US5131844A — Contact digitizer, particularly for dental applic…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 119 words

A probe system comprising: a probe; a linking arrangement supporting said probe and having a plurality of joints providing at least 6 degrees of freedom for the probe; a device for attaching said linking arrangement to a stable reference location; and a sensing system which measures all movements of said probe with respect to said reference location; wherein said linking arrangement comprises a first plurality of joints providing three degrees of freedom for said probe, movement of those joints being sensed by said sensing system; and wherein said linking arrangement comprises a second plurality of joints providing said probe with three degrees of freedom independently of said first plurality, movement of said second plurality of joints not being sensed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 119 words

A probe system comprising: a probe; a linking arrangement supporting said probe and having a plurality of joints providing at least 6 degrees of freedom for the probe; a device for attaching said linking arrangement to a stable reference location; and a sensing system which measures all movements of said probe with respect to said reference location; wherein said linking arrangement comprises a first plurality of joints providing three degrees of freedom for said probe, movement of those joints being sensed by said sensing system; and wherein said linking arrangement comprises a second plurality of joints providing said probe with three degrees of freedom independently of said first plurality, movement of said second plurality of joints not being sensed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system as in claim 1, wherein said attaching device is capable of attaching the linking arrangement to a work bench.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

A system as in claim 1, wherein said probe system is for scanning dental surfaces; said attaching device is capable of attaching the linking arrangement to a reference location on a given jaw; and said probe is movable to completely scan a predetermined dental surface on said given jaw.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

A system as in claim 3, further comprising an adhesive which adheres said attaching device to said reference location.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

A system as in claim 3, further comprising a handpiece which is firmly attached to said probe.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

A system as in claim 5, wherein said probe has a curved shank extending from said handpiece and a tip at a distal end of said shank.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

A system as in claim 6, wherein said curved shank is shaped so as to permit convenient access to all portions of such dental surface.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

A system as in claim 7, wherein said distal end of said curved shank defines an angle with respect to said handpiece, which angle is selected to permit the distal end of the shank to be perpendicular to the plane of a given jaw while the handpiece extends away from the jaw, remaining clear of the teeth of the jaw.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 46 words

A system as in claim 7, wherein said linking arrangement comprises at least first through sixth links which define at least first through fifth joints in that order, and a sixth joint is defined between said sixth link and the combination of said probe and handpiece.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

A system as in claim 9, wherein said second, third and fourth links are substantially coplanar.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 36 words

A system as in claim 10, wherein said fourth, fifth, and sixth joints form gimbal means permitting movement of said handpiece while said probe tip and said first through third joints remain in the same position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

A system as in claim 11, wherein said gimbal means provides three degrees of freedom for said handpiece and permits rotation of said probe tip while said probe tip remains at the same location with respect to said first through third joints.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 29 words

A system as in claim 12, wherein said sixth joint is a journal which permits the probe to rotate about its longitudinal axis with respect to said sixth link.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A system as in claim 11, wherein said fourth and fifth joints are swivel joints each having an axis of rotation.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A system as in claim 14, wherein said probe tip remains at all times at the common axis of rotation of said fourth, fifth and sixth joints.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

A system as in claim 15, wherein said sensing system comprises at least one Hall sensor and at least one magnet associated with said linking arrangement.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 24 words

A system as in claim 15, wherein said sensing means comprises a Hall affect sensor system associated with said first, second and third joints.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 62 words

A system as in claim 17, comprising first, second and third Hall sensors associated respectively with said first, second and third joints, said first Hall sensor sensing relative movement of said first and second links, said second Hall sensor sensing relative movement of said second and third links, and said third Hall sensor sensing relative movement of said third and fourth links.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

A system as in claim 18, further comprising an elongated magnet on said third link and operatively associated with both said second and third Hall sensors, which are respectively on said second and fourth links.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 18 words

A system as in claim 19, further comprising a horseshoe magnet operatively associated with said first Hall sensor.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

A system as in claim 18, further comprising linearizing means for receiving output signals from said Hall sensors and improving the linearity thereof.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

A system as in claim 3, wherein said sensing system has means for generating electrical signals representative of said movements of said probe.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 204 words

A dental surface tracer including a dental probe having six degrees of freedom, comprising: a mounting device which is capable of being mounted to a reference location with respect to a given jaw and defining a base plane; a first link which is integral with said mounting device; substantially coplanar second, third and fourth links defining a plane of movement; said second link being pivotally mounted to said first link so that said plane of movement is movable above and below said base plane; first means for generating electrical signals representative of such movement; said second, third and fourth links being jointed together to have predetermined ranges of relative angular motion so that a distal end of said fourth link is movable over a predetermined area in said plane of movement; whereby said distal end has three degrees of freedom; second means for generating electrical signals representative of such movement; a probe; and gimbal means supporting said probe and attached to said distal end of said fourth link, for permitting said probe to move with three degrees of freedom without any movement of said first through fourth links; whereby said probe can move with respect to said reference location with six degrees of freedom.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 204 words

A dental surface tracer including a dental probe having six degrees of freedom, comprising: a mounting device which is capable of being mounted to a reference location with respect to a given jaw and defining a base plane; a first link which is integral with said mounting device; substantially coplanar second, third and fourth links defining a plane of movement; said second link being pivotally mounted to said first link so that said plane of movement is movable above and below said base plane; first means for generating electrical signals representative of such movement; said second, third and fourth links being jointed together to have predetermined ranges of relative angular motion so that a distal end of said fourth link is movable over a predetermined area in said plane of movement; whereby said distal end has three degrees of freedom; second means for generating electrical signals representative of such movement; a probe; and gimbal means supporting said probe and attached to said distal end of said fourth link, for permitting said probe to move with three degrees of freedom without any movement of said first through fourth links; whereby said probe can move with respect to said reference location with six degrees of freedom.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

A tracer as in claim 23, wherein all of said links and gimbal means are sized for being accommodated within the human mouth.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

A tracer as in claim 24, wherein said second, third and fourth links are jointed to provide greater than 90° of relative angular motion between each pair of adjacent links.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 15 words

A tracer as in claim 25, wherein substantially 100° of relative angular motion is provided.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 41 words

A tracer as in claim 23, wherein said probe has a tip for tracing a desired dental surface on said jaw, and said first and second means generate electrical signals representative of movement of said probe tip on said dental surface.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 30 words

A tracer as in claim 27, wherein said gimbal means permit rotation of said probe tip within said plane of movement without any movement of said first through fourth links.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

A tracer as in claim 28, wherein said probe tip remains at all times at the same location with respect to said first through fourth links.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 195 words

A dental surface tracer including a probe with a tip that can be moved to trace a given dental surface, comprising: a mounting device for mounting said tracer to a stable reference location and defining a base plane; a first plurality of links which are substantially coplanar and define a plane of movement; said links being pivotably attached to said mounting device so that said plane of movement makes a variable angle with said base plane; a distal one of said first plurality of links being movable in two dimensions within said plane of movement; means for generating electrical signals representative of movements of said probe tip, as a function exclusively of movements of said first plurality of links; a dental handpiece supporting said probe; and a second plurality of links which hold the handpiece and are attached to said first plurality of links; said second plurality of links holding said probe tip at all times at a fixed location in said plane of movement with respect to said distal link of said first plurality of links; and permitting said handpiece to move about three axes without moving said probe tip from said fixed location.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 195 words

A dental surface tracer including a probe with a tip that can be moved to trace a given dental surface, comprising: a mounting device for mounting said tracer to a stable reference location and defining a base plane; a first plurality of links which are substantially coplanar and define a plane of movement; said links being pivotably attached to said mounting device so that said plane of movement makes a variable angle with said base plane; a distal one of said first plurality of links being movable in two dimensions within said plane of movement; means for generating electrical signals representative of movements of said probe tip, as a function exclusively of movements of said first plurality of links; a dental handpiece supporting said probe; and a second plurality of links which hold the handpiece and are attached to said first plurality of links; said second plurality of links holding said probe tip at all times at a fixed location in said plane of movement with respect to said distal link of said first plurality of links; and permitting said handpiece to move about three axes without moving said probe tip from said fixed location.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 23 words

A tracer as in claim 30, wherein said entire tracer exclusive of said handpiece is sized to be accommodated within the human mouth.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-07-21	1996-01-20	1996-07-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-07-21	2000-01-20	2000-07-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-07-21	2004-01-20	2004-07-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Contact digitizer, particularly for dental applications

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