A chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring chewing properties of a food
A chewing system for texture analyzers replicates human jaw movements and operates in saliva to simulate oral chewing, addressing the limitations of existing simulators by providing accurate food property measurements.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ATATURK UNIVERSITESI FIKRI MULKIYET HAKLARI KOORDINATORLUGU DONER SERMAYE ISLETMESI
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-02
AI Technical Summary
Existing mastication simulators fail to accurately simulate the chewing process of food in the presence of saliva and are not integrable into texture analyzers, lacking the ability to provide realistic simulation of oral chewing or reliable measurement of food behavior.
A chewing system compatible with load-cell-based texture analyzers, comprising upper and lower molar teeth, an elastic sleeve, and motion channels, which replicates human jaw movements and operates in the presence of saliva, forming a chewing chamber to measure food properties.
Enables accurate simulation of chewing behavior and measurement of food properties in the presence of saliva, compatible with texture analyzers, reducing deviations from actual chewing actions.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[0001] A CHEWING SYSTEM INTEGRABLE INTO A TEXTURE ANALYZER FOR MEASURING CHEWING PROPERTIES OF A FOOD
[0002] Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a chewing system used in food analysis for performing a chewing test on a food sample 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, and is integrable into the texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of the food.
[0004] Background of the Invention
[0005] In the current state of the art, various mastication simulators are available in dentistry and engineering (materials science), and this field continues to be the subject of research by specialists. While these simulators (systems) have generally been developed to investigate the effects of different treatments (including mastication conditions and contact materials) and material properties on material durability, they are also essentially intended for studies focused on selecting optimal materials for dental applications. A major shortcoming of existing applications is their inability to accurately simulate the chewing process of food in the presence of saliva. As a result, existing systems do not allow realistic simulation of oral chewing or reliable measurement of food behavior during chewing. Furthermore, the current state of the art cannot provide a chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer.
[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, and left / right directions to simulate human jaw movements. This system has no potential for use as an auxiliary attachment in texture analyzers. In addition, the document cannot provide an approach for forming an enclosed environment in which a chewing process can be carried out in the presence of saliva.
[0007] CN103558104A of the known art discloses a system comprising a chewing simulator and a system for signal acquisition, data processing, and analysis, wherein said system isprimarily designed to measure food crispness rather than to simulate chewing behavior. In this open-jaw system, 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 to perform the chewing process.
[0008] US10596699B2 of the known art discloses a system in which mandibular motion is generated using six ball-jointed rods, each having one end connected to a movable platform and the other end connected either to a frame or to rotary cranks driven synchronously by a motor via a transmission. Originally designed to test dental materials, said simulator is described as capable of forming an enclosed environment and allowing food analyses to be performed with partial use of saliva. However, such a simulator cannot achieve a controllable and repeatable food-chewing test without guiding structure simulators such as the tongue and cheeks. Moreover, the document cannot provide an alternative method for guiding food within the oral cavity. Furthermore, due to its size and motion mechanism, said simulator is not suitable for use as an auxiliary attachment to a texture analyzer.
[0009] CN105929121A of the known art provides a chewing robot designed to instrumentally determine the crispness of meat. However, the document cannot provide an approach for forming an enclosed environment in which a chewing process can be carried out in the presence of saliva. Furthermore, said system is not suitable for use as an auxiliary attachment to a texture analyzer.
[0010] 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 chewing actions. Moreover, the motion source of said probe and its integrability with certain devices remain unclear.
[0011] 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.Overall, evaluation of the prior art shows that various mastication simulators are available in dentistry and engineering (materials science), and this field continues to be the subject of research by specialists. While these simulators (systems) have generally been developed to investigate the effects of different treatments (including mastication conditions and contact materials) and material properties on material durability, they are also essentially intended for studies focused on selecting optimal materials for dental applications. A major shortcoming of existing applications is their inability to accurately simulate the chewing process of food in the presence of saliva. As a result, existing systems do not allow realistic simulation of oral chewing or reliable measurement of food behavior during chewing. Furthermore, the current state of the art cannot provide a chewing system that can be integrated into a texture analyzer. Accordingly, there is a clear need for a chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of a food.
[0012] Description of the Invention
[0013] In the present description, a chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of a food is disclosed, without any intention to impose a limiting effect.
[0014] The present invention relates to a chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of a food, which satisfies the aforementioned requirements, eliminates existing disadvantages, and provides additional advantages.
[0015] The primary object of the invention is to enable a chewing test to be carried out in a food analysis.
[0016] Another object of the invention is to simulate human jaw movements and chewing behavior by means of a practical, low-cost, and physically advantageous system that is compatible with the operating mechanisms of commercially available load-cell-based texture analyzers and that does not require additional software, motors, sensors, or similar hardware components.
[0017] Yet another object of the invention is to reduce the likelihood of a deviation from actual chewing behavior in the measurement of food chewing properties, which is encountered inthe existing systems that fail to perform axial movements identical to actual jaw motion and operate in the absence of saliva.
[0018] A further object of the invention is to provide a system which operates in the presence of saliva and accurately replicates jaw movements, in order to obtain measurements that are as close as possible to the real chewing properties of food.
[0019] The invention provides a chewing system used in food analysis for performing a chewing test, which is integrable into a texture analyzer in order to measure a chewing property of a food.
[0020] More preferably, the invention provides a chewing system compatible with all texture analyzers operating on a load-cell basis in order to determine a textural property of a solid food throughout the oral process.
[0021] Most preferably, the invention provides a chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of a food.
[0022] Components employed in the invention are as follows:
[0023] a) A texture analyzer connection adapter for providing connection of the chewing system to the texture analyzer,
[0024] b) An upper molar mounting plate serving as a mounting surface for the upper molar teeth,
[0025] c) Upper molar teeth formed with a prosthetic dental set and configured to perform a chewing action on the food,
[0026] d) Lower molar teeth formed with a prosthetic dental set and configured to perform a chewing action on the food,
[0027] e) An elastic sleeve fastening clip for fixing the elastic sleeve to the lower molar mounting plates,
[0028] f) A lower molar mounting plate serving as a mounting surface for the lower molar teeth, wherein the lower molar mounting plate is capable of moving laterally so that lateral movement of the lower jaw is transmitted to the lower molar teeth during operation, thereby enabling a chewing action similar to the movement of the human jaw during a chewing process,
[0029] g) A lower fixing plate for seating and fixing the chewing system to the texture analyzer,h) Motion rails for moving the lower molar mounting plate over the lower fixing plate during the opening and closing motion of the chewing system,
[0030] i) Texture analyzer connection channels for fixing the chewing system to the texture analyzer,
[0031] j) Motion channel adjustment button for adjusting a degree of lateral movement while the guide channel elements direct the lower molar system into lateral movement to a certain extent during each opening and closing motion,
[0032] k) Motion channels for allowing movement of the guide channel elements therein to enable lateral movement of the lower molar system,
[0033] l) Guide channel elements that move in a predetermined direction within the motion channels during each opening and closing motion, thereby enabling the lower molar system to generate a chewing action similar to that of the human lower jaw, m) An elastic sleeve fitted onto and fixed to the lower and upper molar systems, thereby forming a chewing space,
[0034] n) A chewing chamber formed by joining the lower and upper molar systems with the elastic sleeve, wherein food and saliva are placed in the chewing chamber to perform the food chewing process,
[0035] o) An elastic sleeve fastening clip for fixing the elastic sleeve to the upper molar plates.
[0036] A method of the invention is as follows:
[0037] 1. Connecting the system to the texture analyzer,
[0038] 2. Fixing the elastic sleeve to the portion containing the lower molar teeth by means of a fastening clip,
[0039] 3. Placing an appropriate amount of food and saliva into the chewing space,
[0040] 4. Fitting the flexible connection system onto the upper teeth and securing it by means of fastening clips,
[0041] 5. Connecting the system to the texture analyzer via the adapter,
[0042] 6. Using the device software to chew the food within the space in the presence of saliva.
[0043] Figure 1 illustrates the chewing system integrable into a texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of a food, including the adapter (1) for providing connection to the texture analyzer; the plate (2) for mounting the upper molar teeth (3); the lower molar teeth (4) formed by a prosthetic dental set and configured to perform the chewing action on a food; the elastic sleeve fastening clip (5) for fixing the elastic sleeve to the lower molar plates; thelower molar mounting plate (6) capable of moving laterally so that lateral movement of the lower jaw is transmitted to the lower molar teeth during operation, thereby enabling a chewing action similar to the movement of the human jaw during a chewing process; the lower fixing plate (7) for seating and fixing the chewing system to the texture analyzer; the motion rails (8) for moving the lower molar mounting plate over the lower fixing plate during the opening and closing motion of the chewing system; the texture analyzer connection channels (9) for fixing the chewing system to the texture analyzer; the motion channel adjustment button (10) for adjusting a degree of lateral movement while the guide channel elements direct the lower molar system into lateral movement to a certain extent during each opening and closing motion; the motion channels (11) for allowing movement of the guide channel elements therein to enable lateral movement of the lower molar system; the guide channel elements (12) that move in a predetermined direction within the motion channels during each opening and closing motion, thereby enabling the lower molar system to generate a chewing action similar to that of the human lower jaw; the elastic sleeve (13) fitted onto and fixed to the lower and upper molar systems, thereby forming a chewing space; the chewing chamber (14) formed by joining the lower and upper molar systems with the elastic sleeve, wherein food and saliva are placed in the chewing chamber to perform the food chewing process; and the elastic sleeve fastening clip (15) for fixing the elastic sleeve to the upper molar plates.
[0044] Figure 2 illustrates the texture analyzer connection adapter in front view, wherein a lower portion of the adapter is formed as a vertical cylinder having a height of 63.87 mm, a base diameter of 12.00 mm, and a top diameter of 15.00 mm. A middle portion of the connection adapter has a height of 8.00 mm and a diameter of 28.00 mm. An upper portion of the connection adapter has a diameter of 5.00 mm. A diameter of the connection point between the lower vertical cylindrical portion of the connection adapter and the upper molar mounting plate is 13.00 mm. The upper molar mounting plate is formed as a hexagonal frustum with a base diameter of 33.00 mm and a top diameter of 13.00 mm, wherein the side edges are connected to the top edges at an angle of 155.56°. The inverted L-shaped guide channel elements have an upper width of 15.00 mm, an upper width thickness of 5.50 mm, a height of 35.50 mm, and a lower thickness of 3.00 mm.
[0045] Figure 3 illustrates a right sectional view, in which the dimensions are identical and symmetrically formed on both sides. In this view, a width of the lower molar mounting plate is 35.00 mm, a diameter of the guide channel element is 4.00 mm, an initial entry portion ofthe curved motion channel is 3.60 mm, a lower end portion thereof is 4.50 mm, and a height of the motion channel is 18.85 mm.
[0046] Figure 4 illustrates an upper sectional view of the lower fixing plate, which has a depth of 45.00 mm, along with four texture analyzer connection channels, each having a diameter of 5.00 mm.
[0047] Figure 5 illustrates the chewing action.
Claims
CLAIMS1. A chewing system used in food analysis for performing a chewing test on a food sample 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, and being integrable into the texture analyzer for measuring a chewing property of the food, characterized by comprising a texture analyzer connection adapter, an upper molar mounting plate, upper molar teeth, lower molar teeth, an elastic sleeve fastening clip, a lower molar mounting plate, a lower fixing plate, motion rails, texture analyzer connection channels, a motion channel adjustment button, motion channels, guide channel elements, an elastic sleeve, a chewing chamber, and an elastic sleeve fastening clip.
2. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the texture analyzer connection adapter provides connection of the chewing system to the texture analyzer.
3. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper molar mounting plate serves as a mounting surface for the upper molar teeth.
4. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the upper molar teeth are formed with a prosthetic dental set and configured to perform a chewing action on the food.
5. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lower molar teeth are formed with a prosthetic dental set and configured to perform a chewing action on the food.
6. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the elastic sleeve fastening clip fixes the elastic sleeve to the lower molar mounting plates.
7. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower molar mounting plate is capable of moving laterally so that lateral movement of the lower jaw is transmitted to the lower molar teeth during operation.
8. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the lower fixing plate allows the chewing system to be seated and fixed to the texture analyzer.
9. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the motion rails enable movement of the lower molar mounting plate over the lower fixing plate during the opening and closing motion of the chewing system.
10. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the texture analyzer connection channels enable fixation of the chewing system to the texture analyzer.
11. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that motion channel adjustment button enables adjustment of a degree of lateral movement while the guide channel elements direct the lower molar system into lateral movement to a certain extent during each opening and closing motion.
12. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the motion channels allow movement of the guide channel elements therein to enable lateral movement of the lower molar system.
13. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide channel elements move in a predetermined direction within the motion channels during each opening and closing motion, thereby enabling the lower molar system to generate a chewing action similar to that of the human lower jaw.
14. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic sleeve is fitted onto and fixed to the lower and upper molar systems, thereby forming a chewing space.
15. A chewing system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the chewing chamber is formed by joining the lower and upper molar systems with the elastic sleeve, wherein food and saliva are placed in the chewing chamber to perform the food chewing process.
16. A chewing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic sleeve fastening clip fixes the elastic sleeve to the upper molar mounting plates.