Patent · US Expired

Universal alignment indicator

US5597304A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
9References
14Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 21, 1995
Grant dateJan 28, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 21, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C1/082
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device for alerting a dentist when the angular position of the drill and the angular position of the tooth being drilled do not correspond so that during drilling the angular position of the hole being drilled does not change. The device includes a drill transducer, a tooth transducer, a central control unit, and an alarm. The drill transducer is attachable to a dental drill and generates a drill angular position signal representing an angular position of the dental drill. The tooth transducer is removably attachable to a tooth and generates a tooth angular position signal representing an angular position of the tooth. The central control unit compares the drill angular position signal and the tooth angular position signal to each other to determine if the difference is within the value of a predetermined difference angular position. And, the alarm alerts when the drill angular position signal and the tooth angular position signal do not correspond with each other within the value of the predetermined difference angular position so that repositioning of the drill can be initiated.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.