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US 11,497,582 B2Granted
Universal piezo-magneto ultrasonic systems and methods
OwnerJames Feineinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic unit manufacturing system and process are based on a universal ultrasonic generator unit that operates interchangeably with either one of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive ultrasonic devices, and optionally as well as with either on-off or power level control footswitches. The ultrasonic units use a generator unit having a detector that determines whether the connected device is piezoelectric or magnetostrictive, and activates the generator for the appropriate piezoelectric or magnetostrictive operating mode. The ultrasonic units so made and methods of using them are also disclosed.
Claims22
An ultrasonic dental scaling system, comprising:
- an ultrasonic device comprising a power scaler handpiece and a tip, wherein the ultrasonic device is selected from a piezoelectric ultrasonic device operable on capacitance and a magnetostrictive ultrasonic device operable on inductance;
- a device cable connecting the ultrasonic device to a signal conditioner of a universal ultrasonic generator unit;
- the signal conditioner comprising a piezoelectric mode circuit to drive the piezoelectric ultrasonic device when connected to the universal ultrasonic generator and further comprising a magnetostrictive mode circuit to drive the magnetostrictive ultrasonic device when connected to the universal ultrasonic generator;
- and
- the signal conditioner further comprising a switch to selectively activate the piezoelectric mode circuit and de-activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit when the piezoelectric ultrasonic device is connected, and activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the piezoelectric mode circuit when the magnetostrictive ultrasonic device is connected;
- and
- a signal generation circuit to send an interrogation signal to the connected ultrasonic device and detect a response;
- wherein the switch comprises a relay switch to automatically activate the piezoelectric or magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the other of the magnetostrictive or piezoelectric mode circuit based on the response of the connected ultrasonic device to the interrogation signal.
5 more elements
An assembly line system for assembling ultrasonic dental scaling units, comprising:
- an inventory of ultrasonic devices comprising piezoelectric power scalers operable by capacitance and magnetostrictive power scalers operable by induction;
- an inventory of device cables adapted to connect the ultrasonic devices to a respective universal ultrasonic generator unit;
- an inventory of the universal ultrasonic generator units, wherein each ultrasonic generator unit comprises:
- a signal conditioner comprising a piezoelectric mode circuit to drive one of the piezoelectric ultrasonic devices and further comprising a magnetostrictive mode circuit to drive one of the magnetostrictive ultrasonic devices;
- the signal conditioner further comprising a switch to selectively activate the piezoelectric mode circuit and de-activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit when one of the piezoelectric power scalers is connected, or activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the piezoelectric mode circuit when one of the magnetostrictive power scalers is connected;
- and
- a signal generation circuit to send an interrogation signal to the connected ultrasonic device and detect a response;
- wherein the switch comprises a relay switch to automatically activate the piezoelectric or magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the other of the magnetostrictive or piezoelectric mode circuit based on the response of the connected ultrasonic device to the interrogation signal;
- and
- an assembly line workstation to assemble together a respective one or more of the device cables from the device cable inventory, a respective one or more of the power scalers from the ultrasonic device inventory, and a respective one of the universal ultrasonic generator units from the universal ultrasonic generator inventory to form assembled ultrasonic dental scaling units.
7 more elements
An ultrasonic dental scaling method, comprising:
- connecting a device cable between a signal conditioner of a universal ultrasonic generator unit and an ultrasonic device comprising a power scaler handpiece and a tip, wherein the ultrasonic device is selected from a piezoelectric ultrasonic device operable on capacitance and a magnetostrictive ultrasonic device operable on inductance, wherein the signal conditioner comprises a piezoelectric mode circuit to drive the piezoelectric ultrasonic device when connected to the universal ultrasonic generator and further comprising a magnetostrictive mode circuit to drive the magnetostrictive ultrasonic device when connected to the universal ultrasonic generator, wherein the generator unit further comprises a signal generation circuit to send an interrogation signal to the connected ultrasonic device and detect a response;
- wherein a switch in the signal generator comprises a relay switch to automatically activate the piezoelectric or magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the other of the magnetostrictive or piezoelectric mode circuit based on the response of the connected ultrasonic device to the interrogation signal;
- connecting a power source to the universal ultrasonic generator unit;
- actuating the switch to selectively activate the piezoelectric mode circuit and de-activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit when the piezoelectric ultrasonic device is connected, or to selectively activate the magnetostrictive mode circuit and de-activate the piezoelectric mode circuit when the magnetostrictive ultrasonic device is connected;
- and
- sensing for capacitance or induction in the connected ultrasonic device;
- wherein the actuation of the switch is automatic based on the sensed capacitance or inductance.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.