JPH0441615B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an improvement in a device for automatically injecting water into a gargling spout in a dental unit or the like.

[Prior art] There are two types of automatic water filling devices for gargling pots: pneumatic type and electric type.
35780, and the latter is known from Japanese Patent Publication No. 41222/1983. These known devices use a relatively heavy tip such as a metal tip, support a pedestal on which the tip is placed with a spring, and pneumatically or electrically detect the displacement of the spring due to the weight of the tip alone. When a predetermined amount of water is injected into the pot, the displacement of the spring is detected, either pneumatically or electrically, and the water injection is stopped.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] Metal cups are cleaned each time they are used, but if the saliva attached to them is not washed sufficiently, there is a risk of transmitting a viral disease, so disposable paper or plastic cups are used instead. The use of was requested. However, paper tips are significantly lighter than metal tips, and the spring that supports the tip holder hardly moves, so conventional devices have been unable to detect empty paper tips.

The present invention was made to solve this problem, and its purpose is to automatically start pouring water when a disposable lightweight paper tip or the like is placed on a gargling tip, and to dispense a predetermined amount of water. To provide a device that stops water injection when a pot is filled with water.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the means adopted by the present invention includes a base, a tip pedestal provided on the base so as to be movable up and down, and a top pedestal mounted on the tip pedestal. A lightweight tip that can be placed on the tip, a water injection means for injecting water into the tip, a spring that constantly pushes up the tip holder, and when detecting that the tip is placed on the tip holder, the water injection means starts pouring water. and a water injection control means for detecting that a predetermined amount of water has been poured into the tip and stopping water injection from the water injection means, wherein the tip is placed on the tip pedestal by air pressure. The reason is that it is designed to detect this.

When using air pressure, when the tip rests on the tip holder, the air intake hole is blocked by the bottom of the tip.
A movable element connected to the air intake hole is actuated, and air pressure opens an air-operated normally closed water valve of the water injection means to begin water injection.

[Function] When using pneumatic pressure, connect the suction pipe to the pressure receiving part of the movable element as the pneumatic directional switching valve. The suction tube consists of an inner tube and an outer tube that are airtight and can slide against each other. The inner tube or the outer tube moves up and down together with the tip holder, and its upper end opens on the upper surface of the tip holder. The lower end of the outer cylinder or the inner cylinder is connected to the pressure receiving part of the movable element, and is also branched and connected to a negative pressure source. When the paper tip is placed on the tip holder, the opening at the top of the suction tube is blocked by the bottom of the paper tip, so there is negative pressure inside the suction tube, and negative pressure acts on the pressure receiving part.
The movable element as an air directional valve operates in one direction to supply actuating air pressure to the air-operated normally closed water valve of the water injection means, opening the valve and starting water injection into the paper tip. When a predetermined amount of water enters the tip and the inner tube or outer tube is lowered together with the tip holder, vent holes are provided in the inner tube and the outer tube to communicate with the atmosphere.
Since atmospheric air is supplied into the suction tube and the pressure returns to normal, the movable element operates in reverse and stops supplying the operating air pressure. As a result, the normally closed water valve closes and water injection into the paper tip stops.

[Example] The apparatus of the present invention will be described based on an example shown in the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, when an empty paper tip 30 is placed on the tip holder 20, the spring 15
It deflects according to the weight of the 0, but since the weight of the Kotsu 30 is light, the deflection is slight. Kotop 30
Water is injected through the water injection pipe 29 by opening the normally closed water valve 28 serving as a water injection means. This water injection is controlled by air pressure. The outer cylinder is fixed to the base 10,
The inner cylinder 11 is fitted into the outer cylinder so as to be vertically slidable. The inner cylinder 11 is fixed to the tip holder 20, and the opening 32 at the upper end opens to the upper surface of the tip holder 20. The lower end of the outer tube 12 is connected to the negative pressure source 33 and the pressure receiving part of the movable element 37. 11 and the outer cylinder 12 form a suction tube 34 as a whole. Ventilation holes 35 and 36 are provided which communicate with each other when the inner cylinder 11 is lowered to a predetermined position and allow the inside of the suction pipe 34 to communicate with the atmosphere. A spring 15 is disposed around the suction pipe 34, and its upper end contacts the tip pedestal 20 and its lower end contacts the inner bottom surface of the base 10.

When the tip 30 is placed on the tip holder 20, the opening 32 of the inner cylinder 11 is covered by the bottom of the tip 30, so the inside of the suction tube 34 becomes negative pressure, and the pressure receiving part of the movable element 37 receives negative pressure. acts. The movable element 37 is a directional switching valve for operating air pressure as water injection control means, and when negative pressure acts on the pressure receiving part, it is switched to one direction and supplies operating air pressure to the air-operated normally closed water valve 28 as water injection means. and open the valve,
Water injection from the water injection pipe 29 to the pot 30 is started.

As shown in FIG. 2, when a predetermined amount of water enters the tip 30, the spring 15 is bent, the tip holder 20 and the inner tube 11 are lowered, and the ventilation holes 3 of the outer tube 12 and the inner tube 11 are lowered.
5 and 36 communicate with each other, the air pressure inside the suction pipe 34 returns to near atmospheric pressure. When a pressure close to atmospheric pressure acts on the pressure receiving part of the movable element 37, the switch is reversed,
The supply of operating air pressure to the air-operated normally closed water valve 28 is interrupted. As a result, the air-operated normally closed water valve 28 is closed and water injection from the water injection pipe 29 to the pot 30 is stopped. Therefore, when the tip 30 is picked up from the tip holder 20, the reaction force of the spring 15 causes the tip 30 to move upward.
0 returns to the starting position. Note that the inner cylinder and outer cylinder can also be reversed.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the device of the present invention differs from the conventional device in which the presence or absence of a tip is detected by the displacement of the tip holder due to weight. Since the presence or absence of a tip on the tip holder is detected by this method, even lightweight tips made of paper or synthetic resin can be reliably detected. Since paper or synthetic resin cups are disposable, the device of the present invention has the special effect of not only eliminating the need for cleaning, but also preventing infection with viral diseases and the like. can get.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are vertical cross-sectional views of essential parts of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 showing the state before water injection starts, and FIG. 2 showing the state after water injection is completed, respectively. In the figure, numeral 10 is a base, 11 is an inner cylinder, 1
2 is an outer cylinder, 15 is a spring, 20 is a tip holder, 28
is a normally closed water valve, 30 is a tap, 33 is a negative pressure source, 34
35 and 36 are ventilation holes, and 37 is a movable element.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 a base, a tip pedestal provided on the base so as to be movable up and down, a spring provided on the base to support the tip pedestal, a lightweight tip placed on the tip pedestal, and the tip pedestal; water injection means for pouring water into the water injection means; and water injection control means for causing the water injection means to start injection of water when the cup is placed on the cup holder, and to stop the water injection into the water injection means when a predetermined amount of water has entered the cup. In the device, the water injection control means includes a suction pipe consisting of an inner and outer cylinder that are slidable with respect to each other, a negative pressure source connected to the suction pipe, and a pneumatic directional switching valve also connected to the suction pipe with a pressure receiving part. and a movable element, in which the movable element opens a valve when the pressure receiving part becomes negative pressure and supplies air pressure to the air-operated normally closed water valve of the water injection means, and closes the valve when the pressure receiving part becomes atmospheric pressure. The supply of air pressure is stopped, and the suction tube is fixed to the tip holder and has an opening at the upper end that is covered by the tip, and the inner and outer cylinders communicate at predetermined mutual positions to connect the suction tube. An automatic water injection device for a pot, characterized by having a vent for ventilating the atmosphere.