Dental paste filling device and method

Abstract

The present invention provides a dental paste filling device which fills a container with dental paste without entrapment of bubbles. A dental paste filling device according to the present invention comprises: a paste supply stage which serves as a source of supply of dental paste; a paste filling stage in which a container is to be filled with the dental paste; and a supply passage which connects the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. The paste supply stage has a storage chamber which is for storing the dental paste, a storage chamber pressure reduction and degassing device which reduces pressure in the storage chamber and degasses the dental paste in the storage chamber, and a storage chamber extrusion device which extrudes the dental paste in the storage chamber to the supply passage. The paste filling stage has a filling chamber which is provided with an opening / closing mechanism, a holder which is for detachably holding the container in the filling chamber, a filling chamber degassing device which reduces pressure in the filling chamber and prevents bubbles from being entrapped in the dental paste, and a receiving port through which the dental paste is to be introduced into the filling chamber. The supply passage has an upstream-side tube which is connected to the storage chamber, a downstream-side tube which is connected to the receiving port of the filling chamber, and a discharge control valve which is provided between the upstream-side tube and the downstream-side tube.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for filling a container with dental paste, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for filling dental paste that can suppress the inclusion of air bubbles and has high production efficiency. [Background technology]

[0002] There are various types of dental pastes. These pastes are filled into various containers and used by dentists in treatment. When filling the paste into the container, air in the container or air present in the paste flow path may be mixed into the paste, causing air bubbles to be mixed into the paste. When air bubbles are mixed into the paste, various problems arise from the perspectives of physical properties, aesthetics, and hygiene.

[0003] For example, if the dental paste is an adhesive, the air bubbles will reduce the adhesive effect. If the paste contains a colorant, the air bubbles will cause a color change. Furthermore, if air bubbles remain in the dental paste for a long period of time, the oxygen in the bubbles may cause the paste to deteriorate over time.

[0004] In another example, dental pastes are used as restorative agents to repair missing teeth. In these cases, some are filled into cavities in the oral cavity and then hardened to obtain a restoration, while others are prepared in advance as a restoration and then hardened and attached to the missing tooth in the oral cavity. Other pastes are used as materials for constructing abutment teeth for attaching prosthetic devices, materials for bonding or adhering prosthetic devices to abutment teeth, materials for sealing dental fissures, materials for coating tooth surfaces, and materials for fixing loose teeth to adjacent teeth (including prosthetic devices).

[0005] In any case, since dental paste is applied and hardened, the presence of air bubbles in the applied surface or hardened paste has a significant effect on the physical properties and aesthetics.

[0006] For this reason, there has been a demand for a technology that can degas the dental paste at the supply source and, after degassing, prevent air bubbles from being entrained when filling the dental paste into a container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-016577 (JP 2011-016577A) describes a material filling device that rotates a material transfer unit using a rotation drive mechanism that applies centrifugal force toward the inner surface of a first container to a material held in the first container. The centrifugal force presses the material against the inner surface, causing it to move toward a through-hole formation region where multiple through-holes are formed, and the material is then transferred to multiple second containers through the multiple through-holes. Because Patent Application Publication No. 2011-016577 includes a rotation drive mechanism, there are limitations to improving production efficiency when multiple containers need to be filled while being replaced. Patent Application Publication No. 2011-016577 also describes a decompression means that decompresses a chamber containing the first container and multiple second containers to prevent the inclusion of air bubbles. However, Patent Application Publication No. 2011-016577 does not describe any configuration for independently controlling degassing in the first container that supplies the material and preventing the inclusion of air bubbles when filling multiple second containers with the material. In addition, since the first container for supplying the material and the multiple second containers to which the material is supplied are contained within a single chamber and the volume of the chamber to be depressurized is large, the depressurization means requires a large amount of power and it takes a long time to depressurize. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] To propose a device and a method for efficiently filling a container with dental paste by defoaming the dental paste before supplying the dental paste and preventing air bubbles from being entrained when filling the dental paste into the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the dental paste filling device is a dental paste filling device that fills a container with dental paste without trapping air bubbles, and includes a paste supply stage that serves as a supply source of dental paste, a paste filling stage that fills the container with dental paste, and a supply flow path that connects both stages. The paste supply stage has a storage chamber that stores the dental paste, a storage chamber decompression / degassing device that reduces the pressure inside the storage chamber to degas the dental paste in the storage chamber, and a storage chamber extrusion device that extrudes the dental paste in the storage chamber into the supply flow path. The paste filling stage is equipped with an opening / closing mechanism. a filling chamber having a filling chamber including a storage chamber, a holder for detachably holding a container in the filling chamber, a filling chamber degassing device for reducing the pressure inside the filling chamber to prevent air bubbles from being entrained in the dental paste, and a receiving port for introducing the dental paste into the filling chamber; the supply flow path having an upstream tube connected to the storage chamber, a downstream tube connected to the receiving port of the filling chamber, and a discharge control valve provided between the upstream tube and the downstream tube; and the dental paste filling device is configured so that the dental paste is degassed in the paste supply stage while air bubbles are prevented from being entrained in the paste filling stage.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the container is a syringe having a cylinder filled with dental paste, a nozzle at the end of the cylinder, and a plunger rod that slides up and down within the cylinder.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, the paste filling stage further includes a stopper switch that limits the upward travel distance of the plunger rod.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, the plunger rod moves upward and closes the discharge control valve when the stopper switch is turned on.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment, the holder has a holding arm that detachably holds the container, and an arm drive mechanism that moves the holding arm up and down between an upper position and a lower position.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, when the holding arm is in the upper position, the container and the receiving opening are separated, and when in the lower position, the container and the receiving opening are connected.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the upstream tube and the downstream tube are formed of a single flexible tube, and the discharge control valve is formed of a pinch member that pinches the tube midway.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of the dental paste filling method is a dental paste filling method for filling a container with dental paste without trapping air bubbles, and includes the steps of storing dental paste in a storage chamber in a paste supply stage that serves as a supply source of the dental paste, depressurizing the storage chamber to degas the dental paste stored in the storage chamber, holding the container with a holder in the filling chamber in a paste filling stage that fills the container with dental paste, and closing an opening / closing mechanism for the filling chamber to seal the filling chamber and depressurizing the filling chamber to prevent trapping air bubbles in the dental paste. a step of fixing a container to a receiving port through which the dental paste is introduced into the filling chamber; a step of opening a discharge control valve provided in a supply flow path connecting the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage and filling the container with the dental paste; a step of closing the discharge control valve and releasing the reduced pressure in the filling chamber after a predetermined amount of dental paste has been filled into the container; and a step of opening and closing the filling chamber opening / closing mechanism and removing the container from the holder, wherein the dental paste is degassed in the paste supply stage while preventing the entrapment of air bubbles in the paste filling stage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a flow diagram illustrating steps of a dental paste filling method according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of a dental paste filling device based on one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a paste dispensing stage according to a preferred embodiment. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram of the storage room, which is a tank. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage according to a preferred embodiment. [Figure 6A] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 6B] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 6C] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 6D] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 6E] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 6F] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a portion of the paste supply stage and the paste filling stage. [Figure 7A] Schematic diagram of an embodiment of a discharge control valve. [Figure 7B] FIG. [Figure 7C] FIG. [Figure 8] Schematic diagram of a stopper switch. [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of a syringe. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a dental paste filling device according to a modified embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a dental paste filling device and method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0019] The dental paste to be filled into the container is a composition containing resin and inorganic powder and has a certain degree of viscosity. Specifically, it is a dental composite resin, a dental abutment material, a dental resin cement, a dental coating material, a dental pit and fissure sealant, a dental manicure, or a dental material for fixing loose teeth. Low viscosity allows air bubbles to escape naturally, but high viscosity makes it difficult to remove from the container.

[0020] The container into which the filling is performed is a container filled with dental paste and sold, and is preferably a small container or a syringe container. A syringe container having a nozzle at the end of the barrel and a push rod for pushing out the contents is preferred. An example of a syringe container is shown in Figure 9.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the basic configuration of a dental paste filling device. As shown in FIG. 2, the dental paste filling device 1 includes a paste supply stage 2, a paste filling stage 6, a supply flow path 4, and a control device 8 that controls the entire system. The paste supply stage 2 includes a storage chamber 10 (also called a tank), a storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20 including a vacuum pump, and a storage chamber extruding device 26 including a pressure pump, and functions as a dental paste supply source. A mechanical extruding device can be used for the storage chamber extruding device 26 instead of the pressure pump. The paste supply stage 2 performs a degassing process to remove air bubbles from the dental paste. The paste filling stage 6 includes a filling chamber 60 and a filling chamber degassing device 80 including a vacuum pump, and functions to fill a container with the dental paste sent from the paste supply stage 2. The paste filling stage 6 performs a process to prevent air bubbles from being entrained when filling the container with the dental paste. The supply flow path 4 includes a discharge control valve 42 and functions to guide the dental paste sent from the paste supply stage 2 to the paste filling stage 6 at predetermined intervals. The control device 8 generates various control signals, which are sent to the storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20, the storage chamber extrusion device 26, the storage chamber 10, the discharge control valve 42, the filling chamber 60, and the filling chamber degassing device 80, thereby performing various controls.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the paste supply stage 2 and the paste filling stage 6 are connected via a supply flow path 4 having a discharge control valve 42, but are configured independently when the discharge control valve 42 is closed. Therefore, the degassing process in the paste supply stage 2 and the process for preventing air bubble entrapment in the paste filling stage 6 can be controlled independently. In other words, since the space where the degassing process is performed and the space where the process for preventing air bubble entrapment is performed are separate spaces, the pressure reduction power and the pressure reduction period required for the processes in each space can be individually set to optimal values. Furthermore, the tank 10, which serves as a storage chamber, can be replaced in a location separate from the filling chamber 60.

[0023] 3 to 9 show a preferred embodiment of the dental paste filling device.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows an example of the paste supply stage 2. The storage chamber 10 is formed by a cylindrical or syringe-shaped tank. The tank 10 has an openable lid 14 on top. A tube 15A is connected to the lid 14, and a tube connector 50A is attached to the free end of the tube. A tube 15B is connected to the storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20, and a tube connector 50B is attached to the free end of the tube 15B. The tube connectors 50A and 50B are detachably connected. The bottom of the tank 10 is tapered like a funnel, and an outlet 12 is formed at the tip. A tube 16A is connected to the outlet 12, and a tube connector 52A is attached to the free end of the tube. A tube connector 52B is attached to a fixed base 19 via a tube 16B. The tube 16B has a dead end at the fixed base 19. The tank 10 is supported by a support frame (not shown) formed on the fixed base 19. The tank 10 may also be configured to rotate and / or revolve. The tube connectors 52A and 52B are detachably connected. When the tube connectors 50A and 50B, or 52A and 52B, are connected, the tube passages are continuous, but when the connection is cut off, the passages to the tubes are blocked and the tube connectors themselves are put into a blocked state. The storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20 is composed of a vacuum pump.

[0025] The paste supply stage 2 further includes a temperature control device 18 that adjusts the temperature of the tank, and an agitator 30 that can be attached to the lid 14. The agitator 30 is equipped with a stirring blade 32. When the agitation operation is completed, the agitator 30 is removed from the lid 14 together with the stirring blade 32.

[0026] The right side of the dotted line frame of the paste supply stage 2 shown in Fig. 3 is blank. This blank area contains the storage chamber extrusion device 26 and tube connectors 50C and 52C shown in Fig. 5, but these are omitted from Fig. 3 for simplicity.

[0027] The vacuum degassing operation using the storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20 will now be described. The lid 14 of the tank 10 is removed, and the resin and inorganic powder that will form the dental paste are added to the tank. The resin and inorganic powder may be premixed. Next, the agitator 30 is attached to the lid 14, and the lid 14 is closed, keeping the storage chamber 10, which is the tank interior, sealed. The storage chamber vacuum degassing device 50 then operates to reduce the pressure inside the storage chamber 10, creating a vacuum. The dental paste 11 added to the storage chamber 10 is stirred by the agitator blade 32, but since the storage chamber 10 is in a vacuum state, no air bubbles are trapped in the dental paste. Since air bubbles may not be fully removed after depressurization, stirring the dental paste can easily promote degassing. That is, the dental paste 11 is stirred by the agitator blade 32 while the pressure inside the storage chamber 10 containing the dental paste is reduced. By reducing the pressure, the air bubbles in the dental paste expand, increasing its volume. The expanding bubbles are collapsed by the stirring blades 32, and the air inside the bubbles is pushed out, resulting in a reduction in the amount of bubbles inside the paste. This completes the degassing process, which removes air bubbles from the dental paste. The degassed dental paste 11 accumulates around the outlet 12 at the bottom due to its own weight.

[0028] In this embodiment, a temperature control device 18 is installed in the storage chamber 10 to control the temperature of the dental paste 11. Heating the dental paste reduces its viscosity and improves degassing efficiency. The temperature is preferably raised to 30 to 60°C to increase the fluidity of the dental paste and promote degassing. The temperature control device 18 is preferably a device that heats the entire storage chamber 10, specifically a jacket structure that runs warm water around the outside of the storage chamber 10. As another example, the outside of the storage chamber 10 can be covered with a flexible rubber heater. If the heating temperature is too low, the degassing effect is reduced, while if the heating temperature is too high, the dental paste may deteriorate. Degassing is performed until the dental paste can be used in the oral cavity. The degassing process is completed when the air bubbles in the dental paste are removed and degassed.

[0029] Once the dental paste in the storage chamber 10 is sufficiently stirred and the agitator 30 is removed, the tube connectors 50A and 52A are removed, as shown in FIG. 4. The tube connector 52A is shut off, preventing the dental paste 11 from flowing out of the tube connector 52A. The lid 14 is then opened, and a floating core (also called a floating core) is placed on the dental paste 11. The top surface of the core 13 is flat and circular, while the bottom surface is tapered, matching the tapered shape of the bottom surface of the storage chamber 10 (which serves as a reservoir). The function of the core 13 is as follows: The core 13 slides down the inner surface of the storage chamber 10, pushing the dental paste 11 downward with uniform pressure. When the dental paste 11 is almost gone, the tapered surface of the core 13 comes into close contact with the tapered bottom surface of the storage chamber, allowing the dental paste to be pushed out to the last drop.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 4, after the agitator 30 is removed, the core 13 is placed, and the lid 14 is closed, the tank 10 is moved and placed between the tube connectors 50C and 52C shown in Fig. 5. That is, the tube connectors 50A and 52A of the tank 10 are connected to the tube connectors 50C and 52C shown in Fig. 5, respectively, and the tank 10 is fixed to a support frame (not shown).

[0031] The left side of the frame of the paste supply stage 2 surrounded by the dotted line in Fig. 5 is blank. This blank area contains the storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20 shown in Fig. 3, but for simplicity, it is omitted in Fig. 5. The same is true in Figs. 6A to 6F.

[0032] 5, the paste filling stage 6 includes a filling chamber 60 and a filling chamber degassing device 80. The supply flow path 4 includes an upstream tube 41, a discharge control valve 42, and a downstream tube 43. The upstream end of the upstream tube 41 is connected to a tube connector 52C, and the downstream end is connected to the discharge control valve 42. That is, the upstream end of the upstream tube 41 is connected to the discharge port 12 of the storage chamber 10 via the tube connectors 52A and 52C. The upstream end of the downstream tube 43 is connected to the discharge control valve 42, and the downstream end 44 is directly connected to the filling chamber 60. This end 44 forms a receiving port 44 into which a nozzle 94 (FIG. 9) of a syringe 90, which will be described later, is crimped or inserted.

[0033] The supply flow path 4, particularly the discharge control valve 42, will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 7A, the upstream tube 41 and the downstream tube 43 are each made of a single flexible tube, such as a hose. While the discharge control valve 42 and the tubes 41 and 43 can be ordinary tubes (those commonly used for fluids in general industry), for simplicity's sake, it is preferable to use a hose made of a flexible material and use a valve that can control discharge by repeatedly compressing and releasing the hose from the outside. In this embodiment, the discharge control valve 42 is made of a pair of rollers 46 and 48 and a drive unit for driving the rollers. The rollers 46 and 48 are mounted on respective shafts so that they can rotate freely. The roller shafts are shifted toward each other, parallel to each other, or diagonally by a shaft shift unit 49, which is a drive unit, as described below.

[0035] The axis shift device 49 allows the pair of axes to move toward and away from each other (Fig. 7B), as well as to move in a parallel direction (Fig. 7C) parallel to the axial direction of the tube while they are in a close position. As shown in Fig. 7A, when the pair of rollers 46, 48 are spaced apart, the discharge control valve 42 is in an open position. To move the discharge control valve 42 from the open position to the closed position, the movement of the arrow shown in Fig. 7B (the approaching shift, which moves perpendicular to the axial direction of the tube) causes the valve to move to a pinch position, and the movement of the arrow shown in Fig. 7C (the parallel shift toward the upstream side) causes a suction action on the downstream side. In the pinch position, the cross section of the tube is pressed from a round shape to a flat shape, blocking the passage within the tube and achieving a closed state. Due to the suction action, a small amount of dental paste on the downstream side is sucked into the tube, as shown on the right side of Fig. 7C.

[0036] When the parallel shift toward the upstream side shown in FIG. 7C is applied, the dental paste in the tube is pushed back in the reverse direction. Therefore, a suction action (intake movement) is applied to the dental paste present in the upstream tube 43. That is, when the discharge control valve 42 shifts from open to closed, the pushing direction of the tube is controlled, and a suction action that induces a reverse flow of dental paste in the downstream tube is accompanied. As a result, when the filled syringe 90 is removed from the receiving port 44, the dental paste around the receiving port 44 is sucked into the downstream tube 43. This prevents dripping around the receiving port 44.

[0037] 7B and 7C, the pair of rollers can be moved diagonally from the upstream side to the downstream side of the tube (downstream diagonal direction), i.e., the axis shift can be a downstream diagonal shift (a shift diagonally across the tube axis from upstream to downstream). In this case, the tube is subjected to downstream diagonal pressure (a pressure diagonally across the tube axis from upstream to downstream).

[0038] As a modification of the discharge control valve 42, one roller may be fixed to the wall and one roller may be used facing the wall instead of the pair of rollers 46, 48. In this case, too, the axis of the roller is provided with an axis shift device 49 that shifts toward and parallel to the wall. The axis shift device 49 may also be configured to shift diagonally downstream.

[0039] As another modification of the discharge control valve 42, instead of the pair of rollers 46, 48, one of the rollers may be a fixed wall and one rotating cam facing the fixed wall may be used. The cam may be elliptical or non-circular. The shaft of the rotating cam does not shift, but instead transmits the rotational drive to the rotating cam. In this case, a shaft drive device is used instead of the shaft shift device 49 as the drive device.

[0040] As described above, the discharge control valve 42 is configured with a pinch member that pinches the tube in a diagonal direction toward the upstream side midway through the tube. That is, the pinch member has the function of pressing the tube toward the upstream side (pressing in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the tube) and moving the pressed portion downstream, or the pinch member has a configuration that presses the tube diagonally downstream (pressing diagonally across the axis of the tube from the upstream side to the downstream side). The discharge control valve 42 is normally closed and opens only during the period when the dental paste is being filled into the syringe 90.

[0041] Next, a syringe 90, which is an example of a container 90 for filling dental paste, will be described with reference to FIG.

[0042] 9, syringe 90 has a cylinder 92 filled with dental paste 11, a nozzle 94 at the tip of cylinder 92, and a plunger rod 96 that slides up and down within cylinder 92. Syringe 90 is made of glass or synthetic resin. Syringe 90 can be in two states: a filled state (FIG. 9) in which it is filled with dental paste 11 and the plunger rod 96 protrudes, and an empty state (FIG. 6A) in which it does not contain dental paste and the plunger rod 96 is inserted into cylinder 92.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 5 , the filling chamber 60 of the paste filling stage 6 has an openable / closable structure. In this embodiment, the filling chamber 60 has a door 62 as an example of an opening / closing mechanism. Furthermore, the filling chamber 60 is sealed when the door 62 is closed. The filling chamber 60 is provided with a holder for detachably holding the syringe 90. The holder includes a holding arm 66 for detachably holding the syringe 90 and an arm drive mechanism 64 for moving the holding arm 66 up and down between an upper position and a lower position. When the holding arm 66 is in the upper position, the nozzle 94 of the syringe 90 is spaced from the receiving port 44. When the holding arm 66 is in the lower position, the nozzle 94 of the syringe 90 is pressed against the receiving port 44, or the nozzle 94 is inserted into the receiving port 44, and the syringe 90 is connected to the receiving port 44. The tip of the holding arm 66 has a gripping structure that allows the syringe 90 to be fitted into or grasped. The holding arm 66 and arm drive mechanism 64 are designed so that their functionality is not impaired even if the filling chamber 60 is evacuated. For example, they do not include a structure that expands or contracts with air pressure. Also, on the ceiling of the filling chamber 60, there is a stopper switch 70 that limits the upward movement distance of the plunger rod 96, as will be explained next.

[0044] 8, the stopper switch 70 has a stem 72 that protrudes downward from the ceiling wall of the filling chamber 60, an upper arm 74 that extends laterally from the stem 72, a lower arm 76 that extends laterally from the stem 72 below the upper arm 74, an electrically conductive contact terminal 75 provided on the underside of the tip of the upper arm 74, and a stopper member 78 provided on the underside of the tip of the lower arm 76. The lower arm 76 is made of an elastic material, such as metal, and comes into contact with the contact terminal 75 when it bends upward, thereby forming an electrical switch. That is, when the lower arm 76 comes into contact with the contact terminal 75, an electrical circuit is established and the switch is turned on, and when the lower arm 76 moves away from the contact terminal 75, the switch is turned off.

[0045] 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D, 6E, and 6F, the operation of the paste filling stage 6 will be described. A series of operations is based on a control signal from the control device 8.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6A, the door 62 opens, and the empty syringe 90 held by the transport arm 68 is moved in the direction of the arrow and handed over to the holding arm 66. At this time, the holding arm 66 is in the upper position. The discharge control valve 42 is closed. Furthermore, the pressure pump, which is the storage chamber extrusion device 26 in the paste supply stage 2, operates to pressurize the storage chamber 10. The storage chamber 10 is pressurized only when the dental paste 11 is discharged from the storage chamber 10 to the filling chamber 60. This can be done simultaneously with, before, or after the container fixing step S3, which will be described later. A flow meter can be used to control the flow rate of the dental paste 11 into the filling chamber 60. Furthermore, the dental paste 11 is filled from the syringe nozzle 94. When a predetermined amount of dental paste 11 is filled into the syringe 90, the plunger rod 96 abuts against a stopper member 78, which is a control wall that prevents the plunger rod 96 from protruding any further.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 6B, the holding arm 66 holds the syringe 90 in a vertical position. At this time, the axis of the syringe 90 coincides with the axis of the receiving port 44 and the axis of the stopper member 78 (FIG. 8) of the stopper switch 70. The nozzle 94 of the syringe 90 is spaced apart from the receiving port 44, and the upper end of the plunger rod 96 is also spaced apart from the stopper member 78. In other words, the syringe 90 is held in a suspended state. In this state, the door 62 is closed, and the filling chamber degassing device 80 is operated. The filling chamber degassing device 80 is composed of a vacuum pump that reduces the pressure inside the filling chamber 60 to create a vacuum. The inside of the syringe 90, particularly the inside of the nozzle 94, is also placed in a vacuum state. Since the volume of the space in the filling chamber 60 is smaller than the volume of the space in the storage chamber 10, the vacuum power of the vacuum pump in the filling chamber degassing device 80 may be lower than the vacuum power of the vacuum pump in the storage chamber vacuum degassing device 20.

[0048] As described above, the filling chamber 60 contains only one container, the syringe 90, and does not contain the storage chamber 10, which is the supply source of the dental paste 11. Therefore, the volume of the filling chamber 60 is sufficient to accommodate one container 90, the holding arm 66 that holds the container, and the arm drive mechanism 64. Therefore, the pressure reduction power of the filling chamber degassing device 80 does not need to be as strong as that of the pressure reduction means described in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, the time required for pressure reduction is short, around one second, allowing the dental paste 11 to be efficiently filled into the syringe 90.

[0049] Next, as shown in FIG. 6C , the arm drive mechanism 64 lowers the holding arm 66 to a lower position, and the nozzle 94 of the syringe 90 is pressed or inserted into the receiving port 44. The receiving port 44 is made of an elastic material such as rubber, and the nozzle 94 is tightly coupled to the receiving port 44. The holding arm 66 holds the syringe 90 in a state in which the nozzle 94 is pressed or inserted into the receiving port 44. In one embodiment, the tip of the nozzle 94 is pressed against the receiving port 44 to ensure tight contact, allowing the dental paste 11 from the receiving port 44 to be guided into the syringe 90 through the nozzle 94. In another embodiment, the tip of the receiving port 44 is threaded, and the nozzle 94 of the container is also threaded, and the screws are connected to each other to secure the syringe 90 in place. In this case, the holding arm 66 has a rotation function.

[0050] Next, as shown in FIG. 6D, the discharge control valve 42, which was closed, is opened by a signal from the control device 8. A manually operated start button may be provided separately from the control device 8, and this button may be pressed. The dental paste in the storage chamber 10 is then forced out by pressure, passed through the supply channel 4, and injected into the nozzle 94 through the receiving port 44. Because the nozzle 94 is also under vacuum, no air bubbles are trapped inside. This fills the syringe 90 with dental paste 11, causing the plunger rod 96 to protrude upward. When the top surface of the plunger rod 96 eventually contacts the stopper member 78 of the stopper switch 70, the switch is turned ON. When the switch is turned ON, the ON signal is transmitted to the discharge control valve 42 via the control device 8, closing the discharge control valve 44. At this time, the discharge control valve 44 is closed while simultaneously sucking in the dental paste. This sucking action draws the dental paste in the receiving port 44 into the tube.

[0051] 6E, the door 62 opens, and the filled syringe 90 is removed by the transport arm 68 from the filling chamber 60. At this time, the nozzle 94 of the syringe 90 is moved away from the receiving port 44, but the dental paste in the receiving port 44 is drawn into the tube by a suction action, and the dental paste liquid does not seep out from the receiving port 44. Therefore, the receiving port 44 can be kept clean at all times.

[0052] 6F, the new empty syringe 90′ held by the transfer arm 68 is moved in the direction of the arrow and handed over to the holding arm 66. At this time, the holding arm 66 has been returned from the lower position to the upper position by the arm drive mechanism 64. The timing at which the holding arm 66 is returned from the lower position to the upper position may be immediately before the filled syringe 90 is removed from the filling chamber 60 by the transfer arm 68.

[0053] After this, the operations from FIG. 6A are repeated.

[0054] The operation of transferring the syringe 90 to the holding arm 66 and the operation of receiving the syringe 90 from the holding arm 66 may be performed manually without using the transfer arm 68.

[0055] In this embodiment, the door 62, which is an example of the opening and closing mechanism, is a front-opening door, but it may also be a top-opening door. The opening and closing mechanism may also be configured so that the filling chamber 60 is configured as a dome-shaped or cylindrical cover with a closed top end and an open other end, and the cover can be moved up and down so that when it moves down, it comes into close contact with a floor surface made of an elastic material.

[0056] In the above embodiment, a dental paste filling device can be provided that is configured so that dental paste is degassed in the paste supply stage while preventing the entrapment of air bubbles in the paste filling stage.Therefore, the decompression time and pressure adjustment required for degassing and the decompression time and pressure adjustment required for preventing the entrapment of air bubbles can be adjusted separately, allowing optimal adjustment for each.

[0057] FIG. 10 shows a modified embodiment of the dental paste filling device.

[0058] In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the storage chamber 10 and the filling chamber 60 are always connected via the supply channel 4. Therefore, the tube connector between the storage chamber 10 and the filling chamber 60 is omitted. The other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment before the modification. In the modified embodiment, when the dental paste in the storage chamber 10 runs out, dental paste or raw material is directly supplied into the storage chamber 10. Therefore, there is no need to remove or attach the storage chamber 10 to or from the fixing base 19.

[0059] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing the steps of a dental paste filling method.

[0060] The dental paste filling method is not limited to being carried out in the order of the process flow diagram, but it is preferable to go through the steps in the order of this process flow diagram.

[0061] The first step S1 is the "dental paste storage step," in which dental paste 11 is poured into storage chamber 10. In step S1, dental paste 11 is pre-mixed to form a paste before being poured. Alternatively, raw materials, powder and liquid, can be poured and mixed in step S1 to form a paste. In the pre-mixing step, the paste may not be in a paste state, although it may be used without degassing. Most preferably, pre-mixed paste is poured into storage chamber.

[0062] The next step S2 is a "degassing step," in which the dental paste in the storage chamber 10 is degassed. The purpose of step S2 is to remove air bubbles from the paste, i.e., to degas. It is preferable to maintain the state (density) of the air bubbles in the paste at the same level as the state (density) of the air bubbles when the paste was filled into the container. When adding powder and liquid materials, it is important to create a paste in which they are dispersed roughly uniformly. When adding pre-mixed paste, it is sufficient to remove any air bubbles that may have been mixed in at the time of addition. Degassing is preferably performed by reducing pressure and stirring. It is preferable to use a normal vacuum pump or degassing pump as the pressure reducer used for decompression.

[0063] The next step S3 is the "container installation step," in which a container 90 to be filled with dental paste is installed in the filling chamber 60. The method for installing the container is not particularly limited, and any method commonly used in industry can be used. In a preferred embodiment, an arm-shaped holder is provided in the filling chamber. In this case, a method is preferred in which a recessed jig is prepared in advance to conform to part or most of the outer shape of the container, and the container is then fitted into the jig.

[0064] The next step S4 is the "filling chamber degassing step," in which the pressure inside the filling chamber 60 is reduced using a filling chamber degassing device 80. In step S4, removing the air inside the filling chamber 60 can prevent air bubbles from being mixed into the paste. It is important to remove the air before filling the container 90. It is preferable to seal the filling chamber 60 and remove the air inside. The air is removed to an extent that does not trap air bubbles when filling the paste. The filling chamber degassing device 80 is preferably a normal vacuum pump or degassing pump.

[0065] The next step S5 is a "container fixing step," in which the nozzle 94 of the container 90 is fixed to the receiving port 44. In step S5, it is preferable to fix the container to the receiving port 44 so that it receives the paste discharged from the supply flow path. For example, in the case of a container such as a syringe, it is preferable to fix the receiving port 44, which guides the dental paste discharged from the receiving port into the container, to the nozzle 94 so that they are directly connected to each other to prevent leakage or air entrapment during filling. It is also possible to fix the receiving port 44, which guides the dental paste discharged from the receiving port into the container, to the nozzle 94 so that they are screwed together. Considering the efficiency of attaching and detaching the container, it is preferable to attach the receiving port 44, which guides the dental paste discharged from the receiving port into the container, and the nozzle 94 so that they are pressed against each other.

[0066] The next step, step S6, is a "filling step," in which dental paste 11 is filled into the container 90. In step S6, the discharge control valve 42 is opened and the storage chamber 10 is pressurized, causing the paste to flow from the storage chamber 10 into the filling chamber 60 and fill the container 90. The storage chamber 10 can also be pressurized mechanically via the core 13 inside the storage chamber 10. The storage chamber 10 can also be a sealed container and pressurized by injecting a gas such as air. When pressurizing with air or the like, it is preferable to form the discharge port 12 in a direction in which the paste accumulates under its own weight. The amount of paste 11 filled into the container 90 can be controlled by the flow rate, the opening and closing time of the discharge control valve 42, and the like. In a container such as a syringe, the amount of paste filled can also be controlled by controlling the movement distance of the plunger rod 96.

[0067] The next step S7 is a "vacuum release step" in which the pressure inside the filling chamber 60 is reduced. In step S7, after a predetermined amount of paste has been filled into the container 90, the vacuum inside the filling chamber 60 is released. In one embodiment, the pressure in the storage chamber 10 is also returned to normal, and then the discharge control valve 42 is closed.

[0068] The next step S8 is the "container removal step," in which the container 90 is removed from the filling chamber 60. In step S8, the container 90 is removed from the depressurized filling chamber 60. Since the filling chamber 60 has returned to normal pressure in the depressurization release step S7, it is possible to remove the container from inside. Since the filling chamber 60 is sealed, the sealed state is released and the container 90 is removed.

[0069] 1, arrow R1 indicates a case where, after step S8, the process returns to step S3 and the filling operation is repeated using a new empty container 90. Also, arrow R2 indicates a case where, after step S8, the process returns to step S1 and the dental paste 11 in the storage chamber 10 is replenished. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] This invention relates to a technology for filling dental paste into a container and has industrial applications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Dental paste filling device 2 Paste supply stage 4 Supply Channel 6 Paste filling stage 8 Control Device 10 Storage Room 11 Dental paste 12 Outlet 13 Core 14 Lid 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B tubes 18 Temperature control device 19 Fixed base 20 Storage chamber vacuum degassing device 26 Storage chamber extrusion device 30 Stirrer 32 Stirring blade 41 Upstream tube 42 Discharge control valve 43 Downstream tube 44 Inlet 46,48 Laura 49 Axle shift device 50A, 50B, 50C, 52A, 52B, 52C Tube Connectors 60 Filling room 62 Door 64 Arm drive mechanism 66 Holding Arm 70 Stopper switch 72 stem 74 Upper Arm 75 Contact terminal 76 lower arm 78 Stepper parts 80 Filling chamber degassing device 90 syringes 92 cylinders 94 nozzles 96 Plunger rod

Claims

1. A dental paste filling device for filling a dental paste (11) into a container (90) without trapping air bubbles, comprising: The dental paste filling device includes a paste supply stage (2) that serves as a supply source of dental paste (11), a paste filling stage (6) that fills a container with dental paste, and a supply flow path (4) that connects both stages; The paste supply stage (2) includes a storage chamber (10) for storing dental paste, a storage chamber vacuum degassing device (20) for decompressing the storage chamber (10) to degas the dental paste in the storage chamber (10), and a storage chamber extrusion device (26) for extruding the dental paste in the storage chamber (10) into a supply flow path (4); The paste filling stage (6) includes a filling chamber (60) equipped with an opening / closing mechanism (62), a holding device (64, 66) including a holding arm (66) for detachably holding a container (90) in the filling chamber (60) and an arm drive mechanism (64) for moving the holding arm (66) up and down between an upper position and a lower position, a filling chamber degassing device (80) for reducing the pressure inside the filling chamber (60) to prevent air bubbles from being entrained in the dental paste, a receiving port (44) for introducing the dental paste (11) into the filling chamber (60), and a control device (8) for controlling the operation of the holding devices (64, 66) and the operation of the filling chamber degassing device (80). The supply flow path (4) has an upstream tube (41) connected to the storage chamber (10), a downstream tube (43) connected to the receiving port (44) of the filling chamber (60), and a discharge control valve (42) provided between the upstream tube (41) and the downstream tube (43), The container (90) is a syringe having a cylinder (92) filled with dental paste (11), a nozzle (94) at the tip of the cylinder (92), and a plunger rod (96) that slides up and down within the cylinder (92). The syringe (90) can be in a filled state in which the dental paste (11) is filled and the plunger rod (96) protrudes, or in an empty state in which the dental paste is not contained and the plunger rod (96) is inserted into the cylinder (92). Under the control of the control device (8), when the holding arm (66) is in the upper position, the nozzle (94) and the receiving port (44) are separated, and at this time, the holding arm (66) can receive an empty syringe (90) or can eject a filled syringe (90); Further, under the control of the control device (8), the filling chamber degassing device (80) is operated to reduce the pressure in the filling chamber (60), Furthermore, when the filling chamber (60) is decompressed, the holding arm (66) is brought to a lower position under the control of the control device (8), and at this time, the nozzle (94) and the receiving port (44) are connected. At this time, the discharge control valve (42) is opened, and a predetermined amount of dental paste (11) is injected from the receiving port (44) into the nozzle (94), thereby filling the syringe. A dental paste filling device configured such that dental paste is degassed at the paste supply stage, while air bubbles are prevented from being entrained at the paste filling stage.

2. 2. The dental paste filling device according to claim 1, wherein the paste filling stage (6) further comprises a stopper switch (70) for limiting the upward movement distance of the plunger rod (96).

3. 3. The dental paste filling device according to claim 2, wherein the plunger rod (96) moves upward and the stopper switch (70) is turned on to close the discharge control valve (42).

4. 2. The dental paste filling device according to claim 1, wherein the upstream tube (41) and the downstream tube (43) are formed of a single flexible tube, and the discharge control valve (42) is formed of a pinching member that pinches the tube midway along the length of the single tube.

5. 5. The dental paste filling device according to claim 4, wherein when the discharge control valve (42) transitions from open to closed, the pushing direction of the tube is controlled, and a suction action is performed in the downstream tube to induce a backflow of dental paste.

6. A dental paste filling method for filling a dental paste (11) into a syringe-like container (90) without trapping air bubbles, the syringe having a cylinder (92) into which the dental paste (11) is filled, a nozzle (94) at the tip of the cylinder (92), and a plunger rod (96) that slides up and down within the cylinder (92), the syringe (90) being configured to assume two states: a filled state in which the dental paste (11) is filled and the plunger rod (96) protrudes, and an empty state in which the dental paste is not contained and the plunger rod (96) is inserted into the cylinder (92); The dental paste filling method includes: a step of storing the dental paste (11) in a storage chamber (10) in a paste supply stage (2) that serves as a supply source of the dental paste (11); a step of reducing the pressure in the storage chamber (10) to degas the dental paste (11) stored in the storage chamber (10); In a paste filling stage (6) for filling the container (90) with dental paste, a holder (64, 66) in the filling chamber (60) holds the empty syringe (90), and the nozzle (94) and a receiving port (44) for introducing the dental paste (11) into the filling chamber (60) are arranged so as to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical relationship; a step of closing the opening / closing mechanism (62) of the filling chamber (60) to seal the filling chamber (60) and reducing the pressure in the filling chamber (60) to prevent air bubbles from being trapped in the dental paste; a step of moving the holders (64, 66) in one direction while the filling chamber (60) is decompressed, and moving the syringe (90) so that the nozzle (94) of the syringe (90) is connected to the receiving port (44); a step of opening a discharge control valve (42) provided in a supply flow path (4) connecting the paste supply stage (2) and the paste filling stage (6), and injecting a predetermined amount of dental paste (11) from the receiving port (44) into a nozzle (94) to fill the syringe (90) with the dental paste (11) and make the syringe filled; After the syringe (90) is filled, closing the discharge control valve (42) and releasing the vacuum in the filling chamber (60); a step of moving the holders (64, 66) in a direction opposite to the one direction, thereby moving the syringe (90) in a reverse direction so that the nozzle (94) of the syringe (90) is separated from the receiving port (44); a step of opening the opening / closing mechanism (62) of the filling chamber (60) and removing the syringe (90) from the holder (64, 66); Including, A dental paste filling method configured such that the dental paste is degassed in the paste supply stage, while the entrapment of air bubbles is prevented in the paste filling stage.

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