# US 12,178,762 B2 · Dental unit comprising a touch screen and a support > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,762 B2 - Document ID: US12178762B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/568,731 - Filed: 2022-05-24 - Published: 2024-08-15 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-11 - Assignees: XO Care A/S - Applicants: Xo Care A/S - Inventors: Kim Sørensen; Michael Guldsteen Andreasen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178762B2 ## CPC - A61G 15/10: Parts, details or accessories (A61G15/14 takes precedence; dental instruments A61C) - F16M 11/10: around a horizontal axis {(F16M11/12 takes precedence)} - F16M 11/2021: {around a horizontal axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence)} - A61G 2203/16: Touchpads - A61G 2203/20: Displays or monitors - F16M 2200/021: for rotational movement - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS ## Abstract A dental unit includes a support and a display unit with a touch screen. The display unit is connected to the support in such a manner that the display unit is rotatable between a first and a second orientation. The first orientation is suitable for enabling a dental care professional to view content displayed on the touch screen during work on a patient situated in a chair of the dental unit, and thus for displaying content on the touch screen. The second orientation is suitable for enabling a dental care professional to input information by touching the touch screen, and thus for receiving input by means of the touch screen. The support is adapted to support the display unit in the second orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dental unit, comprising: a support; and a display unit with a touch screen, the display unit being connected to the support in such a manner that the display unit is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation; wherein: the first orientation is suitable for enabling a dental care professional to view content displayed on the touch screen during work on a patient situated in a chair of the dental unit, and thus is for displaying content on the touch screen; the second orientation is suitable for enabling a dental care professional to input information by touching the touch screen, and thus is for receiving input by means of the touch screen; the support is adapted to support the display unit in the second orientation; and the second orientation is horizontal or arranged in an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the second orientation is extending in an angle α with respect to a horizontal plane, the angle α being between 0 and 40 degrees. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein: the support comprises a first section and a second section, the first section extending in an angle β with the second section, the angle β being in the interval of 60 to 120 degrees; and/or the support comprises a first section, the first section being configured to support at least 5% of the area of a rear surface of the display unit in the second orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the support and the display unit are connected by means of a pivot connection or a hinged connection. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the support is configured to act as a stop for the display unit when the display unit reaches the second orientation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein: the support comprises an abutment surface, the abutment surface being: adapted for abutting a rear surface of the display unit in the second orientation; and/or a plane surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises an abutment surface, the abutment surface being adapted to support at least 30% of the area of a rear surface of the display unit in the second orientation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the first orientation is vertical or arranged in an acute angle with respect to a vertical plane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein; the touch screen is configured to, when placed in the second orientation, display a keyboard; and/or the display unit comprises a data processing device configured to, when detecting that the touch screen placed in the second orientation, present on the touch screen a keyboard; and/or the display unit comprises a data processing device configured to, when detecting that the touch screen placed in the second orientation, present on the touch screen a virtual button which, when pressed by a user, triggers the display of a keyboard on the touch screen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen of the display unit is adapted to be locked in such a way that the touch screen, when touched, does not react or registers touches. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The dental unit according to claim 10, wherein the touch screen of the display unit is adapted to be locked when the display unit and touch screen is in at least one of the first and the second orientation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The dental unit according to claim 10, wherein the touch screen of the display unit is adapted to be unlocked subsequently to being locked. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The dental unit according to claim 10, further comprising an external actuator to allow unlocking and/or locking of the touch screen of the display unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The dental unit according to claim 13, wherein the external actuator is any one of a foot pedal, a button, a lever and a remote control. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The dental unit according to claim 13, wherein: the external actuator is not physically connected to the display unit; and/or the external actuator is connected to the display unit by means of a wireless connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The dental unit according to claim 2, wherein the support and the display unit are connected by means of a pivot connection or a hinged connection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 2) The dental unit according to claim 2, wherein the support is configured to act as a stop for the display unit when the display unit reaches the second orientation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The dental unit according to claim 2, wherein: the support comprises an abutment surface, the abutment surface being: adapted for abutting a rear surface of the display unit in the second orientation; and/or a plane surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The dental unit according to claim 2, wherein the support comprises an abutment surface, the abutment surface being adapted to support at least 30% of the area of a rear surface of the display unit in the second orientation. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The dental unit according to claim 2, wherein the first orientation is vertical or arranged in an acute angle with respect to a vertical plane. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The dental unit according to claim 1, wherein: the touch screen is configured to, when placed in the second orientation, display a keyboard; and/or the display unit comprises a data processing device configured to, when detecting that the touch screen placed in the second orientation, present on the touch screen a keyboard; and/or the display unit comprises a data processing device configured to, when detecting that the touch screen placed in the second orientation, present on the touch screen a virtual button which, when pressed by a user, triggers the display of a keyboard on the touch screen.