Dental drill sterilization through application of high amperage current
OwnerEric J. Stetzelinventor
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Abstract
The present invention involves a sterilization system for running high amperage current through a dental or medical handpiece to be sterilized thereby heating the handpiece to a point of sterilization. The system includes a controller, a high amperage current source, and a handpiece receptacle. The handpiece receptacle includes clamps to hold the handpiece in place and a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the handpiece. The controller controls the amount of current supplied by the high amperage current source to the handpiece according to the temperature of the handpiece. After the handpiece has been at or above the sterilization temperature for the required period of time, the controller stops the flow of current to the handpiece.
Claims20
A sterilization system for a handpiece of a medical or dental device, the sterilization system comprising:
- current source capable of providing a variable high amperage output current;
- a handpiece receptacle having clamps for attaching the handpiece, said clamps electrically connected to said current source;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to said current source to control said output current of said current source to the handpiece, said controller including programming to apply said output current at a sufficient amperage for a sufficient time to heat the handpiece to be sterilized.
A sterilization system for a handpiece of a medical or dental device, the sterilization system comprising:
- current source capable of providing a variable high amperage output current;
- a handpiece receptacle having clamps for attaching the handpiece in a set position, said clamps electrically connected to said current source;
- a temperature sensor associated with said handpiece receptacle and located proximate said set position;
- and
- a controller having a microprocessor and electrically connected to said temperature sensor and said current source to control said output current of said current source to the handpiece depending on the measured temperature of the handpiece.
A sterilization system for a handpiece of a medical or dental device, the sterilization system comprising:
- clamp means for holding the handpiece;
- current means for supplying current to said clamp means and the handpiece;
- and
- control means for adjusting the supply of current by said current means to sterilize the handpiece.
A method of sterilizing a handpiece of a medical or dental device, using a handpiece receptacle with clamps and a current source, the steps comprising:
- placing the handpiece in the clamps of the handpiece receptacle;
- providing current through the handpiece from the current source;
- measuring the temperature of the handpiece;
- comparing the temperature of the handpiece with predetermined low and high temperature limits;
- adjusting the current provided by the current source to keep the measured temperature between the predetermined low and high temperature limits;
- measuring the amount of time the measure temperature has been within the low and high temperature limits;
- and
- stopping the current through the handpiece when the measured time has reached a predetermined limit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.