Dental Blank Holder With Guide Shell for Rapid Secure Mounting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for mounting dental restoration blanks in milling machines are time-consuming and inefficient, particularly when using plastic edges, as they require frequent adapter removal and reinstallation, leading to suboptimal material utilization and prolonged processing times.
Innovation Solution
A blank holder and blank system featuring a guide shell on the blank's outer edge that engages with a form-fitting profile on the holder, allowing secure one-sided support and easy alignment, enabling quick and precise mounting without the need for extensive adapter manipulation, utilizing a guide shell that can be glued to the blank and supported by a C-shaped form-fitting profile for stable positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an adapter with clamping screws is used to fix the plastic edge, then the blank can be securely clamped in the milling machine, but the workflow becomes time-consuming due to frequent adapter removal and reinstallation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the adapter and the blank into a single integrated unit. The form-fitting profile is permanently attached to the blank holder, and the guide shell is integrated onto the blank, eliminating the need for separate adapters and clamping screws. This integration allows the blank to be directly mounted onto the blank holder without additional components, thereby maintaining secure clamping while dramatically improving workflow efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide shell is pre-attached to the blank during manufacturing, and the form-fitting profile is pre-attached to the blank holder. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the blank needs to be mounted, it can be directly inserted onto the blank holder without requiring any additional assembly steps, fasteners, or adjustments during the workflow.
2Reliability
If the plastic edge is tightly clamped to ensure safe storage, then the blank is securely held, but the plastic material may be damaged due to its lower pressure resistance compared to ceramic blanks
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by providing support only at specific locations where the guide shell contacts the form-fitting profile, rather than applying uniform clamping pressure across the entire blank. The guide shell is designed with specific contact surfaces that distribute forces locally, providing secure holding while avoiding excessive pressure on the plastic material.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide shell acts as an intermediary element between the blank and the form-fitting profile. It is specifically designed to interface with the form-fitting profile, distributing and transmitting forces in a way that secures the blank while protecting the plastic material from damaging pressures. The guide shell's geometry and material properties are optimized to mediate the interaction between the rigid form-fitting profile and the more vulnerable plastic blank.
Data Source
AI summary
A blank holder and a blank are provided, the blank holder having a receiving area for a substantially disc-shaped blank, the receiving area being curved. The receiving area forms a straight, circular or part-circular or arc-shaped form-fitting profile. The blank has a matching guide shell which can be inserted or turned into the form-fitting profile.