A jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring the biting, crushing, and comminution properties of foods

Abstract

The present invention relates to a jaw system used in food analysis for performing a biting, crushing, or comminution test in order to determine a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process, wherein said system is compatible with all texture analyzers operating on a load-cell basis.

Description

[0001] A JAW SYSTEM INTEGRABLE INTO A TEXTURE ANALYZER FOR MEASURING THE BITING, CRUSHING, AND COMMINUTION PROPERTIES OF FOODS

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to a jaw system used in food analysis for performing a biting, crushing, or comminution test in order to determine a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process, wherein said system is compatible with all texture analyzers operating on a load-cell basis.

[0004] Background of the Invention

[0005] Textural properties of foods constitute one of the most important quality criteria affecting consumption quality. Instrumental tests for determining the textural characteristics of foods are generally based on replicating the mechanical actions applied to the foods during different stages of the production chain, including preparation, storage, and consumption. In these tests, suitable probes are used to carry out measurements, wherein both the mechanical actions applied to the food, such as compression, cutting, puncturing, and stretching, and the responses of the food to these actions are measured by means of texture profile analysis (TPA), compression tests, stress-relaxation tests, cutting tests, and puncture tests. The probes used in TPA, compression, and stress-relaxation tests are generally similar; however, in terms of textural evaluation, a fundamental disadvantage of these probes in accurately measuring the true consumption quality of foods is that they have completely flat surfaces, which differ markedly from the tuberculated surface of human teeth, and permit only uniaxial compression. Likewise, knife-shaped probes used in cutting tests deviate from real (tooth-based) cutting / biting actions due to their unrealistic uniform thickness and sharp edge. Cylindrical, thin, needle-shaped probes with a fixed radius used in puncture tests suffer from similar disadvantages and, moreover, fail to replicate how different teeth actually grip and penetrate foods within the oral cavity.

[0006] CN108748103A of the known art discloses a mechanism with a dedicated motor and six degrees of freedom, which is capable of moving in the up / down, forward / backward, andleft / right directions to simulate human jaw movements. This system has no potential for use as an auxiliary attachment in texture analyzers.

[0007] CN103558104A of the known art discloses a system for measuring the crispness of foods, which comprises a chewing simulator and a system for signal acquisition, data processing, and analysis. In this study, food crispness is also determined acoustically by means of a sound sensor provided in the oral cavity; however, the open-jaw system designed in this study lacks any motion or element for guiding the food within the mouth.

[0008] KR101478719B1 of the known art discloses a probe developed for instrumental measurement of food textural properties by incorporating all teeth present in a jaw system. This system, which is designed to incorporate all teeth in the jaw system, does not include a multi-directional motion mechanism capable of faithfully simulating real biting and crushing / comminution actions. Moreover, the motion source of the developed probe and its integrability with certain devices remain unclear.

[0009] Document JP3002530B2 of the known art discloses a system developed solely for use in dentistry for measuring mandibular motion in order to support the rapid and accurate manufacture of dentures and the rapid diagnosis and data transmission in joint disorders.

[0010] A study by Daumas, B., Xu, W. L., and Bronlund, J. (2005), titled “Jaw mechanism modeling and simulation” (Mechanism and Machine Theory, 40(7), 821-833) aims to provide a mechatronic device capable of simulating human jaw movements for use in food texture studies. For this purpose, chewing motion is simulated by means of linear actuators located between the lower jaw and the skull, together with motions generated using the Matlab SimMechanics toolbox. Described as a preliminary investigation excluding food interaction experiments, the study concluded that the developed system was a promising tool for simulating human jaw movements. However, owing to the non-linear and complex operating mechanism of the jaw system, it was also noted that, despite the successful simulations performed within the scope of the study, stable repetition and precise control of the jaw motion trajectories could not be achieved with sufficient repeatability, that the controllers used were inadequate for tracking jaw movements, and that a multivariable controller design would be required to achieve improved trajectory-tracking performance.A study by Masen, M. and Cann, P. (2023), titled “Tribology test design for friction measurements with application to oral medicines” (Biotribology, 35, 100260), was conducted by performing friction tests in order to better determine properties such as sliding and friction of certain medicinal products within the oral cavity, using, as stated in the study, a BTM device (PCS Instruments, London, UK) operating with reciprocating motion at low frequencies and low loads, together with a tongue-palate environment formed by a silicone surface and a PCX glass lens. However, since this system lacks a closed oral environment and permits only unidirectional motion, it is not suitable for conducting biting and crushing / comminution tests on foods.

[0011] In a study by Zhang, X., Chen, J., Panda, S., and Benjamin, O. (2023), titled “Feasibility analysis of a newly developed multifunctional mastication simulator” (Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 87, 103393), a structure comprising four lower and four upper molar teeth and a palate was designed using stainless steel material for the purpose of determining food properties. However, because the resistance and surface characteristics of stainless steel differ substantially from those of human tooth structure, its use for determining textural properties significantly limits the accurate assessment of key parameters such as hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, and chewiness, thereby considerably restricting the ability to determine the real interaction forces between food and teeth.

[0012] Current applications do not employ a jaw system that can be integrated into texture analyzers. As a result, the evaluation environments used in these imitative and indirect food texture measurement methods, particularly those lacking continuity and lateral excursion (leftward or rightward sliding movement of the jaw), differ significantly from real biting and crushing / comminution stages, and the results obtained from these systems do not fully reflect human sensory perception and remain insufficient for accurately measuring the true consumption quality of foods.

[0013] Description of the Invention

[0014] In order to satisfy the aforementioned requirements, eliminate existing disadvantages, and provide additional advantages, a jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, or comminution property of a food is described herein without any intention to impose a limiting effect.The present invention relates to a jaw system used in food analysis for determining a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process, wherein said system is compatible with all texture analyzers operating on a load-cell basis.

[0015] A primary object of the invention is to perform a biting or a crushing / comminution test on a food sample by using a system formed with a prosthetic dental set and capable of opening or closing in a manner similar to the human jaw.

[0016] Another object of the invention is to simulate human jaw movements by means of a practical, low-cost, and physically advantageous system that is compatible with the operating mechanism of all commercially available load-cell-based texture analyzers and that does not require any additional software, motors, sensors, or similar hardware components.

[0017] A further object of the invention is to reduce the likelihood of a deviation from real behavior in the measurement of food properties during the oral process when using existing systems that are unable to perform axial movements identical to actual jaw movements.

[0018] A further object of the invention is to provide a jaw system for use in a biting, crushing, or comminution test, which is capable of replicating the real opening and closing motion of the human jaw in order to simulate, to the highest possible extent, the biting of foods between the anterior upper and lower teeth and the crushing or comminution of foods between the canine and molar teeth.

[0019] Still another object of the invention is to provide a system which closely replicates actual jaw movements, thereby enabling measurements that more closely reflect the real properties of the food during the oral process.

[0020] Preferably, the invention provides a jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, or comminution property of a food, which is designed to faithfully replicate jaw movements and thereby enable measurements closer to the real properties of the food.More preferably, the invention provides a jaw system used in food analysis for performing a biting, crushing, or comminution test in order to determine a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process, wherein the jaw system is integrable into all texture analyzers operating on a load-cell basis.

[0021] Most preferably, the invention provides a jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, or comminution property of a food.

[0022] In the jaw system illustrated in Figure 1, an angular motion sphere (1) causes the upper jaw to move rearward to a certain extent during opening and forward during closing as the system performs an opening and closing motion together with the texture analyzer, thereby allowing the upper jaw to slide forward and backward during the opening and closing motions. An upper jaw plate (2), which serves as the mounting surface for the upper palate and teeth, performs the opening and closing motion. An upper palate mounting filler (3), on which the upper teeth are arranged, allows the upper palate to be initially seated on the upper plate by means of a position-adjustable filler material and subsequently fixed at a desired angular position. An upper palate and teeth (4), formed using a prosthetic dental set, perform biting and crushing or comminution actions on foods. Similarly, the lower palate and teeth (5), also formed using a prosthetic dental set, perform biting and crushing or comminution actions on foods. A lower teeth mounting filler (6) enables the lower palate, on which the lower teeth are arranged, to be first seated on the lower plate by means of a position-adjustable filler material and then fixed at a desired angular position. Texture analyzer connection channels (7) allow the jaw system to be connected to the texture analyzer. A lower jaw plate (8) serves as the mounting surface for the lower palate and teeth, which is seated on and fixed to the texture analyzer. A vertical column-to-lower plate connection member (9) allows attachment of the height-adjustable vertical columns to the lower plate. Height-adjustable columns (10), which connect the lower and upper jaws, allow the jaws to be positioned at a desired location according to the dimensions of the teeth used during assembly of the jaw system. A piston (11) limits the opening distance during the jaw opening motion. An upper plate motion member (12) provides the connection between the vertical columns and the upper plate carrying the upper teeth. A texture analyzer connection adapter (13) enables the jaw system to be connected to the texture analyzer.

[0023] Figure 2 illustrates a right-side view of the jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, or comminution property of a food.Figure 3 illustrates a right-side cross-sectional view of the jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, and comminution property of a food.

[0024] Figure 4 illustrates a top view of the jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, and comminution property of a food.

[0025] Figure 5 illustrates a front view of the jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, and comminution property of a food.

[0026] Figure 6 illustrates an isometric view of the jaw system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a biting, crushing, and comminution property of a food, wherein the jaw motion is provided.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A jaw system used in food analysis for performing a biting, crushing, or comminution test in order to determine a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process, the system being compatible with all texture analyzers operating on a loadcell basis, characterized in that the jaw system is formed with a prosthetic dental set and is capable of performing an opening and closing motion.

2. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that an angular motion sphere causes the upper jaw to move rearward to a certain extent during opening and forward during closing as the jaw system performs an opening and closing motion together with the texture analyzer, thereby allowing the upper jaw to slide forward and backward during the opening and closing motions.

3. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that an upper jaw plate serves as the mounting surface for the upper palate and teeth, and is capable of performing the opening and closing motion.

4. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that an upper palate mounting filler, on which the upper teeth are arranged, allows the upper palate to be initially seated on the upper plate by means of a position-adjustable filler material and subsequently fixed at a desired angular position.

5. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that upper palate and teeth, formed using a prosthetic dental set, perform biting and crushing or comminution actions on foods.

6. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that lower palate and teeth, formed using a prosthetic dental set, perform biting and crushing or comminution actions on foods.

7. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that a lower teeth mounting filler enables the lower palate, on which the lower teeth are arranged, to be first seated on the lower plate by means of a position-adjustable filler material and then fixed at a desired angular position.

8. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that texture analyzer connection channels allow the jaw system to be connected to the texture analyzer.

9. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that a lower jaw plate serves as the mounting surface for the lower palate and teeth, which is seated on and fixed to the texture analyzer.

10. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that a vertical column-to-lower plate connection member allows attachment of the height-adjustable vertical columns to the lower plate.

11. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that height-adjustable columns provide the connection between the lower and upper jaws and allow the lower and upper jaws to be positioned at a desired location according to the dimensions of the teeth used during assembly of the jaw system.

12. A jaw system according to claim 1 , characterized in that a piston limits the opening distance during the jaw opening motion.

13. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that an upper plate motion member provides the connection between the vertical columns and the upper plate carrying the upper teeth.

14. A jaw system according to claim 1, characterized in that a texture analyzer connection adapter enables the jaw system to be connected to the texture analyzer.

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