Interchangeable Dental Hose Adapters for Left-Handed Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental treatment units are unsatisfactory for left-handed users due to ergonomically unfavorable suction hose cleaning processes and potential damage to hoses during cleaning, with limited accessibility and operability of instrument and suction hose adapters in different arrangements of the water unit.
Innovation Solution
A dental treatment unit with interchangeable and removable instrument and suction hose adapters, allowing users to position them conveniently on either side of the water unit without requiring technician intervention, and featuring a symmetrical design with identical interfaces for both adapters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the suction hose adapter is fixed on one side of the water unit, then the device structure is simple, but left-handed users experience ergonomic difficulties and limited accessibility
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is designed with asymmetric features including a non-circular cross-section and an integrated start button positioned at a specific location. This asymmetric design ensures the adapter can only be inserted in one orientation, automatically providing correct ergonomic positioning for right-handed users while the removable nature allows left-handed users to swap to a mirror-position adapter, solving the ergonomic accessibility problem without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is designed to be removable and interchangeable between the right and left sides of the water unit. This dynamic configuration allows users to adapt the adapter position according to their handedness preference, transforming a static fixed-position design into a flexible system that can be reconfigured, thereby improving ease of operation for different user types without permanently increasing device complexity
2Reliability
If the instrument hose adapter and suction hose adapter are positioned on opposite sides of the water unit, then fluid communication is achieved, but hose routing becomes complex and hoses may be severely damaged during cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
Both the instrument hose adapter and suction hose adapter share identical mounting interfaces and slot configurations on the water unit. This universal design allows either adapter to be installed in either the right or left slot, enabling flexible hose routing arrangements that can be optimized for each cleaning operation, thereby protecting hoses from damage while maintaining a simple standardized interface that does not increase device complexity
3Adaptability or versatility
If the water unit is rotatable to accommodate right or left positioning, then adaptability to different users is improved, but the adapters remain fixed in position relative to the water unit, limiting ergonomic benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter system combines the rotatable water unit with removable adapters that can be independently repositioned. After rotating the water unit to the appropriate side, users can remove and reinsert the adapter in the optimal position for cleaning access. This dynamic two-level adaptability (water unit rotation plus adapter repositioning) enhances both versatility for different user preferences and ergonomic accessibility during operation, without requiring fixed asymmetric mounting that would limit flexibility
4Ease of operation
If the suction hose cleaning start button is positioned above the patient chair, then operation is possible, but repeated pressing during cleaning processes is extremely ergonomically unfavorable
Solution Approach 1:
The start button is integrated directly into the suction hose adapter at the same level and location where the adapter connects to the water unit. This creates an equipotential operating position where the button is within easy reach during the cleaning process, eliminating the need for repeated upward reaching or awkward positioning. The button becomes part of the adapter assembly itself, ensuring consistent ergonomic accessibility regardless of water unit rotation or adapter position, thereby reducing time and effort for repeated operations
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
The present invention relates to a dental treatment unit (1) with a water unit (2) comprising a water collector (3) with an inlet (3a) for water and cleaning chemicals and an outlet (3b); a removable instrument hose adapter (4) for insertion into a first slot (3cl) of the water collector (3), wherein the instrument hose adapter (4) has one or more openings (4a) for connecting instrument hoses (5), wherein, in the inserted state, the openings (4a) are in fluid communication with the outlet (3b);a removable suction hose adapter (6) for insertion into a second slot (3c2) of the water collector (3), wherein the suction hose adapter (6) has one or more openings (6a) for connecting suction hoses (7), wherein, in the inserted state, the openings (6a) are in fluid communication with the inlet (3a), characterized in that the instrument hose adapter (4) and the suction hose adapter (6) are designed to be interchangeable with each other so that each can be inserted either into the first slot (3cl) or into the second slot (3c2).