RU2624805C1 - Thermoelectric semiconductor device for contrast thermoodontometry with liquid cooling - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: thermoelectric semiconductor device for contrast thermoodontometry with liquid cooling comprises an actuating member with a thermoelectric system of exposure temperature change, and a temperature control and regulation unit associated with the temperature sensor. The actuating member consists of a set of removable attachments and a thermally conductive supporting unit. Each attachment consists of dielectric clamping plates of different shapes to be fixed on the tooth, a highly conducting gel pad, brought into contact with the tooth surface, a semiconductor thermoelectric module with projecting electrical terminals and an aluminium plate in the form of four-sided truncated pyramid to create a side guiding surface of the attachment. The pad is in thermal contact with hot junctions of the thermoelectric module, which reference junctions are in thermal contact with the aluminium plate and the inner surface of the gel pad comprises a temperature sensor. The supporting unit comprises a box with a handle, made from a material with low thermal conductivity. The box cavity is a fluid heat exchangerand is limted by an aluminium plate from the inner side. Side walls of the support block have beveled guides at the bottom to insert and fix the aluminium plate of the actuating removable attachment, and two pairs of grooves with electrical contacts for the projecting electrical terminals of the thermoelectric module. The temperature control and regulation unit is equipped with a portable impact NC key connected to the power supply.

EFFECT: improved accuracy of diagnosis, monitoring and adjustment of exposure temperature, creation of a temperature gradient between the source and the adjacent teeth, improved device weight and size, improved contact with the tooth surface, reduced process inertia under changing temperature conditions, increased response account speed.

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Description

The invention relates to medical equipment and can be used in dentistry.

Determining the reaction of a tooth to temperature stimuli is one of the oldest physical research methods, widely used to determine the condition of the pulp. Studying the reaction of pulp to irritants showed that a tooth with normal pulp reacts to significant temperature deviations. The indifferent zone (non-reaction zone) is 30 ° С (50 ÷ 52 ° С - reaction to heat, 17 ÷ 22 ° С - to cooling).

Teeth have both cold and thermal sensitivity. An adequate reaction (if heating and cooling cause a corresponding sensation) indicates the normal condition of the pulp. With inflammation of the pulp, a narrowing of the indifferent zone occurs, and with slight deviations from body temperature (by 5-7 ° C), a response already arises in the form of prolonged intense or aching pain. In addition, with inflammation, an inadequate reaction is noted: pain arises from cold and warm. Teeth with necrotic pulp do not respond to temperature stimuli.

As a prototype, a thermoelectric device for temperature diagnostics and electroodontometry of the condition of the teeth [1] is considered, containing an acting element including a copper probe placed in the housing, a thermoelectric battery in thermal contact with the copper probe and a flow radiator, and a direct current source made with the ability to set the exposure temperature, and a temperature sensor located inside the case.

The disadvantages of this device are its significant overall dimensions and low accuracy of temperature diagnostics as a result of:

- small contact area and loose fit of the copper probe to the tooth surface;

- the inertia of the heat exposure process due to the large overall dimensions of the device;

- the remoteness of the temperature sensor from the acting part of the tip;

- lack of automatic change of temperature conditions;

- lack of feedback from the patient.

The aim of the invention is to increase the accuracy of diagnosis, control and adjustment of the exposure temperature, create a temperature gradient between the original and neighboring teeth, improve the overall dimensions of the device, improve the quality of contact with the tooth surface, reduce the inertia of the process when changing temperature conditions, increase the speed of taking into account the patient’s feedback.

The goal is achieved in that the acting element consists of a set of acting removable nozzles and a heat-conducting support block. Each acting removable nozzle consists of dielectric clamping plates of various shapes, fixing the nozzle on the tooth, a highly conductive gel pad brought into contact with the tooth surface, the elasticity of which will ensure its tight fit to the tooth surface, a semiconductor thermoelectric module with protruding electrical leads, an aluminum plate having the shape of a tetrahedral truncated pyramid to create a guide lateral surface of the acting removable nozzle. In this case, the high-conductivity gel pad is in thermal contact with the working junctions of the semiconductor thermoelectric module, the reference junctions of which are in thermal contact with the aluminum plate, and the inner surface of the gel pad contains a temperature sensor connected to the control unit and control the exposure temperature. The heat-conducting support block includes a box with a handle made of a material with low thermal conductivity, the cavity of which is a liquid heat exchanger, bounded on the inside by an aluminum plate and having a partition. The handle of the heat-conducting support block has a fitting for connecting flexible tubes when supplying water to a liquid heat exchanger. The side walls of the support block have beveled guides at the base for insertion and fixation of the aluminum plate of the acting removable nozzle, as well as two pairs of grooves with electrical contacts for the protruding electrical terminals of the semiconductor thermoelectric module. In this case, the control unit and the temperature control exposure is equipped with a portable disconnect key associated with the power supply.

The design of the proposed device is shown in FIG. one.

The device consists of a set of acting removable nozzles 1, a heat-conducting support block 2 and a block for controlling and adjusting the temperature of exposure 3. In turn, each acting removable nozzle 1 consists of dielectric pressure plates 4 of various shapes, fixing the nozzle on the tooth, a highly conductive gel pad 5, driven in contact with the tooth surface, the elasticity of which will ensure its tight fit to the tooth surface, the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6 with protruding electrical waters 7, an aluminum plate 8 having the shape of a tetrahedral truncated pyramid to create a guide lateral surface of the acting removable nozzle. In this case, the high-conductivity gel pad 5 is in thermal contact with the working junctions 9 of the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6, the support junctions 10 of which are in thermal contact with the aluminum plate 8, and the inner surface of the gel pad 5 contains a temperature sensor 11 connected to the temperature control and adjustment unit exposure 3. The heat-conducting support block 2 includes a box 12 with a handle 13 made of a material with low thermal conductivity, while the cavity of the box is a liquid a heat exchanger 14 with an internal partition 15, bounded on the inside by an aluminum plate 16, and the handle 13 has a fitting 17 for connecting the flexible tubes 18 when water is supplied to the liquid heat exchanger 14. The side walls of the support block 2 have beveled guides 19 at the base for possible inserts and fixations of the aluminum plate 8 of the acting removable nozzle 1 and two pairs of grooves (left 20 and right 21, respectively) with electrical contacts 22 under the protruding electrical leads 7 of the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6. The control unit and adjusting the temperature of exposure 3 includes a power supply 23 connected to the programmable control unit 24, which receives a signal from the temperature sensor 5 containing a digital display 25, as well as a portable disconnect key 26 connected to the power supply 23.

The principle of operation of the proposed device is as follows.

Before using the device in the heat-conducting support block 2, the acting detachable nozzles 1 are inserted, selected in accordance with the shape of the teeth intended for diagnosis. It should be borne in mind that the extreme acting removable nozzles 1 by means of the protruding electrical terminals 7 of the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6 must contact the electrical contacts 22 in the left pair of grooves 20, and the central acting detachable nozzle 1 by means of the protruding electrical terminals 7 of the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6 must contact electrical contacts 22 in the right pair of grooves 21. This approach to the power of the acting removable nozzles 1 is necessary To differentiate the supply current value affecting the central nozzle and the detachable extreme acting removable nozzles with the subsequent possibility mirror changes. The distance between the acting removable nozzles 1 can vary in accordance with the geometry of the patient’s teeth, and the dielectric pressure plates 4 will allow it to be pressed more tightly when the device is in contact with them to improve thermal contact with the high-conductivity gel pad. Flexible pipes 18 are connected to the fittings 17, through which water is supplied to the liquid heat exchanger 14. Next, on the programmable control unit 24, the exposure temperature of the central acting removable nozzle 1 is set, which is displayed on the digital display 25. In accordance with the set temperature, the electric signal is supplied from the programmable control unit 24 to the power supply 23, which feeds the semiconductor thermoelectric module 6 of the central acting removable nozzle 1 by the magnitude of the current corresponding to a given exposure temperature, and on the semiconductor thermoelectric modules of the extreme acting removable nozzles 1 from the power supply 23 is supplied with an electric current value corresponding to an exposure temperature of 36.6 ° C. When an electric current is supplied to the semiconductor thermoelectric modules 6, their working junctions 9 begin to cool or heat in accordance with a given exposure temperature and, through thermal contact, cool or heat a highly conductive gel pad 5, the temperature of which is detected by a temperature sensor 11 and transmitted to a programmable control unit 24, which generates magnitude of the supplied current. The stabilization of the temperature of the junction junctions 10 of the semiconductor thermoelectric modules 6 of all used acting removable nozzles 1 is carried out through their thermal contact with the aluminum plates 8 and a single heat-conducting support block 2. The temperature from the aluminum plates 8 is transferred through the thermal contact to the aluminum plate 16, which is thermally stabilized by its contact with water flowing through a liquid heat exchanger 14. When changing the temperature of the impact of the central removable acting nasa Sections 1 achieve a painful response of the patient along the upper and lower limits of the temperature interval, which he fixes by pressing a button on a portable disconnect key 26, electrically connected to the power supply 23. In this case, the power of the semiconductor thermoelectric modules 6 is stopped, and the exposure temperature is fixed on a digital display 25 .

Literature

1. US patent No. 4350488 A, 09.21.1982, Dental pulp tester / Lau-rance B. Devis.

Claims (1)

A thermoelectric liquid-cooled semiconductor device for contrast thermo-odontometry, comprising an actuation element with a thermoelectric temperature change system, a temperature control and adjustment unit connected to a temperature sensor, characterized in that the actuation element consists of a set of actuation removable nozzles and a heat-conducting support block, each acting removable nozzle consists of dielectric clamping plates of various shapes, fixing n the attachment on the tooth, a highly conductive gel pad brought into contact with the tooth surface, the elasticity of which will ensure its tight fit to the tooth surface, a semiconductor thermoelectric module with protruding electrical leads, an aluminum plate having the shape of a tetrahedral truncated pyramid to create a guide side surface of the acting removable nozzle, in this case, the highly conductive gel pad is in thermal contact with the working junctions of the semiconductor thermoelectric module, the support junctions of which are in thermal contact with the aluminum plate, and the inner surface of the gel pad contains a temperature sensor connected to the control unit and adjust the temperature of the exposure, in turn, the heat-conducting support block includes a box with a handle made of low-material thermal conductivity, the cavity of which is a liquid heat exchanger, bounded on the inside by an aluminum plate, the side walls of the support block have beveled directions which are at the base for the possibility of inserting and fixing the aluminum plate of the acting removable nozzle, as well as two pairs of grooves with electrical contacts for the protruding electrical terminals of the semiconductor thermoelectric module, while the exposure temperature control and adjustment unit is equipped with a portable disconnect key connected to the power supply.

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