IP Library Granted Patent US 8,641,981
Granted Patent B2
US 8,641,981 · App. 13/257,730 · Granted Feb 4, 2014

Device for the disinfection, sterilization and/or maintenance of medical in particular dental, instruments

Inventors: Hans Heckenberger (Assmannshardt, DE); Hans-Dieter Wiek (Hochdorf, DE); Herbert Lott (Bad Wurzach-Arnach, DE); Frank Saur (Ulm, DE); Johann Stempfle (Pfaffenhofen, DE)
Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voigt GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,641,981
App. No.
13/257,730
Granted
Feb 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device for the disinfection, sterilization and/or maintenance of medical, in particular dental instruments. The device is optimized in various areas, facilitating the fully automatic, reliable and reproducible preparation of dental instruments.

Claims (6)

1. A method for identifying the occupancy of instrument holders in a device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining medical instruments, wherein the device has a rinsing chamber and holders situated in the rinsing chamber for holding the instruments, each holder having a coupling valve or being coupled to a valve, the method comprising:

generating a positive pressure in the rinsing chamber for identifying the occupancy of the holders by instruments,

opening the valve of a holder,

measuring a drop in pressure in the rinsing chamber over a predetermined period of time, and

determining the occupancy of the holder by an instrument on the basis of the measured pressure drop in the chamber.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising establishing the occupancy of every single holder by an instrument in succession.

Assignments (2)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: KALTENBACH & VOIGT GMBH
To: KAVO DENTAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 057434/0793 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2011
From: HECKENBERGER, HANS; WIEK, HANS-DIETER; LOTT, HERBERT; SAUR, FRANK; STEMPFLE, JOHANN
To: KALTENBACH & VOIGT GMBH
Reel/Frame 027219/0817 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2009 014 065 · Mar 20, 2009 · national
DE 10 2010 002 030 · Feb 17, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120058007A1 · Mar 8, 2012