Wire bending device

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for bending wires (300), which allows wires (300) of dental apparatuses to be bent for orthodontic treatments, wherein the device comprises a movement module (100) for moving the wire (300) along a line of movement in a main direction of movement, and a shaping module (200) with a first clamp (201a) for holding the wire (300) and a second clamp (202a) for bending the wire (300) in a bending plane parallel to a second support (202e) of the second clamp (202a). According to the invention, the shaping module (200) also comprises a submodule (203) for moving the bending plane, which is designed to translate the second support (202e) about an axis of translation parallel to the main direction of movement of the wire (300), by means of an element (203a) for rotating the bending plane.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] WIRE BENDING DEVICE

[0003] Technical sector

[0004] The present invention relates to a wire bending device especially suitable for orthodontic applications where a wire needs to be bent according to a characteristic and specific pattern of each person to whom orthodontic treatment is to be applied using a dental appliance.

[0005] The wire bending device object of the present invention allows the wire to be worked following precise instructions sent from a computer, to make bends in the wire at different angles and in different planes, as well as to make twists in the wire, in such a way that the resulting geometry of the wire with its bends allows its adaptation to the specific needs of the orthodontic treatment required by each user.

[0006] The wire bending device object of the present invention has application in the industry dedicated to the design and manufacture of dental or orthodontic appliances, as well as in the industry dedicated to the design, manufacture and marketing of machinery intended for the work and / or machining of wires and, specifically, metal wires.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] In the field of orthodontics, it is common to apply position correction treatments to patients who require tooth repositioning, whether for aesthetic and / or health reasons.

[0009] In these treatments to correct the position of teeth, it is common to use dental appliances (also known by their English name as "brackets"), which comprise a plurality of anchor points with the teeth that fix them to the surface of the teeth by means of adhesive.

[0010] The dental appliance comprises one or more wires configured to connect said anchor points together and to exert a force on the teeth aimed at gradually correcting their position.

[0011] In order for the wires of dental appliances to be able to exert the corrective or rectification force appropriate to the orthodontic treatment, these wires must be bent prior to the implantation of the dental appliance in the user's mouth, said bends being adapted to the initial position of the user's teeth and the correction force necessary for each tooth to rectify its placement towards the desired final position.

[0012] After a detailed study of the position of the user's teeth before orthodontic treatment and the desired final position, the geometry of the dental appliance wire is configured using computer design techniques.

[0013] From this dental appliance wire geometry, a file with instructions is created and sent to a forming machine.

[0014] Document WO 2010129110 A1 discloses a wire forming machine for dental appliances.

[0015] Conventional wire bending or forming machines comprise various handling units configured to bend the wire according to different degrees of freedom.

[0016] A drawback of some conventional wire bending or forming machines is their limited number of degrees of freedom for performing turns or bends in different planes.

[0017] Another drawback of conventional wire bending or forming machines is their limited compactness, as the handling units comprise robotic arms with a turning radius that covers a large area.

[0018] Object of the invention

[0019] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, the present invention relates to a wire bending device.

[0020] The wire bending device of the present invention comprises: a displacement module configured to produce a displacement of a wire along a main line of displacement and according to a main direction of displacement, and; a forming module configured to produce a bending of the wire in a desired bending plane and according to a desired bending angle.

[0021] The forming module comprises a first gripping sub-module with a first gripper and a second gripping sub-module with a second gripper.

[0022] The first gripper is configured to hold the wire in a certain feed position according to the main feed direction.

[0023] The second clamp is configured to produce wire bending in a section of the wire located between the first clamp and the second clamp.

[0024] The second gripper is linked to a second support of the second gripping submodule such that the second gripper is configured to produce bending of the wire according to a bending plane parallel to the plane in which the second support is located.

[0025] In a novel manner, in the wire bending device object of the present invention: the forming module comprises a submodule for moving the bending plane which in turn comprises an element for rotating the bending plane to which the second support is fixed, and; the element for rotating the bending plane is configured to move the second support by translation around a translation axis parallel to the main direction of movement of the wire, keeping the second support always parallel to said translation axis of the bending plane.

[0026] By means of the wire bending device just described, it is possible to have in a compact manner (without the need for articulated arms with multiple articulated sections and a turning radius that significantly exceeds the dimensions of the device housing) a device that provides multiple degrees of freedom to produce the bending of a wire according to a desired bending plane and according to a desired bending angle.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the wire-bending device of the present invention, the bending plane rotation element is configured to translate the second support around a translation axis coinciding with the main line of travel of the wire. In this way, the device's degree of compactness is maximized, since the second support of the second clamp rotates around the main line of travel of the wire.

[0028] Preferably, the rotation element of the bending plane is a toothed wheel whose central axis of radial symmetry is the translation axis of the second support, and where the movement submodule of the bending plane comprises a translation motor configured to print a rotational movement to the toothed wheel that forms the rotation element of the bending plane, by means of a gear or pinion.

[0029] According to the preferred embodiment of the wire bending device of the present invention, the second clamping submodule comprises a bending motor fixed to the second support. The bending motor is configured to rotate a rotating platform on which the second clamp is fixed, such that, when the jaws of the second clamp are holding the wire, the rotation of the rotating platform causes the wire to bend in the bending plane.

[0030] Preferably, the second gripping submodule comprises a second actuator configured to open and close the jaws of the second gripper by moving a second jaw relative to a first jaw of the second gripper.

[0031] Likewise, the wire-bending device of the present invention may also incorporate a function for twisting (or twisting) the wire. Thus, the wire-bending device of the present invention may be configured to twist the wire by closing the first and second clamps, with both clamps holding the wire, and by translating the second support of the second clamping submodule around the translation axis, by rotating the rotation element of the bending plane. This allows the wire to be retained and twisted along its main travel path.

[0032] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first clamp is connected, at a first end, by means of a first rod, to a first support which, in turn, is fixed to a housing of the displacement module.

[0033] The first gripping submodule may comprise a first bushing configured to close the first gripper by the spring force exerted by a spring positioned between the first bushing and a first actuator. The first actuator is configured to open the first gripper by pulling the first bushing with a force greater than the spring force exerted by the spring. The first actuator is configured to close the first gripper by releasing the first bushing.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment of the wire bending device object of the present invention, the displacement module comprises a support piece in which there is a channel configured to house the wire in its displacement from an input zone to an output zone of the displacement module.

[0035] The displacement module may comprise a displacement motor configured to produce rotation of at least one displacement wheel configured to produce displacement of the wire.

[0036] Preferably, the scroll module comprises three scroll wheels.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, one of the travel wheels is fixed to a drive shaft directly connected to the travel motor, and the other two travel wheels are fixed to respective driven shafts, where the travel motor is configured to transmit rotation to the driven shafts by means of a transmission belt coupled to sprockets located respectively on the drive shaft and on the driven shafts. Each travel wheel may comprise a perimeter rubber seal configured to increase the friction between the travel wheel and the wire.

[0038] Preferably, the wire bending device object of the present invention comprises at least one encoder configured to measure the actual displacement of the wire and to send information relative to the actual displacement of the wire to a computer from which the wire bending operation in the device is controlled.

[0039] Description of the figures

[0040] As part of the explanation of at least one embodiment of the invention, the following figures have been included.

[0041] Figure 1: Shows a top perspective view of a possible embodiment of the wire bending device object of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 2: Shows a side view of the wire bending device in Figure 1.

[0043] Figure 3: Shows a top view of the wire bending device in Figure 1.

[0044] Figure 4: Shows a side sectional view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, according to the section BB indicated in Figure 3.

[0045] Figure 5: Shows a rear sectional view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, according to section AA indicated in Figure 3, where the device is shown folded 90° with respect to the arrangement shown in Figure 1.

[0046] Figure 6: Shows an enlarged view of the wire passage channel in Figure 5.

[0047] Figure 7a: Shows a top view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, where the second support of the second wire clamping submodule is shown in a first translational position, and where the rotating platform of the second clamping submodule is in a first angular position.

[0048] Figure 7b: Shows a top view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, analogous to that of Figure 7a, where the second support of the second wire clamping sub-module is shown in the first translation position, and where the rotating platform of the second clamping sub-module is in a second angular position.

[0049] Figure 8a: Shows a front or anterior view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, where the second support of the second wire clamping submodule is shown in the first translation position, and where the rotating platform of the second clamping submodule is in the first angular position.

[0050] Figure 8b: Shows a front or anterior view of the wire bending device of Figure 1, analogous to that of Figure 8a, where the second support of the second wire clamping submodule is shown in a second translation position.

[0051] Detailed description of the invention

[0052] The present invention relates, as mentioned above, to a wire bending device (300).

[0053] In the present detailed description of a possible embodiment of the wire bending device (300) object of the present invention, the use of ordinal numeral determinants ("first", "second", etc.) does not necessarily refer to the number of elements of a certain type, but (at least occasionally) is used to differentiate different elements of the same type.

[0054] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the wire bending device comprises a feed module (100) or extrusion module and a forming module (200) of the wire (300).

[0055] The movement module (100) is configured to move a wire (300), in a main movement direction, from a feed zone (101) to an outlet zone (102), through an extrusion orifice (not shown in detail) of the outlet zone (102). The wire (300) is moved along a channel (103) made on a support piece (104), by means of a movement train comprising a plurality of movement rollers or wheels (105) driven by a movement motor (106).

[0056] Figure 6 shows a detail of the channel (103) of the support piece (104), according to a possible embodiment of said support piece (104).

[0057] The channel (103) has a cross section with a geometry that can be adapted to the geometry of the wire section (300), so that depending on the geometry of the wire section (300) that is to be formed or bent, a support (104) can be selected with a channel (103) that has a cross section with one geometry or another.

[0058] The displacement wheels (105) may comprise a rubber seal along their perimeter, to increase friction with the wire (300) and facilitate its movement along the channel (103).

[0059] As shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 or Figure 5, according to a possible embodiment of the wire bending device, the travel motor (106) transmits the rotational movement to the travel wheels (105) by means of a transmission belt (not shown) configured to transmit the rotation of a drive shaft (107) (connected to the travel motor (106)) to one or more driven shafts (108) by means of a plurality of pinions (109).

[0060] The displacement module (100) comprises a housing (110) or chassis, which may be a closed surface or a set of support plates, acting as a base for the device.

[0061] The forming module (200) comprises a first pinching submodule (201), located after the exit zone (102) of the displacement module (100), according to the main direction of displacement of the wire (300).

[0062] The first pinching submodule (201) is configured to produce a pinching of the wire (300) at the output of the displacement module (100).

[0063] The first gripping submodule (201) comprises a first gripper (201a) which, according to the embodiment shown in the Figures, comprises a double conical geometry with a central section of greater caliber than its two narrower end sections. The first gripper (201a) is connected, at a first end, by means of a first rod (201 d), to a first support (201 e) which, in turn, is fixed to the housing (110) of the displacement module (100).

[0064] The first gripping submodule (201) comprises a first actuator (201 b) which is preferably fixed to the housing (110) of the displacement module (100).

[0065] The first actuator (201b) is configured to produce an opening of the first clamp (201a) by pulling a first bushing (201c).

[0066] In the rest or “non-actuating” position of the first actuator (201 b), a spring (not shown) located between the first actuator (201b) and the first bushing (201c) produces a pressure on the first end of the first clamp (201a), causing the first clamp (201a) to close.

[0067] To open the first gripper (201a), the first actuator (201 b) is configured to pull the first bushing (201c) (overcoming the elastic force of the spring). When the first bushing (201c) is released from pressure on the first end of the first gripper (201a), the first gripper (201a) opens spontaneously, due to the tendency of the jaws of the first gripper (201a) to separate.

[0068] The forming module (200) comprises a second pinching sub-module (202), located after the first pinching sub-module (201), according to the main direction of movement of the wire (300).

[0069] The second clamping submodule (202) is configured to produce, by means of a second clamp (202a), a clamping of the wire (300), complementary to the clamping produced by the first clamping submodule (201).

[0070] According to the embodiment shown in the Figures, the second gripper (202a) comprises a jaw-shaped geometry with two jaws, where a first jaw (202c) is connected to a rotating platform (202f).

[0071] The second gripping submodule (202) comprises a second actuator (202b) configured to push or pull a second jaw (202d), thereby respectively causing the second gripper (202a) to open or close, by moving the second jaw (202d) away from or toward the first jaw (202c).

[0072] The second clamping submodule (202) comprises a bending motor (202g) fixed to a second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202).

[0073] The bending motor (202g) is configured to rotate the turntable (202f) along a bending plane parallel to the plane in which the second support (202e) is located. To this end, the turntable (202f) is connected to the bending motor (202g) by means of a bending shaft (202h).

[0074] The second clamp (202a), the second actuator (202b) and the rotating platform (202f) are located in correspondence with a side of the second support (202e) opposite to the side of the second support (202e) to which the bending motor (202g) is fixed.

[0075] Thus, the bending axis (202h) passes through the second support (202e).

[0076] The forming module (200) comprises a bending plane displacement submodule (203). This bending plane displacement submodule (203) can also function, as explained below, as a “twisting submodule” to produce the twisting or kinking of the wire (300).

[0077] The bending plane displacement submodule (203) comprises a bending plane rotation element (203a) to which the second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202) is fixed.

[0078] The bending plane rotation element (203a) preferably has a flat geometry and is perpendicular to the main direction of travel of the wire (300).

[0079] The rotation element of the bending plane (203a) is configured to carry out a translation of the second support (202e) around a translation axis, and keeping the second support (202e) always parallel to said translation axis, where said translation axis of the second support (202e) is parallel to the main direction of movement of the wire (300). By means of this translation movement, it is possible to change the orientation of the bending plane of the wire (300).

[0080] The rotation element of the bending plane (203a) is, for example (and as shown in the Figures), a toothed wheel configured to rotate about its own central axis of radial symmetry, its own central axis of radial symmetry being the translation axis of the second support (202e), which may coincide with the displacement line of the wire (300). The second support (202e) of the second pinching submodule (202) is fixed to the toothed wheel, at a certain distance from its central axis of radial symmetry, parallel to said central axis of radial symmetry (that is, parallel to the translation axis of the second support (202e)).

[0081] The bending plane displacement submodule (203) comprises, as shown in Figure 4, a translation motor (203b), configured to drive the bending plane rotation element (203a) so that it produces the translation displacement (around the translation axis) of the second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202).

[0082] In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the translation motor (203b) is configured to print a rotational movement to the toothed wheel that forms the rotation element of the bending plane (203a), by means of a gear (203c) or pinion, which meshes with said toothed wheel.

[0083] The wire bending device (300) object of the present invention preferably comprises at least one driver (not shown) for controlling each of the motors (106, 202g, 203b) and each of the actuators (201b, 202b). This at least one driver is configured to receive instructions from a computer for forming the wire (300).

[0084] The wire bending device (300) object of the present invention also comprises at least one encoder (not shown) configured to measure the actual displacement of the wire (300) along the channel (103), sending to the computer the information relative to the displacement of the wire (300), so that the computer always has updated information about the displacement of the wire (300). The operation of the wire bending device (300) object of the present invention is briefly described below.

[0085] When it is desired to work the wire (300) by giving it a certain shape in a section of the wire (300) that has not yet been shaped, the displacement module (100) causes the wire (300) to move along the channel (103), until the section of the wire (300) that is desired to be shaped is located between the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a).

[0086] For this movement to occur, the movement motor (106) must drive the movement wheels (105) so that they move the wire along the channel (103), and the first clamp (201a) must be open, for which the first actuator (201b) must be pulling the first bushing (201c), thus releasing the first clamp (201a) to allow the movement of the wire (300). The second clamp (202a) is also open, so that the wire (300), in its movement, can pass between the first jaw (202c) and the second jaw (202d) of the second clamp (202a)

[0087] Once the section of wire (300) that is to be formed is located between the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a), the displacement motor (106) stops driving the displacement wheels (105), and the first actuator (201b) stops pulling the first bushing (201c), thereby closing the jaws of the first clamp (201a), thereby retaining the wire (300) in the appropriate position for forming the section of wire (300) on which a bending or twisting action is to be exerted.

[0088] Next, if what is desired is to perform a bending action on the wire (300), it is checked that the bending plane rotation element (203a) is in a suitable position such that the bending plane is located in such a way that the bending direction in which the wire (300) is to be bent is included in said bending plane.

[0089] If it is found that the bending plane rotation element (203a) is not in a suitable position such that the direction in which the wire (300) is to be bent is included in the current bending plane, the second actuator (202b) causes the second clamp (202a) to open and the translation motor (203b) causes the bending plane rotation element (203a) to move, thereby moving the second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202) around the translation axis, from a first translation position to a second translation position in which the bending plane (parallel to the second support (202e)) is located such that the bending direction in which the wire (300) is to be bent is included in the bending plane.

[0090] Figure 8a and Figure 8b show the movement of the second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202) of the wire bending device (300), from a first translation position (Figure 8a) to a second translation position (Figure 8b).

[0091] When it is verified that the rotation element of the bending plane (203a) is in a suitable position such that the direction in which the wire (300) is to be bent is included in the bending plane, the second actuator (202b) produces the closing of the second clamp (202a) (thereby retaining the wire (300) and the bending motor (202g) produces the rotation of the rotating platform (202f) according to an angular displacement in accordance with the desired bending angle for the wire (300), thereby producing the bending of the wire (300), in a desired bending plane, and according to the desired angular displacement.

[0092] Figure 7a and Figure 7b show the wire bending device (300) with the second support (202e) of the second gripping submodule (202) in the same first translation position (according to the desired bending plane), and it is shown that the rotating platform (202f) moves from a first angular position (Figure 7a) to a second angular position (Figure 7b) to produce the bending of the wire (300), in the desired bending plane, according to the desired bending angle.

[0093] If what is desired is to exert a twisting action on the wire (300) (so that the bending plane movement submodule (203) functions as a “twisting submodule”), once the section of the wire (300) to be formed is located between the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a), with the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a) in the closed position (when both clamps (201a, 202a) are holding the wire (300)), the translation motor (203b) produces the movement of the rotation element of the bending plane (203a), thereby moving the second support (202e) and the second clamp (202a) of the second clamping submodule (202) until the desired degree of twisting is printed on the wire (300).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Wire bending device (300) comprising: a displacement module (100) configured to produce a displacement of a wire (300) along a main line of displacement and according to a main direction of displacement, and; a forming module (200) configured to produce a bending of the wire (300) in a desired bending plane and according to a desired bending angle; where the forming module (200) comprises a first pinching sub-module (201) with a first gripper (201a) and a second pinching sub-module (202) with a second gripper (202a); where the first gripper (201a) is configured to retain the wire (300) in a certain advance position according to the main advance direction; where the second clamp (202a) is configured to produce the bending of the wire (300) in a section of the wire (300) located between the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a);wherein the second gripper (202a) is linked to a second support (202e) of the second gripping submodule (202) such that the second gripper (202a) is configured to produce the bending of the wire (300) according to a bending plane parallel to the plane in which the second support (202e) is located; where the wire bending device (300) is characterized in that: the forming module (200) comprises a bending plane movement submodule (203) which in turn comprises an element for rotating the bending plane (203a) to which the second support (202e) is fixed, and; the element for rotating the bending plane (203a) is configured to move the second support (202e) by translation around a translation axis parallel to the main direction of movement of the wire (300), keeping the second support; (202e) always parallel to said axis of translation of the bending plane. 2.- Wire bending device (300) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotation element of the bending plane (203a) is configured to move the second support (202e) by translation around a translation axis coinciding with the main line of movement of the wire (300). 3.- Wire bending device (300) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rotation element of the bending plane (203a) is a toothed wheel whose central axis of radial symmetry is the translation axis of the second support (202e), and where the submodule for moving the bending plane (203) comprises a translation motor (203b) configured to print a rotation movement to the toothed wheel that forms the rotation element of the bending plane (203a), by means of a gear (203c).

4. Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second clamping submodule (202) comprises a bending motor (202g) fixed to the second support (202e), where the bending motor (202g) is configured to produce a rotation of a rotating platform (202f) on which the second clamp (202a) is fixed, such that, when the jaws (202c, 202d) of the second clamp (202a) are holding the wire (300), the rotation of the rotating platform (202f) produces the bending of the wire (300) in the bending plane. 5.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second clamping submodule (202) comprises a second actuator (202b) configured to open and close the jaws (202c, 202d) of the second clamp (202a) by moving a second jaw (202d) relative to a first jaw (202c) of the second clamp (202a).

6. Wire bending device (300) according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it is configured to produce a twisting of the wire (300) by closing the first clamp (201a) and the second clamp (202a) with both clamps (201a, 202a) holding the wire (300), and; the translation of the second support (202e) of the second clamping submodule (202) around the translation axis, by means of the rotation of the rotation element of the bending plane (203a). 7.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first clamp (201a) is connected, at a first end, by means of a first rod (201 d), to a first support (201 e) which, in turn, is fixed to a housing (110) of the displacement module (100).

8. Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first clamping submodule (201) comprises a first bushing (201c) configured to produce a closure of the first clamp (201a) by the elastic force exerted by a spring located between said first bushing (201c) and a first actuator (201b), where the first actuator (201b) is configured to produce an opening of the first clamp (201a) by pulling the first bushing (201c) with a force greater than the elastic force exerted by the spring and where the first actuator (201 b) is configured to produce a closure of the first clamp (201a) by stopping pulling the first bushing (201c). 9.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement module (100) comprises a support piece (104) in which there is a channel (103) configured to house the wire (300) in its displacement from an input zone (101) to an output zone (102) of the displacement module (100). 10.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the displacement module (100) comprises a displacement motor (106) configured to produce the rotation of at least one displacement wheel (105) configured to produce the displacement of the wire (300). 11.- Wire bending device (300) according to claim 10, characterized in that the displacement module (100) comprises three displacement wheels (105). 12.- Wire bending device (300) according to claim 11, characterized in that one of the displacement wheels (105) is fixed to a drive shaft (107) directly connected to the displacement motor (106), and where the other two displacement wheels (105) are fixed to respective driven shafts (108), where the displacement motor (106) is configured to transmit the rotation to the driven shafts (108) by means of a transmission belt coupled with pinions (109) located respectively on the drive shaft (107) and on the driven shafts (108). 13.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that each displacement wheel (105) comprises a perimeter rubber seal configured to increase the friction between the displacement wheel (105) and the wire (300). 14.- Wire bending device (300) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one encoder configured to measure the actual displacement of the wire (300) and to send information relative to the actual displacement of the wire (300) to a computer from which the bending operation of the wire (300) in the device is controlled.

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