阅读说明：本技术 带有操作指示器的牙科流量控制调节器 (Dental flow control regulator with operation indicator ) 是由 R·M·威廉姆斯 K·约翰逊 J·阿尔瓦雷斯 于 2020-04-16 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种牙科输送系统,可包括：第一流体导管,其用于经由输送系统将流体供应到手持件,手持件连接到导管的远端；多个流量控制调节器,其定位于输送系统上的远离至少一个流体导管的位置；和指示器电路,其包括多个传感器和与多个流量控制调节器相对应的多个指示器。多个流量控制调节器中的第一流量控制调节器能够操作以改变第一流体导管中的流体流速。多个传感器中的第一传感器能够操作以响应于第一流体导管的预定运动而触发多个指示器中的第一指示器,从而指示第一流量控制调节器与第一流体导管相关联。(A dental delivery system, may comprise: a first fluid conduit for supplying fluid to a handpiece via a delivery system, the handpiece being connected to a distal end of the conduit; a plurality of flow control regulators positioned on the delivery system at a location remote from the at least one fluid conduit; and an indicator circuit including a plurality of sensors and a plurality of indicators corresponding to the plurality of flow control regulators. A first flow control regulator of the plurality of flow control regulators is operable to vary a fluid flow rate in the first fluid conduit. A first sensor of the plurality of sensors is operable to trigger a first indicator of the plurality of indicators in response to a predetermined movement of the first fluid conduit to indicate that the first flow control regulator is associated with the first fluid conduit.)

1. A dental delivery system, comprising:

at least a first fluid conduit for supplying fluid to a handpiece via the delivery system, the handpiece being connected to a distal end of the conduit;

a plurality of flow control regulators positioned on the delivery system at a location remote from the at least one fluid conduit, wherein a first flow control regulator of the plurality of flow control regulators is operable to vary a fluid flow rate in the first fluid conduit; and

an indicator circuit comprising a plurality of sensors and a plurality of indicators corresponding to the plurality of flow control regulators, wherein a first sensor of the plurality of sensors is operable to trigger a first indicator of the plurality of indicators in response to a predetermined movement of the first fluid conduit to indicate that the first flow control regulator is associated with the first fluid conduit.

2. The dental delivery system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of flow control regulators comprise a plurality of rotatable knobs.

3. The dental delivery system of claim 1, further comprising at least one holding area for holding a hand piece, wherein the first sensor is operable to trigger the first indicator in response to the hand piece being removed from the holding area.

4. The dental delivery system of claim 1, wherein the dental delivery system further comprises at least one whip, wherein the first sensor is operable to trigger the first indicator in response to the whip being pivoted from a rest position.

5. The dental delivery system of claim 1, wherein said first sensor comprises a handpiece holder valve.

6. The dental delivery system of claim 5, wherein said hand piece retainer valve comprises a pneumatic valve.

7. The dental delivery system of claim 6, wherein said hand piece retainer valve further comprises a latch configured to move in response to a predetermined movement of said first fluid conduit and close said valve.

8. The dental delivery system of claim 7, wherein said indicator circuit further comprises a pressure transducer for receiving a pneumatic signal from said pneumatic valve.

9. A dental delivery system, comprising:

a series of flow control regulators, wherein at least one of the flow control regulators is configured to control a fluid flow rate through a handpiece coupled to a delivery device;

a plurality of indicator lights, wherein at least one indicator light is associated with at least one of the flow control regulators; and

a plurality of holding areas, wherein at least one holding area is associated with one of the flow control regulators and is configured to hold a handpiece;

wherein when a handpiece is removed from one of the holding areas, the indicator light associated with the flow control regulator associated with the holding area is illuminated.

10. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of holding areas and the plurality of flow control regulators are located at discrete positions relative to each other.

11. The delivery system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the holding areas includes a handpiece holder valve to detect when a handpiece is removed from the at least one holding area.

12. The delivery system of claim 11, wherein the handpiece holder valve comprises a pneumatic valve.

13. The delivery system of claim 12, wherein the hand piece retainer valve further comprises a latch;

wherein when the hand piece is removed from the at least one retention area, the latch extends into the retention area and opens the pneumatic valve; and is

Wherein the latch is moved by the hand piece to close the pneumatic valve when the hand piece is placed in the at least one holding area.

14. The delivery system of claim 11, further comprising a control board configured to control illumination of the indicator light, wherein when a handpiece is removed from the at least one holding area, the handpiece holder valve causes a signal to be sent to the control board to illuminate the associated indicator light.

15. A dental delivery system, comprising:

a plurality of whipstocks, wherein at least a first whipstock is configured with a conduit for coupling to a handpiece;

a plurality of flow control regulators, wherein at least a first flow control regulator is configured to control a fluid flow rate through a conduit of the whip arm; and

a plurality of indicator lights, wherein at least a first indicator light is associated with the first flow control regulator;

wherein the first indicator light associated with the first flow control regulator is illuminated when the first whip arm is pivoted from a rest position.

16. The delivery system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of whips and the plurality of flow control regulators are located at discrete positions relative to each other.

17. The delivery system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the whips includes a handpiece holder valve to detect when the at least one of the whips pivots from the rest position.

18. The delivery system of claim 17, wherein the hand piece retainer valve comprises a pneumatic valve.

19. The delivery system of claim 17, wherein air pressure is applied to the pneumatic valve and the pneumatic valve is configured to open when the whip arm pivots from the rest position.

20. The delivery system of claim 17, further comprising a control board for controlling the illumination of the indicator light, wherein when the whip arm is pivoted from the rest position, the handpiece holder valve causes a signal to be sent to the control board to illuminate the associated indicator light.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to indicators for flow control regulators in dental delivery systems.

Background

Dental delivery systems typically include a control head or delivery unit to supply utilities such as compressed air, water, electricity, and the like to the dental instruments. Such a delivery unit typically includes a housing to which a plurality of conduits may be coupled to interconnect various dental instruments with the delivery unit. Such delivery units may be of the "traditional" type, in which the catheter extends from the delivery unit without a guide, or of the "continental" type, in which a guide, known as a "whip", extends from the delivery unit and may be configured to bend to assist in positioning the catheter.

The dental delivery system has a plurality of control knobs to regulate the flow rate of air or water through the conduit and to the various dental instruments. In some delivery systems, the control knobs may be remote from the position of the proximal instrument, so that it is not always clear which control knob is associated with which dental instrument. This may result in the practitioner using the wrong control knob when attempting to adjust the flow rate for a particular instrument, or avoiding the use of all control knobs because there is no way to determine which control knob to use. Thus, there is a need for an improved delivery system that can indicate the association between a control knob and a dental instrument.

Disclosure of Invention

Described below are embodiments of a dental delivery system having an adjuster and an operation indicator for indicating the adjuster associated with the particular dental instrument currently being used.

In one representative embodiment, a dental delivery system can include: at least a first fluid conduit for supplying fluid to a handpiece via a delivery system, the handpiece being connected to a distal end of the conduit; a plurality of flow control regulators positioned on the delivery system at a location remote from the at least one fluid conduit; and an indicator circuit including a plurality of sensors and a plurality of indicators corresponding to the plurality of flow control regulators. A first flow control regulator of the plurality of flow control regulators is operable to vary a fluid flow rate in the first fluid conduit. A first sensor of the plurality of sensors is operable to trigger a first indicator of the plurality of indicators in response to a predetermined movement of the first fluid conduit to indicate that the first flow control regulator is associated with the first fluid conduit.

In some embodiments, the plurality of flow control regulators may include a plurality of rotatable knobs.

In some embodiments, the system may further comprise at least one holding area for holding the handpiece. In these embodiments, the first sensor is operable to trigger the first indicator in response to the handpiece being removed from the holding area.

In some embodiments, the system may further comprise at least one whip arm. In these embodiments, the first sensor is operable to trigger the first indicator in response to the whip arm being pivoted from the rest position.

In some embodiments, the first sensor may comprise a handpiece holder valve. In some embodiments, the hand piece retainer valve may comprise a pneumatic valve. In some embodiments, the hand piece retainer valve may further comprise a latch configured to move in response to a predetermined movement of the first fluid conduit and close the valve. In some embodiments, the indicator circuit may further include a pressure transducer to receive a pneumatic signal from a pneumatic valve.

In another representative embodiment, a dental delivery system can include: a series of flow control regulators; a plurality of indicator lights; and a plurality of holding areas. The at least one flow control regulator may be configured to control a fluid flow rate through a handpiece coupled to the delivery device. The at least one indicator light may be associated with the at least one flow control regulator. The at least one holding area may be associated with one of the flow control regulators and may be configured to hold a handpiece. When the handpiece is removed from one of the holding areas, an indicator light associated with the flow control regulator associated with the holding area may be illuminated.

In some embodiments, the plurality of holding areas and the plurality of flow control regulators may be located at discrete positions relative to each other. In some embodiments, at least one holding area may include a handpiece holder valve to detect when a handpiece is removed from the holding area. In some embodiments, the hand piece retainer valve may comprise a pneumatic valve.

In some embodiments, the hand piece retainer valve may further comprise a latch. In these embodiments, when the handpiece is removed from the holding area, the latch may extend into the holding area and open the pneumatic valve. The latch may be moved by the hand piece to close the pneumatic valve when the hand piece is placed in the holding area.

In some embodiments, the system may further include a control board configured to control the illumination of the indicator lights. In these embodiments, when the handpiece is removed from the holding area, the handpiece holder valve can cause a signal to be sent to the control board to illuminate the associated indicator light.

In another representative embodiment, a dental delivery system can include: a plurality of whip arms; a plurality of flow control regulators; and a plurality of indicator lights. At least the first whip arm may be configured with a conduit for coupling to a handpiece. At least a first flow control regulator may be configured to control a rate of fluid flow through the catheter of the whipstock. At least a first indicator light may be associated with the first flow control regulator. A first indicator light associated with the first flow control regulator may be illuminated when the first whip arm is pivoted from the rest position.

In some embodiments, the plurality of whipstocks and the plurality of flow control regulators may be located at discrete positions relative to each other. In some embodiments, at least one of the whips may include a handpiece holder valve to detect when the whip pivots from a rest position.

In some embodiments, the hand piece retainer valve may comprise a pneumatic valve. In some embodiments, air pressure may be applied to a pneumatic valve, and the pneumatic valve may be configured to open when the whip arm pivots from a rest position.

In some embodiments, the delivery system may further include a control panel for controlling the illumination of the indicator lights. In these embodiments, when the whip arm is pivoted from the rest position, the handpiece holder valve can cause a signal to be sent to the control board to illuminate the associated indicator light.

The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dental treatment assembly according to one embodiment.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the continental dental unit of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the continental dental unit of fig. 1 being used.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of the flow control regulator of fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a conventional dental unit.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of another conventional control head, with the catheter and instruments not shown for clarity.

Fig. 7 shows a circuit diagram of the conventional control head of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 illustrates a pneumatic valve of the conventional control head of fig. 7.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the pneumatic valve of the continental dental unit of fig. 1.

Fig. 10 shows a block diagram of a dental delivery system according to embodiments disclosed herein.

Detailed Description

Described below are representative embodiments of a dental delivery system for a dental instrument, the system comprising: a flow control regulator, such as a flow control knob, to control the flow rate of fluid through the dental implement: and an indicator, such as a light, to show the association between the particular dental instrument currently in use and its corresponding flow control regulator.

For example, fig. 10 shows a block diagram of key components of the dental delivery system 300, thereby illustrating logical and functional relationships between the key components at a high level. The delivery system 300 may include a fluid flow conduit 302, a sensor 304, an indicator 306, and a control board or block assembly 308.

A dental instrument or other device (also referred to herein collectively as a handpiece) may be connected to the distal end of the catheter 302. A fluid, such as coolant water or coolant solution for rotating the cutting handpiece, may be supplied to the handpiece via conduit 302. The delivery system may include a flow control regulator to regulate the flow rate of fluid through the conduit 302 and connected handpiece. The sensor 304 may determine when to use the handpiece, such as by sensing predetermined movement of the instrument or catheter 302. The sensor 304 is linked to an indicator 306, which indicator 306 may be illuminated to indicate which of a plurality of flow control regulators may be used to regulate the flow rate of the handpiece being used. The flow control regulator may regulate the flow rate of air, water, or other fluid depending on the particular handpiece being used. The delivery system 300 is particularly suited for regulating the flow of water or other liquids, as different flow rates of water or liquid are often desired on different handpieces connected to the delivery system. As shown, the sensor 304 is linked to the indicator 306, and thus may transmit a signal, such as a fluid signal, a digital signal, or other type of signal, to the indicator 306. The sensor 304 may also be linked to a control board 308, which control board 308 may control other operations of the conveyor system 300.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a dental chair assembly 100 having a dental chair 101, with a delivery system, such as delivery system 140, typically used with the dental chair assembly 100. The dental chair assembly 101 (also sometimes referred to as a patient chair or treatment chair) is designed to comfortably accommodate a patient (not shown) while allowing the patient to be positioned as desired relative to the dentist or other practitioner during treatment.

The dental chair assembly 100 further includes a first movable arm 122, the first movable arm 122 being movable about a first vertical axis about the first pivot mount 120Straight pivot axis P₁Pivoting or rotating (i.e., left or right). Also positioned on the longitudinal axis L and forward of the first pivot mount 120 is a second pivot mount 130, the second pivot mount 130 supporting a second movable arm 132. The second movable arm 132 may be about a second vertical pivot axis P about a second pivot mount 130₂Pivoting or rotating.

The first moveable arm 122 may be configured to support a delivery system, such as the continental delivery system 140 shown in fig. 1, a conventional delivery system, or another type of delivery system. Continental and conventional conveyor systems are described in more detail below. The first movable arm 122 may also support various other devices, such as a water supply container 124 or a tray 126. In the illustrated embodiment, the first movable arm 122 is configured with a height adjustable segment that allows devices attached at the distal end, such as the delivery system 140, to be raised and lowered through an arc, swiveled, and easily held in a desired position (such as by a brake or other means). The second movable arm 132 may be configured to support other devices, such as a dental light (not shown). Other alternative configurations are possible depending on the particular operational requirements.

Delivery system 140 refers to a device or devices that provide the necessary utilities and convenience to provide therapy to a patient (including but not limited to compressed air, water, suction, electricity, data, touch or other controls for integrated devices, holders for instruments and other components, etc.). The delivery system 140 may include a control head 142 to provide a handpiece at a location convenient for treatment, and the control head 142 may be movable, for example, to provide access from the dental chair assembly 101. Control head 142 may provide connections for one or more of liquid (e.g., water), compressed air, suction, power, data, etc., various instruments and devices using the connections, storage of the instruments and devices, and/or a display and other components.

Referring to fig. 1, the illustrated delivery system 140 is a continental style delivery system. The delivery system 140 includes a plurality of whips 144 that can be coupled to a handpiece for use during dental procedures (e.g., drilling, polishing, etc.). Each whip arm 144 may be connected to a supply of air, liquid, or other medium for operating the particular handpiece to which it is to be coupled.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a delivery system 140 adapted to have six whip arms 144. As shown in fig. 2, the control head 142 may include a plurality of retaining regions 150 (such as six regions as shown) that are shaped to receive a handpiece, such as handpieces 160, 162, when the handpiece is not in use.

Referring to fig. 3, the handpiece 160 is shown in use with its whip 144 pulled from its rest position, and the handpieces 162, 164 are shown with their whip 144 in their rest position in the holding area 150. Likewise, there is a connection 166 for the handpiece shown in the rest position. As the handpiece is removed from the holding area 150 during the dental procedure and pulled from the control head 142, the whip arm 144 may be pivoted away from its rest position as shown for the whip arm of the handpiece 160. This allows the practitioner to have freedom of movement when using the handpiece during surgery. When the whip arm 144 is not in its rest position, the whip arm 144 applies a gentle drag force to the handpiece to which it is coupled. This force is not sufficient to interfere with the use of the handpiece during surgery. However, as the practitioner removes pressure from the handpiece, this drag force pivots the whip arm 144 back to the rest position so that the handpiece can be replaced into its holding area 150. In some embodiments, the whip arm 144 does not apply a drag force while the practitioner is using the handpiece. In these embodiments, the retraction force applied to the whip may be activated either actively (e.g., by rapidly dragging the handpiece) or passively (e.g., after the operation of the handpiece ceases) by the practitioner when the practitioner intentionally returns the handpiece to its holding area.

In the illustrated embodiment, the control head 142 includes a plurality of flow control regulators 148. In a particular embodiment, the flow control regulator 148 is a rotatable knob. In other embodiments, the flow control regulator 148 may be a slider or other type of regulator. The flow control regulator 148 may be used to control the flow rate of fluid to the various handpieces coupled to the whip arm 144. The control head 142 may also include an air flow control regulator or air flow control knob 152, as best shown in fig. 2, to control the air flow to one or more handpieces coupled to one or more whips 144, such as coolant air for rotating cutting handpieces.

In the illustrated embodiment, the delivery system 140 includes six whips 144 (see FIG. 2), four flow control regulators 148a-d, and one air flow control regulator 152. Each of the four flow control regulators 148a-d may be associated with one of the whip arms 144 to control the flow of fluid through a handpiece coupled to the whip arm. Additionally, the air flow control regulator 152 may control air flow through any or all of the handpieces coupled to the whip arm 144 (including any or all of the handpieces associated with the flow control regulator 148). In other embodiments, the delivery system 140 may include more or less than six whips 144, more or less than four flow control regulators 148, and more or less than one air flow control regulator 152. Since there are six whip arms 144 and only four knobs 148a-d in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, not all whip arms are associated with a flow control regulator. In some embodiments, each whipstock 144 may be associated with a flow control regulator.

As shown in fig. 3 (and also in fig. 1), the whip arm 144 and the knobs 148a-d are in a dispersed position relative to each other. That is, the whip arm 144 is positioned in front of the delivery system 140, while the knob 148 is positioned on the side of the delivery system. Thus, during a dental procedure, when a practitioner is using a particular handpiece, it may not be clear which knob is associated with the particular handpiece being used. Thus, if the practitioner wants to adjust the flow rate of air or liquid to the handpiece being used, the practitioner may not be able to quickly discern which knob to adjust. This may result in the practitioner adjusting the wrong knob or simply avoid adjusting the flow rate altogether, thereby possibly not taking advantage of the full advantage of the handpiece capabilities. Thus, an indicator light is associated with each flow control regulator 148, as explained in further detail below.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of flow control knobs 148a, 148b, 148c, 148d and air flow control knob 152. Each of the four flow control knobs may control the flow of fluid to a handpiece coupled to one of the whip arms 144. As also shown in fig. 4, there are four indicators 149a, 149b, 149c, 149d associated with flow control knobs 148a, 148b, 148c, 148d, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the indicators 149a, 149b, 149c, 149d comprise indicator lights that can be illuminated to indicate a particular flow control knob. In other embodiments, the indicator may indicate a particular flow control knob by other means (e.g., sound, vibration, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, each indicator light is circular and surrounds the associated flow control knob. In other embodiments, the indicator light may have a different shape and may be positioned adjacent to the associated flow control knob. In the illustrated embodiment, the indicator light includes a Light Emitting Diode (LED). In other embodiments, the indicator light may include other illumination sources. In some embodiments, a light pipe may be used in conjunction with an LED to distribute the illumination in a more visually pleasing manner.

When the handpiece coupled to one of the whip arms 144 is being used and pulled away from the delivery system 140, thereby pivoting the whip arm, an indicator light associated with the flow control regulator associated with the handpiece being used is illuminated. This allows the practitioner to easily see which flow control knob controls the fluid flow rate to the particular handpiece being used. Thus, if a practitioner desires to adjust the fluid flow rate of the handpiece they are currently using, they need only view the control knobs 148 and see which control knob 148 is illuminated. For example, in fig. 3-4, indicator light 148c is illuminated. This means that the flow control knob 148c may be used to regulate the flow of fluid to the handpiece currently being employed. Additional details of the operation of the indicator light are discussed in further detail below.

The transport system 140 may also include a touch interface controller 146 connected to the control head 142. The touch interface controller 146 may allow a practitioner to adjust various settings and features of the delivery system 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the touch interface controller 146 includes a display screen that can display information regarding the operation of the delivery system, such as which handpiece is connected, the flow rate being supplied to each handpiece, and other relevant information. In certain embodiments, the touch interface controller 146 may be connected to a database and may display patient information. In some embodiments, the touch interface controller 146 may be a touch screen that may allow a practitioner to enter information about the patient or to change control information related to the handpiece, such as fluid flow rate. In other embodiments, the touch interface controller 146 may include one or more buttons, sliders, or other control input devices.

Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a dental treatment assembly having a dental unit or delivery system 200 that includes a conventional control head 202 rather than a continental control head 142. The delivery system 200 is coupled to the arm 122 in a manner similar to that shown in fig. 1. The conveyor system 200 includes the tray 126 and the touch interface controller 146 as described above with respect to fig. 1. However, the delivery system 200 does not include any whip arms. Instead, the control head 202 includes a plurality of holding areas 204 to hold the respective handpieces. As best shown in FIG. 6, the control head 202 of the illustrated embodiment includes six retention areas 204a-204 f. In other embodiments, the control head 202 may have any number of retention areas.

The control head 202 may also have flow control regulators similar to the control flow knobs 148a-148d that may control the flow of fluid through one or more handpieces coupled to the control head 202. The control head 202 may also have indicator lights similar to the indicator lights 149-149d associated with the control knob. When not in use, the handpiece may be placed in the holding area 204. Whenever a handpiece is removed from the retention area, an indicator light associated with the control knob associated with the particular handpiece is indicated (e.g., illuminated). Thus, the practitioner can readily see during the procedure which control knob can be used to adjust the flow rate of the particular handpiece being used. The operation of the indicator light is described in more detail below.

Fig. 7 shows a circuit diagram for the fluid and circuitry 203 inside a control head similar to control head 202. In the illustrated example of fig. 7, only one holding area 204 is shown for illustrative purposes. A dental air/water syringe 164 is schematically shown in place in the holding area 204. Fluid may flow through conduit 302 to handpiece 164. A pressure sensor (e.g., a library valve or a handpiece holder valve) 205 is present within the holding area 204 to detect the presence of a handpiece in the holding area. The handpiece holder valve 205 is one form of sensor 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the hand piece retainer valve 205 includes a pneumatic valve and latch 208, as shown in fig. 8, and as discussed further below.

As shown in fig. 8, an air supply line 210 and a signal line 212 are connected to the pneumatic valve 206. Valve 206 also has a bleed port 216. A continuous air feed at high pressure (about 80psi) is supplied to the valve 206 through an air supply line 210. When the handpiece is placed within the holding area, latch 208 causes vent 216 to close and valve 206 to open to allow air to pressurize air supply line 210, signal line 212, and circuit control board 214, as shown in fig. 7. In some embodiments, other components within control head 202 or elsewhere may also be pressurized when valve 206 is open. For example, the signal pipeline 212 may be connected to a control block component 228, as shown in FIG. 7. The control block assembly 228 may perform a number of functions, including enabling or disabling the flow of air, water, or other fluid to a handpiece located in its holding area, opening or closing a valve to open or close the flow of fluid, or adjusting the flow rate of fluid.

The pressure transducer on the control board 214, one of the pressure transducers 220, 221, 222, 223 best shown in fig. 9, converts the increased air pressure into an electrical signal that provides an input to the indicator control circuitry 219 via cable 229. In FIG. 7, an indicator controller circuit 219 is shown adjacent to the control regulators 148a-d for illustrative purposes. In practice, the controller circuitry 219 may be located within the control component 228.

In some embodiments, the control board 214 may disable certain functions of a handpiece or other device connected to the control board that is located in its holding area. In some embodiments, the control board 214 may send one or more signals to other devices to deactivate or disable certain functions of the handpiece or other device located in its holding area. The control board 214 may utilize digital logic or software to drive signals to the indicator controller circuitry 219 or other devices.

Each of the pressure transducers 220, 221, 222, 223 may be associated with one of the four indicators 149a, 149b, 149c, 149 d. In other embodiments with additional control knobs, the control panel 214 may have additional pressure transducers. Each of the pressure transducers 220, 221, 222, 223 may output a signal to the indicator controller circuitry 219, as described above. In some embodiments, the pressure transducers 220, 221, 222, 223 may send signals to other components on the control board 214, or to other devices. When any of the pressure transducers 220, 221, 222, 223 transmits a signal associated with increased pressure to the indicator controller circuit 219, this means that the associated handpiece is not in use, resulting in the indicator light associated with the handpiece not being illuminated.

When the handpiece is removed from the holding area, the latch 208 moves to the open position, as shown in fig. 8. This closes the valve 206 and opens the bleed port 216 to prevent air supplied through the air supply line 210 from flowing through the valve 206 while also depressurizing the signal line 212 through the bleed port. When the corresponding pressure transducer on the control board 214 detects such reduced pressure, it sends a reduced pressure signal to the indicator controller circuit 219, which indicator controller circuit 219 illuminates an indicator light associated with the handpiece that has been removed from the holding area. In some embodiments, the pressure transducer, valve 206, air supply line 210, signal line 212, and/or latch 208 on control board 214 may be replaced by an electrical switch or sensor, such as a micro-switch capacitive sensor, inductive sensor, infrared sensor, or optical sensor. In these embodiments, the latch 208 or another existing sensor or device may cause the signal to be activated when the handpiece is removed from the holding area.

In the embodiment disclosed above, the pressure in the signal line 212 is greater when the handpiece is in its holding region and is less when the handpiece is not in its holding region. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that another embodiment may switch this arrangement by reconfiguring the handpiece holder valve 205 so that reduced pressure occurs in the signal line 212 when the handpiece is in its holding region and increased pressure occurs in the signal line when the handpiece is not in its holding region. In this embodiment, the illumination of the indicators 149a, 149b, 149c, 149d would follow the same function described above, wherein the indicator associated with the handpiece removed from its holding area is illuminated while all other indicators are not illuminated.

In some embodiments, the control board 214 may be configured to provide additional functionality. For example, if two or more of the hand pieces are removed from their corresponding holding areas, the control panel 214 may be configured to help avoid confusion for the practitioner due to the non-illumination of any of the indicators 149a, 149b, 149c, 149 d.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the lower portion of the whip arm 144 of the continental delivery system 140. Referring to FIG. 9, the pneumatic valve 206 is located within the whip arm 144 and/or the housing, adjacent to which the whip arm 144 extends from the upper surface of the housing. The latches 208 may open and close the valve 206 in the same manner as described above. An air supply line 210 supplies a constant air pressure to the valve 206. When the whip is in the rest position, the latch 208 seals the bleed port 216, and air can flow from the air supply line 210 to the control board 214 through the signal line 212 in the same manner as described above with respect to conventional delivery systems. As described above, the pressure transducer may send a signal to the indicator controller circuit 219 that the indicator controller circuit 219 will not illuminate the indicator light associated with that whip arm.

When the whip arm 144 is pivoted, meaning that the handpiece coupled to the whip arm is in use, the latch 208 closes the valve 206 and opens the bleed port 216. This results in the signal to the pressure transducer on the control panel 214 being cut off, which in turn cuts off the signal to the indicator control 219, which results in the appropriate indicator light being illuminated to indicate which flow control knob may be used to control the handpiece being used.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the illustrated embodiments are only preferred examples of the invention and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. We therefore claim as our invention all that comes within the scope and spirit of these claims.