Dentist's seat with associated dental instrumentation stand

Abstract

 The mobile integral unit, for medical and paramedical use, is constituted by an operator chair (1), formed by a base (2) provided with wheels (3), to which a column (4) is joined, said column (4) supporting the seat (5)-seat back (6) assembly, and by a frame (10) with articulated arms supporting a working plane (11) and the instrumentation (12), with said chair (1) and the frame (10) mutually connected by means of a horizontal arm (9) whose one extremity is bound to said frame and the remaining extremity is bound to the above mentioned base (2), e.g. to the said column (4), in a way such that it can rotate.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to the medical and paramedical field, and concerns a mobile integral unit that can be used by different specialists, such as dentists, otolaryngologists, podiatrists and the like.

[0002] In the following, as an example, the sole dental sector will be considered.

[0003] It is known that special armchairs for the patients are used in odontology; the position of such armchairs is changeable so as to allow the dentist to set his working region (the patient's oral cavity) according to the type of operation to be carried out and the working techniques applied.

[0004] For every position assumed by the patient, for every type of operation and for every operation technique, the dentist can assume different positions in respect to the patient's head, taking advantage of the mobility of his chair (operator chair), constructed specially to fulfil this purpose.

[0005] The positions assumed by the dentist in respect to the patient's head are oriented according to directions which are in fact coincident with those identified by numerals indicating the hours on the clock-face, in respect to the axis about which the hands rotate.

[0006] To execute his job, the dentist makes use of operative instruments (equipment) and a working plane, the whole being commonly known as dental unit, which are joined to supporting structures mobile on vertical and horizontal planes.

[0007] In accordance with the structure and the techniques, the traditional dental units can be:

a) fixed to the floor;

b) applied and bound to the patient's armchair structure;

c) mounted on wheels or on arms articulated horizontally.

[0008] The first two embodiments are characterised by articulated cantilevered arms which carries the equipment unit and the working plane.

[0009] Such structures, which are placed over the patient and can change his emotional state, must be moved closer to the operation region just before the operation, then moved to various positions in accordance with the position assumed by the operator and finally, moved away in order to let the patient out.

[0010] To move the arm properly, the operator must each time stand up and move his chair to a suitable required positions.

[0011] The third cited embodiment is characterised by a structure mounted on wheels or on horizontally articulated arms, with the equipment and the working plane situated in the upper part, the whole being mobile laterally in respect to the patient's head.

[0012] This dental unit can be used in operator's positions included between the two extreme directions defined respectively by the numerals 9 and 13 of the above mentioned clock-face; as a consequence, the patient must lay down on his back, that sometimes is not tolerated.

[0013] The above mentioned unit cannot be used in operations that require the instrumentation placed over the patient or beyond him (in transthoracic position), since it is not vertically mobile.

[0014] In the three above reported embodiments, the instrumentation and working plane are not joined to the operator's chair and that is why they move in respect to the operation region, and still more in respect to the operator.

[0015] The object of the present invention is to propose a medical and paramedical mobile integral unit, in particular for odontological use, that can be used in all operation techniques, in the range of 180 degrees in respect to the working plane, that is to say, in the operator's position included between the extreme directions defined respectively by the numerals 7 and 13 of the above mentioned clock-face and in any operative position assumed by the patient.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to propose a mobile integral unit, that does not force the operator to move the instrumentation before and after the operation.

[0017] Further object of the present invention is to propose a unit that presents practical and ergonomic advantages resulting from joining the operator's chair to the operative instrumentation and working plane by means of structural bounds so that the sitting operator has his instrumentation constantly within reach, either in order to prepare it for the operation or to let the patient out after the operation has been finished; all this should be obtained by easy and simple movements performed while sitting.

[0018] The above mentioned objects are obtained in accordance with the contents of the claims.

[0019] The characteristics of the invention are pointed out in the following with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

• fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a mobile integral dental unit for odontological and other uses, being the subject of the present invention;
• fig. 1a shows a schematic, plan view of said dental unit;
• figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show schematic plan views of some arrangements of the dental unit correspondent to the operator's operative positions in respect to the patient.

[0020] With reference to the figures 1, 1a, the reference numeral 1 shows an operator's chair, whose carrying structure is formed by a base 2, carried by the wheels 3, to which there is joined a column 4, telescopically adjustable in length, said column 4 carrying in its upper part a seat 5 with associated thereto an adjustable back seat 6.

[0021] The seat 5-back seat 6 assembly may slightly oscillate angularly in respect to the axis of the column. It is to be pointed out that the base 2, the column 4 and the seat 5 are wrapped in special cowlings 7, 8, 28; see fig. 1.

[0022] In the illustrated example, the inner extremity of a horizontal arm 9, going out of the base through an opening or slot 7a, made in the cowling 7, is rotatably bound to the column 4; such opening defines the maximum angular stroke (directions F1, F2) of the arm 9.

[0023] It is understood that the inner extremity of the arm 9 can be bound to the base 2 in any point of the latter, and it can oscillate in respect to a vertical axis.

[0024] A frame 10, with articulated arms, that supports the instrumentation 12 and a table carrying the instruments or the working plane 11, is articulated to the outer extremity of the arm 9.

[0025] The frame 10 is adapted to allow the adjustment of the level of the instrumentation 12 and of the working plane 11, as well as, in combination with the arm 9, the positioning on the horizontal plane of the latters.

[0026] In a way of example, the frame 10 comprises:

• an arm 14, articulated to the outer extremity of the arm 9, that can oscillate (in directions H1, H2) with respect to a horizontal axis Z2, and that supports, by a suitable parallelogram linkage, a vertical shaft 15, kept always in vertical position during the vertical translation (in directions K1, K2) by means (not illustrated) incorporated in the arm 14;
• a shaped arm 16, joined to the shaft 15, that can oscillate with respect to a vertical axis Z3, and that supports the working plane 11 with the instrumentation 12.

[0027] The height level of the working plane 11 and of the instrumentation 12 is adjusted by the oscillations of the arm 14 (in directions H1, H2), while their position with respect to the operator and the patient is adjusted using the combination of different movements, i.e. oscillation of the arm 9, (directions F1, F2), oscillation (directions M1, M2) of the arm 14 with respect to the axis Z1 and oscillation (directions N1, N2) of the table 11 with respect to axis Z3.

[0028] In this way, the operator, comfortably sitting, can set the working plane 11 and the instrumentation 12 in any of a plurality of positions, either in horizontal or in vertical plane, choosing the position most suitable for his operative needs.

[0029] Some stops, properly adjusted (not illustrated), prevent the frame 10 and the working plane 11 from obstructing the operator's movements during the operations.

[0030] It is to be pointed out that inside the frame 10 there are placed canalisations for feeding liquids, electrical cables and activators for the instrumentation 12 brought from the working plane 11.

[0031] The advantages of the described apparatus are pointed out in the analysis of what has been illustrated, as example, in figures 2, 3, 4 and 5.

[0032] Such figures do not illustrate any means on which the patient is placed; usually such means is a dental armchair, but it could be also, if needed, a bed or a chair for handicapped people.

[0033] Fig. 2 illustrates a possible operator's working position (transthoracic, that is a position included between the directions defined respectively by the numerals 7 and 8 of the above mentioned clock-face) in which the operator sees the patient's oral cavity according to a lateral-frontal direction (direct vision).

[0034] It is to be pointed out that the working plane 11 and the instrumentation 12 are arranged ergonomically for the operator. In figure 3 the dentist is in lateral position in respect to the oral cavity.

[0035] Such position is obtainable from the previous one by a slight rotation of the operator, sitting on his chair, in clockwise direction, while the working plane 11 moves to the best operation position without any further action on it.

[0036] In figure 4 the dentist is sitting behind the patient (position coincident with the direction defined by the numeral 12 of the clock-face, indirect vision) so as he can observe the oral cavity from above.

[0037] The operator takes this position while sitting, by a short rotatory movement; the same operator places the working plane 11 and the instrumentation 12 in the position and at the level considered the most appropriate, by performing only one movement of the arm 16.

[0038] The proposed apparatus allows to obtain all the intermediate positions included between those illustrated in figures 2, 3 and 4; in said positions the arm 14 and the shaft 15 do not disturb the operator and the working plane 11 is within reach of the latter.

[0039] When the operation has been finished, but before leaving the working place, the operator, acting on the arm 16 with only one movement, shifts and turns at the same time the arm 14 in the direction M2 (fig. 1a), the horizontal arm 9 in the direction F2 (fig. 1a), the table 11 and the instrumentation 12 in the direction N2.

[0040] In the just described position, neither the operator nor the patient are disturbed by the apparatus: in other words, the operator can stand up without performing manoeuvres, and the patient can leave his armchair without running up against obstacles that in his particular state could appear dangerous.

[0041] The position illustrated in figure 5 meets all the needs, since the patient can comfortably sit down in the armchair; the working plane 11 and the instrumentation 12 are beyond patient's direct sight that allows to avoid the change of the same patient's emotional state.

[0042] The attached drawings do not illustrate, since they are not related to the invention, the devices needed for accomplishing the normal functions of the unit; such devices are situated inside the cowlings 7, 8, 28 and are connected with above mentioned canalisations placed inside the frame 10. There can be provided a container for water, properly pressurised.

[0043] In conclusion, the present invention proposes an integral mobile unit, defined by a chair for operator 1, to which the structures, the instrumentation and the working plane are bound and incorporated.

[0044] The proposed unit is universal since it is addressed to different specialists of the medical sector (e.g.: dentists, otolaryngologists, and so on) and of the paramedical sector (e.g. podiatrists and the like), and it can be used in any operative condition, e.g. in a specialist surgery, or at the side of a bed or a chair for handicapped people, in a hospital corridor or in a rest home, so as to operate more patients with the same unit and the same instrumentation.

[0045] In the illustrated example, the frame 10 is supported only by the arm 9; it is understood that other supporting and possible stabilising means can be joined to such frame remaining within the protection of the present invention as claimed below.

Claims

1. Mobile integral unit for medical and para-medical use, characterised in that it comprises:
a chair for operator (1), constituted by a base (2), with a column (4) joined thereto, supporting the seat (5)-seat back (6) assembly; an arm (9), substantially horizontal, whose inner extremity is rotatably bound to said base (2), with the possibility to oscillate with respect to a vertical axis, and whose outer extremity goes out from said base; a frame (10) with articulated arms bound to the outer extremity of said arm (9) and supporting a working plane (11) and instrumentation (12), said frame (10) being able to adjust the height level of said working plane as well as, in combination with said arm (9), to adjust the positioning of the latter on the horizontal plane relatively to the operator and the operation region (the patient's oral cavity).

2. Mobile integral unit, according to claim 1, characterised in that the inner extremity of the arm (9) is rotatably bound to said column (4).

3. Mobile integral unit, according to claim 1, characterised in that the said seat (5)-seat back (6) assembly can slightly oscillate with respect to the relative column (4).

4. Mobile integral unit, according to claim 1, characterised in that said base (2), column (4) and seat (5) are covered by relative cowlings (7,8,28), and bin that said horizontal arm (9) passes through a slot (7a) made in the cowling (7) covering the base (2).

5. Mobile integral unit, according to claim 4, characterised in that devices for accomplishing the functions of the same unit are situated in the cowlings (7,8,28).

6. Mobile integral unit, according claim 1, characterised in that inside said frame (10) there are situated canalisation for feeding fluids, electric cables and activators for the instrumentation (12) brought from the working plane (11).

7. Mobile integral unit, for medical and para-medical use, substantially as described, claimed and illustrated, and for the objects specified above.

Drawing