Dental Blank Holder With Guide Shell for One-Sided Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for mounting dental blanks in milling machines are complex and inefficient, leading to suboptimal material utilization and increased costs due to the need for additional plastic rims and cumbersome adapter systems.
Innovation Solution
A blank holder with a form-fitting profile and guide shell design that allows secure, one-sided clamping of the blank, utilizing a form-locking mechanism to ensure precise and repeatable mounting without requiring multiple screw attachments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a plastic rim is added to the blank to improve material utilization, then material utilization is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional attachment components
Solution Approach 1:
The guide shell is integrated directly into the blank holder as a single component, merging the guiding function and the clamping function into one unified structure. This eliminates the need for separate plastic rims and multiple attachment components, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining material utilization benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding function is extracted from the blank itself and implemented through the guide shell structure in the blank holder. This allows the blank material to be fully utilized without requiring additional plastic rims, as the guide shell provides the necessary guidance and clamping interface independently.
2Reliability
If multiple clamping screws are used to secure the blank, then reliability of clamping is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome mounting and changing procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping mechanism is segmented into a movable clamping jaw and a fixed jaw, allowing the blank to be secured through a single lever action rather than multiple screw operations. This segmentation enables reliable clamping while dramatically simplifying the mounting and changing procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping jaw is designed to be movable and lockable, transitioning from an open to a closed position through lever actuation. This dynamic mechanism replaces static multiple-screw clamping with a single-action locking system, improving ease of operation while maintaining clamping reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the blank holder overlaps a portion of the blank for positive support, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of substance increases as the overlapping portion cannot be used for dental restorations
Solution Approach 1:
The guide shell acts as an intermediary structure that provides the necessary support and guidance functions without requiring overlap of the blank material itself. This allows the entire blank surface to remain available for dental restoration production while maintaining manufacturing precision through the guide shell's form-fitting profile.
Data Source
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AI summary
The system includes a blank holder and a blank. The blank holder has a receiving area for a substantially disc-shaped blank, the receiving area being curved. The receiving area forms a straight, circular, semi-circular, or arcuate positive-locking profile. The blank has a corresponding guide shell that can be inserted or screwed into the positive-locking profile.