Retainer and processing device

Abstract

To provide a retainer capable of keeping a dental material block immobile during processing.SOLUTION: This retainer for positioning and fixing a dental material block comprises: a first grip that grips one surface side of the dental material block; a second grip that grips the other surface side opposite to one surface side; and a holding part that holds the first and second grips. The holding part is provided on one surface side orthogonal to one surface side and the other surface side of the dental material block.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing device for attaching a block-shaped dental material (block) to a processing device, and to a processing device equipped with the fixing device. [Background technology]

[0002] There has been known a conventional machine for producing dental crowns and other objects by cutting a block of dental material by rotating a cutting tool attached to a spindle and moving the material relative to the workpiece (Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, the holder is divided into a first holder on the processing device side and a second holder on the opposite side from the processing device side, and blocks with pins are attached to pin holes provided in each of the first and second holders. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-126747 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described in Patent Document 1, conventional blocks are provided with metal pins to secure the blocks to a jig. The pins are inserted into holes in the jig and the blocks are secured with a securing means such as a screw. This type of configuration makes it difficult to secure the blocks without the pins. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the fixing device of the present invention is a fixing device for positioning and fixing a dental material block, and is equipped with a first gripping portion that grips one side of the dental material block, a second gripping portion that grips the other side opposite to the one side, and a holding portion that holds the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion, and is characterized in that the holding portion is provided on one side of the dental material block that is perpendicular to the one side and the other side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fixing device that makes it difficult for the dental material block to move during processing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an external appearance of a processing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of an internal structure of a processing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1A is a right perspective view of a holding member for holding a disk-shaped workpiece according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a mounting plate, and FIG. 1B is a right perspective view of a holding member for holding a block-shaped workpiece according to an embodiment of the present invention attached to a mounting plate. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a fixing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fixing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] 1 is a front view of a fixing device according to an embodiment and a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. First, the overall configuration of a processing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0010] [Processing equipment] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing apparatus 100 houses the processing apparatus main body in an exterior cover 101 serving as a housing. That is, the exterior cover 101 houses a spindle, a tool magazine, and the like, which will be described later, and forms a machining space for tools. The exterior cover 101 is provided with an openable / closable door 102. When the openable door 102 is open, the interior of the housing, i.e., the machining space, can be accessed, allowing for the replacement of workpieces and manual tool replacement. Furthermore, the openable door 102 is closed during workpiece machining.

[0011] The door 102 is provided with a light-transmitting window 103. An opening / closing rod 104 is connected to the door 102 in a portion where the window 103 is not provided. A tray 105 is provided below the light-transmitting window 103.

[0012] 2, the processing apparatus 100 includes a frame 1 as a moving mechanism support member, a first moving mechanism 10, a second moving mechanism 20, and a third moving mechanism 30 each supported by the frame 1, a fixing device 40 that supports a workpiece as an object to be processed, a first rotation mechanism (rotating device) 50 and a second rotation mechanism 60 as rotation means capable of rotating the fixing device 40, a tool magazine 70, and an electrical unit 80. The first moving mechanism 10, the second moving mechanism 20, and the third moving mechanism 30 form a moving device 200 as moving means that relatively moves a spindle 11 and a holding device 41 (described later) in three axial directions, i.e., X, Y, and Z.

[0013] The frame 1 is placed on a stand 2 having an internal cavity, and as shown in Fig. 2, is composed of a first frame portion 3 and a second frame portion 4 bent at a right angle from an end of the first frame portion 3. In this embodiment, the first frame portion 3 is arranged along the vertical direction, and the second frame portion 4 is arranged along the horizontal direction.

[0014] The first movement mechanism 10 is supported on the first surface 3a of the first frame portion 3 of the frame 1 via the second movement mechanism 20, and is capable of moving the spindle 11 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction, first direction). A tool 12 is detachably attached to the spindle 11 via a tool holder. In other words, the spindle 11 is capable of gripping the tool 12. The spindle 11 is rotationally driven by a motor 13. The first movement mechanism 10 has a motor 14 and a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in the Z-axis direction, and is driven by the motor 14 to reciprocate (raise and lower) the spindle 11 along the guide shaft in the Z-axis direction. The spindle 11 is movably supported on the guide shaft via a Z-axis support member (not shown). The guide shaft and the Z-axis support member are covered by a cover 17.

[0015] The second movement mechanism 20 is supported on the first surface 3a of the first frame portion 3 of the frame 1, and is capable of moving the main shaft 11 together with the first movement mechanism 10 in the X-axis direction (horizontal direction, second direction) perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. The second movement mechanism 20 has a motor 21 and a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in the X-axis direction, and is driven by the motor 21 to move the first movement mechanism 10 back and forth in the X-axis direction along the guide shaft.

[0016] The third movement mechanism 30 is supported on the second surface 4a of the second frame portion 4 of the frame 1, and is capable of moving the support mechanism 41 in the Y-axis direction (horizontal direction, third direction) perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction. The third movement mechanism 30 has a motor (not shown) and a guide shaft (not shown) arranged in the Y-axis direction, and is driven by the motor to move the support mechanism 41 back and forth in the Y-axis direction along the guide shaft.

[0017] The third movement mechanism 30 also includes a support plate 31 that supports the second rotation mechanism 60, and the support plate 31 moves back and forth in the Y-axis direction along the guide shaft. As will be described in detail later, the third movement mechanism 30 can move the support mechanism 41 in the Y-axis direction together with the second rotation mechanism 60 and the first rotation mechanism 50.

[0018] The fixing device 40 supports a workpiece W, such as a dental prosthesis, which is an object to be machined by the tool 12. In this manner, the fixing device 40 is detachably fixed to the support mechanism 41 as a holding unit that holds the workpiece W. One end of the support mechanism 41 is connected to the rotating unit 51 of the first rotating mechanism 50, and the other end is connected to the rotation support mechanism 52.

[0019] The first rotation mechanism 50, which functions as a rotating device, can rotate the fixing device 40 around an a-axis, which serves as a rotation axis perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. In this embodiment, the a-axis is parallel to the X-axis direction. The first rotation mechanism 50 includes a support frame 53 that rotatably supports the rotating units 51 and 52, and a motor that rotates the rotating unit 51. The support frame 53 is formed in a generally U-shape so as to surround the fixing device 40, and includes a first support unit 53a that supports the motor and the rotating unit 51 on one side (the driving side), a second support unit 53b that supports the rotating unit 52 on the other side (the driven side), and a connecting unit 53c that connects the first support unit 53a and the second support unit 53b.

[0020] The rotating part 51 supported by the first support part 53a and the rotating part 52 supported by the second support part 53b are arranged to face each other in the a-axis direction and to be rotatable about the a-axis as a rotation axis. Both ends of the support mechanism 41 in the a-axis direction are supported by the rotating parts on both sides. Thus, the first rotation mechanism 50 supports the support mechanism 41 rotatably about the a-axis (X-axis).

[0021] The first rotation mechanism 50 can rotate at least 180° and can turn over the workpiece W supported by the support mechanism 41. In this embodiment, the first rotation mechanism 50 can rotate the support mechanism 41 360° around the a-axis. Note that, because an extension of the a-axis passes through the center of the thickness direction of the workpiece W supported by the support mechanism 41, the distance from the a-axis, which is the rotation center axis, to the front surface and the distance from the a-axis to the back surface are the same. Therefore, even if the workpiece W is turned over, the positional relationship between the center of the thickness direction of the workpiece W and the tool 12 does not change.

[0022] The second rotation mechanism 60 can rotate the support mechanism 41 around the b-axis, which is another rotation axis perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the a-axis. In this embodiment, the b-axis is parallel to the Y-axis direction. Such a second rotation mechanism 50 has a rotating unit to which the support frame 53 of the first rotation mechanism 50 is attached, and a motor that rotates the rotating unit. The rotating unit is attached to a connecting portion 53c of the support frame 53, and is rotated by the motor to rotate the support frame 53 around the b-axis. Therefore, the second rotation mechanism 60 supports the support mechanism 41 together with the first rotation mechanism 50 so that the support mechanism 41 can rotate around the b-axis (Y-axis).

[0023] The tool magazine 70, which serves as a tool holder, can store multiple tools. The tool magazine 70 is disposed adjacent to the first rotation mechanism 50 and is supported by a support member, which is supported by the support plate portion 31 of the third movement mechanism 30. Therefore, the tool magazine 70 can be moved in the Y-axis direction together with the support mechanism 41 and other components by the third movement mechanism 30. However, even if the support mechanism 41 rotates around the a-axis, the tool magazine 70 does not rotate, and even if the support mechanism 41 rotates around the b-axis, the tool magazine 70 does not rotate. In other words, the tool magazine 70 is supported by the support plate portion 31 so as to maintain a predetermined posture even when the support mechanism 41 rotates around the a-axis and the b-axis. The tool magazine 70 can be moved in the Y-axis direction together with the support mechanism 41 and other components by the third movement mechanism 30.

[0024] The tool magazine 70 holds multiple types of tools, each formed integrally with a tool holder 12a, and is arranged in multiple rows along the Y-axis direction. The tools attached to the spindle 11 are replaceable. The tool holder 12a is a part held by the spindle 11 and may be formed integrally with the tool or may be formed separately. In this embodiment, the tool 12 is attached to the tool holder 12a with a chuck, and the chuck portion of the spindle 11 holds the tool via the tool holder 12a, forming a double chuck configuration. However, the tool may also be attached directly to the spindle 11. Tool replacement may be performed by an operator or automatically by the machining device 100. In this embodiment, the spindle 11 is configured to automatically grip and release the tool to perform automatic tool replacement.

[0025] When tools are replaced automatically, the second movement mechanism 20 and the third movement mechanism 30 move an empty space in the tool magazine 70 where no tools are inserted below the spindle 11. In other words, the spindle 11 is moved relative to the tool magazine 70 on the XY plane. Then, the first movement mechanism 10 lowers the spindle 11 (moves it in the Z-axis direction), and an attachment / detachment device, such as a chuck, provided on the spindle 11 is operated to remove the tool 12 attached to the spindle 11 and place it in an empty space in the tool magazine 70. Next, the first movement mechanism 10 raises the spindle 11, and the second movement mechanism 20 and the third movement mechanism 30 move the position in the tool magazine 70 where the tool 12 to be replaced is located below the spindle 11. Then, the first movement mechanism 10 lowers the spindle 11 again, and the attachment / detachment device is operated to attach the tool 12 to the spindle 11. The tool 12 is, for example, a drill or an end mill.

[0026] In this embodiment, whether or not the tool 12 is held by the spindle 11 is confirmed by bringing the tip of the tool 12 into contact with a touch sensor 96, which serves as tip detection means capable of detecting the tip of the tool 12 held by the spindle 11, before and after storing or removing the tool. That is, in a tool replacement operation in which the tool held by the spindle 11 is replaced with one of the multiple tools stored in the tool magazine 70, the touch sensor 96 can be used to confirm whether or not the tool 12 is held by the spindle 11. At this time, the center of the workpiece in the Z direction (the a-axis) is aligned with the tip of the tool. As shown in FIG. 2, the touch sensor 96 is provided adjacent to the tool magazine 70. In particular, in this embodiment, the touch sensor 96 is disposed on the second support portion 53b that supports the driven-side rotating portion 52. The tool replacement operation will be described in detail later.

[0027] The electrical unit 80 is attached to the inside of the frame 1. That is, the electrical unit 80 is disposed on the opposite side of the first surface 3a of the first frame portion 3 and on the opposite side of the second surface 4a of the second frame portion 4. Such an electrical unit 80 controls the processing device 100, and includes a control board that controls the drive of the spindle and the motors of each axis, and a plurality of control units that calculate pulses to be output to the motors from signals from the rotary encoders of the corresponding motors and appropriately control the rotation of the corresponding motors.

[0028] The machining apparatus 100 of this embodiment is an NC machining apparatus that performs automatic machining under computer control. Specifically, machining data is created by a CAD / CAM system using an external terminal such as a personal computer, and the workpiece W is machined by numerical control based on this data. For this purpose, an external terminal such as a personal computer that issues commands to the machining apparatus 100 is connected to the machining apparatus 100.

[0029] Next, the reversing portion to which the fixing plate for processing in this embodiment is attached will be described.

[0030] The disk clamp unit 300 shown in FIG. 3(a) has other components attached to a mounting plate 41 (reversing member), which is a lower-layer component supported at both ends and attached to the rotation support part 19. When a disk-shaped workpiece is attached, the unit is composed of a disk holder 302, a middle-layer component that holds the periphery of the disk-shaped workpiece, and a disk pressing plate 303, an upper-layer component that serves as a pressing member that presses down and secures the disk-shaped workpiece from above. The mounting plate 41 is attached to the rotation support part 19 and functions as a reversing member that, by the driving force of a motor (not shown), reverses the surface facing the tool from one side to the other side opposite the one side. In other words, the reversing member rotates the attached workpiece 180 degrees, reversing the surface to be machined of the workpiece relative to the tool.

[0031] FIG. 3(b) also shows that a block fixing plate 310, which is a holding member for holding multiple block-shaped workpieces W (second workpieces), is attached to the mounting plate 41. The number engraved on the block fixing plate 310 indicates the number of workpieces that can be held, and the workpieces W are attached below that number. The workpieces are inserted into material fixing holes 312 and fixed from above with set screws 311. Anti-rotation pins 313 fit into recesses in the workpieces W to prevent the workpieces W from rotating during processing. As will be described later, by using the block fixing plate as a support and providing multiple gripping parts on the support, blocks can be fixed whether or not they have pins. Furthermore, the present invention may also be applied to a configuration in which a reversing member or the like is provided with multiple gripping parts, and a single block can be gripped and inverted (rotated).

[0032] In the embodiment of the present invention, a case where a block is processed using a fixing device (block clamp) will be described.

[0033] 4 is a perspective view of a fixing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. A middle plate (positioning member) is attached using the two screw holes in the block described above. In this way, blocks with pins can be machined, and by attaching a middle plate, blocks without pins can also be machined.

[0034] 5 is an exploded perspective view of a fixing plate according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing, from the top of the figure, fixing screw 403, claw (gripping portion) 401, middle plate (holding portion) 406, block fixing plates 404 and 405, lower guide (gripping portion) 402, and fixing screw 407, in that order. By arranging them in this manner, middle plate 406 fixes the block in the X and Y axis directions, the claw fixes the block in the Y axis direction, the block fixing plate fixes the block in the Y axis direction, and the lower guide fixes the block in the Z axis direction.

[0035] FIG. 6(a) is a front view of a fixing plate (fixing device) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6(b), when the clamp bolt, which is the fixing screw, is turned clockwise, the gripping part 401 descends at a pitch n. If the outer diameter of only the threaded part of the lower gripping part 402 is reduced and the pitch is doubled, when the bolt is tightened, the lower gripping part 402 rises twice as much as it descends, and therefore the upper gripping part 401 and the lower gripping part 402 open and close by rotating the bolt. Here, in order to move the upper gripping part 401 and the lower gripping part 402 relatively symmetrically about their center, if the upper gripping part 401 is fixed to the bolt with an E-ring 501 or the like (a hole larger than the screw) and a fixing member such as the middle plate 406 is threaded, the gripping parts can be held so as to be able to open and close around the fixing member.

[0037] The dental material block W is provided with a first gripping portion 401 for gripping one side thereof, a second gripping portion 402 for gripping the other side thereof opposite to the one side thereof, and a holding portion 406 for holding the first gripping portion 401 and the second gripping portion 402, and the holding portion 406 is provided on one side (the surface opposite the holding portion 406) that is perpendicular to the one side and the other side of the dental material block W. The first gripping portion 401 and the second gripping portion 402 can stably hold the dental material block W by gripping the surface side (the ends of the upper and lower surfaces of the block) facing the holding portion 406 rather than the center of the block W. The second gripping portion 402 can stably hold the block by supporting the lower surface in the height direction while abutting the upper side in the height direction of the block rather than the center of the block on the surface side facing the holding portion 406.

[0038] The first gripping portion 401 and the second gripping portion 402 can be gripped from both sides with a simple structure by adjusting an adjustment portion such as a screw provided on the holding portion 406, so that the first gripping portion 401 moves to one side and the second gripping portion 402 moves to the other side opposite the one side, and as long as the position can be adjusted, a pinion or rack can be used instead of a screw.

[0039] With the above configuration, blocks can be machined using the same machining program as before, so processing can be done even without metal pins, and metal pins can be reduced as waste. Also, if the block is held from one side and the other side is open as shown in Figure 6, it can be held even if pins are present by pointing them toward the open side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 11...Spindle 12...Tools 41...Holding device (holding part) 100...Processing equipment 200....Moving device (moving means) 400...Fixing device 401, 402...grip part 403···Fixing screw 404, 405... Frame (Block fixing plate) 406···Holding frame (middle plate) W···Workpiece (object to be processed)

Claims

1. 1. A fixing device for positioning and fixing a dental material block, comprising: a first gripping portion for gripping one side of the dental material block; a second gripping portion that grips the other surface side opposite to the one surface side; a holding portion that holds the first holding portion and the second holding portion, A fixing device characterized in that the holding portion is provided on one surface of the dental material block that is perpendicular to the one surface and the other surface.

2. The fixing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion grip the dental material block at a position closer to the one surface than the center of the dental material block.

3. 2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion are configured such that, by adjusting an adjustment portion provided on the holding portion, the first gripping portion moves to one side and the second gripping portion moves to the other side opposite to the one side.

4. the adjustment portion is a clamp bolt, A frame of the holding portion has a screw hole that fits onto the clamp bolt, The second holding portion moves to the one side by rotation of the clamp bolt, and has a screw hole in a tip screw portion of the clamp bolt that fits with the clamp bolt, 4. The fixing device according to claim 3, wherein the fixing device moves to the other side by rotation of the clamp bolt.

5. 5. The fixing device according to claim 4, wherein the clamp bolt has two threads machined thereon that have different outer diameters and pitches.

6. 6. The fixing device according to claim 5, wherein the pitch of the threaded portion of the clamp bolt attached to the frame is half the pitch of the threaded portion that fits into the second holding portion.

7. a spindle that grips a tool; A holding device that holds a dental material block that is to be processed by a tool. a holding device; a rotation device that rotates the holding device, The fixing device is a fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A processing device characterized by:

Images