Adjustable Ring Clamp for Play-Free Dental Blank Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional holding devices for round dental blanks fail to accommodate dental blanks with varying manufacturing tolerances without play, leading to inaccuracies and chipping during milling processes.
Innovation Solution
A holding device featuring an open ring element with adjustable clamping geometries and a closing element that can be tensioned to securely fasten dental blanks of different diameters, utilizing an adhesive gap with support feet and locking geometries to ensure precise fixation and adaptability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional fixtures with fixed geometry are used to hold dental blanks, then the device structure is simple, but dental blanks with varying manufacturing tolerances exhibit play and positioning inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The holding device employs a flexible ring element that can dynamically adjust its inner circumference to match the actual diameter of the dental blank. The ring element is tensioned by a closing element to maintain contact pressure, allowing the device to adapt to variations in blank diameter while maintaining precise positioning without requiring multiple fixed-geometry fixtures
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the geometric parameter of the ring element's inner circumference through tensioning. By adjusting the tensioning force applied by the closing element, the ring element's circumference is reduced to match the dental blank's diameter, thereby eliminating play and achieving accurate positioning for blanks with different manufacturing tolerances
2Manufacturing precision
If high clamping tension is applied to secure dental blanks, then positioning accuracy improves, but chipping occurs at the peripheral notch during clamping
Solution Approach 1:
The ring element functions as a flexible shell that uniformly distributes clamping tension around the entire circumference of the dental blank. This flexible contact replaces concentrated point forces with distributed line forces, securing the blank accurately while preventing localized stress concentrations that would cause chipping at the peripheral notch
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible ring element acts as a cushioning element between the closing element and the dental blank. It absorbs and distributes the clamping force, preventing direct impact and stress concentration at vulnerable areas like the peripheral notch, thereby protecting the blank from chipping while maintaining secure holding
3Adaptability or versatility
If the ring element is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then device strength is high, but the device cannot adapt to different dental blank diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The ring element is designed as a flexible shell with sufficient elastic properties to deform and adapt to different blank diameters. The flexibility is engineered within limits that maintain structural integrity and strength during operation, achieving both adaptability and strength through optimized material selection and cross-sectional geometry
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device securely fastens dental blanks with different diameters without play, preventing chipping and ensuring accurate production by applying a preload and compensating for manufacturing tolerances, while also providing thermal stability and improved adhesion.
Implementation Method 1
The ring element can always be closed under tension. This allows even dental blanks with manufacturing tolerances to be pre-tensioned and secured without play.
Implementation Method 2
The adhesive can be arranged in the adhesive gap in advance, during injection molding of the holding device.
Implementation Method 3
By shrinking or pre-tensioning the ring element, the holding points and/or support feet penetrate the material in a pointed design, thereby improving the hold. In the case of hard dental blanks, these can be deformed or crushed without penetrating the material of the dental blank.
Implementation Method 4
This is also advantageous in the event of temperature fluctuations that can occur during transport to different climate zones. This allows the different thermal expansion coefficients of the materials to be compensated for during temperature fluctuations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a holding device (100) for a round dental blank (200), with an open ring element (101) for laterally gripping the dental blank (200); and a closing element (103) for closing the ring element (101) in several positions.