Dental Cuvette with Self-Sealing Vent Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cuvettes for producing dental medical molded parts are cumbersome and inefficient due to the need for multiple sealing channels and potential air inclusions during the polymerization process, which delays the manufacturing of dental prostheses and can result in poor quality molded parts.
Innovation Solution
A cuvette design featuring a filter element in the ventilation duct that automatically closes upon filling, preventing air from entering the mold space, combined with thermal insulation and a separate heating mechanism to control polymerization, and a suction device to reduce pressing pressure, ensuring complete filling and improved part quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple filling channels and ventilation channels are provided to improve filling completeness, then the filling efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for multiple sealing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the ventilation channel and filling channel into a single integrated channel structure. The channel serves dual functions: allowing air to escape during filling and enabling polymerizable plastic to enter the mold space. This eliminates the need for separate ventilation and filling channels, reducing the number of sealing operations required while maintaining complete filling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel is designed to perform multiple functions sequentially: first as a ventilation channel for air evacuation, then as a filling channel for material introduction. The filter element enables this multi-functionality by automatically transitioning from air-permeable to material-blocking state, allowing one channel to replace what would traditionally require separate dedicated channels.
2Reliability
If the outlet opening is closed by a closure element to prevent air inclusions, then the sealing is improved, but the reliability deteriorates because the casting compound may close the channel before complete filling
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element automatically changes its permeability properties in response to contact with monomers in the polymerizable plastic. It transitions from an air-permeable state during filling to a blocked state after filling, without requiring external control or timing mechanisms. This self-regulating behavior ensures the channel remains open for complete filling while automatically sealing to prevent air inclusions.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter element's key parameter (permeability) changes in response to chemical interaction with monomers. During the filling process, the filter remains permeable to air. Upon contact with monomers, it undergoes a parameter change that blocks the channel, preventing air inclusions. This dynamic parameter change resolves the contradiction between maintaining an open channel for complete filling and closing it to prevent air entrapment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the filter element is made temperature-resistant to withstand heating, then the thermal stability is improved, but the ease of manufacture deteriorates due to limited material options
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into thermal zones: the filter element is positioned away from the direct heating zone, and thermal insulation is provided between the heating element and the filter element. This segmentation allows the filter element to be made from materials with lower temperature resistance requirements, improving ease of manufacture while the insulation ensures thermal stability in the heating zone.
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 solution simplifies the handling and operation of the cuvette, reduces air inclusions, and enhances the quality of molded parts by ensuring complete filling and controlled polymerization, particularly with polymethyl methacrylate, while allowing for efficient use of less temperature-resistant filter elements.
Implementation Method 1
The contact with the monomers will practically result in a change in shape or an increase in volume of the filter element, which is used to close the pores
Implementation Method 2
provision is made for an insulator to be provided adjacent to the inlet opening, which is used for thermal insulation
Implementation Method 3
The cuvette can preferably be heated with an inexpensive heater, if necessary also with a water bath in boiling water
Implementation Method 4
a suction device which generates a negative pressure. This makes it possible to reduce the pressing pressure for providing the plastic
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a flask (10) for manufacturing, in particular injection molding, dental components, comprising at least two flask molding shells (12) through which a molding chamber (14) for introducing polymerizable plastic via a filling channel (16) can be formed, and with a venting channel (42) for the air escaping during filling of the molding chamber (14). The venting channel (42) has a filter element (40) whose air permeability changes automatically, in particular decreases, as soon as it comes into contact with the polymerizable plastic.