Self-Locking Dental Brace With Elastic Barb Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental braces face issues with discomfort due to rubber bands, complex mold requirements, structural weakness, and unreliable locking mechanisms, necessitating various sizes for different tooth shapes, which complicates production and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A self-locking and positioning device featuring an elastic piece with a barb and a detachable upper cover that slides into a track on the brace main body, allowing for automatic locking and easy assembly, enabling the same main body to accommodate different slot widths without requiring multiple sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a self-locking mechanism is formed into a single body with the brace main body, then the locking function is integrated, but the mold becomes complicated and construction is weak
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the self-locking mechanism into separate components: an elastic piece with positioning protrusions and an upper cover with corresponding positioning cavities, rather than forming a single integrated body. This segmentation simplifies the mold design while maintaining the self-locking function through the interaction of discrete elastic elements and geometric features.
2Adaptability or versatility
If different sizes of brace main bodies are provided for different slot widths, then different tooth shapes can be accommodated, but production complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the brace main body universal by providing a standardized track structure that can accommodate elastic pieces of different configurations. The track geometry allows the same main body to work with various elastic piece designs, enabling adaptation to different tooth shapes without requiring multiple main body sizes, thus improving production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic piece provides dynamic adaptability through its deformable nature, allowing it to conform to different slot widths and tooth shapes while maintaining the same brace main body. The elasticity enables the positioning protrusions to flex and lock into different positions along the track, accommodating variability without requiring multiple fixed-size components.
3Ease of operation
If a slidable upper cover is used to allow archwire to slide freely, then user comfort improves, but the locking becomes less reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic piece provides self-locking through its own elastic properties without requiring additional locking mechanisms. The positioning protrusions on the elastic piece automatically engage with the track features when the upper cover is slid into place, creating a reliable lock that results from the assembly process itself rather than requiring separate locking actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic piece utilizes curved or rounded positioning protrusions that engage with corresponding curved features in the track, creating a more reliable mechanical interlock. The rounded geometry allows for smooth insertion while providing positive locking engagement, combining ease of operation with reliability.
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
This solution simplifies construction, enhances production efficiency, reduces costs, and provides a comfortable and reliable locking mechanism for dental braces, accommodating various tooth shapes with a single brace main body design.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic piece and a detachable upper cover are placed on the dental brace. One end of the elastic piece is fixed onto the fixing slot of the brace main body; while the other end is disposed on a track, and is provided with a barb
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
A self-locking and positioning device for a dental brace, comprising: a brace main body, an elastic piece, and an upper cover. Wherein, on the brace main body is provided with a track and a fixing slot, while on the elastic piece is provided with a positioning piece and a slot. The positioning piece is provided with a barb, while the upper cover slides and fixes into the brace main body through the track. Then, the barb of the positioning piece on the elastic piece will act against a block portion on bottom of said upper cover, to restrict movement of the upper cover, to lock automatically the upper cover into position. The dental brace is simple in construction and easy to assemble, hereby raising production efficiency and yield.