JP7760646B2 - Dental equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to dental treatment equipment.

In the dental field, practitioners (users) treat patients' teeth using dental equipment (e.g., handpieces, scalers, intraoral 3D scanners, 2D handheld cameras, root canal treatment devices, or LED photocuring devices) connected to a control device via cables or other means. Furthermore, while treating a patient's teeth, practitioners can change the settings of the dental equipment, start and stop the dental equipment, and perform other operations by operating operation buttons on the control device.

However, the surgeon's hands and fingers may be contaminated with bacteria, viruses, etc. due to contact with the patient's oral cavity during treatment. Therefore, from a hygienic standpoint, it is not advisable for the surgeon to directly operate the operation buttons on the control device with their hands or fingers during treatment.

For this reason, Patent Document 1 discloses a medical treatment device that allows operations to be input to a control device without direct contact. The medical treatment device in Patent Document 1 is equipped with an optical phase difference sensor means that detects operations by the surgeon, and based on the surgeon's operations detected by the optical phase difference sensor means, operations can be performed on the device without direct contact.

Patent No. 5570801

However, because the medical treatment device in Patent Document 1 uses an optical phase difference sensor means, it is necessary to change dental equipment settings and start and stop dental equipment using touchless motion operations that differ from operations using touch panels or switches. This means that practitioners must learn touchless motion operations that are different from conventional operations using touch panels or switches, and there is also the problem that it takes time to become accustomed to these operations.

Furthermore, with the medical diagnostic device of Patent Document 1, a selection icon displayed on a PC display device is moved in the X, Y, and Z directions using touchless motion operation, but there is always a distance between the display on the PC display device and the surgeon's fingers. As a result, there is always a discrepancy between the position of the selection icon on the PC display device that the surgeon sees and the position that is operated using touchless motion operation, which can make the surgeon feel uncomfortable when operating the selection icon (operation button) displayed on the PC display device.

The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide dental treatment equipment that allows contactless operation, yet feels natural when operating the displayed operation buttons, and can be operated with the same feel as using a conventional touch panel or switch.

The dental treatment equipment disclosed herein is dental treatment equipment comprising: a treatment chair on which a patient can sit and lie on their back when receiving treatment from a surgeon; a monitor mounted in a position visible from the periphery for displaying a predetermined image; a tray table; a spatial display device including a display unit for displaying an image including at least operation buttons for operating the intraoral camera; and an image formation plate for forming an image displayed on the display unit in a predetermined space on the tray table; a detection unit for detecting a user's operation on the predetermined space in which the image is displayed; and a control unit for displaying an image of the oral cavity taken by the intraoral camera as the predetermined image on the monitor when the detection unit detects that an operation button for the image formed in the predetermined space has been operated, and the spatial display device forms an image in a predetermined space provided on the top surface of the tray table and at a position on the end side where the surgeon is located, with the patient standing above the top surface of the tray table as seen from the surgeon's position .

In the dental treatment device disclosed herein, a detection unit detects user operations in a specified space displaying images of operation buttons. This means that even though the operation is non-contact, there is no discrepancy between the position of the operation button that the user sees and the actual position of the operation button, allowing the user to operate the operation button without any discomfort.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a medical diagnostic device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic internal configuration of the medical diagnostic device. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a display of an operation panel image. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a spatial display device that displays an operation panel image. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a display process of a medical diagnostic device. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a display mode of an operation panel image in which operation buttons cannot be operated. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of operation panels with different display positions. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an operation panel displayed on the lighting device. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining an operation panel displayed on a treatment chair. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for switching the display position of medical diagnostic equipment. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a display on a monitor. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the display of an operation panel image of another medical diagnostic device. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the display of an operation panel image of yet another medical diagnostic device.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

In this embodiment, an operation panel of medical treatment equipment that can be used in dental treatment will be described as one example form of an operation panel that displays images of operation buttons in a specified space. Note that operation panels of medical treatment equipment are not limited to dentistry, and can also be applied to all medical treatments, such as ophthalmology, otolaryngology, radiology, and veterinary medicine. Furthermore, treatment includes both diagnosis and treatment.

(Embodiment 1)
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a medical diagnostic device 10. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the medical diagnostic device 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the medical treatment equipment 10 includes a treatment chair 1, a foot controller 5, a tray table 3, a control device 9, an instrument holder 30, a speaker 20, monitors 6 and 50, a basin unit 2, and a lighting device 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, the medical diagnostic device 10 also includes functional units that perform functions, such as an operation unit 12, a seat driver 11, a panel controller 13, a diagnostic instrument driver 14, monitor controllers 15 and 15a, a basin controller 16, and a lighting controller 17. Each of these functional units fulfills its function based on the surgeon's (user's) operation of an image of operation buttons displayed on a spatial display device 80 (spatial display unit) (described below). (Hereinafter, an image displaying multiple operation buttons in the operation space will be referred to as an operation panel image 8). Each of these functional units and the control device 9 is configured by a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory (ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown)) mounted on a circuit board.

The treatment chair 1 is a chair on which a patient sits when receiving treatment from a surgeon, and is equipped with a headrest 1a that supports the patient's head, a backrest 1b that supports the patient's back, a seat 1c that supports the patient's buttocks, and a footrest 1d that supports the patient's feet. The headrest 1a, backrest 1b, seat 1c, and footrest 1d are connected to a seat drive unit 11. The seat drive unit 11 drives the headrest 1a, backrest 1b, seat 1c, and footrest 1d.

For example, under the control of the seat drive unit 11, the seat 1c can be raised (also referred to as raising the treatment chair 1), thereby raising the patient seated in the treatment chair 1. On the other hand, under the control of the seat drive unit 11, the seat 1c can be lowered (also referred to as lowering the treatment chair 1), thereby lowering the patient seated in the treatment chair 1. Furthermore, under the control of the seat drive unit 11, the headrest 1a, backrest 1b, and footrest 1d can be moved vertically relative to the seat 1c (also referred to as raising the treatment chair 1), thereby placing the patient seated in the treatment chair 1 in a sitting position. On the other hand, under the control of the seat drive unit 11, the headrest 1a, backrest 1b, and footrest 1d can be moved horizontally relative to the seat 1c (also referred to as tilting the treatment chair 1), thereby placing the patient seated in the treatment chair 1 in a supine position.

In this way, the seat drive unit 11 has the function of raising, lowering, standing up, and tilting the treatment chair 1 by driving the headrest 1a, backrest 1b, seat cushion 1c, and footrest 1d.

The seat driver 11 also includes a pinch detector 11a. The pinch detector 11a is connected to the treatment chair 1 and detects whether the patient's clothing, cords, etc. have become pinched when the treatment chair 1 is driven, and prohibits the treatment chair 1 from moving if pinch is detected.

The foot controller 5 accepts operations to drive the treatment chair 1 by foot operation by the surgeon or the like, and also accepts operations to drive the treatment instrument 4, which will be described later.

For example, by stepping on a switch for driving the treatment chair provided on the foot controller 5, a control signal is output from the operation unit 12 provided on the foot controller 5 to the seat drive unit 11, and the treatment chair 1 is driven under the control of the seat drive unit 11. Furthermore, by stepping on a switch for driving the treatment instrument provided on the foot controller 5, a control signal is output from the operation unit 12 to the treatment instrument drive unit 14, and the treatment instrument 4 is driven under the control of the treatment instrument drive unit 14.

In this way, the operating unit 12 has the function of accepting operations to drive the treatment chair 1, treatment instrument 4, etc.

The tray table 3 is used as a storage table during treatment. The tray table 3 is connected to an arm (not shown) extending from the treatment chair 1 or the floor, and can be manually rotated, moved horizontally, and moved vertically relative to the treatment chair 1.

A control device 9 is provided on the bottom surface of the tray table 3. Connected to the control device 9 are multiple medical instruments 4, a spatial display device 80, a sensor 83, an instrument holder 30, a speaker 20, and a monitor 6. The control device 9 is a control unit for driving each of these components.

The medical instrument 4 is an instrument used in medical treatment, such as an air turbine handpiece (high-speed handpiece), a micromotor handpiece (low-speed handpiece), a scaler, a three-way syringe, or a vacuum syringe. However, the medical instrument 4 is not limited to these, and may also be an intraoral camera, a photopolymerization irradiator, a root canal length measuring device, a root canal enlarger, or a non-moving instrument such as a mirror or syringe.

In this embodiment, five types of medical instruments, 4a to 4e, are used. Medical instruments 4a and 4b are high-speed handpieces (also referred to as HS (HS1, HS2)), medical instruments 4c and 4d are low-speed handpieces (also referred to as LS (LS1, LS2)), and medical instrument 4e is a scaler (also referred to as SC). These medical instruments 4 are held by an instrument holder 30. When the medical instrument 4 to be used is removed from the instrument holder 30, it is released from the instrument holder 30. When the medical instrument 4 is released from the instrument holder 30, it enters a selected state.

Each medical instrument 4 is connected to a medical instrument driver 14 provided in the control device 9. The medical instrument driver 14 drives each medical instrument 4 based on user operations received by the operation unit 12. For example, based on the control of the medical instrument driver 14, the cutting tools held in the heads of HS1 and HS2 rotate, allowing them to be used in dental treatment.

In this way, the medical instrument driving unit 14 has the function of driving the medical instrument 4 based on user operation.

The spatial display device 80 displays an operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space on the tray table 3. As will be described later, the operation panel image 8 is displayed in the space between the instrument holder 30 and the top edge of the tray table 3, which is the predetermined space on the tray table 3 (see Figure 3). However, in Figure 1, the spatial display device 80 is in the OFF state, so the operation panel image 8 is not displayed in the predetermined space on the tray table 3.

The operation panel image 8 displays each operation button operated to perform each function as an identifiable icon or the like. A user, such as a surgeon, can operate each operation button by moving their finger to the position of the operation button displayed on the operation panel image 8. The sensor 83 can detect user operations relative to the specified space in which the operation panel image 8 is displayed on the spatial display device 80. Therefore, when the user's finger overlaps the position of an operation button on the operation panel image 8 displayed on the spatial display device 80, the sensor 83 detects that the operation button at that position has been operated.

The spatial display device 80 and sensor 83 are connected to a panel control unit 13 provided in the control device 9. The panel control unit 13 controls the spatial display device 80 to display operation buttons corresponding to functional units that can perform functions on the operation panel image 8. Furthermore, when the sensor 83 detects that the user's finger is over a displayed operation button, the panel control unit 13 outputs a control signal to the functional unit corresponding to the operated operation button to perform the function.

In this way, the panel control unit 13 has the function of displaying operation buttons on the operation panel image 8 displayed on the spatial display device 80 depending on whether or not the function can be performed, and of causing the function unit to perform the function corresponding to the operation of the operation button detected by the sensor 83.

The instrument holder 30 is a holding member that holds the medical instruments 4 and is connected to the hold release identification unit 18 provided in the control device 9. The hold release identification unit 18 determines which medical instruments 4 are being held by the instrument holder 30 and which medical instruments 4 have been released from their holding, and outputs a control signal that can identify the determination result to the panel control unit 13.

The speaker 20 outputs a predetermined sound. The speaker 20 is connected to the warning sound output unit 19 provided in the control device 9. The warning sound output unit 19 drives the speaker 20 to output a warning sound based on a control signal from the panel control unit 13. In this embodiment, for example, when an operation button on the operation panel image 8 displayed on the spatial display device 80 is operated but is unable to perform its function, a warning sound is output from the speaker 20 under the control of the warning sound output unit 19.

The monitor 6 is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays predetermined images under the control of the monitor control unit 15 provided in the control device 9. For example, under the control of the monitor control unit 15, the monitor 6 can display images such as an image showing the operation information of a medical instrument 4 that has been removed from the instrument holder 30 and is being used, an image showing the operation information of a medical instrument 4 that has been selected by operating an operation button on the operation panel image 8, an image showing the position of the tip of the cutting tool within the root canal, and an image of the oral cavity taken by an intraoral camera.

In this way, the monitor control unit 15 has the function of displaying a specified image on the screen of the monitor 6.

The basin unit 2 is attached to the side of the treatment chair 1 and includes a basin 2a with a drain hole, a cup stand 2b on which a cup is placed, and a water tap 2c for supplying water to the cup. The basin unit 2 is a stand on which a patient gargles using water supplied to the cup from the water tap 2c. The basin unit 2 also includes a basin control unit 16, which controls the flow of water used by the medical treatment equipment 10 under the control of the basin control unit 16.

In this way, the basin control unit 16 has the function of controlling the flow of water used in the medical treatment device 10.

Furthermore, the basin unit 2 is equipped with a lighting control unit 17, which controls the lighting and extinguishing of the lighting device 7 based on the control of the lighting control unit 17.

In this way, the lighting control unit 17 has the function of controlling the lighting and extinguishing of the lighting device 7 (also referred to as the lighting control function).

The basin unit 2 also includes a monitor control unit 15a and a monitor 50. The monitor 50 is configured with an LCD display or the like, and displays a predetermined image under the control of the monitor control unit 15a. For example, under the control of the monitor control unit 15a, the monitor 50 can display an image showing the position of the tip of the cutting tool within the root canal, as well as an image of the oral cavity captured by an intraoral camera.

In this way, the monitor control unit 15a has the function of displaying a specified image on the screen of the monitor 50.

Note that the medical diagnostic device 10 may have a configuration other than that shown in FIG. 1 and functional units other than those shown in FIG. 2.

Next, the operation panel image 8 displayed on the spatial display device 80 will be described in detail. Figure 3 is a diagram for explaining the display of the operation panel image. Figure 4 is a diagram for explaining the structure of the spatial display device that displays the operation panel image. The spatial display device 80 is a three-dimensional display device that uses a mirror array imaging element to display the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space on the tray table 3. The spatial display device 80 is provided inside the tray table 3 as shown in Figure 4, and when turned on, displays the operation panel image 8 in the space between the instrument holder 30 and the top edge of the tray table 3.

As shown in Figure 3, the operation panel image 8 is displayed floating in space, with multiple operation buttons such as icons displayed. The operation buttons displayed on the operation panel image 8 include, for example, an operation button that performs the function of moving the treatment chair 1 to a predetermined position with a single press (also known as the chair auto function), an operation button that performs the function of switching the lighting device 7 on and off, and an operation button that performs the function of switching the setting range of the rotation speed of the low-speed handpiece (LS) and the setting range of the drive force of the scaler (SC).

In addition to the operation buttons, the operation panel image 8 also displays a digital display that shows the maximum LS rotation speed and maximum SC driving force according to the setting range. While looking at the digital display, the user can operate the "minus" operation button to set a lower LS rotation speed or SC driving force, or operate the "plus" operation button to set a higher LS rotation speed or SC driving force.

In the operation panel image 8, the user operates operation buttons displayed floating in space, allowing each function to be activated using the same operations as conventional touch panels and switches. Furthermore, there is no need to learn new operations such as touchless motion operation, and users familiar with conventional operation panels can operate them in the same way.

Furthermore, when the user's finger overlaps the position of an operation button displayed on the spatial display device 80 in the operation panel image 8, the sensor 83 detects that the operation button at that position has been operated. Therefore, there is little misalignment between the position of the operation button and the user's finger when operating the operation button, allowing the user to operate the operation button without any discomfort compared to when an optical phase difference sensor means is used.

Next, we will explain in more detail the configuration of the spatial display device 80, which displays operation buttons in a specified space. The spatial display device 80 comprises a display unit 81 that displays an image of an operation panel including multiple operation buttons, and an image formation plate 82 that forms an image of the image displayed on the display unit 81 in a specified space. The display unit 81 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. However, this is not limited to this, and the display unit 81 can be any display device that can display an image of an operation panel, such as a plasma display, organic EL display, or CRT display.

The imaging plate 82 is a mirror array imaging element that has a plurality of first light reflecting sections arranged with gaps between them and a plurality of second light reflecting sections arranged perpendicular to the first light reflecting sections. Therefore, when an image of the operation panel is displayed on the display section 81, the light from that image is reflected by the first light reflecting sections and second light reflecting sections of the imaging plate 82, and the image of the operation panel is formed as the operation panel image 8 in the space on the opposite side of the imaging plate 82 from the display section 81.

The spatial display device 80 shown in Figure 4 is installed inside the tray table 3. In particular, the display unit 81 is attached to the inside of the top surface of the tray table 3, and displays an image of the operation panel toward the bottom surface of the tray table 3. In other words, the display unit 81 is attached parallel to the top surface of the tray table 3, with the display surface facing the bottom surface.

The image forming plate 82 is provided inside the tray table 3 and abuts against one side of the display unit 81. The image forming plate 82 is provided at a position rotated a predetermined angle around the side that abuts against the display unit 81. When the image forming plate 82 is provided at a position rotated a predetermined angle relative to the display unit 81, the image on the display unit 81 is formed at a position rotated a further predetermined angle from the image forming plate 82 and displayed as the operation panel image 8. Therefore, the position where the operation panel image 8 is displayed is in the space outside the edge of the tray table 3.

A sensor 83 is also provided at the end of the tray table 3. The sensor 83 is a detection unit that detects user operations in the specified space where the operation panel image 8 is displayed on the spatial display device 80. The sensor 83 is, for example, an infrared sensor, and acquires position information of the user's fingers in the space where the operation panel image 8 is displayed, and detects the user's operations based on information about the display positions of the operation buttons on the operation panel image 8 that overlap with the acquired positions. Note that the sensor 83 is not limited to an infrared sensor, and may be any sensor that detects user operations in the specified space.

Next, Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the display processing of the medical diagnostic device 10. First, when the power of the medical diagnostic device 10 is turned on, the control device 9 executes display initialization processing such as resetting the image memory and displaying the initial screen of the spatial display device 80 (step S11). The control device 9 executes sensor disable processing to prevent the sensor 83 from accidentally detecting user operation until the operation panel image 8 is displayed and the sensor 83 is able to detect user operation (step S12). The control device 9 executes counter initialization processing to initialize a counter that counts the time until operation of the operation buttons on the operation panel image 8, described below, is prohibited (step S13).

The control device 9 determines whether a predetermined event has occurred (step S14). For example, when the user operates the foot controller 5 and a corresponding control signal is input from the operation unit 12, the control device 9 determines that a predetermined event has occurred. The predetermined event is not limited to when the user operates the foot controller 5, but may be when the control device 9 detects operation of an operation unit provided on the medical diagnostic device 10 that the user does not operate directly with their hands. Operation units that the user does not operate directly with their hands include, for example, an imaging device that accepts operations based on the user's line of sight or gestures, a microphone that accepts operations based on the user's voice, and an operation to remove the medical instrument 4 to be used from the instrument holder 30.

If it is determined that a predetermined event has not occurred (NO in step S14), the control device 9 returns the process to step S14 and monitors for the occurrence of a predetermined event. If it is determined that a predetermined event has occurred (YES in step S14), the control device 9 performs spatial display processing in which the spatial display device 80 displays the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space (step S15). Specifically, as part of the spatial display processing, the control device 9 causes the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display format that allows the user to operate the operation buttons, as shown in FIG. 2.

In this embodiment, the operation buttons of the operation panel image 8 are displayed in a predetermined space by the spatial display device 80, allowing the user to operate them contactlessly without directly touching physical buttons or switches. However, because the operation buttons of the operation panel image 8 are merely displayed in space and do not physically exist, it is conceivable that the user may accidentally enter the space where the operation buttons are displayed. In such cases, the device may malfunction against the user's intention. In particular, with the medical diagnostic equipment 10, it is necessary to prevent malfunctions during treatment to ensure the safety of patients. Therefore, in this embodiment, the operation panel image 8 is displayed in a display mode that allows operation of the operation buttons only when a predetermined event occurs based on the user's intention to operate the operation buttons of the operation panel image 8.

On the other hand, when a specified event has not occurred (when a specified event has not occurred), the control device 9 causes the spatial display device 80 to display an image in a display mode in which the user cannot operate the operation buttons. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the display mode of the operation panel image 8 in which the operation buttons are unavailable. The operation panel image 8 shown in Figure 6 displays the words "Not available" instead of the operation button icons, indicating that the operation buttons are unavailable. Note that the display mode of the operation panel image 8 in which the operation buttons are unavailable is not limited to the display mode shown in Figure 6, and other display modes may be used as long as they can notify the user that the operation buttons are unavailable. Examples of such display modes include a display mode in which the color of the icon changes depending on whether the operation buttons are available or unavailable, and a mode in which only icons for available operation buttons are displayed and no icons for unavailable operation buttons are displayed. In other words, the control device 9 simply changes the display mode depending on whether a specified event has occurred and other cases, and displays the image on the spatial display device 80 in that mode. Note that the control device 9 may not display the operation panel image 8 at all when a specified event has not occurred.

The control device 9 determines whether or not the user has performed a non-touch operation on an operation button of the operation panel image 8 displayed in an operable display mode (step S16). Here, a non-touch operation by the user means that the sensor 83 detects that the user's finger has overlapped the position of an operation button displayed on the spatial display device 80. If a non-touch operation by the user has occurred (YES in step S16), the control device 9 executes a sensor enable process that performs control to activate the function corresponding to the operation button that has been non-touched by the user (step S17). This allows the user to operate the operation button on the operation panel image 8 displayed in space to control the seat drive unit 11, the lighting control unit 17, and the like.

On the other hand, if the user has not performed a non-contact operation (NO in step S16), the control device 9 displays the operation panel image 8 in a display mode in which the operation buttons can be operated, and then increments the count of a counter that counts the period during which the user has not performed a non-contact operation by one (step S18). Here, the counter increments the count by one every second, for example. The control device 9 determines whether the count is greater than 10 (step S19). In other words, the control device 9 determines whether the period during which the user has not performed a non-contact operation has continued for 10 seconds.

If the control device 9 determines that the count is 10 or less (NO in step S19), it returns the process to step S14 and continues the process of determining whether the user has performed a non-touch operation on the operation button of the operation panel image 8 as long as the specified event continues to occur. If the control device 9 determines that the count is greater than 10 (YES in step S19), it determines that the user has not operated the operation button within the specified time, prohibits the sensor 83 from detecting the user's operation, and causes the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display mode in which the user cannot operate the operation button (step S20). An example of a display mode in which the operation button cannot be operated is the mode shown in FIG. 6. In addition to displaying the operation panel image 8 in a display mode in which the operation button cannot be operated, the control device 9 may also hide the image of the operation panel image 8 itself on the spatial display device 80.

After steps S17 and S20, the control device 9 determines whether or not a command to end the display process has been received (step S21). If a command to end the display process has been received (YES in step S21), the control device 9 ends the display process. On the other hand, if a command to end the display process has not been received (NO in step S21), the control device 9 returns the process to step S13.

In the above-described embodiment, it was explained that the operation panel image 8 is displayed in the space between the instrument holder 30 and the edge of the top surface of the tray table 3, as shown in Figure 3. However, the display position of the operation panel image 8 displayed on the tray table 3 is not limited to the space between the instrument holder 30 and the edge of the top surface of the tray table 3. Figure 7 shows examples of operation panels displayed in different positions. In Figure 7(a), the operation panel image 8 is displayed on the top surface of the tray table 3, at the edge of the tray table 3. In Figure 7(b), the operation panel image 8 is displayed on the top surface of the tray table 3, at the center of the tray table 3.

As such, the control device that controls the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 according to embodiment 1 includes a spatial display device 80 that displays images of operation buttons for operating the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 in a predetermined space, a sensor 83 that detects user operation in the predetermined space, and a control device 9 that controls the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 in accordance with the operation button when the sensor 83 detects a user operation on an operation button displayed in the predetermined space. When a predetermined event occurs, the control device 9 validates the user operation detected by the sensor 83 and controls the medical and diagnostic equipment 10.

By configuring in this manner, the control device 9 according to embodiment 1 detects user operations in a predetermined space using the sensor 83. Therefore, even though the operation is non-contact, there is no discrepancy between the position of the operation button that the user sees and the position at which the operation is performed, allowing the user to operate the operation button without feeling uncomfortable. Furthermore, the control device 9 validates the user's operation detected by the sensor 83 only when a predetermined event occurs, thereby preventing the operation button from being operated by mistake.

The medical diagnostic device 10 may be a dental diagnostic device. It may also be a dental diagnostic system comprising a dental diagnostic device and the above-described control device 9.

This control method for controlling a medical diagnostic device (10) includes a spatial display device (80) that displays, in a predetermined space, images of operation buttons for operating the medical diagnostic device (10); a sensor (83) that detects user operations in the predetermined space; and a control device (9) that controls the medical diagnostic device (10) in accordance with the operation button when the sensor (83) detects a user operation on the operation button displayed in the predetermined space. The control method includes the steps of: determining, in the control device (9), whether a predetermined event has occurred; and, if it is determined that the predetermined event has occurred, validating the user operation detected by the sensor (83) and controlling the medical diagnostic device. This configuration allows the control method of embodiment 1 to validate the user operation detected by the sensor (83) only when a predetermined event has occurred, thereby preventing erroneous operation of the operation button.

The control device 9 may display the operation panel image 8 on the spatial display device 80 in different display modes depending on whether a specified event has occurred or not. This allows the user to easily determine whether an operation on the operation panel image 8 is valid or invalid.

When a predetermined event occurs, the control device 9 may cause the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display mode that allows the user to operate the operation buttons, and in other cases, may cause the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display mode that prevents the user from operating the operation buttons. This allows the user to easily determine whether the operation buttons on the operation panel image 8 can be operated or not.

When a predetermined event occurs but the user does not operate an operation button within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds), the control device 9 may prohibit the sensor 83 from detecting user operation and cause the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display mode that prevents the user from operating the operation button, or may cause the spatial display device 80 to hide the operation panel image 8. This allows the control device 9 to prevent the user from accidentally operating the operation button and thereby performing a function that the user does not want to perform.

The occurrence of a specified event may be the detection of an operation of an operation unit provided on the medical diagnostic device 10 that is not operated directly by the user's hands. Operation units that are not operated directly by the user's hands include, for example, at least an operation unit that accepts operation by the user's feet, an operation unit that accepts operation by the user's gestures, and an operation unit that accepts operation by the user's voice.

(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, a medical diagnostic device 10 that displays an operation panel image 8 on the tray table 3 has been described. However, there are cases where a user wants to display the operation panel at a position that is easier to operate than the tray table during treatment. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a medical diagnostic device that can change the position at which the operation panel image 8 is displayed will be described. In the second embodiment, the same components as those of the medical diagnostic device 10 described in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

In the medical examination equipment according to embodiment 2, a spatial display device 80 is provided not only on the tray table 3, but also on the lighting device 7 and the examination chair 1. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation panel image 8 displayed on the lighting device 7. The lighting device 7 shown in FIG. 8 is provided with a spatial display device 80 and an imaging device 90. In FIG. 8(a), the spatial display device 80 is provided below the lighting device 7, so the operation panel image 8 is displayed below the lighting device 7. In FIG. 8(b), the spatial display device 80 is provided above the lighting device 7, so the operation panel image 8 is displayed above the lighting device 7. In the lighting device 7 shown in FIG. 8, the imaging device 90 provided near the spatial display device 80 monitors the user's line of sight, and displays the operation panel image 8 when it is determined that the user's line of sight is directed toward the lighting device 7. Here, the imaging device 90 functions as a line of sight detection unit that detects the user's line of sight. Although not shown, the spatial display device 80 is provided with a sensor that can detect user operations on the operation panel image 8. Furthermore, the types of operation buttons included in the operation panel image 8 displayed on the lighting device 7 are not the same as the types of operation buttons included in the operation panel image 8 displayed on the tray table 3, but are limited to the operation buttons required for the lighting device 7.

Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the operation panel image 8 displayed on the treatment chair 1. The treatment chair 1 shown in Figure 9 has a spatial display device 80 and an imaging device 90 provided on the backrest 1b. In Figure 9, spatial display devices 80 are provided on both sides of the backrest 1b, with the headrest 1a sandwiched between them, and the operation panel image 8 is displayed on each side. The imaging device 90 is provided on one side, but it may also be provided on both sides. The spatial display device 80 may also be configured to be provided on either side of the backrest 1b. In the treatment chair 1 shown in Figure 9, the imaging device 90 provided near the spatial display device 80 monitors the user's line of sight, and displays the operation panel image 8 when it is determined that the user's line of sight is directed toward the backrest 1b. In other words, when the user is examining the oral cavity of a patient at the headrest 1a, the operation panel image 8 on the backrest 1b is not displayed, but when the user directs their gaze from the patient's oral cavity toward the backrest 1b, the operation panel image 8 on the backrest 1b is displayed. Although not shown, the spatial display device 80 is equipped with a sensor that can detect user operations on the operation panel image 8. Furthermore, the types of operation buttons included in the operation panel image 8 displayed on the treatment chair 1 are not the same as the types of operation buttons included in the operation panel image 8 displayed on the tray table 3, but are limited to the operation buttons necessary for the treatment chair 1.

In the medical diagnostic equipment 10 according to embodiment 2, although not shown, the tray table 3 is also provided with a spatial display device 80 and an imaging device 90. Therefore, the tray table 3 monitors the user's line of sight using the imaging device 90 provided near the spatial display device 80, and displays the operation panel image 8 when it determines that the user's line of sight is directed in the direction of the tray table 3.

Next, the process by which the control device 9 switches the spatial display devices 80 provided at multiple positions on the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 to display the operation panel image 8 will be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart for explaining the process of switching the display position of the medical and diagnostic equipment 10. First, the control device 9 determines whether any one of the spatial display devices 80 provided at multiple positions on the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 is currently displaying the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space (step S31). If the operation panel image 8 is not currently being displayed in the predetermined space (NO in step S31), the control device 9 returns the process to step S31. On the other hand, if the operation panel image 8 is currently being displayed in the predetermined space (YES in step S31), the control device 9 determines whether the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 is operating (step S32). If the medical and diagnostic equipment 10 is not operating (NO in step S32), the control device 9 returns the process to step S31.

If the medical diagnostic device 10 is operating (YES in step S32), the control device 9 determines whether it is necessary to prohibit operation of the operation buttons displayed on the operation panel image 8, depending on the operating status of the medical diagnostic device 10 (step S33). With the medical diagnostic device 10, for example, when a user is operating the foot controller 5 to drive the high-speed handpiece medical instrument 4, it is necessary to prohibit the user from accidentally operating the operation buttons and moving the clinical chair 1. Therefore, if it is determined that operation of the operation buttons needs to be prohibited (YES in step S33), the control device 9 executes a sensor disable process to prevent the sensor 83 from accidentally detecting user operation (step S34).

After executing the sensor disable process in step S34, the control device 9 displays an indication of operation prohibition as the operation panel image 8 to notify the user that operation of the operation buttons is prohibited (step S35). For example, as shown in the operation panel image 8 in Figure 6, the words "Not available" are displayed to indicate that operation of the operation buttons is not possible.

Returning to step S3, if it is determined that there is no need to prohibit operation of the operation buttons (NO in step S33), the control device 9 determines whether it is necessary to change the display position of the operation panel image 8 (step S36). If there is no need to change the display position of the operation panel image 8 (NO in step S36), the control device 9 returns the process to step S31. On the other hand, if there is a need to change the display position of the operation panel image 8 (YES in step S36), the control device 9 changes the display position of the operation panel image 8 displayed in the specified space (step S37).

As mentioned above, if the medical treatment equipment 10 is equipped with a spatial display device 80 and an imaging device 90 on each of, for example, the treatment chair 1, tray table 3, and lighting device 7, the imaging device 90 detects the user's line of sight, and the operation panel image 8 is displayed on the spatial display device 80 provided on the device at which the user's line of sight is directed. Therefore, in step S36, the control device 9 determines whether it is necessary to change the display position of the operation panel image 8 based on the signal from the imaging device 90 provided on each device.

The need to change the display position of the operation panel image 8 is not limited to the direction of the user's gaze, and may also be determined based on the operating status of the medical treatment device 10, user operation, etc. For example, when the treatment chair 1 is in operation, the control device 9 switches the display of the operation panel image 8 from the tray table 3 to the backrest 1b shown in Figure 9 so that the operation panel image 8 can be operated near the patient. Furthermore, when switching the display position of the operation panel image 8 in accordance with a user instruction, for example, the control device 9 switches the display position of the operation panel image 8 when the display switch button on the foot controller 5 is operated.

In this way, the control device 9 that controls the medical diagnostic equipment 10 according to embodiment 2 prohibits the sensor 83 from detecting user operations, depending on the operating status of the medical diagnostic equipment 10, and causes the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in a display mode that prevents the user from operating the operation buttons, or causes the spatial display device 80 to hide the operation panel image 8. This prevents the user from accidentally performing operations that are prohibited depending on the operating status of the medical diagnostic equipment 10.

Predetermined spaces are provided at multiple positions on the medical diagnostic equipment 10, and the control device 9 may change the position of the operation panel image 8 displayed by the spatial display device 80 depending on the operating status of the medical diagnostic equipment 10. This allows the operation buttons required for user operation to be displayed in appropriate positions depending on the operating status of the medical diagnostic equipment 10.

The device may further include an imaging device 90 that detects the user's line of sight, and when the imaging device 90 determines that the user's line of sight is directed toward a predetermined space, the control device 9 may use the spatial display device 80 to display the operation panel image 8 in the predetermined space. This allows the operation panel image 8 to be displayed in the user's line of sight.

Note that, in the medical diagnostic equipment 10 according to embodiment 2, an example has been described in which the display is switched from the operation panel image 8 of the tray table 3 to the operation panel image 8 of the backrest 1b, but this is not limiting. The control device 9 may always display the operation panel image 8 of the tray table 3, and switch to display the operation panel images 8 of other devices as needed. Of course, the medical diagnostic equipment 10 may also be configured so that the spatial display devices 80 provided in each device always display the operation panel image 8.

(Modification)
In the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which the operation panel image 8 is displayed by the spatial display device 80 in the medical treatment device 10 including the treatment chair 1, the tray table 3, and the lighting device 7 has been described. However, the medical treatment device 10 may be provided with a display device such as the monitor 6, 50. A spatial display device may be applied to this display device. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the display of the monitor. FIG. 11(a) illustrates the monitor 6 provided on the tray table 3. The configuration of the spatial display device may be applied to this monitor 6, thereby displaying the display image 8a in a space in front of the original display position of the monitor 6. FIG. 11(b) illustrates the monitor 50 provided on the basin unit 2. The configuration of the spatial display device may be applied to this monitor 50, thereby displaying the display image 8b in a space in front of the original display position of the monitor 50.

In addition, while the above-described embodiment describes a medical diagnostic device 10 including a treatment chair 1, tray table 3, basin unit 2, lighting device 7, etc., the medical diagnostic device 10 is not limited to this. For example, the configuration of a spatial display device may be applied to the operation panel of a medical diagnostic device such as an X-ray CT scanner or a laser treatment device. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the display of an operation panel image of another medical diagnostic device. The medical diagnostic device shown in Figure 12 is an X-ray CT scanner 200. In the X-ray CT scanner 200, the configuration of a spatial display device is applied to the operation unit, and an operation panel image 8c is displayed in the space in front of the original display position. Furthermore, Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the display of an operation panel image of yet another medical diagnostic device. The medical diagnostic device shown in Figure 13 is a laser treatment device 300. In the laser treatment device 300, the configuration of a spatial display device is applied to the operation unit, and an operation panel image 8d is displayed in the space in front of the original display position.

In the above-described embodiment, a spatial display device 80 that uses a mirror array imaging element to display an operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space was described, and the spatial display device 80 was described as including a display unit 81 and an imaging plate 82. However, this is not limited to this, and the spatial display device 80 may be a display device of other types as long as it is a three-dimensional display device that displays the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space. Other types include, for example, a method of displaying the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space using a lens array with many microlenses arranged in an array, a method of displaying the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space using parallax images, a method of displaying the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space using light reproduction such as integral photography, and a method of displaying the operation panel image 8 in a predetermined space by arranging light points three-dimensionally through scanning.

The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications that are equivalent in meaning to and within the scope of the claims.

1 Treatment chair, 2 Basin unit, 3 Tray table, 4 Medical instrument, 5 Foot controller, 9 Control device, 10 Medical treatment equipment, 11 Seat drive unit, 12 Operation unit, 13 Panel control unit, 14 Medical instrument drive unit, 15 Monitor control unit, 16 Basin control unit, 17 Lighting control unit, 18 Hold release identification unit, 19 Warning sound output unit, 20 Speaker, 30 Instrument holder.

Claims (9)

A dental treatment device,
A treatment chair that allows patients to sit and lie on their backs when receiving treatment from the surgeon,
a monitor that displays a predetermined image and is mounted in a position that can be seen from the surrounding area ;
Tray table and
A spatial display device including a display unit that displays an image including at least an operation button for operating the intraoral camera, and an image forming plate that forms an image of the image displayed on the display unit in a predetermined space on the tray table;
a detection unit that detects a user's operation on the predetermined space where the image is displayed;
a control unit that displays an image of the oral cavity captured by the intraoral camera on the monitor as the predetermined image when the detection unit detects that the operation button on the image formed in the predetermined space has been operated,
The spatial display device is a dental treatment device that forms the image in the specified space located on the top surface of the tray table and at a position on the end side where the surgeon is located, while the surgeon is standing above the top surface of the tray table as seen from his/her position . Further provided with a foot controller,
The dental diagnostic equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the spatial display device to display the image in the predetermined space when the foot controller is operated. The dental diagnostic equipment described in claim 2, wherein the control unit changes the display mode when the foot controller is operated and when it is not, and causes the spatial display device to display the image. The dental diagnostic device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein when the foot controller is operated but the user does not operate the operation button within a predetermined time, the control unit prohibits the detection unit from detecting the user's operation and causes the spatial display device to display the image in a display mode that prevents the user from operating the operation button, or causes the spatial display device to hide the image. The dental treatment device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the control unit prohibits the detection unit from detecting user operation, and causes the spatial display device to display the image in a display mode that prevents the user from operating the operation button, or causes the spatial display device to hide the image, depending on the operating status of the dental treatment device. The predetermined spaces are provided at a plurality of positions on the dental treatment equipment,
The control unit changes the position of the image of the operation button displayed by the spatial display device depending on the operating status of the dental treatment device. Dental treatment device according to any one of claims 2 to 5. A dental diagnostic device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display unit and the imaging plate are provided on the end side of the interior of the tray table. the display unit is provided facing the bottom surface of the tray table,
The dental diagnostic equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the imaging plate is positioned at a position rotated by a predetermined angle relative to the display unit so that the image can be formed in the predetermined space. The dental diagnostic equipment described in claim 8, wherein the imaging plate abuts against the display unit and is positioned at a position rotated by the predetermined angle around the abutting edge as an axis.