All The Claims

1. An artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument for determining the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition, the instrument comprising:
dentition data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to said dentition;
jaw bone data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition;
combining means for combining the three-dimensional data relating to dentition acquired by said dentition data acquisition means and the three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone acquired by said jaw bone data acquisition means;
artificial tooth data creating means for creating artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the combined data for dentition and jaw bone created by said combining means;
candidate receiving means for receiving a plurality of candidates for the implantation position of said artificial tooth root on the basis of combined data to which artificial tooth data created by said artificial tooth data creating means is added; and
determining means for determining one implantation position from the candidates received by said candidate receiving means.
2. The artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to claim 1, wherein the instrument comprises mechanical evaluation factor calculating means for calculating the mechanical evaluation factors generated in the respective vicinities by a preset occlusion force for the implantation positions respectively indicated by each of the candidates received by said candidate receiving means, and said determining means are constructed so that the implantation position in which the mechanical evaluation factor calculated by said mechanical evaluation factor calculating means shows a minimum value is determined.
3. The artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to claim 2, wherein said three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone includes hardness information for said jaw bone, and said mechanical evaluation factor calculating means are constructed so that said mechanical evaluation factors are calculated on the basis of said hardness information.
4. An artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument for determining the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition, the instrument comprising:
dentition data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to said dentition;
jaw bone data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition;
combining means for combining the three-dimensional data relating to dentition acquired by said dentition data acquisition means and the three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone acquired by said jaw bone data acquisition means;
artificial tooth data creating means for creating artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the combined data for dentition and jaw bone created by said combining means;
occlusion information creating means for creating occlusion information in the artificial tooth indicated by the artificial tooth data created by said artificial tooth data creating means on the basis of said combined data; and
calculating means for calculating the implantation position of the artificial tooth root that supports said artificial tooth on the basis of the occlusion information created by said occlusion information creating means.
5. An artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument for determining the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition, the instrument comprising:
dentition data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to said dentition;
jaw bone data acquisition means for acquiring three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition;
mastication information acquisition means for acquiring mastication information in said dentition;
combining means for combining the three-dimensional data relating to dentition acquired by said dentition data acquisition means and the three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone acquired by said jaw bone data acquisition means;
artificial tooth data creating means for creating artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the combined data for dentition and jaw bone created by said combining means;
occlusion information creating means for creating occlusion information in the artificial tooth indicated by the artificial tooth data created by said artificial tooth data creating means on the basis of said combined data and the mastication information acquired by said mastication information acquisition means; and
calculating means for calculating the implantation position of the artificial tooth root that supports said artificial tooth on the basis of the occlusion information created by said occlusion information creating means.
6. The artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the instrument comprises:
candidate receiving means for receiving a plurality of candidates for the implantation position of said artificial tooth root on the basis of combined data to which the artificial tooth data created by said artificial tooth data creating means is added; and
mechanical evaluation factor calculating means for calculating the mechanical evaluation factors generated in the respective vicinities by an occlusion force indicated by occlusion information created by said occlusion information creating means for the implantation positions respectively indicated by each of the candidates received by said candidate receiving means;
and said calculating means are constructed so that the implantation position in which the mechanical evaluation factor calculated by said mechanical evaluation factor calculating means shows a minimum value is determined.
7. The artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to any one of claims 1 through 6, wherein said artificial tooth data creating means are constructed so as to create said artificial tooth data on the basis of the remaining teeth in the dentition indicated by said combined data.
8. The artificial tooth root implantation position
determining instrument according to claim 7, wherein said artificial tooth data creating means are constructed so that in cases where there are no remaining teeth in the dentition indicated by said combined data, said artificial tooth data is created on the basis of artificial teeth in use.
9. An artificial tooth root implantation position determining method for determining the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition using a calculating device comprising a receiving part that receives data from the outside, a storage part and a calculating part, wherein
three-dimensional data relating to said dentition and three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition are received by the receiving part;
said received three-dimensional data relating to the dentition and three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone are stored in the storage part;
said stored three-dimensional data relating to the dentition and three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone are combined by said calculating part;
artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the created dentition and jaw bone combined data is created by the calculating part;
occlusion information in the artificial tooth indicated by the created artificial tooth data is created by the calculating part on the basis of said combined data; and
the implantation position of the artificial tooth root that supports said artificial tooth is calculated by said calculating part on the basis of the created occlusion information.
10. A guide member manufacturing device which manufactures a guide member having a guide hole that communicates with the artificial tooth root cavity in which an artificial tooth root supporting an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition is implanted, the drive comprising:
forming means for forming a member that covers the artificial tooth indicated by said artificial tooth data, and the vicinity of said artificial tooth, on the basis of combined data to which artificial tooth data created by the artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to any one of claims 1 through 8 is added; and
hole boring means for boring said guide hole that communicates with the implantation position determined by said artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument in the member formed by said forming means.
11. A sensor which is mounted in a hole boring device that bores an artificial tooth root cavity in which an artificial tooth root is implanted, and which detects the hole boring direction of said hole boring device, the sensor comprising:
detection means for detecting the hole boring direction of said hole boring device;
judgment means for judging whether or not the hole boring direction detected by said detection means is the boring direction of the guide hole possessed by the guide member manufactured by the guide member manufacturing device according to claim 10; and
notification means for making notification that the boring direction of said boring device is erroneous in cases where it is judged by said judgment means that the boring direction is not the boring direction of said guide hole.
12. A drill mounted in a boring device, comprising marks spaced at a distance from the tip end portion based on the implantation position determined by the artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to any one of claims 1 through 8.
13. An artificial tooth manufacturing device for manufacturing an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition, the device comprising planing means for planing an artificial tooth which has an occlusion face indicated by occlusion information and a shape indicated by artificial tooth data on the basis of the artificial tooth data and occlusion information created by the artificial tooth root implantation position determining instrument according to any one of claims 4 through 8.
14. A computer program for causing a computer to determine the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition, wherein the computer program executes:
a routine that causes the computer to combine acquired three-dimensional data relating to dentition and three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition;
a routine that causes the computer to create artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the created combined data relating to the dentition and jaw bone;
a routine that causes the computer to create occlusion information in the artificial tooth indicated by the created artificial tooth data on the basis of said combined data; and
a routine that causes the computer to calculate the implantation position of the artificial tooth root that supports said artificial tooth on the basis of the created occlusion information.
15. A computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program that is used to cause a computer to determine the implantation position of an artificial tooth root which supports an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of dentition is recorded, wherein the recording medium records a computer program that executes:
a routine that causes the computer to combine acquired three-dimensional data relating to dentition and three-dimensional data relating to the jaw bone connected to said dentition;
a routine that causes the computer to create artificial tooth data indicating an artificial tooth that supplements the lost portion of said dentition indicated by the created combined data relating to the dentition and jaw bone;
a routine that causes the computer to create occlusion information in the artificial tooth indicated by the created artificial tooth data on the basis of said combined data; and
a routine that causes the computer to calculate the implantation position of the artificial tooth root that supports said artificial tooth on the basis of the created occlusion information.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An illumination module, comprising:
a first LED for generating a first beam in a first color;
a second LED for generating a second beam in a second color;
a third LED for generating a third beam in a third color; and
a control circuit, electrically connected to the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED, for periodically switching among the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED to illuminate at a switching rate and in a switching sequence in order to mix the first beam, the second beam, and the third beam to visually produce a light in a particular color.
2. The illumination module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching rate is not slower than
1
120
of a second.
3. The illumination module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching sequence is:
(1) the first LED illuminating;
(2) the second LED illuminating;
(3) the third LED illuminating; and
(4) the first, the second, and the third LEDs illuminating simultaneously.
4. The illumination module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and the third color is blue.
5. The illumination module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the particular color is white.
6. The illumination module as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a fourth LED for generating a fourth beam in a fourth color, wherein the first beam, the second beam, the third beam, and the fourth beam are mixed to visually produce the light.
7. The illumination module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the fourth color is yellow.
8. The illumination module as claimed in claim 6, wherein the switching sequence is:
(1) the first LED illuminating;
(2) the second LED illuminating;
(3) the third LED illuminating;
(4) the fourth LED illuminating; and
(5) the first, the second, the third, and the fourth LEDs illuminating simultaneously.
9. The illumination module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the particular color is white.
10. The illumination module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light guidance element for guiding the light, wherein the light guidance element comprises a first side and the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED are placed on the first side.
11. The illumination module as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a diffraction element and a reflection element, the light guidance element further comprising a second side, wherein the diffraction element is placed on the second side and the reflection element is placed on another side, opposite to the light guidance element, of the diffraction element.
12. The illumination module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the light guidance element further comprises a second side with deformities.
13. The illumination module as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a prism array, wherein the light guidance element further comprises a third side and the prism array is placed on the third side.
14. An illumination system, comprising:
a plurality of illumination modules, each of the plurality of illumination modules comprising:
a first LED for generating a first beam in a first color;
a second LED for generating a second beam in a second color; and
a third LED for generating a third beam in a third color;
wherein the first beam, the second beam, and the third beam are mixed into a particular light visually; and
a control circuit, electrically connected to the plurality of illumination modules, for periodically switching among the plurality of illumination modules to illuminate at a switching rate and in a switching sequence.
15. The illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the switching rate is not slower than
1
120
of a second.
16. The illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first color is red, the second color is green, and the third color is blue.
17. The illumination system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the particular color is white.
18. The illumination system as claimed in claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of illumination modules further comprises a fourth LED for generating a fourth beam in a fourth color, and the first beam, the second beam, the third beam, and the fourth beam are mixed to visually produce the light.
19. The illumination system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the fourth color is yellow.
20. The illumination system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the particular color is white.
21. The illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the illumination modules further comprises a light guidance element for guiding the light, the light guidance element comprises a first side, and the first LED, the second LED, and the third LED are placed on the first side.
22. The illumination system as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the illumination modules further comprises a diffraction element and a reflection element, the light guidance element further comprises a second side, the diffraction element is placed on the second side, and the reflection element is placed on another side, opposite to the light guidance element, of the diffraction element.
23. The illumination system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the light guidance element further comprises a second side with deformities.
24. The illumination system as claimed in claim 21, wherein each of the illumination modules further comprises a prism array, the light guidance element further comprises a third side, and the prism array is placed on the third side.
25. The illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the illumination system is an LCD.
26. The illumination system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the illumination system is a projector.

1. A radial clearance measurement system, comprising:
one or more reference features disposed on a rotating component having an otherwise continuous surface geometry, wherein the rotating component is subject to a range of axial displacement along an axis about which the rotating component rotates;
a radial clearance sensor disposed on a housing held relatively stationary relative to the rotating component, wherein the radial clearance sensor is configured to generate a signal indicative of capacitance between the radial clearance sensor and the rotating component, the radial clearance sensor comprising:
a probe tip comprising an electrode, wherein the electrode comprises a length along the axis greater than the range of axial displacement of the rotating component, wherein an aspect ratio of an axial length of at least one of the one or more reference features on the rotating component to an axial length of the probe tip ranges from about 1:2 to about 1:8;

a processing unit configured to process the signal to estimate a clearance between the rotating component and the housing.
2. The radial clearance measurement system of claim 1, wherein the radial clearance sensor is configured to generate the signal while the rotating component moves relative to the housing.
3. The radial clearance measurement system of claim 1, further comprising:
an excitation source configured to supply excitation signals to the radial clearance sensor; and
a phase detector configured to detect a plurality of reflected signals and to perform a plurality of phase measurements to determine a phase between each of the reflected signals and the respective excitation signals.
4. The radial clearance measurement system of claim 1, wherein the one or more reference features comprise a first notch having a first depth and a second notch having a second depth different than the first depth.
5. The radial clearance measurement system of claim 1, further comprising a clearance control unit coupled to the processing unit for controlling the clearance between the rotating component and the housing based upon the clearance estimated by the processing unit.
6. The radial clearance measurement system of claim 1, wherein the electrode comprises a rectangular head, and wherein the width of the rectangular head is less than a corresponding width of the one or more reference features.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-36. (canceled)
37. A safety needle attachment for surrounding a needle having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
a hub;
a sleeve surrounding the hub and slidable relatively to hub in the axial direction;
wherein the sleeve has a radially elastically deformable portion, and the hub has a radially converging or diverging portion,
and wherein the sleeve is slidable in a first axial direction between a first position for fully or substantially fully surrounding the needle with the sleeve, and a second position for exposing the needle, wherein sliding between the first and second positions causes elastic radial deformation of the expandable portion engaging with the converging or diverging portion, and wherein the sleeve is further slidable in a second, opposite, axial direction between the second position and a third position for fully surrounding the needle by the sleeve, the force for sliding between the second and third positions being provided by the stored elastic energy in the radially deformable portion.
38. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the portion of the sleeve is elastically deformable radially outwardly, and the hub has a radially diverging portion.
39. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the third position of the sleeve is further towards the injection end of the needle than the first position.
40. An attachment as claimed in claim 39, wherein a latching arrangement engages when the sleeve reaches the third position to prevent subsequent movement of the sleeve in the first axial direction.
41. An attachment as claimed in claim 40, wherein the latching arrangement comprises a tab of the sleeve which engages with an end face of the hub.
42. An attachment as claimed in claim 39, further comprising a mechanism for initially limiting movement of the sleeve in the second axial direction when the sleeve is in the first position.
43. An attachment as claimed in claim 39, wherein mechanism releases after initial movement in the first axial direction, and thereafter permits the sleeve to move in the second axial direction to the third position.
44. An attachment as claimed in claim 42, wherein the mechanism comprises a radially extending pin of the sleeve which is held in a first position, and a pawl of the hub which is tripped by the pin upon initial movement of the sleeve in the first axial direction.
45. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein an intermediate position is provided between the first and second positions of the sleeve, in which the sleeve is retained in position.
46. An attachment as claimed in claim 45, wherein the injection end of the needle projects partially from the sleeve in the intermediate position.
47. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the third position of the sleeve is the same axially as the first position.
48. An attachment as claimed in claim 47, wherein movement of the sleeve in the first axial direction causes rotation of the sleeve about the longitudinal axis.
49. An attachment as claimed in claim 48, wherein an intermediate position is provided between the first and second positions of the sleeve, in which the sleeve is retained in position.
50. An attachment as claimed in claim 49, wherein the injection end of the needle projects partially from the sleeve in the intermediate position.
51. An attachment as claimed in claim 49, wherein the sleeve is held in the intermediate position by engagement of the expandable portion of the sleeve over a tab of the hub.
52. An attachment as claimed in claim 51, wherein the rotation of the sleeve about the longitudinal axis is such that the expandable portion does not engage the tab of the hub when the sleeve moves from the second to the third positions.
53. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the radially converging or diverging portion of the hub comprises at least one recess for engaging with the deformable portion of the sleeve in a starting position of the sleeve, and otherwise has a substantially smooth outer surface.
54. An attachment as claimed in claim 53, wherein the smooth outer surface is conical.
55. An attachment as claimed in claim 53, wherein the smooth outer surface is polygonal in cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
56. An attachment as claimed in claim 53, wherein the starting position of the sleeve causes the needle to project from the sleeve, and wherein the attachment further comprises a cap.
57. An attachment as claimed in claim 53, wherein the hub further comprises a head, and wherein the deformable portion engages under the head in the third position of the sleeve.
58. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the radially converging or diverging portion of the hub comprises at least one track running the length of the hub, and a branch to the track which defines a recess for engaging with the deformable portion of the sleeve in a starting position of the sleeve.
59. An attachment as claimed in claim 58, wherein the starting position of the sleeve causes the needle to project from the sleeve, and wherein the attachment further comprises a cap.
60. An attachment as claimed in claim 58, wherein the hub further comprises a head, and wherein the deformable portion leaves the track in the third position of the sleeve and engages under the head.
61. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the deformable portion of the sleeve comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced tines.
62. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the vessel for containing a medicament comprises a syringe.
63. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, further comprising a removable locking ring connected to the hub andor the sleeve for preventing movement of the sleeve relative to the hub.
64. An attachment as claimed in claim 63, wherein the removable locking ring is frangibly connected to the needle hub andor the sleeve.
65. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the sleeve is, prior to use, not under any substantial load.
66. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein an end of the hub is adapted for connection to a Luer connector.
67. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the radially converging or diverging portion comprises a frusto-conical surface.
68. An attachment as claimed in claim 37, wherein the elastic properties of the deformable portion of the sleeve are provided by a circumambient spring.
69. A safety needle assembly, comprising:
a needle having a longitudinal axis having one end for connection to an outlet of a vessel for containing a medicament; and
an attachment as claimed in any preceding claim disposed over the needle.
70. An injection device comprising:
a vessel for containing a medicament; and
an assembly as claimed in claim 69.
71. An injection device as claimed in claim 70, wherein the needle hub is integral with the vessel.
72. A syringe comprising an injection device as claimed in claim 70, wherein the vessel comprises a barrel and the syringe further comprises a piston in the barrel.
73. A safety needle assembly according to claim 69, wherein the vessel is prefilled and sealed to prevent evaporation or loss of medicament.