Abstract:
A dental apparatus for hardening dental restoration components is provided that includes a control device controllable via a wireless communications unit and operable to exchange data with a communications unit. The control device is programmable to configure the control device to control a polymerization cycle and is connected with the communications unit with which the control unit exchanges data for changing the programming of the control device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) from German patent application ser. no. P 101 62 231.7 filed Dec. 18, 2001. In addition, this application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/354,534 filed Feb. 5, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a dental apparatus. 
   In connection with the concept of a dental apparatus for hardening dental restoration pieces, the concept comprises dental light hardening apparatus, other polymerization apparatus, and dental ovens as well, whereby the concept “hardening” also encompasses ceramic combustion. In the following description, the present invention is described in connection with a light hardening device. 
   A dental apparatus of this type—namely, a light hardening device—has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,614. In accordance with this patent a light hardening device is configured for effecting the hardening of dental material comprised of light- or heat-polymerizable plastic, whereby the frequency and the emissions spectrum of the emitted light radiation, as well as the length of irradiation and the intensity, are accommodated to the requirements therefor across a wide range. 
   To make available an improved dental restoration result, new polymerizable masses are continually being developed. A result which appropriately exploits these developments can only be successful, however, if the polymerization cycle—that is, the parameter concerning the performance of the polymerization process until its completion—is accommodated to the material which is used. 
   If a manufacturer develops a new material, appropriate accommodations to the existing, non-programmable light hardening devices must be undertaken, via efforts on the manufacturer&#39;s part, in order to optimally program for the new material. In the aforementioned patent, a light hardening device is proposed which, in view of the parameters of the polymerization cycle, is programmable which, to this extent, represents an improvement. 
   Additionally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,605, a programmable device for controlling a light hardening device is disclosed. This programming device permits the control of the time periods for the actuation of a light source and a heat source, whereby it is to be understood that the time-based control of the polymerization process is dependent upon the type of workpiece to be polymerized. 
   OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In contrast, the present invention provides a solution to the challenge of providing a dental apparatus which can be flexibly deployed in hand-held applications and which can accommodate future developments without putting the security of the polymerization operation at risk. 
   The dental apparatus of the present invention also permits the control apparatus to be remotely accommodated or adjusted to new material. Additionally, the program parameters can, for example, be changed, if it has been established in hindsight that, for example, a longer or shorter hardening period in a certain program segment would be more favorable or if the given light radiation intensity during a different irradiation application leads to a more advantageous hardening result. Thus, programs can be newly installed or changed if one wants to undertake a calibration of the device and conduct diagnostic, maintenance, or quality assurance work. Moreover, the dental apparatus can also be operated in a cable-free manner via an accumulator or battery. 
   In accordance with the present invention, a communications unit is preferably provided which is coupled with a control device and via which the programming of the control device can be changed. The communications unit can be configured in any suitable, desired manner. A wireless telephone operating in accordance with the GSM standard and having an infrared interface can serve, for example, as the communications device. In this manner, a remote programming of the dental apparatus can be accomplished in a simple manner. In connection with this solution, it is no longer required that the dentist must, for example, personally operate the personal computer to effect a programming change, whereby service or programming mistakes are to this extent largely foreclosed. 
   It is to be understood that a communication via radio transmissions or ultrasound transmission is also possible in connection with, for example, a personal computer having a corresponding configuration for wireless data transmission. The communications unit of the present invention includes, at the least, a receiving capability so that data from the programmable control device can be relayed thereto and, preferably, also includes a transmission capability so that a bi-directional communication is possible. In connection with the bi-directional configuration of the communications unit, an automatic remote calibration can also be realized. If the light hardening device comprises, for example, a glow lamp such as a halogen glow lamp, which serves as the light source, a regularly scheduled exchange of this component is required. Glow lamps correspond to one another only broadly in connection with their light intensity and their light radiation or emission spectrum. A remote calibration is possible, for example, in that the light emitted by a newly installed halogen glow lamp can be conducted to a suitable light sensor which is in communication with the communications unit. Via a remote calibration, a warning signal can be given, for example, if the exchanged halogen glow lamp does not correspond to the operational requirement profile. 
   It is to be understood that the communication device can be configured in any suitable, desired manner. If a semi-conductor light emitting source is used, suitable infrared sending diodes and photodiodes sensitive in the infrared range can be provided with LED chips on a common base body, whereby the production of the device is simplified. 
   If the light guide rod includes a so-called anti-aliasing or cut-off filter—that is, a filter which holds back the heat radiation—it is possible to dispose the infrared diodes adjacent to a red window. 
   On the other hand, it is to be understood that the radio transmission also is effected by a communications unit which is disposed in the grip portion of a hand grip component. 
   Further advantages, details, and features are described hereinafter in connection with a description of one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the figures of the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of one embodiment of the light hardening device of the present invention adapted for operation in a remote programming mode; and 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a base body for a light hardening device of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a light hardening device  10  of the present invention. The light hardening device includes, in a conventional manner, a housing  12 , which, for the purpose of clarity, is shown in  FIG. 1  with a half portion thereof omitted. The housing  12  includes the proven pistol shape. A light source  14  is configured as a semi-conductor light emitting source with a plurality of LED chips  18  mounted on a common base body  16 . A front portion  20  of the light hardening device  10  has been removed in the view of the device shown in  FIG. 1  in order to make available a view of the light source  14 . It is to be understood that this portion is, in practice, firmly secured with the remaining portion of the light hardening device  10 . 
   The front portion  20  secures the mounting on the light hardening device  10  of suitable optical apparatus such as a focusing apparatus which conduct the light emitted by the light source  14  to a light guide rod  22 . 
   The light hardening device  10  includes a grip component  24  in which a base station is comprised, which is not shown in  FIG. 1 . In a first embodiment of the present invention, the grip component  24  is provided with a plurality of accumulators in the hand grip portion  26  thereof and the base station serves to charge or load the accumulators upon insertion of the grip portion component  26  in a suitably configured stand. 
   In a second embodiment of the present invention, a power supply cable extends between the base station and the grip component through which flows the electrical energy for the operation of the hand piece. 
   The hand grip portion  26  further includes a control device  30 , which is schematically shown in  FIG. 1 . The control device  30  is programmable and ensures that, upon the application of pressure to an actuation button  34 , a program is begun which controls the intensity and the length of application of the light emitted by the LED chips  18  in a suitable manner. The LED chips can also, for example, be combined with differing spectral emissions maxima, which are actuatable in common as a group and can be individually controlled by the control device  30 . 
   In the illustrated embodiment of a light hardening device  10 , the base body  16  also supports a communications unit  36 . In this connection, two diodes—namely, an infrared transmitting diode and an infrared receiving diode—are disposed adjacent the LED chips  18  on the base body  16 . In front of both of these diodes, the front portion  20  supports a red window  38  which, in the illustrated embodiment, is disposed closely adjacent the entrance or beginning of the light guide rod  22 . The transmission performance of the infrared diode is sufficient for data transmission over several meters. In a similar manner—that is, in any event, with an infrared sending or transmitting diode and an infrared receiving diode—a wireless telephone  40  with such components and operable in accordance with the GSM standard or the UMTS standard, is in a position to communicate with the grip portion  24  of the light hardening device  10  via its communications unit  36 . The infrared interface  42  of the wireless telephone is preferably oriented toward the light hardening device  10  in a manner similar to, for example, the manner in which a remote control is oriented toward a television for remote infrared control of the television. 
   A connection is created by a signal transmission with a central programming control unit  44  which is provided from the manufacturer and which permits bi-directional data communication between the manufacturer and the light hardening device for effecting programming of the control device  30 . 
   The base body  16  can be seen in an enlarged manner in  FIG. 2 . In addition to the LED chips  18 , a temperature sensor  46  is mounted on the base body  16 . Additionally, the base body  16  includes an infrared transmitting diode  48  and an infrared receiving diode  50  disposed in opposed relation to the temperature sensor  46  and in neighboring relation to one another, the diodes together forming the communications unit  36 . The base body  16  is configured as a cooling body so that the lost or process heat of the infrared transmitting diode  48  can also be guided away. Preferably, the data transmission is effected in a coded and pulsed manner in order to reduce the susceptibility to disturbances. Furthermore, it is preferred that a known data transmission standard is used so that a standard infrared interface of a wireless telephone can be used. The programming follows, in any event, preferably via a special coding and via the use of at least one checked sum in order to secure against a false programming result. 
   The illustrated embodiment comprises a semi-conductor light emitting source as the light source  14 . In a typical conventional manner, such a light emitting source has a relatively small heat emitting portion so that the cooling requirements are still further reduced. In connection with such an approach, the shielding of the heat emitted via filters is basically not required. This permits the solution also to effect the data communication directly via the light guide rod so that it is also possible to omit the red window  38  and to orient the front end of the light guide rod  22  toward the infrared interface  42  of the telephone  40  in order to permit a data transmission therethrough. 
   In accordance with an especially favorable configuration, it is provided that the infrared transmitting diodes and the infrared receiving diodes  48  and  50 , respectively, are disposed directly in the channels between the cooling ribs. This permits a particularly simple mounting without the need to disturb the air flow through the cooling ribs and thereby substantially negatively impact the cooling effect provided thereby. 
   The configuration of the light hardening device with the red window  38  is, however, preferred if a halogen glow lamp is deployed as the light emitting source, as such a light emitting source includes a comparatively higher heat emitting portion so that, frequently, an anti-aliasing filter must be deployed. The configuration with the red window has, at the same time, the advantage that false light is held back or blocked in an improved manner and the communications unit no longer requires an exact orientation between the light hardening device and the telephone. 
   The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.