Abstract:
Disclosed herein are intraoral illumination devices. More specifically, the LED intraoral illumination device in accordance with the present invention has an improved battery for providing power supply and structure of a bit block for opening a mouth using the bit block.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/KR2010/008227, filed Nov. 22, 2010, and Korean Patent Application No.10-2009-0113654, filed Nov. 24, 2009, and Application No. 10-2010-0083313, filed Aug. 27, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to intraoral illumination devices, and more particularly to an LED oral illuminator having a battery for providing power supply and an improved structure of a bit block for opening a mouth using the bit block. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    In general, patients lie in dental unit chair in performing dental treatment. An external light source using illumination device of the dental unit chair illuminate the mouth cavity of a patient to enable a doctor to easily and clearly observe the mouth cavity. 
         [0006]    Then, a doctor illuminates lesion of the mouth cavity of a patient using three-way syringe, high speed handpiece, scaler, and low speed handpiece and simultaneously performs dental treatment. 
         [0007]    Meanwhile, the size of lesion in the mouth cavity a patient is too small and connected with a lot of nerves. For this reason, detail treatment and remedy are required. In specifically, it is very important for a doctor to clearly observe the mouth cavity of a patient. 
         [0008]    A conventional intraoral illumination device, however, should be manipulated in performing dental treatment. Thus, it is difficult for skilled doctor or nurse to clearly illuminate the mouth cavity of a patient. Also, when the mouth cavity of a patient is illuminated using illumination device of dental unit chair, there is a problem that the mouth cavity of a patient is not illuminated as a whole. The reason is that the mouth cavity of a patient is illuminated from outside the mouth cavity. 
         [0009]    In addition, the conventional intraoral illumination device is connected with the dental unit chair through power wire, thereby causing inconvenience to doctor and patient when dental treatment is performed. 
         [0010]    In order to improve these problems, the present applicant invented an intraoral illumination device with mouth gag, which is disclosed in Korea Patent No. 10-0673479. This patent discloses that both lips of a patient is kept opening using a mouth gag, and battery is embedded in the intraoral illumination device to illuminate the mouth cavity. 
         [0011]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the intraoral illumination device with the mouth gag is described in more detail below. The intraoral illumination device with the mouth gag comprises a couple of holders ( 10 , mouth gag holder), a battery case  30 , and a body  40 . 
         [0012]    The couple of holders  10  include an LED light source  13  and are facing to each other with a predetermined interval. With both lips of a patient opened and supported, the mouth cavity of a patient is illuminated using the LED light source  13 . 
         [0013]    In other words, since the mouth cavity can be illuminated with the mouth opened by holding both lips employing the mouth gag holder  10 , there is an advantage that additional illumination device is not necessary. 
         [0014]    However, these methods have their own problems. Because the illumination device holds both lips of a patient, it is difficult for a doctor to smoothly manipulate upper and lower teeth when dental treatment is performed. Also, the usage of handpiece and scaler is interrupted. This causes difficulty in subsequent processes. 
         [0015]    The holder  10  and the LED light source are equipped in one entity. Accordingly, in the event that the intraoral illumination device is reused after exposing it at high temperature steam to be sterilized, there is a high possibility that the LED light source  13  is damaged or the life thereof is shortened owing to the high temperature steam. 
         [0016]    Further, in the conventional intraoral illumination device, since the mouth of a patient is opened by supporting lips and presses gingiva, thereby bringing about pain. 
         [0017]    In addition, the lips of a patient are disposed and supported by the holder  10 , and thus some patients can encounter problems in their lips to use the holder due to his/her mouth size. 
         [0018]    Recently, the present applicant has proposed intraoral illumination device and surgical illumination device in mouth cavity using a bite block capable of illuminating which is disclosed in Korea Patent Nos. 10-2009-0025977 and 10-2009-0031645. According to the disclosed inventions, the intraoral illumination device can illuminate mouth cavity and occiput of a patient after opening a mouth by naturally biting a bite block by patient&#39;s teeth without supporting lips through the holder  10 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the intraoral illumination device and surgical illumination device in mouth cavity using the bite block comprises a bite block bitten between teeth  50  and an illumination plate  60  extended from the bite block  50  to have several lightening  61 . 
         [0020]    Since dental treatment is performed under the condition that a patient naturally bites the bite block  50  between upper and lower teeth in one side of a mouth, a patient suffering from jaw pain can use without unwelcome attention. The illumination plate  60  is separated from the bite block  50 , so that the bite block  50  can be washed sanitarily. 
         [0021]    The intraoral illumination device and surgical illumination device embeds a battery, they are not disposable. Also, the bite block  50  cannot be washed in itself, so that it is difficult to be kept clean. 
         [0022]    The lightening  61  is mounted on the illumination plate  60  extended from the bite block  50 , thereby generating the formation of shadow by the illumination plate  60 . In specifically, it is not easy to illuminate lingual sides of upper and lower teeth, the other ends of the upper and lower teeth facing moral biting the bite block, throat, subglossal and so forth. 
         [0023]    The intraoral illumination device and surgical illumination device are positioned in the mouth of a patient. There is a problem that a patient cannot easily close his/her lips. Adopting additional aid is inconvenient when opening the mouth of the patient. 
         [0024]    In the event that the battery is discharged when dental treatment is performed, this method can be inconvenient in swapping the batteries, and when the battery is charged after extracting the intraoral illumination device and the surgical illumination device outside the mouth of the patient. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The inventors of the present invention completed the present invention resulting from efforts to develop an LED oral illuminator using a bite block which is capable of practicing a patient without extracting the LED oral illuminator to the outside of a mouth of the patient when it is discharged, and can enable a doctor to easily observe a mouth cavity, in particularly, lingual sides of upper and lower teeth, the other ends of the upper and lower teeth facing moral biting the bite block, throat, subglossal by clearly illuminating them as a whole, and cannot cause inconvenience of a patient by reliably opening a mouth of a patient, and can be effectively washed to be maintained sanitarily. 
         [0026]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an LED oral illuminator using a bite block which is capable of enabling a doctor to easily observe a mouth cavity, in particularly, lingual sides of upper and lower teeth, the other ends of the upper and lower teeth facing moral biting the bite block, throat, subglossal by effectively illuminating them. 
         [0027]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an LED oral illuminator using a bite block in which the bite block can be disposable and maintained in sanitary due to its washability in a high temperature when it is reused. 
         [0028]    A further object of the present invention is to provide an LED oral illuminator using a bit block that can allow a mouth of a patient to be comfortably opened when dental treatment is performed. 
         [0029]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an LED oral illuminator using a bite block in which a battery of the bite block can be easily charged or swapped in the event that the battery is discharged while dental treatment is performing. 
         [0030]    The objects of the invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other unmentioned objects will be clearly interpreted by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
         [0031]    Embodiments of the present invention provide an LED oral illuminator using a bite block comprising a frame being bent to be U-shaped as a whole and a bite block coupled to one end of the frame. The frame comprises an LED light source mounted on one end of the frame and a light source control switch for controlling turn on/off of the LED light source. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments of the present invention, a battery mounted on the other end of the frame is further included. 
         [0033]    In other embodiments of the present invention, the LED light source comprises a plurality of LED lamps. 
         [0034]    In further embodiments of the present invention, the bit block comprises a block body bitten between upper and lower teeth in one side of a mouth of a patient to open the mouth of the patient and a light source insert hole formed in one side of the block body so that the LED light source us inserted into the light source insert hole. 
         [0035]    In other embodiment of the present invention, a bite groove bitten between the upper and lower teeth is formed at upper and lower portions of the block body. 
         [0036]    In yet other embodiment of the present invention, the bite block is made of transparent material so as to transmit the light source into the mouth. 
         [0037]    In further embodiment of the present invention, the battery is chargeable, and the frame further includes an electrical charging terminal for charging the battery. 
         [0038]    In other embodiment of the present invention, the frame further includes brightness controller for adjusting brightness of the LED light source. 
         [0039]    In further embodiment of the present invention, the LED light source further includes an UV LED lamp for emitting ultraviolet rays. 
         [0040]    The present invention has the following effects. 
         [0041]    First, an LED oral illuminator using a bite block according to the present invention enables a doctor to effectively observe a mouth cavity, in particularly, lingual sides of upper and lower teeth, the other ends of the upper and lower teeth facing moral biting the bite block, throat, subglossal by clearly illuminating them as a whole because of employing an LED light source located in the bite block. 
         [0042]    Furthermore, in the present invention, a frame including the bite block and the LED light source can be separated from each other and can be attachable, so that the bite block can be disposable. When the bite block is reused, it can be sterilized in high temperature to be kept clean. Thereby, it is possible to protect secondary infection of patients. 
         [0043]    In addition, in the present invention, a frame located outside from a mouth of a patient bent to be U-shaped is coupled to a bite block in the mouth of the patient. For this reason, one side of lip of the patients can be supported by these frame, it is possible for the patient to continuously open the mouth without additional efforts. Also, this can remove the apprehension of a patient suffering from jaw pain. 
         [0044]    Moreover, in the present invention, the battery is equipped in the frame, that is, the outside of a mouth of a patient. As a result, even though the battery is discharged in performing dental treatment, the battery can be chargeable and swapped without extracting it to the outside of the mouth of the patient, thereby continuously performing dental treatment. By increasing a capacity of the battery, the illumination time can be improved. 
         [0045]    Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0046]    These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0047]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a conventional intraoral illumination device with a mouth gag; 
           [0048]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing installation of a conventional intraoral illumination device with a mouth gag in a mouth of a patient; 
           [0049]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing an illumination device in a mouth cavity using a conventional bite block that can illuminate a mouth of a patient; 
           [0050]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a conventional surgical illumination device in a mouth cavity; 
           [0051]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0052]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing a frame and a bite block of a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0053]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing installation of a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0054]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
         [0055]    The terminology which is used in common will be used for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Furthermore, terms and words used by the applicant may be used for special cases. In this case, the meaning of terms or words must be understood with due regard to the meaning expressed in the specification rather than taking into account only the basic meaning of the terms and words. 
         [0056]    Hereinafter, the technical construction of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the attached drawings. 
         [0057]    The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same reference numeral is used to refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0058]    As used herein, the terms “about”, “substantially”, etc. are intended to allow some leeway in mathematical exactness to account for tolerances that are acceptable in the trade and to prevent any unconscientious violator from unduly taking advantage of the disclosure in which exact or absolute numerical values are given so as to help understand the invention. 
         [0059]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view showing a frame and a bite block of a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing installation of a LED oral illuminator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0060]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 to 7 , an LED oral illuminator using a bite block according to an embodiment of the present invention a frame  300  included outside a mouth  100  and a bite block  200  included in the mouth and bitten between upper and lower teeth in one side of the mouth. 
         [0061]    The frame  300  is bent to be U-shaped. One end of the frame  300  is inserted into the mouth of a patient, and the other end of the frame  300  is exposed to the outside of the mouth of the patient to naturally cover lip and cheek in one side of the patient. The edge lip of the patient is supported by the bent-up of the U-shaped frame  300 . Thus, the mouth of the patient can be kept opening comfortable and safe. 
         [0062]    Additionally, the frame  300  comprises an LED light source  340 , a light source control switch  320 , a battery  330 , and an electrical charging terminal  310 . 
         [0063]    Also, the frame  300  may further comprise a brightness controller (not shown) for adjusting brightness of an LED light source  340 , which will be described later. The brightness controller adjusts brightness by controlling power supply provided to the LED light source  340 . 
         [0064]    The LED light source  340  is mounted on one end of the frame  300  to be inserted into the mouth of the patient. The LED light source  340  includes a plurality of LED lamps to illuminate a mouth cavity of the patient. The LED light source  340  is turned on/off when it is housed in the bite block  200  that will be descried later. 
         [0065]    The LED light source  340  is extended from one end of the frame  340  to be a bar-shaped light unit. Accordingly, the LED light source can effectively illuminate deep portions in the mouth of the patient such as throat, subglossal and so forth. Comparing with an intraoral illumination device using a conventional bite block and surgical illumination device in a mouth, there is an advantage that lingual side of upper and lower teeth that is difficult to illuminate as well as upper and lower teeth in other side of a mouth facing a moral biting the bite block can be illuminated. 
         [0066]    In order to prevent bacteria infection which may be caused when treatment is performed, sterilize bacteria, or distinguish dental caries, the LED light source  340  may comprise an UV LED lamp for emitting ultraviolet rays. The LED lamp and a plurality of lamps may be included simultaneously. 
         [0067]    In other words, the LED lamps as well as certain lamps that are small and can illuminate a mouth cavity of human being are generally applicable as the LED light source  340 . 
         [0068]    The light source control switch  320  is positioned at an external surface of the frame  300  to control turn on/off of the LED light source  340 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the light source control switch  320  employing a touched-type for a patient to easily turn on/off is described. In general, however, a switch with various kinds of types such as button-type or contact-type can be adopted. 
         [0069]    The battery  330  is received in the other end of the frame  300  to be mounted. The battery  330  provides power supply to the LED light source  340 , and more preferably, is chargeable. 
         [0070]    That is, the battery  330  is not located in a mouth of a patient but outside the mouth of the patient. Since the size of the battery  330  is not relatively limited, the capacity of the battery  330  can be large. 
         [0071]    The battery  330  includes a cell, a protection circuit, and a current counter, which are not shown. 
         [0072]    The cell performs a function to charge and discharge stored power supply and provides charged power supply to the LED light source  340 . 
         [0073]    The protection circuit prevents cell damage by over current and over voltage when the cell is charged with external power supply. 
         [0074]    The current counter counts the amount of current that inflows or outflows to the cell through a charging terminal  310  that will be described later and then, transfers enumerated value to a control unit (not shown). The control unit transmits a signal by the enumerated value to a displaying unit (not shown) such as charging lamps or LCD to display charging or discharging state of the battery  330 . 
         [0075]    The charging terminal  310  is a terminal for charging the battery  330  with external power supply and includes a socket electrically connected to external power supply. 
         [0076]    The charging terminal  310  can charge the battery  330  even when the battery  330  provides power supply to the LED light source  340 . Therefore, when the battery  330  is discharged in performing dental treatment, it can be charged without extracting it to the outside of a mouth of a patient. 
         [0077]    The bite block  200  is removal coupled to the frame  300  and can be coupled to one end of the frame  300 . The bite block  200  is bitten between upper and lower teeth in the mouth of the patient and supports the mouth opened. The bite block  200  includes a block body  210 , a light source insert hole  211 , a bite groove  214 , and a bite projection  215 . 
         [0078]    The bite block  200  may be separated from the frame  300 , so that it is disposable and replaceable. When the bite block  200  is reused, it can be sterilized in high temperature to be kept clean. 
         [0079]    In order for the bite block  200  to be swapped and used depending on a mouth state or mouth size of patients, the bite block  200  may be a set of bite block including a plurality of blocks that have different size. 
         [0080]    The block body  210  is bitten between the upper and lower teeth in the mouth of the patient to open the mouth and included in a body of the bite block  200 . 
         [0081]    The block body  210  is made of resin material that is harmless to human. Harmless materials like latex, rubber, silicone and so forth may be coated on an external surface of the block body. 
         [0082]    The LED light source  340  houses the block body  210  to illuminate light into the mouth of the patient. The block body  210  may comprise a transparent block body allowing light emitted from the LED light source to be transmitted into the mouth of the patient. 
         [0083]    Accordingly, a blind spot being a region of a mouth of a patient not illuminated by LED light source  340  is removed, and at the same time the formation of shadow is not created while illuminating the mouth cavity. Resultantly, a doctor can practice a mouth cavity of a patient in detail. 
         [0084]    The light source insert hole  211  is formed at one side of the block body  200  and inserted into the LED light source  340 . 
         [0085]    The light source insert hole  211  is formed in order for light of the LED light source inserted into the bite block  200  to illuminate a center of a mouth cavity of the patient. 
         [0086]    The bite groove  214  is included on upper and lower portions of the block body  210 . The bite groove  214  has U-shaped cross-section to be bitten between the upper and lower teeth of the patient. The bite block  200  is not separated from teeth of the patients without additional efforts, thereby effectively fixing the bite block  200 . 
         [0087]    The bite projection  215  is formed in a bottom of the bite groove  214  and prevents the bite block  200  from slipping relative to the upper or lower teeth of the patient. 
         [0088]    The usage of the LED oral illuminator using the bite block is briefly described below according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0089]    In advance, the battery  330  is charged. In case that a sign that the battery  330  is charged completely is displayed in the display unit, the frame  300  and the bite block  200  are coupled to open the upper and lower teeth of the patient and up and down. 
         [0090]    Next, the light source control switch is manipulated to turn on the LED light source being illuminant. Power supply is provided from the battery  330  to each of the LED light source  340 . Each of the LED light source  340  is turned on to illuminate the mouth cavity of the patient. A doctor practices a lesion in a mouth of a patient. 
         [0091]    Then, when the doctor performed treatment completely, he/she separates the bite block  200  and the frame  300  from teeth of the patients. He/she separates the bite block  200  from the frame  300  and washes the bite block in high temperature. 
         [0092]    After that, the bite block  200  is exposed at steam with high temperature for a predetermined time and sterilized so as to keep the bite block  200  sanitarily. 
         [0093]    The bite block  200  is attachable to the frame  300 . The battery  330  or the LED light source  340  do not formed in the bite block  200 . The battery  330  and the LED light source  340  are included in the frame  300 . From these structures, the damage and life shortage of the battery  330  and the LED light source  340  due to washing or sterilizing can be prevented. 
         [0094]    The LED oral illuminator according to an embodiment of the present invention illuminates a mouth cavity of a patient using an LED light source located in a bite block. The LED intraoral device according to the present invention can illuminate mouth cavity, in particularly, lingual sides of upper and lower teeth, the other ends of the upper and lower teeth facing moral biting the bite block, throat, subglossal and so forth as a whole to be used widely in dental treatment field. 
         [0095]    Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.