Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A dental operatory system comprising:
a generally L-shaped first dental operatory unit,
wherein the inside of the L defines an operatory work
space for a first dental operator, and wherein the
outside of one leg of the L provides an operatory work
space for a second dental operator, said L leg outside
comprising dental operatory implements for dental
operations, and means to mount said implements for
accessing into said second operatory work space for use
by said second dental operator, said unit further
comprising dental operatory means said dental operatory
means comprising an X-ray unit, and means to mount said
X-ray unit on said one leg of the L-shaped unit, and
means to permit alternative use of said X-ray unit by
said operators in the respective operatory work spaces,
and further comprising an X-ray operatory control unit,
and means to mount said X-ray operatory control unit on
the outside of the other leg of the L-shaped unit for use
by the operators, and whereby a generally L-shaped second
dental operatory unit, is spacedly positionable from and
in registration with and performing the dental operatory
functions as in said first unit with said one leg of said
second L-shaped unit being substantially parallel to one
leg of said first L-shaped unit, and the other leg of
said second L-shaped unit being aligned substantially
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along a common rectilinear axis and in tandem with the
other leg of said first L-shaped unit, so that L-shaped
units may be incrementally added in registration with one
another.
2. The dental operatory system of claim 1, wherein
said dental operatory means comprises a dental lamp.
3. The dental operatory system of claim 1, wherein
said dental operatory means comprises a sink and faucet.
4. The dental operatory system of claim 1, wherein
said generally L-shaped structure comprises a first
portion and a second portion joined together by a curved
portion for strengthening said structure.
5. The dental operatory of claim 4, wherein said
curved portion comprises a double steel wall so that said
curved portion provides strength to said L-shaped
structure.
6. The dental operatory of claim 5, wherein said
L-shaped structure is affixed to the floor of said room,
and spaced from the ceiling.
7. The dental operatory system of claim 1, further
comprising X-ray shielding means being mounted to said L-
shaped unit.
8. The dental operatory system of claim 1, said L-
shaped unit comprising doors, communicating from the X-
ray control space, said doors further comprising X-ray
shielding material.
9. The dental operatory system of claim 1, said L-
shaped unit comprising a dental assistant's tray, and
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means to swing said tray from a first position within
said unit to a second position into the operatory work
space.
10. The dental operatory system of claim 1, further
comprising a plurality of storage drawers, and means to
permit at least one drawer to open to said second
operatory area work space.
11. The dental operatory system of claim 1, said L-
shaped unit being formed as a curved L.
12. The dental operatory of claim 11, said curved
portion being formed with reinforcing walls disposed in
the inside and the outside, and said unit being floor
mounted but spaced from a ceiling.
13. The dental operatory system of claim 1, said
means to mount said elements comprising retractably
extensible means.
14. The dental operatory system of claim 13, said
elements comprising a tray.
15. The dental operatory system of claim 1, further
comprising said second L-shaped operatory unit in re-
gistration with the first unit, whereby two operatory
work spaces are provided, and wherein the second L-shaped
unit comprises operatory elements mounted on the outside
of the L to permit incremental expansion to a third unit.
16. A dental operatory system comprising:
a generally L-shaped first dental operatory unit, wherein
the inside of the L defines an operatory work space for a
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first dental operator, and wherein the outside of one leg
of the L provides an operatory work space for a second
dental operator, said first unit further comprising
dental operatory means, together with means to mount said
dental operatory means on said one leg of said first L-
shaped dental operatory unit, so as to permit alternative
use of said dental operatory means by said first and
second dental operators in their respective operatory
work spaces, said outside of said one leg comprising
means to provide dental operatory implements for use in
said second operatory work space; a generally L-shaped
second dental operatory unit, said second unit being in
registration with and spaced from said first unit, said
second unit performing substantially the same dental
operatory functions as in said first unit, with one leg
of said second L-shaped unit being substantially parallel
to said one leg of said first L-shaped unit, and the
other leg of said second L-shaped unit being aligned
substantially along a common rectilinear axis and in
tandem with the other leg of said first L-shaped unit, so
that L-shaped units may be incrementally added in
registration with one another, and said second L-shaped
operatory unit being substantially identical to and in
registration with said first unit so as to provide said
two operatory work spaces, whereby the second L-shaped
unit permits incremental expansion to a third L-shaped
unit substantially identical to, and in registration
with, said first and second units.
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17 The dental operatory system of claim 16 in
which a dental operatory element is mounted in the first
L-shaped dental operatory unit, at the junction of the
one leg and the other leg of the first unit, so as to
permit alternative use of said dental operatory element
by the first and second dental operators in their
respective operatory work spaces.
18. The dental operatory system or claim 17 in
which the dental operatory element is a sink-and-faucet
combination.
19. A dental operatory system comprising:
a generally L-shaped first dental operatory unit, wherein
the inside of the L defines an operatory work space for a
first dental operator, and wherein the outside of one leg
of the L provides an operatory work space for a second
dental operator, said first unit further comprising
dental operatory means, together with means to mount said
dental operatory means on said one leg of said first L-
shaped dental operatory unit, so as to permit alternative
use of said dental operatory means by said first and
second dental operators in their respective operatory
work spaces, said outside of said one leg comprising
means to provide dental operatory implements for use in
said second operatory work space; a generally L-shaped
second dental operatory unit, said second unit being in
registration with and spaced from said first unit, said
second unit performing substantially the same dental
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operatory functions as in said first unit, with one leg
of said second L shaped unit being substantially parallel
to said one leg of said first L-shaped unit, and the
other leg of said second L-shaped unit being aligned
substantially along a common rectilinear axis and in
tandem with the other leg of said first L-shaped unit, so
that L-shaped units may be incrementally added in
registration with one another, and said second L-shaped
operatory unit being substantially identical to and in
registration with said first unit so as to provide said
two operatory work spaces, whereby the second L-shaped
unit permits incremental expansion to a third L-shaped
unit substantially identical to, and in registration
with, said first and second units, each of said first and
second operatory world spaces being adapted to receive a
respective dental chair, each of said dental chairs being
capable of being aligned substantially parallel to and
spaced from the one leg of its respective L-shaped dental
operatory unit, with the operative end of said dental
chair being juxtaposed and disposed adjacent the junction
of the one leg and the other leg of the respective L-
shaped dental operatory unit.
20. The dental operatory system of claim 19 in
which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
attached dental operatory lamp.
21. The dental operatory system of claim 19 in
which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
attached X-ray unit.
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22. The dental operatory system of claim 19 in
which a dental operatory element is mounted in the first
L-shaped dental operatory unit, at the junction of the
one leg and the other leg of the first unit, said
junction of said legs being continuous above and below
said dental operatory element, but discontinuous at said
dental operatory element, so that said element is
accessible from both said first and second operatory work
spaces, so as to permit alternative use of said dental
operatory element by the first and second dental
operators in their respective operatory work spaces.
23. The dental operatory system of claim 22 in
which the dental operatory element is a sink-and-faucet
combination.
24. The dental operatory system of claim 19 in
which retractably extensible means comprising a dental
operatory tool is mounted to a partition below a
rectangular recess.
25. A dental operatory system comprising:
a generally L-shaped unitary modular first dental
operatory unit, wherein the inside of the L defines an
operatory work space for a first dental operator, and
wherein the outside of one leg of the L provides an
operatory work space for a second dental operator, said
first unit further comprising dental operator means
together with means to mount said dental operatory means
on said one leg of said first L-shaped dental operatory
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unit, so as to permit common and dual accessibility and
alternative use of said dental operatory means by said
first and second dental operators in their respective
operatory work spaces, said operatory work spaces being
oriented in areas disposed on opposite sides of said one
leg of said first L-shaped dental operatory unit, the
inside of the other leg of said first L-shaped dental
operatory unit comprising means to provide dental
operatory implements for use in said first operatory work
space, said outside of said one leg comprising means to
provide dental operatory implements for use in said
second operatory work space; a generally L-shaped unitary
modular second dental operatory unit, said second unit
being in registration with and spaced from said first
unit, said second unit performing substantially the same
dental operatory functions as in said first unit, with
one leg of said second L-shaped unit being substantially
parallel to said one leg of said first L-shaped unit, and
the other leg of said second L-shaped unit being aligned
substantially along a common rectilinear axis and in
tandem with the other leg of said first L-shaped unit, so
that L-shaped units may be incrementally added in
registration with one another, and said second L-shaped
operatory unit being substantially identical to and in
registration with said first unit so as to provide said
two operatory work spaces, whereby the second L-shaped
unit permits incremental expansion to a third L-shaped
unitary modular unit substantially identical to, and in
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registration with, said first and second units, each of
said first and second operatory work spaces being adapted
to receive a respective dental chair, each of said dental
chairs being capable of being aligned substantially
parallel to and spaced from the one leg of its respective
L-shaped dental operatory unit, with the operative end of
said dental chair being juxtaposed and disposed adjacent
the junction of the one leg and other leg of the
respective L-shaped dental operatory unit, retractably
extensible means including a dental operatory tool
mounted to a partition below a rectangular recess, a
dental operatory element comprising a sink-and-faucet
combination being mounted in the first L-shaped dental
operatory unit, at the junction of the one leg and the
other leg of the first unit, said junction of said legs
being continuous above and below said dental operatory
element, but discontinuous at said dental operatory
element, so that said element is accessible from both
said first and second operatory work spaces, so as to
permit alternative use of said dental operatory element
by the first and second dental operators in their
respective operatory work spaces.
26. The dental operatory system of claim 25 in
which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
attached dental operatory lamp.
27. The dental operatory system of claim 25 in
which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
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attached X-ray unit.
28. The dental operatory system of claim 25 in
which the means to mount the dental operatory means on
the one leg of the first L-shaped dental operatory unit,
so as to permit common and dual accessibility and
alternative use of the dental operatory means by the
first and second dental operators in their respective
operatory work spaces oriented in areas disposed on
opposite sides of the one leg of the first L-shaped
dental operatory unit, comprises a pass through cabinet.
29. The dental operatory system of claim 28 in
which shielding material against X-rays is disposed about
the pass through cabinet, and on the outside of the legs
of the first L-shaped dental operatory unit.
30. A dental operatory system comprising:
a generally L-shaped unitary modular dental operatory
unit, wherein the inside of the L defines an operatory
work space for a first dental operator, and wherein the
outside of one leg of the L provides an operatory work
space for a second dental operator; said unit further
comprising dental operatory means, together with means to
mount said dental operatory means on said one leg of said
L-shaped dental operatory unit, so as to permit common
and dual accessibility and alternative use of said dental
operatory means by said first and second dental operators
in their respective operatory work spaces, said operatory
work spaces being oriented in areas disposed on opposite
sides of said one leg of said L-shaped dental operatory
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unit, the inside of the other leg of said L-shaped dental
operatory unit comprising means to provide dental
operatory implements for use in said first operatory
work space, said outside of said one leg comprising means
to provide dental operatory implements for use in said
second operatory work space; said first operatory work
space being adapted to receive a respective dental chair,
said dental chair being capable of being aligned
substantially parallel to and spaced from the one leg of
its respective L-shaped dental operatory unit, with the
operative end of said dental chair being juxtaposed and
disposed adjacent the junction of the one leg and other
leg of the respective L-shaped dental operatory unit,
retractably extensible means including a dental operatory
tool mounted to a partition below a rectangular recess, a
dental operatory element comprising a sink-and-faucet
combination being mounted in the L-shaped dental
operatory unit, at the junction of the one leg and the
other leg of the first unit, said junction of said legs
being continuous above and below said dental operatory
element, but discontinuous at said dental operatory
element, so that said element is accessible from both
said first and second operatory work spaces, so as to
permit alternative use of said dental operatory element
by the first and second dental operators in their
respective operatory work spaces.
31. The dental operatory system of claim 30 in
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which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
attached dental operatory lamp.
32. The dental operatory system of claim 30 in
which the dental operatory means comprises a pivotally
attached X-ray unit.
33. The dental operatory system of claim 30
together with a generally L-shaped unitary modular second
dental operatory unit, said second unit being in
registration with and spaced from the first unit, said
second unit performing substantially the same dental
operatory functions as in the first unit, with one leg of
said second L-shaped unit being substantially parallel to
said one leg of the first L-shaped unit, and the other
leg of said second L-shaped unit being aligned
substantially along a common rectilinear axis and in
tandem with the other leg of the first L-shaped unit, so
that L-shaped units may be incrementally added in
registration with one another, and said second L-shaped
operatory unit being substantially identical to and in
registration with the first unit so as to provide said
two operatory work spaces, whereby the second L-shaped
unit permits incremental expansion to a third L-shaped
unitary modular unit substantially identical to, and in
registration with, said first and second units, each of
the first and second operatory work spaces being adapted
to receive a respective dental chair, each of said dental
chairs being capable of being aligned substantially
parallel to and spaced from the one leg of its respective
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L-shaped dental operatory unit, with the operative end of
each dental chair being juxtaposed and disposed adjacent
the junction of the one leg and the other leg of the
respective L-shaped dental operatory unit.
34. The dental operatory system of claim 30 in
which the means to mount the dental operatory means on
the one leg of the first L-shaped dental operatory unit,
so as to permit common and dual accessibility and
alternative use of the dental operatory means by the
first and second dental operators in their respective
operatory work spaces oriented in areas disposed on
opposite sides of the one leg of the first L-shaped
dental operatory unit, comprises a pass through cabinet.
35. The dental operatory system of claim 34 in
which shielding material against X-rays is disposed about
the pass through cabinet, and on the outside of the legs
of the first L-shaped dental operatory unit.
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