Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7929205?dq=6,666,377
Timestamp: 2017-12-17 20:13:28
Document Index: 537548309

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 31', 'art 31', 'art 31', 'art 203', 'art 209', 'art 209', 'art 203', 'art 209', 'art 203']

Patent US7929205 - Mouth switch arrangement and microscopy system having a mouth switch - Google Patents
A microscopy assembly comprises a stand, a stereo microscope supported by the stand, and a mouth switch assembly mounted to a holder, the mouth switch assembly including a mouth piece grippable by a user's teeth, and with a force sensor actuatable by the exertion of pressure by a user's lip while the...http://www.google.com/patents/US7929205?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7929205 - Mouth switch arrangement and microscopy system having a mouth switch
Publication number US7929205 B2
Application number US 11/588,125
Also published as US20070165302
Publication number 11588125, 588125, US 7929205 B2, US 7929205B2, US-B2-7929205, US7929205 B2, US7929205B2
Inventors Robert F. Spetzler, Hans-Joachim Miesner, Frank Rudolph
US 7929205 B2
1. A mouth switch assembly, comprising:
a holder for mounting the mouth switch assembly to a base,
a mouth piece mounted on the holder, wherein the mouth piece is grippable by a user's teeth,
a force sensor actuatable by exertion of pressure by means of a user's lip while the mouth piece is gripped by the user's teeth,
wherein the force sensor includes an actuating element arranged at a side of the mouth piece,
wherein an actuating area of the actuating element located next to a front end of the mouth piece is spaced apart from the front end of the mouth piece by a distance larger than 4 mm and smaller than 35 mm.
2. The mouth switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mouth piece, in an area between the front end and the actuating area next to the front end of the mouth piece, has a maximum diameter of less than 40 mm.
3. The mouth switch assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mouth piece, in an area between the front end and the actuating area next to the front end of the mouth piece, has a circumference of less than 90 mm.
15. A microscopy assembly, comprising:
a stand with a base,
a microscopy optics supported by the stand and displaceable relative to the base, and
a mouth piece assembly according to claim 1, which is displaceable relative to the base together with the microscopy optics.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a blocking of components of a stand of a microscope as shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of the mouth switch assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 11 a shows a cross sectional view of the mouth piece shown in FIG. 5, taken along the line V-V; and
FIG. 11 b shows a circle for comparison of the geometrical relations with a shape of the mouth piece as shown in FIG. 11 a.
The microscopy assembly 301 shown in perspective view in FIG. 1 comprises a stereo operation microscope 303 mounted on a stand 305. The stand 305 comprises a base 309 including wheels 307, on which base 309 a base part 31 is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis 314. On the base member 31, a stand arm 33 is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis 35, and a further arm 317 is mounted pivotably about a further horizontal axis 319 on an upper end of the arm 33. At a front end of the arm 317, the microscope 303 is supported pivotably around a further horizontal axis 321 via intermediate members 323 which enable a rotation of the microscope 303 around a further vertical axis 325 and around further axes not shown in FIG. 1 for setting a viewing direction of the microscope.
The brake pad is connected to a lever 49 pivotable around an axis 47 such that the brake pad 43 may be lifted from contact with the disk 41 by pivoting the lever 49 around the axis 47. Such releasing of the brake pad 43 from the disk 41 is effected by the excitation of a magnet coil 51. To this end, a circuit 53 is closed, which comprises a power source 55 and a switch 57 arranged remotely from the base part 31, the switch being open in a non-actuated position. By actuating the switch 57, the current is caused to flow through the coil 51, same draws the lever 49 into such a position that the brake pad 43 is lifted from the disk 41, so that the arm 33 is free to be pivoted around the axis 35 relative to the base part 31.
In this exemplary embodiment, a pivoting part 203 of a mouth switch holder 201 is made pivotable around an axis 219 of the mouth switch assembly 100 as explained below. Herein, an arresting part 209 of the mouth switch support 201 comprises a sleeve 221 having profile ribs 217 extending parallel to the axis 219 on an inner portion, and having a screw hole 211 extending transversely to the axis 219. The inner profile ribs 217 of the sleeve 221 engage with profile ribs provided externally on the rod 19 of the holder 17 for blocking a rotation of the sleeve 221 around the central axis 219 of the rod 19. Into the screw hole 211, a fastening screw 15 is screwed, which, when tightened, prevents displacing the sleeve 221 in the longitudinal direction of the rod 19, such that thereby, the arresting part 209 is locked on the rod 19.
The mouth switch holder 201 further includes the pivoting part 203 with a sleeve 215 surrounding the sleeve 221 of the arresting part 209, so that the pivoting part 203 is pivotable around the axis 219.
In a realization of the mouth piece 103 of an embodiment of the mouth switch assembly as shown in FIG. 5, a beaded rim 121 a protruding from at least one surface 181 a of the mouth piece 103 a is provided at a front end 107 a of the mouth piece 103 a. This beaded rim 121 a enables the user to securely draw the mouth piece 103 a towards himself. Moreover, the shaping of the beaded rim ensures that a user's saliva remains in the user's mouth, so that no unwanted flow of liquid along the mouth piece 103 a can occur and also, that dripping is limited. Further, this Figure shows an underside 183 a of the mouth piece 103.
In a further realization of the mouth piece as shown in FIG. 6, a notch 123 b extending transversely to a longitudinal extension direction Eb of the mouth piece 103 b may be provided on an upperside 181 b of the mouth piece 103 b. Thereby, an unintentional slipping of the user's teeth is prevented or at least, the danger of slipping is reduced. A further advantage of the notch is that the user can push the mouth piece 103 b away from himself in a securely held relation.
Moreover, plural notches 123 c, 123 c′, 123 c″ may be provided of the mouth piece 103 c as shown in FIG. 7. In this manner, individual features of the user's teeth (overbite, underbite etc.) are accounted for. The plurality of notches is not limited to three, but there may be provided more or fewer than three. Further, the user can select, depending on his momentary position, an advantageous one of the notches 123 c′, 123 c″, 123 c′″ for secure gripping with his teeth.
FIG. 8 shows a realization of a mouth piece 103 d where notches 123 d and 125 d are provided as well on an upper side 181 d as on an underside 183 d.
The inventive mouth switch assembly is not limited to embodiments in which the force sensor is realized by way of a pivoting lever. As exemplarily shown in FIG. 9, the actuating element 106 a of the force sensor is directly attached to the mouth piece 104 a. The actuating element is further realized as a sensor 119 a, but may as well be realized as a mechanical pressure sensor. Preferably, same extends over a dimension of less than 10 mm in a longitudinal extension direction of the mouth piece. In an alternative embodiment, a piezoelectric sensor or some other type of contact switch is provided, such as a contact switch with double contacts, in which contacting effects an increased conductivity, or an inductive approach switch provided with a simple contact area, or similar, known contact switches.
By means of a signal conducting line 118 a connected via plural fastening points 120 a to the mouth piece 104 a, a detecting of an actuating of the actuating element is transmitted to a control such as the circuit 53 shown in FIG. 3.
In an alternative embodiment, a lever actuatable in plural directions is provided in place of the sensor shown in FIG. 10. The fine motor skills of the lip permit e.g. to sway the lever 119 b in the longitudinal extension direction Eb of the mouth piece 104 b, and in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension direction Eb, so that four switching options are realized.
FIG. 11 a shows a cross sectional view along line V-V of the mouth piece 103 a shown in FIG. 5, for elucidating the shape of mouth piece 103 a described above as flattened. Herein, reference is made to mouth piece 103 a, however it is understood that the following explanations with respect to the shape of the mouth piece pertain to any realization thereof. For comparison, FIG. 11 b shows a circle with a diameter D1 for explaining the geometrical relations of the flattened
shape of the mouth piece. Because the largest diameter D1 of the mouth piece 103 a shall be smaller than 40 mm, as described above, an according circle with said diameter of 40 mm would have a circumference of U2=pi*40 mm=125.6 mm, as shown schematically in FIG. 11 b. By the limitation of the circumference U1 of the mouth piece 103 a to a mere 90 mm it is ensured that the mouth piece 103 a is flat shaped, as shown in FIG. 11 a, and that thereby it can readily be taken into the mouth, so that the user is easily enabled to control the actuation.
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JP2005304555A * Title not available
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U.S. Classification 359/368, 359/375
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SPETZLER, ROBERT F.;MIESNER, HANS-JOACHIM;RUDOLPH, FRANK;REEL/FRAME:019007/0910;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070115 TO 20070212
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SPETZLER, ROBERT F.;MIESNER, HANS-JOACHIM;RUDOLPH, FRANK;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070115 TO 20070212;REEL/FRAME:019007/0910