A-dec, Inc.

Shawn R Irwin

Paul B Krebs

George K Austin, Jr

Carl G Nordstrom

Robin R Winter

Jonathan E Myers

Brian E Bonn

J Rick Halbirt

Bradley A Rice

El Don Hoven

Paul H Johnson

Tony J Tewell

A system for reconfigurably adapting a dental chair for use, including, e.g., use from the right side or left side, use by right-handed or left-handed practitioners and use in various dentistry practice styles, may include a link arm, a primary arm and a secondary arm. The link arm is pivotably connectible to a rear side of the dental chair. The primary arm is pivotably connectible to the link arm to swing in a generally horizontal plane about a generally vertical axis. The secondary arm is coupleable to the link arm, preferably along substantially the same axis. The secondary arm has multiple pivotably connected segments allowing its distal end to be positioned as desired.

Modular dental chair equipment mounting system

The flow of water to a cuspidor bowl-rinse spout and cup-filling spout is controlled by a normally closed valve that is actuated by a lever, the ends of which lever protrude through opposite sides of the cuspidor housing. Either end of the lever may be moved in either of two opposite directions for actuating the valve.

Cuspidor water supply valving

Cuspidor

Headrest

A switch controller having a housing cover with a central ridge and opposed top surfaces which incline downwardly away from the central ridge. The top surfaces also incline on progressing from one end of the housing to the opposite end. A pair of footpads are mounted on the upper surface of the housing and incline consistently with their associated portions of the housing surfaces. The under surfaces of the footpads have spaced apart contact points thereon. Underlying the contact points are associated switches which are actuated by pressing downwardly on selected regions of the footpads. Fulcrum means are disposed between the associated pairs of contact points and switches to inhibit simultaneous actuation of adjacent switches.

Switch controller

Foot switch controller

The chair includes a movable seat and back that are configured to enhance the patient's comfort by providing lumbar support when the chair is in the recumbent position and by minimizing patient sliding within a moving chair. Chair movement is controlled by a microprocessor-based control system that includes sensing mechanisms for precisely monitoring the chair position. The sensing mechanisms are employed in conjunction with a memory device to permit the user to define a particular position into which the chair will move any time the appropriate switch is closed by the user. The chair control system diagnoses malfunctioning chair components and generates and displays data indicating the particular malfunctioning component.

Brake for a dental chair

Dental chair

Growing community of inventors

Newberg, OR, United States of America

Shawn R Irwin