to existing solutions, this variant allows for the simple and effective cleaning and disinfection of all interior wall areas of the TI mixing tank. This makes it significantly easier and more reliable to meet hygiene requirements. It is worth noting that this concept does not necessarily require the previously described supplementary, self-contained water supply, but can also be used with conventional systems – for example, those with only a single water supply connection and a separate connection for the disinfectant.

Claims

KaVo Dental GmbH P63537 / WO 17 Claims 1. Device for supplying water to a dental workstation (100), comprising a mixing container (TI) for providing a liquid which is supplied to the dispensing points (51, 52) of the medical workstation (100), wherein the liquid is obtained by mixing water with a care or disinfection agent, wherein the mixing vessel (TI) has a first connection (11) for a water supply and a second connection (12) for the care or disinfection agent, and wherein both connections (11, 12) are arranged on a top side of the mixing vessel (TI) and are separated by a free-fall section (H) from a mixing area (M) of the mixing vessel (TI) provided for mixing the water with the care or disinfection agent, wherein the mixing vessel (TI) has a lower housing part (31) forming the mixing area (M) and an upper housing part (32) closing the mixing vessel (TI), which has the connections (11, 12) for the water supply and for the care or disinfection agent, and wherein the upper housing part (32) is separable from the lower housing part (31) to allow separate cleaning or replacement of the upper housing part (32), characterized by that the upper part of the housing (32) extends to the mixing area (M) of the mixing container (TI) in such a way that an inner wall area of ​​the mixing container (TI) above the mixing area (M) is formed exclusively by the upper part of the housing (32).

2. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 1, characterized by that the lower part of the housing (31) surrounds the upper part of the housing (32) on the outside above the mixing area (M).

3. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this, KaVo Dental GmbH P63537 / WO 18 that the mixing vessel (TI) has an overflow (20) that limits the top of the mixing area (M).

4. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 3, characterized by that the inner wall areas of the mixing tank (TI) located below the level of the overflow (20) are predominantly part of the lower housing (31).

5. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing upper part (32) is designed as a disposable component.

6. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing top (32) has a holder for components of a level sensor (S).

7. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lower part of the housing (31) is fixed or difficult to remove in the device for the water supply of the dental workplace (100).

8. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by that the lower part of the housing (31) is pot-shaped and / or the upper part of the housing (32) is lid-shaped.

9. Equipment for the water supply of a dental workplace (100), KaVo Dental GmbH P63537 / WO 19 comprising a mixing container (TI) for providing a liquid which is supplied to the dispensing points (51, 52) of the medical workplace (100), wherein the liquid is obtained by mixing water with a care or disinfection agent, wherein the mixing container (TI) has a first connection (11) for a water supply and a second connection (12) for the supply of the care or disinfection agent, and wherein both connections (11, 12) are arranged on a top side of the mixing container (TI) and are separated by a free-fall section (H) from a mixing area (M) of the mixing container (TI) provided for mixing the water with the care or disinfection agent, characterized in that that the mixing tank (TI) additionally has a further connection (13) for an alternative water supply, wherein the further connection (13) is also separated from the mixing area (M) via the free fall section (H).

10. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 9, characterized by that it has a water reservoir (83) which is connected to the further connection (13) for the alternative water supply, wherein the water reservoir (83) is preferably arranged above the further connection (13), and particularly preferably the first connection (11) for the water supply is connected to a fixed water connection (81).

11. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized by that each of the three connections (11, 12, 13) is preceded by a controllable valve (VI, V2, V7) via which the flow rate of the respective liquid into the mixing container (TI) can be controlled.

12. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 11, characterized by this, KaVo Dental GmbH P63537 / WO 20 that these control means for the valves (V1-V7) have, wherein the control means are preferably designed to a) to enable the introduction of water into the mixing tank (TI) as needed, either via the first connection (11) for the water supply or via the further connection (13) for the alternative water supply; and b) in the case of introducing water into the mixing tank (TI), also introducing the care or disinfecting agent.

13. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 12, characterized by that the quantity of the introduced care or disinfection agent can be dosed via the control means both when water is introduced via the first connection (11) and when water is introduced via the further connection (13), and that this quantity depends in particular on an operating state of the medical workplace (100).

14. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized by that a storage container (T2) is arranged downstream of the mixing container (TI), into which the liquid provided by the mixing container (TI) is introduced, wherein a controllable valve (V10) is preferably arranged between the mixing container (TI) and the storage container (T2), and wherein preferably a second storage container (T3) is arranged downstream of the storage container (T2), which is fed by the first storage container (T2) and via which the supply to the withdrawal points (51, 52) is provided.

15. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized by that the water supplied to the first connection (11) can be supplied separately from the mixing tank (TI) to additional dispensing points (53, 54) of the medical workplace (100), KaVo Dental GmbH P63537 / WO 21 where these further extraction points (53, 54) also each have a free-fall section (H) for water extraction.

16. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to one of claims 9 to 15, characterized by that each of the extraction points (51-54) of the medical workplace is equipped with a controllable valve.

17. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to claim 11 or claim 16, characterized by that at least one of the controllable valves (VI -V7) is designed as a modular valve, so that two adjacent valves (VI -V7) can be coupled together in such a way that the fluid supplied to a first valve is also diverted to a valve coupled to it.

18. Device for supplying water to a dental workplace (100) according to one of claims 9 to 17, characterized by that the mixing vessel (TI) has a lower housing part (31) forming the mixing area (M) and a upper housing part (32) closing the mixing vessel (TI), which has the connections (11, 12, 13) for the water supplies and for the care or disinfection agent, wherein the upper housing part (32) is separable from the lower housing part (31) to allow separate cleaning or replacement of the upper housing part (32).

19. Dental workplace (100) with a water supply facility according to one of the preceding claims.

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