Abrasion testing machine for invisible tooth appliance

Abstract

The invention provides an abrasion testing machine for an invisible tooth appliance. The abrasion testing machine comprises an objective table, a spraying body and a lifting table, the objective table is provided with an accommodating space for accommodating a tooth model; the spraying body is arranged on the objective table; the lifting platform is provided with an appliance corresponding to the position of the tooth model; the spraying body sprays artificial saliva to the tooth model to wet the surface of the tooth model, and then the distance between the objective table and the lifting table is changed to enable the appliance to be worn on the tooth model or enable the appliance to be separated from the tooth model. According to the invention, the oral temperature, humidity and mechanical environment are completely simulated in the test process, so that the wear testing machine can accelerate the simulation of the wear characteristics of the appliance and accessories on teeth in the oral environment of a patient in the long-term wearing and taking-off process, and a long-time in-vivo experiment is avoided; precise simulation of wearing and taking-off force and abrasion loss of the invisible appliance and accessories is achieved, and the problem that existing testing equipment is insufficient in environment simulation precision and dynamic testing capacity is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of oral medical devices, and particularly to a wear testing machine for invisible dental aligners. Background Art

[0002] Orthodontics focuses on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of malocclusions. The bracketless invisible orthodontic technology has become the mainstream trend due to its personalized design and digital advantages. This technology moves teeth in stages through 3D-printed aligners, but relies on the mechanical transmission of tooth surface attachments. Wear is inevitable at the contact interface between the invisible aligner and the attachment, and the accurate measurement of its wear amount is the key bottleneck of current technology. The invisible orthodontic treatment cycle lasts for 2 - 3 years, and continuous friction between the attachment and the aligner leads to cumulative wear. Since the aligner is replaced every two weeks, wear differences cause the actual orthodontic force to gradually deviate from the design target, affecting the accuracy of tooth movement. Existing research mainly evaluates the wear resistance of attachments through clinical trials, but the cycle is long (2 weeks - 6 months), and it cannot reveal the dynamic relationship between the wear mechanism and the orthodontic force. Although existing in vitro tests can accelerate the wear process, it is difficult for the test instruments to simulate the complex oral environment.

[0003] Currently, there is a lack of a dedicated testing system. Existing equipment such as the invisible aligner dislodging force tester can only perform static measurements, unable to achieve continuous picking and wearing actions or simulate the humid and hot oral conditions, which greatly limits the in-depth study of the attachment wear mechanism and the optimization and upgrading of orthodontic technology.

[0004] Therefore, the development of a testing machine that can simulate the real oral environment has become an urgent need. It can integrate functions of continuous motion control, mechanical loading, and temperature and humidity simulation to accelerate the wear research of invisible aligners and attachments, and improve the reliability and popularity of invisible orthodontic technology.

[0005] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background art section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention and does not constitute any limitation to the present invention. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention provides a wear testing machine for invisible dental aligners. During the test process, the position of the translation stage is roughly adjusted, then precisely positioned by the micro-motion mechanism, the angle is adjusted by the universal stage, and finally the lifting stage controls the aligner to complete the wearing action, fully simulating the oral temperature, humidity, and mechanical environment, enabling the wear testing machine to accurately evaluate the wear characteristics of invisible aligners and attachments during long-term use, so as to solve the problems of insufficient environmental simulation accuracy and dynamic testing ability of existing testing equipment.

[0007] The present invention provides a wear testing machine for dental invisible aligners, which includes a loading platform, a spraying body, and a lifting platform; the loading platform has an accommodation space for installing a dental model; the spraying body is installed on the loading platform, and the spraying body has flow ports located on both the inner and outer sides of the accommodation space of the loading platform; the lifting platform is equipped with an aligner, the aligner faces the dental model in the loading platform, and corresponds to the position of the dental model; wherein, the spraying body sprays artificial saliva onto the dental model inside the accommodation space of the loading platform to moisten the surface of the dental model, and then by changing the distance between the loading platform and the lifting platform, the aligner is worn on the dental model or the aligner is separated from the dental model.

[0008] In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a breadboard base, and the breadboard base has an array of mounting holes for positioning and assembling the loading platform and the lifting platform.

[0009] In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a translation stage, the translation stage is installed between the breadboard base and the loading platform, and the translation stage has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface for adjusting the planar position of the loading platform.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a universal stage, the universal stage is installed between the translation stage and the loading platform, and the universal stage realizes angular displacement through its spherical joint for adjusting the angular position of the loading platform.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a micro-motion mechanism, the micro-motion mechanism is installed between the universal stage and the loading platform, the micro-motion mechanism has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface, and the accuracy of the degree of freedom of movement of the micro-motion mechanism is higher than that of the translation stage for secondary adjustment of the planar position of the loading platform.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a water circulation module, the water supply pipe of the water circulation module is connected to the flow port of the spraying body located outside the accommodation space of the loading platform, and the water return pipe of the water circulation module is connected to the water collection port at the bottom of the accommodation space of the loading platform.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the housing of the accommodation space of the loading platform is provided with a plurality of mounting grooves for the spraying body, and the plurality of mounting grooves have different height positions.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present invention, the spraying body includes a flow channel pipeline and a positioning structure, and a plurality of flow ports for receiving and spraying artificial saliva are opened on the flow channel pipeline; the positioning structure is arranged on the flow channel pipeline and is used for assembling into the mounting groove to fix the position of the spraying body in the accommodation space of the loading platform.

[0015] In an embodiment of the present invention, the flow channel pipeline is an arc structure, the flow port for receiving artificial saliva on the flow channel pipeline is located outside its arc contour, and the plurality of flow ports for spraying artificial saliva are located inside its arc contour.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the lifting table includes a lifting mechanism, a positioning tabletop, and a mounting tabletop. The positioning tabletop is installed on the lifting mechanism and moves up and down with the lifting mechanism. The mounting tabletop is connected to the positioning tabletop through an elastic member, and an orthodontic appliance is installed on the side facing the loading table.

[0017] Advantages of the present invention: During the test process, the position is roughly adjusted by the translation stage first, then precisely positioned by the micro-motion mechanism, the angle is adjusted by the universal stage, and finally the lifting table controls the orthodontic appliance to complete the wearing action. The contact force is monitored in real time throughout the process, and the motion trajectory is automatically optimized. It realizes a complete simulation of the oral temperature, humidity, and mechanical environment, can improve the positioning accuracy to the level required clinically, and also supports the test requirements for dental arches of all age groups through modular design. The wear testing machine can accurately evaluate the wear characteristics of invisible orthodontic appliances and accessories during long-term use, providing a reliable experimental platform for the research and development of orthodontic materials, especially orthodontic appliances, and the optimization of clinical treatment plans.

[0018] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are only exemplary and explanatory, and cannot limit the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The drawings herein are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification, showing embodiments consistent with the present invention, and are used together with the specification to explain the principles of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative efforts. In the drawings:

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the tooth invisible orthodontic appliance wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a tooth model installed inside the loading table of the wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an orthodontic appliance installed on the lifting table of the wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the translation stage of the wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the universal stage of the wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the micro-motion mechanism of the wear testing machine of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7This is a schematic structural diagram of the load platform of the wear testing machine in the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the lifting platform of the wear testing machine in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of the spraying body of the wear testing machine in the present invention.

[0029] In the figure: 10, load platform; 101, water collecting port; 102, installation groove; 20, spraying body; 201, flow port; 21, flow channel pipeline; 22, positioning structure; 30, lifting platform; 31, lifting mechanism; 32, positioning table surface; 33, installation table surface; 34, elastic member; 40, breadboard base; 50, translation platform; 51, displacement platform frame; 60, universal platform; 61, spherical joint; 70, micro-motion mechanism; 71, lead screw assembly; 80, water circulation module; 81, water supply pipe; 82, water return pipe. Specific embodiments

[0030] The following uses specific specific examples to illustrate the implementation manners of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation manners. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. It should also be understood that the terms used in the embodiments of the present invention are for describing specific specific implementation manners, rather than for limiting the protection scope of the present invention.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 1 to 9 . It should be noted that the structures, ratios, sizes, etc. shown in the drawings of this specification are only used to cooperate with the content disclosed in the specification for those skilled in this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the limiting conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they do not have technical substantive meanings. Any modification of the structure, change of the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size, without affecting the effects that the present invention can produce and the purposes that can be achieved, should still fall within the scope covered by the technical content disclosed in the present invention. At the same time, the terms used in this specification for the positions, quantity relationships, etc. are also only for the convenience of clear narration, rather than for limiting the scope under which the present invention can be implemented. The change or adjustment of their relative relationships, without substantial change in the technical content, should also be regarded as the scope within which the present invention can be implemented.

[0032] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3, the present invention provides a wear testing machine for invisible dental aligners, which includes a loading platform 10, a spraying body 20, and a lifting platform 30; the loading platform 10 has an accommodation space for installing a dental model; the spraying body 20 is installed on the loading platform 10, and the spraying body 20 has flow ports 201 located on both the inner and outer sides of the accommodation space of the loading platform 10; a dental aligner is installed on the lifting platform 30, and the dental aligner faces the dental model in the loading platform 10 and corresponds to the position of the dental model; wherein, the spraying body 20 sprays artificial saliva on the dental model inside the accommodation space of the loading platform 10 to moisten the surface of the dental model, and then by changing the distance between the loading platform 10 and the lifting platform 30, the dental aligner is worn on the dental model or the dental aligner is separated from the dental model.

[0033] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the wear testing machine for invisible dental aligners mainly consists of a loading platform 10, a spraying body 20, and a lifting platform 30, and can simulate the oral environment and the wearing process of the dental aligner through the synergistic effect among its structures. The accommodation space of the loading platform 10 is used to fix the dental model, and accessories can be pasted on the surface to restore the real stress environment; the spraying body 20 sprays artificial saliva on the dental model through the inner and outer flow ports 201 to simulate the moist conditions in the oral cavity; the lifting platform 30 carries the dental aligner and realizes vertical movement through mechanical drive, accurately controlling the contact and separation between the dental aligner and the dental model. The working process of the testing machine can be divided into three stages: wetting, wearing, and removing. First, artificial saliva is sprayed to simulate the saliva environment, then the lifting platform 30 descends to make the dental aligner fit over the dental model to simulate the wearing process, and finally the lifting platform 30 ascends to realize the detachment of the dental aligner to simulate the removal action. This cycle can be repeated at a high frequency to accelerate the wear research.

[0034] In this way, by simulating the hot and humid oral environment and continuous wearing and removing actions, the authenticity of the wear test is significantly improved. Its high-frequency cycling function can simulate the wear caused by long-term wearing in a short time, effectively shortening the research cycle. At the same time, the testing machine can be equipped with corresponding force sensors to monitor the change of the contact force between the dental aligner and the dental model in real time, quantify the influence of accessory wear on the orthodontic accuracy, and provide data support for optimizing the material selection and structural design of the dental aligner. To make up for the blank that the existing test process cannot simultaneously meet environmental simulation and dynamic testing, it provides an important experimental platform for improving the reliability of invisible orthodontic technology and clinical application improvement.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 , in one embodiment, it further includes a breadboard base 40, and the breadboard base 40 has an array of mounting holes for positioning and assembling the loading platform 10 and the lifting platform 30.

[0036] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, during the use of the testing machine, the breadboard base 40 can be adopted as the core support structure. The surface of the breadboard base 40 is provided with standardized mounting holes distributed in an array. Through modular design, the rapid positioning and assembly of the stage 10 and the lifting stage 30 can be realized. This structural design can not only accurately adjust the relative positions of the stage 10 and the lifting stage 30 to ensure that the orthodontic appliance and the tooth model always maintain the best corresponding relationship, but also realize the plug-and-play of each component through standard interfaces. During the test process, the operator can disassemble the lifting stage 30 or the stage 10 at any time according to needs, quickly releasing the limited operating space between the two, which provides great convenience for the replacement of the tooth model and the loading and unloading of the orthodontic appliance.

[0037] More specifically, the breadboard base 40 can adopt high-precision processing technology to ensure the positioning accuracy of the mounting holes. With the cooperation of special positioning pins and fasteners, the stage 10 and the lifting stage 30 can maintain a stable relative position relationship after assembly. When test preparation or maintenance is required, the components can be quickly separated by simply loosening the fasteners, improving the operation efficiency. At the same time, the array layout of the holes reserves sufficient space for future function expansion, and additional devices such as a temperature control module and a water circulation module 80 can be flexibly added according to experimental requirements.

[0038] In this way, the equipment debugging time is significantly shortened through the modular assembly method, enabling researchers to focus their energy on the experiment itself. Secondly, the convenient disassembly function effectively avoids the operation difficulties of the traditional fixed structure during model replacement. Finally, the standardized interface design makes it possible for the function expansion and upgrading transformation of the equipment. The testing machine is not only suitable for the laboratory environment, but also can meet the needs of industrial batch testing, providing an efficient and reliable technical platform for the wear research of invisible orthodontic appliances.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 , in an embodiment, a translation stage 50 is further included. The translation stage 50 is installed between the breadboard base 40 and the stage 10. The translation stage 50 has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface and is used to adjust the planar position of the stage 10.

[0040] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the translation stage 50 can be a displacement stage 51 driven by a cylinder, for example, a displacement stage 51 with two mutually perpendicular moving directions and connected to each other, wherein the lower displacement stage 51 is mounted on the breadboard base 40, and the upper displacement stage 51 is connected to the stage 10. In this way, the two displacement stages 51 in the translation stage 50 can cooperate with each other to pull the stage 10 to move in the direction of the plane corresponding to the breadboard base 40, thereby changing the plane position of the stage 10 and the tooth model in its accommodating space. Further, on the basis of the positional relationship between the lifting platform 30 and the stage 10 determined by the breadboard base 40, the position of the stage 10 relative to the lifting platform 30 is further adjusted by the translation stage 50, thereby improving the control accuracy of the position of the stage 10, so that the adaptability of the tooth model position in its accommodating space and the position of the appliance on the lifting platform 30 is improved, and the control accuracy of the wearing and detaching action process between the appliance and the tooth model is ensured.

[0041] More specifically, the translation stage 50 can adopt a closed-loop control strategy, and adjust the displacement in two directions in real time through the motion controller, so that the stage 10 can achieve complex trajectory movement in the plane. When the appliance wearing test is required, the system can first complete the rough positioning of the lifting platform 30 and the stage 10 through the breadboard base 40, and then use the translation stage 50 for secondary positioning adjustment to ensure that the tooth model and the appliance reach the best matching state. During the test, the translation stage 50 can also simulate the physiological displacement of teeth in the oral cavity, providing the possibility for studying the wear characteristics under dynamic occlusal conditions.

[0042] In this way, by setting up the translation stage 50, the positioning accuracy of the testing machine is improved to the accuracy level required for clinical practice, ensuring the repeatability and consistency of each test; at the same time, the testing capability of the equipment is expanded, which can not only study static wear, but also simulate the wear characteristics of accessories under dynamic conditions such as chewing through the displacement of the translation stage 50.

[0043] See also Figure 1 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, a universal table 60 is further included. The universal table 60 is installed between the translation stage 50 and the stage 10. The universal table 60 achieves angular displacement through its spherical joint 61 to adjust the angular position of the stage 10.

[0044] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, through the universal joint 60 adjustment mechanism integrated between the translation stage 50 and the loading stage 10, with the structural design of the spherical joint 61 and the multi-degree-of-freedom rotating shaft, the loading stage 10 further obtains the angle adjustment ability within a corresponding range while maintaining the plane positioning function provided by the translation stage 50. The universal joint 60 can adopt a design scheme combining a locking adjustment knob and a damping buffer device, which not only ensures the operational convenience of angle adjustment but also guarantees the position stability during the test. This compound motion mechanism enables the tooth model to be not only accurately positioned within the set plane but also cooperate with the orthodontic appliance at the best angle posture, truly restoring the common non-vertical picking and wearing working conditions in clinical practice.

[0045] More specifically, the universal joint 60 adjustment mechanism realizes the rotational degree of freedom of the loading stage 10 about any axis in space through the design of a revolute pair with coincident centers of the spheres. During the test, the operator can first complete the plane positioning of the tooth model through the translation stage 50, and then use the universal joint 60 to finely adjust its tilt angle to simulate the oral anatomical characteristics and picking and wearing habits of different patients. It can also be in real-time feedback with the current attitude angle by the digital angle sensor equipped in the system, and cooperate with the motion control software to achieve the precise reproduction of the angle parameters, ensuring the consistency of conditions for multiple tests. This multi-degree-of-freedom collaborative adjustment mechanism enables the testing machine to simulate various clinical scenarios from standard orthodontic cases to complex malocclusions.

[0046] Thus, by setting the universal joint 60, the angle degree of freedom is added to the testing machine, significantly improving the simulation authenticity of the oral environment and making the wear test results more clinically referable; secondly, it can quantitatively study the influence of different picking and wearing angles on the wear characteristics of the attachments, providing data support for personalized orthodontic treatment plans; finally, the modular design not only maintains the operational convenience of the system but also expands the test dimension of the equipment. It enables the testing machine to simultaneously simulate the wear test platform of the invisible orthodontic appliance with spatial position and angle changes, enhancing the research effects of the accuracy and reliability of the orthodontic appliance wear test in orthodontic treatment.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 6 , in one embodiment, it further includes a micro-motion mechanism 70. The micro-motion mechanism 70 is installed between the universal joint 60 and the loading stage 10. The micro-motion mechanism 70 has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface, and the accuracy of the degree of freedom of movement of the micro-motion mechanism 70 is higher than that of the translation stage 50, and is used to secondarily adjust the plane position where the loading stage 10 is located.

[0048] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the fine motion mechanism 70 can adopt a lead screw assembly 71, which has better position adjustment accuracy relative to the displacement stage 51 in the translation stage 50. Similarly, two lead screw assemblies 71 with mutually perpendicular moving directions and stacked and assembled are adopted. The lower lead screw assembly is connected to the universal stage 60, and the upper lead screw assembly replaces the translation stage 50 and the universal stage 60 to be connected to the carrier stage 10. In this way, through the position adjustment with higher accuracy of the fine motion mechanism 70 compared to the translation stage 50, the accuracy of the relative position between the tooth model and the orthodontic appliance can be further ensured. At the same time, the limited position deviation between the tooth model and the orthodontic appliance can also be adjusted by the fine motion mechanism 70 to simulate the wear condition of corresponding slight collisions caused by the position deviation during the actual manual wearing process.

[0049] That is to say, the fine motion mechanism 70 is composed of two sets of orthogonally arranged ball screw assemblies 71 and can achieve micron-level positioning accuracy in cooperation with a high-resolution encoder. The lower lead screw assembly 71 of the fine motion mechanism 70 is fixedly connected to the output end of the universal stage 60, and the upper lead screw assembly 71 directly bears the carrier stage 10, forming a three-stage progressive positioning system of "translation stage 50 - universal stage 60 - fine motion mechanism 70" from the breadboard base 40 to the carrier stage 10. The overall mechanism can adopt an aviation aluminum alloy frame, which can minimize the moment of inertia while ensuring the structural stiffness. Such a composite positioning structure 22 not only retains the convenience of adjustment but also meets the ultra-high-precision requirements of positioning.

[0050] Furthermore, the fine motion mechanism 70 can also adopt a closed-loop servo control system. During operation, the translation stage 50 first completes the rough positioning, and then the fine motion mechanism 70 performs the fine adjustment to finally achieve the ideal fit between the tooth model and the orthodontic appliance. In particular, the fine motion mechanism 70 can preset programmed micro displacements to simulate the common positioning deviations in a small range during clinical wearing and study the influence of the resulting edge collisions on the wear of the attachments. The control system adopts two-stage linkage. When the translation stage 50 moves, it automatically compensates for the position offset of the fine motion mechanism 70 to ensure that the system can maintain the best positioning accuracy at any position. At the same time, a six-axis force / torque sensor can also be equipped in the entire fine motion mechanism 70 to real-time monitor the three-dimensional contact force parameters and their changes during the wearing process.

[0051] In this way, through the setting of the fine motion mechanism 70, the positioning accuracy of the testing machine is further improved to meet the requirements of orthodontic research. Secondly, by simulating the clinical micro-deviation working conditions, the quantitative research on the wear characteristics under the condition of "non-ideal wearing" is realized. And the three-stage positioning structure 22 still maintains its operation convenience and modular characteristics while ensuring the accuracy. The testing machine can not only accurately reproduce the ideal state of the orthodontic appliance but also systematically study the influence of various common clinical errors on the wear of the orthodontic appliance.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 7, in one embodiment, it further includes a water circulation module 80. The water supply pipe 81 of the water circulation module 80 is connected to the fluid outlet 201 of the spraying body 20 located outside the accommodation space of the carrier 10, and the water return pipe 82 of the water circulation module 80 is connected to the water collection port 101 at the bottom of the accommodation space of the carrier 10.

[0053] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the continuous supply and recovery of artificial saliva are realized through the designed pipeline network of the water supply pipe 81 and the water return pipe 82. The water circulation module 80 can be composed of a liquid storage tank, a peristaltic pump, a temperature control unit, a filtration system, a pH adjustment device, etc. It is connected to the fluid outlet 201 outside the spraying body 20 through the water supply pipe 81, and the flow rate and temperature of the artificial saliva can be accurately controlled.

[0054] It should be noted that the carrier 10 can be located below the orthodontic appliance on the lifting platform 30, and the corresponding orthodontic appliance is installed on the lower side of the lifting platform 30 to simulate the situation of wearing the orthodontic appliance on the lower jaw teeth. At this time, the water collection port 101 is located at the bottom of the accommodation space as shown in the appendix. Figure 7 The carrier 10 can also be located above the orthodontic appliance on the lifting platform 30 to simulate the situation of wearing the orthodontic appliance on the upper jaw teeth. The corresponding orthodontic appliance is installed on the upper side of the lifting platform 30. At this time, the water collection port 101 is also located in the lower part of the accommodation space of the carrier 10, that is, the upper part of the lifting platform 30 at the bottom position of the accommodation space of the carrier 10 (not shown in the figure). In this way, the recycling of artificial saliva during the test process is satisfied.

[0055] More specifically, the simulated oral saliva environment includes the oral temperature regulated by the temperature of the artificial saliva. The pH value is maintained in the physiological range of 6.5 - 7.5 by adding components such as sodium bicarbonate to the artificial saliva. And the mode of pulsed spraying of artificial saliva is selected to simulate the natural saliva secretion rhythm. During the test, the peristaltic pump transports the artificial saliva to the spraying body 20, and it is evenly covered on the surface of the tooth model through the atomizing nozzle. The excess liquid returns to the liquid storage tank through the water collection port 101 to complete the cycle. The online monitoring module equipped in the system can detect the liquid temperature, conductivity and pH value in real time, and automatically start the adjustment program when the parameters exceed the set range. So that during continuous testing, the performance of the artificial saliva always meets the physiological standards.

[0056] In this way, this water circulation system cooperates with the spraying body 20 to fully simulate the oral temperature and humidity environment in the wear test, making the test results more clinically referenceable. And through the recycling and reuse of the artificial saliva liquid, the consumption of artificial saliva during a single test is reduced. And the up and down positional relationship between the orthodontic appliance and the tooth model can be arranged bidirectionally to realize the synchronous study of the wear characteristics of the upper and lower jaw orthodontic appliances.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 7, in one embodiment, a housing of the accommodating space of the stage 10 is provided with mounting grooves 102 for a plurality of spraying bodies 20, and the plurality of mounting grooves 102 have different height positions.

[0058] Specifically, in the embodiment of the present invention, the accommodating space of the stage 10 can be formed by conventionally selecting a corresponding housing structure. By providing 3-5 groups of standardized mounting grooves 102 with different heights on its side wall and controlling the spacing of each group of mounting grooves 102, the spraying body 20 is allowed to flexibly adjust the mounting height according to the arch size (for example, the height of the mandibular arch is usually between 20-35 mm), so as to ensure that the artificial saliva can accurately cover various tooth models from children to adults.

[0059] More specifically, by selecting mounting grooves 102 with different heights for the spraying body 20, the nozzle outlet is always located at the height position of 1 / 2-2 / 3 of the tooth crown of the tooth model, simulating the natural saliva distribution. The intermittent spraying of artificial saliva can also be realized through program control, simulating the change of saliva secretion during eating. And it can cooperate with monitoring the spraying flow of artificial saliva to accurately reproduce various physiological states from a dry mouth to hypersalivation.

[0060] In this way, through the arrangement of the plurality of mounting grooves 102, the height of the spraying body 20 is adjustable to adapt to arch models of different sizes, so that the device can test cases of all age groups from early childhood orthodontics to adult orthodontics. The multi-stage wetting control provides conditions for studying the wear characteristics of accessories under different humidity conditions. And the standardized mounting grooves 102 as mounting interfaces can support the expansion of more functional modules. For example, a drug-releasing spraying body 20 can be added to study the influence of fluoride, etc. on the orthodontic appliance material. The application range of the testing machine is expanded, making it a testing platform that can simulate the orthodontic treatment environment of the full cycle from the deciduous tooth stage to the permanent tooth stage, thereby improving the use effect of the testing machine.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 8 , in one embodiment, the lifting platform 30 includes a lifting mechanism 31, a positioning tabletop 32 and a mounting tabletop 33. The positioning tabletop 32 is installed on the lifting mechanism 31 and moves up and down with the lifting mechanism 31; the mounting tabletop 33 is connected to the positioning tabletop 32 through an elastic member 34 and is provided with an orthodontic appliance on the side facing the stage 10.

[0062] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, a buffer structure design with a positioning table surface 32 cooperating with a mounting table surface 33 is adopted in the lifting table 30, and an elastic member 34 such as a spring installed therebetween increases the buffering effect when the orthodontic appliance moves and contacts the tooth model, so as to achieve stable wearing and removal. The lifting mechanism 31 can adopt a ball screw module driven by a servo motor and cooperate with a linear guide rail to achieve high-precision repeated positioning. The mounting table surface 33 can be elastically connected to the positioning table surface 32 through a set of springs to form axial buffering and absorb the position deviation during the wearing process. Similarly, a six-axis force / torque sensor can also be equipped in the structure of the lifting table 30 to monitor the three-dimensional contact force parameters and their changes during the wearing process in real time.

[0063] More specifically, the structure of the lifting table 30 adopts force-position hybrid control, that is, a position control mode is adopted in the initial movement stage of wearing the orthodontic appliance to the tooth model to quickly approach the tooth model; it automatically switches to a force control mode at the moment of contact, and a constant contact pressure is maintained through the elastic member as a buffer system; it switches back to a high-precision position control mode again in the final positioning stage to accurately reproduce the clinical wearing state. An adaptive algorithm that can automatically optimize the motion trajectory according to the force feedback signal can be built in the drive system of the lifting table 30 structure to simulate different operation techniques from beginners to professional doctors. Such a hybrid control strategy makes the test process not only maintain the repeatability of mechanical movement but also restore the real dynamic characteristics of clinical operation.

[0064] In this way, by adopting the elastic member 34 as a buffer structure in the lifting table 30, the damage of the orthodontic appliance caused by rigid contact during the movement to the tooth model is effectively avoided, and the reliability of the test is improved. At the same time, the force-position hybrid control mode is used to accurately simulate the dynamic process of clinical wearing. The wear testing machine can not only evaluate the long-term wear performance but also study the stress distribution characteristics during a single wearing process, thus providing a comprehensive experimental verification basis for the structural optimization and clinical operation specification of invisible orthodontic appliances.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 9 In an embodiment, the spraying body 20 includes a flow channel pipeline 21 and a positioning structure 22. A plurality of flow orifices 201 for receiving and spraying artificial saliva are formed on the flow channel pipeline 21; the positioning structure 22 is arranged on the flow channel pipeline 21 and is used for being assembled into the installation groove 102 to fix the position of the spraying body 20 in the accommodating space of the loading platform 10.

[0066] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the flow channel pipeline 21 of the spraying body 20 includes a plurality of flow orifices 201 for spraying artificial saliva inside the accommodation space of the carrier table 10, and a single flow orifice 201 on the flow channel pipeline 21 for receiving artificial saliva towards the outside of the accommodation space of the carrier table 10, so as to realize the connection and wetting of multiple parts of the tooth model inside the accommodation space of the carrier table 10 with artificial saliva, and the pipeline connection with the water supply pipe 81 outside the carrier table 10. Moreover, the plurality of flow orifices 201 can form a cross-jet network to ensure uniform wetting of each part of the dental arch. At the same time, the positioning structure 22 provided enables the spraying body 20 to be conveniently disassembled and assembled on the installation groove 102.

[0067] More specifically, the main body of the flow channel pipeline 21 can adopt a medical-grade stainless steel pipe. The spraying section inside the accommodation space of the carrier table 10 can be evenly distributed with a plurality of micro flow orifices 201, and can be arranged in a 45° staggered manner to form a three-dimensional jet network. The positioning structure 22 provided on the flow channel pipeline 21 can adopt a plug rod structure. By being snapped into the installation groove 102, the combined design of the spring lock and the guide rail realizes convenient loading and unloading operations while ensuring the installation accuracy.

[0068] In this way, the multiple flow orifices 201 of the spraying body 20 towards the tooth model inside the accommodation space of the carrier table 10 form a cross-jet network of artificial saliva, effectively improving the wetting uniformity of the tooth model. The rapid assembly between the positioning structure 22 and the installation groove 102 improves the test efficiency under different test conditions. It enables the wear testing machine to more realistically simulate the wet environment in the oral cavity, and provides experimental conditions with controllable precision for studying the wear characteristics of orthodontic appliances under different wet conditions.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 9 , in an embodiment, the flow channel pipeline 21 is an arc structure. The flow orifice 201 on the flow channel pipeline 21 for receiving artificial saliva is located outside its arc contour, and the multiple flow orifices 201 for spraying artificial saliva are located inside its arc contour.

[0070] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the arc structure of the flow channel pipeline 21 increases the matching degree with the shape of the tooth model, and thus better simulates the wetting process of the teeth and the saliva distribution on the teeth through artificial saliva. In this way, according to the installation attitude of the spraying body 20, it is suitable to set the flow orifice 201 for receiving artificial saliva outside the arc contour of the flow channel pipeline 21, which is convenient for connecting with the pipeline of the water supply pipe 81. That is to say, by adopting an arc-shaped flow channel design, its bending radius matches the physiological curvature of the typical dental arch. The design of imitating the dental arch surface enables each flow orifice 201 to maintain an appropriate spraying distance from the tooth model. At the same time, the overall rigidity of the spraying body 20 itself is enhanced through the self-supporting characteristics of the arc structure.

[0071] In this way, the spray body 20 with an arcuate flow channel structure forms a bionic curved surface, so that the degree of match of spraying artificial saliva for saliva simulation is better and closer to clinical requirements. The flow channel opening 201 arranged along the arcuate flow channel of the spray body 20 enables the spray layout of artificial saliva to achieve all-round wetting of all surfaces of the crown (lip / cheek / tongue / occlusal surface). And the quick disassembly of the positioning structure 22 effectively shortens the replacement time of the spray body 20. The wear tester can accurately simulate the oral moist environment of different dental arch forms from teenagers to adults, providing perfect experimental conditions for studying the wear differences of orthodontic accessories in different anatomical parts, and promoting the test effect of invisible braces wear test.

[0072] In summary, the present invention provides a wear test machine for invisible dental braces, which integrates core components such as a breadboard base, a translation stage, a universal stage, a micro-motion mechanism and a lifting platform through a modular design to construct a multi-degree-of-freedom precision positioning system. It achieves high-precision positioning by adopting the two-level displacement adjustment of the translation stage and the micro-motion mechanism; the universal stage provides angle adjustment capability; the spray body of the arc-shaped flow channel structure cooperates with the water circulation module to accurately simulate the moist environment of the oral cavity; the lifting platform realizes the dynamic wearing simulation of the braces through force-position mixed control. During the test, the position is first roughly adjusted by the translation stage, then the micro-motion mechanism is used for precise positioning, the universal stage adjusts the angle, and finally the lifting platform controls the braces to complete the wearing action. The whole process monitors the contact force in real time and automatically optimizes the motion trajectory. It realizes the complete simulation of the oral temperature, humidity and mechanical environment, and can improve the positioning accuracy to the clinical level. It also supports the testing needs of dental arches of all ages through modular design. The wear testing machine can accurately evaluate the wear characteristics of the orthodontic appliance during long-term use, providing a reliable experimental platform for the research and development of orthodontic materials, especially orthodontic appliances, and the optimization of clinical solutions, filling the gaps in environmental simulation accuracy and dynamic testing capabilities of existing testing equipment.

[0073] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone familiar with the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed by the present invention shall still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An invisible dental aligner wear testing machine, characterized in that, Comprising: A stage (10) having an accommodation space for mounting a tooth model. A spraying body (20) mounted on the stage (10), and the spraying body (20) has flow ports (201) located on both the inner and outer sides of the accommodation space of the stage (10). A lifting stage (30) on which an orthodontic appliance is mounted, the orthodontic appliance facing the tooth model in the stage (10) and corresponding to the position of the tooth model. Wherein, the spraying body (20) sprays artificial saliva onto the tooth model inside the accommodation space of the stage (10) to wet the surface of the tooth model, and then by changing the distance between the stage (10) and the lifting stage (30), the orthodontic appliance is worn on the tooth model or the orthodontic appliance is separated from the tooth model.

2. The wear testing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a breadboard base (40) having an array of mounting holes for positioning and assembling the stage (10) and the lifting stage (30).

3. The wear testing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that, It further includes a translation stage (50) mounted between the breadboard base (40) and the stage (10), and the translation stage (50) has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface for adjusting the planar position of the stage (10).

4. The wear testing machine according to claim 3, wherein It further includes a universal stage (60) mounted between the translation stage (50) and the stage (10), and the universal stage (60) realizes angular displacement through its spherical joint (61) for adjusting the angular position of the stage (10).

5. The wear testing machine according to claim 4, wherein It further includes a fine movement mechanism (70) mounted between the universal stage (60) and the stage (10), the fine movement mechanism (70) has a degree of freedom of movement relative to the mounting surface, and the accuracy of the degree of freedom of movement of the fine movement mechanism (70) is higher than that of the translation stage (50) for secondarily adjusting the planar position of the stage (10).

6. The wear testing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a water circulation module (80), the water supply pipe (81) of the water circulation module (80) is connected to the flow port (201) of the spraying body (20) located outside the accommodation space of the stage (10), and the water return pipe (82) of the water circulation module (80) is connected to the water collection port (101) at the bottom of the accommodation space of the stage (10).

7. The wear testing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, A plurality of mounting grooves (102) for the spraying body (20) are provided on the housing of the accommodation space of the stage (10), and the plurality of mounting grooves (102) have different height positions.

8. The wear testing machine according to claim 1, wherein, The spraying body (20) includes: A flow channel pipeline (21) having a plurality of the flow ports (201) for receiving and spraying artificial saliva. A positioning structure (22) provided on the flow channel pipeline (21) and used for assembling into the mounting groove (102) to fix the position of the spraying body (20) in the accommodation space of the stage (10).

9. The wear testing machine according to claim 8, wherein, The flow channel pipeline (21) is of an arc structure. The flow port (201) for receiving artificial saliva on the flow channel pipeline (21) is opened on the outer side of its arc contour, and a plurality of flow ports (201) for spraying artificial saliva are opened on the inner side of its arc contour.

10. The wear testing machine according to claim 1, wherein The lifting table (30) includes: a lifting mechanism (31); a positioning tabletop (32) which is installed on the lifting mechanism (31) and moves up and down along with the lifting mechanism (31); a mounting tabletop (33) which is connected to the positioning tabletop (32) through an elastic member (34), and an orthodontic appliance is installed on the side facing the loading table (10).

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