Resin molding method and resin molding apparatus

Abstract

To create molded parts with high precision and ease of use through resin molding. [Solution] The method includes the steps of: preparing a resin mold having a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object; preparing an injection container having a storage section for storing molding material and a discharge section formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the recess and equipped with a discharge nozzle for discharging the molding material from the storage section; storing the molding material in the storage section; discharging the molding material through the discharge nozzle while controlling the discharge pressure and injecting it into the recess; hardening the molding material after injection in the recess; and removing the hardened molding material from the recess.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin molding method and a resin molding apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In the medical field, high precision is required in the creation of mouthpiece-type correction devices and organ models such as hearts. A mouthpiece-type correction device is used for correcting dental alignment by being attached to a patient's teeth, so very high precision is required. On the other hand, for models such as hearts, precision is important due to their complex structures.

[0003] Such products are generally created by resin molding. Specifically, it is created by pouring molten urethane resin into a colored acrylic resin mold using an appropriate container.

[0004] That is, as shown in FIG. 10 A pair of mold halves 41, 41 that can be joined and fixed to each other, which constitute a mold 40 for creating a mold product, are prepared. When performing mold forming, as shown in FIG. 11 The mold halves 41, 41 are joined and fixed to form a molding die 40 as shown in FIG. 12 As shown in FIG., molten urethane resin 45 as a modeling material is placed in an injection container 42 having a large opening, and a funnel 43 is inserted and locked into a material injection hole 44 (Figure 11) formed at the end in the thickness direction, and is injected so as to naturally fall from the injection container 42 into the mold 40 through the funnel 43, cured in the mold 40, and after curing, the mold halves 41, 41 are opened to take out the cured mold product and create it.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, when the shape and structure of reference objects such as orthodontic appliances are extremely fine, conventional resin molding methods make it difficult to achieve the required precision because the urethane resin does not reach the fine details of the mold.

[0007] Furthermore, when pouring urethane resin from a container into a mold, air bubbles can form inside the mold, and the urethane resin may harden while containing these air bubbles. In such cases, the shape quality of the molded product produced by resin molding is compromised. This issue is not limited to the medical field; high precision is often required for molded products in other fields as well, and it is a problem that is demanded in many areas.

[0008] On the other hand, when molding molded products using silicone, the "LIM molding" method has traditionally been used. LIM molding is an abbreviation for Liquid Injection Mould, and is a form of injection molding in which two types of liquids, including silicone, are injected into a mold and solidified by a chemical reaction inside to produce a silicone molded product.

[0009] This LIM molding method allows for the creation of more flexible shapes compared to other molding methods, and because it is manufactured by machine without human intervention, it ensures uniform quality, high reliability, and durability, making it suitable for applications requiring greater precision and durability. However, this type of LIM molding required large-scale manufacturing equipment.

[0010] In other words, the manufacturing equipment for LIM molding consists of a molding machine body, a LIM material supply device, and a mixer, and is manufactured by mixing two types of liquid LIM materials with a gas mixture and injecting it into a mold. As a result, LIM molding requires large-scale manufacturing equipment, and since it is necessary to first create a mold, the cost of manufacturing the molded product is high, making it unsuitable for the production of small quantities of a wide variety of molded products.

[0011] In view of these circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a resin molding method and a resin molding apparatus that enable the production of molded products with high precision, in a simple and low-cost manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] To solve these problems, the invention described in claim 1 has a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object, For creating orthodontic mouthpieces or organ models A process for preparing a resin mold, and a storage section for storing the molding material, The tip The discharge section is formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the recess and is equipped with a discharge nozzle for discharging the molding material from the storage section. The molding material is stored in the storage compartment. The process involves preparing an injection container and the molding material, The discharge nozzle is located in the recess of the injection container, The resin molding method is characterized by comprising the steps of: discharging the molding material through the discharge nozzle while controlling the discharge pressure and injecting it into the recess; hardening the molding material after injection within the recess; and removing the hardened molding material from the recess.

[0013] The invention described in claim 2 is a resin molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the molding material is a stereolithography material, the mold is made of a light-transmitting material, the injection container is made so as not to transmit light, and after injecting the molding material into the recess, light is irradiated onto the molding material in the recess from outside the mold to promote the curing of the molding material.

[0014] The invention described in claim 3 is wherein the photopolymerization material is silicone and the mold is made of acrylic resin. The light irradiated from the outside The resin molding method according to claim 2 is characterized in that the light is UV light.

[0015] The invention according to claim 4 is the resin molding method according to claim 1, wherein the shaping material is a room temperature curing type material.

[0016] The invention according to claim 5 is the resin molding method according to claim 1, wherein the mold is a mold created by a stereolithography 3D printer.

[0017] The invention according to claim 6 is the resin molding method according to claim 1, wherein the injection container is a syringe.

[0018] The invention according to claim 7 further includes a step of removing the bubbles from the shaping material in the recess by sucking the bubbles through the discharge nozzle with the injection container when bubbles are mixed in the shaping material in the recess after injecting the shaping material into the recess, which is the resin molding method according to claim 1.

[0019] The invention according to claim 8 has a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object, For creating orthodontic mouthpieces or organ models a mold formed of a resin material, and a storage portion for storing a shaping material It has a main body that can be gripped and operated by an operator during the molding process of the molding material. and, The tip is formed to have a diameter that can be inserted into the recess, Displaced within the recess, and has an injection container having a discharge portion for discharging the shaping material in the storage portion Within the recess through a discharge nozzle, and a discharge pressure control device for controlling the discharge pressure when discharging the shaping material, which is a resin molding device.

[0020] The invention according to claim 9 The aforementioned molding material is further provided with a light source that emits light capable of curing the molding material. where the shaping material is a stereolithography material, the injection container is formed so as not to transmit light Meanwhile and the mold From the aforementioned light source is formed of a material that transmits light, and after injecting the shaping material into the recess, Record light is irradiated from the outside of the mold onto the By the aforementioned light source shaping material in the Record recess to ofThe resin molding apparatus according to claim 8 is characterized by being configured to cure.

[0021] The invention described in claim 10 is wherein the photopolymerization material is silicone and the mold is made of acrylic resin, The light irradiated from the light source The resin molding apparatus of claim 9 is characterized in that the light is UV light.

[0022] The invention described in claim 11 is that the molding material is 、 The resin molding apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that it is a room-temperature curing material.

[0023] The invention described in claim 12 is that the mold is 、 The resin molding apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the mold is created by a stereolithography 3D printer.

[0024] The invention described in claim 13 is that the injection container 、 The resin molding apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that it is a syringe. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] According to the invention described in claim 1, a mold is prepared having a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object, and an injection container is prepared having a discharge section equipped with a discharge nozzle formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the recess of the mold. The molding material filled in the injection container is then injected into the recess of the mold from the discharge nozzle while controlling the discharge pressure and hardening, and the hardened molding material is removed from the mold.

[0026] Unlike conventional methods, this system uses a container with a discharge section equipped with a discharge nozzle sized to fit into the recess of the mold, applying discharge pressure while supplying and filling the recess. This allows the molding material to reach even the finest parts of the recess, and enables mold molding without generating air bubbles, resulting in the creation of molded products with high precision.

[0027] Furthermore, unlike conventional LIM molding methods, it eliminates the need to prepare molds used for resin molding and the need for large-scale equipment, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and allowing for a significantly smaller overall system, including the mold and injection vessel.

[0028] According to the invention described in claim 2, a stereolithography material is used as the molding material, and the mold is formed from a light-transmitting material so that molding can be performed using the stereolithography material, and the injection container is formed so as not to transmit light, and after the molding material is injected into the recess, light is irradiated onto the molding material in the recess from outside the mold to promote the hardening of the molding material, thereby enabling the hardening of the molding material in a short time and shortening the manufacturing time.

[0029] Furthermore, by employing a light-transmitting mold, when light is shone onto the molding material in the recess from outside the mold, the light can be irradiated through the molding process, promoting the hardening of the molding material and enabling a further reduction in production time.

[0030] According to the invention described in claim 3, by forming the molding material from silicone, which is a photocurable resin, it becomes possible to mold the shape using light irradiation. In other words, according to the invention described in claim 3, by using silicone as the molding material, an acrylic resin mold as the molding die, and UV light as the irradiated light, the silicone molding material hardens inside the transparent mold due to the UV light irradiated from the outside. In this case, since the molding die is made of acrylic, it does not adhere to the silicone, and the mold quality can be made high.

[0031] In the invention described in claim 4, by using a room-temperature curing material as the molding material, the molding material can be cured in a room-temperature environment without requiring special equipment such as a light source, making it possible to obtain a molded product.

[0032] According to the invention described in claim 5, by creating the mold using a stereolithography 3D printer, a precise mold can be prepared relatively easily and inexpensively, and the light source provided in the stereolithography 3D printer can be used to harden the molding material in the recesses.

[0033] According to the invention described in claim 6, by configuring the injection container with a syringe, it becomes possible to inject the molding material into the recess of the mold with appropriate pressure and in a good manner.

[0034] According to the invention described in claim 7, if air bubbles are mixed into the molding material in the recess, the air that forms the bubbles can be sucked out through the discharge nozzle and removed from the molding material. As a result, air bubbles will not be incorporated into the molded product, and a molded product with high shape quality can be obtained.

[0035] According to the invention described in claim 8, a mold made of resin material having a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object, and a storage section for storing the molding material. It has a main body that can be gripped and operated by an operator during the molding process of the molding material. and, The tip It is formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the aforementioned recess, The tip of the discharge nozzle is positioned within the recess. The molding material in the aforementioned storage section Within the recess The system includes an injection container having a discharge section equipped with a discharge nozzle for dispensing material, and a discharge pressure control device for controlling the discharge pressure when dispensing the molding material.

[0036] As a result, unlike conventional methods, this resin molding die allows for the application of appropriate discharge pressure while extruding the molding material, enabling the material to reach even the finest recesses and allowing for the creation of molded products with high precision.

[0037] Furthermore, unlike conventional LIM molding methods, it eliminates the need to prepare molds used for resin molding and the need for large-scale equipment, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and allowing for a significantly smaller overall system, including the mold and injection vessel.

[0038] According to the invention described in claim 9, the mold is formed of a light-transmitting material, the injection container is formed to be opaque, and after the molding material is injected into the recess, light is irradiated onto the molding material in the recess from outside the mold to promote the hardening of the molding material. This configuration allows the hardening of the molding material to be achieved in a short time, thereby shortening the manufacturing time.

[0039] Furthermore, by employing a light-transmitting mold, light can be irradiated onto the stereolithography material within the recesses from outside the mold through the mold, easily accelerating the hardening of the material and further reducing production time.

[0040] According to the invention described in claim 10, by forming the photopolymer material from silicone, which is a photocurable resin, it becomes possible to mold the material using light irradiation. In other words, according to the invention described in claim 10, by using silicone as the molding material, using acrylic resin as the mold, and using UV light as the irradiated light, the silicone molding material hardens inside the transparent mold by UV light irradiated from the outside. In this case, since the mold is made of acrylic, it does not adhere to the silicone, resulting in high mold quality.

[0041] In the invention described in claim 11, by using a room-temperature curing material as the molding material, the molding material can be cured in a room-temperature environment without requiring special equipment such as a light source, making it possible to obtain a molded product.

[0042] According to the invention described in claim 12, by creating the mold using a stereolithography 3D printer, a precise mold can be prepared relatively easily and inexpensively, and the light source provided in the stereolithography 3D printer can be used to harden the molding material in the recesses.

[0043] According to the invention described in claim 13, by configuring the injection container with a syringe, it becomes possible to evenly inject the molding material into the recess of the mold while applying appropriate discharge pressure and preventing the generation of air bubbles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0044] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of one embodiment of the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the injection container of the resin molding apparatus with the discharge nozzle attached. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a flowchart illustrating the resin molding method according to the present invention, illustrating the basic flow of the resin molding process using the resin molding apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a resin molding method according to the present invention and an example of a mold for a mouthpiece that is applied to the resin molding method. [Figure 5] This is a side view showing an example of a mold used in the resin molding method and resin molding apparatus according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the resin molding method according to the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of the material injection step of the resin molding process shown in Figure 3. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the resin molding method according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram of the bubble removal step in the resin molding process shown in Figure 3. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the resin molding method according to the present invention and is an explanatory diagram of the material curing step in the resin molding process shown in Figure 3. [Figure 9] Figure 3 is a plan view showing a mouthpiece, which is an example of a molded product created by the resin molding process shown. [Figure 10] This is a plan view showing a disassembled conventional resin molding die. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing conventional resin molding dies joined together. [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram showing the process of injecting molding material into a conventional resin mold. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0045] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0046] (Overall configuration of the resin molding machine) A resin molding apparatus (hereinafter referred to as "resin molding apparatus," and sometimes simply "apparatus") 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used to create a mouthpiece P for orthodontic treatment. Specifically, apparatus 1 creates a mouthpiece P by resin molding using a mold.

[0047] In this description, the "reference object" is a "tooth" of the human body, and the mouthpiece P is described as a "mold-made product" created by the device 1.

[0048] As shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 1, as the main components of this embodiment, includes a mold 11, an injection container 12 having a discharge nozzle 13, a discharge pressure control device 21, and a light source 14 (Figure 8), which will be described later.

[0049] The mold 11 has a recess R that can create a mouthpiece P that can conform to the shape of the dentition of the human body, which is a reference object.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4, the mold 11 has a tooth row portion 111 that mimics the outer shape of a tooth row, a peripheral wall portion 112 that surrounds the tooth row portion 111 all around, and a bottom wall portion 113 that connects the tooth row portion 111 and the peripheral wall portion 112. The tooth arch portion 111 and the peripheral wall portion 112 are formed to protrude upward from the bottom wall portion 113, leaving a gap between them.

[0051] The recess R is formed by this gap, or in other words, it is formed as a space surrounded from directions other than upward by the tooth row portion 111, the peripheral wall portion 112, and the bottom wall portion 113, and the recess R is open upward.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, a mounting base 15 is provided as an attached component to the mold 11. The mold 11 is placed on the mounting base 11 when the molding material M is injected. The mounting base 15 stabilizes the position of the mold 11 during use.

[0053] The mold 11 is made of transparent resin, and in this embodiment, it is created using a stereolithography 3D printer with acrylic resin, which is an ultraviolet-curing resin, as the stereolithography material. A suitable photocuring resin can be used as the material for the mold 11.

[0054] As shown in Figure 1, the molding material to be injected into the mold 11 is filled in.

[0055] In this embodiment, silicone resin is used as the molding material, specifically as an ultraviolet-curing resin. A photocurable resin is a resin that hardens when irradiated with light of a specific wavelength. As an alternative to the photopolymerization material, a room-temperature curing (RTV) material may be used. A room-temperature curing material is a mold material made of a resin that hardens in a room-temperature environment.

[0056] (Configuration of injection container and discharge nozzle) As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the injection container 12 is made of a syringe and has a main body 121 and a dispensing part 122. In the material injection process in which molding material is injected into the mold 11, the worker can perform the work by gripping the main body 121 of the injection container 12.

[0057] The main body 121 is formed in an elongated cylindrical shape overall, with an opening 121b at its upper end and a storage section 121a formed to allow filling of the molding material. The main body 121 and the discharge section 122 are made of a material that does not transmit light that causes the molding material to harden, and are colored to prevent light from passing through.

[0058] The discharge section 122 is connected to the main body section 121, and has a discharge port 122a extending from the housing section 121a. The cross-section of the discharge port 122a has a smaller area than the cross-section of the housing section 121a. The reduction in the cross-sectional area formed from the housing section 121a to the discharge port 122a may be continuous or stepwise.

[0059] The discharge nozzle 13 is elongated overall and has a base mounting portion 131 and a tip shaft portion 132 extending from the mounting portion 131. The discharge nozzle 13 is used by being detachably attached to the discharge portion 122 via the mounting portion 131 on the injection container 12.

[0060] In this embodiment, the tip shaft portion 132 of the discharge nozzle 13 is made of metal and is formed to a diameter that allows it to be inserted into the recess R of the molding die 11. That is, in this embodiment, it is formed to a diameter that allows it to be inserted to a predetermined depth not only into the gap R1 between the peripheral wall portion 112 and the tooth row 111 that form the gap R shown in Figure 4, but also into the gap R2 between each tooth 111a that forms the tooth row 111. In this embodiment, the discharge nozzle 3 is formed to a diameter of 1 mm.

[0061] Furthermore, the length of the tip shaft portion 132 of the discharge nozzle 13 is made larger than the distance between the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 112 and the low wall portion 113, so that it can be inserted all the way to the vicinity of the low wall portion 113. In this embodiment, an appropriate discharge nozzle 13 is used to properly supply and fill the mold 11 for creating the teeth 111 with silicone as the molding material. However, since the shape and structure of the recess R in the mold naturally differ depending on the object to be molded, other shapes and materials of discharge nozzles can be prepared and used interchangeably as needed.

[0062] As shown in Figure 8, the light source 14 is configured to irradiate the mold 11 after the molding material has been injected with light that causes the material to harden. The light emitted from the light source 14 is UV light (ultraviolet light) when ultraviolet curing resin is used as the molding material. In this embodiment, since the molding die 11 is made of a transparent acrylic resin that transmits light, even when light (UV light in this embodiment) is irradiated from the outside by a light source 14, the structure is configured such that the silicone used as the molding material filled inside is sufficiently irradiated with light.

[0063] (Control system configuration) In addition to the above, the resin molding apparatus 1 includes a discharge control device 21 and an input device 31 as components of the control system.

[0064] The discharge control device 21 has an appropriate pressure supply source such as a pump and is configured to control the discharge pressure of the molding material M by applying a predetermined pressure to the molding material filled in the injection container 12. The discharge pressure is adjusted as appropriate according to the viscosity of the molding material. By controlling the discharge pressure, it is possible to properly fill the molding material into the mold 11 by applying a discharge pressure corresponding to the viscosity of the molding material M.

[0065] For example, when using a molding material with high viscosity, increasing the discharge pressure is possible, and when using a molding material with low viscosity, decreasing the discharge pressure makes it possible to properly fill the molding material into the mold 11.

[0066] In this embodiment, since silicone is used as the molding material M, the viscosity of the silicone is high, and appropriate control of the discharge pressure by the discharge control device 21 as described above is necessary.

[0067] The input device 31 is operated by the operator and generates a start signal to switch the resin molding apparatus 1 on and off according to the operator's operation, as well as a pressure control signal to control the discharge pressure of the molding material M. The input device 31 outputs these command signals to the discharge control device 21.

[0068] (Creation of mouthpieces using a resin molding machine) The method for creating a mouthpiece P using the resin molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in Figure 3.

[0069] In S1, as shown in Figure 5, the mold 11 is placed on the mounting table 15 to prepare the mold 11.

[0070] In step S2, an injection container 12 with a discharge nozzle 13 attached is prepared. The discharge nozzle 13 is attached to the discharge section 122 of the injection container 12.

[0071] In step S3, the injection container 12 is filled with silicone, which is the molding material M.

[0072] In S4, the injection container 12 is connected to the discharge control device 21, and the input device 31 is operated to activate the discharge control device 21. As a result, the resin molding apparatus 1 starts discharging the molding material M from the injection container 12 to the mold 11 at a predetermined pressure.

[0073] In step S5, the molding material M is injected into the recess R of the mold 11 using the injection container 12. Figure 6 schematically shows the material M injected into the recess R, indicated by a dashed line. As shown in Figure 6, the discharge nozzle 13 is formed with a diameter that allows it to be inserted into the recess R of the molding die 11. It is also formed with a diameter that allows it to be inserted not only into the gap R1 between the peripheral wall 112 and the teeth 111 that form the recess R, but also into the gap R2 between each tooth 111a that forms the teeth 111. Therefore, the discharge nozzle 13 enters not only the gap R1 between the peripheral wall 112 and the teeth 111 of the molding die 11, but also into the gap R2 between each tooth 111a that forms the teeth 111, supplying and filling the entire recess R.

[0074] In S6, if air bubbles A occur in the molding material M within the recess R, the injection container 12 is used to remove the air bubbles. Specifically, the operator holds the injection container 12 and operates the input device 31 to reverse the compressor built into the discharge control device 21, converting the generated discharge pressure into suction pressure, and as needed, sucking out the air bubbles through the discharge nozzle 13.

[0075] As shown in Figure 7, the bubble A is removed from the recess R by applying the tip opening of the discharge nozzle 13 to the bubble A and sucking out the air forming the bubble A through the discharge nozzle 13 using the injection container 12.

[0076] In step S7, UV light is irradiated from outside the mold 11 toward the molding material M in the recess R, curing the silicone used as the molding material M. As shown in Figure 8, the mold 11 is placed in the light irradiation area of ​​the light source 14, and UV light is irradiated onto the mold 11 from the light source 14.

[0077] In this embodiment, UV light is irradiated onto the mold 11 from above. Figure 8 shows the direction of light irradiation when irradiated from above, indicated by arrow D1.

[0078] Since the mold 11 is transparent and can transmit light, the light irradiation is not limited to above, but may also come from the side of the mold 11 as indicated by arrows D21 and D22, or from below as indicated by arrow D3.

[0079] In step S8, the mouthpiece P, which has hardened and formed from silicone as the molding material M, is removed from the mold 11. This completes the mouthpiece P, which is the molded product, as shown in Figure 9. The mouthpiece P has a peripheral wall portion 112a, a bottom wall portion 113a, and a tooth-storing recess 111b formed inside, which are molded using a mold 11.

[0080] (Explanation of action and effects) The effects obtained by this embodiment will be described below.

[0081] In the resin molding method according to this embodiment, firstly, a mold 11 having a recess R is prepared, and an injection container 12 is prepared, in which a small-diameter discharge nozzle 13 that can be inserted into the recess R is attached to the discharge section 122. Then, the molding material M filled in the injection container 12 is injected from the discharge nozzle 13 into the recess R of the mold 11, and the mold material M after curing is removed from the mold 11.

[0082] This allows the molding material M to reach even the finest parts of the recessed area R, making it possible to easily and quickly produce molds for applications requiring delicate molding precision, such as the medical field, using resin molding, without the need for large-scale LIM molding equipment as in the past.

[0083] The pressure applied to the molding material M when injecting it into the recess R can be adjusted to an appropriate height depending on the viscosity of the molding material M. This allows for the application of appropriate discharge pressure even when using a molding material M with high viscosity, ensuring that the material M reaches even the finest details of the recess R and maintaining the accuracy of the molded product.

[0084] Furthermore, since it is unnecessary to prepare molds used in general resin molding, production costs can be reduced, and the entire manufacturing equipment, including the mold 11 and injection container 12, can be made more compact. The elimination of molds makes it possible to provide a resin molding method suitable for high-mix, low-volume production.

[0085] Secondly, by adopting a stereolithography material as the molding material M, it becomes possible to achieve curing of the molding material M in a short time, thereby shortening the production time.

[0086] Furthermore, by employing a light-transmitting mold 11, it becomes possible to mold using stereolithography materials. By irradiating the material with light, the stereolithography material can be cured rapidly, enabling efficient mold molding and the production of molded products. Furthermore, when irradiating the molding material M within the recess R with light from outside the mold 11, it is possible to irradiate the material through the mold 11 from various angles, thereby promoting the hardening of the molding material M and further shortening the manufacturing time.

[0087] Thirdly, by forming the molding material M from a photocurable resin, it becomes possible to achieve a more appropriate resin molding method through the optimization of the molding material M.

[0088] Furthermore, if a room-temperature curing material is used for the molding material M, it becomes possible to cure the molding material M at room temperature without requiring special equipment such as a light source, and to obtain a molded object.

[0089] Fourth, by creating the mold 11 using a stereolithography 3D printer, a precise mold 11 can be formed relatively easily, and the light source provided by the stereolithography 3D printer can be used to cure the molding material M in the recess R.

[0090] Fifth, by using a syringe-type injection container 12 and a discharge pressure control device, it becomes possible to inject the molding material M into the recess R with appropriate pressure. Furthermore, not only is injection possible, but the molding material M in the recess R can also be easily aspirated and returned to the injection container 12.

[0091] Sixth, when air bubbles A are mixed into the molding material M in the recess R, the air forming the air bubbles A is sucked out by the injection container 12 through the discharge nozzle 13 and removed from the molding material M, making it possible to obtain a molded product (mouthpiece P in this embodiment) that is free of air bubbles A and has high shape quality.

[0092] Here, because the mold 11 is transparent, the position of the air bubble A can be easily confirmed even from outside the mold 11, making it possible to accurately remove the air bubble A.

[0093] In the above explanation, the reference object was the dentition of the human body, and the molded object was a mouthpiece P for orthodontic treatment. Then, the mouthpiece P was created by resin molding using a resin molding device 1.

[0094] The molded product is not limited to mouthpiece P; it may also be other medical devices requiring high precision. Furthermore, the molded product is not limited to medical devices applied to or worn on the human body; it may also be a model of an organ such as the heart. Moreover, it may be a molded product from a field other than medicine, allowing for the creation of highly precise and aesthetically pleasing articles.

[0095] Furthermore, the discharge nozzle 13 attached to the injection container 12 may be interchangeable depending on the fineness of the recess R into which the molding material M is injected. In other words, it is also possible to prepare multiple discharge nozzles 13 with different diameters in advance and configure the system so that the finer the shape of the recess R, the smaller the discharge nozzle 13 with which it is replaced.

[0096] The embodiments described above are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, or modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments or their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 1...Resin molding equipment 11...Mold (molding mold) 111…dentition 111a Teeth 111b Tooth storage section 112, 112a...peripheral wall part 113, 113a...Bottom wall part 12...Injection container 121...Main body 121a... Containment area 122...Discharge part 122a...Discharge port 13…Discharge nozzle 14...Light source 15… Mounting platform 21…Discharge control device 31…Input device 40... type 41…Mold Half 42…funnel 44…Material injection hole M…Building material P... Mouthpiece (custom-made item) R... recess A... air bubbles

Claims

1. A step of preparing a resin mold having a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object, The process involves preparing an injection container having a storage section for storing molding material and a discharge section formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the recess, and equipped with a discharge nozzle for discharging the molding material from the storage section. A step of storing the molding material in the aforementioned storage section, The process involves discharging the molding material through the discharge nozzle while controlling the discharge pressure and injecting it into the recess, The process involves curing the molding material after injection within the recess, A resin molding method characterized by including the step of removing the molded material after curing from the recess.

2. The molding material is a stereolithography material, and the mold is formed from a light-transmitting material. The injection container is formed so as not to transmit light, The resin molding method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of injecting the molding material into the recess, and then irradiating the molding material in the recess with light from outside the mold to promote the hardening of the molding material.

3. The resin molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the molding material is a photocurable resin.

4. The resin molding method according to claim 3, characterized in that the photocurable resin is silicone, the mold is made of acrylic resin, and the light is UV light.

5. The resin molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the molding material is a room-temperature curing material.

6. The resin molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the mold is a mold created by a stereolithography 3D printer.

7. The resin molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that the injection container is a syringe.

8. The resin molding method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of removing air bubbles from the molding material in the recess by sucking the air bubbles out through the discharge nozzle using the injection container, after injecting the molding material into the recess, if air bubbles are mixed in the molding material in the recess.

9. A mold having a recess formed in the contour shape of a reference object and made of a resin material, An injection container having a storage section for storing molding material, and a discharge section formed to a diameter that can be inserted into the recess, and equipped with a discharge nozzle for discharging the molding material from the storage section, A resin molding apparatus characterized by having a discharge pressure control device that controls the discharge pressure when discharging the molding material.

10. The molding material is a stereolithography material, and the injection container is formed so as not to transmit light. The aforementioned mold is formed from a light-transmitting material. The aforementioned molding material is provided with a light source that emits light capable of curing it. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that after injecting the molding material into the recess, light is irradiated onto the stereolithography material in the recess from outside the mold to cure the stereolithography material.

11. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the photopolymerization material is made of a photocurable resin.

12. The resin molding apparatus according to 11, characterized in that the photocurable resin is silicone, the mold is made of acrylic resin, and the light is UV light.

13. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the molding material is a room-temperature curing material.

14. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the mold is a mold created by a stereolithography 3D printer.

15. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the injection container is a syringe.

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